Chinese Style Wedding

In early May I managed the wedding of Jean and Rupert who chose the beautiful St Paul's Walden Bury near Hitchin for their civil ceremony, with a large marquee reception in the grounds.

The day was chilly but guests were treated to a wonderful eight course Chinese banquet, care of http://www.leigh-house.co.uk/ , fabulous red and gold Chinese decorations and customs, complete with lion dancing and a rickshaw.

Many thanks to http://www.nigelharper.com/ for his photographs.

Trends in Wedding Cakes

My lovely guest blogger, Sherry, gives us an overview of current trends in wedding cakes......

Trends in wedding cakes, just like everything else, evolve with the times. Not only are they a major style statement, which reflect the personalities and tastes of each individual bride and groom, but they present a perfect opportunity for creative brides to play with shape, colour and embellishments.


2009 certainly seemed to be the year of the cupcake, with 2010 following suit. Towers of cupcakes or individual cakes are ideal as an individual serving for each guest, topped with a small 6 inch tiered cake for the bride and groom to cut or freeze as a traditional Christening cake.

However, by no means should you disregard the tiered wedding cake! Although having each tier separated by pillars seems to have taken a step back these days, the big trend right now is to have each tier stacked directly one on top of the other to create clean, classic lines of elegance.

As far as colours go, pink is still strong in 2010, as is burgundy, and for some chic elegance, many are leaning towards all white designs. Browns with baby pinks and baby blues are beautiful, as are pastels with white embellishments. Tropical themes for those of you getting married in hotter climes and then returning for your reception are always fabulous, incorporating hot pinks and oranges.

Flowers continue to be a popular adornment for wedding cakes and simple blooms such as calla lilies and daisies have replaced some of the more ‘fancy’ varieties of flower. Simple embellishments such as dots, curving scrollwork, and family monograms are also high in popularity to help personalise your cake.

Most importantly, remember that the cake should reflect your individual style, and you cannot go wrong no matter what you choose. Once the confetti has settled, you want to be able to look back at your pictures and be confident that you made the right choice.

Wedding Cakes - What to Consider

Sherry Hostler http://www.thecakehouse.biz/ begins her series of guest blogs for us by looking at what to consider when choosing a wedding cake...

'We are now firmly entrenched in 2010, and for those of you with a wedding coming up this year, where do you start with your wedding cake?

You can look through wedding magazines, visit wedding fayres and search the internet for inspiration, but don’t let yourself get too bogged down. The choice of different styles of cake is endless and before long you may feel even more confused.

Here are some hints and tips to help you on your way:

Think about the number of people you would like to feed with the cake and what flavours would be most popular. Remember you don’t have to have traditional fruit cake for your wedding cake these days. Most of the wedding cakes I make have each tier as a different flavour. It's nice to be able to offer your guests some variety.

How many tiers would you like? What shape do you want them to be? What colour would you like the cake covered in? You could have a different colour for each tier! Then the decoration…flowers? bride and groom toppers? chocolate spirals? monograms? The list is endless…

Make sure you book your cake designer as soon as you choose them. Good bespoke cake designers get booked up fast.

Bespoke cakes are 'one offs' and need a bit of time to be designed and priced up. They will vary considerably depending on the amount of work that goes into them. It is tempting to go for a low price, but remember the old adage…'if you pay peanuts, you often get monkeys’. Make sure you go for someone you trust, whose work you admire. If you have a budget in mind, let them know so they can work with you.'

Next week, Sherry enlightens us as to current trends in wedding cakes...

The Wonderful World of Cake

I am keen to have some of my favourite experts give hints and tips and great advice to help you make decisions for your wedding or party. Over the next couple of months Sherry Hostler, a wonderful cake designer, will be sharing her ideas with us and showing us a variety of cakes for different occasions.

Sherry's business The Cake House http://www.thecakehouse.biz/ is based in Tring, Hertfordshire. She provides a completely bespoke service and I have been impressed with her dedication and attention to detail ever since I met her.

Sherry is a skilled cake designer, with an NCF Certificate in Cake Decorating. She has a passion and flair for creativity and enjoys bringing her clients' ideas to life, no matter how large or small. I love these seasonal cupcakes for example:

The Cake House creates unique and delicious cakes in all tastes and styles. Sherry caters for all occasions  including weddings, celebrations and corporate events and she trains others in her art.

Next week Sherry suggests what we should consider when choosing a wedding cake.

Walkern Hall

In my area I am lucky to be surrounded by beautiful stately homes. Walkern Hall http://www.walkernhall.co.uk/ is one of these.
Situated near Stevenage, Walkern Hall is a delightful Georgian manor house, surrounded by beautiful gardens, stunning trees and much parkland. Its grounds are a perfect setting for a marquee wedding reception, private party or other event.

Exclusive ground hire charges are very reasonable and you are able, with the approval of the charming owners, to bring in whichever suppliers you wish.

Well worth a visit if you are looking for a relaxed, quintissentially English backdrop for your wedding or event.

Emergency Kit - Hygeine, Hair & Beauty

This is the second in my series of suggestions about what to take to your wedding 'just in case'.

I always create an attractive basket of items to be left for the use of guests in the ladies room. The following list is uncomplicated, but shows your guests you have thought of their potential needs, thus making them feel even more welcome:

• deodorant and deodorant wipes
• dental floss
• pack of cheap toothbrushes/ toothpaste
• hairspray
• tampons/ towels
• hygeine bags
• tissues
• hairpins
• tights
• emery boards
• cotton buds
• ends of perfumes

Why not consider a simpler version for the Gents too? And lastly, I also keep spare toilet rolls in the car.

Fabulous Duo - Mantal

I hear many excellent musicians at weddings and parties I have the privilege to be involved in, but I am always keen to find new acts and team them with events I am designing.

I was therefore very excited to meet Chris and Taira who together make up http://www.mantal.co.uk/ . They have performed with famous names such as Elton John and Phil Collins and have sung lead roles in West End shows such as Billy Elliot and Grease.

Able to sing both for ceremonies and receptions they can take on all your wedding music requirements, becoming an integral part of your day just like your photographer or caterer.

Listen here http://www.mantal.co.uk/audio/Hallelujah.mp3

Emergency Kit - Children

Over the next few weeks, prior to the main wedding season, I will be focussing on various items which I make sure I take with me to weddings.

Not all will be relevant to everyone. Some will be venue specific, good for marquee weddings, or will relate to particular times of year.

So, feel free to use what you like and discard the elements which don't apply to you.

My first list applies to weddings where small children will form part of the guest list. Making sure you have the following basic items will make you popular with the parents:

• disposable change mats
• nappy bin and sacks
• baby wipes
• nappies
• disposable bibs
• teething gel
• paper
• crayons
• simple noiseless wipeable toys

Next week - hygeine, hair and beauty musts.

Episode Two - Three Grand Weddings

The second episode of Three Grand Weddings, with me as one of the three planners competing with our teams with a budget of only £3,000 to put together a wedding can be seen here. This week the team decided on catering:

http://www.weddingtv.com/tv-shows/how-to-i-do/1507/three-grand-weddings

To date we are in the lead, but who knows what might happen next week.

Continue to watch us on Monday nights at 9pm on Wedding TV (Sky 266/ FreeSat 400).

Three Grand Weddings

Well I hope everyone is enjoying 2010 so far -  new year resolutions still in place?

The weather certainly isn't helping, however I hope I may be able to warm your Monday evenings for a while and even give you a giggle or two....

I was involved last year in filming a series with Wedding TV in which as a team (couple's friends and family and me) we were given just £3,000 to plan and create a wedding for Martine and JonJo. It was a competition, so two other planners and teams were also involved.

It starts Monday 11th January at 9:00pm on Sky 266 and FreeSat 400.

Sit back with a glass of vino and have a chuckle.

Toastmasters

One of the questions clients often ask me is whether or not they should employ a toastmaster.

This is a very personal thing and depends a great deal on the individual couple, the style of wedding and of course the particular toastmaster involved.

Personally I enjoy working with good toastmasters. Although I often act as MC myself for clients, I much prefer the sound of a deeper voice commanding guests' attention. It also means I can be busy with other duties, such as preparing the couple for their entrance into the wedding breakfast or helping a navigationally embarrassed band member with directions to the venue, whilst announcements are being made.

Some couples don't like the idea of the red jacket and others fear an over formal affair, but it is important to know that a good toastmaster will work with the clients to establish the level of formality appropriate, as well as keeping a check throughout the day itself on what is required. Many are also quite happy to wear black tie if this fits the occassion better.

Alan Deacon of At Your Service http://www.alan-toastmaster.co.uk/ says 'Above all else, I give couples friendly advice and direction, allowing them to decide whether, and in what way, I can best help them enjoy their big day and give their guests a perfect celebration'.

Pictures to please

There are all sorts of ifs, buts and maybes involved in wedding planning, however I have yet to be involved in a wedding where the couple didn’t want a good photographic record of their day. Photos, like so many other elements, are very personal, but are pretty much essential for a wedding.

http://www.xposephoto.co.uk/

Choosing your photographer

Much as I advocate involving family and friends in your big day, this is one area where I would encourage you to stick one hundred percent with the professionals, it is generally advisable for you to consider someone who has a recognised qualification from a Photographic Association i.e the BIPP or the MPA. A cake which collapses or flowers which wilt are, of course, a terrible shame, but not to have a wonderful photograph album to treasure and share could be a tragedy.

Find someone you feel comfortable with via local wedding fairs, your venue manager, your wedding planner or friends’ recommendations.

The acid test is to look at three or four full wedding albums: if the photographer is a real pro, all the photos should be great, not just the chosen two on their website. Once you are happy with their photos, ensure you pick someone you can talk to, who will enthuse with you about capturing your day, and most of all someone who will fit in…..

The ideal situation is to find someone who will find it easy to mingle with your guests. You want a personality who will be able to talk to people, get to know the key players as the day moves on and therefore understand exactly which shots must not be missed.

Book early! Good photographers tend to get booked 18 or more months in advance. The best time to think about photography is after the venue has been confirmed.

A favourite photographer of mine, Simon Goold of www.xposephoto.co.uk says ‘Think carefully about times, taking into consideration the time of year. If you want to have mainly outdoor photographs in daylight conditions, are you allowing reasonable time for this? For example you cannot realistically entertain the thought of having outdoor group photographs at a late autumnal wedding commencing at 4.00pm. Also, if your marriage and reception venue are separate locations, give reasonable time for travel between the two’.

Bad weather shouldn’t be a problem if you have chosen a good photographer. If you are selecting a venue which involves being outdoors, what contingency plan is in place, given the vagaries of British weather?

Style of photography

Traditional

Traditional wedding photos comprise a series of posed shots of the bride and groom, the family, the best man and bridesmaids etc. Whilst this undoubtedly ensures that each specific group or guest you want is recorded for posterity, many modern couples feel that the look is a bit formal and perhaps stiff.

Reportage

This is a much more relaxed approach to wedding photos which involves the photographer taking natural shots throughout the day. Many couples say they are hardly aware of the photographer’s presence which, for some, is important. However, the absence of any posed shots can mean someone important being missed out.

http://www.xposephoto.co.uk/

A mixture of the two styles can be the answer, but do bear in mind that many photographers are skilled in one style and neither enjoy nor excel at the other. Take your time looking at previous work and ask to speak direct to two or three previous wedding clients for testimonials if possible.

Packages, Prices and a bit of Common Sense………..

As with many aspects of your wedding, prices vary tremendously. Some say assume around 10% of your total budget, which is probably fair. I would say think seriously and honestly about what your exact goal is, find the person you think will best help you achieve it, then work with them on price.

Many photographers have a number of set packages, but most will also negotiate, especially if you plan to have them there all day. Be honest, tell the person what you plan to pay/ can afford and see what they can do for the price.

If you want someone for two hours, this is absolutely fine, but understand that in peak season they will be likely to have another wedding the same day – after all, they have a business to run. If you want someone for the majority of the day, it will cost more, but you can rest assured that however much your well planned timings change, your photographer will be there to film it all.

If you have someone there for the majority of the day, please make sure you feed them. This may sound obvious, but is often forgotten. You don’t have to find your photographer a seat with your guests, albeit if you wish to, go ahead. Just ensure the poor soul has a decent bar meal or whatever seems appropriate given your particular venue etc. Photography can be hard work and we all do our job better with a meal inside us.

In summary, think carefully about what you really want, take time finding someone who will not only help you achieve it, but seems excited about it too, then treat them as you would wish to be treated ………. Do this and you won’t go far wrong.

Men and Weddings

‘Men and weddings go together well: most Grooms want to be heavily involved in all the preparations and have to be consoled about not being able to help choose the wedding dress’ …….

.......Sound familiar? All right, probably not, but during my eight years of wedding planning I have seen quite a shift in attitude from Grooms, with around 30% showing a lot of interest in organising the perfect day and, in a couple of cases, very much taking the reins.

I believe much of this has to do with people choosing to marry a little later and often paying for the majority of the wedding as a couple rather than looking to parents for finance. In talking to Grooms it is also a question of wanting to put on a great party and give friends and family excellent food and wine and wow them with interesting entertainment, which of course includes the speeches: traditionally the domain of the men.

However, if you are a Bride and you don’t feel your husband to be is interested or involved, don’t despair. He was the one, probably, who went down on one knee to ask you to marry him so he definitely wants the wedding: he may simply not be as absorbed by the shade and width of your chair cover ties as perhaps you and your Mum are. There are generally elements of the wedding which he will have more interest in, so why not establish what they are and agree that he will organise, or at least take the lead in, these. Classic suggestions would be:

Transport

Have him view and shortlist some options: some Grooms choose to hire a fabulous sports car to drive them to the Church for something a little different.

Honeymoon

Traditionally one of the items the Groom would pay for, many still organise the honeymoon as a complete surprise for their Bride, ensuring, of course, she knows sufficient about the destination to have had the right shots and packed suitable clothing.

Attire

I would generally advise waiting until the Bride has chosen her dress and those of any bridesmaids, plus the overall colour scheme for the day, thus ensuring no ghastly faux pas whereby you have a bright orange tie and the ladies are all in purple. Once this is done, I would advise Grooms to plan their attire and book any formal hire around four to five months prior to the wedding.

Drinks

With wines from so many parts of the world being easily accessible these days many of us have more than a passing interest in grape varieties and bouquets. Whether you are choosing from a hotel wine list, planning a booze cruise to do your own thing or simply visiting your local off license this is an area which many Grooms are more than happy to be in charge of.

Speeches

These days there are really no taboos about who makes a speech at a wedding. In the UK many brides or ‘best women’ will get up and speak whereas in America pretty much anyone will toast the happy couple and take two minutes to say a few words, which can be lovely. However, in my experience, around 80% of us still go for the traditional three speeches, all made by our most beloved chaps.

So, for the male readers amongst you, go for it. We all love to hear a well delivered, fun filled, ‘not-too-embarrassing’ speech, so it is worth taking your time, checking it over with a couple of trusted mates, and making your Bride the proudest girl in the world on your big day.

And as for the Best Man…..remember, make it funny, make it cool, make the bridesmaids drool but make sure nobody will be genuinely offended by any jokes or comments you make.

Give the guys a break

In the end there are many Grooms and indeed Fathers of Brides who have very little interest in the detail. If your fiancé is dragging his heels and really only thinking about putting a ring on your finger and having a fabulous holiday, so be it: you probably didn’t fall for him because of his party planning skills anyway. Also, the wedding is just the beginning: later in your marriage you might be pleased that you get to choose the wall colours, the furnishings and the menus!

Keeping the Children Happy

Food and Drink


Whatever you choose to feed the children, the most important thing is to make them feel included and important. Good caterers will work with you on this. Simple touches like smaller cutlery can make a big difference.

With large numbers of children, some couples choose to give them their own party, including food, in a different room, with adult supervision.

Space for the children…

If possible it is a good idea to use a separate room or area for children’s activities, ideally near, but not right next to, the main reception room. Children tend to make a lot of noise, particularly after having been quiet for some time and indeed if they are laughing with an entertainer. Have them close enough for parental visits but far enough away to avoid hearing bouts of laughter at the wrong points in your father’s speech.

Entertainment

Make sure the children have something to occupy them. This need not mean you have to hire a magician, although for a large number this can be wonderful, see www.themagiccircle.co.uk to find someone in your area. One word of warning – if the entertainer is good, I have known parents stay at the children’s party rather longer than anticipated! Alternatively try a crèche service. This allows parents to leave little ones with fully trained staff and have a real break for a few hours. Many also offer babysitting services. Try www.thecrechecompany.co.uk for an excellent service in the Home Counties at great prices.

Laying out a few small tables and chairs with a simple craft activity like hat making or crayoning by numbers can be very useful, as can hiring some inflatable toys, especially for Spring and Summer weddings where a bouncy castle or blown up goal posts etc can be used outside.

Providing balloons and party bags or boxes as the children’s favours can be a great way of keeping them happy during the meal and possibly speeches. Make sure you fill bags with appropriate items for each child’s age and sex – and no chocolate to mess up their lovely new wedding outfits!

In short, think about how you want your day to run, and if you are inviting children provide activities tailored to achieving it. Make sure you communicate what’s available and when and most parents will be thrilled that you have worked to involve and occupy their youngsters.

(With thanks to www.mikaelamorgan.co.uk  for the photographs)

Pure White Elegance

Tern Events was proud to be involved in the wedding of Jeni & Gary late this Summer. Jeni had spent much time pulling together her ideas and the result was beautiful.