A Lot of Bottle

Once inexpensive and simple way of creating centrepieces for your wedding is by using Bottles,
They are easy to get hold of, they come in array of colours so the world is your oyster. You also do not have to be overly creative to make these work.

They are great for weddings where you may be short of time as once decorated they can be put together by family, friends or your event planner on the day itself/

You can add ribbon, glitter, twine, lace and put flowers or candles in them, or even paint them. The best thing is that you can re use them after your celebration.

What ever your idea its good to explore and play with them well ahead of time to make sure you are happy with them.  Think about how you are going to decorate them, fill them and then display them.

They look great especially when different sized bottles are grouped together or if using long tables several placed closely down the centre in a line.

Below are a few of my favourite ideas

wrapped in twine

Simple idea for table numbers

group together

A variation of ideas for decorating your bottles in twine

paint them

Dripped wax

Decorate and add twigs for a more seasonal look

Add trinkets to the bottle necks to add more interest

Perfect aisle decorations for outdoor weddings

Real Bride - Autumn Wedding

After a very busy and eventful year I have finally found time to get back to my blogging, I have really missed sharing my experiences and ideas with you all.

So lets go back to the Autumn when I had the privilege of working with a wonderful couple called Helen and Andy. They were a hardworking couple from London who travelled back to Yorkshire to have a typical country wedding in a beautiful little chapel, followed by a cosy reception at

East Harlsey Village Hall in North Yorkshire.

The day before the ceremony it was all go at the reception venue, it was a hive of activity with setting up all the tables, dressing them, hanging bunting, festoon lights and meeting with the caterer to finally go over the finer details for the day itself.

On the day itself it was an early start for me, I arrived early to ensure that all my fine tuning was done, I was there to assist the caterers with their set up, fine tuning of the music and greeting the cake as it arrived.

The theme and colour scheme for the wedding was very autumnal and rustic, with browns, golds and orange. We decided on using three colours for the tables rather than just the one and I must say it worked well. I think my favourite was the bronze sashes - they seemed to have a lovely

sheen on them. So we used Pale Mocha, Mocha and Bronze organza sashes on stretch covers. The venue itself has plastic chairs which really did need disguising, Chair covers can at times can hide a multitude of sins and look great on most chairs.

Helen, the bride to be had put so much effort into being creative and ensuring that she had put her own personal touch on the day. With lace decorated jars, fresh flowers and a collection of pine cones, horse chestnuts with slices of oranges, the tables looked fresh and rustic, which really does tie in beautifully with the venue.

It is always a great idea to seek a venue that really is going to be the essence of who you really are and help set the tone of the wedding.

I loved these letter lights, similar ones can be purchased via  http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/letter-light

The cake was beautifully made by a close friend of the family and the cake topper was amazing as it was a 3d topper which had been made from a photograph.

                            As a couple keen on keeping fit this was a personal touch for a topper
                                 https://www.asda-photo.co.uk/bookings/1-3d-full-body-scan

So the scene was set for the happy couple to arrive, with the caterers prepping the food, the guests arrived via a Red London Bus for their welcome drinks on the lawn. Now most people know that being a wedding organiser is not always as glamourous as people imagine it may be, I certainly was not short of duties to keep me busy for the day. From greeting the guests with drinks, directing them to the cloakrooms, pairing their wellington boots. administering first aid, and just generally trying to ensure any hiccups that come along are sorted straight away.

The whole aim of my job is to ensure everyone has a stress free day.

Once the happy couple and their guests had sat down to enjoy their reception I was already on standby to greet the band for the evening, assist in opening the bottles of champagne for the toasts, and looking after the photographer and staff ensuring they got their meals.

After a final change around, clearing and moving a few tables to enable lots of dancing, the band came on and were great! Everyone danced til late

After the reception I was clearing up, your feet throb, your head aches, you feel exhausted but you know its actually the best feeling in the world. That's the moment you know you have done a good job, the couple are happy and the wedding has run smoothly.

Would I change my Job? No way!

Rustic Inspiration & Ideas

 

 

Anybody who knows me knows that I love rustic themed events, from Barn Dances, Weddings to general outdoor parties, keeping with nature and a rustic theme gives you the perfect excuse to use things around us without having to spend lots of money. After all we all want to have a perfect event but preferably without the cost.

 

 

 

 

What I like about this table setting is the way that they have used an assortment of coloured bottles and jars and simply filled them with a few wild flowers.  Simple but effective and if you do not have any bottles or jars around a great way to source them is to visit charity shops or car boot sales, why shouldn't you have a little fun with it?

 

 

 

With this table setting what I particularly like are the way they have added pine cones, place with the flowers, bottles or Jars on a piece of burlap again keeps things looking rustic and natural, effective but informal.

 

One of my favourites now are things displayed on Log slabs, its proving very popular for using as a base for centrepieces. Here they have used them for their cake table. Just a note, make sure they are treated before you use them, especially for food.

 

How about a natural wishing tree, a perfect way for guests to leave little messages, perfect for any event and what a great way to keep a reminder of the day, find a little matching box and treasure those memories for always

 

 

Feeling creative? what about making your own table place stands?

 

 

 

One of the great things with a rustic event is that you can get away with so much, here they have used a mish mash of wooden chairs, I think you will agree it really works.

 

Hopefully I have given you some food for thought! don't hold back, use your imagination and remember that part of the fun is personalising your event, giving your guests talking point and creating a wow factor.

 

Marquee Weddings

With one of my first Weddings of the year approaching I felt it would be a good time to focus on Marquee weddings. 

I am often asked what my favourite weddings are and Rustic Outdoor Weddings and Marquee Weddings are always top of my list. They literally give you a blank canvas in which to create your own style and add your own personal touches. Whether it is a contempary or country style, really use your imagination, it is your day and anything goes. 

 When choosing a marquee also try not to limit yourself to traditional choices, there is a much bigger selection nowadays with Teepees and yurts these often add something unique and different to your day. Whatever style of marquee you decide to choose it is sure to be a talking point of your wedding.

Papakata

Highfield Marquees

Something different how about this pink delight from

Malton Marquees

Once you have an idea of the style of marquee you want, before contacting the suppliers there are a few key things that you need to check beforehand

Is there enough space for a marquee and is the ground flat?

is there enough parking close by?

toilet facilities?

is there good access for deliveries?

where will the caterers be located?

When thinking about space, is there enough room for guests to move around the marquee, is there an area for the guests to have a drinks reception, somewhere to chill out?

How far away is accommodation for your guests?

Transport to your location?

Once you have made the final decision to move forward with a marquee wedding here are a few more ideas that you may find useful.

Consider looking at images such as pin interest to get ideas for decor both inside and out.  It is a great aid to guide you through the many choices of decorations and props.

Garden games are great if you have children on your day.

Lighting is an important thing to consider, the perfect opportunity to light up the outdoors with beautiful lanterns and fairy lights to create a magical atmosphere. Perfect for a warm summer evening. 

Co-ordination 

Its a great idea if you hire a wedding planner to assist you executing your plans for the big day, someone to take over the stressful parts and worry, make sure that all the finer details are in place, someone to welcome your guests and generally overseeing the wedding as a whole including keeping things on track.

Catering

Marquee weddings are so versatile again with food anything goes, so whether it is a sit down three course meal your after, bbq or hog roast make sure you check out local caterers as well as big companies as sometimes they can offer you a great deal as well as supporting your local small business. Where I can I always recommend local suppliers as they are usually the ones who will go that extra mile for you.

Finally, make sure you have a contingency plan for extras such as heating if it is a cold day. Umbrellas kept handy just in case the sun does not happen to make an appearance.

I really am looking forward to my first marquee wedding of this year, the bride and groom are lovely and have had very definite ideas from the beginning which has made my job so much easier. I am sure the sun will shine on the day for them. I will keep you posted!