Its all a bit of Hot air!

Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 2016

From time to time my work takes me to different parts of the UK, recently I travelled to the South West for a consultation for a 2018 wedding and whilst there I was lucky enough to visit the

Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.

before the nightglow

I have been to the festival previously to see the nightglow, which is a great event where after what must be much preparation hot air balloons light up the night sky along to music.

On this occasion I was visiting to watch the final mass ascent, where over 100 balloons take to the sky, such an awesome sight.

This year was a little different though, seemingly Bristol International Balloon Fiesta seems to be the go to destination for Brides and Grooms.

The Bride and Groom pose for a photo before taking to the skies

Up, Up, and Away they go!!!

 One Happy couple even travelled all the way from China to have their photos taken in a hot air balloon. Chloe apparently had visited the Balloon fiesta previously as a student at Bristol university.

So if you have a head for heights, then maybe this is for you!

The balloon fiesta is a must see event, it is held annually, so if you would like to know more please check out their website below.

www.bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk

Table Layouts and Seating Plans!

Something that couples often overlook when planning their wedding reception is the layout of the tables. Its probably low on the priority list but, how the tables are set up and laid out can make a real difference to your wedding. No matter what colour scheme or table arrangements you have chosen, whether you’re going for an intimate setting or lavish affair, reception seating has the ability to transform a venue!

The main thing to remember though is that nowadays anything goes! its your day so have it your way. Just bear in mind space being the ultimate deciding factor for you in considering layout of the tables

Traditional Top Table

• The bride & groom typically sit at the middle of a long table (which is the head table) and are seated with the bridal party and the groomsmen.

The Long & Short Of It!

On trend lately is family style seating. These aren’t reserved for outdoor or tented weddings anymore! Couples are able to incorporate both large rectangular tables as well as rows of longer tables.

Pros for this style seating:

• Can make your reception very intimate
• Cost of linen would be lower considering you would have less tables to outfit
• Really great for destination weddings with not as many guests in attendance
• Your table decor will look seamless along the longer table

Cons for this style seating:

• If one person ends up being a no show or last minute cancellation it can throw off your entire seating chart
• Tend to look better in larger spaces
• You would probably have to choose a plated dinner – if one table went up to the buffet stations that would result in many guests being up at the same time to get food
• Conversation flow may not be the easiest as you’ll probably be speaking exclusively with the neighbour to your left/right 

Round and Round We Go!
 If you’re wanting to stay on the more traditional path round tables would be the way to go! Having round tables at your reception doesn’t necessarily mean 8 or 10 people to a table. You could always have  smaller round tables to provide a more intimate feel.

 

 

Pros to this style seating:

• Most if not all venues offer variations of round tables
• If one person is a no show or last minute cancellation it will not throw off the seating arrangement
• You can always do different sizes of the rounds to accommodate for your guest list
• Easier to mingle around the room

Cons to this style seating:

• It’s classic so if your more of a modern couple – this might not be for you
• You have to be careful what centrepieces are used because you don’t want to block the flow of conversation at the table
• Round tables take up a larger amount of space and don’t fit as cleanly against the wall

Are you a more modern couple? what about Square?

 

 

 

 

Pros to this style seating:

• Offers a modern look to a ballroom wedding
• Your guests will have an easy flow to conversation

Cons to this style seating

• Since it’s not the standard table – linens would cost extra
• If your venue does not offer a square table option again this would be an extra cost
• Standard square tables are limited to only fitting 8 people per table – so may have to accommodate more tables or get larger square tables

Something Different?  Mix and Match

  



 

 

When the layout is chosen all that is left to do is your Seating Plan.

 

 A often stressful task that can see families arguing about Aunt Marge sitting next to Uncle Hester lol.

 

Always start with your top table then the nearest tables to your top table or sweetheart table should be families, followed by close friends. Remember that if you have any elderly relatives you may want to sit them near to the conveniences and just make sure they have a clear access especially if they are in a wheelchair.

 

My other suggestion would be to get a cork board and some sticky post it notes/tags, easy to move people around when playing around trying out different options.

There are no right or wrong ways, its your wedding so do what's right for you.

Real Life Wedding - Pippa & Richard

The Wedding of Pippa and Richard

Last weekend I had the honour of co-ordinating the most beautiful wedding reception in Thirsk.

Despite the weather being a little grim at times during the day no-one let it dampen their spirits.

Pippa the bride looked stunning in a vintage style lace dress, Richard the Bridegroom wore a traditional tartan kilt as did most of the groomsmen. 

Pippa's bouquet  had a very natural garden feel. The whole feel of the wedding itself had lovely relaxed and informal feel to it. Really a true representation of this lovely couple. The whole atmosphere was warm, and welcoming with everyone having a wonderful time. After being together for around 8 years it was so obvious to everyone that they are meant to be together.

The reception was held at Pippa's parents house, the garden was the stage for a beautiful pole marquee, with added gazebos for both the welcome drinks, bbq area and a lovely little lounge area. I think it was perfectly laid out, I think everyone was grateful for the added shelter during the intermittent showers.

It was obvious that everyone in the family had played their part in the organisation, I know that everyone had worked hard to get it right for the day.

One of the favourite parts of my job is watching all the elements come together on the day itself. After just over a year of planning everything ran perfectly.

One of our tasks was to prepare the welcome drinks, a lovely refreshing cocktail of 

lemon and thyme gin

The interior of the marquee looked stunning

A glimpse of one of the desserts, prepared by Figs Catering

http://www.figscatering.co.uk/

Official photography on the day was by

http://www.amylewinphotography.com/

Marquee provided by
James Fletcher Marquees

Ceilidh - Robert Whitehead and the Danelaw Dance Band 

 Wedding co-ordination by
White Rose Weddings, Celebrations & Events

Tablecloth hire
As above

Reasons to find a good DJ

Finding a good DJ can be a real nightmare, especially with so many that pop up on directories or that can be found on facebook. Choosing a good DJ is often crucial to the atmosphere of your overall wedding or party. With budgets tight it often comes down to money but is it wise to just go for the cheapest you can find? 

So how much would you pay? for a DJ

A better question to ask a bride after a bargain-basement DJ ruined her wedding or party is, “How much would you have paid?”

Here are just a few comments below that have come from brides feedback about their DJs .....

- “He showed up an hour late, and wearing a t-shirt and jeans to our formal wedding reception.”

- “He must have ordered a dozen or more beers at the bar, and he appeared very drunk by the end of the night.”

- “We were promised a specific DJ, but a total stranger showed up instead. He didn’t have our reception information, or the music we specifically requested.”

- “He ignored our music request list and the requests by our guests, and played his favorite music instead.”

- “He mispronounced several names while introducing the wedding party.”

- “He played the music too loudly, and refused our repeated pleas to turn it down.”

- “Our wedding venue refused to let the DJ perform because he didn’t have the required liability insurance; so we ended up with no DJ and no music.”

- “He announced the Father-Daughter dance without checking to see that my father was in the room, then stopped the party for 5 minutes while we all searched for my dad.”

- “He started our First Dance without checking to see that our photographer was in the room (he wasn’t); so we have no pictures of our First Dance.”

- “He had the nerve to say: What do you EXPECT for such a cheap price?”

- “We tried to reach him several times during the planning stage, but he took days or even weeks to respond.”

- “I just assumed that all DJs were alike, and the cheapest one was the best value.”

Too many brides who choose their wedding suppliers by price alone learn too late that there’s a reason the cheap ones are cheap: they simply don’t provide the level of service professionals provide.

So how do you avoid a DJ disaster?

Check their website and for reviews . Bad DJs get bad reviews – or no reviews at all. Ask around for personal recommendations from friends or relatives, or ask your local wedding/event planner

Take the time to actually meet with the DJ. Yes, it’s one more thing you have to do on top of a thousand other things as you plan your wedding, but you’ll feel a lot more confident knowing that gotten to know the man who holds the fate of your reception in his hands.

You get only one chance to have a great wedding reception. Make it count. Do your homework. And don’t get cheap when it comes to your entertainment. It’s the one thing your guests will remember most and they’ll remember whether you cared enough about them to hire a professional.

Christmas Decor Blog - Trees

 With Christmas fast approaching I thought it would be fun to turn our attention to Christmas decorations. Are you someone who likes the traditional look, or someone who loves bold mish mash of colours?

Because I love christmas I always have two trees and dress them differently, one with a classic traditional look usually in reds and golds, then the other I use a more modern approach. I would love to hear how you decorate your trees and maybe drop me a photo to my email whiteroseweddings@live.co.uk and we will feature them on our blog!

Prayers and thoughts for Kirstie

This is an update about a beautiful, inspirational young woman who I had the honour of assisting with her wedding two years ago when she had been told that she was too ill to fly to her chosen destination to get married. Kirstie as some of you will remember has Cystic Fibrosis, a disease close to my heart as my 11 year old daughter also has this awful disease. Kirstie's strength and ability to not only fight this illness, but try and help others understand CF as well as raising awareness about organ donation is amazing. Kirstie recently just received her second lung transpant, she is currently in recovery so all your heart felt prayers and good wishes are very welcome.

Below is an update on her journey so far:

Pole dancing teacher has SECOND double lung transplant after her body rejected previous pair

• 23-year-old Kirstie Tancock had her first transplant in 2011
• Was told she had just weeks to live when her body rejected the lungs
• Another donor became available hours after the doctors started searching
• She is still sedated and recovering from the surgery which 'went well'

By SARA SMYTH

A 23-year-old pole dancing instructor with cystic fibrosis has today had her second double lung transplant in just two years.

Kirstie Tancock was told she had weeks to live without a new transplant, after her body rejected the first pair.

Doctors warned Mrs Tancock that the chances of finding a suitable donor for a second time were slim, but miraculously found a donor within hours.

The transplant team said chances of success were blighted by Mrs Tancock's high levels of antibodies, which suggest that a transplant could be rejected.

Mrs Tancock, who became the face of organ donation in the Devon area in a Lifesavers campaign, was sedated today following the successful operation.

Her husband Stuart thanked the doctors who had worked on the transplant and said the operation, 'went well'.

Before the transplant Mrs Tancock said: 'I have the delight in telling you all that I'm going down to surgery for my second double lung transplant.

'I've kept that secret all night! I'm thinking about my donor and their family, the ones who allowed me these amazing two years and the ones who are allowing me this next chance.

'Thankyou all everyone for your love and support. I love you all x'.

The pole dancing instructor returned to work just six months after her last transplant and took up the activity in 2007 in order to improve her fitness and stay active.

The 23-year-old was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at birth. 

It is and inherited disease which affects over 8,500 children and young adults in the UK. 

Five babies are born with the condition every week. It is caused by a faulty gene that allows too much salt and not enough water into cells.

This results in a build-up of sticky mucus in the body’s passageways that damages the lungs and digestive system, resulting in inflammation and repeated infections.

There is no cure for the condition, but many treatments and therapies can make it easier to live with.

It is only in severe cases, when the lungs stop working properly, that a lung transplant may be recommended.

Fighter: Before her surgery in 2011, Kirstie Tancock went through with her wedding despite being in a wheelchair. This weekend she thanked her donors for their gift of life

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2389347/Kirstie-Tancock-Pole-dancing-teacher-SECOND-double-lung-transplant.html#ixzz2bka3Oe4R
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