Here is a selection of Q&As from Your Surrey Wedding magazine whether it be about flowers, hair and makeup, fashion, wedding themes, health & beauty, cakes, stationery, legal advice. If you would like your question answered by our experts, please email it to editor@yoursurrey.wedding
To view more expert advice on a different topic, please select one from the list below.
Life of the party
Q. Do you have any ideas on how we could incorporate our Alice in Wonderland theme into our day?
A. Kelly Gorynski says: Start by deciding on your venue. If you go for an indoor space, try decorating it with a flower wall, arch and centrepieces that provide a woodland look and feel.
Consider an elegant wedding gown, periwinkle blue bridesmaids' dresses with wildflower hair embellishments and whimsical ties and buttonholes or morning suits with top hats for the groom and groomsmen.
Pick colours that will tie in with your theme, for example crimson red to represent the Queen of Hearts.
If you've sent out your themed save-the-dates or wedding invitations, consider the finer details such as vintage teapots or jam jars filled with smaller, delicate flowers.
A gravity defying centrepiece made up of flowers and balanced playing cards in a top hat is another option.
White tablecloths with either plain, printed, gingham or artificial grass table runners can help set the theme.
Playing cards could be used as table numbers and place cards.
For your favours, think of vintage-style teaspoons with fruit-flavoured teabags in heart-shaped boxes or small bottles filled with a tipple of your choice and labelled with 'drink me'.
Your big-day bake could be a fashionable naked cake with a colour co-ordinating top hat topper filled with fresh blooms.
Kelly Gorynski, Vintage Celebration Tea Party
www.vintagecelebrationteaparty.co.uk
The love of my life
Q. We're considering booking a wedding planner. What are the benefits?
A. Taylor Courtney says: To put it simply, wedding planning is a lot of work! Every wedding is unique, with lots of decisions to make and elements to coordinate. A planner can help with as many or as few tasks as desired. From organising the whole day to partial support with specific things such as venue set-up, wedding admin and supplier meetings.
We find a lot of couples are looking for support and guidance in the final weeks leading up to the wedding as well as on the day. Whilst a wedding planner is an additional cost, they often end up saving both money and valuable time, with their trusted list of recommended suppliers and knowing how/where to find you the best deals.
Your vision and input will always be at the forefront of the planning process, allowing your planner to pull all the strings together on your behalf to compose the bespoke day of your dreams.
Your day is the beginning of married life together and should reflect you as a couple. With the right supplier, you can make your dream wedding a reality with minimal disruption to your hectic work and social life. This will allow you to focus on the important aspects of your lives and celebrating the love you share. Planning your wedding should be an exciting time for both of you, make sure you treasure this momentous occasion.
Taylor Courtney, Taylor-Made Weddings
www.taylor-madeweddings.co.uk
Time for love
Q. We're thinking of hiring a wedding planner to help us create our dream wedding. What should we ask before booking?
A. Tutu Ojo says: Your wedding day is a beautiful occasion that should reflect your personalities, tastes and ultimately tell your love story. When hiring a wedding planner, ask them how they can support you to bring your vision to life and what creative ways they can contribute to help you celebrate your uniqueness as a couple?
Ask what packages they offer, how they work with other suppliers, how they approach the planning process, as well as what timelines they work to and their level of involvement.
It's also important to find out what measures they have in place for dealing with on-the-day logistics, especially in the case of unexpected eventualities and discuss any previous experience they have and references.
In a world full of wedding inspiration, it's easy to fall into the trap of having a day that is simply put, quite samey, so it's important to ensure your planner can collaborate with you and your partner to deliver the wedding of your dreams. They should help you make the best wedding decisions, managing your event with utmost attention to detail and throw a creative spin on elements of your day.
Tutu Ojo, Prime Violet Events
www.primevioletevents.com
Let the fun begin!
Q. My partner and I want something a bit different for our ceremony. Do you have any fun ideas that we can incorporate into our service?
A. Helen Noble says: Having an independent celebrant will enable you to do anything – that alone is a bit different as no rules apply! You will be free to design your ceremony exactly as you want. The fun thing I love to do is a toast ceremony. This might be a G&T ceremony, or a cocktail, or any tipple you like – I've even performed a tea and cider one! It brings everyone together in congratulating you ahead of walking down the aisle together. I make you a drink, we talk about what it symbolises for you, and you raise a glass to each other to wish you a happy marriage from there on in.
Another fun thing to do is to hide the rings! When I ask for the rings, no one knows who has them (apart from the best man and me). I ask them to all look under their chairs, and the lucky person who finds them has to shout Bingo! It's silly and leaves everyone grinning and giggling – it's so much fun.
Lastly, why not try a sing-along? Whack up the volume, throw in a great tune and the energy skyrockets! I've tried and tested a few, and honestly, the feel-good factor is out of this world. The Carpenter's On Top of the World is one you can't help but grin ear to ear with, and another more modern one is Don't Stop Believin' by Journey. Of course, what you pick will reflect who you are as a couple and what your values are.
Helen Noble, Helen Noble - Celebrant of Surrey
www.helen-noble.co.uk
