Emma and Michael wanted to create a wedding atmosphere which was full of vibrant colours, and with their wedding ‘motto’ being “Eat, Drink and be Married!” they wanted to create truly happy memories for their family and friends. With areas for relaxing, fun and partying and also a play area for the children; the enjoyment of their guests was paramount. With the surroundings making the most of the stunning riverside location and enhancing the pure white venue with colours of the rainbow through an abundance of ribbons and flowers. Emma and Michael wanted strong rich colours, choosing emerald green, teal, fuchsia pink and royal purple.

So to the details of Emma and Michael’s truly colourful wedding day…

Venue

Emma and Michael’s wedding venue Phyllis Court Club has a Grandstand Pavilion, a Grade II listed building, situated right alongside the River Thames, with the most beautiful view and overlooks the finish line of the world famous Henley Royal Regatta. Just as guests came out onto the lawn after the ceremony the heavens opened, but with umbrellas and a canopy at the ready this didn’t phase anyone, after all they had delicious bubbly and canapes to tuck into. With the glorious sunshine that then came out to play, we were lucky enough to get a rainbow, perfect for Emma and Michael’s colourful wedding day.

Flowers

Ruby and Grace did an amazing job with Emma and Michael’s flowers. Emma’s stunning bridal bouquet consisted of white roses in a contemporary tear drop shape. The two large white urns were filled with white and deep purple hydrangeas, lisainthus, roses and gladioli and complement with deep green foliage. The table centres were made up of 3 different sized white glass fishbowls filled with contemporary domes of flowers, with some tables having  all fuchsia pink flowers (ranunculus, roses and hydrangeas), some tables having all deep purple flowers (stocks, lisianthus, hydrangea) and some tables having all deep green foliage table centre. The top table had one of each colour. White hydrangeas also lined the upper balcony, tied with multicoloured ribbons and with fairy lights along the stairway.

Chill Out

Emma and Michael wanted to create a contemporary, slightly 60′s inspired chill out area on the upper deck of the Grandstand. So we hired sleek white furniture with low coffee tables, stools and colourful cushions from Velvet Living. Storm lanterns were placed on the tables, round paper lanterns with LED’s from the beams and homemade colourful medallions were hung along the back wall. Funky sweet trees were also placed on the tables, together with 60′s dessert bowls of retro sweets for guests to enjoy. A jazz duo serenaded guests during the drinks reception and chill out lounge music was played after the wedding breakfast.

Colours of the Rainbow

Vibrant colour was introduced throughout the wedding day from Emma’s emerald green shoes; to the beautiful teal bridesmaid dress; to the teal, emerald green, fuchsia and purple ribbons tied to the chairs (hired in from Place Settings) and balcony and laid across the tables; to the cushions and medallions on the upper deck; to the bold floral arrangements and to the tea light holders for the evening.

Special Places

Emma and Michael chose names of places that were/ are special to them for their table names. Whether it was where they first met, grew up, first place they lived together, special holiday destination etc. They also had some bespoke wooden letters “E & M” made with a map of where Emma grew up on the “E”, a map of where they both live now on the “&” and a map of where Michael grew up on the “M”.

Eat Drink and Be Married

The wedding stationery made use of the motto “Eat Drink & Be Married”, giving the hint of fun which Emma and Michael wanted to have on their wedding day. There were many happy moments and plenty of smiles and giggles!

Family & Fun

With Emma’s mum sadly being unwell, Emma and Michael’s wedding day was more so than ever about family and creating fun and happy memories. The ceremony and the speeches were highly emotional, but there were lots of happy moments to be had too with the joking around and dancing the night away to the fab rock/ indie band.

Photos & Guest Messages

A selection of dove and heart shaped note cards were provided for guests to write their messages to Emma and Michael and pair it with a snap shot of them with a Polaroid camera. Little white wooden heart pegs were then used by guests to peg them to the multi colour ribbon along the back wall of the upper deck. A cute memento for Emma and Michael and alternative to a guest book, with some fun shots of the guests too!

My wedding planning journey with Emma and Michael was over a relatively short period of time, but we became very close and I loved every minute of helping them with their wedding plans. The wedding day came together beautifully and it was a real honour to be a part of their day and to be welcomed by their families and friends during such an emotional time in their lives. Thank you Emma and Michael! And Congratulations!

Bizarrely Emma and I are now expecting our babies within a week of each other! Baby parties next!?

x

Image credits:
Courtesy of Claudine Hartzel Photography

Planning Clementine and Olivier’s wedding was an absolute joy! They contacted me literally just after they got engaged and we were straight onto the venue search. There was no messing around and this is how they were throughout the process; quick solid decisions!

So onto their wedding details…

Venue

One of the key criteria of the venue search was to find a venue which could have an extended licence. In England this is more tricky than you would think, with most venues only allowing weddings to continue up to midnight or thereabouts. French wedding traditionally carry on until the early hours of the following morning, so Clementine and Olivier knew their guests would be disappointed if the party wasn’t extended past midnight! And so Nonsuch Mansion ticked this box as well as being such a beautiful and intimate venue in stunning surroundings and so close to London and the main airports for travelling guests. It also provided the perfect space for the bridal party preparations, with Claire Portman doing the hair and makeup for the ladies beautifully. At night time it was lit up by EffectEvent, bringing in the blue and green to the exterior and also the bar area to create a funky night time atmosphere.

French Frolics

The ceremony incorporated French readings and Clementine and Olivier also said some words to each other in French. The wedding stationery was designed by Apple of My Eye Design and was called “Ooh La La”. The design complemented the French feel. Some of the favours given to guests were some little French candies from Olivier’s childhood holidays.  A typical French feel to the day with the laid back approach, French champagne literally flowing and a truly vivacious atmosphere well and truly into the early hours!

English Experiences

Guests were collected from nearby hotels in a red routemaster double decker bus giving them a taste of good old London Transport! A white traditional post box was hired for guests to post their gift cards into. The other half of the favours for guests were tea leaves in mini tins with a little note explaining how best to take your English Breakfast tea! The food by the wonderful Bovingdon’s caterers was all English produce, even the classic French cheese course consisted of English cheeses! Their wedding cake was a tower of individual slices of different English cheesecake flavours, baked beautifully by My Sweet Tooth Factory, topped with a personalised figurine of Clementine and Olivier.

Mary Poppins Inspired

The Ooh La La stationery provided the basis for introducing a subtle Mary Poppins theme, with the stripes and silhouette feel.  Personalised silhouettes (full and head only) were created by Alison Russell and used throughout the stationery items. We used quotes from the film such as “Practically perfect in every way”, “A spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down” and “Come along children, spit spot!”. Parasols were hung from the chandelier in the Rose Room and from door handles, as well as a “Love” parasol for Clementine and Olivier’s photos. Guests were provided with a Mary Poppins hat, straw boater, penguins on sticks, bow ties and moustaches to have fun with a Polaroid camera and send messages for Clementine and Olivier. Little waiter penguin silhouettes were printed on the menus.

Jolly Holidays

“Jolly Holidays!” was the theme of the table names, with landmarks of places Clementine and Olivier have visited. Linking in with the Mary Poppins silhouettes, the landmarks were printed as silhouettes on the table name cards.

Entertainment!

Entertaining their guests was so important to Clementine and Olivier. They wanted to make sure everyone was catered for and that there would be no excuses to not have lots of fun! Serenaded by Mike Georgiades, a guitarist, during the ceremony and drinks reception (they walked down the aisle as husband and wife to the Jungle Book’s Bare Necessities!). They provided bottles of vodka for some of their guests who don’t traditionally drink wine with their meals. As a little evening pick me up they provided miniature bottles of vodka and rum for guests to kick off the evening with. There were also Clementine and Olivier cocktails for guests to enjoy! The DJ, Boogie Nights, was one of the most important aspects to them, keeping the majority of guests on the dance floor for the whole night was paramount, and this is exactly what happened! They also had a few surprises from guests; a couple of Olivier’s friends played some trumpet tunes as a surprise! The Best Men, Bridesmaids and cousins also did some surprise presentations for Clementine and Olivier during the wedding breakfast. Clementine and Olivier also wanted children to be welcome, with a table especially for them with goodie bags and a “Salle de jeux!” for them to play video games.

Flowers

Clementine chose to have a personalised fabric and brooch bouquet beautifully designed by Brooches Buttons and Bows, which brought in the colours of their wedding and enabled her to have pieces of her Mother’s and best friend’s wedding dresses, together with cuts of the bridesmaid dress fabric and some vintage brooches. Clementine and Olivier wanted something very simple and understated. They also wanted to introduce water in their table arrangements. Wild About supplied the perfect arrangements of baby’s breath used in urns, on aisle chairs and as the bridesmaids bouquets. Then floating white rose petals in large fishbowls with floating tea lights created the centre pieces.

Gorgeous Couple!

To finish off, some beautiful shots of Clementine and Olivier, Kerry Morgan’s photos are just stunning!

This was such a fun wedding and a real pleasure to be a part of!

Thank you so much being such gorgeous clients and Congratulations Clementine and Olivier! x

Image Credits:
All images courtesy of Kerry Morgan Photography

Turn to page 57 where you will find their “Wedding Style” section filled with colourful inspiration from the bright and bold bridal photo shoot we planned and styled with a truly wonderful team of wedding industry experts and creative minds!

Take a little look below at the vibrant pages we’re very excited about seeing in print! x

So what does a wedding planner do?

The sorts of things I will work on for a client are so varied as each couple have such different requirements. The below will give you an idea of some of the things I do for clients depending upon their requirements, in no particular order, and by no means exhaustive:

• Sourcing and coordinating suppliers: venue, caterer, celebrant, florist, photographer, cake, stationery, DJ, harpist, guitarist, string quartet, bagpiper, caricaturist, casino, candy buffet, band, hair stylist, makeup artist, table decor, venue decor, chair hire, glassware, linen, crockery, vintage bus, London bus, chauffeur service, childcare, lighting, PA system, drinks, confetti, ribbons…
• Preparing and keeping track of the wedding budget
• Keeping track and sending reminders to clients of supplier payments due
• Preparing a wedding planning timeline and keeping on track
• Keeping a summary of suppliers who have been booked, their contracts and service details
• Ensuring all contracts and payments are complete and fair for both parties
• Providing suitable supplier options with enough information for clients to make a decision as to who they wish to choose for their wedding
• Supplier meetings
• Venue visits
• Advice on colours, fabrics, style and design
• Inspiration board for wedding style and design
• Sourcing of items to complete the style and design
• Suggesting options for alternative ways to do things
• Suggesting ways to make the most of the budget
• Advice on menus, drinks and how much to provide
• Collecting and returning hired items where required
• Organising guests around the wedding day, perhaps a meal the night before or a brunch the day after
• Providing suggestions for readings
• Providing suggestions for music
• Providing guidance around wedding party roles and responsibilities and informing them of the wedding day schedule
• Coordinating requests from Groomsmen and Bridesmaids
• Advice on guest lists
• Guest management – tracking RSVPs, dietary, transport, accommodation etc
• Advice on wording for invitations and other stationery items
• Advice on accommodation and transport for guests
• Devising seating and floor plans for ceremony and wedding breakfast for clients to complete
• Providing etiquette advice
• Providing emotional support and diplomatic advice through any political or difficult family and friend situations
• Advice and help with the Bride’s wedding dress and accessories
• Advice and help with Bridesmaids dresses and accessories
• Advice and help with the Groom and Groomsmen’s style
• Making decorations, tying ribbons to jars, chairs and napkins, tying tags to glasses, painting “Love” onto a parasol, filling bottles with alcohol, filling tins with sweets and teabags, filling pouches with duck food…
• Advising on the order of the wedding day and suitable timings
• Confirming all wedding day details with the venue and all suppliers
• Acting as the couples’ ears and eyes on the wedding day, ensuring every detail is as they want it to be
• Point of contact for the venue, suppliers and wedding party on the day
• Facilitating all supplier requirements on the wedding day to make sure everything runs seamlessly
• Provide full set up, support to the couple, family and wedding party, supplier and venue coordination, guest communication, any ‘hiccup’ resolution, emergency kit, clear down and an assistant on the wedding day

The above are the practical and professional elements that I carry out for clients. Over the course of planning a client wedding I also provide emotional and friendly support, as well as guidance to ensure the couple are happy with their decisions.

The benefit to my couples is that I am their sounding board and a single point of contact for everything they could possibly think of to do with their wedding (aside from the legal aspects which must be carried out by the couple). I save them lots of time by taking away all of the administrative aspects, save them worry by finding reliable options which suit their requirements and budget and save them stress by providing knowledgeable advice on various elements. I don’t take over and make all the decisions; the couple remain in complete control and have a wedding day which is truly about them.

I love what I do and I love the couples I work with. Being a wedding planner you have to be passionate about what you do, it is an all encompassing role, during which you become quite close to your couples. It is always sad when the wedding planning comes to a close (I think I suffer a little from the wedding blues too!)

I thought it might also be useful to try and put some figures around what I provide for my clients with regards to hours and resources. So I have looked across my full wedding planning clients and have summarised the average stats per wedding below:

• Comprehensive communication and support spanning between 7 weeks and 12 months before the wedding date
• 700 Emails (approx.) between clients, suppliers, potential suppliers and the venue
• 213 Hours of work per wedding (I’m sure there are some hours I don’t keep a record of too)
• 15 Suppliers to source, communicate with and coordinate
• 12 Face-to-face or Skype meetings with clients, suppliers and the venue
• 1,800 (approx.) Minutes of phone calls to clients, suppliers and the venue
• 15.75 Hours attendance on the day of the wedding

Bearing in mind the above figures are average, so some weddings will be much more or less complex and involved than others.

Hopefully this puts a bit more understanding around the sometimes ‘unknown’ of what a wedding planner does.

x

Photo credits:
Wedding Guide and Wedding Sign by Juliet McKee Photography
Tanya and Anthony thanking me by Guy Collier Photography

I find the tradition interesting, especially as we now live in an age where women and men are predominantly seen as equals, so why is it that women don’t propose more often? Perhaps despite wanting to be ‘equals’ we secretly enjoy the chivalry and tradition of being proposed too?

So why is it that the 29th February is seen as the date for women to propose?

It is believed the tradition started in 5th century Ireland when St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick about women having to wait for so long for a man to propose. Also, according to English law, February 29th was ignored and had no legal status, therefore traditions would also have no status on that day. Hence the tradition of only the man being able to propose was temporarily ‘removed’. Some also believed that since the leap year day existed to solve a calendar problem, it could also be used to fix an old and unjust custom that only let men propose.

Tradition also states that any man who declined a proposal in a leap year must pay a fine, such as a kiss or payment for a silk dress or a pair of gloves!

So how many of us ladies will be proposing on the 29th February this year? Or doesn’t the leap year tradition have any bearing on whether you will propose or not?

Happy Valentine’s Day! Perhaps the love of your life will beat you to it today!?

x

Photo credit: Juliet McKee Photography

Then come along to Miss Bush Bridal Wear this Saturday, 4th February!

We will be around to chat through any thoughts and ideas you may have and provide you with help with your plans such as:

• Setting and keeping to your budget
• How to stay organised and avoid Bridezilla moments
• Design and styling ideas
• Tips for finding your ideal suppliers

Also, come and see the lovely Juliet, of Juliet McKee Photography, who will be around to chat through your wedding photography and answer any questions you may have. Photography is one of the most precious elements of your wedding day, your photos will be a beautiful reminder of your wedding for years to come.

So after trying on some stunning bridal gowns with the help of Miss Bush’s wonderful team, gathering some top wedding planning and photography tips, you will be well on your way to wedding planning success and happiness!

To top it off, you’ll also be able to enjoy a glass of bubbly and a little sweet treat! Why not, after all it’s a wonderful exciting time and you deserve it!

x

We very much look forward to chatting with you and hearing all about your exciting wedding plans! x

Image and Photo Shoot Credits:
Photography: Juliet McKee Photography
Venue: Pendell House
Dresses and accessories: Miss Bush Bridal Wear
Cake: Janet Mohapi-Banks
Flowers: Fairy Nuff Flowers
Stationery: August Moon
Sweet Buffet: Creative Candi
Hair and Makeup: Gemma Sutton
Models: Gemma Underhay and Kitty Sage
Glassware with lemons and limes: Nest
Tableware: Jones Hire

You can find Cherry Topped on page 66 contributing to the Hot Topic column! We argued “Yes” to the question “Is it okay for bridesmaids to wear white?”

“If a bride wants her bridesmaids to wear white then why shouldn’t they? There’s an increasing amount of freedom and movement away from traditional rules in weddings today. The late Victorian tradition of bridesmaids wearing colour so as not to distract from the bride has been famously challenged by Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge, as her sister, Pippa Middleton, walked down the aisle in a stunning white Alexander McQueen gown.

Even if you aren’t one to break tradition, then you could still dress your bridesmaids in white. There’s an old superstition that says the wedding party should all be in white because it confuses and wards off evil spirits so they can’t harm, the bride.

An entirely white wedding party, if done well, can look extremely elegant. If you want to have a hint of colour, then bring it in with accessories for your bridesmaids. If Catherine, and even Princess Diana, can have their bridesmaids wearing white, then so can you!”

Where did your passion for photography begin?

 After graduating from uni I started looking for a job. I studied International Relations, so I was looking for something that would match my education. The recession hit and companies no longer were looking for individuals; they were looking for sales people who could bring money in. I realised that wasn’t my cup of tea and that I didn’t want to be a part of the corporate machine.

I started to look at different creative jobs and soon I was hired as a full-time assistant in a photographic studio. I enjoyed taking photos before as photography was my hobby, but this job gave me a real passion for photographing people. I learned composition, lighting and the main thing – how to engage with people during photo shoots and bring out their personality.

Then my husband and I went travelling around Australia, which was an unforgettable experience, and I quit my job. I wanted more. I wanted to develop my style and I wanted to see smiles on people’s faces when they look at my work. That’s when my hubby got me my first professional camera and I started learning. Everything I know I learned myself by reading and practicing. I learned how to see the light, how to use my camera to capture that light, how to ‘see’ people and capture who they are.

I photographed my first wedding in July 2009 and it’s been a roller-coaster ride since then!

What or who inspires your photography?

I think people I work with – my couples – inspire me more than anyone or anything. I love to see how different every couple is and how perfect some people are for each other. It makes me want to document that. Also nature is very inspiring – it’s pure, strong, real and beautiful, just like love between two people.

If you could photograph a wedding in another country other than the UK, where would it be?

Well, so far I photographed weddings in UK, Russia and Ireland, and have an engagement photoshoot in Paris this year which I’m really excited about. I would love to photograph a wedding/weddings in warm countries, somewhere on a beach or in the countryside maybe, for example on vineyards in France or Italy. I could imagine a wedding like that would be all about love, family, friends, having a great time, good food, good wine and a beautiful place – my ideal wedding! Most of the time though the light is more important to me than the actual location. I absolutely love that soft airy sunlight in the early hours of the morning, or late in the evenings. Makes perfect photographs!

Having an eco-friendly photography business is important to you, why is this?

I think everyone should think about the impact we have on our environment these days. We should take care of the place we live in and preserve all the best what’s left. Ever since I remember myself I always loved documentaries about nature. While growing up I started to realise how devastating us humans are to our planet. So, when I started my photography business 2 years ago, it was only natural for it to be as eco-friendly as possible. It’s not only about business; it’s about our lifestyle choices. I’m also trying to inspire all my couples to be eco friendly when planning their weddings. Incorporating even one eco element to your wedding makes a difference in the long run. And it’s not even that hard!

How do you make your photography business eco-friendly?

Here is how I contribute to make everything a bit greener:

• My business cards are printed on 100% recycled and recyclable paper *so if you want to get rid of my card – please recycle! *
• If you are my bride you will receive your engagement and wedding photos on a dvd in a case made from sustainable organic paper, recycled card or hemp
• Wedding albums for my couples are handcrafted in UK (cutting down the jet fuel) and are the most ‘green’ wedding albums out there. The album presentation box is made of recycled card. Real leather cover is a by-product of meat industry. Archival fine art paper is recycled or bought from sustainable sources. Your album is carefully wrapped up in a sleeve made of natural unbleached cotton
• I communicate with my clients mostly online, and I try not to print anything out unless I really need to. If I do, I make sure it’s printed on paper that is carbon neutral and comes from sustainable forests. Even the wedding contract is filled in by my clients online through my website
• I work from home, and if I need to meet my couples I travel by public transport which helps to reduce carbon emissions
• I do most of my work on a laptop. I charge it, then unplug and only plug it back in when my battery is dying, helps to save electricity
• I buy organic food and try to support local suppliers when I can
• I recycle everything including food leftovers

What changes are you making to your album sourcing in order for it to be more eco-friendly?

When I started to look for eco friendly wedding albums, I wanted to find something beautiful and I didn’t want to compromise on quality for my couples. After a long search I think I’ve found a perfect fine art wedding album. It’s handcrafted in UK, so it helps to cut carbon footprint by not jetting it to you from across the world. The album has environmentally friendly packaging that protects your album, while keeping waste to the minimum. The beautiful presentation box is made of recycled card, fine art paper is recycled or bought from sustainable sources, and real leather cover is a by-product of meat industry. Your album will be wrapped in a sleeve made from natural, unbleached cotton that’s been washed in spring water.

What is the most rewarding aspect of what you do?

I guess the most rewarding aspect of my job is after the wedding, when my couple sees their wedding photographs for the first time. I just love to see how happy they are and happy tears in their eyes! In these moments I get all emotional and teary myself – it’s one of the best feelings in the whole world, honestly! I also get to meet so many different people from all over the world, coming from different backgrounds, with their own stories – I love it!

I’m sure you can see from Dasha’s responses that she is a very down to earth lady, full of passion and creativity! I hope you have enjoyed finding out a little bit about Dasha, her wedding photography and her approach to being an eco-friendly business! Let us know, with your comments below, what your thoughts are on wedding suppliers operating in an environmentally conscious way!

Thank you so much Dasha for taking the time to answer these questions and letting us know a bit about you, your wedding photography business, and for providing some of your beautiful images!

x

These little retro-styled and colourful cake boxes are perfect for filling with leftover wedding cake to hand out to your guests at the end of the evening.

If you’re having an intimate Christmas wedding these crepe surprise balls tied beautifully with ribbon are prefect as favours for your guests.

If you love travelling and want to bring this into your wedding day, why not have these luggage tags as your place names tied to the chairs or napkins.

Another little idea for a Christmas wedding are these numbered baubles as your table numbers which could also hold a menu or even a picture which represents the table name/ number.

Are you and your fiance childhood sweethearts? If so, you could hand out these old school style badges for your wedding party to wear or as part of your speeches as awards.

These cutlery charms are quirky and adorable as a napkin tie and favour for your guests. Perfect if you share a love for good food.

There are lots more adorable finds on Cox & Cox to help you with your wedding styling ideas!

Happy shopping!

x