The challenge was to put together a wedding reception for 100 guests for just £5000… and we were allocated the city slicker option, where a typical room hire could easily wipe out that whole amount without providing any food, drink or decor.

Therefore, our first priority was to find a venue with little or no hire fee, but with a minimum spend which would fall within the amount we and our guests were likely to spend on food and drink. Having found the fabulous Imbibe in London, we drew upon their striking black and white colour palette to theme our reception, enhancing it with bold splashes of hot pink and fiery red to add impact for relatively little cost.

On this budget, there were a lot of compromises to be made – bowl food rather than a sit down meal, a welcome cocktail rather than a free bar for the evening – but by incorporating these choices as part of the contemporary and sophisticated theme, we made sure it didn’t feel like we were skimping on our guests’ comfort. For example, rather than spending a lot of money on stationery, we suggested writing menus on mirrors with chinagraph pencil, and by making choices like these we were able to afford live music and provide cheese platters later in the evening for guests.

The whole article, together with suggestions for alternative types of reception on a budget fromsome of our other planner friends, is featured in the March/April 2012 issue of You & Your Wedding, and can also be viewed online.

Photo Credits:

All magazine images: You & Your Wedding

Bar interior: Imbibe

You might also find interesting:

• Press Features – Real Wedding and Planning Your Budget
• Wedding Planning Advice – Budget Management
• Press Feature – Brides Magazine Budget Special

You might also find interesting:

• Press Features – Real Wedding and Planning Your Budget
• Wedding Planning Advice – Budget Management
• Press Feature – Brides Magazine Budget Special

Although the intervening period since joining the crew has been busy with plans for 2012 brides and the other parts of the job, I had yet to experience a wedding from a planner’s perspective. That was until the crazy ten days which was “Christmas HCW-style”, when we worked on three weddings in ten days.

The arrangements for these three, very different, weddings stemmed from before I was part of the team, and as my involvement in the preparations beforehand were limited it was imperative I was up to speed with the multitude of pages of schedules Helen had produced for each supplier, and for us, for each event. These included copies of ceremonies and readings, seating plans together with dietary preferences, details of presents to be handed to the groom during speeches, arrival and departure times of various suppliers, and not to mention the minutiae of where to store a multitude of items, varying from candelabra to cake stands, from confetti to props for the best man’s speech, and from orders of service to the groom’s mobile phone.

What particularly struck me about the weddings was how, by putting in a lot of work before the day, Helen had covered practically every eventuality that could happen during the celebrations, and had a contingency in place for each one. Most of them weren’t needed, but it was great to know that all bases had been covered just in case.

Having organised events for my children’s school PTA in the past, I was expecting long and busy days. I wasn’t disappointed – it was tiring, and in some cases quite physical, particularly when helping suppliers clear away tables, move floral arrangements or rearrange seating. What was so different to working with groups of parents on a voluntary basis was the comfortable feeling you get from working with trusted professionals who create beautiful wedding magic on a regular basis, and who were in control of their own part of the day and could be left to get on with their particular area of responsibility without a constant stream of questions or queries.

So what did I learn from my involvement from these three very different weddings? As expected, organisation is the key both beforehand and on the day, but it is also necessary to be able to see what it important to everyone involved (not just the bride and groom, but the guests, the venues and the outside suppliers too – even if that is when the band are going to be fed!). Also to expect to muck in whenever necessary and with every aspect of the day – this might include folding napkins, clearing up spills or moving furniture – but allow the professionals to do their job, their way. I also now know that fire alarms, non-matching chairs and uneven tablecloths are the arch-enemy of any wedding planner, and are just some of the things you learn to take in your stride!

Photo credits:

Checklist: Beautifully Organised

Diary: Wedding Checklist Planners

Flowers: Jessica Steinberg

Tablecloth: Table Linens

You might also find interesting:

• Sarah’s Thoughts – The Wonder of a Wedding Planner
• Sarah’s Thoughts – A Very Small Affair
• The Final Weeks

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• Sarah’s Thoughts – The Wonder of a Wedding Planner
• Sarah’s Thoughts – A Very Small Affair
• The Final Weeks

Over the last week we’ve also been reflecting on the last 12 months. 2011 was the busiest and most successful year to date for Helen Carter Weddings, so we thought we’d share some of our highlights with you.

Beautiful Weddings
We’ve had the pleasure of working with some wonderful couples over the last 12 months, and have had the privilege of designing and organising some truly beautiful and very unique wedding celebrations. From contemporary city venues to historic halls, and country hotels to classic marquees, 2011 saw a real mix of wedding styles and certainly worked our creative brains!

Two of our favourite summer weddings included a DIY-inspired summer fete celebration complete with full-sized carousel…

…and a beautiful vintage country wedding set in the heart of the Cotswolds…

However, for us the traditional wedding season never really ended, with three weddings either side of Christmas ensuring we were kept busy right up until the end of the year. You wait three years for the opportunity to plan a winter wedding, and then three come along at once!

Creative Challenges
As naturally creative people, sometimes we feel the need to find an outlet for some of the ideas we have buzzing around in our heads. Photo shoots seemed to explode in 2011, providing great inspiration for brides and grooms not to mention a good challenge for planners and suppliers alike. We organised and styled our first shoot back in May, and received a great response with an 8-page feature in You and Your Wedding magazine and further images showcased on Rock My Wedding.

Having been well and truly bitten by the ‘shoot bug’, we were asked to do two more features for You and Your Wedding, which took place during some wedding down-time in September and November (you’ll have to wait a little bit longer to see the photos, but with some fantastic suppliers on board I promise they are worth waiting for!).

We also organised a succulent inspiration shoot in the middle of Epping Forest, which was subsequently featured on Whimsical Wonderland Weddings and The Bride’s Cafe. This was definitely one of our favourite shoots, and we were blessed with a gorgeous autumn day which made for some fantastic photos.

In The Press
We love to help out journalists with features and articles, and have to admit to getting a warm fuzzy glow when we see our name published in a magazine or blog (let’s face it, everyone loves to be a little bit famous once in a while!!). We had some incredible press coverage last year, contributing to both local and national magazine articles, and also made our first radio appearance on BBC Essex back in August.

A New Addition
One of the biggest highlights of the second half of 2011 was the addition of Sarah to our planning team. Incredibly organised and with a passion for creativity (not to mention being an excellent cake baker!), Sarah is a real asset to our business. We are absolutely thrilled that we’ve grown so much in the three years since we launched our company in the midst of a recession, and would like to thank all of our clients and suppliers for their continued support.

Photo Credits:
2012 image: via Ali’s Bookshelf
DIY-inspired wedding: Magno Photography
Vintage country wedding: Eliza Claire Photography
Winter wedding: Mark Bothwell
Succulent shoot: Fiona Kelly Wedding Photography
Helen and Sarah: Segerius-Bruce Photography

You might also find interesting:

• Happy New Year!
• We’re Back – Happy New Year!
• Vintage Peach Photo Shoot – Behind The Scenes

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• Happy New Year!
• We’re Back – Happy New Year!
• Vintage Peach Photo Shoot – Behind The Scenes

Pop over to Chelsea’s blog to see what we expect and desire to be “the thing” in 2012, and take a look at what other wedding professionals think will be on trend for the next twelve months.

Thanks to Chelsea for the opportunity to refocus our minds for the year ahead!

Photo Credit: Hundred Layer Cake

You might also find interesting:

• Guest Blog Post – Help With Your Wedding Planning
• Blog Interviews
• Press Features – Top Tips and Guest Blogging

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• Guest Blog Post – Help With Your Wedding Planning
• Blog Interviews
• Press Features – Top Tips and Guest Blogging

For many years, marriage wasn’t part of our plans, but when Andy suddenly changed his mind the question of who was going to “give me away” loomed large. My mum made it quite clear that she couldn’t do it – she was already blubbing at just the thought of it, and we may have needed the equivalent of the Thames Barrier if she’d had to step up in reality. I have no brothers and although I have a special Uncle who has been a wonderful part of my life, he isn’t my dad, and somehow asking him didn’t seem right.

As it was we had a very small ceremony, with hardly any guests so the question just solved itself really. I walked myself down the aisle (together with my bridesmaid daughter) and presented myself to Andy without the need for anyone else to ceremonially gift wrap me and hand me over.

There was however, in my mind, a need to recognise the presence of my dad in my life and his absence on the day. I thought long and hard about how to do this, and decided in the end to have him walking down the aisle with me, by adding a locket containing his picture to my bouquet. This had mum in absolute floods, but felt a fitting way to remember him without sadness overpowering a happy occasion. I also had planned to walk down the aisle to Nat King Cole singing When I Fall in Love which was my dad’s favourite song and also a real favourite of mine. However, whilst putting together the CD for the ceremony I cried so much just listening to it I decided that it would be a step too far on what would already be an emotional day, and reverted to more traditional entry music.

If you’re in a similar situation there are many ways you can include relatives in your day. You could consider a mention in the order of service or incorporating photos of the relative in a montage display of your lives at the reception. Some people prefer an overt reference to a parent or grandparent, such as a small table set up at the reception set with a photo and flowers or using a memorial candle as part of your ceremony. Some brides and grooms reserve a seat at the ceremony for a relative, set with a small posy of flowers or alternative momento relevant to the person. As an alternative to favours you could make a donation to a relevant charity and leave a note on each place setting say what you have done in memory of your loved one.

Others however may prefer something more private or personal such as using a piece of your loved one’s jewellery as your something old or inserting a small reference to that person in your bouquet (for example a flower of a different colour or even a token such as a golf tee for a golf lover).

For everyone it is about striking the balance between remembering the person who you wish could be part of your day, but not forgetting that it is also a time for celebration and looking forward to a happy future.

Photo Credits

Bride and father: Presentation Magazine

Sarah’s wedding: Magno Photography

Something old: istockphoto, Jillian Pond

You might also find interesting:

• Sarah’s Thoughts – A Very Small Affair
• Sarah’s Thoughts – The Wonder of a Wedding Planner
• Sarah’s Thoughts – A Hen Do For All Tastes

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• Sarah’s Thoughts – A Very Small Affair
• Sarah’s Thoughts – The Wonder of a Wedding Planner
• Sarah’s Thoughts – A Hen Do For All Tastes

Whilst our earlier post showcased how succulents can be used in a rustic setting, the second part of our shoot which has featured on The Bride’s Cafe blog, was definitely an elegant affair. This time, rather than not using flowers at all, Liz from Blue Sky Flowers combined succulents with silver and cool green tones with delicate white blooms for a completely different look.

Using pristine linens and delicate glassware, again echoing the silvery theme, we have created a look that would work easily as well in a country setting or at a slick city event. The overall look is modern, but soft with some quirky and structural twists.

For more details about the day, check out the post on The Bride’s Cafe blog.

Photo Credits – Fiona Kelly

You might also find interesting:

• Inspired by Succulents – Featured Shoot
• Photo Shoot Featured on Rock My Wedding
• Vintage Peach Photo Shoot – Behind The Scenes

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• Inspired by Succulents – Featured Shoot
• Photo Shoot Featured on Rock My Wedding
• Vintage Peach Photo Shoot – Behind The Scenes

Cake pops are a relatively new phenomenon here in the UK and have started to be used at weddings as quirky and tasty favours. Lauren takes this one step further by substituting the wedding cake for a bespoke cake pop display, which can be tiered to mirror the traditional cake.

Her cake pops come in many delicious sounding flavours and are decorated beautifully to theme with the wedding. We particularly love the little bride and groom pops which sit on this white display.

We’ve yet to see anything like this in the UK market, but think that clever DIY brides could find a way of recreating her displays. If the tiered stands seem a step too far, how about making displays using a variety of vases and shredded paper, or even attempting the vertical stick stands in the red and aqua display above?

Or if you want to stick with using cake pops as favours rather than as a cake substitute, how about taking inspiration from Lauren and presenting them in clear boxes as an elegant alternative to cellophane bags?

Photo credits: Sweet Lauren Cakes

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• A Chocolate Lover’s Paradise
• Styling Work: Bridal Boutique Launch Party
• Sarah’s Thoughts – Sweetie Buffet

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• A Chocolate Lover’s Paradise
• Styling Work: Bridal Boutique Launch Party
• Sarah’s Thoughts – Sweetie Buffet

The varieties and colours of the succulents used really show-cased how versatile these little plants are and showed how a bride looking for something a little different could incorporate them into her day.

Mixing the succulents with bark, moss and hessian also made for a rustic but beautiful table setting which was simple but striking at the same time. Small pots of succulents were also used as place cards and favours.

We were really delighted to see the shoot featured on the Whimsical Wonderland Weddings blog. Check out the link here for more details of the day. A huge thank you to all the suppliers who helped out with the shoot.

All photos: Fiona Kelly

You might also find interesting:

• More Succulents – Featured Shoot
• Photo Shoot Featured on Rock My Wedding
• Vintage Peach Photo Shoot – Behind The Scenes

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• More Succulents – Featured Shoot
• Photo Shoot Featured on Rock My Wedding
• Vintage Peach Photo Shoot – Behind The Scenes

Well, that’s how it’s meant to happen isn’t it? Finding “The One” – the confection of taffeta, lace (or whatever is your thing) that you’ve dreamed of since childhood? It’s not just the dress which you have dreamed about, but also the champagne-softened experience of shopping for the ultimate dress with your closest friend or mother. My experience, however, was somewhat different and I have to say that I learned quickly as I progressed from shop to shop.

The style

In common with many brides I had been scanning the wedding magazines and had a pretty good idea of what I wanted in a dress (and perhaps more importantly, what I didn’t ).  My must-have list was short-sleeves – my list of no-go items was longer and more firmly entrenched and I made a vow to myself that I would not try on dresses that were strapless, shiny, sparkly, white, ruched across the bodice, meringues or any combination of the above! I rather liked heavy lace dresses and really adored anything with a square neckline or that looked like it had stepped out of the pages of Pride and Prejudice.

What I didn’t appreciate was that I may have very strong views about my wedding dress, but wedding dresses also have very strong views about brides!

In my first boutique, having selected five dresses which fitted my strict criteria, it soon became clear that I needed a complete rethink on what my dream dress would be if I wished to look passable and be comfortable on the day. Anything with a scooped or V neckline was making me feel uncomfortably exposed and the lace dresses I hankered after were doing nothing to flatter a post-two child tummy (and I wasn’t prepared to stand all day sucking in my tummy in case of a candid shot from a professional or amateur photographer!).

Luckily, the assistant was fantastic at picking my ego up off the floor and suggesting more comfortable and suitable styles, and I left the boutique with a far better understanding of which dresses would work for me, and what could be done to adapt a dress to fit my (loosening) criteria. No more would I walk past the racks and racks of strapless dresses when I realised that with the addition of cap sleeves they could easily turn into the Jane Austen dress of my dreams.

The experience

My experience of buying my dress was mixed. My first trip into a boutique was on-spec into a Mayfair establishment where you have to buzz to gain access – yes, on-spec, in Mayfair!!  I soon learned the error of my ways (well not that soon, actually, as they left me waiting for 45 minutes before telling me that they were far too busy to talk to me that day!) and made sure that I carefully planned visits to other boutiques, making the requisite appointments weeks in advance.

My second foray was closer to home in the Surrey countryside, and here I was met with a warm, friendly and professional attitude. I was made to feel comfortable, special and given good, practical advice. Despite it being a Saturday afternoon, I wasn’t made to feel rushed and felt totally buoyed by the experience, even if I didn’t have the “this is it” moment I was hoping for. There were two dresses I really liked, but I didn’t want to decide there and then in my first real visit to a bridal boutique, and so I pushed onwards…

…and down to earth with a bump! My next shop couldn’t have been more different. Limited to trying on four dresses on a Wednesday afternoon when there were two assistants sitting doing nothing and no other customers, I was made to feel like an inconvenience and ended up spending the whole hour apologising – for not being thinner, younger, more sure of what I wanted and then finally for not putting a huge deposit down on a dress I really didn’t want.

My final destination came from a recommendation, and was a long trek from home. With an ever-hopeful heart I made the journey down to White Mischief  in Henfield, West Sussex. Here the range of dresses was amazing and I homed in on a selection mainly from Augusta Jones, which had the wonderful ability of being able to be made in a selection of fabrics, with a multitude of adjustments to make them into the dress of your dreams. Again, the sales staff were highly experienced and quickly assessed what was working and what wasn’t in the dresses I was selecting, and set about suggesting alternatives that might fit my vision, body shape and budget!

Finally I narrowed it down to two options: a Grecian looking empire line strapless dress with added sparkles and lots of floatiness, or a satin dropped waist number with various ruched panels across the bodice (please, at this point, feel free to cross refer to my above list of items I would not entertain as part of my wedding dress and judge me accordingly!). I hadn’t had a “wow” moment with either of them (and perhaps more strangely my mother hadn’t cried with either), but they both felt right and comfortable. I finally decided on the Grecian number (with the addition of capped sleeves) and my Jane Austen-esque vision was born!

So, did it matter that I didn’t have that amazing moment of knowing that I had chosen the right dress? Yes, the feeling that I had missed out on something did bother me until I walked down the grand staircase at Highclere Castle to meet Andy at the bottom and he said to me “That dress is perfect – it’s so you”, and then I knew I’d found “The One”.

Photo Credits
Cinderella: Disney via Disney Dreaming
Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennett: Fanpop
Window shopping bride: Wedding Journal Online
Sarah’s wedding: Magno Photography 

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• Wedding Planner Q&A – Paying For Bridesmaid Dresses
• Vintage Wedding Dresses from Timeless Vixen Vintage
• Sarah’s Thoughts – A Hen Do For All Tastes

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• Wedding Planner Q&A – Paying For Bridesmaid Dresses
• Vintage Wedding Dresses from Timeless Vixen Vintage
• Sarah’s Thoughts – A Hen Do For All Tastes

Today I’m delighted to welcome to the blog the hair and make-up artist from the shoot, Gemma Sutton. Gemma is a super-talented lady who regularly works on fashion and editorial features, as well as transforming brides for their big day – I really do wish she could work her magic on me every morning!

Tell us about you and your company

I have been working as an internationally acclaimed makeup and hair stylist for the past 10 years.  My work has enabled me to travel the world and work with a number of well established photographers, models and celebrities. Some previous clients include Vogue, TM Lewin, BBC Holby City, ITV3 Drama “Bodies”, OK Magazine, Louise Redknapp and Edward De Souza.

I love my job. Every day is never the same, and I get to meet some amazing and inspiring professionals.  My week days are mainly Editional/Commercial  and bridal trials, whilst weekends are always booked for my brides on the most important day of their life.

Due to the success and increased demand with all areas of Makeup & Hair, I have assembled an elite team of fully qualified and insured professional artists. Each artist offers qualities and different techniques and expertise within the industry.

 Can you explain the ideas behind the different looks you created for our shoot?

The theme was classic vintage, pretty, soft/peachy, gorgeously girly look and feel. Makeup was kept minimal with neutral tones and peachy highlights to the cheeks and lips, making the eyes the main feature point of the face using dark shimming purple and brown shades.

I created two looks on both models. For the first look the hair was swept to the side with bouncy waves, simply pinned with vintage flowers, whilst the second look was more of a statement with a big bee hive giving lots of height, movement and body.

On the second model the hair was pinned up in a tight bun with the hair intertwining and hair pieces were added to give a much more of a hair statement. The last look hair was woven to the side of the head, again with hair pieces added for volume and texture.

Which was your favourite look from the shoot and what were the products used?

I loved all looks on both models for different reasons, but I do love the softer wave with hair swept to the side. Makeup was minimal but with most of the focus on the eyes for a very vintage pretty look and feel.

My top products for this look were:

- Babyliss Glamour Wave £204
- Mark Hill Heat protection spray £6.12
- Phot Fabuious Wave Spray £7.19
- MAC Face+Body Foundation £23.50
- Bobbie Brown Long-Wear cream shadow in glacier £16.50
- MAC Blushcreme Lilicent £14.00

What are the current trends for bridal hair and make-up, and what do you see being popular for 2012?

One of the best ways to find the latest hair trends is to look towards celebrities at award shows, as well as what’s current on the Wedding Dress designers runway shows. This wedding season is all about glamorous updos. From the look of big ballerina buns, to adding jewels and sparkling pieces to your updo to add a little something special to your style. You can follow this trend by simply wearing one big braid to the side and adding flowers for a more formal look.

For a vintage feel to your wedding try the trend of wearing a retro wedding hair style, or adding a small hat with a veil for even more of a retro vibe. Two other hair trends for brides are the look of half up half down hairstyle and bouncy, flowing curls. Remember to add traditional wedding accessories to your to hair such as veils and tiaras to keep things classic and elegant.

The keyword for 2012 is a natural look for makeup – makeup that adapts to our own style, which enhances the face and hiding any imperfections.  Colours will be soft natural pink/pastel/gold tones and shades.

What would be your top tip to brides looking for a hair and make-up artist for their wedding?

You should always do your research when looking for a hair and makeup artist. Look online and talk to other brides who have had their hair and makeup done by that artist. Once you have chosen your artist, arrange a trial. You can arrange this as soon as you have decided on your dress, colour scheme and other details that are important to you about your wedding.  Look online at different looks and styles you like and show your artist, so they have a clear idea of how you want your hair and makeup on the day.

Thanks Gemma for stopping by and sharing your expertise with us today. If you would like to see more of Gemma’s work or find our more about her wedding services, be sure to check out her website.

Stay tuned to the blog for an interview with Zoe Clark, one of my favourite cake designers who was responsible for the cakes and confectionary for our shoot.

Image credits:
All images courtesy of Segerius Bruce Photography

You might also find interesting:

• Spotlight On…Segerius Bruce Photography
• Vintage Peach Photo Shoot – Behind The Scenes
• Photo Shoot Featured on Rock My Wedding

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• Spotlight On…Segerius Bruce Photography
• Vintage Peach Photo Shoot – Behind The Scenes
• Photo Shoot Featured on Rock My Wedding