your venue stylist to guide you. You’ll need to know about things such as ceiling height, which will affect your centrepieces; what chairs are available; how much time to you get to set up; and whether you/your stylist can attach anything to beams, ceiling and/or walls. Another key question to ask is whether the venue team will transfer your ceremony décor to the reception, as reusing these elements in both parts of the day is a sure fire way to save money and to make sure everything is cohesive. Lauren says, “Dress your ceremony aisle well as it sets the tone. Careful planning here means you can transfer some of your décor to create stunning centrepieces and other items can be placed around the venue. If you’re having a church ceremony and then going on to a venue, giving the church props a minimalist vibe will make them easier to transfer. With lanterns and candles, a couple of blossom trees and pew bows you’ll have a beautiful romantic ceremony with easy-to-move elements that are kind on the budget.” “Incorporate your bridal bouquets into your top table décor. Ask your venue stylist to leave out vases with fresh water to give them a place to sit and save them wilting throughout the day.” – Katie Lloyd, Maddison J Creations LOOKING AFTER THE PENNIES We’d always recommend that you sit down together and agree on a budget at the very start of your journey to W-day. Deciding how much you want to devote to the venue styling will be an important part of that, not least because it’s an area in which you can all too easily get swept away. “Look at affordability, look at what you want and be prepared to be open minded to small changes that could make a difference to your budget, but not to your vision,” Lauren advises. Katie says, “Be realistic with what you want to spend, there are lots of companies who caterer for all different budgets. Most will provide a detailed quote allowing you to decide on your must-haves. After all, everyone will see the venue styling as soon as they walk in, it makes an impact, so if it’s important to you, allocate the budget.” Research local venue stylists carefully and you’re sure to find the right one who’ll help you work out a budget and will be happy to operate within it. For example, the team of specialists at R’marnies work with their couples to do just that. Lauren explains, “We make the effort to provide the perfect day within the allocated allowance, tailoring our bespoke packages to suit. We want all our couples to be happy and stress free so we find exchanging ideas, creating options and providing a great service for a fair price is the surest way to ensure a fabulous occasion.” VENUE STYLING DOS AND DON’TS ...according to Katie at Maddison J Creations THE DOS ❤ Make sure your venue stylist is insured and has relevant up-to-date public liability. ❤ Take along as many ideas as possible when you meet with your venue stylist. The more examples you can show, the more your stylist will understand what you want. Mood boards are great for this. ❤ Have an input, even if you feel overwhelmed at the thought of designing your wedding. This is your day and your decor should reflect your personalities. Your venue stylist will work with you and apply their expert knowledge and advice. ❤ To guide your budget planning, break your styling down into sections – ceremony, venue and wedding breakfast. Remember your ceremony is less than 30 minutes, guests will be in your main wedding breakfast room for most of the day. THE DON’TS ❤ Don’t hire two venue stylists as their work could clash and fail to create a uniformed appearance. ❤ If your venue has strong colours don’t fight them. Go with the flow and chose hues that complement the surroundings. Maddison J Creations Maddison J Creations R’marnies Weddings & Events © bancroftphotography.co.uk VENUE STYLING 59
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