A THEME COME TRUE We’re having a rustic-themed wedding in a gorgeous barn. Do you have any ideas of how we can style it? A barn wedding venue is the perfect setting for an effortlessly romantic and rustic wedding. Living trees and other potted greenery can transform the space into something magical. With the high ceilings, rustic wooden beams and lots of space to fill, we would add to the relaxed and rustic vibe by providing tall leafy trees reaching high into the ceiling. Silver birch, eucalyptus and olive trees work particularly well, especially when covered with twinkly fairylights to add that extra sparkle. We suggest an evergreen star jasmine arch for the perfect backdrop to the vows and the luscious scented piece behind your top table. In full bloom from the end of June to early September, if the weather is kind to us, the stunning scent is so evocative and will remind you of your wedding day for years to come. To finish the leafy look, mini olive and citrus trees plus leafy ferns work perfectly when used as tabletop décor or to add a spot of greenery to any area. Debbie Ison | Whitestem | www.whitestem.co.uk MEET THE ENTERTAINERS We’re thinking of booking our entertainment, but we’re a bit worried about booking someone online that we’ve never met. Do you have any suggestions? Booking someone online seems to be getting more popular, but it’s important to think back to how we used to book suppliers and services. We most likely met and spoke to the team, experienced their services and trusted them before hiring the company. The difference now is we can do most of this without meeting the supplier face to face, but it’s important to do your research and a phone or zoom call is a must. Find out why they’re the best, what makes them stand out and what others say about them. One of the best ways of engaging suppliers is going to wedding fayres to meet the teams in person and get recommendations. Another top tip is to ensure that suppliers are active on social media. There might be a reason if they haven’t posted in months, most likely nobody is booking them. Julie Twigg | The Best Magic Mirrors Winchester www.thebestmagicmirrors.co.uk/winchester CAPTURING MEMORIES Our big day is fast approaching and we’re thinking of booking a videographer, but we’re not sure what to look for. Do you have any tips? A wedding videographer will be your closest ally in making those memories as special as the wedding itself. They’ll know how to capture all the beauty and the happiness of the day in their videos. We live in a world where video creation seems as easy as pulling out your phone and pressing the red button. The pandemic put a lot of people in the position of reconsidering their career paths. Many thought photography and videography would be easy to pocket some dosh fast. Some of them genuinely discovered their real talent, but more had to fake it or turn it into a scam. Contact professionals on well-established marketplaces or trade magazines such as this one. Once you find something you like, search the internet for more information about the company. A well-designed website is the first place to go. Check samples of the team’s work and their credentials on social media. Remember that good quality videography does not come cheap; it usually entails expensive cameras and filming gear like extra lighting, a mobile sound recording unit and sometimes a drone handled by a CAAcertified drone pilot. Don’t just quantify their work by the number of hours spent on-site by the team once the filming is done. They’ll spend hours reviewing footage on all the cameras, re-watching the footage, selecting the most suitable clips and putting everything together. They’ll make adjustments, enhance the colours scene by scene and synchronise music before the video is finally ready to be rendered. Dan Profir | Another Amazing Wedding Video www.aaweddingvideo.com EXPERT ADVICE 77
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