HOT TOPIC Those in-the-know solve your wedding dilemmas HATS OFF I’m trying to think of a good hen party that’s different from the usual drinking or travelling norm. What can you suggest? A boozy night out isn’t everyone’s ideal hen party, particularly where different generations are involved. A more sophisticated idea may be to have a day’s crafting session. Sitting round a table making something you can be proud of at the end of the day, is a good way to get to know each other better, and to spend time together before the big day. There’s always a lot of chat, but also times of intense concentration, plus a photo or two to remember it all by. My Make a Fascinator in a Day can be arranged at a venue you have booked, such as your local village hall; the necessities being tables, chairs, electrical points and decent lighting. Participants are encouraged to bring colour swatches to match to a special outfit, while the tutor will arrive in good time with all of the equipment and materials, and will do the clearing up afterwards. There’s three styles to choose from, with the group pre-selecting the one design for their workshop. The designs offer varying degrees of complexity, but all three are designed with beginners in mind. Norma Arthur | Amble Pin Cushion https://amblepincushion.co.uk RING THE CHANGES My fiancé proposed without a ring, as he knew I’d want to pick my own piece of jewellery. The trouble is, his mam has since offered one of her own – which isn’t to my taste! How can I tell her without causing offence? Depending on the design and quality of the ring, there may be a possibility of remodelling it. You could explain that although it’s a beautiful ring, it doesn’t fit in with your own style of jewellery, and that the contrast means that they just don’t seem to complement each other. If there’s the chance to modify it, try to show your mother-in-law-to-be that by updating the ring it’s still creating an heirloom piece which can be passed through the family. She could even look at ideas with you. It could be something as simple as changing the band from a different type of metal or gold. If it can’t be changed, don’t be disheartened – it’s highly unlikely she’ll be properly offended, so long as you approach the subject with the right manner. Michelle Lloyd | Mark Lloyd Jewellery www.marklloydjewellery.co.uk 60
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