Our local experts answer your questions PRESERVING MEMORIES We’d love to have our flowers recycled after the big day and are looking at preserving them; how do we keep them before supplying them to our resin designer/maker, as we’d hate for them to start wilting and going brown? Alma Puno of Alma Makes Ltd. (https://almamakes.com) says: Your wedding bouquet is a cherished keepsake and preserving it in resin allows you to relive those special moments for years to come. To keep your flowers looking vibrant before sending them to Alma Makes Ltd., follow these tips: Keep them hydrated – cut the flower stems at an angle and place your bouquet in fresh water as soon as possible to maintain moisture and prevent wilting. Cool and dark storage – store the flowers in a cool, dark room, away from direct sunlight and heat sources, to slow down the drying process. Avoid putting them in the fridge, as humidity can damage delicate petals. Handle with care – Limit touching the petals to avoid bruising or browning. Upright position – Keep the bouquet upright in a vase or container to preserve its shape. Contact your resin designer promptly – The sooner the flowers reach the resin designer, the better they will look once preserved. At Alma Makes Ltd., I’m always on hand to advise on the best preservation method for each unique bouquet. DOG-FRIENDLY WEDDINGS We’d love to have our dogs involved in our wedding day; but as we’ve never looked at hiring a dog chaperone before, what do we need to bear in mind when booking one? Nettie Brown from All Paws Weddings (https:// allpawsweddings.co.uk) says: Firstly, is your venue dog friendly and are they happy to have your pup there with you on your wedding day? Check that your dog chaperone is fully insured for the service that they are providing, always check their reviews and if possible, speak to one of their couples about their wedding day and how they involved their dog(s). Your chaperone should arrange a free meet and greet in person before accepting your booking, to make sure that you are happy with the way that they interact with your dog and the care they will give on the day. Is the dog chaperone a recommended suppliers at your venue, if not will they visit the venue before the wedding? Visiting the venue prior to the wedding is so important, to meet with the wedding coordinator to make sure I know the timings, rooms that are being used for the ceremony and wedding breakfast and where the dogs are able to go, the quiet places inside and the shady spots in the garden. I also need to know where the water supply and poo bins are, these are not things the couple should have to think about on their wedding day. How involved do you want your dog to be in your wedding, will they be involved as ring bearer, best dog or just in the photographs? I always advise my couples that less is more, even the most confident and sociable dog will find a wedding with the new smells at the venue, all their favourite people in one place and not being able to get to the couple, overwhelming. If the pup isn’t involved in the ceremony, then a walk at the venue, mingling with guests and capturing those precious photographs can be just enough. If possible, the dog should be heading home when the wedding breakfast is served, or in a quiet spot where they can have some down time away from food smells and temptation. Give the chaperone their favourite toy, blanket or bed so that they have comforting things around them. Try and keep the dog in their routine as much as possible, their breakfast, walk and dinner time should be as close as possible to a normal day. HOT TOPIC HOT TOPIC 81
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