An Essex Wedding - Mar/Apr 2020 (Issue 91)

ROUND THREE. THE PERSONAL TOUCHES. ESSEX COUNTY CAKES ❤ Know your budget for your cake and request quotes from as many designers as you believe appropriate to give you a good feel for what’s right for you. ❤ Provide colour swatches for your first consultation; this is a great starting block for the design. We have two showrooms, both of which allow couples to discuss the big day and ensure everything is organised. ❤ When available, take advantage of tasting samples prior to confirming your order. We offer complimentary consultations in our showrooms, or in the comfort of your own home, where you can taste nine delicious flavours. Gordon Harwood | Essex County Cakes | essexcountycakes.com FRANKIES WINE BAR ❤ Find out what drinks different bars supply. With so many products on offer it can help set your wedding apart if your drinks menu is tailor-made to your requirements. ❤ Many companies charge a bar hire fee on top of the beverages. Remember to determine this cost up front as it can be substantial and vary depending on the type of bar. ❤ We have trained sommeliers who work with the caterers to pair wines with your food. This is an important element that will bring something special to your day. Paul Elbourne | Frankies Wine Bar | frankieswinebar.com chicmedia.co.uk SIMPLY STUNNING FLOWERS ❤ Get inspiration from different florists, event companies, magazines and online, as this will help you realise what you want, and most importantly, what you don’t. ❤ With good florists in high demand, get your date booked as early as possible. Changes can still be made in the run-up, as the flowers won’t actually be ordered until around ten days prior to the event. ❤ Follow a shortlist of florists on social media to ensure you like the way they work and their style fits with yours. Then, get in contact and arrange a consultation to chat and see their working surroundings. For example, my workshop is very rustic so you can expect to be sitting among leaves and floral debris, but you’ll see where my inspiration comes from. Victoria Makepeace | Simply Stunning Flowers simplystunningflowers.co.uk THE SHAKEDOWN – FUNCTION BAND ❤ Be sure to check out the full range of services a band can provide. Some will only cover the evening reception, whereas others will offer live ceremony music, acoustic sets throughout the day and DJ packages between when the band are playing. ❤ Ask about lighting and effect rigs. Some venues have built- in lights, but more often than not it’s down to the band to provide the atmosphere. If you’re lucky, they may also offer extras such as smoke machines, confetti cannons and glowsticks! ❤ You’ve done your research and picked performers with a broad repertoire, now it’s time to get the set list just right. A band will typically play two sets of an hour each but their full list of tunes will be significantly longer – so don’t hold back on telling them what songs you want included. A good band should also be able to learn requests so you can hear what you want on the day, or the DJ can play it. ❤ Without a shadow of a doubt, the best receptions are those where the newlyweds get stuck in and have a good time on the dancefloor. Your guests will gravitate towards you when they see this, so get involved and enjoy the energy of live music! Jonathan Babak & Joe Priddle The Shakedown – Function Band | theshakedown.co.uk ESSENCE MUSIC ❤ Ask to see recent testimonials, as nothing speaks better of a service than previous delighted couples. Established bands or DJs should have countless reviews. ❤ A wedding is a family reunion so people will want to be able to talk. High volumes can spoil the enjoyment, especially for older generations. The aim is to play to the dancefloor, not fill the entire room. ❤ Ask bands for a video, or better still, see them perform live. If their bookings are private, then insist on seeing a raw unedited video so you can see how they perform and how well the crowd reacts. Tim Thorogood | Essence Music | weddingmusic.expert PLANNING SOS 69