Your Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wedding - Apr/May 2019 (Issue 76)

PRUNING BACK How can I keep down costs with our flowers yet still stay on-trend? Lucy says: Flowers create a beautiful impact on any wedding day, but they can be expensive. Opting for in-season blooms will help maximise your budget, as will repurposing. Utilising flower displays and décor first for your ceremony, we can then reposition and repurpose them as centrepieces for your dining tables or place them around the venue for example, so you and your guests can continue to enjoy them for the rest of the day. We are seeing two main trends. The first is for displays arranged in a neat, compacted and structured design. This type of styling typically uses lots of flowers (more often large, big-headed blooms such as roses, peonies and hydrangeas) with little or no greenery or foliage.The second trend is for loose, free-flowing and organically styled bouquets and centrepieces, using a mix of flowers (of all sizes) and lots of types of assorted foliage to create an arrangement full of texture that has that freshly picked and gathered together look and feel. And following the Royal Wedding last year, arches and gazebos adorned with flowers, foliage and fairylights are becoming increasingly popular. They’re ideal for creating a romantic ceremony area to stand under while exchanging the all-important vows and are also a perfect backdrop to frame your top table during the wedding breakfast. Lucy Brooker | seventh-heaven-events.co.uk LET THEM EAT CAKE I’m being pressured into opting for a home-made cake, but I’m worried it won’t be good enough! How do I persuade my other half that a professional cake maker is good value? Victoria says: When you pay for a professional cake maker, you are also paying for expertise, experience and knowledge. Although making your own wedding cake would be a beautiful touch and make the cake a lot more personal, the stress on the week of your wedding isn’t worth it. Think of the late nights, and what if something went wrong – you wouldn’t have time to rectify it. Why not think of doing something in the middle? Have a dessert table at your wedding. Employ a cake maker to make your central cake – but this doesn’t have to be big and extravagant. Then ask a few close friends or family to make desserts to add to the table like banoffee pie, trifle, pavlova and add your own dessert to the table – your favourite and something you have practiced. That way, you are making a dessert for your wedding and you are still getting the professional centrepiece for the photos and traditions. That’s exactly what this cake was for. Victoria’s Sponges made the central cake, which the bride and groom cut at the pivotal point, but there was a whole dessert table filled with treats made by the couple’s family and close friends. Victoria Carr | victoriassponges.co.uk SOUND CHECK We want a live band, but how can I make sure I get the best value for money? Steven says: It’s not just about the initial cost. It’s also about getting the most out of whomever you do decide to book. So here are a few wedding entertainment tips when it comes to choosing live music for your big day. Speak to your venue and read the fine print in your contract with them. Depending on the venue, there may be a curfew, a sound limiter (a device to ensure noise levels don’t exceed a specified decibel limit), confined performance area or even a blanket restriction on live music. It’s crucial you know all of this before you come to book your band.The most popular wedding bands often fill dates up to two years in advance, especially during the peak summer months. Therefore, if you fall in love with a band, it’s vital you get them booked as early as possible to avoid disappointment. If you’ve done your homework and hired a reputable, professional band, you can rely on them to deliver a show worthy of your wedding reception. An experienced band knows which songs work and when, gradually building an irresistible party atmosphere that’ll have guests of all ages flocking to the dancefloor. Steven Robertson | entertainment-nation.co.uk EXPERT ADVICE 111