Your Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wedding - June/July 2020 (Issue 83)

TIMING ISSUES When planning the morning of the wedding, what timings do I allocate for my bridal make-up, the bridesmaids and the mother of the bride? Sian says: Your wedding morning should be one of the most enjoyable parts of your day, although nerves may run high, I want to make sure it all runs smooth, with as little stress as possible. By creating a schedule for you, it will take that little bit of pressure away, knowing that everyone knows what they should be doing at what time. For your wedding day, I’d work with your hairstylist to create a time schedule that will fluently work for your bridal party. Once we have the time of the wedding ceremony and the location, we’re able to work out the time your bridal party will need hair and make-up completed by, and what time they will all need to be dressed and ready to leave. I’ll then allocate times to each member of the bridal party to which they will need to stick to, for the morning to run smoothly – I’ll always allow some time in between just in case – and I allow enough time in the schedule for any touch ups that are needed to hair and make-up, any photos you wish to take with the photographer and of course enough time to get to the location. Once the schedule is completed, I’ll run through and confirm it with the bride before the date of the wedding, as well as on the wedding morning to ensure she is happy, and to check for any changes that are needed or have been made. Sian McCauley is a make-up artist based in Berkshire, with more than ten years experience including working in the TV industry. Visit www.sianmccauley.com PLANNING AHEAD We ’ re tying the knot next year and although we ’ re in lockdown, I want to still stick to my wedding planning to do list. What should I keep in mind when choosing a cake supplier at this time? Daisy says: Firstly, congratulations! I hope you have been enjoying planning your wedding so far. I know that the current situation with lockdown hasn’t made things easy for anyone, but I think having your wedding to think about will give you both something really lovely and positive to focus on during this time! You are right to be thinking about your wedding cake supplier too. One of the biggest pieces of advice I can give, especially if you’ve been scanning Instagram for cake inspiration and you have found a cake designer whose style you really like, is don’t delay in reaching out to them. Cake designers can get booked up quite far in advance, but due to the current situation with covid-19, many of this year’s weddings are now being deferred until next year meaning that dates are getting booked up even faster than usual. Having said that, you shouldn’t feel pressured into making a decision quickly. A good cake designer will be happy to give you first refusal on your wedding date, should another couple get in touch before you have had a chance to make your final decision and book. Another thing to help you when choosing a supplier to work with, is look at how they are adapting their service to suit couples during this time. For example, as social distancing has prevented in-person cake consultations/coffee meetings, I’ve started offering Zoom catch-ups! In principal, it’s a great way for couples to have an informal chat with a cake designer, get to know a bit more about them, their style and ethos, and also for them to find out more you, your wedding plans and ideal cake budget. It’s so important to have a lovely rapport with all of your wedding suppliers. Planning a wedding can have its stressful moments and having a friendly team around you who are adaptable and helpful, is worth its weight in gold! Finally, lots of cake designers are also offering tasting boxes by post, which is another great way to help you decide. There is usually a cost involved, but nothing beats receiving a box of freshly prepared cake flavours to enjoy with a cup of tea together in the comfort of your own home! Daisy Pratt runs Very Vanilla, which makes bespoke wedding cakes and patisserie-based dessert tables. Visit www.veryvanilla.co.uk ETHICAL WEDDINGS I want all aspects of my wedding to be vegan- friendly, is this possible with my hair and make- artist too? Tanya says: Yes, definitely. There are thousands of vegan hair and make-up products on the market and I’ve worked hard to find the ones that are of excellent quality and will deliver every time I use them. I do my best to keep up to date with ever changing ingredients lists to make sure my service is 100% vegan and cruelty free. Being vegan myself I understand the importance and difficulty of sourcing vegan wedding suppliers, but that is changing and I’m seeing a shift in the industry with more people becoming aware of animal testing and ingredients of animal origin in the products they use. If you love someone’s work but are unsure if they offer this service it’s worth reaching out to check which brands they use and whether they can adapt their kit for you.  Tanya Westley, is a vegan wedding hair and make-up specialist based in Oxfordshire. Visit www.tanyawestley.co.uk www.stevefullerphoto.com 75 EXPERT ADVICE