Your Bristol & Somerset Wedding - Dec/Jan 2019 (Issue 74)

caroline-alexander.co.uk PAWS FOR THOUGHT It seems like having your dog at your wedding is a new trend, but with Bristol’s Waggs ‘n’ Woofs celebrating its 13 th year in business offering dog services for weddings, the company can officially say it’s a teenager! “We take pride in offering a personal service to couples,” says owner Lynn Lloyd. “We work with dogs and owners well in advance to make sure everything is polished to perfection. We are always extremely respectful of the venues we work with too.” With options including a pet taxi, chaperoning on the day, professional grooming and dressing on the morning, your pampered pooch can be front and centre of your big day. Find out more at waggs-n-woofs.co.uk YOU’RE INVITED! It’s an exciting year for Bristol wedding stationery business Topikki as it reaches its tenth anniversary. Offering bespoke, handcrafted stationery that’s personalised to couples, it can provide everything from save-the- dates and invitations through to favours and seating plans for a fully coordinated day. Owner Gaynor Page is celebrating the ten-year milestone by offering free place cards with all new bookings taken before 31 st October, 2020 (T&Cs apply). And any couple placing an order of more than £250 will receive a free bottle of bubbly! You can also attend one of Gaynor’s workshops for your hen celebrations, which can be organised through HenQueens. For more information, visit topikki.co.uk kellyboitano.com DANCING QUEEN Editor Hannah Faulder tries out her moves with wedding choreographer Steph Kelsall of Kelsall Choreo. I think it’s important to point out straight away that I have never danced in my life. Well, I did ballet classes until the grand age of five, but other than that a shimmy on the dancefloor cocktail-in-hand is as close as it gets. I was excited to meet the lovely Steph Kelsall in person, so when she offered to give me a dance lesson I agreed without hesitation, but as the day drew close, the nerves set in. I was going to have to bust out some moves in front of a professional dancer – and she’s not just any professional dancer. Steph worked in New York for three years for a company owned by the pros of Dancing With The Stars (America’s Strictly Come Dancing ). She was the most booked female dancer in the company where she choreographed shows, created first-dance routines and competed. She also appeared on ABC News as a specialist in a segment on wedding etiquette, where the news anchor was so impressed that Steph ended up choreographing her wedding dance. So as you can imagine, it was pretty intimidating! I absolutely shouldn’t have worried though. As soon as Cal (my husband, who I dragged along) and I walked through the door of the private dance studio, Steph’s infectious smile and friendly personality made us totally at ease. Following a chat a few days previously, Steph had lined up two songs for us to dance to – You Never Can Tell by Chuck Berry and Happy Together by The Turtles – two songs Cal and I had chosen for our own wedding. We started with a box step, or America rumba. Once we got the basic moves nailed Steph soon got us sashaying across the floor in the perfect hold – Craig Revel Horwood would be so proud! In just over half an hour we were adding in little spins, leans and turns, which would definitely get the crowd cheering if it were a first dance! We soon moved on to the rock step. A bit more lively, with Steph’s expert guidance it soon felt like something clicked and we were moving to the music, doing the dips and working the room – all at the same time! I could just imagine how incredible it would be performing it on your wedding day in front of family and friends. But best of all, it was so much fun, and I could see how having a weekly practice session with your other half would give you a chance to connect and spend time together away from the pressures of normal life and wed-min. Cal and I certainly caught the bug. We even performed for the dog when we got home and sent a video to Steph to show our progress – like the good little students we are! Find out more at kelsallchoreo.com and turn to our Hot Topic feature on page 115 for some expert tips from Steph! 10