Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding - Jan/Feb 2020 (Issue 49)

SAY IT WITH FLOWERS What flowers can you recommend to create the ultimate romantic atmosphere? When it comes to romance you can’t go wrong with roses. Available all year round in many different colours, you should easily be able to find something to suit your palette. They look great on their own or mixed with seasonal stars such as peonies or dahlias. You can also get petal-heavy garden roses, such as David Austin varieties, that more closely resemble peonies than roses. The cost of seasonal favourites can vary dramatically, so to keep things affordable, mix with the classic rose, which is fairly stable in price. What’s more, if there are quality issues with seasonal blooms, the mix can be adjusted accordingly. It’s no wonder that roses are the most popular wedding flower. Found throughout mythology and fairytales as a metaphor for passion and romance, they’ve been a symbol of love for many a year. Gemma Wakerley, bookerflowersandgifts.co.uk fenita.co.uk OUTSIDE THE BOX We’re looking for a wedding venue to reflect our fun- loving personalities. What can you suggest? We’re seeing a huge rise in the popularity of unconventional weddings, with brides and grooms seeking out-of-the- ordinary receptions that ooze social media appeal. Quirky bars, and even crazy golf venues, like Ghetto Golf, offer some great options for couples looking to break from the norm and do things a little differently. The great thing about choosing a venue that isn’t designed specifically for weddings is that it gives you the flexibility to create a day that works for you, and you may have more options than you think. For example, we offer facilities to host live music, with plenty of space for an epic danceloor and a fantastic selection of cocktails. We can even work with you to create a drinks menu based on the things you love. There’s also the opportunity to bring the fun to your wedding breakfast with burgers and loaded fries followed by Nutella-filled churros. Many people are daunted by the thought of an expensive, traditional wedding with so many elements to think about, from the venue décor to the menu and seating plans. A reception at a leisure venue eliminates all of that stress allowing you and your guests to really let your hair down and above all have fun. We’d always recommend going to see a venue first to really visualise how the space will work for you, which is a great excuse to try out the activities on offer. For those planning on a budget, exclusive use booking isn’t always necessary at this type of venue. For example, here at Ghetto Golf, as long as you and your guests are booked onto the course, then a night out after you’ve tied the knot could be the stress-free alternative to planning a reception. Nick Fountain, ghettogolf.co.uk I’M YOURS How can we personalise our big- day bake to bring our story to life and highlight the romance? In years gone by, the most popular way of personalising a wedding cake was by adding a replica bride and groom topper. Many couples still choose to do this, but with new and creative twists. We’ve seen everything from crotched Mr and Mrs dolls to little peg people and mini Lego figures.  There are many alternatives to making your cake truly yours. Bringing in the theme of your day is a real showstopping way to do this. For example, match lace elements from the dress or incorporate features of the table settings. You could even colour coordinate the bake’s embellishments, and replicate your flowers either in sugar or as real blooms. We’re seeing more couples opting for their initials in a monogram feature, which is often designed to reflect the wedding invitations or place names.  Your big-day bake is a blank canvas, and can become a real statement piece. It’s an edible piece of art that brings the whole wedding to life.  Lindsay Albon, whitelacecakes.co.uk katemayoweddingphotography.co.uk EXPERT ADVICE 71