Your Herts and Beds Wedding - Page number 70 - June/July 2021 (Issue 86)

MOMENTS THAT MATTER Our wedding day is coming up but I’m nervous about making a speech, what advice can you share with me? Public speaking fills many people with dread; having to stand up in front of people, use a microphone or remembering what to say can be nerve-racking. I’m a confidence and self-belief coach and here are my top tips to help you feel more confident… The reason you’re making the speech is because of the relationship you have with the newlyweds; use that thought to spur you on. A wedding crowd is a warm audience who want to hear what you’re going to say about the happy couple and are not judging you. Be wary as a couple of drinks might help take the edge off your nerves, but too many and you won’t be able to deliver the speech properly. Make some notes before the day or write the whole speech out if that helps. Even if you don’t use the notes, knowing they are there will reassure you. Eye contact works; pick somebody in the audience who gives you visual reassurance and focus on them. Even if it feels like an eternity, time goes quickly and most speeches are five minutes long – you can do it!. Laura Cruise | Laura Cruise Coaching www.lauracruise.com SWEET SENSATIONS What advice can you share with me when it comes to creating a versatile cake table? A versatile cake table is a perfect way to offer guests delicious, sweet treats and display your cut wedding cake. It’s more relaxed and informal than a dessert table and can follow the wedding theme if desired. So many couples worry about having cake leftover, so this option allows them to have less cake to cut and other delicious small bites that their guests can’t resist. The aim is to attract loved ones to find the cake and other goodies that often end up unattractively at the end of the buffet table and can go unnoticed. If there’s any guests with special dietary needs, a cake table is a perfect place to have alternatives and make all guests feel included. Gluten, dairy-free or vegan-baked goods can not only taste amazing but be bagged beautifully and labelled clearly. Providing bespoke boxes for each guest to take the delicious treats home is a great way to keep everyone happy and avoid waste. Claire Festa | At Your Wish Cakes | www.atyourwishcakes.co.uk RING-A-DING-DING We want to purchase beautiful wedding rings, but we have a small budget. How can we get around this? Even with a small budget, bespoke rings can be the perfect way to design something that’s not only special but also affordable. From classic polished wedding rings to ones with texture or even a bit of sparkle, your jewellery designer is there to give you a helping hand and advise accordingly. It’s always best to have an open and honest conversation about your needs, desires and budget at the beginning of the design process. You’ll know what’s realistic this way and what can be done to make your dream rings possible. Wedding bands come in different metals, widths and weights and the cost can be reduced significantly by picking a thinner band, fewer diamonds or a different metal. There’s always the much loved and sustainable option of using inherited or unworn jewellery to make the rings. There could be a few small diamonds sitting in your jewellery box just waiting to be brought back to life. Not only can this be cost- effective, but it’s a very sentimental process. Sarah Heulwen Lewis | Heulwen Lewis Bespoke www.heulwenlewisbespoke.com https://bin kynixon.com 70