Your Kent Wedding - Jan/Feb 2020 (Issue 88)

THE STATIONERY 12 MONTHS TO GO Heather says: If you’re sending out save-the-dates, you need to do so around a year before the big day. This is especially important if the date falls during the school holidays or over a bank holiday weekend, as guests are likely to make plans for these dates well in advance. SIX MONTHS TO 18 MONTHS TO GO It makes sense to start work on your invitation design and stationery collection as early as possible so that drafts can be reviewed without pressure and different design options explored. Printing takes seven to 10 working days, so you should factor this into your timeline. THREE TO SIX MONTHS TO GO This is when we recommend you post your invitations, and then we’ll start work on the on-the-day items such as table plans, menus and place names. Designs can be put together, and once final details such as the guest names are confirmed, they can be dropped in at the last minute. Heather McMillan, ByBlossom byblossomweddingstationery.co.uk ❏ THE CAKE Asha says: We’d advise you to arrange an initial consultation and tasting once the venue is booked. Decide of you like their work, whether you trust that they’ll do an amazing job, and get the date secured. Often there’s an option to save the date for a small cost. Alongside a visually amazing cake, the taste of it needs to be incredible. A number of designers will hold tasting days or offer tasting boxes. These are often chargeable services, but they’re well worth the cost as this will give you an indication of the taste and quality. Don’t be afraid to mix classic options with quirkier flavours. Finally, talk to your cake designer about budget. You’ll need to consider the level of detail and tiers, as well as any other costs involved such as delivery, set up and stand or knife hire. Asha Pankhania, Oh So Delicious ohsodelicious.co.uk ❏ zohaibali.co.uk TOP TIP The consultation is key TOP TIP Look at samples in showrooms, at wedding fairs, or ask for them by post so that you can see the quality of printing and paper THE FLOWERS Hannah says: Once you know the time of year you’re getting married, you can start to think about flowers. Most can be available all year if they’re imported from Europe and Africa, but the price can vary depending on season. Some things aren’t going to be possible, such as an October wedding with peonies or a spring wedding with pampas grass, but a good florist will know what alternatives to offer you. When selecting a florist, be sure to meet with them and build a rapport. Flowers are the main feature of a lot of weddings, so you want to make sure that you and your florist are on the same page. Budget permitting, try to get a sample bouquet made a year before the big day to coincide with the same season. This will help you to get an idea of shape, size and style. Hannah Churcher, Peachy Blooms @peachy_blooms_ ❏ TOP TIP Think about what flowers will be available in your wedding month sarareeve.com THE DRESS Victoria says: We always advise our brides to order their dream bridal gown a year before the wedding. Buying a made-to-order gown 12 months ahead means the designer has plenty of time to make it, and alterations can be completed at your leisure with minimal stress in the lead up to the big day. Have an open mind during your first consultation, and try on a wide variety of dresses. You’ll be able to eliminate styles quickly until you find the one you love, and don’t be surprised if this turns out to be the opposite of the gowns you picked out during your Pinterest research. It’s difficult to know what suits you until you start trying them on. When going to appointments, be selective about who you invite along. It’s important to find the balance between opinions you need in order to make the perfect choice, but not so many that the experience becomes overwhelming. Finally, if you have your heart set on wearing a gown by a certain designer, find out when their stockists are hosting trunk shows. This is when the entire collection will be sent to a boutique for a limited time, so you’ll have a larger selection to choose from. Victoria Walton, Victoria Elaine Bridal victoriaelainebridal.co.uk ❏ Check out… our handy online planning tool at county.wedding/planning/index.cfm Also, head over to yourkent.wedding , and select ‘Find A Service’ from the menu to browse our supplier directory alphabetically or by category. What’s more you can find out about all of the wedding shows in your area by selecting the ‘Events’ tab on the website, or pop along to countyweddingevents.co.uk for details of our nearest shows. 79 WEDDING PLANNING