Your Kent Wedding -September/October 2020 (Issue 92)

TAKE A LOAD OFF A lot of our guests won’t have seen each other for ages, so we’d love to have a chill out zone for them to relax and catch up. What can you suggest? Outdoor lounge setups are the perfect place to kick off your heels and catch up with your nearest and dearest over a glass of gin or two. Boho seating areas create a relaxed space with free-spirited styling, layering Persian rugs, cosy blankets and embroidered cushions around a wooden pallet table. Decorate the table to suit your style, we suggest with a loosely laid runner to match your scheme, coloured candles and mismatched vases dressed in their macramé best, spilling with wildflowers. These can also be used for dining as a more relaxed and intimate wedding breakfast setting.  Our styling tip is to set these up under a beautiful tree, this will create a shaded chill out zone during the day, which is also perfect for the kids. Low hanging branches can be draped with twinkling fairy lights and romantic chandeliers, creating an enchanting glow as dusk falls. To create levels and add character try adding a statement sofa or love seat, not only do these make fabulous photo props for capturing special moments, but they’re also lovely for older relatives to take a peaceful moment away from the disco lights and dad dancing. Our peach ‘Honey’ vintage sofa is wonderful for sitting pretty with a glass of fizz and celebrating the forever kind of love. Leah Stageman, Boho + Bloom Prop Hire  www.bohoandbloomprophire.com SHOWSTOPPING TREATS My husband-to-be and I both have a sweet tooth, but aren’t necessarily fans of sponge cake. What would you recommend as an alternative to a traditional wedding cake? A dessert table can be a fantastic alternative or addition to a wedding cake. If you’re keen to offer your guests something different and want to stick to sweet options, ask your cake designer to create a beautiful styled table filled with delectable treats such as iced biscuits, brownies, macarons, honeycomb, meringue and cakesicles.  Another alternative, popular for us last year, was my homemade doughnut tower. With a small cake on top for the traditional cake cutting ceremony and then a delicious tower of freshly made glazed doughnuts, this option is perfect for sweet toothed doughnut lovers.  Chelsea Prior, Chelsea Buns Cake Design www.chelseabuns.co.uk www.pier ragphotography.com www.oleg ssamsonovsphotography.com 82