Your Kent Wedding - March/April 2021 (Issue 95)

EASY AS ONE, TWO, THREE Help! I’m newly engaged. Where on earth do I start with my planning? Firstly, congratulations! Here are my top tips for getting started on your planning – do take your time and enjoy it. ❤ Step one – talk to your partner. Have an in-depth conversation about what you both would and wouldn’t like from ceremony type and venue style to the time of year and a rough guest list. ❤ Step two – research costs and put together an approximate budget. Speak to some venues you like and a couple of caterers and florists. There’s no need for full quotes yet, just ask for a guide to costs to give you a rough idea. It’s important that you bear these in mind so you don’t overspend on a venue and have nothing left for the rest. ❤ Step three – book your venue. See a few options or visit venue open days, so you can compare before committing to one. Be aware that many do get booked up well in advance. Once it’s booked you can send save- the-dates. ❤ Step four – book additional suppliers. Start with catering and beverages, as this is likely to represent a high proportion of your budget. Once the more costly items are booked, you can then look at confirming all other elements, such as the photographer, floristry and entertainment. This can all be a dauting process, so if you want help and advice why not enlist the services of a professional wedding planner? Mel Revell-Leaman, www.yourstoryevents.co.uk SPRING HAS SPRUNG How can we reflect the wonderful feel of springtime in our wedding flowers? You can evoke the carefree airy feeling of the season in your wedding flowers whatever your chosen style. It’s more of a mood than a theme. Spring blooms are a magical mix of delicate textures, sublime colours and symbolism. For example, tulips represent perfect love. In addition to beauty, spring flowers have an abundance of scent, which you’ll forever remember. Think about choosing flower varieties that are available only during the spring. There are more than you think with plenty of unusual options too such as fritillaria, muscari and jasmine. Make the most of the seasonality as this is when they’ll be in prime condition, better value for money and more sustainable. For the pure essence of spring, choose vibrant colours such as crisp white, sunny yellow, zingy lime green and sky blue. Alternatively, embrace delicate pastel shades of palest pink, lilac and peach for a gentle romantic feel. Think light textured foliage, delicate branches of blossom, mimosa and trailing jasmine. There’s a spring answer to any style. A wrap of pure white tulips for a classic look, to a riot of colour and texture using lilac, ranunculus, clematis and anemone for a boho feel. Why not incorporate planted spring bulbs into your table centres, tucked into wooden crates or vintage glassware? Guests can take these home at the end of the eventing to plant in their own gardens and remember your day. Diana Critchell, www.flowersoffoxhall.co.uk www.yetiphotography.co.uk RUSTIC BLISS We’re tying the knot at a barn venue with a rustic springtime theme. How can we make sure our stationery ties in? The two best ways to tie your stationery to your theme are by carefully selecting the card used and the details of the design. ❤ Card. We recommend opting for a card with a natural, rustic feel such as a brown Kraft card, which is often 100 per cent recycled too. ❤ Colours. Those often found in nature during the spring are ideal here. Opting to include greens and blues, alongside warm hues such as orange and red, will add the feeling of the season to your stationery. ❤ Floral. Rustic wedding stationery is even better when combined with natural design elements. We always recommend opting for a floral design for this special season, and this works beautifully for barn weddings. ❤ Vintage or traditional. If floral design elements don’t fit well with your theme, another popular vibe is vintage. Typewriter-style print or classical fonts are gorgeous choices. Jess Harrison, www.momentsthatunite.co.uk 80