https://lottiepovallphotography.com MUSIC TO MY EARS We’ve just started wedding planning and want fun ways to incorporate music into our celebrations. What upcoming wedding trends can we expect? Pairing a song with that key entrance of the new couple entering the wedding reception is becoming nearly as important as a first dance song. It’s an opportunity for newlyweds to pick a song that matches their energy and personality. Some have even opted for the wedding parties dancing into the entrance hall, which we’re seeing more frequently on TikTok this year, while others opt for their favourite feel-good track. Social media has transformed the wedding experience; some couples prefer their big day to have personalised hashtags and QR codes for guests, whereas others opt for a phone and photo-free wedding till after the celebrations. Either way, TikTok and Instagram’s influence on social connections means that we’re seeing more couples creating videos and highlight reels of their day rather than uploading an album of photos. These videos can be sent as thank yous with bespoke music that captures the wedding. Some of our customers even request their wedding band to record a song for these videos. Last year, we saw a trend of festival-themed weddings, but this year, we’re seeing more bookings for DJ and party-style celebrations. In part due to the generation of those getting married this year being ‘90s babies, we’re seeing a resurgence of DJs and live instruments for an evening of dancing at wedding celebrations around the UK. Guests this year can expect to see a DJ with unique additions of a vocalist, saxophonist or percussionist to add a spin on classic songs. Mike Ausden | Function Central | www.functioncentral.co.uk FLOWER POWER I’m worried about hay fever symptoms blighting our wedding day; what can we do to help? Planning and ensuring you check pollen counts is a proactive step in managing your symptoms. Finding a solution that works quickly to both prevent and relieve symptoms will help you manage ‘on the go’ and enjoy a summer without suffering. A diverse gut microbiome is associated with fewer allergies, so exposure to lactobacilli and bifidobacteria may help reduce symptoms. Cleaning your eyelashes and washing your hair before bedtime will help avoid pollen and allergens rubbing off onto your pillow and causing symptoms to flare up at night. Pollen counts usually rise in the morning and reach their peak by midday, so heading outdoors later in the afternoon can help to make hay fever more manageable. You can avoid bringing pollen into your home by simply taking your shoes off at the door. If you have a pet playing outdoors, you can limit the pollen they bring in by combing their fur before they come in – or get someone else to do it if you can! This simple habit can give you a sense of control over your environment. If your eyes feel sore and itchy, try using a reusable mask for 10 minutes, like the FUSION Allergy Cooling Mask, to soothe and relieve them while reducing redness and irritation. Dr Edel Duffy | FUSION Allergy | https://fusion-allergy.com PLANNED TO PERFECTION We’re after a showstopping wedding; how can we make our money be seen? Our motto isn’t to cut but to utilise. The weddings we plan aren’t cheap, but we have many nifty ways of making sure nothing is wasted and your guests have a fun day that looks beautiful. There are many places to find cheap deals and wedding-based bargains; Facebook groups are dedicated to it. But be careful not to fall into a shiny trap. A prime example is supermarket booze. While they often have great deals on wine, ordering from a wine merchant can be far more beneficial. Firstly, most offer sale and return policies, meaning you can return a certain amount if unused. Secondly, they’ll often tackle your chilling and delivery. While we’re on the subject of drinks, cocktails will get you a long way to happy, full dancefloors. You don’t have to go wild; one per person is acceptable. Pre-selecting two or three options your venue or caterer can easily and quickly make is a good option. If you have an Instagram account, you’re undoubtedly being fed millions of pictures of flower-filled weddings. Whilst stunning, arches alone can often be upwards of £2,500. Instead, consider something made from floor-based arrangements called meadows. These are unbelievably versatile and can become arrangements for the ends of your tables or the front of your top table, which can then be moved again onto your bar or in front of the band for the evening reception. As for your tables, ditch favours unless you have a super personal idea you know your guests will love. Seeds, jam jars and matches are always left, along with the menus and place cards you might have spent hundreds, if not thousands, on. But when it comes to things you shouldn’t scrimp on, the tiny, personalised details are at the top of my list. Cocktail napkins with a sketch of your dog, photos of you both in frames behind the bar or personalised poems for each guest are great options. These details make people laugh while connecting to you and your lives, which they’re all there to celebrate. Rebecca Brennan-Brown | Get Wed | www.wearegetwed.com https://laurenknuckey.com 66
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