Your West Midlands Wedding - Apr/May 2019 (Issue 61)

PILLOW TALK We love the new Confetti Pillow designs from Shropshire Petals! Have fun creating your unique, personalised confetti and customised packaging. From the background colour for your design to be printed on, to the font colour and text it can all be chosen by you to make the product completely bespoke. Each item is filled with a handful of beautiful 100% biodegradable, eco-friendly and dye-free natural petal confetti. After the big day all the empty pillows can be kept as charming mementos or recycled. Personalised Confetti Pillows are priced from £24 for a pack of 10 or £52 for a pack of 25. Check out shropshirepetals.com NEW AND REFURBISHED After a hugely successful two years from refurbishing the bar and bistro it was the turn of the wedding/function room in early 2019 at The Holt Fleet in Worcester. The family-owned and -run eatery on the banks of the River Severn, serves freshly prepared and homemade dishes and drinks all day every day, and also specialises in weddings and special occasions. Boasting a civil ceremony licence, seating up to 120 guests, the refurbishment in February 2017 created a new bar and bistro with a modern contemporary feel. The conservatory dining area (which also got a makeover) overlooks the river, and in the summer there’s an adjoining shaded private patio area and riverside garden. The wedding function room has had a complete overhaul ready for 2019 featuring a new bar and food servery, new lighting, feature wall with lighting, completely repainted – continuing with the colour theme from our bar and bistro – new flooring, heating, doors and curtains! This established and popular venue prides itself on quality of food and service. Alan is head chef and Sue is front of house as well as wedding and event coordinator, with his parents still playing an important behind the scenes role too it’s all hands on deck! Check out theholtfleet.co.uk 2019 STATIONERY TRENDS Lisa Forde of Shropshire’s Tree of Hearts shares her stationery trend predictions. Simple and sophisticated Simplicity is key for 2019, with many of our lovely customers opting for minimalist yet sophisticated designs. Many of these are predominantly white, with white weddings still as popular as ever. This is partly thanks to people taking inspiration from the royal weddings of 2018, but it’s also due to the rise of small, intimate weddings. Nature Many couples are choosing nature-inspired designs, with botanicals staying a strong theme for 2019. Wedding stationery adorned with roses is a popular choice. However, lots of people are also choosing sunflowers, pairing it with rustic styling - a very widespread theme for the last few years. Foliage is gradually overtaking flowers, with more designs than ever featuring plants, particularly the on-trend eucalyptus. Royal Lots of 2019 couples are choosing regal designs – royal wedding fever isn’t dying out any time soon. Designs with fancy swirls against neutral backgrounds are being loved by many – it’s a classic, timeless look. Likewise, elaborate fonts are also becoming more popular. Bright The trend of blush pink is dying down, and many are choosing much brighter shades, taking inspiration from the ’70s with shades of red, orange, and yellow. Likewise, the ‘jewel tones’ colour scheme is also rising in popularity, with many people choosing stationery in colours including shades of purple, pink, and green. We are also seeing singular shades trending, including burgundy, and Pantone’s Colour of the Year, Living Coral. These shades are perfect if you’re looking for something a little bit more eye-catching for your stationery. Check out treeofhearts.co.uk SANDS OF TIME Dudley’s stunning Grade II listed register offices, Priory Hall in Dudley and the Thomas Robinson Building in Stourbridge, are launching a personalised sand ceremony service option, in a move that is believed to be the first in the country for a register office. A growing niche trend, a sand ceremony sees the happy couple pour different coloured sand into a frame to create a keepsake to symbolise the merging of two individuals into a blended pair. Children of the couple can also take part in the ritual, showing the coming together of families. Councillor Judy Foster, deputy leader of Dudley Council, said, “Adding the option of a sand ceremony to our wedding and civil partnership packages gives loved ones a touching reminder of the vows they made on the day. It’s a visual representation of the happy couple uniting in marriage or of two families combining into one. This romantic touch can be organised by the registrars, allowing the nearlyweds to relax and enjoy the day.” The sand ceremony takes place after the exchange of rings. It includes a handmade solid oak frame that is personalised with the couple’s names and date of their ceremony and costs £95. Call 01384 818 349, or go visit  dudley.gov.uk/sandceremonies timelockphotography.co.uk 10