Your West Midlands Wedding- June/July 2020 (Issue 68)

HOT TOPIC Our local experts answer your big-day questions FINER DETAILS We’d love to reflect the theme of our wedding in our invites. How do we go about this? Kathryn says: When your guests first open the envelope holding your wedding invitation, you want them to be filled with excitement and anticipation. Your wedding invitation is the first glimpse that your guests have of what your big day is going to be like; it sets the scene. You may already have some ideas about how you’d like your day to look. Whether you have a fully-fledged plan of the style of your day or simply some vague ideas about a theme, a ‘bespoke wedding stationer’ can work with you to develop your ideas into a coherent theme and create stationery that’s genuinely personal to you both. It’s really important to take the time to get to know you as a couple, your shared passions and your style. This then enables me to design wedding ‘stationery that tells your story’. The process of having stationery tailor-made is a special and personal experience, so it’s important that you find someone that you feel you can work with, be open with and trust. Meeting over coffee and cake (or via a Zoom call now) you’ll explore your initial ideas together. It’s a good idea for the ‘couple’ to bring along some inspiration to the first meeting, for example, clippings from magazines, some pictures or mementos. The infinite decisions that go into creating a wedding stationery suite can sometimes feel a little overwhelming; however with the right stationer you’ll be safely navigated through the options, every step of the way. Last year Rachel and Rob asked me to help tell their ‘story’ through their wedding invitations as well as their on-the-day stationery and signage. They knew they wanted bikes to feature strongly in their special day having met at their local cycling club. Their invitations were letterpress printed with ink, envelopes and calligraphy that mirrored the colours of the bridesmaids’ dresses and fonts that suited their relaxed and fun loving nature. As well as featuring two racing bikes, the design that I created for them also included a tiny robin, symbolising an absent loved one. Adding fine details with hidden meanings that only you and your inner circle will understand, can help you to create something that’s beautiful, unique and personal. As the theme evolved, we applied the design from the invitations throughout the ‘on-the-day stationery’ including on a guest book and a guest fingerprint ‘keepsake’ picture. As Rachel and Rob had acquired several bikes to use as props, the theme developed and we ended up displaying the table plan on a full sized penny farthing, collecting cards from the guests on a postal bike and having a rickshaw with “just married” tin cans as a photo booth.  Kathryn Atkinson | Poppykate Press | www.poppykatepress.co.uk FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS We’d love to involve our beloved pooch in our nuptials how do we go about this and what do we need to consider? Emma and Ade say: Here’s our tips for a stress-free dog-friendly wedding: ❤ Hire a professional and experienced wedding dog chaperone. ❤ If you wish to include your fur baby, ensure that you book a dog-friendly wedding venue or one with an outside area for photographs. ❤ Ensure that all guests will be aware that a dog is attending the wedding, in case of allergies. A lovely idea is to send out a ‘save the date’ card featuring a photo of your dog. ❤ You may wish your dog to simply be a guest of honour at your wedding but if you’d like them to play a specific role in the ceremony, think carefully about how this will work. Popular choices are a dog ring bearer or a dog flowergirl but ensure that your pet has the right temperament to cope with all the attention. ❤ Rehearse as much as you can with your dog before the big day and leave ample time to practice during the actual rehearsal. ❤ If you’re considering a special dog wedding collar or accessory, make sure that it’s safe and comfortable for your dog. Certain flowers or foliage can be poisonous to dogs so it is vital to check. ❤ Let your wedding photographer know that you’re planning on bringing your dog to your wedding. This will ensure that they’re ready to capture your adorable pet in action and come up with some great fun ideas for wedding photos. ❤ At busy times our wedding pet chaperoning service as is very much in demand. To avoid disappointment we advise booking this service soon as possible. Emma and Ade | Precious Pets Weddings | https://preciouspets.wedding www.neilredfern.com 88