Your North East Wedding - Page number 74 - September/October 2021 (Issue 46)

A DAY TO REMEMBER My fiancé recently proposed, but I don’t know where to start with the planning. What’s the first thing I need to book and what should I consider after that? Planning your wedding is supposed to be a fun and enjoyable experience, so don’t get distracted by others and their opinions. Just take into consideration what you both want and go for it! Start planning by deciding what type of ceremony and location suits your vision. Do you want a church service, a civil ceremony (legal but non-religious) or a celebrant-led one, which is not legally recognised and would require a registry office service? Once this decision has been made, the reception venue is easier to choose. It’s reasonable for the venue to be up to 20 minutes away if you’re having a church wedding and this can narrow down the geographical area for your search. If you have a civil marriage, the local registrars will have lists of approved premises and think about what’s important to you both to make things easier. Do you need accommodation onsite, do you want a classic venue or a rustic barn? There are many options here, so it’s worth investing some time looking at websites and photos from local venues before you start making appointments. Knowing your guest list will help rule out venues that are too small or big. Once the venue’s booked, you can then begin to look for other suppliers. The best companies from around the region will get booked up years in advance, but many couples don’t realise that they can reserve a supplier’s time without knowing the full details of your day – you just need the basic information. Start with the photographer, florist, cake company and then look for entertainment during the day and for the evening reception. A good wedding planner can advise couples with local, reliable wedding suppliers to make the planning process as enjoyable and as stress-free as possible. Dawn Marie | Dawn Marie Wedding & Event Design | http://dawnmariewed.co.uk THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT We’re planning our wedding entertainment, but we’re a bit worried about booking someone online that we’ve never met. Do you have any suggestions? Picking your wedding entertainment should be a fun and enjoyable experience. Try to give yourselves a few months before the special day to work out the type of entertainment you want, meet suppliers and make that final decision. It’s great to meet people in person, but the last few months have highlighted the benefits of virtual catch-ups. It’s often hard to have a decent chat at a busy wedding fair, so it’s always good to catch up on FaceTime, WhatsApp or over Zoom. Here you can ask all the questions you want and get to know the team more. Listen to the advice from the professionals because many entertainers have performed at different venues and have lots of experience. They’ll happily share what might or might not work for your day. Make sure to ask newlyweds for their recommendations. The entertainment world is ruled by word of mouth and if someone comes highly recommended, they’ll most probably be good! Ask friends, people you know, your venue, other nearlyweds, wedding professionals and of course, use the internet. Think about whether the company’s appropriate for your setting, audience and the atmosphere you’re after. You might have guests in nappies to their nineties on the day, but the evening may be different. There are many entertainment options such as music in all forms, magicians, caricaturists, jugglers, balloon artists, children’s entertainers, photo booths and more. TOP TIP... Make sure the company you pick has Public Liability Insurance and any electrical equipment is PAT tested. Ray Snowdon | Ray’s Piano | www.rayspiano.co.uk www.joss guestphotography.co.uk SCRUMDIDDLYUMPTIOUS My wife-to-be and I love strong flavours and want something unusual for our cake. Do you have any suggestions for us? My most unusual flavour is spiced clementine, which was inspired by my lovely friend Suzanne at Cove Cake Design. The fruity sponge is infused with star anise plus cinnamon and it’s a flavour that most people wouldn’t have tried before but are pleasantly surprised when they do. It’s great to have something a bit different at your wedding rather than your standard Victoria sponge. Make sure to pick flavours that appeal to you and your partner – don’t try and please everyone because it’s your special day. Some of my couples enquire about a fruit cake, even though they dislike it, to provide for their older crowd. But your loved ones will be just as happy with a delicious sponge cake, especially if it’s something they haven’t tried before. Gabriella Grace Rottiers | Gabriella Grace Cakes https://m.facebook.com/gabriellagracecakes www.pay lorphotography.co.uk www.ren nisonraephotography.com 74