YOU’RE INVITED I’m excited about our wedding and want everyone we love to be there. When should we send out invites, and what tips can you share when it comes to a bespoke design? I recommend sending invitations six to eight months before your wedding, but check with your venue when they need final numbers. Think about sending Save The Dates around 12 to 18 months, too, so everyone can mark the date in their diaries. Your invitations will be the first impression guests have of your wedding, so you want to set the tone. Think about the theme and style – is it rustic and lace, bold and bling or elegantly understated? Gather ideas on Pinterest so your stationer can get a sense of your style and create something unique. You could even include symbols or themes for personalised stationery, like tiny paw prints on a dog-loving couples’ invitations, or ticketstub invites for cinema lovers! Helen Medhurst, The Little Love Card Company | www.thelittlelovecardcompany.co.uk SOUND OF MUSIC We’re having a wedding with guests of all ages. What music would you suggest to please everyone? There’s no right or wrong answer, as it’s down to what you as a couple prefer. However, from our experience, having a wide range of up tempo material, ideally spanning a number of decades and genres, works best – a ‘something for everyone’ approach, if you like. Borderland plays pop, rock, soul, disco, funk, dance, indie and even reggae, covering artists as diverse as Sam Fender and Bob Marley to Dua Lipa and The Proclaimers! Just make sure you never shy away from playing ‘obvious’ songs. It might be fun having your favourite Pink Floyd album track played, but there’s no way your guests will enjoy it as much as being able to belt out Sweet Caroline! Remember: every band should have a little bit of ‘cheese in their set! Mark Harrison, Borderland | www.borderlandmusic.co.uk DOUBLE UP We’re on a budget and want to double up with our decorations – but are clueless how to do this. Can you help? We always tell couples to double up when and where you can. You want your ceremony to look beautiful, but be mindful you’re only in the that room for an hour, tops! One way to maximise your styling is to use your centrepieces down the aisle first, whether this is candlelight or florals – or both! If you have a backdrop for the all-important ‘I dos’, you can have this moved after the ceremony to another area, such as behind the top table or as a photo backdrop opportunity. Finally, any décor you have on your registrar table can be moved to form part, or all, of your décor for the top table during your wedding breakfast. Emma Pearson, Ambience Venue Styling Teesside | www.ambiencevenuestyling.com/wedding-stylists/teesside 86
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