Your North West Wedding- Page number 82 - June/July 2021 (Issue 68)

82 Wedding planner, Deanna Melia from Your Forever After (www.yourforeverafter.co.uk) giv es her top tips for creating a nature-inspired celebration. Deanna says: Are you having a themed wedding? Whether you choose a rustic, garden, bohemian or Victorian theme, you need to ensure that you incorporate it into your overall look. It will most certainly take a lot of thought and time deciding on a theme, but the results will definitely pay off. DÉCOR This includes anything from menus, table names/numbers to centrepieces. For example, if you plan on having a garden wedding, you could use soft- coloured flowers with lots of greenery and use the same blooms in your bouquet to bring the two elements together. Opt for white plates and tablecloths and pastel placemats to break up the hues and to add a more subtle tone. Try having menus in a floral design that match your bouquet, and each table name/number a specific colour. Decorate the aisle with dried petals instead of confetti as they are biodegradable, meaning that there will be no harm to the environment in terms of pollution. They also look and smell beautiful and are super affordable! A wedding arch can be decorated with the same blooms as your bouquet. Drape them in between white, chiffon fabric to bring out the tones of the flowers and to add cleanliness to the look. HAIR AND MAKE-UP For a garden wedding, the half up and half down look or a classic bun with plaits is the way to go. They look beautiful, elegant and can work with a tiara, flower crown or clip. Make sure you go to a hair stylist and get a trial before your wedding day, after all, what works for one person may not work for another, so trial and error is your best friend. For an outdoor wedding, it's best to go with a natural look and incorporate hints of your colour scheme. For example, if you were to have a pastel pallet, then you would go for softer shades, whereas if you have bold hues like wine red and navy blue, you might go for heavier make-up. Again, make sure you go for trials as you may have something in mind but then hate it during your trial. Choosing a reliable and reputable artist is important to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day. VENUE If you want a specific theme for your wedding, your venue choice is crucial. It should be the first thing you choose when it comes to your wedding day as everything else is usually planned around it. For outdoor celebrations, make sure your property has a backup option in case it rains, such as an event tent put up outside a covered area to protect you and your guests from the weather. DRESS AND SHOES Saying yes to the dress can be difficult as many brides want to go for looks over practicality. For example, if you’ve chosen to have an outdoor wedding in January in the UK, it’s likely going to rain, which means that a design with a long trail probably isn’t going to be very practical and will get dirty very quickly. This is by no means a statement to stop you from getting that style but maybe have a detachable trail so that when you’re not on a beautifully protected wedding aisle, it doesn’t get ruined. Have a pair of flat shoes to hand, as you never know what the weather is going to do, and slim heels will most certainly sink into the mud, which can be disastrous, so chunky heels, kitten heels or flat shoes will be your best friend! Don’t forget, the most important thing is that you are comfortable and it makes you happy because after all, it’s going to be one of the most wonderful days of your life. No matter what theme you go with, always remember, sometimes less is more. The great outdoors