Your Bristol & Somerset Wedding - October/November 2020 (Issue 79)

Dressed for the occasion I’m more of a jeans kind of girl, and I’ve never worn a big dress before. Have you got any top tips for me? Bride at Home has been helping brides find their dream wedding outfits for more than 29 years, so our team has a wealth of knowledge and expertise and we love sharing it with our brides-to-be. My favourite tip is for dresses with a beaded bodice. These can sometimes chafe under your arms, so we always recommend rubbing in a little Vaseline to the area about an hour before you step into your gown – it really does help prevent sore arms. Brides often ask how they’re supposed to go to the toilet. One of our consultants, Amanda, who recently got married herself, is happy to demonstrate the best way, which is forward-facing and using the underskirt as a frame to hold up your dress. This always gets a good giggle in the shop and makes our brides feel relaxed. Jan Wright | Bride at Home Boutique | www.brideathome.co.uk SMALL BUT PERFECTLY FORMED We’ve had to cut back our guest list. How can we still get the party going and what entertainment do you suggest for a smaller group? We’re never ones to wait until the evening to have a party. We’ve been entertaining guests and having fun from the wedding breakfast onwards for years! Now is a great time to consider a more intimate day-only celebration, which includes having entertainment much earlier in the day. Our trained wedding hosts are brimming with ideas. They can hold a best man’s speech sweepstake, host a fun (not cheesy!) quiz on the newlyweds, or how about playing the shoe game during the breakfast? We also love a great entrance. So much fun and laughter can be incorporated into the wedding breakfast entrance. And it’s not only the couple that can be involved. Using the bridal party in the introductions is a great way of deflecting attention away from a shyer couple. We recently had a guest say to us that it was the best and most fun wedding they’d ever been to – and this was before the evening reception had even started! Phill Makepeace | Celebration Roadshow | www.celebrationroadshow.co.uk EXPERT ADVICE 85