Your South Wales Wedding - March/april 2021 (Issue 78)

SLICE AS NICE Q – We’re having a summer wedding and want light flavours for our wedding cake. Do you have any suggestions? A summer wedding is the perfect time to incorporate fruit into your wedding cake. Orange is underrated, but it’s light and refreshing. Elderflower is another light, delicate flavour that teams well with fresh lemon and tastes like the British countryside. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle even had this flavour for their big-day bake. Two of my absolute favourites are raspberry and strawberry. I don’t use artificial flavouring, but the addition of freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries can create a beautiful flavour to a light, soft sponge. Jenny Leeb-Du Toit Wedding cake specialist www.cakesespecially.com SETTING THE TONE Q – I’m so excited about our wedding and want to ensure everyone can make it. When should we send our invitations, and what tips can you share when it comes to creating a bespoke design? Traditionally, save-the-dates are sent out one year before your wedding. However, I often find that couples want to send them out even earlier, which is perfectly fine too. I always advise people to do things at their own pace, but I would avoid sending them earlier than 18 months beforehand as guests may lose the card or forget! I recommend you send your main wedding invitations out three to six months before the wedding. It’s important to give your guests plenty of time to rsvp and your venue enough notice. Did you know a lot of modern properties have their own rsvp and menu deadlines in place? Be sure to check with your venue, caterer or wedding planner to ensure everyone is in sync. When it comes to creating a bespoke design, start by collecting pieces of inspiration to share with your stationery supplier. My favourite places to browse are Instagram and Pinterest, or you could even go old-school and create a moodboard with magazine cuttings. We don’t just want to see designs that you love, we also want to see colour schemes, flowers, bridesmaids’ dresses, venue styling and wedding cakes. This creates a vision in our minds of the style you want to achieve and is the best way to help us design bespoke stationery that fits perfectly into your overall vision. Amy Jones Wedding stationer www.jonesandjoy.co.uk STAR OF THE SHOW Q – My mother and mother-in-law want to wear spring colours to fit the time of year but don’t want to clash or outshine each other. Do you have any suggestions? Traditionally, when it comes to mums choosing their outfits for such a momentous occasion, the mother-of-the-bride gets first dibs. However, here at Baroque Boutique, we like to take a more modern approach – why not make a day of it with both mums involved? The opportunity presents the perfect chance for them to get to know each other, so consider taking them both shopping. We appreciate it isn’t always possible to meet face- to-face, but like many other shops, we’ve embraced technology and are running virtual shopping experiences. However it’s done, the mums need to give themselves time to discuss the wedding theme, style and what one another is looking for in an outfit. Have open, honest discussions to ensure nobody steps on each other’s toes. With regards to colour, focus on complementing and not clashing. One suggestion is to pick up a hue from the corresponding bridal party. The mother-of-the-bride could concentrate on the bridesmaids’ dresses while the mother-of-the- groom focuses on the groomsmen’s outfits. The most important thing is not to match the bridal party as you don’t want them to get lost in the photographs. Spring offers a beautiful array of pastel shades to work with, so it should be easy to ensure either side is dressed in a different colour – especially when you factor in complexion and what suits. However, we urge mums not to be frightened of brighter, bolder tones that work within the wedding theme. This year the spring shades set by Pantone inspire happiness and positivity. Pastel pinks and soft beiges are beautiful but also a little safe. Instead, why not experiment with hues like pepper stem and tomatillo? These captivating shades of green are an earthy neutral colour that complements most other tones. Blush beauty is a version of coral pink which offers a warm pop and is equally spellbinding on the right complexion. Just be wary that each mum is dressing for themselves and what works for them. Comfort is necessary to exert confidence and allow them to enjoy your special day. Coryn Emma Mother-of-the-bride specialist www.baroqueboutique.co.uk 6020 by Gill Harvey 44