Your South Wales Wedding - Page number 52 - November/December 2021 (Issue 82)

THE CUTE FACTOR Q – I love animals and want to incorporate them into our big day. Do you have any suggestions? If you’re animal mad and love alpacas, then why not incorporate them into your big day to create special memories? Our beautiful animals love to look their best and can be colour coordinated with floral garlands and bow ties to match your colour scheme. They also love a selfie and will keep guests entertained while you have your group photographs taken. Look for packages that can be tailored to meet your requirements, from ring bearers to alpaca feed favours, the choices are endless. Amanda Sparks | Miskin Alpacas www.facebook.com/ miskin-alpacas-106088411194575 PLANNED TO PERFECTION Q – My wife-to-be and I are getting married in a few weeks and have left most of the planning until the last minute! I’m panicking about how to decorate our venue. Do you have any suggestions? Leaving things until the last minute is not always a bad thing. I love a short time scale as there is something brilliantly decisive about it. You don’t have years to chop and change with trends and outside influence. You have to be punchy and back to basics about what you need and what you can secure in time. When it comes to the styling side of things, it’s best to pour yourself a cup of tea or glass of wine and start with the fundamentals. Work out what you want to communicate to your guests through the styling. What colours, textures and features show who you are and what you’re about? Then work out what is viable at short notice in terms of DIY vs bringing a professional in. If a styling company can step in last minute, then great - you may have found an easy answer for how to get things done. If not, look to purchase items and perhaps re-sell them post-event. Handmake what you can. Use chalkboards and pens if you don’t have time to order printed stationery. A few key things in the right places can make any event look styled, so why not buy a few things that might work in your house afterwards and use them at the wedding? Such as coloured candles or hanging paper lanterns. At Megan and Claude, we love a statement piece. A nice sideboard instead of a standard table for your cake, or perhaps a tall plant or two to flank the doorways. These things can be brought home and loved long after your event. Always remember that sometimes less is more and that, if you’ve booked an attractive reception space, you may not need to panic about doing much at all. It’s easy to get carried away with the amount of variety and choice available. Beth Stretton | Venue stylist www.meganandclaude.co.uk www.face book.com/ClarePricePhotography FESTIVE ROMANCE Q – How can we incorporate Christmas touches into our flowers without it being over the top? Lots of foliage is key to making your Christmas-themed day ooze with the magic of the season. Asparagus fern, pine, spruce, redwood and holly are fantastic options for the basis of your wedding flowers. These can be made into all sorts of things but really stand out as wreaths for your centrepieces or as garlands to adorn lavish staircases and fireplaces. Not to mention, the scent combined with cinnamon sticks is truly delicious! Teamed with seasonal flowers such as hellebores, also known as the Christmas rose, mistletoe and white bouvardia, you can bring the snowy scene to life and create a delicate seasonal themed wedding without being over the top. Hayley Rees | Florist www.misselthwaiteflowersltd.co.uk 52