LOVE AT FIRST BITE Do you have any winter menu suggestions? Winter weddings are a great excuse to bring comfort food into your menu. Greet your guests with mulled wine or spiced cider alongside your fizz and hot canapés. Why not incorporate seasonal ingredients, like game? Thai-spiced partridge satay and mini venison pies with port gel are delicious. The first course should be something light and pretty; citrus-cured salmon and gin are always winners. For the main course, rich flavours are a must; slow-cooked meats braised with aromats served sharing style with bowls of hot sides would be my pick. Desserts should be decadent and definitely involve chocolate! If you’re treating your guests to evening food, keep it simple with something like loaded fries. Pick some funky toppings, so there’s something for everyone; our hoisin duck with pickled chilli, scallions, and sesame are always popular. Or why not finish the night with a beautifully curated cheese station? Everyone loves cheese. Tallulah De Vaux www.tallulahand.co A FESTIVE TREAT How can we incorporate our festive theme into our wedding entertainment? It goes without saying that if you’re having a December wedding, you either want to embrace the Christmas association or hold it at arms’ length. If you love Christmas, it will be essential that you let your DJ know this and mention your favourite festive songs on your request list. Tell them about any tunes that you dislike for a banned list. The music performed at your wedding will connect you with memories for years to come, so it might be a good idea to have a few newer Christmas songs that you will associate with your wedding instead of past Christmases. A good mobile DJ should be able to provide customised lighting to make your theme a feature. This might be stars, snowflakes, or specific colours. Other ideas to consider are carol singers with lanterns for the drinks reception. You could also hire or arrange for one of the wedding party to dress as Santa to hand out wedding favours and give any gifts to your wedding party. If you’re having a selfie wizard or photo booth, confirm with the supplier that they have Christmas-associated props and/or overlays for printing. June Gould (DJ June Cecilia) www.sgdjweddings.com www.jcampbellphotography.co.uk HELLO PETAL We are on a tight budget but still want beautiful stand-out flowers on our big day. Do you have any ideas on how we can save money? The cost of fresh wedding flowers can be a big expense, and with the cost of living rising, careful planning is key. Consider artificial flowers; these are realistic-looking, and you can still get the floral style and design you want for your big day without the large price tag. Plus, you don’t have to worry about any damage or dress stains; they are allergen-free and can last forever as home décor after the wedding day. Repurpose and re-use your venue decorations. It takes a lot of work to create the arrangements to dress your venue, so using your flowers in a two-area set-up will help stretch your budget. Ask your venue stylist, coordinator, or a trusted family member to move items from the ceremony room to the reception area during the break. For example, pew end flowers can be reused as table centrepieces and registrar table displays can be moved to the top table. Dried flowers can be added to faux versions. This works well for modern and boho-themed weddings, and these bouquets also have a longer shelf life than fresh options. Elisa Hsiao www.facebook.com/elynboutiqueuk www.lilithinbloomphotography.com 60
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