Your Sussex Wedding - Page number 64 - October/November 2021 (Issue 93)

ESPECIALLY FOR YOU I’ve been obsessed with the idea of having my own customised veil ever since falling in love with Meghan Markle’s. How can I go about this and what bespoke design options are available to me? It’s always so exciting to work collaboratively with brides, creating a truly personal accessory. An embroidered veil isn’t just something for the wedding day, but a beautiful heirloom and keepsake to treasure long afterwards. First and foremost book a design consultation to talk through your veil ideas. Here at Tabitha Textiles, we can embroider onto a pre-bought veil or if you’re going fully bespoke, you can choose from a range of luxury tulles, styles and lengths. This allows me to tailor the measurements to fit perfectly with your dress and overall look. Tulle and embroidery samples, along with unlimited design mocks ups, are sent to you once your bespoke veil is booked in the diary. I often get asked: “So what can I have embroidered on my veil?” The answer is pretty much anything, within reason. Most brides will request their initials with those of their spouse-to-be along with their wedding date, however if this is an autumn wedding you might have flowers in your bouquet to represent the season, or generally like the idea of woodland flora and fauna. You might even have a favourite song lyric or poem that holds special meaning for you. It’s possible to design something truly unique to capture your story as a couple. Tabitha Buckley | www.instagram.com/tabithatextiles BLOOMING GORGEOUS I’ve always longed to have peonies in my bridal bouquet, but we’re getting married in the autumn and I understand they won’t be available then. What would you suggest as alternatives that will have a similar look and impact? Peonies are such a beautiful flower, but they have a very short growing time and are only available in the early summer months. Luckily, there are a number of alternatives for an autumnal wedding. I’d go for some gorgeous garden roses, which are available all year round and have the same ruffled, fluffy and full look that gives the peony its scrumptious volume. Some varieties are also scented as an added bonus! If you’re looking for something with the wow factor when it comes to size, dahlias are the perfect alternative thanks to the impact of that majestic bloom. Best of all, they’ll be in season at the time of your wedding. They do tend to come in stronger colours though, so if bright and bold isn’t for you, another sizeable flower to consider could be a hydrangea. They have the same lovely roundness and fluffiness and come in pastel hues. Remember to check with your florist, as we always have something up our sleeves to create the look you’re after. Petra Beaton | www.sussexflorals.co.uk TRICK OF THE LIGHT Our November wedding is going to be held in the late afternoon so it’ll be getting dark by the time our ceremony ends. How will this affect our photography? There are a few different options for this depending on how traditional you’d like to be and what style of photography you’d like. If you prefer to use entirely natural or available light, but aren’t too worried about seeing each other before the ceremony, then you could always arrange a first look shoot. It will allow you to utilise the light earlier in the day and can give you a chance to steal a few private moments together rather than seeing each other for the first time in front of all of your guests. There are some romantic and intimate examples of first looks online, which will give you an idea — they’re very common at American weddings. If your photographer is happy using additional lighting, off-camera flash etc, then there are some amazing options you can go for in the winter light and darkness. Sparklers are also a fun choice for after-dark portraits. Make sure you look at your preferred photographer’s portfolio before booking and ask to see examples of winter or poorly lit weddings. Don’t worry too much though, some of the best sunsets I’ve ever seen have been at autumn and winter weddings, so just be flexible and let your photographer lead you. Wedding photography at this time of year can be wonderfully dramatic. Stephanie Kalber | www.stephaniekalber.com www.step haniekalber.com 64