Your Surrey Wedding- October/November 2020 (Issue 85)

BUDGET SAVER Q – We want a grand wedding cake that will wow our guests without breaking the bank. Do you have any ideas on how we can cut down the costs? To achieve a grand cake, you need to think carefully about labour costs. These will be greater depending on which decorations you choose. For example, if you want an adornment of sugar flowers, these can take days to make with extras needed incase any break. To make the design taller you could add iced polystyrene dummies, but remember making the various embellishments does take time and therefore money. Decorate your creation with sugar pieces, ribbons or fresh flowers. You could also have oblong cutting cakes which will be served to your guests. These are large pieces which are iced plain and can be filled without any icing to help cut down the costs. Pieces such as toppers and figures could also save you money, but keep in mind some of these can be quite generic. Shenaz Lake-Thomas Cake expert www.ltcakes.co.uk SNOW IS FALLING Q – My wife-to-be wants to create a winter wonderland for our December wedding. What flowers do you suggest we look for? Having a winter wedding is exciting for a florist. We can get very creative as there are a wide variety of flowers, foliage and accessories available. You could opt for traditional reds and greens with holly, ilex berries, skimmia, roses, amaryllis, pine cones, willow and ivy. Alternatively, look for crisp, frozen touches with whites and silvers, roses, double lisianthus, anemones, brunia and succulents. Bridal flow spray roses give the most stunning aroma, combined with eucalyptus and blue spruce befits the festive season. Either of these could be enhanced further by careful use of bark, moss, wooden containers, vases, glassware, candles and additional Christmas-themed ornaments. Sharon Monk Florist www.longacres.co.uk MY TYPE ON PAPER Q – We’re on a tight budget but still want beautiful stationery. How can we spend our money wisely? Start by deciding what you can and cannot compromise on. Understanding what you want from your day can be beneficial as without a clear idea your budget can easily be forgotten about. Research your ideas and ask your suppliers questions, as there are always compromises and ways of saving money. Think about if you want your invitations printed on hand-made texture card or will you be happy with digital versions? Do you want number cards, or would you prefer a concertina invite? Have a consultation with your supplier to discover what you like and dislike and don’t be shy or afraid to ask questions. Sara Jones Stationery expert www.thelittleextrasstationery.com www.bark erevans.com 66