SUSTAINABLE DESIGNS My husband and I are very environmentally aware and try to make healthy and eco-conscious choices in all areas of our lifestyle. We’re getting married and I want my values to be reflected in my choice of dress. Where do I begin? I think it’s very important to have your values reflected in your wedding dress. I’d recommend writing down all the points that are most important to you and go from there. As a lot of dresses on the market are made from polyester and still made in China it’s very important to do your research on the brand of your dress. I’d suggest looking for a sustainable designer who is open to sharing information on where their gowns are made and what they’re made from. Here at Luna Bride, we adore chatting to brides to be interested in the ethics of their dress as this is what’s so important to us as an ethical brand. Some factors that make a dress ethical and eco-friendly in my opinion are: to have the dress made locally to you or in the same country; to have the dress made in cruelty-free materials that are also good for the planet; also, it’s important that the people who made your dress are treated fairly. I think having an ethical dress gives your gown more of a story and something to be really proud of when you look back on your wedding day. Keely Brightmore | Luna Bride https://lunabride.com A TAILOR-MADE CEREMONY We aren’t getting married in a church and need a formal ceremony but don’t know where to begin. I really want my ceremony to reflect us as a couple. Please help! Three words: find a celebrant. Religious couples should find their local religious leader and get married in their nearest religious buildings. That’s fairly clear. Nonreligious couples have two choices: a short, unoriginal registry office ceremony led by someone who has three or four other weddings to officiate that day; or, an original, personalised ceremony led by someone whose sole job is to make your big day as good as it possibly can be. If you want your ceremony to reflect you as a couple, then you can’t go wrong with a celebrant. Celebrants will meet you months (even years!) in advance of your ceremony and get to know you as a couple, and as a result, craft a meaningful ceremony that truly reflects you both. This will involve telling the story of you as a couple (as much as you’re willing to share with parents and grandparents, of course!), as well as helping you to write your vows, and even including special ceremony elements such as a hand-fasting, a unity sand ceremony, or even live vocals to sing you down the aisle. One drawback is that celebrants can’t legally marry you at this time, but this has plenty of benefits too – not least that, as a result of not having legal constrictions, you can have your ceremony literally anywhere you want. Clifftop? – Sure. Ski slope? – Why not? In your back garden? – You do you! Mark Gregory | Mark Your Occasion https://markyouroccasion.com www.nataliepluck.com AND BREATHE… I’m feeling so anxious in the run up to the wedding. I really want to enjoy the next few months and of course the big day. Do you have any tips to help? Nerves, anxiety and excitement: these are all emotions our couples feel before they walk down the aisle. It’s the time when things start to feel very real, and all eyes will be on you. Here’s some useful ideas to prevent some of those nerves and how you can achieve a more relaxed and calmer atmosphere. Breathe - Focus on taking deep breaths when you feel those tingly butterflies creeping in. Deep breathing helps blood flow to the brain and nervous system and slows your heart rate and relaxes you. Perspective - If something small goes wrong, for example the weather isn’t playing ball or your cousin has just become a vegan, keep it in perspective, it’s not the most important part of the day. Unfortunately, we can’t control everything. The most important thing of all is that you’ve married the love of your life. Delegate - If you’re not hiring a wedding planner to oversee the coordination of your wedding day, entrust a friend or family member with being the ‘point of contact’ for the photographer, florist, catering team, band/DJ etc, otherwise you’ll be answering questions all day when all you should be doing is relaxing and enjoying your special day. Get covered - This we highly recommend. Wedding insurance is there to cover any aspect of your wedding that doesn’t fall to plan. This may be: wedding dress or suit hire damage, loss of an engagement ring or if your wedding venue goes into liquidation or damage. Cover starts from as little as £30 and with the average cost of a wedding of £25,000 it’s an investment worth having. Be organised - Set up a new email account to use when planning your wedding. You can use this to contact suppliers and allow guests to RSVP to your wedding. It keeps everything in one inbox which will save you time trawling through endless emails on your other accounts. Stephanie Baragwanath | SB Events www.sbeventsplanning.com Sam Chipman Photography Sam Chipman Photography 79 HOT TOPIC
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0NTE=