Wedding planning tips for couples
Inspiration and guidance on planning seasonal weddings in spring, summer, autumn, and winter wedding. Scroll down to read the articles.
Unique Ideas For Hosting a Spring Wedding
Spring has sprung and there is something truly romantic about a spring wedding. They are full of greenery and blooms and there’s a good chance you’ll get some sunshine too! Whilst the weather can be a little unpredictable there are still lots of ways you can enjoy a spring wedding. If you are planning a spring wedding I’ve rounded up some of the best ways you can host a wedding in this beautiful season. These spring details will have you and your guests full of the joy of spring in no time!
Colours
No matter whether you are planning a spring wedding in a garden or you’ve chosen a swanky hotel, spring colours brighten any occasion. Whether you choose blush, champagne or sage greens keeping your colours in the spring realm will make your wedding feel fresh and romantic. Pair neutrals with pastel colours, similarly pale pinks and purples mixed with bluebell blues are incredibly romantic.
Flowers
The great news about holding your nuptials in spring is there will be no shortage of flowers. Choose flowers that are in season if you are conscious about your carbon footprint or budget. Spring wedding flowers include hyacinths, sweet pea, lily of the valley and freesia, all of which are highly scented additions to bridal bouquets – meaning not only will they look beautiful but they’ll also smell amazing too! Tulips, daffodils and forget-me-nots are also in season and add fantastic texture to centrepieces, bouquets and arrangements.
Whilst you are at it, if you are going to have a spring wedding than aside from the usual bouquets and buttonholes you could take the flower theme a whole lot further by adding floral wreaths and corsages into your decoration. The floral wreaths could work in bridesmaids’ and flower girls’ hair whilst the mother of the bride and groom can wear corsages.
Light Coloured Suits for the Groom’s Party
Just as the ladies will be wearing lightweight material within their dresses there are seasonal options for the men’s outfits too. Choosing lighter-coloured suits will not only reflect the heat should you be super lucky with the temperature on your wedding day, but it will also compliment the other spring colours used elsewhere too.
Include a Drinks Station
I love the idea of having a drinks station for a spring wedding. Whether you have non-alcoholic options such as homemade lemonade or fruit punch or an alcoholic version with flavoured gins or a prosecco bar it will certainly be something appreciated by your guests. If you are more of a cocktail lover you can start your reception with one or two signature cocktails, who doesn’t love a spring cocktail? Think fruity, colourful and garnished with spring fruits or herbs. Your guests will be in cocktail heaven!
If you fancy extending the theme to dessert, you could have an ice cream station or sorbet station complete with various toppings.
Colourful Food
Colour can be used in so much more than just your décor. Spring is the perfect time to ramp up the colourful plates. Edible garnishes and flowers elevate dishes spectacularly and will surely impress even the fussy eaters at your wedding. Spring couples are in luck as many edible garnishes are in season meaning there should be a wide variety available to compliment your menu.
Add colour to your cake, by having a design painted onto the actual cake or if you are looking for something more traditional; adorn it with flowers.
Spring is a gorgeous time of year to get married, as mentioned earlier flowers are in full bloom, the harshness and bareness of winter are gone and the weather isn’t blazing hot, although you never know! If you are planning a spring wedding incorporate one or more of these ideas into your day to have a truly unique day.
I hope these tips inspire and help you plan your dream wedding day.
Victoria Fenix.
Planning a Summer Wedding? All the Wedding Day Details you need to know
Summer is a popular time to get married. Perhaps you are planning a Summer wedding and are wondering how you’ll pull off the coolest warm-weather wedding your guests have ever been to! You’re in the right place! Read on for all of the Summer wedding ideas set to make an impact on the wedding scene this season and beyond.
Firstly it’s worth mentioning that if you are planning a wedding in the peak of Summer, you’re going to want to factor in that you’ll likely be dealing with Summer heat and harsh UV rays. There’s not much you can do about the temperature – and you’ll likely be hoping for some sunny weather at the least. Warm weather can become uncomfortable for your older and younger guests more quickly than you may realise. Ensure your guests feel cared for and can keep comfortable by serving some cool, non-alcoholic (seen as alcohol dehydrates you!) drinks throughout your daytime reception and your guests will thank you for it. If you are the type to want to hire extras, an ice cream truck or cart is always popular with every age guest.
Fabulous Florals
There’s an abundance of blooms in Summer and couples looking to get married during this time of the year are truly spoilt for choice. More and more couples are becoming eco-conscious. If this is you, then you may want to choose a florist who is considering carbon emissions and can suggest sustainable flowers for your arrangements.
Typically in Summer, we see couples choose more greenery and whimsical displays with wedding flowers and Summer is the perfect time to use wildflowers and have more casual arrangements too. Let the simple beauty of the flowers you choose to decorate your venue and have in any bouquets do the talking and allow your florist to guide you here. Typically we’ll see that anything goes during this season from cool pastels to more fun, vibrant colours and it’s going to largely depend on your chosen colour theme and style of wedding.
If you are stuck on what to choose for your bouquet and arrangement, a few flower varieties that are popular for Summer weddings are Peonies, Hydrangea, Daisy, Sunflowers, Roses, Sweet Peas, Stocks, Geranium, Lupins, Delphinium and Lilac. Also consider herbs such as Lavender, Rosemary and Thyme, which look amazing in buttonholes and corsages and smell great too. Whatever you choose, your florist will be experienced and prepared to ensure that they are looking their best and last throughout the heat of the day too.
Easy Entertainment
The options for Summer entertainment are endless. Consider entertainment for your wedding as a way to connect with your friends and family and create some amazing memories together. And what better way to do that than in the glorious sunshine or breezy, cooler and lighter evenings? Meaning the party can continue to go on. A wedding day is full of happiness, laughs and memories and the type of entertainment you choose will define this. It’s also a great way to split up all of the formalities of the day. Every couple has their own idea of their favourite type of entertainment, whether it’s outdoor wedding lawn games music or dancing, it’s your wedding day and this is your opportunity to show off your personality and include your favourite form of entertainment.
From firework displays to bouncy castles, embrace the good mood summer vibes around and go with whatever you like! We’ve seen it all. If you’re thinking of outdoor entertainment you can have funfair rides, mini lawn games, miniature golf or even host your evening reception outside and underneath the stars.
For those looking for inside wedding day entertainment, surprise your guests with singing waiters, a string quartet or a band.
If you’re a foodie looking for some entertainment, you can have ice cream stations, grazing stations, pimp your prosecco stands, sweet bars or dessert tables adorned with everyone’s favourite Summer desserts.
Delightful Décor
You’ve probably heard the phrase It’s your wedding, have it your way - a million times by now and Summer really does embrace this. Throw caution to the wind and plan the day you’d love to have. Your décor is going to be hugely influenced by the venue you’ve chosen and the theme you are envisioning for your day.
If you’re looking for a more relaxed vibe at your celebrations there’s something dreamy and magical about boho Summer weddings. Whether you opt for an outside wedding venue or something indoors, decorate your venue with pampas grass, dream catchers and lots of wicker-inspired elements.
If you’re inspired by nature you can incorporate greenery and florals into your décor. Wedding décor doesn’t just have to be for the tables, adorn your welcome sign, photo booth, bar area and entrance with foliage and flowers and you’ll give that refreshing, summer vibe.
Play around with light and you’ll bring elegance to your wedding day – and it makes for dreamy wedding photos too. Leave your guests mesmerized with a simple, fairy-tale light entrance or hang solar lights and bulbs from outdoor areas.
Finally, if you’re a minimalist couple looking to keep your wedding décor simple – opt for décor that can be repurposed in other areas of your wedding day. Sometimes just choosing the perfect place to Say I do is all the backdrop you’ll need.
I hope these tips help you.
Victoria Fenix.
Autumn Wedding Trends – All The Details You’ll Keep Fall-ing in Love With
Planning a Fall Wedding – We can see why… from dreamy decor, cosy atmosphere and the delicious food and drink that all make an autumn wedding beautiful. Autumn is one of the most popular seasons to get married, and with good reason! The leaves are changing colour, the weather is getting cooler, and there’s so much to love about autumn weddings.
Before you start planning your decorations and details you need to choose your wedding colours.
When it comes to weddings, there are endless possibilities for colours and themes. But if you're getting married in the season of change there’s really no reason not to consider an autumn-inspired palette. Rich hues of gold, orange, and red can create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Incorporating natural elements like leaves and pumpkins can give your wedding a rustic charm. You can work with natural seasonal tones such as browns, greens and oranges or opt for a softer palette and include neutral tones with hints of blush, grey, lilac or even pink. If you prefer a bolder look, opt for berry reds with jewel tones or even pair striking contrast colours with orange. Whatever colours you choose, your autumn wedding is sure to be unforgettable.
Choosing flowers:
Your floral decorations will always play a huge part in bringing your wedding theme to life, luckily for you in autumn, you’ve got a great choice of beautiful blooms. Ranunculus, Roses, Astrantia, Sedum, Sunflowers, Clematis, Hydrangea, Carthamus, Orchids, Calia Lilies, Amaranthus, Dahilias, Thistle, Protea, Anemones are some of the blooms you may wish to consider. Eucalyptus, Ferns, Ivy and Olive will bring more of the autumn theme to your overall décor. Whether you choose to embrace the traditional and go with warm reds and oranges or you decide to take advantage of what’s seasonally available and opt for jewel tones or to buck from tradition and have a simple neutral or pastel colour scheme an expert florist will be able to guide you through the blooms available during the autumn season.
Of course, you don’t just have to work with flowers at this time of year, pumpkins and squashes in all shapes and sizes look charming mixed with foliage and candles lining steps for centrepieces or to dress guest book tables and seating plans. You can also incorporate some woodland elements into any foliage you have such as berries, twigs, pinecones and changing leaves.
Of course there are more flowers and decorative elements than what’s been listed here but it’s a good starting point for you to talk to your chosen florist about in more depth with or to start adding to your Pinterest board!
Choosing your venue
When thinking about your wedding venue it may need to be an all-round space. It should have plenty of outside space, in case the weather is warm, along with cosy spaces and an equally aesthetic interior for those all-important wedding photographs. Rustic barns can be a great choice for the season. Remember to think about decorating your indoor and outdoor space, as the weather can be changeable in the season and if you get an Indian Summer Day – you’ll likely spend a lot of time enjoying your venue’s outdoor space. Filling jars with fairy lights will create a relaxed vibe at dusk and also provide some romantic shots with your chosen photographer. Whatever type of venue you go for, you can plan for the unpredictable weather with a few simple touches. For example, if you are worried about rain you can hire a selection of wedding umbrellas. You can also provide a basket of blankets for guests to snuggle into when the evening draws in.
The bride:
Of course, the bride is always the centre of attention on her big day. Don’t be afraid to pay a nod to the relaxing season with an equally relaxed hairstyle. A large braid or informal updo decorated with some greenery or even a flower crown will look gorgeous paired against the changing leaves outside. Autumn is also the perfect time of year to celebrate the golden tones and incorporate this into your make-up, don’t be afraid to add some highlighter on your cheeks and a bit of extra bronzer. Soft brown shades won’t look too harsh and look fabulous with some added shimmer too.
Food:
Finally, autumn food is all about variety. With the cooler weather, you may decide to serve up warmer dishes for your wedding day menu. Wild mushrooms, venison loin, hearty roasts, and shepherd’s pie are all popular meals associated with this season and will keep your guests well-fed and happy. For the evening do, why not treat your guests to wood-fired pizzas followed by seasonal delights such as toffee apples or toasted marshmallows?
And of course, don’t forget it’s the perfect time of year for that dramatic sparkler send-off!
I hope these tips help you.
Victoria Fenix.