Your Bristol & Somerset Wedding - Page number 70 - October/November 2021 (Issue 85)

WED WITH CONSCIENCE We’re keen to make our wedding as sustainable as possible. What can you recommend? While an eco-friendly wedding is desirable, it’s not possible to be completely carbon-free just yet. However, there are a few changes you can make in the meantime that will help you along the way. ♥ The venue. Choose somewhere that cares about its environmental impact. Could your venue plant a tree in their grounds to offset some of your wedding’s carbon footprint for example? At Berwick Lodge we try to strike a balance between encouraging eco-conscious decisions and ensuring our couples’ personalities shine through with their own personal touches. ♥ Decorations and flowers. Save on plastic wastage by hiring your decorations. Using locally picked wildflowers as centrepieces is also a lovely natural touch. Some florists only use blooms from local picking sites. ♥ Transport. Provide a bus or shuttle service that can pick up your guests and take them to the venue to reduce the amount of petrol used. Similarly, why not suggest carpooling? ♥ The dress. The best thing you can do for the environment is to go for a pre-loved gown. Preloved or Bridal Reloved both have beautiful options. ♥ Food. Sourcing seasonal and local ingredients not only tastes amazing, but also reduces transport pollution while giving back to the community. We grow our own herbs on site and source beef from the farm next door. It’s also good to bear in mind how much food is wasted at weddings, so see if your venue is signed up for a scheme like Too Good To Go that allows consumers to buy any surplus, or consider donating to a local food bank. ♥ Drink . English wines are starting to earn a great reputation and every town seems to make its own local gin. The same can apply to soft drinks. At Berwick we send apples that fall from the trees in our orchard to local not-for-profit company, Trust Juice, where it’s pressed and pasteurised before being sent to Bushel & Peck for bottling. It’s available to buy and serve at your wedding. Simone Parkinson | Berwick Lodge www.berwicklodge.co.uk FIERY, FABULOUS AND FUN We’re looking for entertainment that’ll appeal to everyone and have our wedding be the topic of conversation for months to come! Do you have any ideas? Two words – fire show! It’s a different approach to entertainment that’ll immediately captivate, easily excite guests of all ages and bring a truly unforgettable wow-factor element to your special day. Performing at weddings is my absolute favourite thing to do, which is why I decided to set out and create a fire show specifically for them. In doing so, I ended up creating three! These extensively choreographed fire and pyrotechnical performances feature plenty of crowd interaction, comedy, movement and dance through an extensive range of up to 14 dangerous props and skills all leading up to a jaw-dropping finale. Meticulously created with wedding clients and venues in mind, each show is crafted to match the space, party size and budget while remaining fully portable and lasting either 12, 20 or 30 minutes. It’s the perfect time-filler for when your band or DJ takes a break. Danny Albone | Danny The Fire Performer www.dannythefireperformer.com PLAY ON We’d love some live music at our drinks reception, while still allowing our guests to chat and catch up. How can we strike a good balance? I’d suggest a laid back, non intrusive approach such as some soulful, acoustic, easy listening tunes. Perhaps something a little more stripped back than a full band, such as an acoustic or even completely unplugged duo or trio. The volume should be quiet enough for guests to chat comfortably and loud enough so that those who want to take a break from conversation can enjoy the atmosphere it creates. Drew Hall | Dr3w Hall Duo www.dr3whall.com https://jareklepak.com Image courtesy of Danny Albone 70