Your East Midlands Wedding - June/July 2020 (Issue 38)

ekrpictures.com PICTURE PERFECT I become really shy when having my photo taken and I would hate to be like that on our special day. How can I get around this? Get to know your photographer, ideally meeting them in person before you book with them and seeing how you feel in their presence. If you can, let them know that you feel shy about being photographed and see how they respond. We don’t expect you to be professional models, just your lovely selves. If there are any types of photos of yourself that you really can’t stand then let them know; I dislike photos of my profile – you’ll never find one of the sides of my face! Have a pre-wedding shoot with your photographer – this is a great way to see how they direct, respond to you and help you feel at ease. I take my time to work out if a couple prefers me to talk to them or leave them be. Most of the time, with my shyer couples, they prefer to have a little bit of instruction or even distraction. I find that starting by not looking straight at the camera, or having some movement such as walking, can take your mind off the pictures and relax with each other. Think about what and when you have felt good before – perhaps there’s a picture of yourself that you do like? Maybe holding hands or snuggling into them will make you feel more secure? Also try to remember that on your wedding day you’ll have a beautiful outfit on and will feel incredible. During the wedding, I pay particular attention to having short portrait sessions throughout the day, rather than one long session after the ceremony. I find that this means your smile stays fresh and you enjoy those moments together. Tara Winter Pudding and Plum Photography www.puddingandplumphotography.co.uk FEELING YOUR BEST I want to start feeling good inside and out while working on my health, but I’m overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. What would you suggest? If you’re wanting to improve your overall health, a mixture of cardiovascular (such as swimming or running) and resistance (weight) training is a great place to start. Doing both together using a structured programme has multiple benefits including reducing body fat, increasing metabolism, better posture, muscle structure and improving overall general health. Having a goal is a great way to keep motivated, whether you’d like to achieve an aesthetic or physical- based goal. For example, if you’d like to run a 5K, don’t start with ‘I need to get to 5K.’ Start by setting smaller ones first such as 500m, 1K and increase the distance. Building up this way is going to make it feel much more manageable and stop you feeling deflated when you can’t reach it straight away – health takes time, patience and dedication. Try to find new things you enjoy – a quick way to become demotivated is by doing exercise you don’t like. There’s plenty of choice out there whether online classes from the comfort of your living room to joining a sports team. The world’s your oyster! Jessica Neary | S3LF | www.facebook.com/s3lfuk FRESHLY PICKED IDEAS For our wedding day, we’re looking at different floral options for our two flower girls. What’s currently popular? If you’re looking for floral ideas for your flowergirls, the options are extensive. Flower wands are the most requested choice; these could be made using single or multiple flowers such as roses or carnations and embellished with items such as diamante gems or butterflies to give extra sparkle and interest. The handles could be finished with ribbon for extra comfort and are perfect for little hands to hold. For slightly older children, floral decorated metal wands might be more ideal. These come in a variety of different colours and styles, including hearts, stars and butterflies. For teenagers, a small posy created with flowers that match the bridal bouquet might be a more suitable option. Other handheld items include pomander balls, parasols and baskets which come in an array of different materials and fabrics – making them a perfect choice for most wedding themes. These could be used to scatter petals down the aisle or filled with favourite blooms. For hands-free use, wrist corsages are perfect as the flowers could be tied around the wrist with ribbon or attached to an elasticated bracelet. The bracelets make a stunning jewellery addition and come in many colours and styles including pearl beads and rhinestone. For the finishing touches, a headband or circlet could be decorated with mini flowers and are perfect for children with short hair. Floral arrangements could also be added to other hair accessories such as hair clips and side combs for girls with longer hair. Samantha Chubb | Melolivia Flowers | www.meloliviaflowers.co.uk EXPERT ADVICE 71

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