Your Hampshire and Dorset Wedding - September/October 2023 (Issue 100)

VICTORIA MCCLURE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR What makes the business stand out? BellaCrafts began as a collection of handmade items on a desk at work back in 2006. From there, we quickly grew to a beautiful craft centre where we offer creative workshops, drop-in painting experiences and a unique space to socialise. We now have two venues: our beautiful barn based in Fair Oak and our newer Craft Centre and Tea Rooms in the heart of Winchester. You can turn up and choose a craft seven days a week, and our team are always on hand to guide you through projects. What do you offer for hen or stag dos? We offer all manner of creative workshops from pottery painting to bath bomb making, painting wine glasses to flower crowns, sewing, scrapbooking, jewellery making and so much more. We’ve had plenty of guests who create items for the wedding day itself, and it’s a lovely way to get all your best girls involved. Our spaces are always beautifully decorated to make the day extra special and get those all-important pics. We always recommend a yummy cake or afternoon tea alongside the craft; you can even bring your own bottle! Our team are on hand every step of the way to make everything is simple and easy for the lucky organiser. We pride ourselves on a stressfree booking and we’ll handle everything on the day, meaning you can relax and enjoy time with the guests. What’s your favourite part of the job? Every day is completely different, which sounds a bit cliche, but the ethos behind BellaCrafts has always been a space to welcome everyone. Each person has a spark of creativity in there; the trick is just to get into it and relax. I love that we can welcome tiny toddlers, teens, families and even your granny. What advice can you share with nearlyweds? I’m planning my wedding now! If I were to say anything, it would be to remember to enjoy each step. I already find myself counting down the days to the big day, and the planning process has been fun too! Relax and enjoy the experience every step of the way. For more information: www.bellacrafts.co.uk ROSIE WRIGHT, EVENT & GROUP COORDINATOR What makes the business stand out? Rock Reef & Pier Zip began in 2014, but the iconic Bournemouth Pier was built in 1978 and opened 1980! We have the only pier to shore zip line in the world based 300m out to sea with unbeatable views of the Isle of White and the Purbecks Hills! What do you offer for hen or stag dos? We have three options on the pier: Key West Bar & Grill is open daily and hosts various events from live music to silent discos, while an extensive range of cocktails, beers and wines are offered with daily promotions. Rock Reef is an all-year, all-weather attraction based on adventure sports with 28 fun-themed Clip ‘n Climb walls – including a speed wall for the competitive types! Pier Zip is a 250m outdoor dual zip line that wizzes you over the waves and lands on the Bournemouth beach; a unique and unforgettable experience with the extra option of recording the ride on our handheld cameras for your memories! All groups over 10 get a discount at Rock Reef & Pier Zip! What’s your favourite part of the job? I love meeting future couples, hearing what they want for their day and brainstorming new ideas to make their day unique to them! As my office is based on the pier close to the Pier Zip, hearing the cheers, whoops and ahhs as people jump can be very entertaining! What advice can you share with nearlyweds? If you have the option of having a videographer, take it! A video is such a great memory, and seeing parts of the day you may have missed as you’re very busy! Enjoy every minute of the build-up and the wedding day, as it will all fly by. Everyone is there for the two of you, so embrace the love! Is there anything you would like to add? As well as stag and hen parties, we can host full wedding days from your ceremony to your reception until 1 am! You can even ride the zip on the day as the newlyweds and have it as an option for all your guests! As they return to the venue, we can add your name to our pier LED screen to congratulate you!! For more information: www.thebournemouthpier.com BellaCrafts Open Wide International 60

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