Your North West Wedding- October/November 2020 (Issue 64)

BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE Q – Our wedding is fast approaching, and we need to book our venue stylist, but we’re a little worried about booking someone online that we’ve never met. What should we ask before making a decision? I would start by looking at their website and viewing some of the products they have available. Get in touch and check their credentials and ask if their stock can be hired or sold. Make sure they have what you require either ready-made or bespoke and establish any delivery or collection costs. Ensure the firm is insured and if your wedding gets cancelled that you’ll get your money back. Before booking, ask if they provide receipts, what deposit is needed and if the money is paid by a secure and safe method. Lastly, your supplier should be able to answer questions and give you advice, so ensure you feel comfortable with the service before agreeing to anything. Ann Brown Venue stylist www.decoupagedreams.co.uk FLORAL WONDER Q – We love flowers and want to incorporate them into our cake design. What do you recommend we look for? A cake adorned with flowers, for me is a perfect combination. The first thing I recommend is to book a consultation with your designer. During my meetings, we discuss colour schemes, themes and ideas. I then create a bespoke design incorporating any specific arrangements we’ve discussed. Once you’ve decided on the design, there are several options available ranging from fresh to hand-made sugar versions. Fresh flowers need to be sourced from a reputable supplier to ensure they have been treated correctly. From my point of view, each stem then has to be dripped in a safety seal, wrapped with floral tape and then attached to the cake usually at the last minute to ensure it stays as fresh as possible. One of the benefits of this option is the blooms will match the rest of your floral displays perfectly. As a cake designer, I love nothing more than creating sugar flowers, from an elegant rose to a simple cherry blossom and pretty much everything in-between. They can be created in a variety of colours to suit your theme and can be preserved and kept as a keepsake from your special day. One trend I’m seeing at the moment is dried flowers. If the boho lux vibe is your thing, then dried blooms are a must, again these come in a variety of hues from natural tones to vibrant bouquets. The last option I suggest would be silk or artificial flowers, I work with a few suppliers who offer these, and they’re so realistic you literally can’t tell the difference. Paula Goulden Cake expert www.cakesbyp.com MUSIC TO MY EARS Q – Like many couples, our wedding has been postponed due to the pandemic, and we’re having to re-book our harpist. What questions should we ask before re-booking? This is an important question to ask with everything that’s going on right now. The very first thing you should do is make sure your supplier has your new date available. Lots of musicians have already had bookings for 2021 and 2022, and I for one have been re-booking weddings, so these dates are filling up fast. Check if there are any re-booking fees or an increase in pricing for future dates. I’m transferring all deposits to the new date and honouring all prices given previously, but some suppliers may be raising their prices, either due to recovery costs or inflation. What protective procedures have they put in place? I’ll be wearing a visor during weddings so that I can follow guidelines without protective gear being too obtrusive or conspicuous in photos. Previously I would bring my husband along to help move the harp, but for the time being, he’s staying at home to help keep the numbers at the wedding down. The harp itself is a social distancing tool with its size! The main thing is to ask your harpist anything that’s on your mind, no matter how silly it may feel. I encourage all my couples to keep in touch during these strange times, and I think all of our priorities are on making your day feel safe, comfortable and fun. Sarah Davies Harpist www.sarahdaviesharpist.com www.chri stopherlewisphotography.com www.kcm oorefoto.com 40