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Here is a selection of Q&As from Your North West Wedding magazine whether it be about flowers, hair and makeup, fashion, wedding themes, health & beauty, cakes, stationery, legal advice. If you would like your question answered by our experts, please email it to editor@yournorthwest.wedding
To view more expert advice on a different topic, please select one from the list below.
Lady Of The Manor
| Q | We're planning a luxurious manor house wedding with 500 guests. How can we style our venue to impress our loved ones? |
| A | Donna Brown says: If you're considering a manor house wedding venue, below are some ideas to help you style it to impress your guests: Grand entrance: Create a breathtaking entrance to the manor house with a red carpet, floral arches, or even a horse-drawn carriage. Opulent décor: Adorn the interior of the manor with lavish decorations such as crystal chandeliers, draped silk fabrics, and fresh flowers in abundance. Consider incorporating gold accents or vintage furniture to add to the luxurious ambiance. Extravagant table settings: Set the tables with fine linens, elegant china, and crystal glassware. Add a personal touch with custom-made place cards, monogrammed napkins, or small gifts for each guest. Luxurious floral arrangements: Fill the venue with extravagant floral arrangements featuring roses, peonies, orchids, and other lush blooms. Consider tall centrepieces for a dramatic effect or floral chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Gourmet dining experience: Impress your guests with a gourmet dining experience featuring a multi-course menu of exquisite dishes. Consider offering a variety of cuisines and options for dietary restrictions to cater to all tastes. Live entertainment: Enhance the atmosphere with live entertainment such as a string quartet during the ceremony, a jazz band for cocktails, and a live band or DJ for dancing into the night. Interactive stations: Create interactive stations throughout the venue, such as a cigar rolling station, a champagne bar, or a dessert table with decadent treats. These stations add an extra element of luxury and indulgence for your guests. Personalised touches: Incorporate personalised touches throughout the venue, such as custom monograms, family crests, or photos of the couple displayed in ornate frames. These details will make the event feel truly special and unique to you. Luxury lounge areas: Create cosy lounge areas with plush seating, decorative pillows, and soft lighting where guests can relax and socialise away from the main festivities. Fireworks or grand exit: End the evening with a grand finale, such as a spectacular fireworks display or a grand exit with sparklers or lanterns, leaving a lasting impression on your guests. Remember, the key to impressing your guests is attention to detail and creating a memorable experience that reflects your personality, style and tastes. |
Donna Brown, Pure Elegance Weddings and Events
The Great Outdoors
| Q | What are your top tips for planning an outdoor wedding? |
| A | Melissa Cullen says: Probably the biggest challenge you'll face when planning an al fresco wedding is – all together now – the weather! But if you plan, plan, and plan some more, you'll find ways around it, while still having the best open-air celebration you could wish for. Make sure everyone's adequately informed. When you send out your invitations make sure you're clear which parts of your day will be celebrated outside, so that guests know to make their own arrangements, in terms of attire and protection. Keep an open line of communication with your suppliers too and collaborate with them on wet-weather backup plans. For example, at which point will you be prepared to make the decision to take it all inside? Who is going to be responsible for moving the whole shebang? Check on the access to your venue. If you're tying the knot in a field, is there parking nearby? Are there accessible roads and paths to get to you? If not, have a think about how you can overcome these challenges. Perhaps you need to lay on extra transport from a local car park for example. Also, think about accessibility from a point of view about any less able-bodied guests you may have coming. Sound tends to drift away in the open air, so make sure you have all the tech in place to ensure everyone can hear you as you say, "I do." You'll also need to check with the venue whether there are any restrictions on late-night music, as you don't want to be disturbing the local wildlife or residents! Also on the tech front, do you have all the creature comforts in place such as loos and generators? Have a think about what cover you want to provide for you and your guests. This is, of course, crucial for the comfort of all, not only in terms of wet weather protection, but also from the sun – we've had some scorchers in recent years. Once you've settled on a vibe for your nuptials, this should all become clear. An elegant, lined marquee is ideal for a classic wedding, whereas a tipi is the perfect choice for a boho or rustic vibe. When it comes to styling, really look at your setting and plan ways in which you can complement it with your theme. Nature can do an incredible amount of heavy lifting on this front if you strive to work with it, rather than against it. |
Melissa Cullen, Your North West Wedding
