Cake toppers

From cute to quirky, sophisticated to sparkly or something to add that personal touch, cake toppers come in different styles, shapes and sizes. Here are a few of my favourites to give you some inspiration.


Photo credits:
SA - Impressions are Everything
Acrylic glass heart and photo topper - Sonjas Brides
Engagement and wedding ring - Bridal Xpress
Gold W - Wedding Vendor Guide
Circle of Love - Antonia Rose Printing
Royal Doulton traditional couple - Table & Home
Cinderella and Prince Charming - BizMan Weddings
T&R - Sincerity Weddings
Crystal hearts - Bridal Fashion Mall
M bling - Couture Crystals
Black and white anemones - Peggy Porschen

How to keep your wedding guests happy

Wedding guests:

• Table centrepieces are a key element to dressing your room although they can sometimes cause issues for your guests. Choose low floral arrangements or something high with a thin stem so that the main arrangement is above eye level. This will make it easier for everyone on the table to see and talk to each other, helping them feel involved in the conversation.
• If you have a long break between your ceremony, photographs and wedding breakfast try to arrange some entertainment to keep your guests occupied. For a summer wedding you could look at large garden lawn games e.g. Croquet, Giant Jenga, Connect4 or a treasure hunt with the children.
• In addition to entertainment, it is also important to provide some refreshments especially on a hot day and a few canapes if your budget will stretch to it.

Older guests (Nan and Granddad):

• If you have a number of elderly guests at your wedding, smart seating arrangements can help to keep them happy. Once you move from the wedding breakfast to the evening reception it is important to make sure you have seats available for those less able to stand. In addition, a good idea would be to seat older guests away from the evening entertainment.
• Weddings are usually made up of a variety of people both young and old with very different tastes. It is wise to chose music from all eras to cater for everyone's tastes. You may like heavy metal but will it fill your dance floor? Why not ask your guests to suggest their favourite song as part of the rsvp process and that way you know you have something that everyone will like.
  
• Sometimes older guests will want to leave early. Maybe consider playing songs for the older guests early on in the evening and then move to other music as the night goes on.

Children:

• If you're inviting children to your wedding it is important to put thought and careful planning into making the day special for them. The day can seem long and boring to little ones and this could ultimately lead to them being disruptive. Think about the different elements of the day and arrange things to keep them occupied like having games during the reception drinks and activity boxes on the table (e.g. Event Smiles) during the wedding breakfast.
• To cater for them the entire day you could hire creche facilities like Artful Splodgers or smaller elements could include paper table cloths with crayons so that they can draw and colour during the dinner, edible table centres like strawberry and chocolate trees, goody bags and entertaining favours.

Ushers & Bridesmaids:

• You and your groom are of course the most important people on the day but it is important to remember that it is also special for the bridesmaids and ushers who you have asked to share this very special day with you. When arranging your seating plan try not to split them up from their partners during the wedding breakfast. That way they will still be able to perform the duties that you have asked of them but they will also have that special person to share it with them.
• Arrange for your ushers to be given a drink upon arrival at the reception venue especially if they have to wait outside in the heat to welcome your guests.

Parents:

• Remember to thank your parents for all their hard work and support.
  
• Give each of them a role for the day so that they feel involved. The Father of the Bride usually has the job of walking the bride down the aisle, while the Father of the Groom could be Chief Usher and both mums' could be witnesses.

Suppliers:

• Fed suppliers are happy suppliers! Arrange with your venue to provide a meal and refreshments for your suppliers especially those who have been working long hours like your photographer and videographer. You do not have to spend a fortune on this and most venues are willing to offer a less substantial meal than what is being served to the guests e.g. a platter of sandwiches.
  

Photo credits:
Croquet: White Box Weddings
Drinks: Project Wedding
Heart: Artful Splodgers
Strawberry tablecentre: Designer Wedding Days

Ideas for your first dance #1

There are some couples who have a special song whether it was the one that was playing the first time they kissed, the background music on their first dinner date or the song that was playing during the proposal. What happens if you do not have a special song? Finding a song that accurately reflects how you feel when you have your first dance can be difficult so here are a few of my favourites:

1 From This Moment On - Shania Twain
2 Unbreakable - Westlife
3 When you say nothing at all - Ronan Keating
4 I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing - Areosmith

Without a doubt, and because it was my first dance song so has a special place in my heart, my favourite song is Shania Twain 'From This Moment'.

Look out for more ideas for your first dance song soon. Why not tell us what song you've decided on for your first dance....

Coffee and Cream

Photo credits:
Macaroons & Tirimisu - INMAGINE
Shoe and pearls - Melissa Dunstan Photography
Air freshener - Marks & Spencer
Cake - Choccywoccydoodah
Bridesmaid dress - You & Your Wedding
Table Plan - Cards by Sue
Candle Centre Pieces - Your Dream Wedding
Bride - Hairdressers Journal Interactive Shoe - BodaEstilo
Posy - Silk Wedding Designs
Fascinator - Beth Morgan

Where there is Love

Where there is love the heart is light,
Where there is love the day is bright,
Where there is love there is a song,
To help when things are going wrong.

Where there is love there is a smile,
To make all things seem more worthwhile,
Where there is love there's quiet peace,
A tranquil place where turmoil's cease.

Love changes darkness into light,
And makes the heart take "wingless flight".

Helen Steiner Rice

Apples and Oranges

I recently came across 'Pantone Wedding', a great tool from the Dessy Group for helping to create design boards. You can play around with different pantone colours, styles and themes to give you inspiration for your wedding day.

I used this tool to created the bright country citrus style below. I think these colours work wonderfully well together and would bring any wedding day to life.

Why not give it a try and share your design boards with us by emailing enquiries@designerweddingdays.co.uk.