“Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.”
William Shakespeare
Monthly Archives: January 2013
Showcase Wedding: Aimee Dunne Weddings
28 January, 2013
Today we are very pleased to introduce you to a gorgeous wedding planned and executed by the talented Aimee Dunne.
Helen and Robin wanted something a little different for their wedding; a relaxed and fun day incorporating the things they both love and enjoy. Robin loves his music and Helen meditating, and they both love festivals, so a tipi wedding suited them perfectly!
The Secret Garden, close to Northampton, was the perfect location for the Tipi , close to Robin’s parents home and the local church where the ceremony was held. A fantastic quirky bubble car took the happy car from the church to the Secret Garden for the reception.
A was a real family affair with Helen’s mum putting the flowers and cakes together, and Helen’s father in law doing all of the photography. Jugs were filled with a mix of country flowers, and lots of jars and pots were filled with with flowers to line the walkway into the tipi, along with hydrangea petals and paper lanterns after the sun set. Helen and Robin were blessed with the warmest day in September and the Secret Garden, tipi and abundance of lanterns looked stunning. The couples love of meditating and music was highlighted with the personalised cake toppers!
Wicker baskets were filled with popcorn for guests rather than canapés, followed by a barbeque. Handmade signs were placed around the garden thanking family and friends and adding a personal touch, and the evening ended with a fabulous sparkler send off!
The Wedding Sanctuary Partners - Victoria Millesime
25 January, 2013
Goodness these Fridays come around quickly….another Friday, so another fabulous supplier partner for The Wedding Sanctuary to introduce you to.
Today, we are happy to introduce Victoria Millesime who creates the most gorgeous bridal accessories…..
Founded in 2010, Victoria Millesime has quickly built a reputation in the market for providing brides with luxurious handmade tiaras, headdresses and jewellery that are at once glamorous, sophisticated and romantic.
Owner and designer Victoria Mallinson set up her business after designing her own wedding jewellery, turning a life-long love of vintage costume jewellery and designing into a growing business.
“I have always had a passion for jewellery - as I was growing up, I regularly inherited pieces of gorgeous 1940s cocktail jewellery from my super stylish grandmother. Now I adore turning vintage treasures into new pieces - romantic designs of a by-gone time for the modern day bride, to be treasured as heirlooms for generations to come.” says Victoria.
Victoria will be available in the Bridal Boudoir at The Wedding Sanctuary on March 3rd. Do take time during your visit to view her beautiful work. She has kindly outlined her hints and tips for choosing your wedding accessories:
- Always buy your dress first. You may fall in love with a headdress or piece of jewellery, but the dress will be your biggest purchase and many brides find they end up choosing a dress completely different to what they had imagined, as you won’t know what will really suit your style and figure until you try the dresses on.
- Think about how you are going to wear your hair before deciding whether to go for a comb or headband. If you are wearing your hair down, a comb can be difficult to keep in place, while a headband is very easy to wear in most hairstyles.
- Practise wearing a headband to make sure it doesn’t give you a headache! At VM we use very thin, flexible silver plated headbands to minimise this, but some brides still find they can’t wear a headband all day. In this case, a comb, alligator clip or even ribbon that can be pinned in place can be used as an alternative.
- If you are wearing a veil for your ceremony (especially if you will be wearing it over your face), consider swapping the veil for a beautiful side tiara for the reception, ensuring you are gorgeously accessorised in photos from both the ceremony and reception and keeping a surprise for your guests!
- Less is sometimes more - if you are wearing a very detailed headdress, consider pairing this with a matching cuff bracelet rather than a necklace, as this can sometimes be too much detail too close together. I also personally think a bare neckline on a bride can be absolutely beautiful, especially if you are showing off a stunning lace dress.
- Do consider gold accessories - most brides will go straight for silver, but gold is becoming increasingly popular. It has a wonderful warm glow to it and goes beautifully with champagne and creamy ivory wedding dresses.
- Don’t forget your wrists! Your hands will be frequently photographed during the day, so accessorising with a beautiful bracelet or cuff will add interest to these photographs, and also provide you with a piece of jewellery that, unlike a tiara, you will have many occasions to wear again after the big day.
- Consider a sash - they can add a stunning finishing touch to a dress and really show off the beautiful waistline that boned wedding dresses create, and can be worn again after the wedding with a little black dress!
- My mother always told me that pearls were made to be worn - they absorb natural oils from your skin that make them glow ever more luminously. Surely that’s a good enough reason to keep them at the top of your jewellery box!
- Finally, make sure you store your jewellery and accessories carefully - wrapping them in acid free tissue paper before storing them in their own box in a cool dry place. Jewellery should be stored in a sealed bag (zip lock bags are great for this!) to prevent tarnishing - if they do tarnish, a gentle wipe with a silver polishing cloth should restore their glory, while dirt can be carefully brushed away with an old toothbrush.
Thank you Victoria.
For more information about The Wedding Sanctuary please contact Sandy Moretta on sandy@ukawp.com or 01442 828061. See here for tickets and directions.
Photo credits: Hannah Mia Photography and Victoria herself
Spring Training Dates
24 January, 2013
If you are looking to train as a wedding planner, or you know someone who is, please note our Spring 2013 course dates are fast approaching, if you miss these sessions you’ll have to wait again until the Autumn. Our training courses will be starting again from February so if you want to join the 60+ professional planners who are our members , not to mention the hundreds of planners we have trained since 2004, then take a look at our training brochure available to download via our website
More information on the topics covered can be found on this blog post or via our training brochure
Business Practicalities
London 9th/ 10th February
Manchester 6th/ 7th April
Step By Step
London 23rd/ 24th March
Manchester 11th/ 12th May
If you have any questions about our training courses, please contact Bernadette on training@ukawp.com or 01376 561544.
Photo Credit: Lloyd Dobbie and Mark Bothwell
New Workshop: Matching Wine and Food for Weddings
22 January, 2013
We are delighted to announce the first workshop for 2013 and a brand new topic for the UKAWP, namely wine tasting. The event is kindly being hosted by Dominique Douglas of Stylish Events, a UKAWP member and her husband, Dan, at their home in Canary Wharf.
As wedding planners, we are often asked by clients to attend the catering tasting for their wedding. Clients seem to rely on us to know quite a bit about wine and in particular matching the food with the wine. As well as learning more about wine this will be a social and fun evening with fellow wedding planners.
At this interactive workshop we will be guided by a professional wine expert, Giles Smith Walker, on what to look for when matching the wine with the wedding menu.
Date: Thursday, 7th February 2012
Time: 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm
Where: 18 Regatta Point,1 Manilla Street,LondonE14 8JZ
Nearest Tube: Jubilee Line or DLR – CanaryWharf
Cost: £55 members and £65 non members
To book: Complete our booking form here
What will you learn?
- We will try several lovely wines, to fit various budgets, and share our thoughts on what we like and what works with different types of food.
- We will cover food/wine matching in a deeper level than just fish and white wine, meat and red, by looking at the flavours of classic varieties, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon.
- How to match the tastes of your Bride/Groom and their family and also find a wine that will appeal to most guests.
- How to select wines that can be kept for several years - if your clients are providing their own wine for their wedding day they may wish to consider wines that are worth keeping and drinking later as a reminder of their day.
- Understanding the volume of wine to order.
- How to find wines that will fit with your clients’ budget.
- There will be an “hors d’oeuvres buffet” served, so we can try some of the most popular menu choices for weddings with the wines. Therefore you may not want to eat prior to attending this workshop.
Warning!
This is not a cheese & biscuits workshop, you will be sampling lots of wine and combining this with the hors d’oeuvres being served by Dan. You might not want to drive at this workshop! Space is limited so book early and don’t miss out on this amazing social and educational evening.
To book please complete our booking form here
Giles Smith Walker
Giles Smith Walker has over 14 years’ experience in the wine trade. It was a harvest in Champagne that ignited his calling into the trade and from working for a small family company Giles spent the next 12 years at Berry Bros & Rudd in retail, selling to private clients and managing the private and corporate hospitality department. In 2012 he set up his own company, The Independent Vintner .
Giles has a passion and knowledge in many parts of the wine trade. He works with private customers to source and select wines for their cellars and special events and advises on wine portfolios. He regularly organises and hosts wine events and welcomes any opportunity to share his knowledge.
He offers a personal service for any individual or company, whether it is helping choose an interesting wine for dinner parties and special events, organising and hosting a wine tasting, selecting wines for investment or storing and managing wine collections. Giles tailors his service to his clients’ exact requirements and offers impartial advice.
Giles has the WSET Diploma and is an active member of the Vintners Company, a Livery in the City.