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| Your Hampshire and Dorset Wedding magazine is published every two months for couples intending to get married in Hampshire and Dorset. The magazine is widely available and runs occasional special features on Hampshire and Dorset photography, wedding stationery, catering, transport and many other subjects. In every issue, the magazine has features on Hampshire and Dorset wedding venues and real wedding experiences, local news, hints and tips, bridal fashion, beauty, grooms and honeymoons. |
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County Wedding Magazines have arranged to be stocked in 497 branches of the Londis / Budgen chain of stores.
This is in addition to our existing promotions with WH Smith, Martin & McColl and other independent stores. |
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Here is a selection of Q&A's from Your Hampshire & Dorset Wedding magazine. If you would like your question answered by our experts, please email it to editor@yourhampshiredorsetwedding.com.
To view more Q&A's on a different topic, please select one from the list below.
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| Hot topic: Venues |
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| Our experts solve your wedding dilemmas - this issue we look at venues |
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Make it a marquee
Q. We're looking for a venue for our summer wedding next year and we want to fill our space with beautiful floral arrangements. A friend suggested that we hire a marquee, and we're happy to consider this option if it is possible to achieve the look we want. What do you think?
A. Lynda Robson says: A marquee provides a blank canvas and there is no limit to what you can achieve in terms of décor. A traditional venue will have its own style and character, and could influence the type of décor you use. If you decide to hire a marquee, find a company that supplies elegant chandeliers, as well as spotlights that beam down on each table to highlight your floral arrangements. A black ceiling with fairylights would also look stunning.
To create impact, I would suggest going for tall arrangements for the tables - a low display can get lost in relation to the height of the marquee. Silver candelabras with cascading white and green flowers accented with crystal droplets look romantic, while cylinder vases filled with twigs, delphiniums and a collar of blue hydrangea make a vibrant, contemporary option. |
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The whole world's a stage
Q. We'd like to theme our wedding around Broadway and West End musicals, so there will be a big band and lots of dancing. What type of venues do you think would suit our celebrations?
A. Suzanne Prout says: Big bands are generally made up of between 10 and 25 musicians typically playing instruments such as trombones, trumpets and saxophones, along with a rhythm section of guitar, bass and drums. Consequently, you will need to make sure that your venue can accommodate a band of this size and that they do not have any restrictions on sound levels.
Considering that the big band became popular in the 1930s, you may wish to choose a setting synonymous with this era. The Cumberland Hotel in Bournemouth is a purposebuilt art deco hotel dating back to the 1930s. With its stunning freespan dome, stage, dancefloor and dedicated sound system, it would be an ideal choice for your wedding. The open-air Singing Theatre at the Larmer Tree Gardens situated on the Wiltshire/Dorset border would also make a spectacular backdrop for this type of celebration. |
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Location, location, location
Q. My fiancé and I have only recently got engaged and have just started discussing venues. Our priority is to have really good photos to remember our day by. From a photographer's point of view, what should we bear in mind when looking for the right setting?
A. Andrea Burridge says: Choosing the right venue is often the most difficult task in the planning stage, and until you have your space booked, all other arrangements are put on hold. You need to look at the exterior and interior of your setting to see if both work well with the type of images you'd like captured. For example, shots of your entire wedding party can be extremely difficult to obtain if the lawn is waterlogged or if the interior has no large spaces to accommodate all of your guests.
Equally, a venue with little or no shelter from very bright sunshine is not always ideal. Beautiful flower-filled gardens may not have the same appeal on a damp November day. Tree-lined walks are at their best from May onwards - prior to that the trunks will lend some amazing texture to your images but you'll be lacking that lush dappled light and leafy backdrop.
Textures, lighting, colour and space are elements that set the tone and mood for memorable images. Even a graffiti-covered wall can give an image the wow factor if photographed in the right way.
Research wedding images taken at venues you are considering. This should give you some idea about how the building is utilised during various times of the year. Look out for good places for group photos and pretty secluded spots for the couple shots. What may look like a dull corner to you may be a cosy area with perfect lighting. Most important of all, once you've booked your venue make sure to talk to your photographer about what makes it special.
Photographers enjoy a challenge, so rest assured that as long as you've spent time finding the right person, they'll be able to work with your chosen venue to capture beautiful images. |
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From church to reception
Q. We'd like to get married in our local church, which we're planning to decorate with lots of flowers. As we're spending quite a lot on our arrangements, am I right to assume that we can bring the displays with us to the reception venue after the ceremony?
A. Lynne Stainer says: There is nothing quite like a church beautifully decorated with fresh flowers, and with careful planning the same arrangements can look equally stunning in your reception venue. Before making any detailed plans, I strongly recommend that you find out if the church has any restrictions, and whether they have other weddings scheduled on that day, as this may affect your plans.
Policy on church flowers varies widely. Some churches are more relaxed than others about where flowers can and can't be placed and what arrangements can be removed after the ceremony. Some will insist on you using their own flower arrangers, as the church derives an income from this. Others are happy for professional florists to come in, as long as they respect the guidelines. Most churches will be unhappy about you moving flowers created by their own flower arrangers and they will want some left there for the week's services. A donation to the church with perhaps an offer to leave some of the blooms for the congregation to enjoy can go a long way towards easing things along.
Using a professional florist to design and create the ceremony flowers does have considerable advantages, particularly if you wish to use the arrangements in your reception. It's the only way to ensure a consistent look. Smaller items are easier to move, such as pew ends, which can make lovely chair backs, or even table centrepieces, depending on the design. Pedestal arrangements can sometimes be moved too, although some churches will ask you to leave at least one. |
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Contact our experts... |
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Andrea Burridge, Photography
www.andreaburridge.com |
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Lynda Robson, Flowers
www.exclusivelyweddings.co.uk |
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Lynne Stainer, Florist
www.fioribylynne.co.uk |
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Suzanne Prout, Wedding planning
www.rsvpwedding.co.uk |
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