Love My Dress Wedding Blog - A UK Wedding Blog

Peter Langner Elegance ~ A 1930s Emerald Green Inspired Wedding...

Lady luck has a beautiful ebb and flow about her; she'll come and go, dipping in and out of your life day to day, influencing that natural order of things.  From the moment I woke today, lady luck rushed right into my house and brought with her a whole lot of loveliness.  Today is a GOOD day over at Love My Dress H.Q.  Three things have happened one after the other that have me so excited about what's happening for Love My Dress over the next few months and I can't wait to share my excitement with you all. I hope that today it's turning out to be a good day for you too :)

This latest wedding was photographed by one of my favourite UK wedding photographers, the wonderful Eliza Claire - yes, she who shot this little number a couple of weeks ago, and all these pretty affairs too.  This time, Eliza was lucky enough to be present to witness Hugo and Tanya on her trusty camera, tie the knot on 1 October 2011 with a ceremony at St John the Baptist in Kingston Vale, followed by a marquee reception at Tanya's parent’s house nearby. 

I send a questionnaire to all Brides who feature on Love My Dress, and I just loved reading through Tanya's...

"Love My Dress was the first blog I found and seemed to have lots of ideas that were in tune with what I imagined I wanted.  So this and Brides Magazine were my main sources of inspiration.

My dress was by Peter Langner and I bought it from Browns Brides. It was the New York dress.  I dragged my extremely patient bridesmaids round many dress shops as initially I didn’t really know what I wanted besides something that was not A-line traditional. I finally decided on something that had a 1930’s feel to it (as my engagement ring is from the ‘30’s) that was quite simple but still bridal, with a train etc..."

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2012, Eliza Claire Photography

"The inspiration for the day came mainly from my 1930’s engagement ring and the emerald colour of my grandmother’s jewellery which I knew I wanted to wear. Everything seemed to grow out of this including our beautiful invitations designed by Sarah Graveling of Franklyn and Vincent which you can see here.  Sarah designed an amazing logo for us which we used throughout the day on the orders of service and tables as well which combined the colours and 30’s feel we wanted perfectly. I would highly recommend her to anyone.

My hair clips were vintage from Fur Coat No Knickers in Carnaby Street.  They came attached to a brooch clip and detach into two slides, you can then reattach so I’ll be able to use it in the future. The shop will also make any brooch you choose into a clip for you which I thought was great..."

"I really wanted a thrown together, bright, meadow flowers kind of look for the day but had no idea how to marry this with the 30’s element. I met several florists but Mairead at Rebel Rebel was the only one who immediately understood what I wanted and also had lots of great  ideas to contribute.

Rebel Rebel specialise in seasonal British flowers so after an initial consultation I went down to the shop two weeks before the wedding and picked out flowers in the colours we had discussed from what was available then. I also got to pick out the flowers for my bouquet on the morning of the wedding which was really fun.

We were thrilled with the flowers on the day- they really captured the feel and colours I had wanted. Mairead’s idea of having the bridesmaids each carry one flower from my bouquet looked beautiful. She also made my bouquet beautifully scented with herbs, lavender and tuberose.
She and her team also made a mad dash after the service so we could reuse the pew ends and church displays in the marquee for the reception which saved us lots of money as well..."

"My bridesmaids dresses were very hard to find as everyone had their own ideas and all the girls were very different shapes. We finally found a solution in the brilliant Peter May who makes beautiful, one size fits all dresses out of parachute silk in a vast array of colours. You can tie the dress in various styles so all the girls could have their own look. In the end we choose 3 shades of green to go with my jewellery.

Peter was incredibly accommodating and I would recommend him to anyone looking for something unusual for their bridesmaids..."

 

"I didn’t have a definite “this is the dress” moment but ended up choosing between this and an Amanda Wakeley dress. I chose the Peter Langner in the end because of it’s beautiful cut and the detail of the buttoned back and train. It felt like it really captured the feel of the 30’s and was completely bridal at the same time rather than being something you might wear as an evening dress.

I am thrilled I decided on it in the end as it was perfect on the day in what ended up being the hottest ever recorded day in October. It was also really easy to dance and move around in and made me feel beautifully elegant all day (even when dancing in my bare feet at the end)..."

"Hugo and I had been at the same university but managed never to meet until years later at a music festival in Spain through some friends. After the holiday Hugo went back to Lisbon where he was working for a university and I went back to London not knowing when we would see each other again. Two weeks later I flew to Lisbon for the weekend and a couple of weeks after that Hugo came over to London. Skpe, Easyjet and Luton airport became close friends until Hugo moved to London a year and a half later.

On that first weekend my flight was delayed and as we waited we planned a trip to India as Hugo had never been, 6 months later we made our first trip and then returned for our honeymoon this autumn..."

"We really wanted a swing band to go with the 1930’s feel and felt that it would be music all generations would have fun dancing to. We found the Sax Pastilles and they played our first dance and then entertained the room for the first couple of hours, before a friend took over DJ'ing for the rest of the evening..."

"Our marquee company Berry Marquees suggested the stunning chandeliers..."

An English Countryside, Tweed and Winter Inspiration Shoot...

Morning again folks! I've got SO much to share with you right now, that you may be treated to a little more than usual over the next few days :) Let's start this morning with a mini-shoot from Phoebe MIller of Miller Weddings that offers up something a little different from the norm. A Bride in a tweed jacket? Very English country gentleman, if you please....

"The concept behind the shoot was borne out of my love for the English countryside especially in Winter. Shooting season begins and we spend our days in the countryside wearing tweed and enjoying the spoils in the evening sat by a roaring fire. I hadn't seen that many shoots that incorporated tweed, fur and feathers and thought that the tailored look of a tweed jacket would work perfectly with a full skirted bridal gown..."

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2012,  Tux & Tales, styling by Miller Weddings

"All the foliage was kept wild a la Wuthering Heights, the bouquets included pheasant feathers and the vintage fur coats added some decadence.

I think it is so important for a bride to an element of herself into a wedding and should she love tweed then go for it, as it can be done quite beautifully!"

 

Looking For One-Off Wedding Planning Or Styling Advice? Consider 'Pay As You Go' + 50% Discount For First 5 Bookings Received...

 

** The first 5 readers to book a 'pay as you go' service via Grant Riley Styling as a result of reading this feature will qualify for a 50% discount on their fees. This means you'll receive two focused hours of expert advice with summary email for just £60! **

 

Morning all!  I have to give a shout out this morning to my wonderful friend Tiffany Grant Riley, and a fabulous new 'pay as you go' wedding planning and wedding styling service she is offering her clients...

"Today we are super-chuffed to announce the introduction of our new service - Pay As You Go Consultations. Ok in reality this is something we've been doing for a while on a supply-on-demand basis, but due to demand we've decided to formally add it to our range of services. 

This service is intended for couples requiring occasional expert advice and support - perhaps focusing on a specific area of their wedding or for some advice and support with the 'bigger picture'."

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2012, Devlin Photos

To celebrate this new service, Tiffany has decided to give the first five couples that book a consultation from now a whopping big 50% discount.

That's two focused hours of expert advice with summary email for just £60!

That's pretty amazing value.  You could either arrange to meetTiffany for a coffee, or over lunch, or simply chat on the phone or even Skype if you prefer...

I think this is a brilliant way to access the services of an expert wedding planner and stylist without having to commit to a full planning, or on-the-day service.

If you are keen to chat with Tiffany, you can drop her a line on

I'm working with Tiffany on a photoshoot campaign for Oxfam next month - along with a crack team of other expert industry stylists and cannot wait to share with you what we come up with - it is going to be truly epic!

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2012, Emma Case

For further information, visit the Grant Riley Weddings website, Tiffany's Blog, or email Tiffany on tiff@grantriley.co.uk.

Much love all,

Annabel

♥

Reader Vote Required ~ twobirds Bridesmaid £500 Giveaway....

Good afternoon :)  Back in early January, I featured this twobirds UK promotion on Love My Dress, which offered my readers a chance to win two twobirds Bridesmaids dresses from the 'Classic Collection' - with a value of £500.

As part of the promotion, we asked readers to share with us their stories of how they asked their brides to, well, be their bridesmaids! ;)  It has taken Michelle Hailey, the Manager of twobirds UK and Europe, almost a week to shorlist the many wonderful entries we received, and today my lovely jubblies - I am delighted to share these favourites with you, and invite you to help us identify a winner.

I'm opening this voting opportunity up until midnight on Friday 3rd February, and the winner will be announced on the blog the next morning, along with the winners of these Love Illustated and Hermione Harbutt promotions.

So let's get down to it and view our short-listed competition entries - in no particular order...

 

1. Alison Gonzalez - Favourite twobirds dress wrap style, the 'Knotted Capped Sleeve'...

 

Alison's competition entry:-

"Firstly, I have chosen my beautiful younger cousin Nicola, she is extremely creative and we have very similar tastes in most things. She also obviously knows me very well. My very old friend Kerry. She remembers the first day i started school. Incredible! I have trouble remembering what happened last week. This might be dangerous when it comes to the hen party. She's been there through thick and thin. And finally, an old colleague and very good friend Sarah. She is a gorgeous person who loves nothing better than a good rummage around second hand shops followed by tea and cake. She is also a dab hand when it comes to crafting and is incredibly calm. I can see this being handy in the run up to the wedding and on the day.

Nicola has just finished a Masters in Publishing with distinction. She has a passion for books so I bought a tiny book shelf which was intended for a dolls house. I cut open one of the model books and wrote a tiny message inside asking her to be my bridesmaid.

Kerry and I used to 'cook' and bake a lot when we were kids. French toast being our speciality. So I bought a cube shaped cookie cutter and filled it with retro sweets and a pretty card in which I wrote a note asking her to honour me by being one of my bridesmaids.

Sarah adores old leather bags. I found a tiny satchel from the same dolls house shop I had bought the book shelf for Nicola. I made a mini envelope and wrote a letter. I found a very sweet poem about friendship and asked her to be by my side on my special day. I also told her I wouldn't make her to do a reading. She has been asked to make readings at every wedding she has attended recently and I wanted to give her a break. I may regret having done this. She has a lovely voice and loves poetry so she would have been a perfect candidate."

twobirds thoughts....

The effort and thought Alison put in to the way she asked her bridesmaids to be in her bridal party really touched me. It amazes me how much effort brides go to now to ask their bridesmaids and Alison really went the extra mile in asking her girls, I imagine it made them feel incredibly special and now we'd love to give them the opportunity to feel even more so in our gorgeous dresses.

 

♥   ♥   ♥

2. Victoria Ashman - Favourite twobirds dress wrap style, the 'Grecian One Shoulder'...

Victoria's competition entry:-

"I'm very blessed with amazing women in my life - so it wasn't easy to choose (see below) but I asked my beautiful sister Sarah and a very close friend Vikks.

Here is the extract from the introduction I sent to all 10 close girlfriends of mine to explain why - I didn't want anyone to feel that they were not included, so kept it light, but it does perfectly describe why i would like those two fabulous women with me on the day.  Both women are gorgeous, but completely diff sizes, 22 and 14 so the right dress for the right personality and shape will be so important for them to feel special on the day.

"I’m thrilled to be getting married to the man I love, but of course, I’m a little scared….I’ll need all of my pals to get me to the aisle in one piece – for some added and documented responsibilities I’ve asked Sarah and Vikks to wear a dress of my choosing (promise no bows!) on the day and stand with me – mainly to make sure if I do faint, I won’t hit the floor!

Selfishly selected, as they are the two people who can snap me out of a tantrum in seconds (unfortunately for them, they have had to prove it on more then one occasion!), lets hope they protect everyone from those Bridezilla moments!  Vikks and Sarah have accepted the challenge graciously - wish them luck, and now they know you have too, you may be on their speed dial for assistance!

Love you loads ! Vic xx"

I emailed all the special women in my life in one go - with an attachment which was a brief introduction to each other.  I'm 30 and so have close friends from all aspects of my life - school, drinking pals, being a godparent to their children, family etc.

It was so lovely having the opportunity to tell them collectively but under each heading of their name, why they are in this special group of 10 women and why I appreciate them.

Here is an extract ( regarding Sarah and Victoria)...

"Sarah – my lovely sister, 2 yrs older, 2 foot shorter ! I love Sarah….I rely on her sisterly love WAY too much but do appreciate it ! We have strutted our stuff at plenty of gigs (although don’t think I’ll forgive her for 30 seconds to Mars) and she has been one of the few who over the yrs have met  dates/boyfriends..…so she has some tales to tell ! My life would not be as rich as it is today without Sarah and in return I have promised to try to invite a single, motorbike riding hot guy to the wedding 

Victoria Laslett – I met Vikks through Emz (old school pals) – and we have been firm friends ever since a flight to Denmark, and subsequently staying up all night at Emz place talking about boyfriend disasters and successes (just like a brownie camp)!   She is a born organiser and has rescued me on a number of occasions with her skill set. One of those people who would do anything or anyone that needed her, one of the most selfless people I know – although she would also do anything for a new pair of Duo Boots, a fact her husband has relied upon time and time again." 

twobirds thoughts...

There are two reasons we chose Victoria - the first was the touching diplomacy with which she contacted everyone she would have loved to have had in her bridal party to let them know who her two maids would be and why. It can be so tricky with so many friends and she dealt with the situation perfectly. The second is that she has understands the essence of twobirds perfectly, two very different bridesmaids who will each be able to rock their body shape in whichever style they please to feel fantastic on the day! Ariane founded twobirds for two very good reasons, to have a dress that made everyone look and feel gorgeous and that they would be able to wear again afterwards!
 

 

♥   ♥   ♥

 

3. Stacey Scullion - Favourite twobirds dress wrap style, the 'Plunging Buckle'...

Stacy's competition entry:-

"I have asked my 5 nearest and dearest girls to be my bridesmaids;

Robyn - my oldest friend from school. We joined forces as mutual fans of East 17 while the rest of the girls were in the Take That camp! Robyn remains my loyal and true friend today... you know that saying 'even if we dont see each other for months at a time, it feels like we just spoke yesterday' - well thats us.

Michelle - the sister I never had. Michelle is my brother's girlfriend and my Saturday afternoon shopping and 'pottering' partner in crime. Having also lived together, we often find ourselves and our manerisms morphing into one!

Debra - Ive known Debra for 11 years and she is my 'mischief and laugh until you cry friend'....we are definitely not to be left to our own devices or there are sure to be (often wine fuelled) mishaps and silliness! And I love every minute!!

Andrea - A true friend for the past six years , Andrea tied the knot herself in 2011, so we have spent the past 18 months together getting giddily excited about all things weddings and sharing some lovely moments in planning mode!  (I did'nt whinge once as we assembled and filled 90 favour birdcage boxes together one sunny Saturday afternoon in her garden, nor did she shout at me when we realised they were all inside out!!!)

Lisa - Christian's (my husband-to-be) sister is my fifth bridesmaid. Although ive only really started to get to know Lisa in depth, she already feels like my family. We also share a great love for shoes....say no more!

I also feel I must mention Alexandra, my dear friend from long ago whom I have spent many special moments and life experiences with travelling and generally growing up together in the last 10 years. Unfortunately (but also amazingly) she is pregnant with a little bundle of joy and will be unable to travel at the time of our wedding in Ibiza (big sad face). She is however, due on 8 June 2012.....the actual date of the wedding! Very special! She will be there in my heart and will be my 'spiritual bridesmaid'.

twobirds thoughts...

Stacy's entry resonated with me in so many ways, I think she epitomises today's group of bridesmaids - five girls, all from different times in your life that you've grown with in different ways and each add something to your life for different reasons. East 17, getting married at the same time, pottering about together, it just made me smile and think of so many of the lovely brides and maids we see her at twobirds that have the wonderful dynamics of long lasting friendship and speak volumes about what a bridesmaid is to the bride and vice versa in today's world.

 

♥   ♥   ♥

 

4. Jade Hardy - Favourite twobirds dress wrap style, 'The Knotted Tank'...

Jade's competition entry:-

"I have my two best friends in the whole world, Ali and Anne, and my sister Amber. Myself, Ali and Anne have been friends for 15 years now, we met on the first day on secondary school and that was that! We're so close, our other halves call us the 'Witches of Eastwick' when because we can be a bit misbehaved when we're together :) Amber is 19, and a proper tomboy.

I am relishing the opportunity to get her in a dress! Both Ali and Amber fell pregnant around the same time, and are due in May- which really scuppers the dress buying plans! I've been keeping twobirds in the back of my mind as I know they'll make perfect post-baby dresses and neither of them will have to worry about their bodies changing shape and dresses not fitting!

How did you, or how do you plan to ask your Bridesmaids if they will do the honours on your wedding day? With Ali and Anne, it was a given- there could be no better people to be my bridesmaids! Though I did take Anne to a vintage dress shop, got her to pick a favourite and try it on, then said 'Oh, you should wear that for your bridesmaids dress'! And Amber was another given.  I've had it very easy really!"

twobirds thoughts...

Both her bridesmaids are due to give birth just before her wedding. My god daughter was born a month before my wedding and there honestly couldn't have been a more perfect dress for my best friend to wear than the twobirds Ballgown she shined in. No time consuming fittings or pressure to get back to pre baby weight, she had a bandeau to cover up and pop cups in and just felt so comfortable and looked and felt stunning! The perfect solution for Jade's bridesmaids who will both have new bundles of joy!

 

♥   ♥   ♥

 

So there you have it my wonderful readers. Please help us find a worthy winner from Alison, Victoria, Stacey and Jade's entries above - pop the name of your favoured finalist in a comment below and the winner with the largest number of votes will be announced on Love My Dress on Saturday morning :)

Good luck everyone! Remember the voting deadline is midnight this Friday! :)

Much love,

Annabel

♥

Sussex and International Wedding Photographer ~ Chris Giles...

Lunchtime! Time to be sat at your desk working browsing through even more of Love My Dress for inspiration, ideas, suppliers, and making sure you've already stopped by these two posts already today :)

Have you booked your wedding photographer yet? If not, I'd like to introduce you to one that should be on your short-list.  Meet Chris Giles - he's from Sussex but works photographing weddings all over Europe.

I asked Chris how he fell into being a wedding photographer...

"I’m a naturally happy person who likes to surround himself with other happy people. Weddings are the best place for that; I love the warmth between the couple, the guests and everyone involved on the day.

The thought that I will be presenting them with something to treasure forever is very satisfying and a great responsibility..."

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2012, Chris Giles Photography

"I’ve always been artistic and my parents were antique dealers so I always had lots of unusual pretty things around me, mainly from the Art Deco period and early 1950’s..."

"I look at a weddings as being a living breathing thing with each one having it’s own unique personality. I essentially take its pulse and interpret the day as I see it.

My style is hard to quantify. I respect traditional wedding photography but with a twist. The relaxed reportage look is my strong point but there will always be the need for formals with a further sprinkling of contemporary images in order to create diversity in the final album..."

"It wouldn’t be out of place for me to carry 3D glasses and I’m not a venue snob. I’ll cover everything from Registry offices to Manor houses as it’s the people I’m most interested in.

Whenever I take an image I try to capture something that will engage the viewer for more than just a fleeting glance..."

How would you describe your signature style?
"Relaxed informal and undemanding. The best pictures aren’t scripted...."

How To Respond When Guests Don't Reply To Their Wedding Invitation...

Morning again everyone ~ here's a bit of a mid-morning discussion post for you.

Late yesterday evening I received an email from a regular Love My Dress reader/distressed bride to be, who has given me permission to replicate, anonymously, the following part of her email...

"...frustrated doesn't even come into it, we are due to marry early March and sent our invites out shortly before Christmas. Knowing that the christmas cards might cause a distraction, I emailed as many people as I could too.  To date, we re waiting on replies to 19 of the 72 invites we sent out. I'm so busy planning last minute wedding things and trying to hold down a full time job that I'm not even sure I'll have in two months time that the idea of having to chase these people up sends me in to a cold spin! I don't have the time or the energy right now to phone everyone and feel loathed that I would even have to given they haven't replied to their invite, but my venue need to know numbers and we need to settle bills and given the budget is pretty tight, we don't want to have to pay for people who may not turn up on the day.

Have you any advice for how I should respond to those people who've not sent me their RSVP? All/any help at all much apprecaited!"

Image from the 'Frosty Forest' Collection, by Artcadia

Hmmm.  The guest who doesn't respond to their wedding invite.

How do you respond to this?

Very luckily, I didn't actually have any guests who didn't respond.  Sure, some of them left it right up until the eleventh hour to send their RSVP back - which was a stress causer in itself, but they all replied in the end. I can imagine had they not have done, it would have been one right royal pain having to chase them up. And I'd have been one very frustrated bride to be - last thing you need as the final stages of the wedding planning fall upon you.

And it's so disheartening too. Never mind whether you've pained over many late nights in a dimly lit room applying your glue pen and adhesive crystals to your DIY stationery or paid a princely sum for sumptuous bespoke letterpress stationery - it's the mere thought that a friend, relative, no matter how close or distant, couldn't be bother to confirm their attendance at such an important event that really stings.

19 out of 72 invitations? That's presumably approximately, potentially, up to 38 people, right? That's a REALLY BIG DEAL when it comes to planning and budgeting! I really feel this Bride's pain.

I guess as far as etiquette goes, not responding to a wedding invitation is a pretty low in my books.  But I'd really like to help my anxious Bride to remain calm and keep things in perspective.

So, how do you plan on dealing with non-responses, or, if you are already married-happily-ever-after, how did you deal with non-responses at the time?

Wedding planners - what would you advise?

I'd love your thoughts and feedback on this one my lovelies.  Let's help my reader/distressed bride to be - I'm just about to email her back to let her know about this post.

Many many thanks and love,

Annabel

♥

 

You can browse through many more discussion posts on Love My Dress here...

Billy Buttons, Yellow Beads and Bicycles ~ A Relaxed Swedish, Summer Garden Party Wedding...

 

"Follow your hearts and do what feels right. There are no rules stating how a wedding
must look or be so do it your own way and you will feel much more relaxed
and then you guests will feel more relaxed!"

 

Morning ladies and gents :) I'm delighted to be taking a trip overseas for this morning's wedding-day inspiration. It is one of my personal targets to visit Sweden soon - I just love the laid-back vibe that emanates from this  beautiful country. I dream of being there...

Laid back and relaxing were the buzz words for Lisa and Simon {although you'd never have guessed it looking at those images below of the couple cylcing to their hearts content!}.  The wedding took place on 13 September in the garden at Linneaträdgården in Helsingborg and was a beautiful colour-burst of  yellow, from the accessories and deocor to Simon's lovely billy button boutonniere...

"We were inspired by the bohemian greenhouse setting, which made us aim for a relaxed wedding. Of course the colour yellow was our signature colour. The dots was not intended as a theme from the beginning but when Lisa had bought her dress with the dotted tulle we just found ourselves finding more and more dotted accessories (Simons socks and handkerchief).

Even the flowers (the Billy Buttons) fit that theme..."

Love My Dress Wedding Blog - Photography Copyright (c) 2011, Anna Rostrom

Don't you love that cute yellow glass pearl-bracelet? It belonged to Lisa's Grandmother, who passed away when she was seven years old...

"Linda is a dear friend of mine who no longer works as a florist but did an amazing job with our flowers. The only flower I knew I wanted was “the yellow balls” also known as Craspedia Globosa or Billy Buttons. We wanted that bohemian feel to to our wedding day styling..."

 

"The phrase “Du & Jag” means You and Me in Swedish and it’s a phrase that has been following us around for a long time. We decided to engrave “Du & Jag” in our engagement-rings. So when it came to customize the Converse’s we knew instantly what the heelstripe should say!

We met in school at age 15 and some months later we became a couple. Simon proposed to Lisa at home by the kitchen table by going down on one knee. We got married two years later."

Lisa's pretty dress was a design by Tekla

"I knew from the beginning that I wanted a short wedding dress with tulle and a 50’s style to it, but still modern. I loved how easy my Tekla dress was to dance in, jump around and just be myself in my dress! I never felt uncomfortable, just pretty..."

How To Organise Wedding Entertainment ~ Advice From Expert Entertainment Suppliers, Sternberg Clarke...

Afternoon lovelies! For this late afternoon post, I'd like to hand over to my colleague Alice Chorley of Sternberg Clarke.  Sternberg Clarke are a leading supplier of entertainment for corporate events, weddings and parties and having been to a number of events where they organised the entertainment, I know these guys know what they are doing - but with 18 years in the business, they're going to, of course.

A truly creative team, Sternberg Clarke don't just book acts 'off the shelf' - they offer innovative solutions, adapting acts to suit each client’s requirements. They will also, when possible, oversee the event to co-ordinate the entertainment.

Alice offered to write this guest post for Love My Dress after enjoying reading through some of the other How To and DIY tutorial posts on Love My Dress. You can view further details about all the entertainment acts you see on this page, and more, via the Sternberg Clarke entertainment brochure. Over to you Alice...

 

♥   ♥   ♥

Having a Brief....

If you are working with a wedding planner or entertainment agency, always try to think of a brief (even if you don’t end up sticking to it!) This could be as simple as ‘Mumford & Sons are our favourite band’ Or as complex as “1930s Parisian take on 80s Hair Metal” (Please don’t ask for that, I made it up…!)

Also, a budget is always really useful.  Entertainment agencies have a huge number of bands and musicians who they work with regularly and although all Sternberg Clarke acts have to brave our grueling audition process and therefore meet our exacting standards, they do still charge different amounts depending on experience and popularity so knowing how much we’re working with helps to make suitable recommendations.

Kitty - Vocalist...

Urban Soul Orchestera...

 

Timings are of the Essence...

From a planning point of view, it’s really useful to know timings for the whole day.  Other acts, speeches and all kinds of different factors can affect the arrangements for the band; for instance, the band or act may need to be set-up (and sound check) a few hours before they are actually due to play.  This is quite normal, but an early set up time can mean the difference between a half day and a full day’s work for a band which can, obviously affect the price.

Most bands will quote for either 3 x 45 minute sets over a 3 hour period or 2 x 1 hour sets over a 2.5/3 hour period. This will almost always include the band playing recorded music during their breaks, but if you are booking a band directly, be sure to check this...

The Strumpettes - Ukuele/Close Harmony Trio...

Booth Street West jazz ensemble...

 

Don’t Feel Restricted by Sound Restrictions...

While it may seem like rules limiting decibel levels and band sizes are just there to spoil the party – these restrictions are often created in the best interest of the wedding guests. A cavernous hall that accommodates hundreds of guests is perfect for sprawling 10 piece swing ensembles, but an intimate venue is more suited towards a smaller band – venues and their preferred suppliers are often aware of the sizes and line ups that work best and are always happy to give advice.

The same goes for sound limits, which can be enforced by anything from an electronic limited that cuts the power to equipment if the sound gets too high, or simply the venue manager watching  sound levels with a decibel meter. This is common in wedding venues and it’s nothing to worry about –with a few line-up changes, most bands can work in any venue and there are always plenty of options to consider.

Wing - strolling string duo...

 

PAT Testing & Production...

When you were planning your dream wedding as a child, chances are that you weren’t thinking about trailing wires, PAT testing and production costs (it’d be worrying if you were) but thinking carefully about production, lighting and PAT testing early on is key to avoiding hassle further down the line.

When you receive a quote, be sure to check what the cost includes; most agencies and bands will quote for lighting (that will light the dance floor area, but not the whole room) and sound equipment for up to around 200 people. Smaller bands may not have their own lighting and sound equipment and will quote a price “Plus Production” which means that production will need to be quoted for separately from a production company which will vary depending on size of venue, number of guests and the ease with which they can gain access and set up equipment at the venue...

Jazz band, swing band and ratpack singer Kevin...

All bands, musicians and DJs that use electrical equipment need to be PAT tested.  This stands for Portable Appliance Tested; it costs very little for the act to do it and is very easy to arrange through a qualified electrician. When the act has this done they will receive a certificate that lists all of the equipment that was tested and also each item will have a green sticker on it that will indicate that it has passed and when it will need to be re-tested.

The Blind Tigers, New Orleans Jazz Band...

It may seem like a trifling matter in the grand scheme of things but PAT Testing is vital as all venues will specify that they need this in order to use their electrical points.