Your Kent Wedding - Page number 90 - May/Jun 2021 (Issue 96)

THANK YOU VERY MUCH I have five bridesmaids and want to thank them all for their support without breaking the bank. What can you suggest? There are many ways to thank your bridesmaids without stretching your budget. You could write a small card to express how important they are to you, thanking them for their love and support leading up to your big day. Words say and mean so much and cost just the effort you put into writing them. Flowers, often presented at the reception are lovely and colourful, but sadly don’t last very long. Giving your best gals a gift of jewellery on the other hand, which they can wear on the day, doesn’t have to be expensive. Whether you choose a set or one beautiful piece, it will be worn with love for many months and years afterwards, evoking happy memories of your wedding day. These silver-plated and freshwater pearl bracelets (pictured) are perfect for bridesmaids, flowergirls and the maid-of-honour. They come attached to a card with a nice sentiment and there’s room on the back for you to write a personal message too. Gift boxed and presented in a ribboned bag, at £14.99 they won’t break the bank and will be a lasting and meaningful thank you gift. Karina O’Donnell | Arian Hare Jewellery www.arianharejewellery.co.uk RIGHT HAND MAN What are the benefits of hiring a toastmaster versus using our venue’s MC or a family member? Toastmasters enhance the day, adding extra personal touches throughout that make it all the more special for you and your guests. For me, being a toastmaster is about making special memories for people. What’s more, I can act as an extra pair of hands, not only helping to organise the day, but keeping guests entertained and helping the photographer by gathering guests for formal photos. A good toastmaster needs patience, a fun-loving, friendly personality and experience in hosting live events. They also need a good microphone technique, and ability to ad lib with confidence, and excel in stressful situations. You’ll always have a lot of input into what I do. We’ll meet a few weeks before the big day and talk about how you’d like everything to run. I have a checklist I like to go through that helps us decide how to structure it all. Do be wary of the drunk relative or DJ! A lot of couples tell me their uncle or another relative is taking charge of managing the speeches, but I’ve seen this get out of hand many times, particularly when drink is involved. They can get carried away, offending other guests and rather than enhancing a wedding, people end up remembering it for the wrong reasons. Remember too, a DJ is a DJ not a toastmaster, they don’t add what we can, having another very different role to perform. Similarly, venue staff are great at coordinating the day, but they have no expertise in the talking and entertaining the guests. Hire a toastmaster – it takes away so many headaches! Will Buckley | Elite Toastmaster | www.elitetoastmaster.com www.jam irahphotographers.com UNDERSTATED ELEGANCE We’re tying the knot at a stately home venue. How can we style it tastefully without going overboard since it’s already very ornate? Here in Kent, we have so many licensed stately homes and manor houses – it’s amazing what you can do in such ornate spaces. It’s important to take into account the existing décor; most stately homes have prominent features that you can base your design on. Take the time to observe them prior to selecting your styling. Pay attention to the accent of the colours and textures in the space including the floors, curtains, lighting and ceilings. Draw from the existing colour palette and incorporate those hues into your design. For instance, the ornate lighting feature in the room might be gold, so include that as your design’s metallic shade. You might use gold rimmed glass- and tableware or gold candelabra as centrepieces. Concentrating your design means you don’t have too much everywhere, just in specific areas. For your tables, go for textured and coloured table linen – it goes beautifully in embellished rooms and accentuates the latent colours already present. Opt for bold floral arrangements, nothing too small or low or they’ll get swallowed up, and nothing too high to distract from the room’s opulence. Most importantly, play close attention to the size of the space and avoid overcrowding it. You and your guests need to feel free to roam without the sense of being stifled by the décor. Blessing Enakimio | Blessing by Blé | www.blessingbyble.com 90