Everything covered in this Festive month during our Bridal Sipping & Sharing Sessions:
As usual, we’ve been Wine-ing & Whining every Wednesday throughout this past month about everything Wedding related! Here’s my monthly round-up of what we covered!
Have a browse through and maybe one of the wedding questions you’ve been itching to ask (or maybe forgot to ask!) will have been asked and answered here:…
Wednesday 2nd December 2020
Mulled Wine & Whine Wednesday this evening! Feeling very festive!
Q. I’m having a winter wedding but hate Christmassy colours like red and green (helppp).
- Ahhh noo… don’t put the brakes on my Christmas vibes already (Grinch – jk!!)… Luckily for you I have a fab solution… The ‘colour of the season’ this year: ‘Frosty Blue’ – The perfect cool winter colour that speaks to the ‘social distancing’ we’ve all been doing this year! Or how about a metallic palette? Silver would work perfectly with the Frosty Blue tones! Or you could try a darker palette… think deep purples with golds… Or maybe one of my absolute faves… all white everything! White florals and white bridesmaid dresses… and you never know… maybe a touch of snow! To be honest you don’t even have to stick with traditional winter colours… it’s your wedding… choose your favourite colour and go from there! The best person to ask would be your florist! Work on a platter with them based on winter floral availability and there you have it!
Q. When men think every shade of colour is the same.
- Ahahaha… SO TRUE! I swear they’re all colour blind! To be honest it’s a blessing… it means they won’t be upset when you choose between 2 shades… he won’t be like ‘but babe… I preferred the periwinkle over the frosty blue’. Stick to asking your bridesmaids for advice… Or me! (I love choosing shades!). Or… (if you saw my Advent Calendar tip of the day!)… Create your own wedding instagram account and ask the lovely brides on here for advice! It’s a fabulous community to be a part of!
Q. When your fiancé says “whatever you want to every planning question you ask.”
- The boys are taking a bashing tonight… love it. So glad that you’re all so happy to share! This is a safe space ladies! Feel free to tell me exactly what’s p***ing you off this week… I’ll never share your comment if you don’t want me to (plus you comment is anonymous anyway… and I know you still love him really!) My hubby was actually quite hands on with Wedding planning… but I definitely got the ‘whatever you want darling…’ response quite a few times! And it DEFINITELY gets irritating! Definitely speak to him and tell him that his opinion really matters to you and you want it to be his day as much as yours too!… But this is really not his thing… it’s probably not worth asking him anyway! He obviously won’t mind either way! See my previous stories about asking your girls and creating an insta… but also ask family too… your mum, sisters, cousins… and also ASK YOUR SUPPLIERS! We love it when you ask our opinion! (We have inside knowledge too!) Also… I’m always here to offer my opinion… feel free to slide in my DM’s anytime!
Q. When your fiancé really wants to choose the music but you hate his taste.
- Omg I feel you girl… Mine & Mr T’s music tastes couldn’t be more different! All I can say is that… although I love to describe it as ‘my Wedding’… so I had to make some compromises! But hey… that’s married life for you! Speak to your DJ and see if there’s a way in blending the two genres together in anyway… or at least give him a couple of songs to keep him happy…Is he alone in his music tastes? Chances are his mates will enjoy his music genre too! So at least they’ll definitely still be people on the dance-floor!
Q. None of my bridesmaids are happy with the same dress, what do I do?!
A. Yepp… always a tough one! And the more Bridesmaids you have the more difficult it is! I had 8… luckily they were all fab… but I wouldn’t creating that much stress for yourself! Stressful… but they all looked STUNNING on the day. What about going for something like these multi-way dresses?
They usually quite pricey… but I got mine from: The Dainty Yard. They were absolutely perfect for my girls and they come in so many colours! (They even have ombre options!) If you look closely at this pic you can see that my girls all went for different ways of tying them…so that it suite their personalities, body shapes and so that they felt comfortable on the day!
There’s obviously loads of videos on YouTube of how to tie them in different ways too… So your girls can choose their own style whilst still looking like they’re in the same dress! Plusss… you don’t even have to go for the same dresses for all your girls! If you’re happy for them all to be slightly different (as long as they’re in the same colour scheme) this can look stunning too!… (Head to my insta story highlight ‘Wine&Whine’2 for inspo!)
Wednesday 9th December 2020
Q. Best time to ask your friends to be bridesmaids?
- Hmm… I would have to say… If you’ve only just got engaged… definitely pause on this one for a moment… most Brides tend to rush into this decision and end up regretting it later on… I know you may feel under pressure to ask your girls (or guys!) straight away… but please… wait it out a little while… see who is genuinely excited for you and who wants to get stuck into all the planning with you. Trust me… you won’t regret it! And then when you feel like you KNOW you’ve made the right choice… Go ahead and surprise them with a proper ‘Bridesmaid Proposal’. There are so many lovely ways to do this… How about a Proposal Box filled with all their favourite things… You can make your own… or buy them ready made! Why not take them all for Afternoon Tea together! (Head to my insta story highlight ‘Wine&Whine’3 for inspo!)
Q. Not a question, but I’m a winter 2021 bride & your festive ideas blog is giving me life!
- Thank you lovely! It’s such a magical time of year to get married! I’m already so excited to see your Wedding pictures! (You can read my Festive Inspo Blog Here!)
Q. When people ask to sit or not sit next to someone.
- Well… Seating Charts are hard enough as it is! So if it’s going to cause you more stress to shuffle everyone around to accommodate their request… then just leave it as it is. It’s not a massive issue and hopefully they will be understanding… If not, just gently remind them that you’re only asking them to sit there for approx 2 hours out of the whole day… they can sit/stand with whoever they like after that! As always, remember… IT’S.YOUR.DAY!
Q. How to deal with tension between MIL & FIL on the day? (They don’t get on).
- Ooh… definitely an interesting one… I certainly know how you feel… I was actually slightly worried about me own Mum & Dad on my Wedding Day! Turns out I needn’t have worried… they got so emotional that their little girl was getting married that they ended up holding hands during the Ceremony and danced together at the end of our First Dance… despite recently being divorced. I was very proud of them. I mean… that’s the best outcome I could have hoped for… I have seen many family politics at weddings that are never as drama-free! My advice would be… Ask your partner to have a word with them beforehand… (I wouldn’t recommend you addressing it with the in-laws yourself… you wouldn’t want to get on their bad side before the wedding!) It will definitely make a big different making them aware that it’s on your mind and you’re worried about it… hopefully that will make them think twice on the day before saying/doing anything dramatic! Also if you’re really worries… don’t force them to sit together/get family photos… Yes if they can handle it, then great! But don’t put them in any uncomfortable situations unnecessarily… it just invites trouble! Maybe mix up the Top Table a little bit… have your Best Man or M.O.H. sit in between them… Or if they can’t stand to be on the same table… then maybe think about throwing out the traditional top table entirely!… Why not have a Top Table with: You two (or course), plus your BM & MOH, OR even just a ‘sweetheart table’ with just you two! If it’s quite fresh… like in the case of my parents… You could even allow them to bring a +1 each… not necessarily their new partner (that might not go down too well… it depends on the relationship you have with them)… but just a supportive friend to sit with them so they don’t feel alone and to keep them occupied throughout the day. I would definitely allocate one of your bridal party to keep an eye on the situation… and maybe steer them out of each other’s way (re-watch that episode of Friends – the one with Rachel’s Birthday Party, for inspo!)
Wednesday 16th December 2020
Q. Worried about what the best man might say in speech
- Ooh… that’s a tough one! I can totally understand why you’d be worried… I’ve seen quite a few Best Men ‘overshare’! How about… Pulling him to one side and telling him that it’s on your mind (it obviously depends on how close you are… maybe ask a Bridesmaid or someone else to do it for you!)… Remind him that there will be relatives there… possibly inc. the Groom’s Grandparents, or older relatives… who may not find his ‘banter’ as funny as he will! So keep it clean (ish)! Maybe a good idea would be to say… if you REALLY feel like you need to tell THOSE stories and embarrass him… how about giving a speech at the Stag Do? It’s the perfect audience! That was he can be as FILTHY as he likes and he doesn’t run the risk of embarrassing you on your Wedding day (or making your Grandma faint!).
Q. COVID stole my wedding, am I entitled to my deposit back?
A. Well, first of all, let me say… I am so sorry that COVID has taken away your big day… I can’t imagine how hard it’s been for you! Trust me… your Wedding day will be amazing whenever it happens! In terms of your deposit… I’m guessing you mean your venue deposit (but these advice will apply to any deposit for any supplier)… Firstly, you need to read your contract with them… (thoroughly!)… Most likely it will state that your initial deposit is non-refundable… However… is it transferrable to another date? It if states no, then ask if they would consider it if you were to make a small additional early payment, as a good faith gesture… (this just shows them that you’re not going to try and cancel at a later date). Or if you don’t want to transfer the date with them… You’re always welcome to try and appeal to their better nature… write them a letter or an email asking them to reconsider… some venues are giving their couples their deposits back (mine inc.) – ‘shy bairns get nowt’ (as we say up north!). However, please bear in mind, it’s been a difficult year for everyone… suppliers too! It may not be possible form them to lose that deposit, their business may rely on it… we still want the Wedding industry to be here when everything returns to normal! Instead of asking for a refund, who not consider… asking them if you can use the deposit towards something else? How about a family dinner? Or maybe one of your other friends might wish to use the date for a Christening? etc. The venue will most likely appreciate that it will bring more revenue in, and they will be relying on this in the New Year… and will be more likely to accept… so that means your deposit won’t go to waste! Also I’m always here if anyone needs any further advice on supplier/venue bookings… feel free to book a FREE initial consultation… there’s nothing to lose!
Q. Struggling to find someone who can do my nails for my engagement shoot and wedding! Any tips (No pun intended!) Xxx
- Well my top recommendation would have to be: Rachel Gray Beauty. She’ll have your nails polished to perfection! As I know your venue is Hardwick Hall I’ve had a look for Nail Salons around that area, and spent some time reading reviews for you… I don’t know the individual salons in that area but from the reviews I would recommend you check out: Emily’s Beauty, Ford & Ford and Be Pampered. Also I recommend asking your venue wedding coordinator… they are a fountain of knowledge!
Q. What’s the best wedding planner/diary to get?
A. I’ve never made it a secret that I have a FAVE wedding planner… I used it for my own wedding and I’m absolutely obsessed… The Planner designed by the Queen herself!… Mindy Weiss! This planner has absolutely everything you need to organise your big day. I will be covering all my favourite planners in a blog post soon… but for now, I would recommend checking out: Bride in Mind and Carrie&Co. Bride in Mind has the most beautiful outlook on wedding planning and the most gorgeous Instagram feed… plus her planners look absolutely to-die-for! (I know I’m already married but I really want one for myself). Carrie & Co. I have only discovered very recently i.e. today! My gorgeous friend Steph Fox Travel has just written a blog about planners/diaries for 2021 and she lists this one as her all time fave! It looks so BEAUTIFUL that I will be buying on first thing tomorrow! Although she recommends it for businesses and bloggers she also mentioned that she thinks it would be fabulous for a project… and what bigger project can you get than a Wedding! I’ll let you know my thoughts as soon as it arrives my lovelies!
Wednesday 23rd December 2020
– Instead of the usual ‘W&W’W we did a little ‘getting to know me’ session – through pictures! I’ll be uploading these to a new ‘About Me’ Highlight for you soon!
Wednesday 30th December 2020
Here we go guys! The last Wednesday of 2020! (Let’s hope 2021 is better!… much MUCH better!)
With the latest news meaning we’re now in Tier 4 up here… pleaaase share some positive Wedding news with us all! Tell me something exciting about your Wedding… have you recently booked your venue, bought your bridesmaids dresses… or maybe just got engaged? Tell us everything!
Q. My sister got married after 3rd date change! Very small so lovely then pizza picnic at the beach!
- Amaaaazing news!!! I am SO chuffed for her! That sounds like a FABULOUS Wedding Reception! Every single Wedding that went ahead this year was just SO special… and we appreciated every second of them. And I just KNOW that every Wedding in 2021 is going to be on another level of special… because off everything we’ve all been through together this year. Everyone is going to dance longer, smile brighter and say ‘I Do’ even louder!
Q. Have you done a wedding at Shotton Grange? I’m getting married there in August!
- I actually haven’t yet! I’ve heard amazing things about it though! Planning on popping through to meet the team there ASAP in the New Year!! So excited for you!
Q. Getting married in May even if it’s the two of us and a vicar IT’S HAPPENING!
- Ahhhhh!!! AMAZING! I LOVE your attitude! TRUST ME when I say… it will be the MOST special day… no matter what! If’ there’s one thing we can thank COVID for, it’s helping us to truly appreciate these special moments!
Q. What if you want the dream wedding but your fiancé doesn’t want to spend the money and wants something more basic? What’s the best way to compromise?!
- Okay, so… First of all, you need to decide what is MOST important to both of you… Choose one thing each that you don’t want to compromise on… This could be your flowers, your wedding dress or maybe it’s the band? This is the main things that you wish to spend your money on. Once you’ve both decided what these things are… get quotes/arrange these things first… that way, you’ll know how much of your budget you have left to spend on everything else. Then if you partner wishes to keep things more simple and keep coasts down… you can do this in other areas… without missing our in the item that is MOST important to you!!! And then hopefully along the way you may be able to convince your hubby-to-be to spend a little more in other areas too! (Good Luck!)
I hope you’re all okay and the latest Tier news hasn’t got your all down too much. We will get through this together! 2021 is going to be our year!
Lots of Love, my lovelies!
Mrs T x
