Tag: day

Renaissance Romance at Woolas Barn

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date May 31, 2022
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Styled Shoots

Renaissance Romance at Woolas Barn

This elegant shoot took place at Woolas Barn in York. Blending rustic character with modern details, the venue is comprised of 4 seamlessly linked areas including the Stables, the Courtyard, the Granary and the Lambing Shed. Viola Jay Photography says, “I wanted to use the rustic space of Woolas barn and elevate it to something really soft and whimsical, with a renaissance-inspired edge.”

A selection of hand-picked suppliers worked together to bring this fabulous piece of inspiration to life. Viola continues, “Sarah from Stories of Events and Emma Cox Floristry were the perfect team to bring the vision to life. Sarah’s use of soft-flowing fabrics in the table and the styled areas pulled everything together with a beautiful romance. Emma is the floral maestro and used an abundance of ranunculus, tulips and roses in pinks, mauves and browns to create 2 beautiful climbing installations, 2 dried clouds for the table and ceremony space, and 2 incredibly detailed bouquets.”

We particularly love the model styling. The choice of gowns are leaning towards the more traditional look with very intricate details. Voila says, “The Katya Katya gowns really pulled the concept together. We chose dresses that had a lot of intricate detail in the sleeves, the tiers and the lace to add a bit of luxurious minimalism. Likewise, Saint Beth’s earrings and headpieces added to the looks, the beautiful finishing touches. We kept the makeup glowy, with hints of pink and mauve. Both the girls looked dewy and beautiful. For hair, it was all about texture and detail.”

The neutral palette continued through the cake and stationery. Viola adds, “The cake and stationery featured beautiful floral detail, and in the same ongoing colour palette of nudes, pinks and browns! The team created a beautifully cohesive, romantic and organic vision. Both couples were real couples and had an authentic energy and connection to photography.”

Suppliers:
Planning & Concept: Esme Whiteside Photography
Photography: Viola Jay Photography
Venue: Woolas Barn
Workshop: Untold Workshops
Styling: Stories of Events
Flowers: Emma Cox Floristry
Stationery: Hawthorne and Ivory
Gowns: Katya Katya
Hair Stylist: Sass & Co
Makeup: Cheshire Makeup Co
Cake: Plumb and Rabbitts Cake Studio
Accessories: Saint Beth Official
Ribbons: Cfleursdesign
Models: Ella & Jack and Talent & Jordan

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Bouquet & Bells / The Magazine is the ultimate paper guide for stylish & fun loving couples. Each and every issue is full-to-bursting with the latest innovative fresh content & hottest trends.

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with CLAIRE BOON and SARAH MACKLIN of Bouquet & Bells

Latest news

We’ve Had a Refresh!

You know that old saying “new year, new me”? Well, ahead of the fast approaching 2025, we’ve decided to switch some things up around here and add a dash more sparkle into Bouquet and Bells.

December 12, 2024

Latest news

An Alternative Church Wedding with Unique Outfits

This shoot was inspired wholly by the vastness and beauty of the venue as well as the unitarians inspiring ethos: Ullet Road Unitarian Church. We chose a beautiful day for the shoot, meaning the light flooding into the building and outside of the building was beautiful. We had a selection of dresses to change into for different parts of the church, and we utilised the late in different rooms and at different windows, as well as the doors for the iconic confetti shots.

November 6, 2024

Latest news

Top Tips for Dealing With Wedding Jitters

Your wedding is a magical day which will stay with you forever. However, it’s unquestionable that with a tag like that, there’s also going to be an element of pressure you need to manage. 84% of brides report feeling some sort of stress about their big day. And while a lot of this comes hand-in-hand with planning a large event, it’s unquestionable that standing in front of anyone as the “star of the show” is going to get the nerves jangling.

August 12, 2024

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Tags Blog, day, neutral theme, planning, Renaissance, renaissance romance, romantic, wedding, wedding blogger, wedding day, wedding magazine, wedding planning, weddings, whimsical wedding

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30+ money saving tips for your wedding

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date April 21, 2022
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30+ money saving tips for your wedding

Bouquet & Bells have worked with lots of couples that want nothing more than to have the wedding day of their dreams without completely emptying their bank accounts. Overtime, we have learnt clever little ways to save money and we’re going to share our top 30 with you. Not only will this help you to avoid costly mistakes but it could also spark new ideas.

First things first, what actually IS your budget? Try to get an exact figure and write it down.

Venue

Think before you start researching venues.

What kind of wedding do you want? With how many guests? Only once you know the answers to these questions should you start researching possible venues.

Create a venue comparison chart.

Track exactly what’s included in each quoted venue package by creating a simple chart. Some venues cover everything you’ll ever need (cake table, table linen, etc), whereas others charge just for the hire of the venue. You’ll be surprised how quickly all the little extras can add up.

Have the ceremony at your reception venue if you can.

Church weddings are becoming increasingly expensive, at an average of £800 for a forty-minute ceremony. Book one location for both your ceremony and reception to save on multiple site fees. Plus, you’ll save on transportation costs between each venue.

Guest List

Invite more guests to the evening reception.

The average venue charges £60 per head for the wedding breakfast, (and that’s without any drinks packages added on), whereas the evening food is only around £10 a head. So, only invite who you really want to the daytime reception.

Food and drink

Cut bubbly out.

With an average of £5 per glass, let guests toast with whatever they’re already drinking.

Cater for around half your guests for the evening meal.

Most of your daytime guests will be stuffed from the wedding breakfast, particularly if you don’t eat until mid-afternoon. Lots of the evening food is often wasted so only cater for around half the numbers.

Make your own wedding favours.

You can pay anything from around £3 per person for your wedding favours. Why not get creative and make your own? We always think a little bit of DIY is fun anyway! How about baking some stylish cake pops? Or yummy chocolate brownies? If you’re not feeling very creative you could buy £1 scratch cards for your guests, something that always proves a bit of fun!

Don’t fork out for a costly evening meal.

Chances are, your guests will be very merry by mid-evening and will just want some carbohydrates. Bacon baps, fish and chips and hog roasts are extremely popular as cheaper alternatives to a costly meal.

Cake tips

Choose buttercream or cream cheese instead of fondant.
If you would like to incorporate fruits, go seasonal.
Restrict how many different flavours you have.
Keep the design simple.
Double up. Julie from The Red Rose Cake Co says, “double up on your cake size so it does its wedding cake duty but also provides dessert for your guests”.

Stationery

Go paperless.

More and more couples are opting for paperless invitations. Some websites now even allow you to design and send your personalised invitations without a single stamp in sight. Some couples are even creating personal websites to track RSVPs and store handy information for guests to read.

Print your own.

Get savvy with Photoshop or hop over to a website like Vistaprint with ready-made templates and create your own invitations. Yes, it may take a little extra time but printing costs are very reasonable.

Save on the finishing touches.

Believe it or not, classic white or cream-coloured invitations with black ink are the most cost-effective ones you can buy. Choose the details carefully by opting for cotton paper, rather than jacquard or linen – it’s a lot less expensive but looks just as luxe. Thermography is a printing process that uses heat to create a raised-letter look, and it looks exactly like engraving and is half the price.

One between two.

Print one ceremony programme per couple rather than one per guest.

Photography

Cut down on the time your photographer stays at the reception.

Schedule main events like the toasts, cutting of the cake and your first dance soon after the wedding breakfast so these moments are captured but your photographer can then leave shortly after.

Did you know?

The number one biggest wedding regret is not having a professional video of the wedding day.

Flowers

Go green.

Foliage costs a fraction of what you’d pay for in flowers. It’s very much on trend at the moment too.

Keep it simple.

Most of the florist’s fee goes towards the cost of labour, so the more elaborate your arrangements, the more expensive they will be.

Use candles.

Use candles in place of real flowers. They also act as great gap fillers whilst looking elegant and romantic.

Pro tip:

If the flowers you love aren’t in season for your wedding, avoid hefty costs by adding silk versions to your bouquet and centrepieces instead.

Entertainment

Hire a band with fewer members.

When you pay for a six-piece band, you’re essentially paying to cover everyone’s individual costs. Opt for a three or four-piece instead. Your guests won’t notice a difference.

Book locally.

Travel costs make up a big part of wedding entertainers’ fees, as the further they travel, the more time it will take and the more money it will cost. By booking locally, you can keep fuel costs low, giving you more money to spend on the actual entertainment you want. If you’ve already decided to hire a smaller band or group of entertainers, you’ll only have to factor in the costs for one car rather than several cars or a petrol guzzling van.

Cater for everyone.

Opting for entertainment that can double up to both the adults and children will save you money.

Avoid peak times.

In-keeping with the rest of your wedding organisation, timing is extremely important. Avoiding peak times such as a Saturday in summer, will save you money on not only your venue, but also with your entertainment and every other aspect of your day.

Wedding shows

Visit a few local Wedding Shows.

As an organiser of Wedding Shows, we can tell you that most suppliers exhibiting at the events offer some sort of on-the-day exclusive discount, special offer or incentive to couples that attend. It’s well worth visiting a few local shows, especially since many are free entry. Why not make a day of it, enter some competitions and gather up literature of local suppliers.

Chat to numerous suppliers.

Wedding Shows provide the perfect opportunity to chat with lots of suppliers and help you get a feel for what they offer. We’d particularly recommend visiting them during the early stages of planning as they help spark lots of ideas and will guide you to find the perfect supplier for your day that fits your style.

Extras

Be smart with your budget.

If budgets are tight, I would always advise spending a little less on elements such as wedding cars or favours, but to get the reception looking right because that’s where you and your guests will be spending most of your time.

Get organised.

Create a master document with supplier names, contact numbers and other important details. Not only will you feel in complete control during the planning stages but this will also help avoid any costly mistakes! We have a selection of free planning documents, spreadsheets and planners ready to download on bouquetandbells.com.

Tap into a friend’s talents.

One way to avoid the price-trebling effects of getting married is to use the talents of your friends and family. Do you know a keen baker who could make the cake? Or a talented photographer or videographer? Do you have a family member with a large garden that they would let you use for the reception?

Save on your dress at a trunk show.

A trunk show is often a special event held at bridal boutiques. A chosen designer will send gowns from their newest collections available for a short time only. Some designers are exclusive to other countries, so if you’ve got your heart on a specific designer it may be worth visiting a few trunk shows to save on important fees and nab a bargain. Shopping during a designer trunk show means you could pay anywhere from £15o to £500 less on your gown. There are also plenty of lovely second-hand shops, such as the Bridal Reloved chain.

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Tags Blog, budget, day, how to, money, money saving, money saving tips, planning, save, saving, tips, wedding, wedding blogger, wedding day, wedding magazine, wedding planning, weddings

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Introducing our Magazine Subscription Service

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date August 2, 2021
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Introducing our Magazine Subscription Service

You asked us if it’s possible to subscribe to the magazine to automatically receive future issues. Well, we made it possible! We are thrilled to introduce our brand new subscription service. Subscribe and receive every new issue straight to to your doorstep!

Just £4.99 every six months giving you a saving you £1 per issue. All payments are processed with PayPal with free, easy cancellation at any time.

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Bouquet & Bells / The Magazine is the ultimate paper guide for stylish & fun loving couples. Each and every issue is full-to-bursting with the latest innovative fresh content & hottest trends.

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Tags Blog, budget, day, how to, planning, wedding, wedding blogger, wedding day, wedding magazine, wedding planning, weddings

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Bouquet & Bells / The Magazine Issue 04: Pre-Order Now

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date August 2, 2021
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Bouquet & Bells / The Magazine Issue 04: Pre-Order Now!

Issue 04 of Bouquet & Bells / The Magazine is now available for PRE-ORDER!

First of all, we sincerely hope your wedding plans are back on track. It’s so lovely to see weddings beginning to happen again, and we are excited to continue to inspire you through our magazine.

This bumper issue celebrates weddings getting back on track. You won’t find anything but positivity and hopefulness here! With features including a mixture of lavish and upmarket dos along with the more alternative and intimate celebration, this issue is full-to-bursting with the best inspiration for your day. Plus, we’ve gathered together 50+ unique ideas that will make your day stand out and be remembered for all the right reasons.

We also spoke with real couples that have kindly shared their personal stories on how their wedding was affected by COVID-19 including Jessica & Jonathan’s viral wedding. We hope this gives you a sense of not feeling like you’re alone, and no matter what, love always wins.

To tie everything together, we help solve the most common wedding problems submitted by real couples.

All our issues include a full supplier directory filled with the businesses we have worked with and trust. There’s a huge selection including bridal wear, florists, entertainment and everything in between.

This bumper issue also includes articles from some of the best in the industry, sharing their top planning tips to help make the process as easy and stress-free as possible.

Once again, we have YOU to thank for the cover image of this issue. We shared a poll on Instagram (@bouquetandbells) and asked you to pick your fave image from a selection of options and this was the clear winner – we think it’s a bloody marvellous choice! We have the incredible Twigs Branch Photography to thank for capturing the striking image of Harley & David at a Viking shoot we coordinated earlier in the year. See the full feature inside this issue.

Full sized A4 magazine. Pre-orders close on Friday 3rd September 2021. New issues released every spring and autumn. Created by Bouquet & Bells.

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Tags Blog, budget, day, how to, planning, wedding, wedding blogger, wedding day, wedding magazine, wedding planning, weddings

Business Guidance

Top Tips for Creating a Beautiful Instagram Page for Businesses

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date May 24, 2020
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Business Guidance

Top Tips for Creating a Beautiful Instagram Page for Businesses

Social media can be mind-boggling. Everything moves so quickly and platforms are constantly changing, meaning we have to keep adapting. However, something that rarely changes is your Instagram page.

Your Instagram page is the perfect window into your business, so it’s important it’s striking but also inviting. Whether you are a wedding photographer, makeup artist or something else, you use Instagram to feature your best work and build up a great following.

Your page offers a window into your world and it’s something you should be really proud of.

But more often that not, we see business grids that are messy, unorganised and just a bit unsatisfying. Your page needs to make people feel like they don’t want to miss your next post.

Now, I’m no expert, but I’ve recently been spending much more time working at Instagram to try and increase engagement and following. I’ve worked hard to improve my overall appearance and have formulated some of top tips that I’m about to share to help you create a beautiful Instagram page.

Free images

The first step to making your Instagram pretty is to post some high quality images. I often go to Unsplash if I’m feeling a little stuck for content. Unsplash has a fantastic catalogue of high quality, free images. It’s really easy to search for what you’re looking for, then just hit ‘download’ for instant access. Do make sure to credit the photographer though – after all, they’ve been so kind to give you their image for free!

There are plenty of other stock image services available too.

Colour palette

Every business should have a set colour scheme. This may be colours picked from your logo, or simply a selection of colours that you love. I’d recommend having a few tones that all compliment each other. We love everything PINK so we use a range of baby pinks, fuchsia’s and neutrals.

Image template

We love creating templates that we basically recycle constantly. It helps to keep style consistent and will help your brand become instantly recognisable.

It doesn’t have to be anything complex or something only a graphic designer would be able to create, as long as the colour and font remains the same that’s all that really matters.

Canva is a fantastic app for templates. Take a look what you can find and begin customising!

Get creative

Play around with placement of images on your grid. I like to think of my Instagram page like a website – it should be attractive and organised. When visitors land on your page it should fill them with inspiration.

Create some templates and organise them in a fun way. For example, we hosted a series of Virtual Wedding Fayres so we simply created graphics with the initials ‘VWF’ and posted a sequence of posts to lay them out in different ways.

Profile picture

Make sure your profile picture is an image that suits being cropped into a circle. I’ve seen so many profile pictures with people’s heads chopped off, or logos with text half missing.

Also ensure it’s fairly high res so it’s super clear and easy to read if it includes any text.

I’d strongly recommend featuring your logo rather than an image of yourself, as this instantly distinguishes that you’re a business page and not a personal profile.

Bio

It needs to be super clear who you are and what you do so as soon as someone lands on your profile they’re not left asking any questions. Make sure you’ve got a precise and to-the-point tag line visible at the top of your bio.

I’d also recommend stating where you’re based so others in the industry and your clientele instantly know if they would like to make a connection. For example Chester, Cheshire.

Set a category to state your business type. Simply go to ‘Edit Profile’ then ‘Category’ and search for something appropriate.

Highlights

Highlights are a fantastic way or organising your stories into categories. It can be tricky to know what categories to create, so start by thinking about the most common things you post. You can publish any of your previous story posts into your highlights, so have a flick through your roll and begin posting.

Think about your colour palette when creating the cover for your highlight too. If you want to get really professional, you can create your own icons – but bear in mind that you need to publish these on your stories first to use them as your highlight cover.

Giant grid posts

One of the most common questions I get asked is how I create those giant images that take up multiple grids. It’s so easy! I use a free app called ‘Grid Post‘.

You simply upload the image to the app and decide how many grids you want to split it up between. I usually go for all 9 (a square post), but sometimes just 3 or 6 is a nice way of breaking up your feed.

That completes my run down of top tips for creating a beautiful Instagram page.

I hope it helps inspire you!

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Tags Blog, day, how to, planning, social media, succeed, tips, tricks, wedding, wedding blogger, wedding day, wedding fair, wedding fayres, wedding magazine, wedding planning, wedding show, weddings

Business Guidance

The Impact of Social Media at a Wedding Fayre – A Guide for Exhibitors (Part 3)

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date August 12, 2019
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Business Guidance

The Impact of Social Media at a Wedding Fayre – A Guide for Exhibitors (Part 3)

So, you’ve signed up to exhibit at a wedding fayre… now what? We are often asked by suppliers how they can make the most of their experience at a wedding show, so we felt inspired to create a series of blog posts containing our top tips to help inspire you and give you the best possible chances of succeeding. We’ll help you ensure every box is ticked to give you the best possible chance of securing those all important bookings.

This third and final post in the series focuses on the impact of social media at a Wedding Fayre and how you can use it to your benefit.

Use your followers

Every business has a following, and we encourage exhibitors to use this to their benefit. Our wedding shows host anywhere between 25 – 100 exhibitors, and with so many wedding specialists coming together the online reach can be extraordinary. It’s important that your followers are informed where they can next find you, and giving them an opportunity to meet you and chat to you face-to-face may just encourage a booking!

Marketing plan

We send a comprehensive marketing plan as part of our Exhibitor Manual to all exhibitors that attend our shows. This is made up of lots of ways they can help spread the word about the wedding show.

It’s essential that we work with exhibitors to help boost visitor numbers. While we have a great following with lots of excited couples and a fantastic list of pre-registered couples for each show, working together can result in even more people visiting the shows which gives suppliers a better chance of securing those all important bookings.

Continue social media at the show

Your social media presence at a wedding fayre is so important. Why not take a photograph of you at your stall and let your followers know you’ve arrived. We’d always recommend using the official hashtag (provided in the marketing plan) and tagging us in all of your posts so we can share to our following.

Wedding shows are also a fantastic way to network with other wedding specialists. Why not have a wonder around before show opening and exchange social media handles with fellow exhibitors.

We love helping to make connections. We always publish a list of exhibitors to our social media platforms and website prior to a Wedding Fayre, making it super easy for suppliers to connect in advance.

I hope that’s helped you understand the impact of social media at a wedding show.

Read Part 1: How To Prepare for a Wedding Fayre

Read Part 3: The Impact of Social Media at a Wedding Fayre and How To Use it to Your Benefit!

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Tags Blog, day, how to, planning, social media, succeed, tips, tricks, wedding, wedding blogger, wedding day, wedding fair, wedding fayres, wedding magazine, wedding planning, wedding show, weddings

Business Guidance

The Dos and Don’ts of Exhibiting at a Wedding Fayre – A Guide for Exhibitors (Part 2)

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date March 26, 2019
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The Dos and Don'ts of Exhibiting at a Wedding Fayre - A Guide for Exhibitors (Part 2)

This second post in the series is focused on the crucial dos and don’ts of exhibiting at a Wedding Fayre.

Do remain standing for the duration of the event if you can

You’ll appear much more welcoming and approachable to couples if you are standing. Additionally if space allows, try to stand to the side or in front of your stall.

Do have an incentive such as sweet treats on your stall

Having an incentive in viewing distance of the visitor like a sweet treat, or special offer will encourage brides to take advantage of this and engage in conversation.

Do collect couples details

Collecting couples details is very important because it will enable you to contact them after the show. It’s often the case that wedding shows are very busy with continuous fresh faces passing your stall. If you engage in a long conversation with a particular bride, it’s likely that you’ll miss potential customers that pass by. Therefore, it’s best to speak to brides but encourage them to write down their details so you can chat to them further after the fayre.

If you don’t quite manage to capture as many details as you would have liked, we always have all the bridal data available to purchase following a show.

Do make your services clear

It should be super clear who you are and what you can do. First impressions are everything. You don’t want to mislead brides or leave them confused as this could detract from potential business.

Do make sure all banners and promotional material are in good condition

I’ve seen multiple suppliers feature tatty banners on their stand that look like they’ve been around for about 10 years. It’s so important not just to keep banners fresh, but to update the artwork and wording to keep everything current.

Do have someone else helping you on the day

There’s a very high chance that you’ll spend the majority of your time speaking to multiple couples, and there may be times where you’re in such high demand with a line of people wishing to speak to you about your services. Try to bring a helping hand with you on the day. Preferably someone that knows a little about your business and can therefore pass the right information on to brides.

Do social media

Being active on social media is not just to help promote the fayre, but it’s to promote yourselves. We’re always hot on social media at our events, so it’s likely that anything you post will be shared on our platforms, allowing our brides and suppliers to connect with you.

There are lots of ways to become involved on social media. Live videos are a fantastic way of giving your followers a taste of the wedding fayre.

Don’t accept the standard furniture included with your space

I know this may seem odd as we offer a 6ft trestle table, plain white table cloth and chairs as standard across our shows, but not using this and creating your own unique set up sets you aside from the average stall and will make you stand out. Even switching the table cloth to one of your own can help. Around 90 – 95% of suppliers use the standard set up, so don’t be scared to be different. It can really pay off!

Don’t leave the show early or start breaking down before closing

Not only does leaving early look unprofessional, but you may miss potential business. It isn’t unusual for us to get a number of brides entering the show just before closing, and they may just be the ones that make a booking.

Don’t eat at your stall

I feel like this one is a little obvious, but we do see a lot of exhibitors sitting down and eating their lunch at their stall. This can be incredibly distracting for visitors and detract them from approaching you. This is another reason why you should have someone else attend the fayre with you on the day. It’s important that you take a well deserved break at a show.

Don’t forget to network

I met a lot of my contacts by attending wedding shows in my spare time, and it’s always lovely to chat to fellow suppliers. Why not head over to some stalls and follow them on social media – It’s likely they’ll return the favour.

We like to upload photographs of exhibitor stalls on our Instagram story during the show, and we always like to tag the supplier so make sure you’re on Instagram and return the favour by sharing the story to yours, and follow the tagged suppliers. This just makes connecting suppliers super easy.

I hope that’s helped you understand the crucial dos and don’ts of exhibiting at a Wedding Fayre.

Read Part 1: How To Prepare for a Wedding Fayre

Read Part 3: The Impact of Social Media at a Wedding Fayre and How To Use it to Your Benefit!

Photo credit: Viola Jay Photography

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Tags Blog, day, how to, planning, succeed, tips, tricks, wedding, wedding blogger, wedding day, wedding fair, wedding fayres, wedding magazine, wedding planning, wedding show, weddings

Business Guidance

How To Prepare for a Wedding Fayre: A Guide for Exhibitors (Part 1)

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date March 3, 2019
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Business Guidance

How to Prepare for a Wedding Fayre: A Guide for Exhibitors (Part 1)

This first post in the series is all about preparing for a wedding fayre.

Your Brand

Branding is super important because not only is it what makes a memorable impression and distinguishes you from others, but it allows your customers and clients to know what to expect from your company.

Your logo is the most important element of your branding because it is the face of the company, so it should be memorable and used across your promotional material.

Colours and themes should also remain consistent throughout.

We would strongly advise having the following literature & promotional material featured at a wedding fayre:

• A large promotional banner – this may be a roller banner style, or why not get creative and make your own frame to hang your promotional material

• Business Cards

• Flyers / leaflets – this should contain more details on your business and what you’re able to offer couples

We’ve previously seen exhibitors offer a sweet treat or incentive attached to their business card. This is a very good idea as it helps couples remember you, and you’ll stand out for all the best reasons.

It’s also a good idea to have a treat available for children as they’re often brought to wedding fayres, and this is always massively appreciated by the parents because it keeps them quiet!

All items you hand out should include your contact details and website to make it easy for couples to get in touch following the event.

Your Stall

When you are exhibiting alongside top industry professionals and your competitors, you must at all times strive to outshine them. After all, visitors will be bombarded with information and will see so many new faces so help them to remember you.

Your exhibition space should be eye catching and completely irresistible for couples to approach. Why not include something wacky like a dog stuffed toy in a wedding dress? That way when it comes to emailing the couples you met you can start with “I was the exhibitor with the dressed up dog on my stall!” It will make them smile.

It’s essential that visitors recognise the kind of services you offer as soon as they see your stall. Your key message should strike a chord with your audience. It should summarise what you are offering and why your consumer needs it. There are often 30+ different exhibitors at a single wedding fayre, so it’s very easy for brides to get distracted by the variety. Don’t leave them confused about what you do because they’ll give up guessing very quickly.

We highly recommend setting up a mock stall at home. Being prepared in advance to the show means you’ll have time to play around with your space at home, and you’ll have a list of exactly everything you need to bring on the day, avoiding bringing any unnecessary items or forgetting anything!

Goody Bags

Goody bags are something we know couples love which is why we like to have them available across our wedding fayres. These goody bags are filled with special offers and discounts from exhibitors, as well as other treats.

We don’t charge a fee to advertise in our goody bags if a supplier is exhibiting at the show, so take the opportunity! By featuring your literature in the goody bags brides are guaranteed to walk away with your details (and a great special offer they can’t resist).

A lot of couples don’t tend to begin the process of sifting through exhibitor literature until they get home, so another benefit of promoting in goody bags is they’ll come across your details when they’re at their most proactive.

Setting an Incentive

One of the top reasons why couples like to visit wedding shows is to make the most of the exhibitor special offers and discounts.

Having an incentive can hugely increase chances of bookings, so it’s important you think carefully about what you could offer. If you don’t want to discount the price of your service or package then you could throw in a freebie instead. Either way this acts as a great incentive and will encourage visitors to engage in conversation.

An offer that’s usually quite effective is a freebie for members of the brides / grooms parties, for example, a florist may offer five free gentlemen’s buttonholes when they book.

We’d recommend extending your special offer for up to a week after the wedding fayre because some couples prefer to book after the event once they’ve had a chance to look at your services in more detail.

I hope you’ve gained some useful tips and tricks on how to prepare for a Wedding Fayre. To view our line up of shows, please click here. We’re always looking to connect with more suppliers so please get in touch.

Read Part 2: The Dos and Don’ts of Exhibiting at a Wedding Fayre

Read Part 3: The Impact of Social Media at a Wedding Fayre and How To Use it to Your Benefit

Photo credit: Chelsey Leigh Photography

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Tags Blog, day, how to, planning, succeed, tips, tricks, wedding, wedding blogger, wedding day, wedding fair, wedding fayres, wedding magazine, wedding planning, wedding show, weddings

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Bridal Prep: How To Survive the Getting Ready Process (+ FREE schedule template!)

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date August 13, 2018

Your wedding day has finally arrived! You’ve probably not slept much the night before, and are conscious that numerous people are going to begin bundling through your front door any moment. So how can you keep calm and focused? How can you actually survive and enjoy the should-be-exciting getting ready process?

I was very lucky to get married in June this year, and I was really looking forward to having all my bridesmaids and closest family members around whilst I got ready, but I knew I had to prepare and I have a lot of tips that can help you survive the getting ready process (and actually enjoy it!).

Source: atravelersheartphoto.com

It’s all in the prep

I’d highly recommend getting as organised as possible in advance to the day. This will avoid rushing around trying to get everything done on the morning of.

Buy some yummy nibbles, a range of drinks (soft and bubbly), make sure all the bathrooms are clean and beds are fresh for a relaxed start. I also arranged designated areas for the hair stylists and makeup artists to set up and prepared it for their arrival.

I also prepared a Spotify playlist, filled with feel good songs to play throughout the morning. You can listen and download it here.

Print off your morning schedule

I created a morning schedule with all the important events of the morning listed. This included things like what time the photographer was due to arrive, what time to leave for the church etc. Basically anything I needed to remember I put into the schedule.

Click here to download and print your own wedding morning schedule.

Remember to sit down & relax

It’s so important to take some time out to chill, have a bite to eat and drink lots of water. The time goes very quickly so it’s good to enjoy the moment.

Get dressed in plenty of time

The bridesmaids and Mother of the Bride should get into their dresses around 45 minutes before leaving, then they can all assist you.

My bridesmaids totally underestimated the amount of time if takes to get into dresses (sorry ladies!). The final half hour turned into a mad rush to get everyone dressed and out the door. The bridal cars were outside eagerly anticipating our departure, but the neighbours kept them chatting!

It’s important to remember that it will take the longest time to get you into your dress (especially if you have buttons running all down the back like I did!) so get your bridesmaids to help as soon as they’re dressed.

I hope you’ve gained some tips and tricks to getting ready on your wedding day. Don’t forget that you can access my library of free planning resources by clicking here.

Tags Blog, bride, budget, day, groom, help, how to, ideas, inspiration, pinterest, planning, service, wedding, weddings

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6 Things Brides Wish They’d Done Differently on Their Wedding Day

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date May 9, 2017
No Comments on 6 Things Brides Wish They’d Done Differently on Their Wedding Day

Planning your wedding can be a tough journey – to say the least. Brides often rely on the likes of Pinterest and Bridal magazines to gain inspiration on the current trends and themes, and Bridal Forums can be a planning saviour.

Your wedding day is quite possibly one of the most important and memorable days of your life. This comes with an immense amount of pressure for everything to be perfect.

But what would REAL Brides have done differently if they could plan their wedding again?

We asked a selection of past Brides this exact question and put their responses in a blog post for you to relish.

Had a photograph with their nearest and dearest

The day is often such an overwhelming blur that it’s easy to forget to be photographed with the people you love the most. Discuss your requirements with the photographer prior to the wedding and they’ll give you a little nudge on the day to prompt the important shots.

Having a photobooth or disposal cameras on tables make it easy for guests to grab shots together.

Had a wedding video

This is the number one biggest Bridal regret. Having decent photographs is one thing, but a wedding video truly captures the day.

Those that organised a professional to shoot the whole day on film were really glad they had spent the extra money.

Lived in the moment

A lot of Brides become so overwhelmed on their wedding day that they forget to take a step back, breathe and just look at what they’ve created.

It’s your day, so don’t end up annoyed that you didn’t enjoy every minute of it because you were running around making sure everyone is happy.

Hired a Wedding Planner

We couldn’t count the amount of times we’ve heard “I wish I’d had a Wedding Planner”.

Sooo many brides only realise how stressful planning their wedding would be after their big day, and they desperately wish they’d reached out for some help and guidance before it all got too much.

We can be on site for your entire day to ensure everything runs smoothly, as well as helping with your styling and decor.

Taken a spare pair of comfortable shoes

What ruins a night? Sore feet!

Don’t forget that you’ll be wearing your wedding shoes since mid morning. Your feet are bound to throb as the day progresses. Have your Maid of Honour look after some comfy flats for you.

Letting the stress take over

The day will go extremely quickly, so it’s important to make the most of it and truly enjoy every moment.

I think it’s better to accept that there will be minor hiccups on the day. Then you can at least prepare yourself for this.

Tags Blog, brides, day, differently, footwear, groom, how to, photography, plan, planner, planning, post, shoes, stress, things, videography, wedding, wish

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The Impact of Social Media at a Wedding Fayre – A Guide for Exhibitors (Part 3)

Use your followers

Marketing plan

Continue social media at the show

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The Dos and Don'ts of Exhibiting at a Wedding Fayre - A Guide for Exhibitors (Part 2)

Do remain standing for the duration of the event if you can

Do have an incentive such as sweet treats on your stall

Do collect couples details

Do make your services clear

Do make sure all banners and promotional material are in good condition

Do have someone else helping you on the day

Do social media

Don’t accept the standard furniture included with your space

Don’t leave the show early or start breaking down before closing

Don’t eat at your stall

Don’t forget to network

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