Tag: wedding planning

Wild Beach Elopement in Cornwall

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date June 23, 2022
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Real Wedding

Wild Beach Elopement in Cornwall

The couple kept their wedding a secret from friends and family, eloping at Lower Barns in Cornwall, followed by an intimate celebration on the beach.

Kayleigh always knew Zoe was the one, and that they would eventually get married. The proposal, although it was put together with so much thought, came at a spontaneous and authentic time. “I created a book of all the things I love about Kayleigh on the website Love Book Online, calling it The Story of Us. I knew I wanted to use it to propose but didn’t know when I’d do it, so would add pages to the book every day on my bus ride home from work. About 11 months and 69 pages later, I finally finished so I started thinking about the setting of my proposal.”

“I’m so bad at keeping surprises a secret from Kayleigh as I get overexcited and end up letting slip, so I knew organising something without giving anything away would be hard. I suggested a breakfast picnic at sunrise on West Wittering beach for my birthday, thinking with it being my birthday, she wouldn’t be suspicious of the extra effort. However, a few days before we were having one of our favourite evenings lounging on the sofa, eating and binge-watching Line of Duty and we were so happy and content that I realised that rather than try and create the perfect moment, this was the perfect moment.”

“Whilst Kayleigh was getting ready for bed, I put the book and ring under my pillow and waited, trying to hide my excitement and not grin like a Cheshire Cat. Once she got into bed, I told her I’d bought her something and gave her the book. When she finally got to page 67, I started manoeuvring myself onto one knee with the ring in hand. She then turned the final page to a caricature of me asking “Kayleigh, will you marry me?”. Weirdly enough, and without knowing it, I started the book on 1st May 2018 and proposed on 1st May 2019. We were in our little love bubble, curled up on the sofa and I had no idea that I would be engaged by the time I went to sleep!”.

The wedding day started with breakfast brought to the couple’s room by host Janie at Lower Barns. “Neither of us were nervous, we’d kept it a secret for 14 months and were so excited the day was finally here! Our hair stylist and makeup artist then arrived and made us feel like absolute queens. As it was an intimate ceremony, with just the two of us (aside from Paul & Suz – The Twigs witnessing), there were no outside influences which may have caused any stress and the day was very chilled. Once we were married, and after some cream scones and Champagne, the four of us went on a mini road trip around Cornwall looking for places to take photos, ending the day eating burgers and drinking shakes at Hub Box.”

The couples then arrived at Watergate Bay. “We continued to take photos, not realising it was high tide. We found a spot and started shooting but didn’t anticipate how quickly the tide would come in. For the most part we were stood on a rock so didn’t get too wet but poor Paul & Suz got soaked! As no one knew we were eloping we commissioned a Mrs & Mrs pennant and a vintage number plate saying ‘Happily Hitched’ with the idea of using a photo of them to announce our marriage to our family and friends.”

“Just do you. It’ll be one of the most special days in your lifetime, which hopefully you’ll only do once, so it should be exactly how you want it to be. When you look back at your photos you want to be reminded of how perfect it was, rather than remember the things you had to compromise on to make others happy.”

Suppliers:
Photography: Twigs Branch Photography
Venue: Lower Barns
Flowers: Flourish Studio
Kayleigh’s Skirt: Sweet Caroline
Kayleigh’s Top, Zoe’s Trousers & Zoe’s Corset: Rose Savage Bridal
Makeup: Suzi Winter
Hair Stylist: Hair by Emma C
Rings: Baroque Jewellery
Pennant: Oxford Pennant
Number Plate: Slates Plates

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Styled Shoot

Bridgerton Inspired Wedding Shoot

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date June 9, 2022
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Styled Shoots

Bridgerton Inspired Wedding Shoot

Bouquet & Bells together with Tanya from Tanya Flannagan Photography co-coordinated this opulent Bridgerton-inspired styled shoot. As a result of the hit TV series, Bridgerton, the regency wedding theme is on the rise and we wanted to create a shoot to showcase our twist on the trend. It was important to us to pay meticulous details to every element of the shoot, and our aim was to execute the theme in a way that the small details all came together beautifully. The colour scheme was based around pastel colours with particular focus on peaches and pinks with a pop of sky blue.

The shoot was held at Hawkstone Hall and Gardens, a Grade 1-listed building nestled within the hills of the rolling Shropshire countryside. Their ‘Saloon’ dining room, intimate ceremony room and picturesque outdoor space burst with opulence and grandeur, making them the ideal location. Elizabeth Josh Films produced a stunning short film and captured the day spectacularly.

Surrey-based dressmaker Felicity West Macott provided three handmade gowns for the shoot. A peach gown with bardot neckline and corset back was the start of the show, as Felicity had made it bespoke for the shoot. Other gowns featured a long pink ombré train with bell sleeves, and a floral embroidered jumpsuit. Star and Leaf provided a selection of handmade veils, paired beautifully with a bejewelled headpiece by Six Penny Bride. A pair of kitten heel white lace shoes with pink bows finished the look. The model’s hair was styled by Bella Amore Hair Salon, and the makeup was kept classic by Made up by Cathryn. Diamond drop earrings and beautiful rings were provided by London Victorian Ring Co. The groom wore a grey tail suit from Bill Child Formal Wear paired with light grey slim tie.

An abundance of florals were provided by Ginger Lily Florist in pink and peach tones with foliage. The bouquet was big and wild in a waterfall style. Wild Meadow Weddings and Ginger Lily collaborated on the table decor, opting for a long banquet style with blue linen from Coloured Linen Hire. A range of gold vases complete with crockery and goblet glassware made the Saloon fit for a regal banquet. Classic stationery by White Orchid Print and Design finished it off beautifully.

A pale blue four-tier cake with white icing detail in a baroque style was created by Susan from Elizabeth Anna Cake Design. It stood tall on an elegant white cake stand, surrounded by a range of delicious accompaniments including marshmallows, doughnuts, meringues and more, also made by Susan. The real start of the show was Kaiser, a Shire horse fully dressed for the occasion and pulling black open-top carriage courtesy of Huddart Heavy Horses.

Suppliers:
Organisers & concept: Bouquet & Bells & Tanya Flannagan Photography
Photography: Tanya Flannagan Photography
Videography: Elizabeth & Josh Films
Venue: Hawkstone Hall Hotel & Gardens
Bespoke Gowns: Felicity Westmacott
Suits: Bill Child Formal Wear
Veil: Star & Leaf Veil
Brides Shoes: Becci Boo’s Custom Shoes
Crown: Six Penny Bride
Rings & Earrings: London Victorian Ring Co
Flowers: GingerLily
Styling: Wild Meadow Weddings & Events
Cake: Elizbaeth Anna Cake Design
Stationery: White Orchid Print & Design
Makeup: Made up by Cathryn
Hair: Bella Amore Hair
Horse & Carriage: Huddart Heavy Horses
Celebrant: Celebrant Jen Walker
Table linen: Coloured Linen Hire
Models: Francesca Fleur and Blaise Gapp

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Tags Blog, bridgerton inspo, Bridgerton theme, inspiration, inspo, peach theme, pink and peach, pink theme, planning, regency wedding, venue, wedding, wedding blogger, wedding day, wedding magazine, wedding planning, weddings

Styled Shoot

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

Styled Shoot

Bright and Bold in the Woods

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date May 26, 2022
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Styled Shoots

Bright and bold in the woods

We had been desperate to plan a bright & bold shoot for quite some time; something that wasn’t afraid to stand out and push the style boundaries. So, when the opportunity arose to combine our colourful vision with a rustic woodland venue we jumped at it. Cheshire Woodland Weddings’ romantic outdoor ceremony area together with their rustic wooden barn made the perfect location. We handpicked a close-net selection of quality, local suppliers and my vision was brought to life.

Photographer Jessica O’Shaughessy captured all elements of the shoot perfectly. Her style of photography fell hand-in-hand for a colourful theme and the images beautifully reflected all elements of the day. Hannah from Hannah Williamson Flowers created a killer flower crown for model Jo, paired with a beautiful bouquet. Model Kieran fashioned two different suits, each provided by Groom. One featured a quirky pocket garden; a really unique concept that we just adore! Coloured smoke bombs added even more ‘WOW’ and really stood out against the woodland backdrop. Dainty jam jars with colourful stems continued the theme of bright and bold down the woodland aisle. Colourful heart-shaped confetti was hand thrown and shot out of cannons supplied by Your Confetti.

Sam created two different hair looks, each very natural and effortless including accessories by Cassie M Bridal Accessories. Kavita from Magic Mirror Bridal Makeup kept Jo’s makeup very soft and gentle with bronze eyeshadow and a neutral pink lip. The looks was darkened and made more evening appropriate for shots in the barn. Hanni from My Funny Valentine supplied two beautiful bridal gowns. The first was Saffron by Evie Young, an a-line gown with beautiful leaf pattern detail. The second was Lansbury by Pronovias, a strapless mermaid gown with beautiful beading and glitz detail. My personal favourite detail were the angel wings. They attached around Jo’s upper arms and effortlessly blew in the wind which just looked so beautiful in the images, and it’s a fantastic alternative to a traditional veil.

The styling really came to life in the magical rustic barn. A stunning tables cape featured beautiful blooms, placed in a statement gold vase and various glass jars. Coloured tall candles added an element of height to the table along with an element of romance. Vintage crockery supplied by Sweetpea & Ivy was an elegant and quirky alternative that looked gorgeous against the wooden panelling of the barn and dark wash wooden farmhouse table. Individual luxe white menus with rose gold wax seal detail created by Knock Knock Penny Studio finished the look.

The cake was a real showstopper. Julie from The Red Rose Cake Company together with Hannah worked together to create an elegant but vibrant design. A stunning white three-tier with cascading bright florals sat on a wooden barrel. A mouth-watering grazing table was provided by Cheeky Chilli Events. A cold meat platter, delicate macarons and a selection of local cheeses were just some of the delicious treats that featured. Trust me when I say the macarons were absolutely delicious!

Suppliers:
Organiser and concept: Bouquet & Bells
Photography: Jessica O’Shaughessy Photography
Venue: Cheshire Woodland Weddings
Cake: The Red Rose Cake Co
Dresses: My Funny Valentine
Suits: Groom
Hair Stylist: Samantha Gannon Hair
Makeup: Magic Mirror Bridal Makeup
Accessories: Cassie M Bridal Accessories
Flowers: Hannah Williamson Flowers
Stationery: Knock Knock Penny Studio
Graze Table & Desert Table: Cheeky Chilli Events
Vintage Crockery: Sweetpea & Ivy
Confetti: Your Confetti
Models: Jo & Kieran from A Couple of Models

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Tags Blog, bright and bold, bright wedding, colourful wedding, inspiration, inspo, planning, rustic, rustic wedding, venue, wedding, wedding blogger, wedding day, wedding magazine, wedding planning, weddings

Styled Shoot

Inclusion Revolution at Bouton Hall

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date May 19, 2022
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Styled Shoots

Inclusion Revolution at Bourton Hall

Shannon & Jack are Cheshire and London-based filmmakers. Their life was flipped upside down when Shannon injured her spine and became wheelchair bound. They were planning their own wedding at the time and Shannon felt totally alienated when there was no visible disabilities published in any magazines or online blogs.

“I couldn’t find one inspirational shoot or wedding that featured any kind of disability. No wheelchairs, no walking sticks, no visible disabilities. I reached out to fellow disabled brides and grooms and found the story didn’t stop there. There were brides fighting to find dress shops or venues with wheelchair access, and people of all visible and invisible disabilities feeling isolated and completely disheartened. So, Jack and I decided to build a wedding film and photo business that was inclusive of ALL bodies. We set our sights on starting a campaign of styled shoots that featured visibly disabled models, with an aim to inspire couples to dream big no matter their circumstances!”

They were inspired to start a campaign of bridal shoots to encourage disabled couples to dream big on their wedding day and give them hope.

‘I reached out to Zebedee Talent Management, an inclusive modelling agency of all bodies and disabilities, and decided to collaborate with models, Georgina and Rafi. Georgina says, “Representation is almost existent. It’s like it’s forgotten that disabled people also get married. We are still very much human and we dream of our big day”.

Bourton Hall, a stunning Italianate style mansion in Warwickshire, was the decided venue to hold this shoot. “As a team we decided to go big, refusing to allow any of their disabilities to limit our creativity, but only enhance it! Romina designed the most beautiful gown that could be comfortably worn in the wheelchair. The Country Garden Florist designed floral pieces to surround and highlight Georgina’s two wheelchairs, including her mobility chair by TGA mobility. And Neo Walk designed a pair of walking sticks for the models, including a slick T-shape design in black and white for the groom, which completed Rafi’s suave black and white suit and bow tie.”

A gold accent was used throughout the styling of the shoot, along with a neutral Italian-inspired colour palette. This was highlights in the wedding cake by Amalina Bakes. “Elizabeth Terzza created nature-inspired custom accessories from recycled gold, including a stunning golden tiara. Events by Keenda designed a tablescape, accompanied by beautifully handcrafted stationery by The Whole Caboodle. Hannah Finn and Moira Borg created two looks for Georgina; the first was her more natural look for her bridal prep shoot. FOr extra luxury, Roisin Reuss sent us lingerie and a bridal robe! Georgina’s second hair and makeup look featured her in her wedding dress, compelted with a delicate pair of hand-crafted bridal shoes created by Di Hassall and detailed veil designed by Rebecca Anne Designs”.

“We hope this shoot is a message and beacon of hope to bring disability awareness to the forefront of the wedding industry, and that it inspires couples and fellow suppliers to become advocates of the inclusion revolution movement. This is just the beginning!”

Suppliers:
Photography, Videography & Concept: Forever Curious
Planner: Events by Keenda
Venue: Bouton Hall
Cake: Amalina Bakes
Dress: Romina Fochesatto
Makeup: Hannah Finn
Hair Stylist: Moira Borg
Veil: Rebecca Anne Designs
Lingerie: Rousin Reuss
Stationery: The Whole Caboodle
Flowers: The Country Garden Florist
Jewellery: Elizabeth Terzza Jewellery
Shoes: Di Hassall
Walking Sticks: Neo Walk Sticks
Power Chair: TGA Mobility
Corocheted Wheelchair Covers: Simeli
Body Candles: Caria Candles
Silk Fabrics: Laik Style
Nails: Nails by Marie
Model Agency: Zebedee Talent Management
Models: Georgina Wasdall & Rafi Solaiman

THE FACE BEHIND THE BUSINESS

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Tags bouquet & bells wedding, forever curious, how to, inclusion revolution, shoot, styled shoot, wedding blogger, wedding day, wedding magazine, wedding planning, weddings

Styled Shoot

Release Your Inner Viking

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date May 17, 2022
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Styled Shoots

Release Your Inner Viking

An alternative Viking themed wedding shoot located at Trevor Quarry in North Wales.

Coordinated by Bouquet & Bells with the concept by The Red Rose Cake Company and photography by Twigs Branch Photography.

Bouquet & Bells recently coordinated this organised shoot, and the concept was quite literally dreamt up by Julie from The Red Rose Cake Company. Julie lives near Llangollen and often walks her 4-legged friend among the quarries and hills. She stumbled across this jaw-dropping limestone quarry location and just knew it would be the perfect setting for the Viking theme.

Bouquet & Bells sourced a close-net team of suppliers and everyone worked extremely hard to bring the theme to life. Props were taken from our own homes including a wooden axe, antique mallet and drinking horn for an authentic look. The overall styling was kept very minimal as we endeavoured to make it appear as if the couple had just eloped together.

Twigs Branch Photography’s epic creativity and editing style made them perfect photographers for this shoot. The intimacy between Harley & David was captured beautifully and the warm-toned images gave the harsh landscape a softness and elegance.

Damian created the most breath-taking short film. He used a drone to swoop over the stunning landscape, and had another camera on-foot to capture Harley and David.

The cake was a striking 4-tier statement with real-leather-look detailing and studs. It was mounted on a rock draped with a reindeer fur throw, finished beautifully with natural foliage and an animal skull.

Harley wore a full-length v-neck gown in a neutral linen. Her hair was kept very rugged with subtle curls and silver hair beads. David’s hair was placed into a topknot and kept very wild. Both models fashioned black and white tribal face paint with a bold smokey eye and Harley paired it with a rusty red lip. Handpicked jewellery and accessories together with a flower crown added a bit of glam and gave a nod to the more modern-day wedding. David wore a grey tweed suit and a linen shirt to match Harley’s dress. Both finished the look with cool Dr Martens, perfect for climbing the harsh terrain.

Caroline from Flowers at the Dutch Barn used a mix of warm-toned fresh flowers. The bouquet was kept fairly minimal and tied with a deep red velvet ribbon.

Uniquely Styled, the sister company of Tipi Unique, provided real fur throws and cushions to add a touch of softness to the scene.

Suppliers:
Planning: Bouquet & Bells
Concept & Cake: The Red Rose Cake Company
Photography: Twigs Branch Photography
Videography: Damian Kelly Media
Flowers: Flowers at the Dutch Barn
Hair & Makeup: Cassie M Bridal
Jewellery & Accessories: Cassie M Bridal Accessories
Props: Uniquely Styled
Models: Harley & David (Alternatively Wed)

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Tags alt wedding, alternative, alternative wedding, Blog, inspiration, inspo, planning, viking inspiration, viking theme, wedding, wedding blogger, wedding day, wedding magazine, wedding planning, weddings

Latest news

30+ money saving tips for your wedding

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date April 21, 2022
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Inspiration

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

Latest news

Introducing our Magazine Subscription Service

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date August 2, 2021
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Inspiration

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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The Magazine

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.

Sign up to our Mailing List

Sign up to our mail list and stay up-to-date with the latest news, articles, inspiration and more!
Plus get 15% off your first order of Bouquet & Bells / The Magazine when you sign up.

Sign up to our mail list and get 15% off your first
order of Bouquet & Bells / The Magazine!

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

Latest news

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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The Magazine

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.

Sign up to our Mailing List

Sign up to our mail list and stay up-to-date with the latest news, articles, inspiration and more!
Plus get 15% off your first order of Bouquet & Bells / The Magazine when you sign up.

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order of Bouquet & Bells / The Magazine!

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

Meet the Supplier

Meet the Supplier: DaisyBell Photography

Post author By Claire Boon
Post date June 8, 2020

As part of our brand new series, we’re so exited to be interviewing a selection of fantastic wedding specialists. We take pride in recommending the finest in the industry, and hope this series will help connect you with suppliers for your wedding day.

Today, we’re thrilled to introduce Lancashire based Wedding Photographer DaisyBell Photography.

Tell us more

I am a Lancashire based Wedding Photographer, covering the whole of the UK and destination Weddings. I love colour and happiness and the excitement of all of my couples special days, and I have a relaxed, natural, documentary style approach to photography and I love experimenting with light.

What makes you different?

My natural and friendly approach I feel really appeals to my couples. I am very laid back and I love the candid style of photography. I will take the more formal photos for Grandma and Grandads to be proud of but I feel my couples really appreciate getting to see all the happy, natural smiles and laughter of their friends and family and special moments they might have missed throughout the day. I stay in the background all day you will not know I am there, waiting for and hunting down those perfect shots.

How did it all start?

I have always had a love of photography since leaving university with a creative design degree in 2006. I started my business after some of my friends asked me to photograph their weddings after seeing my hobby of street photography grow. Since then, my business has grown from strength to strength and I have been fortunate to photography some amazing weddings both in the UK and abroad.

Why should couples choose you?

I am super friendly and I love to really get to know my couples before their big day as this really helps create a unique relationship between us. We go for coffee at their venue before their wedding day and take a walk around the grounds to discuss where they would like their portrait session. Some of my couples have even become friends!

Words of wisdom

Take your time and enjoy the run up to your big day. Even though it may seem like a lifetime away, you will never get this time back. Prepare yourself for an amazingly emotional day, cherish every moment and make sure to make memories that will last a life time. Take time out as a couple on your Wedding Day, go for a glass of champagne on your own and just enjoy the moment you have to yourselves.