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Here is a selection of Q&As from An Essex Wedding magazine whether it be about flowers, hair and makeup, fashion, wedding themes, health & beauty, cakes, stationery, legal advice. If you would like your question answered by our experts, please email it to editor@anessex.wedding
To view more expert advice on a different topic, please select one from the list below.
Winter Warmers
| Q | I'm having a winter wedding. I want it to be super cosy. Are venues allowed to light firepits or is this not allowed. Any cosy ideas welcome! |
| A | Fiona Pardoe says: We love the idea of a winter wedding and Houchins couldn't be more cosy! We have a number of firepits you can hire from our extensive props list and we will keep them lit all night on the terrace for you and your guests. There's also a beautiful open fireplace inside the venue adding warmth and atmosphere to your winter wedding. To really experience the warmth of a Houchins winter wedding we'd recommend our 'Fireside Wedding Offer' which includes accommodation in the listed farmhouse for up to 14 guests the night before your wedding day! Do ask your venue about all the cosy options available so you have all the information to hand before you book. |
Fiona Pardoe, Houchins Barn
Wedfest Planning
| Q | We've just started planning our festival-themed wedding for next summer but we're not sure where to start. Do you have any suggestions on how we can make our idea come to life? |
| A | Mandy Mahil says: Considering a festival-themed wedding? It's a popular choice for its relaxed vibe and emphasis on fun over formality. However, finding the perfect venue is crucial for making your vision a reality without breaking the bank. Ensure the outdoor space is ample and suitable for your needs, and check if the venue holds a wedding license for legal ceremonies so you can do everything in one day. Battleswick Farm has a 200-year-old chestnut tree licensed for legal ceremonies. Catering is another essential aspect. Food trucks are often desired for a true festival feel, so make sure the venue allows external caterers or offers a buy-out option. DIY decorations are a great way to personalise your day, but involving family and friends is essential due to the time involved. It always takes a lot longer than you think to make items yourself so start early. Consider the scale of decorations for the venue to ensure they have the desired impact. If you are decorating large scale spaces such as barns and fields, what looks big on your dining table will appear much smaller in situ. When it comes to flowers, I know many brides like to create their own floral arrangements. These days you can work with a professional florist and make your own creations. Susie at Wivenhoe Flowers comes highly recommended for her expertise and guidance. Grown in her polytunnel, she'll guide you through the seasonal floral calendar and leave you to cut your own flowers, buying by the bucket. By nailing these key elements, you can create the festival wedding of your dreams while staying within your budget. |
Mandy Mahil, Battleswick Farm
Intimately Yours
| Q | What are the pros of a small winter wedding? |
| A | Justin Mullender says: Small weddings give you the chance to spend more wedding day budget and more time with your closest family and friends, the people who matter the most. Intimate weddings give you the perfect excuse to exclude extended family, random friends or to reduce the number of children without offending anyone. Cosy winter weddings for up to 30 guests are a popular choice at Pig & Whistle Restaurant. We're a romantic and intimate venue with a chilled ambiance, warm lighting and magical winter decoration. |
Justin Mullender, Pig and Whistle
Our Day, Our Way
| Q | A few of my friends have got married recently, and I'm worried my wedding isn't going to stand out. How can I add something special to my big day? |
| A | Fiona Pardoe says: Each and every wedding at Houchins is original and we love our couples to add their own personal touches to make their day stand out and have a special meaning for them. Laura and Ollie had friends and family make individual origami butterflies which were then hung from the grids in the Grainstore which decorated the dining barn beautifully, subtly incorporating their guests in the day. Another bride had her and her partner's initials embroidered into her veil and also onto banners which hung in the Grainstore - personalising the whole look of the day. You could even have individual cakes made with your initials to serve as dessert for each guest. Or why not entertain your guests in style? One of our couples asked us to install card tables up on the mezzanine to give a casino vibe! Just talk your ideas through with your venue and see what they can accommodate! |
Fiona Pardoe, Houchins Barn
Take A Seat
| Q | I have to adorn my chairs at the venue as they are plain and wooden. I want them to look chic and boho - nothing too fussy. What can you suggest? |
| A | Amanda Ferris says: Adding a subtle drape to plain wooden chairs will give a stunning look to match in with the floral decorations. Most weddings have a white theme running through the décor, so adding a white drape with a simple green eucalyptus sprig, adds an elegant overall look. Your own personal colours can be added with the hint of the green sprig running through the theme. I love sage green which has been a popular colour and will continue going into 2024. Chair décor is as important as adding the flowers or centrepieces to the wedding's overall look. Hiring chairs of a different style such as the cross backs instead of chivaris chairs can give more interest. Or how about wicker thrones for the bride and groom to stand out at the wedding breakfast? These little extras mean you can add your own personality into your chic, boho theme. |
Amanda Ferris, Bowtastic Chair Covers and Drapes
Three Is The Magic Number
| Q | What are the three most important questions to ask when booking your wedding venue? |
| A | The Wedding Team says: The team at Wivenhoe House (WH) aways recommend asking the following: Do you do more than one wedding on the same day? One wedding per day means all of our attention is on you and you're not battling with any other wedding party. Secondly: Are you dog friendly? More and more people are wanting their fur family members as part of their special day, and we are more than happy to oblige at WH! Finally: Do you do bespoke weddings? We say, your wedding, your way. Here, from your very first enquiry you are given an allocated wedding coordinator who will be able to work with you to create the day of your dreams. |
The Wedding Team, Wivenhoe House
The Great Outdoors
| Q | My fiancé and I have just started looking for our dream wedding venue, and we'd like to get married outside. What should we keep in mind before booking? |
| A | Angie Roberts says: There are lots of things to consider when looking for an outside venue, but most importantly, you have to choose somewhere that fits with your theme and simply takes your breath away. For example, do you want something in the woodland, by the waterside, in a garden, or perhaps a more historic backdrop? There are so many different options, so do your research well. Also, if it's easy for your guests to walk to, especially those with mobility issues, and does the venue offer any assistance (at That Amazing Place we have a golf buggy to transport elderly guests!)? Not forgetting the walk for the bride, of course! Remember to ask the wedding co-ordinator where you walk from and what route you take to get to the ceremony area. Another really important part of an outdoor ceremony is the sound. Ask the venue if they provide a mic and speakers for the registrar, so that your guests can hear the registrar/celebrant and enjoy the ceremony. Finally, make sure you also look at the indoor option for the venue. As much as you may dream of an outdoor ceremony, UK weather is unpredictable, so you have to make sure you're 100 per cent with the indoor ceremony room too! |
Angie Roberts, That Amazing Place
Fur babies welcome
| Q | I'd love to bring my fur baby, a golden cockapoo, to our wedding but I just don't know how to broach the subject with the venues. Is this a common ask? |
| A | Angie Roberts says: Don't be nervous, this is becoming a standard question at viewings lately, as more and more couples want their dogs to be involved in their weddings. At That Amazing Place we love dogs and are totally dog friendly. They can even stay overnight, so you won't have the worry of who will look after them whilst all your family and friends are celebrating with you. |
Angie Roberts, That Amazing Place
Question time
| Q | What kind of questions should we ask wedding venues when being shown around? |
| A | Nicola Denny says: The most obvious is to check capacity, making sure the rooms you want to use can hold all the guests you need them to. Ceremony licensing is another key question if you're looking for a legal ceremony on site. You should therefore check this is something a prospective venue can offer, as not all have a ceremony license. However, this doesn't mean you can't use the venue, but you may have to sign the legal documents on another occasion, or have a celebrant conduct a ceremony for you at the venue. It's also worth asking if there are any additional costs, as some venues charge clean up or rubbish disposal fees. You don't want to be sweeping up or taking rubbish home after your wedding day! Finally, be sure to ask if there's a coordinator/manager on the day to make sure everything happens smoothly, as worrying about timings on your wedding day shouldn't be your concern. |
Nicola Denny, St Osyth Priory
