Tag Archives: Wedding Ideas

Alternative Twists For Your Reception

It’s easy to add quirky touches here and there that will make your wedding unique. The perfect place to do this is at the reception; it offers the best opportunities to do something different. Stray away from tradition, or add your own twist to it. Today on Marry Me Ink, I’m posting just a few ideas to get you started.

1) Modernise your guest book

Wedding guest books are a fantastic way to involve your guests in your special day, and create something that you can both look back on for years to come. People can leave messages and pieces of advice, but who says it has to just be a book? 

il_570xN.681057450_bt8k-1Cascading Champagne Tower Signature Guestbook“i do” it yourself

How about leaving a golden-framed canvas for your guests to write on, so you can hang it in your home as a constant reminder of your beautiful day? Or instead, have a jar with tokens that guests can write on – it could be ideas for date nights or trips abroad, and your guests can leave their suggestions for you to pick out. You can find tonnes more unique ideas right here.

2) Turn the place cards into favours

Usually, place settings are just pieces of card with a name on, but who says that’s all they need to be? Why not incorporate the favours into the place settings instead, creating something that is not only a piece of your wedding, but personal to the guest. 

8db322c747e85bda1a8f140a7e0d240bToffee Apples

If you’re having a forest theme, why not have little plant pots studded with flowers and a miniature wooden sign with their name on? Or if you’re the practical kind, go for miniature bottles of champagne for the ladies and whiskey for the boys, each with themed name tags on.

3) Hire a photo booth

One of the most important parts of your day is the photographer. This is the person that is going to help you remember your special day forever, but also capture those moments you didn’t even know were happening. You’ll be able to see the reaction of people as you throw the bouquet, or to your first dance as a married couple.

But these days, there are a lot of photographers who can bring many more unique twists to your reception. For example, this Leeds wedding photographer also hires out photo booths are part of the service; you can even tie it into your theme by having props too.

An Evening Under the Stars – Maria & Sam

4) Give your drinks a signature twist

Everyone has the usual champagne and canapés, but how about creating your own drinks menu with the caterers? You can have cocktails inspired by your favourite drinks, your passions in life, or to fit in with your theme. And what about modernising those canapés too? Go for miniature 50s burger sliders if that’s your theme, or hold a beach-style reception and serve Spanish tapas.

vtphoto-77A Woodland Tea Party With Band Merch and Bunnies – Erica & Adam

These are just a few ideas for how to give your reception a unique touch, but don’t forget to leave me a comment if you have your own!

Holding An Outdoor Wedding In The Cooler Months

Toast Of Leeds

I love weddings. Over the years, I have been lucky enough to attend many of them. My all time favourite was one that was held outside in the late autumn. For me, there is something extra special about outdoor weddings. Especially those that take place in the spring or autumn, when the weather is a bit cooler. However, if you are planning to marry outside during the cooler months there are a few extra things to organise. Nothing major, just a few things you need to check and organise to make sure that everyone, including you, will enjoy your wedding day.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT VENUE

First, you need to find a venue that is suitable for this type of wedding. Of course, you want somewhere that has a nice outdoor ceremony space, but you also need a backup just in case the weather is not as good as you hoped. 

Most outdoor wedding venues use pergolas.  When the weather is good, they are left open to the sunshine, but if it looks like it is going to rain there is usually a top and canvas sides that can be unrolled to provide protection for the bride and groom. 

Usually the same can be done with the seating area for the guests. That way the ceremony can go ahead as planned, with everyone staying warm and dry. Some venues also provide outdoor heating.

If you opt to get married in a barn wedding venue you can get the best of both worlds. Often, if it is cold or wet on the day you will be offered the chance to take the ceremony indoors. 

However, if you want this fall back option to be available you need to ask about it before booking the venue. Make it clear that is what you need and find out what the backup ceremony area looks like, how big it is and how it will be decorated. That way, on the day, if it really is too cold or wet you know that everything will be ready for you to marry indoors instead.

Toast Of Leeds

KEEP THE CEREMONY SHORT

Holding a shorter ceremony also makes sense for a wedding that is outside, in the winter. Most people are warm enough outdoors if they are moving, but they soon get cold if they are sitting or standing still. Bear this in mind and be realistic about how long you can keep your guests outside in the colder months. Be especially mindful of this if you have very elderly friends and relatives in your wedding party.

MMI_2034Love & Perry Photography

COATS & BLANKETS

Having some blankets available for those guests to put over their legs is a good idea. If you are getting married outside during the colder months let your guests know that coats are OK. You will be surprised at how many people will stand there shivering because they think wearing a coat to a wedding would be impolite.

PROVIDE WARMING DRINKS

Getting married in the winter or colder months is a great chance to mix things up food and drinks wise. Nice touches like providing hot mulled wine as well as champagne along with a hot chocolate bar, for those who do not want alcohol, keeps everyone warm and makes your wedding a bit different.

Katie-Warren-340Rob Grimes Photography

MISS JO BLACK’S TATTOOED TALES – ONE MONTH UNTIL THE BIG DAY

Oh my word! It’s so exciting!! After only hearing snippets of Jo’s antics since her last post in August, her next post is here with all the bits leading up to her and Leigh’s big day.. Which is just this month!! I’ll hand straight over shall I?

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Since the last time I posted we have arranged SO many things and the weeks have flown by with barely a second to spare a moment to ourselves! We booked our band, The Hammervilles who perform rocked up versions of classic songs everyone knows which should keep the mood boosted… we have arranged some performers including fire breathers, burlesque, contortionists and a drag act as well as the incredible poet and comedy performer “Muriel Lavender” who is going to act as out circus ringmaster for the entertainment portion of the evening!

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The biggest hiccup so far has been the caterer we booked. As well as being utterly useless at responding to messages and calls, After he saw our venue he declared that the terrace was ‘unsafe’ to serve food from and demanded his garish blue and white marquees be set up either side of the entrance to the venue. I couldn’t have that! The main reason we chose Cleeve House was for its beauty and the main approach down the drive has massive impact! As it turned out he just wanted maximum exposure for his business… so we sacked him. Or rather Leigh took great pleasure in sacking him!

Shortly after that we met with a chef called Peter Vaughn who had minor celebrity success with his own TV show a few years ago, he was so enthusiastic about creating a theatrical meal for our wedding by making posh kebabs and exciting finger foods people would enjoy experiencing as much as they would eating… he proposed dry ice and a theatrical presentation as well as the clincher for me… A CHEESE GROTTO TO FINISH! SOLD! As just over twice the price my incredible parents offered to help out and chip in for two thirds of the cost which meant we could afford to have Peter!

Around the same time, we also needed to get our official invites sent out, which I had been hand making for weeks… My computer had lost all its data and I lost our address list so we had to re-contact everyone and ask for addresses again! A bit of a ball ache but it came together easily.

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A close friend of mine was getting married on Halloween and she had asked me to be a bridesmaid so it has been really useful to see her approach to everything and how organised she has been throughout this process. She had found an app called Appy Couple and had used it to provide all the guests with info such as times, where to stay and how to find the venues. I had a look and it was amazing, I could create a personalised website for people to visit using our unique wedding code and find all the info they needed on there! I put info on hotels, travel, on our registry, the guest list, a bit of info on the days events and loads of useful things for guests to help things go smoothly!

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Pretty Pins – 3rd September 2015

If you have Pinterest, you can easily find yourself lost for hours buried under thousands of gorgeous grey tulle dresses like this one – That is exactly what I’ve just done all night.

This edition of Pretty Pins, I bring you great ways to add colour to your venue! If you’re on Pinterest, make sure to keep up to date with all the Marry Me Ink boards.. AKA my “well-invested” time!

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Fairy Lights, Paper PomPoms, Flower Curtains, Paper Hanging Lanterns, Paper Streamers, Large Balloons