I love candlelight

With Christmas fast approaching, I can't help but get excited about a candlelit house.
Pretty, romantic, chic, modern, quaint, what ever your style, candlelight is transforming!

At this time of year as we loose the daylight earlier and earlier in the Northern Hemisphere, using candlelight is the perfect way to create a dreamy atmosphere without breaking the bank.

It's always good to check with your venue first before setting your heart on a candlelit wedding.  There are some venues, especially listed buildings, that won't allow any naked flames.
As romantic as it is, I'm always a little nervous when I see open flames around the edge of a dance floor.  Once your guests start throwing some shapes after a few toots, you want to make sure those candles are safely out of the way of flowing gowns and coat tails!

Some of my favourite internet finds for both weddings and home interiors this afternoon...

An oldie but a goodie from www.marthastewartweddings.com

Image: www.floret.ca

Image: www.projectwedding.com

Image via: www.preownedweddingdresses.com

Image: www.songketaffairs.net

Image via: www.weddingbee.com

Image via Pinterest

Image: www.thesalerack.blogspot.com

Image: www.ideashomeconcept.com

Image: www.staging.feteny.com

I always try to credit the images on my blog correctly.  If you find I have credited an image incorrectly or it is your image and you'd like me to remove it, please do let me know immediately.

Thank you.

A Winter Wedding

Hello

I hope you're happy and well.

Let me start by saying I've always been one to hold shelves and shelves of dog eared magazines (mostly interiors and weddings) and I'm also guilty of creating display books filled with years of my favourite magazine and internet finds.  Never, however have I created an actual colour or theme specific mood board.  What fun I've had!  I hope you like it...

I've chosen a mixture of dark blue, off white and just a spot of black to create a formal wintery feel.
Call me old fashioned but I just love Baby's Breath (or Gypsophila) in large bunches.  And with white Roses (or Peonies although very expensive out of season) it makes such a striking combination. Introducing lots of candle light in mercury glass votives and lanterns will create a warm and inviting ambience.

Image Credits:
Urn: hiphipouquet.com; Champagne: hotandhealthymom.com; Dress: goweddingdress.com
Tree: best-B2B.com; Votives: mothology.com; Flowers: bridella.com; Shoes: Manolo Blahnik Hangisi
Decor: weddinggirl.ca; Paper Lanterns: big-wedding-tiny-budget.com; Cake: seattleflowers.com

Ruched Chair Covers for Hire

Hello readers!

My website is being updated with this news, but in the mean time, I thought I'd give you a sneak preview...

I am so happy to be introducing to you my new stock of ruched chair covers (or rippled chair covers as they're also known) suitable for weddings and most other events.  Made from a stretch lycra fabric, they fit a wide range of banqueting chairs and can completely transform the look and feel of a room.

  

*Photos taken in the Queen Elizabeth Room at Cannizaro House - Wimbledon*

These will be available to hire from mid October 2012 for £2.00 per cover plus VAT including a lycra band with buckle, adding a touch of bling.

My chair covers are white with white lycra bands.
There are over 30 other colours of both chair covers and bands to choose from, any of which can be arranged at fairly short notice if needed for an additional charge.

Where possible I try and fit the covers myself to maintain their condition.  If you are a little further afield and would like to hire, do give me a call and we can chat about a solution for you.  I am happy to offer a postal and self fitting service if needed.

The really boring bits...

Delivery, set up and collection charges are as follows:

15 miles from South West London - £10 each way

15 - 25 miles from South West London - £20 each way

A £30 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your booking with the balance due 4 weeks prior to your event.

A separate damages deposit of £50 will also be required 4 weeks prior to your event and this will be refunded providing there is no loss or damage.

Putney Wedding Co-Ordinator in KwaZulu-Natal

Are you planning a summer wedding in KZN?

I'm a wedding planner based in Putney and will be in South Africa early next year.  If you'd like assistance from an 'on the day' wedding co-ordinator to ensure a smooth running of your day or perhaps just a hand with the final details before your departure, get in touch with me.  It'll be lovely to hear from you.

e: megan@meganjane.co.uk

For more information about me and the services I offer, visit www.meganjane.co.uk

Umhlanga Rocks
Image courtesy of Umbrella Tree B&B
www.umhlanga-bedandbreakfast.co.za

Natal Midlands

Cathedral Peak

On The Day Wedding Co-Ordinator

Hello hello!

Some fairly boring but necessary food for thought on this rainy Wedding Wednesday...

As I write this post, I'm reminded of all the little stressing thoughts that raced through my mind in the few days leading up to my wedding.  Who will manage guests if it rains during our outdoor drinks reception,  will the table plan be set up exactly as I imagined, how will I know when to walk down the isle so the timed music is just right, who will mix and label the punches in the carefully selected punch bowls with ladles I took months to find and will it look right? - the list goes on...

Martha Stewart

Some of these worries seem a little insignificant now, but as every bride to be knows, it's important little details like these that consume our every thought for hours and hours of every waking day.

Something to try and ascertain very early on with your venue is if there will be someone there for you on the day.  A co-ordinator to oversee all the little personal details, somebody you can go to if you have any queries or needs, not just someone who manages the waiting staff.

Often your chosen venue will have someone there on the day to ensure a smooth running.  What venues don't always tell you is that the person you've been dealing with since day one - the person you've formed a relationship with and discussed every detail with - may be nowhere to be seen.  Instead you come face to face with an Event or Operations Manager who you've never met before.  This may not necessarily be a bad thing.  This person is more often than not very capable of running your event without a hitch.  But will they know every detail?  Exactly how should the decor look?  Will they know you're nervous about a possible family altercation, will they be aware that your aunty may refuse all meal options and demand a cheese sandwich, who will ensure the correct activity packs are given to the correct kiddies?

So, while you've expertly planned and thought out every little detail to make your wedding special and unique, I think it's safe to say you don't want to be worrying about these things on the actual day.  Envisaging how your wedding will look and run is one thing.  Working out the logistics is quite another.
My advice is make sure you are absolutely clear about where your venue's duties and responsibilities end.  Are you expecting more from them than they're prepared to do?  Have a final meeting with your venue.  If possible, try and have a face to face meeting with the person who will be looking after you and your wedding on the day.
And, if need be, consider hiring an On The Day Wedding Coordinator.  It may be the best money you spend for peace of mind.

Remember, the key to arranging any function - expect the best, plan for the worst.

Wedding in the Rain

Weather is one thing you absolutely cannot control on your wedding day.  That, and the number of sherries Aunty Marg has before hitting the dance floor.  So the question every bride needs to consider is what to do when you wake up and it becomes apparent that your perfectly planned outdoor summer wedding might have to be at the mercy of a downpour that makes the Indian Monsoon look like a gentle British drizzle.  The answer is: embrace it!  Be so prepared for bad weather that you actually hope for it at some point. 

These top 5 tips are sure to help create unique memories of your day.  And your guests will appreciate how thoughtful you’ve been…

Confetti

Rain + confetti = messy!

For a bit of fun, set up a couple of bubble machines at the exit of your ceremony.  Make sure the consistency is not too soapy or it may resemble a foam party!

Remember your Wellies

If you want to match your dress, you can get some great wedding Wellies now days – with heals!

A quick phone around to your bridal party (and your guests if you have time) to remind them to bring their Wellies may be an idea.  It’ll make a great photo!

You won’t want your guests lugging their boots to their seats.  For a quirky Wellie check, set a table at the entrance, perhaps covered with a décor matching oil cloth and a pot of plant labels with a silver or gold pen.  Guests can write their names on a plant label and pop it into their Wellies.  It’ll make life easier for any tipsy guests trying to find their boots in a sea of Hunters.

Umbrellas

Lace, bejeweled Balinese fabric, hand-made paper with petal inlays, rice paper, even personalized ones.  Parasols are so in and are great functional props for wedding photos.

It may be wise to have a more sturdy back-up close by just incase!

Have a few extra brollies for guests and again, they will be so happy to find a bowl of little bands attached to name tags for them to label theirs before popping them in the umbrella stands at the entrance.

Towels

Baskets hanging at the entrance with rolled up face towels for a quick pat dry might be handy – especially if you’re worried guests may get caught unaware in a sudden downpour.

Remember to have a little bin for the used towels.

Coat Check

There’s nothing like a big baggy raincoat to spoil the look of a beautifully covered chair at a reception.  If you’ve gone to the trouble of arranging certain chairs to tie in with your décor, don’t let them be lost.  Have a few coat racks at the entrance if space allows.  Or better yet, have a manned coat check facility if you can stretch the budget.

Taking your Wedding Dress Abroad

The final fitting is done, your dress is perfect in every way, and while waiting for its big moment is being safely stored as if it were an antique document!  Speaking from personal experience as a travelling bride, I know the last thing most brides want is to see their carefully packaged wedding dress snatched swiftly away by an airport conveyor belt - through the tatty plastic curtain that is the door way to the dark depths of airport baggage handling.

The good news is, if you can handle 12 hours of flying with no more than a handbag’s worth of in flight essentials, then you might not have to part with life’s most important dress during your journey.

After a morning on the phone to some of the bigger airlines, it would appear that most of them roughly follow the same guidelines: 1 item of hand luggage weighing around 7kg and 115cm in size (generally 56cm x 36cm x 23cm) plus another small handbag or laptop bag as well.

It would seem that the best way to transport your dress is to pack it carefully into the correct size bag and take it on board with you. 

Having it in a large garment bag seems less appealing for all the potential hassle.  If you’re lucky enough on the day to be on a relatively quiet flight, the air staff are usually very happy to share in your excitement and treat your dress with a little extra TLC by hanging it up in the Business Class wardrobe. The down side is your dress may be the victim of scrunching and shoving into the tiny waist high wardrobe designed more to hold business suits.

Another thing to keep in mind is smaller aircraft that fly the domestic routes don’t always have the space for hanging garments.

My pristine dress survived 2 long haul flights between Auckland and Jo’Burg hanging carefully in Business Class only to be forced into an overhead compartment by the flight attendant on the Jo’Burg to Durban flight!

Your mind will no doubt be racing the entire flight with your ever increasing to do list which you plan to start tackling the moment you set foot on the ground.  Having your dress neatly and carefully packed away for easy maneuvering and connecting flights will mean one less thing to worry about.

Happy flying!