Wedding Venue Dilemma

Photo from culturepool.com

http://www.contemporaryurbancentre.org/

     When originally planning my wedding, I knew that a church would not be suitable for the ceremony.  Aside from my desire to have a unique wedding, there was the issue of religion.  My fiance is Catholic, and I'm Church of England, so steering clear of churches altogether meant that neither family would be offended or made to feel uncomfortable.  Aside from that, I wanted the opportunity to choose my own music, vows, decor etc, and a lot of these things are more difficult to achieve in churches.  Many couples now choose to have a civil ceremony in registry offices or other public buildings, but I wanted something a little bit different,
  It all seemed too easy, and I found the perfect venue straightaway.  My fiance and I had visited the Contemporary Urban Centre (CUC) to see various art exhibitions and gigs.  I knew the area well, and I liked the fact that it was close to the city centre, but far away enough for it to have a cool, laid back atmosphere.  However, upon discovering that the CUC was available for both wedding ceremonies and receptions, I just had to view the space.  The exterior of the building looked very underwhelming - similar to the other warehouses in the area.  This made the wedding space even more exciting.  When my guests arrived at the venue, they would expect a plain, modern, clinical space, and would be amazed to discover what was actually there...
...
a room with beautiful wooden floors, a spiral staircase,

http://www.contemporaryurbancentre.org/

traditional wooden beams, plush red carpets,  chandeliers, fireplaces...need I go on? It was the perfect venue for a modern city wedding!  And possibly the best part, is that the money spent on weddings went to a good cause, the "People Can" charity.  Because of this, the price seemed extremely low, and I'm assuming that this is because there is no profit to be made, just funds raised to be passed on to the charity, 

You may have noticed that while discussing The CUC, I have been writing  about it in the past tense.  That is because in December 2011, The CUC sadly announced that it would be closing.  I had been engaged for a year, and thought that I had the main parts of the day - the ceremony and reception venue - all planned out, but this announcement changed everything.  How will I ever find another venue in which the two events can be held with the same amazing location, classically beautiful features, and most importantly, will I still be able to afford it?  I will keep you informed as I undertake this seemingly impossible task, fingers crossed!

Unusual Wedding Favours

The tradition of handing out tiny boxes or bags filled with sugared almonds at weddings was to represent; "fertility, longevity, wealth, health and happiness. The bitterness of the almond and the sweetness of the coated candy exemplify the bitter sweetness of a marriage."  Which is a very nice sentiment.  However, modern couples will often want favours which are more useful, quirky, or reflective of themselves and their own personalities.  After all, wedding favours can actually cost a pretty penny, wouldn't you rather they were admired, taken home and used, instead of being left behind, put into a drawer, or even thrown away after your big day?

At a wedding fair recently, I was given a promotional organza bag with a tiny individual heart shaped soap inside, made by local business Sutton Soap.  This seemed like an excellent idea for a wedding favour.  The soaps are handmade, and can come in a variety of colours, textures and fragrances, they would be easy to tie in with your colour scheme and express your own personality.  Just add matching organza bags and a typed or handwritten message, and you're good to go.

As there has been a little bit of a retro revival, why not go all out with retro sweets? A small packet of love hearts like these ones from Sticky Fingers Retro Sweets will go down a treat with both old and young guests alike, and since they are arguably the most romantic type of confectionery, they're very appropriate for weddings.  And why stop there? Sticky fingers retro sweets offer a huge array of sweets from your childhood, so a pretty paper bag filled with a selection would be like a grown up pick'n'mix.

While searching Etsy (my new favourite website since I stared planning my wedding) I came across these button badges, which I think would make excellent favour for a music themed wedding.  Some guests may choose to wear them afterwards on their bags, jackets, ties etc, or some could attach them to a pin board at home, but either way, then could be kept as a lasting memory.  These particular badges are from buttonempire on Etsy, but you could even find a seller who will customise buttons to your own design, or using the names of your partner and yourself, and the date of your wedding.

Because I'm such a sucker for anything vintage, pretty and handmade, I have to mention my favourite wedding favour at the moment is teacup candles.  Using mismatched retro teacups and turning them into beautiful candles will give the tables at your wedding a classic look with a modern twist, and your guests will love to take them home and adore them forever - well, they will if they are anything like me.  These are readily available in most vintage and craft fairs that I visit, but you can also order them from Etsy, or have a go at making your own.  Here is an easy to follow tutorial that I have found.  If you choose this option, ensure you leave enough time to actually make them before the wedding.  You should probably volunteer your maid of honour and bridesmaids to help you too!

So there is now more variety than ever when choosing wedding favours, and the only limit is that of your imagination - or your wedding budget!  Why not opt for a more creative alternative, to help add a bit more personality to your big day?

Memory Lane Fairs at Holiday Inn, Liverpool

In search of some inspiration, I headed out on Saturday to the Holiday Inn.  Not knowing what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised at the bucks fizz on offer upon arrival (I believe there was also an orange juice option, but I was planning a wedding - fizzy wine was required!)

Photos from https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vintage-Wonderland

The first stall that caught my eye belonged to Vintage Wonderland, a company that hires out vintage props for weddings and other special events.  A beautiful birdcage on a stand was used to hold cards recieved from guests, which is a unique twist on the printed caed boxes that can be ordered from invitation companies.

Other items for hire included union jack bunting (perfect for a jubilee party!) beautiful vintage crockery, and a retro camera.  Another unusual item on offer was a typewriter to be used as a quirky alternative to a guestbook.  If you're looking for a pretty, romantic, vintage style wedding, then Vintage Wonderland is the perfect place for you to start.

Photo from http://isabellesices.com/

Another idea with a classic twist is to hire an ice cream trike.  Isabelle's ices offer a range of traditional 1940s ice creams, served from a classic loking cart.  Not only did I get to sample the delicious ice cream, but I also was allowed to sit on the trike - far too exciting!  This would make for quirky photos, and offer a fun alternative to a formal dessert at your reception.

photo from www.hannahbhodge.co.uk

Possibly the hardest part of planning a wedding (well, for me anyway) is choosing a wedding dress.  Especially since I'm extremely picky, it is proving very difficult to find something that will cover all bases - the right length, colour, shape, material - there is a lot more to think about than one might initially think!  For this reason, I was excited to find a bespoke wedding dress designer Hannah Bethan Hodge, who promised to work within set budgets to create the perfect gown for each bride - perfect for fussy brides to be.  A range of bridesmaid's dresses with a modern twist were also displayed, which was a refreshing change from the average gowns available.

www.carriealisha.co.uk

  And once the perfect dress has been chosen, why not have some unique jewellry designed to complement your gown, and your individual style?  Carrie Alisha offers just that.  I was struggling to think of suitable bridesmaids gifts to give, this seems the perfect solution - personalised necklaces, a gift that they can keep and use forever, but that will always remind them of my special day.