Champagne and crumpets, my November wedding blog *We did it! Photos included*

[aly888]

Something like this: Confetti Machine

Or you can DIY it yourself a la: Confetti Drop Box

Obviously with the DIY one you would scale up as required, either with a bigger box or multiple boxes Unless the venue has painted ceilings (ie, Michelangelos Sistine Chapel) then you can get those hooks that stick to walls/ceilings and come off without leaving any marks. Then all you'd have to work out would be routing the release string. And getting a ladder!

 

[emyandpotato]

Food:

Okay this bit is quite complicated to anyone who can't see in to my head but I will do my best to explain it! For the food, we're having a posh picnic. It will be mostly cold food similar to what you'd get on a summer picnic, but more appropriate for winter and hopefully nice enough for a wedding. Doing it this way a) because it fits the aesthetic I have in mind and b) because we can't afford a caterer and therefore a three course sit down meal can't happen.

This is our reception room (quite a lot bigger than it looks, there is a lot of space behind the camera, and behind the pillars is a good few metres in width again. Oh and we're taking the curtains down):



We are having two long tables in the centre of the room, with 20 or so people per table. We're not doing the top table thing and although me and OH will sit together the rest of our family will be spread out. The tables will be covered in light grey/beige linen table cloths. The place setting will be very simple: One bowl, one plate, a knife, two forks and two spoons, and a wine glass. There will be extra cutlery and plates on a table elsewhere for guests to get if needed. We are not having centrepieces on our tables. There will be the odd candle/small vase of flowers but our plan is to have our food and drink as our centrepieces.

I have been collecting, and am continuing to collect, vintage trays and bowls etc from charity shops and car boot sales. A few examples:

https://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/tomcantgetitup/il_fullxfull368727812.jpeg (for jam/chutney)

https://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/tomcantgetitup/il_fullxfull384698027_slzb.jpeg

https://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/tomcantgetitup/il_fullxfull341015043-1.jpeg

https://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/tomcantgetitup/il_fullxfull386765860_d4g6.jpeg (it's an umbrella stand but gonna use it as a wine cooler)

https://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/tomcantgetitup/il_fullxfull376514237_3v75.jpeg

https://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/tomcantgetitup/il_fullxfull356711255_a4ze.jpeg

Loads more obviously, just a few examples. These will be filled with food; bread, fruit, cakes, biscuits, cheeses, pastries etc etc. There will be sauces and things all in pretty pots, and white wine will be in coolers (extra in the giant bathtub) and red wine will be on the table, along with jugs of water and lemonade.

The food that needs covering, which is probably about two thirds of it, will be in boxes. Okay I know that sounds weird but picture a Parisienne bakery and that's the sort of feel I'm going for. I am designing and making all the boxes myself. They will all have slightly different designs but fit the colour scheme. Taking inspiration from things like this:

https://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/tomcantgetitup/17381148532402748_sVCa5AF4.jpeg

https://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/tomcantgetitup/4538530884_ff172d0a4f_b.jpeg

https://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/tomcantgetitup/back-to-books.jpeg

https://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/tomcantgetitup/contacts.jpeg

I know a lot are books and erm, not boxes, but I adore books and they are a bit part of my wedding inspiration. The reason I wanted to use boxes is because I adore the look of them, and because my initial idea was to have my reception at the outdoor cinema at Somerset House and to just give each guest a picnic box of food and drink. That fell through though so I'm doing this, which I actually prefer now

There will then be the mussel shell place names (https://www.shellco.co.uk/CF058000.html) and the hat/headdress etc favours. Cutlery will be tied with dark grey velvet ribbon. It will all be vintage and mismatched.

https://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee367/tomcantgetitup/17381148532503945_JnmKRoPI.jpeg

 

[aly888]

That room is gorgeous. Your whole wedding is going to be gorgeous. I love it!!

 

[Lauren25]

Love the picnic idea, sounds fab! Do you know what kinds of food you'll be having yet ?
Your whole wedding sounds like its going to be so relaxing, laid back and enjoyable!

 

[emyandpotato]

Thank you

Food wise very simple. It will be home made, bought from small local farm shops, or from M&S. For the savoury stuff I am thinking a selection of different and weird and wonderful breads, LOADS of cheese (I am obsessed!), cold meat platters, salads, perhaps pasta salad, tartlets, pies, pastries and pasties, quiches, crumpets for toasting on the fire of course.... If I do a few bits and pieces of hot food it be likely be things like a few hot pies, vegetables, mushrooms (my favourite food), and ermm pizza, burgers and chips. Before you lose all interest in the wedding, I mean pizzas like this https://pinterest.com/pin/17381148533401271/ cleverly cut to look classy, chips cut so thin that they look like cool gourmet potatoes and you don't even realise they're chips, and miniature burgers that don't look like burgers at all, just very posh sandwiches. I did have photos but lost them :'( I promise it won't be as tacky as it sounds though!

For sweets we are having everything we can cram in to the venue! Just absolutely all types of biscuits, cakes, sweet pies, fruit.... It decorates the tables to have beautiful cakes just sitting there anyway so that's my excuse

A few food ideas on my Pinterest if you want a slightly better idea than what I'm giving!

 

[Redfraggle]

Just been reading your thread and well, WOW!

Yours is the sort of wedding I would just love to be invited to. Informal, special and intimate and totally represents the people getting married.

I love it all!

 

[emyandpotato]

Thank you, you guys are making me smile so much! I've been worried that people will hate it because it isn't conventional but ultimately showcasing our personalities.


Some random little details:

I got these stars to be dotted around tables. There will only be a couple but I love them.


I bought these (they're dried) to go in the few floral arrangements we'll have, although there won't be many, and to go in my bouquet. With a winter wedding at night time I didn't think loads of flowers would really work. Plus I can't afford them


I know they're not for everyone, and that the flowers are maybe a bit gothic, but I think next to something like dried sea lavender and a peonie the contrast will look amazing.

 

[emyandpotato]

And we paid the deposit for the venue today, I am so giddy about it all, it's actually happening!!

 

[emyandpotato]

Going to a Vintage Wedding Fair tomorrow! So excited! Dragging OH and LO along as well because I don't want to go alone, and gonna hit the Christmas markets afterwards. Hopefully will find some prop suppliers as I still need rowings boats, chairs and a bath tub.

I sent an email to two universities near to my venue about the possibilities of student photographs so crossing my fingers that I find someone.

Have also been working on my invitations, which are in the form of a collection of books in a box, you know like how you can buy boxes of Beatrix Potter books for example? Each 'book' will be a different section of the invite. Obviously more adult appropriate that the Beatrix Potter books too. Having loads of fun designing them but it's stressful getting all the tiny details right. Can't wait to show them off when they're finished!

 

[Redfraggle]

Have you tried gumtree and freecycle for the boats, chairs and bathtub?

 

[emyandpotato]

You know what no I haven't, brilliant idea, thank you! xD

 

[Redfraggle]

Glad to help!

Have fun at the wedding fair

 

[emyandpotato]

Thank you, really looking forward to it!

Had a look on Gumtree etc and no luck, but I have almost a year to find what I need so no rush! Gonna check out some of the vintage find stores near my parents' house in Cumbria, there is always something beautiful there.

Oh and totally OT but here are my chess pieces for my seating plan, and one of my vintage trays, which are serving as temporary flat decor until my wedding.

 

[aly888]

Have fun at the fair today. Hope you find some treasures

 

[emyandpotato]

So the vintage fair was okay. Tenner entry for both of us which was a lot considering what it was but we had a good time. We spoke to a lot of photographers but they are just so expensive that I don't think it's an option for us. I know everyone goes on about investing in photos but I can't get my head around the £1.5k price tag they all seem to want.

There was also a lot of stationary and event planning which I honestly found quite tacky and unoriginal. That's probably just me though cos I have very weird and specific tastes. It's no issue anyway as I am doing all of that myself. There were loads of dresses but none as pretty as the one I have

We did, however, find a vintage clothing stall selling menswear and we bought OH the most beautiful 1930s tweed jacket. It really suited him and it matches Rory's jacket! It only cost £25! If I had had my way I'd have bought him vintage brogues, cufflinks, tie, wallet, braces, waistcoat etc etc but OH hates shopping and was keen to leave after trying on almost every jacket they had

We also came across these guys: https://vintage78dj.co.uk/contact/

I hadn't initially wanted a DJ because I find them tacky but these guys are vintage gramophone DJs and it just looked so cool and the set up was very pretty. They're quite reasonable too at only £350 so I'm seriously considering hiring them for an hour or two.

There was also this band which I am in love with: https://www.thenewvintageband.com/

I don't know how much they cost and have emailed them very tentatively, although I expect they'll charge a small fortune. if by some miracle they only charge a couple of hundred then they'd be an amazing addition to the reception.

All in all quite a good day!

 

[aly888]

Glad you had a nice time. I was surprised to hear you had to pay an entry fee though I would have presumed the venue would have been charging each 'stall holder' a fee to be there so why charge visitors too??

I'm one of those people that says "the photos are with you forever" and we are spending a lot on a photographer, but you don't have to spend a fortune. I can see why it's so expensive. A good photographer will spend hours editing the pictures, and that's all time he/she has to charge for. If you don't mind not having 'edits' then I'm sure you can find a perfectly reasonable photographer for a lot less if nothing else, the photographs show you parts of the day you may have missed

Have you got a pic of the jacket? Sounds amazing. I'd never get my OH in anything original like that. He's so boring

Fingers crossed you get a reasonable quote back. Remember, you can always negotiate

 

[emyandpotato]

I just don't have the money for it and can't see any way of getting it really, unless I sell my dress or something. Food and alcohol will only come to about £700, venue is very cheap (and parents are paying ) and everything else I'm doing as cheaply as possible. I guess I could not have any music

Hoping to persuade a photography student but waiting to hear anything on that.

Yeah here's a photo, excuse my goofy OH and his boxers, it's a terrible pic!

ETA OH made me take the photo down.

 

[aly888]

Omg your OH has the BEST hair!!!! The jacket totally suits him.

Don't feel that you 'have' to have a photographer hun. I love photographs. I love the unknown stories behind them. I love how a seemingly plain photograph can mean the world to somebody. But I also studied photography so I always budgeted for a photographer. It sounds to me like you're going to have a lot of keepsakes from your day and that might be your 'photo album', if that makes sense? Not everyone has a photographer and there certainly is no need if you don't think you'll ever look back at the photos Don't sacrifice something you definitely want for something you're happy not to have

 

[emyandpotato]

Thank you

I definitely want photos, but I am hoping to get a student photographer or get a friend to take them. They may not be the same exact standard but I would rather have the day itself feel perfect than pay the photographer more than I am putting towards everything else put together. My dream photographer would be Marianne Taylor but she charges about £3k so it isn't gonna happen!

 

[CatStorey]

Glad you enjoyed the Vintage Fair and fab you got your OH's jacket (sad I missed the pic though!)

Crossing my fingers you manage to get that band. That would be wonderful!

I am totally with you on the photographer. I can no way afford a proper one. Its just not possible. I actually put an ad on here - https://www.networkstudentphotographers.co.uk/posting

I have had tons of people email me willing to do my wedding for cheap or even free. Some of them seem really great, like a lady who closed her business while she had a family. She is starting back up again so looking to shoot some weddings to update her portfolio.

I think with a wedding as amazing and original as yours there will be loads of photographers willing to do it.

I have ended up with a local girl though who not long graduated from Winchester Art School and is building up her business. She has done a few weddings and is charging me £150 which I'm happy with.

Good luck hun xxx