Feature Fun: Coco Photobooths

Photobooths have become really popular over the last couple of years and lots of photographers now add this type of thing to their wedding package. But if you are looking to do it that little bit differently then our money would go on Leo Ferenc and his team from Coco Photobooths.

We met photographer and film maker, Leo, at a wedding fair earlier this year and his unique idea of putting a photo booth into a taxi really stood out from the crowd – we just loved it. If you are looking to inject something memorable into your day then we’d say give it a go. All that will be left to do is SMILE!

All images from  Coco Photobooths

Thought for Thursday: Bridesmaids – how will you pick yours?

I finally got round to watching this film over the weekend with some friends and we couldn’t stop laughing as we all recognised ourselves in some way, shape or form. It got us thinking about what kind of Bridesmaid we would all make. I have been a bridesmaid 10 times (so by far the most experienced of my friends!) and have seen countless Brides, like in the film, make huge mistakes when it comes to their bridesmaids and what they expect.

 

As with the film, Bridesmaids are all individuals and therefore throw up all sorts of unique problems. There are “fantastic bridesmaids” who are fun, caring and nothing is too much trouble to make your day great. There’s the “it’s all about me bridesmaids” who don’t care what you want as long as they have their choice of everything, the “doesn’t really want to be there bridesmaid”, who only accepted because she couldn’t think of a good enough excuse and finally, but worse of all, the rogue bridesmaid.

The rogue bridesmaid will not turn up to appointments for fittings, will change all decisions at the last moment and then won’t care if she does a Gok Wan on her dress 10 minutes before you are due to leave for the ceremony.

So Brides please choose your Bridesmaids very carefully but, and this is really important, you have a duty to be realistic about your Bridesmaids capabilities. Don’t forget that on the big day Bridesmaids will need to be preened and photographed and will be nervous too – so don’t expect them to be able to complete a large to do list of extra jobs. They just won’t be able to fit it all in.

Equally don’t expect your usually unorganised best friend to suddenly turn into a super task ticking machine who can get your hen do sorted in three weeks flat and don’t make any of your girls pay for their outfits/hair/make up etc unless you’ve discussed this upfront with them when asking them to be involved. There’s nothing like money to cause resentment and everyone needs to know where they stand right at the beginning.

Think carefully about what you want from your Bridesmaids and who out of all your loved ones will fit the bill. Pick Bridesmaids who will be totally reliable and above all help you have fun. It is after all what us girls are good at.

Research material and image: Bridesmaids: The Movie

Fantastic Find: We’ve got the Polly Pootles Love Bug

I just love this car. I’ve always been slightly miffed that on my own wedding day I was within easy walking distance so never got to have  a gorgeous vehicle to get me to the church on time. But if I did this would have been first on my list.

Polly Pootles is a classic VW Beetle chauffeur driven service that really stands out from the crowd.  Based in Kent, Helen, the very lovely owner and chauffeuse, used the 1968 VW beetle at her wedding day in 2008. It then underwent a professional restoration and came out the other side looking very sparkly and a gorgeous pearl white in colour.

Helen started using Pootles to chauffeur other couples on their big day and has been pootling to fabulous weddings for the past 3 years. She regularly blogs about the weddings she’s been to so you can get ideas and inspiration on how the VW can be used to make your day extra special.

For more info on prices and booking details click here.

All images: Copyright Polly Pootles

Fabulous Find: Little Gems

Today we can share with you Little Gems who create gorgeous wedding cakes as well as provide a vintage ice cream bike with a range of gorgeous homemade ice cream to delight any wedding guest – and us! We had the pleasure of working with Gemma at a wedding and so could see first hand how the guests loved picking their ice cream and sharing the flavours with each other.

Gemma says of her company “It’s a real family affair and we’ve honed our baking skills over many years all sprinkled with a spoonful of style and a dollop of love! Whether you’re going for a traditional fruit cake, a contemporary fusion of flavours, or ice cream and desserts, it’s imperative to us that not only do they have the wow factor but taste heavenly too.

We can create the perfect match to your theme, dream or colour scheme, and we work with you every step of the way to handcraft your perfect cake. Whether you are longing for a timeless piece of vintage charm, a contemporary twist or going all out for a touch of glamour, we can certainly do the job.”

All of Gemma’s cakes are made using the finest ingredients and they can offer a variety of flavours and fillings to suit your requirements. With Little Gems the sweet treats really are endless!

Feature Fun: Proud Hens with Comedy, Glamour and Tease

What a night! If you are after a hen do like no other then head on over to Proud Cabaret. After hearing so much about it on the wedding circuit we couldn’t wait to try it out for ourselves! We went to Proud City but there are also venues in Brighton and Camden.

If you want to dress up and go all our glam then this is THE venue to do it in. Styled as a 1920s speakeasy the interior is all plush and purple with feathers and mirrors everywhere! When you arrive you go way way underground and it definitely feels like you just stepped back in time. Girls dressed up in full burlesque outfits and gorgeous bartenders serve you drinks and cocktails whilst you enjoy the full on entertainment, including jazz and the fantastic burlesque stage show – it was just stunning!

Their menu offers a great range of  classic dishes with a fabulous wine and cocktail list which kept all the hens more than happy. After the stage show the entertainment just kept on coming with DJ’s and live bands to carry on the dancing.

If you still haven’t found your wedding venue then this might be just the place to check out for a wedding with a difference. Proud are fully licensed to hold weddings, civil ceremonies and receptions and Proud2 can entertain up to 300 for dinner and 1,000 for a drinks reception. There’s an outside terrace with views over the docklands and you can even colour co-ordinate the lighting to your own theme.  This would definitely be a wedding with all the period drama you need!

We couldn’t recommend it more highly for an absolutely fabulous evening out with the girls so go and enjoy!

Five of the Best: First Dance Tunes

You either have ‘a song’ as a couple or you don’t. If you do choosing your first dance tune might be that little bit easier. However if you are in the ‘we don’t so help us please’ category here’s a little inspiration for you taken from real weddings over the last year.

Famous five

A Groovy Kind of Love – Phil Collins
Can’t take my eyes off of you – Andy Williams
First, last, everything – Barry White
Everything – Michael Buble
Greatest Day – Take That

Alternative five

Nobody Does it better – Carly Simon
You & Me, Always Up Forever – The Wannadies
Iris – The Goo Goo Dolls
She’s Electric – Oasis
Altogether Now – The Farm

Don’t forget you will need to actually dance to your choice of song so think about the music and whether or not you need to cling together and shuffle for a bit or will be doing a fully fledged Dirty Dancing routine.

If you have a favourite first dance song please share with us!

Feature Fun: James and Marika’s Race to the Marquis: Part 2

Earlier in the week we shared with you the gorgeous wedding of James and Marika at the Marquis of Alkham. As part of their evening celebrations they got all their guests in on the photography action by having a photobooth. We love photobooths as they give everyone a chance to go a bit silly and you have fantastic pictures afterwards as a brilliant reminder of your day.

Fleur Challis, fabulous Kent photographer, set up her own photo booth as part of her wedding package for Marika and James. Take a look here at some of the pics from the evening.

Thanks to Marika and James for sharing their day with us and a big thanks to Fleur Challis for the images.

Five of the Best: A Wedding Read

With the arrival of summer (we hope) and a long bank holiday to boot it’s time to sit back, relax, soak up the sun and take in a book or two.

Don’t leave it until your honeymoon as there’s so many fantastic girly wedding related reads out there. With pages of light hearted fun, giggles and romance, it’s a perfect way to keep  those wedding nerves at bay…

Here’s my pick of the five best on the book shelves right now.

1. Chocolate Shoes and Wedding Blues by Trisha Ashley

2. White Wedding by Milly Johnson

3. The Wedding Girl by Sophie Kinsella writing as Madeline Wickham

4. Bridesmaids by Jane Costello

5. Wedding Tiers by Trisha Ashley

Happy Reading x

A Royal Wedding Classic

Hiring a fabulous car and driving off after your wedding ceremony has become more popular than ever since Prince William drove Kate to their wedding reception just over a year ago.

Classic cars are not just for real life Princesses though, as you can now get a great hire deal of your own. There are loads of cars to choose from to suit any classic theme. We spoke to Andrew Sach from Classic Car Hire Kent who told us that “we specialise in cars from the 60’s and 70’s and our hire charges start from as little as £40 per day”. Here are just some of the cars they offer.

All you need now is the Prince…..

Wedding Shoe Show Off

These fun wedding shoe stickers, available from Nutmeg, are great for a bit of a giggle on your wedding day.

Available in a wide range of colours, three different fonts and with seven different sayings, they can also be personalised with your initials or a secret message. They are so easy to apply, simply peel off the backing and apply to the arch of your shoe.

We think they are great for a fun way to do your something blue!