Category: Weddings

With many of this summer’s weddings being pushed back to later in the year, lots of our couples are currently rethinking their scheme to fit in with a more winter feel.  As a preferred Florist at Wasing Park, we’ve been lucky enough to create weddings throughout the seasons over the past 10 years or so. Whilst summer is always a popular time, some of the most beautiful special days have been created with a frosty backdrop or a crisp wintery sky, making it an equally magical time of year to get married.

Flower Colours:

Have a think about how your chosen colours translate for winter months.  Whilst white and blush or peach and pale blue can be a really popular choice for a light, summer feel, you might want to adjust your scheme to conjure up more of a winter feel.  Crisp whites and grey foliage achieve this look really well and is a really popular colour choice. Flowers like Ranunculus, black centred Anemones and Paperwhite Narcisiisi teamed with small headed spray Roses and lots of silvery grey foliage are a perfect way to achieve a crisp, wintery wedding look.  If you want to add a little warmth to this, try including a champagne toned Rose like Vendella.

Another really popular winter wedding flower choice is dark claret colours lightened with some blush pink and or dark pinks.  Think velvety burgundy Roses, teamed with Ranunculus, Skimmia, Astrantia and Waxflower.

Foliage:

Foliage will help you get your winter look, berried Ivy, Asparagus Fern and long swathes of long Ruscus are perfect if rich green is your thing. For a lighter silver-grey feel chooses everyone’s favourite Eucalyptus, Populous, Silver Brunia and Senecio.  Berries add so much interest… Hypericum comes in all shades including white and deep claret tones, shiny dark Viburnum berries add a winter touch and Waxflower is also a great addition in white and dark pink/red tones.

Atmosphere:

Candlelight creates romance and warmth in churches and ceremony rooms.  Use lanterns down the aisle in the Garden Room or on the windowsills wrapped with trails of foliage if you’re getting married in the Church.  Candelabra or lanterns decorated with flowers around them make perfect table centres.  Tea lights in the arrow slits at Wasing Park wedding venue are lovely for adding a romantic glow for your wedding breakfast as are tea lights in votives on your tables.

Hanging flowers decorations:

Decorated trees or hanging plank displays above your top table in the Castle Barn give you the option to decorate with things like these pretty glass baubles.  They can be filled with flowers or LED candles for a magical feel.

Texture:

Think of adding berries, thistles, feathers or small pinecones to your bouquets and buttonholes.

Bouquets:

Cascading or hand tied? Have a think about how the style of your bouquet works with your dress, whether you go for a long trailing bouquet or a simple hand tie. Talk to your florist about how you want it finished and use ribbons which match Bridesmaids dresses for a lovely finishing wedding touch.

Whatever month you decide to get married in it will be perfect.  With a few tweaks to the planning, you can work with the elements to bring a cosy, warm feel to your day. Work with rich colours or crisp, fresh whites to emphasise this feel.  Think candlelight, mulled wine and winter foliage for a magical wedding day to remember.

Everyone wants a summer wedding…well, that’s the theory!

But increasingly more and more people are planning their nuptials for the winter. While the dark months might not be the most coveted season for brides and grooms-to-be, there are many advantages to having a winter wedding…

Image by Studio Rouge

The Weather (and your expectations!)

The weather in spring and summer, and even autumn, can be unpredictable. One day it’s sunny and the next it is overcast with a chance of rain. At least with the winter, you will be prepared for everything; the cold, snow, rain and the perfect winter frost – and so will your guests!

No longer will you need to anxiously check the forecast in the hope of sunshine, the winter weather will enhance the theme of the day! In addition, if you’re lucky enough to get a dusting of snow or heavy frost it will make a beautiful backdrop for your photographs.

Image by Neale James

The cost!

With fewer people getting married between November and February, the venue fee, and sometimes the supplier’s prices, will be lower. This means you can make your money go further and invest in something else like your dream dress, the photographer or the flowers. It also means there will be lots more availability, so you’ll be able to pick the date you really want (and it will be a lot sooner!)

The Theme

A winter setting gives great opportunities for themes you couldn’t have in the summer. Make the Garden Room cosy and have soft furnishing and candles, offering blankets to guests.

Offer mulled wine at your drinks reception and have hot canapés like mini fish and chips or mini Yorkshire puddings with roast beef to warm up your guests.

Or what about hot chocolate? Offer a selection of mini marshmallows, candy canes and whipped cream for your guests to personalise their winter warmer.

For more of a winter wonderland, decorate with icy blue lighting, fairy lights and candles, chandeliers and lots of crystals to reflect the light!

Image by Neale James

Romantic Evenings

In the winter months, as the nights draw in, why not have an earlier ceremony, giving you longer to celebrate! With the darker evenings, light up the venue and create a romantic, magical atmosphere. Use fairy lights or lanterns to highlight the paths and place candles around the rooms. You could also have (battery lit!) candles on the beams or add tea lights to the arrow slits, a cost effective yet charming decoration.

Images by Studio Rouge

Bring the outside… in!

Incorporate the outdoors, nature and simplicity by creating a beautiful winter ‘outdoor’ wedding. Use pine cones for place name holders, wooden centre pieces and even add a few trees!

Image by Neale James

Christmas

With winter, comes Christmas! Wasing Christmas trees are placed around the venue in December and decorated with white lights ready for you to add a personal touch in keeping with your wedding theme. A Christmas themed winter wedding is ideal to add a little more magic! Why not have baubles as favours, ask your guests to write their messages and hang them on the Christmas trees. You could even invite a special guest along…

Dress Code

Worried about what to wear to keep warm? Give your guests pashminas and gloves as gifts to keep them from getting chilly in the evening.

Offer the girls matching fur shawls and keep yourself warm by adding a glamourous fur coat…

Looking like it might be a damp day? Check out these fabulous wedding wellies (weddington boots!) Ideal to keep your wedding shoes clean, and perfect to brave the cold for those beautiful photos in the gardens!

Image by Neale James

Stationery

With many different ideas for your place cards, table plans and invites, it can be quite difficult to know where to start.

Great colours for winter weddings are red, green, gold, blue, white and silver.

Photo Opportunities

Winter can be a beautiful time of year. With the frost and fallen leaves, there are many opportunities for stunning photos showing the season…

What better way to complete your day then sit in front of the fire with your family and friends staying at the Stables Lodge, a perfect winter wedding.

So you’ve written your vows, dug deep within the depths of your heart to find the words appropriate for the love of your life. Your creative juices have flowed and the pool is dry. But now you have the task of writing a speech for the toasts.

Writing a wedding speech can be a daunting task and remembering what and who to include can be tricky. You don’t want to miss anything but equally you’ll want to keep your guests engaged and entertained, remember they will all have a tummy full of delicious food and wine, their urge to nap will be strong!

We’ve compiled a list of things to remember when writing that iconic speech. This is by no means an exhaustive list to stick to, everyone’s speech is different, but this might just give you some pointers:

• Thank the Father of the Bride. He will have likely just made the first speech so thank him on behalf of yourself and your new bride.
• Thank the guests for joining you; particularly if they may have travelled some distance, they’re here for you after all!
• Thank both sets of parents (and any other particularly important guests) for their assistance in planning the day. This is where you might gift both mothers with flowers etc.
• Coo over your new wife. The most important part!
• Thank the best man *insert cheeky stag do comment here*
• Compliment the bridesmaids and give them a toast.
• Personal anecdotes will bring the humour and emotion, so don’t forget to make it your own.

It’s not just about the content; we’ve got some top tips for the writing process and delivery too:

• Try not to write your speech in one sitting. You’ll likely find you get a better quality of speech if you break down the topics and write a small amount at different times. You can then go back at a later date with a fresh pair of eyes and edit anything that may not work. Don’t rush it, start way ahead of time so you’re not putting pressure on yourself.
• If you’re worried about losing your speech, print a spare copy and give to your best man or a groomsman to look after. Vital!
• Practice! This is so important. No one wants to see you reading from a script. If you know the rough layout of your speech and an idea of what you say, the speech will flow naturally and feel more personal, it’ll help the nerves too.
• Be brief. It shouldn’t be an essay describing ‘that one thing the bride’s brother said to you that one time when you were on holiday 5 years ago’. Time your speech and make sure it doesn’t go over 5 minutes. Keep it snappy and keep your guests engaged.
• Most importantly, make it your own! The more personal your speech is, the more comfortable you will feel delivering it and the more heartfelt it will be. Try to make it feel more like you’re just talking to your friends and family father than a formalised speech and you should feel the flow.

Good luck!

Stephanie and James chose a June wedding date and delighted their guests with a fabulous menu, great music, elegant décor, romance and sunshine!

On the lookout for a wedding venue where they could marry and celebrate, Stephanie and James fell in love with Wasing Park and set a June date for their special day.

“We were looking for somewhere with a bit of character and, while we wanted to add our own personal touches, we also wanted somewhere that looked great. Wasing Parked ticked all the boxes.”

Design and Décor

Purple was chosen as a key colour for this elegant day, with various shades carried through the decoration.

Flowers, fairy lights, tea lights, lanterns and ‘LOVE’ lights were just some of the beautifully chosen details.

“We also had some signage on the sweetie table and a pretty box for cards. We wanted to create a relaxed, summery atmosphere – pretty with a touch of elegance”

Bridal Style

The beautiful bride wore an ivory fishtail gown with lace detail by Justin Alexander, completing the look with a single tier veil.

“I absolutely loved my dress. I went simple with jewellery and chose ivory peep toe shoes by Jenny Packham, adding a fun touch with a Mickey and Minnie Mouse transfer on the soles!”

Meanwhile, James chose a pale grey suit from TM Lewin and the bridesmaids were stunning in full-length halter-neck dresses from Dessy.

“We were aiming for a Cadbury purple but they turned out to be a brighter, fuchsia colour which we were really happy with. For a summer wedding, it was so bright and eye-catching.”

All About Flowers

Seasonal blooms adorned Wasing Park, from beautiful pedestal arrangements in the Garden Room during the ceremony to jam jars filled with flowers hanging from the chair ends, all in glorious shades of purple and white.

Table centres were silver lantern tea light holders surrounded by a ring of flowers.

And then the Food

Following the romantic ceremony, drinks and canapés were served in the Garden Room and outside on the lawn.

Moving in to dine, a Scotch egg starter was followed by beef fillet with Dauphinoise potatoes and, for dessert, lemon posset with lemon jelly and shortbread.

“We wanted to make everyone happy but also to choose food that we love. The beef was cooked to perfection.”

Creative Cakes

A fabulous cupcake tower looked fantastic and tasted even better. Flavours alternated between vanilla sponge with vanilla buttercream and chocolate, and chocolate sponge with dark chocolate buttercream, decorated with floral icing in lilac and purple. The top tier was a treat for Stephanie and James – vanilla sponge with espresso buttercream!

Evening Celebrations

As day turned to evening, live band, ‘Genuine’ played a mixture of indie, rock and pop and the newlyweds danced their first dance to ‘Don’t Worry Baby’ by The Beach Boys.

“The dance wasn’t choreographed. I gave James strict instructions to let me lead and we tried to mix things up a bit. It helped that it wasn’t a really slow song.”

An outdoor barbecue was the perfect choice for evening dining.

“It looked amazing but I’m ashamed to say that James and I didn’t have any! We were so caught up in everything and full from the food we’d had throughout the day.”

Memorable Moments

“I loved every part of the day. One of the best moments was when James and I walked out of the Garden Room after the ceremony. We were immediately given a glass of Pimms and could chat to everyone properly.”

“We were so happy with the Events Team. They made sure to take advantage of all the decorations by moving them from one room to another. Everything went so smoothly for us.”

If you’ve yet to visit Wasing Park, we would love to show you around. Simply give our friendly Events Team a call on 0118 907 0199

As more of us are spending time at home, it can feel like you’re unable to get anything done and the days all just blur into one. This not only has impact on your sleep and physical health, it can also affect your mental health as you may feel that you’re not achieving enough.

I’ve found that having some simple organisation and achieving set tasks (no matter how small) help me to feel like I’ve had great day and have a purpose during this uncertain time in limbo! One way which you can achieve this is by getting on with your wedding planning.

Here are five ways to start getting organised and get one step closer to celebrating your big day!

Set out your budget

This should be your first step when wedding planning and perhaps you have already done it, but now is the time to make sure it is up to date!

This is super important as wedding budgets can quickly and very easily get out of control! A nice clear way to set this out is to pop all of the categories that you need to budget for, such as floristry, into a spreadsheet. Dividing your final budget between each category accordingly.

You can use this time to contact suppliers, get quotes on your spreadsheet or notebook and also add an extra column for actual prices, so you can compare them to budgeted figures and see the saving or maybe extra cost!

If you don’t have access to a spreadsheet programme, then I find a notebook works brilliantly. There are lots of bridal planning journals out there, one of our favourites is Six Stories Bridey journal, it is currently in the sale!

Create a timeline

Use your new wedding journal to create a timeline, setting deadlines for each task. Alternatively you could break this down into lists such as “12 months before, 6 months before etc.”

This is so helpful when you’re working out when to book suppliers, when you need to make final choices and payments and what you’ve actually completed.

By breaking everything down on a timeline, it can also help you feel more in control. It acts as a reality check and ensures you do have the time to achieve all of these tasks!

Decide on your design

Now is definitely the time to scroll for hours through Pinterest and Instagram looking for inspiration! One thing I would definitely recommend is checking your venue’s tagged posts and hashtags on Instagram or searching their name in the search bar to see how other people have dressed up the space. This is a great way to discover new ideas and help you to think of your venue in a different way. It can also help you to see how the venue’s space can be set up for different parts of the day. You don’t have to copy their ideas exactly, but instead take inspiration from them, to create a day that’s perfect for you!

Pinterest and Instagram are also brilliant for discovering new suppliers and seeing showcases of their work at the venue. It’s amazing how the stylists can make the venue look and feel so different, based on a theme you have set your heart on.

Create a pin board on Pinterest of all the images that you like, if you are super organised you can even divide them up by category. This is helpful when you need to send a supplier an image of what you’d like from them.

Check out our Pinterest and Instagram pages for more inspiration.

Check out your creative side during lockdown!

During this period, when let’s be honest things can get monotonous, (unless you are one of the very brave frontline workers), try thinking about how you can get creative! Think about designing your own Order of Service, Menu cards, Place Names, Table Plans and maybe even Invitations. If your feeling really creative you could start an online ‘Calligraphy Course’, or just head straight for a calligraphy starter pack and give it a go!

When Wasing first opened, local artist John Dollin, drew some beautiful pencil sketches of the unique properties within Wasing Park. If you would like to incorporate any of these in to your designs please feel free to use them.

You may then decide to have certain elements professionally printed whilst others are hand written!

It’s so important to enjoy your wedding planning! And, at a time like this, with so many people working from home or being furloughed more couples will have the opportunity to spend quality time together. Remember this could potentially save you money and add a personal touch to your wedding day too.

Have fun!

Here at Wasing Park we are delighted to be working with Lulabee: an artisanal home-studio business run by talented wedding stationery and accessory designer, Laura Penny.

Laura actually got married at Wasing Park so has an extra special connection to our venue. Like every bride, Laura wanted her wedding to be personal, unique and beautiful, from her gown right down to the place card settings on her Wedding Breakfast tables. But whilst trying to achieve her dream she discovered that there are surprisingly few companies who provide a truly bespoke service with the level of detail she wanted for her special day.

Having learned from her own experience, she decided to start Lulabee, a small business filled with detail and love that helps brides realise their dreams. Laura explains: “I love nothing more than helping people, so for me, this is my dream. I want to help people achieve the best wedding day they could ever dream of, it’s one of the biggest days of your lives. It’s your chance to express yourselves and push the boat out, because you are going to remember this day for years to come.”

Laura offers a full bespoke stationery menu that includes stunning Save the Dates; Wedding Invitations; on the day stationery such as Place Cards, Menus and Orders of Service; as well as exquisite hand painted Timelines of Your Day and seating plans fitted to your chosen colours and style.

Laura can also provide a complete Styling Service to ensure that every element, from the tables and chairs, to the aisle you will slowly walk down, looks absolutely stunning on the day. Using the items you’ve selected from Lulabee, like her Cake Stands, Aisle Decorations, or Table Runners, she will also style the venue with personal items you want to include: perhaps bunting your Mum has made, or family objects you want to decorate your tables with. This combination will ensure your wedding day here at Wasing is not just beautiful, but truly unique and personal to you.

It takes a lot if planning and research to pull together the little details that create a genuinely unique wedding that will wow your guests. With the help of Lulabee, creating your wedding stationery, colours and themes, and personalising the day with a special favour on the tables or putting up signs that tell a story about you both, is a cinch, leaving the bride with very little to worry about.

Visit Laura over at Lulabee here and get all the inspo over on her instagram here.

Student guest blogger Lydia gives us an insight into a few American traditions.

Recently I travelled to San Francisco to be a bridesmaid in a very American wedding. Whilst many elements of the ceremony and reception were similar to a British wedding, it is easy to distinguish between American and British weddings. The subtle differences were a new experience for me, and I think some would be interesting to incorporate into our own weddings over here.

THE DRY RUN

First off, in America, on the night before the wedding, a rehearsal dinner is held. I love this idea because it makes everyone feel more comfortable on the wedding day. It is a formal introduction of the two families, a chance for them to get to know each other before the actual ceremony. The guests at the dinner are usually close friends and relatives, much more relaxed in comparison to the wedding day itself. The rehearsal dinner was also an opportunity for speeches, from the best men and friends (something we English had not prepared for!)

SPEECHES FREE FOR ALL

Whilst we all love a good speech, our American cousins differ from our usual block format, on the wedding day, at the top table after the wedding breakfast. You never knew when the next speech was going to be, or if any speeches would actually take place at the wedding itself. The father of the groom said his speech at the rehearsal dinner while the father of the bride said his at the drinks reception!

MORE HATS SIR!

One thing I noticed was missing from the wedding guest’s attire was the prevalence of hats. In Britain it’s almost mandatory to wear a hat to a wedding but this tradition seemed to be overlooked in the US. I think hats are festive yet elegant, and always add a touch of fun and flair to an outfit. If you’re ever wondering whether to wear a hat to a wedding and stick with the British tradition-the answer is yes!

A BIT MORE COLOUR…

However, not following tradition can be fun and add personality to a wedding. In San Francisco, the bridesmaids wore short, black dresses with multi coloured shoes and matching nails. The maid of honour still wore black, but had a different dress and shoes. This completely differs from the usual matching bridesmaid dresses we see. Why not mix things up and have some colourful quirky touches?

SNAPS BEFORE CHAT

The wedding photographs in the US are taken before the ceremony, allowing the wedding couple time to enjoy the drinks reception with their guests. In the UK, the photos are after the ceremony as it is tradition for the couple to not see each other before walking down the aisle!

MAKING YOUR ENTRANCE

The ceremony itself was fab. Each bridesmaid walked down the aisle partnered with a groomsman before the entrance of the bride and groom. Unfortunately I didn’t see this wedding which brings a smile to my eye every time…

…

Whether you groove down the aisle like Jill and Kevin, or wander down in a slightly more traditional way, the wedding party then end up standing either side of the bride and groom throughout the ceremony unlike in England, where they sit down. It’s certainly a nice tradition having your closest friends and family standing by your side in support of the wedding.

YOU SAY POTATO…

The couple chose to have a seafood buffet. The meal is often the focal point of a reception however having a buffet throughout the evening leaves more time for everything else. American weddings tend to be later in the day and so casual dining allows more time for socialising and dancing! Having fewer tables at the reception encouraged everyone to get on the dance floor – which was definitely a perk, and lets face it, there is nothing worse than an empty dance floor…

So, from my experience, both British and American weddings are great fun and have interesting traditions. Nowadays, however, couples seem to be incorporating the traditions that suit them and that can only be a good thing…

Whether your wedding was true to your culture or a mix with your own style, we’d love to hear about it! Have you noticed any other differences in weddings from around the world?

By Lydia Buffery – guest blogger at Wasing

Winter; the season of hot chocolates, bejewelled frosty mornings and snug woollen scarves. It’s a magical time of year and as the leaves fall and the days shorten, the season brings with it some stunning wedding opportunities. We’ve pulled together some top tips for ensuring that your winter wedding is warm, inviting, cosy and full of chills – the good kind.

Let there be light

With shorter days come longer evenings and the perfect excuse to have fun with lighting. Twinkling fairy lights can adorn entrances, pathways and ceilings, while hundreds of candles create warmth on tables and within wall recesses. Using warm colour lights creates that cosy night-in feeling, adding intimacy to even the largest of spaces.

Image by Studio Rouge

Colours count

Warmth doesn’t just come from turning up the heating; we can simply feel warmer by embracing colour theory and surrounding ourselves with deep, rich hues. Think olive green, burgundy, copper, amber and plum. Why not consider colours like this for bridesmaid’s dresses, flowers and table decorations? It could even influence jewellery and shoes for a pop of bridal colour.

Image by Studio Rouge

Embrace the fashion

For women, dressing for the cold can be just as interesting as throwing on something light in the summer. Whether you’re the bride or a guest, a winter wedding gives you the excuse to embrace beautiful lace sleeves, sleek tailor-made jackets and even a bit of faux fur. More is definitely more in winter, so throw on the layers, have fun with textures and add some suited sophistication to the day.

Image by Studio Rouge

Go decadent with the menu

The winter season celebrates succulent dishes which warm the soul from the inside out. Think hearty shepard’s pie drizzled with infused gravy, earthy mushroom risotto, or indulgent beef wellington with all the trimmings. We haven’t even started on pudding; there’s fruit crumble, sticky toffee pudding, red-wine poached pears and dark chocolate tart, just to name a few. Winter food is by nature inviting and warming, so celebrate that with a delicious, comforting menu.

Warming drinks

Winter weddings are a great excuse to serve some warming drinks. Be it steaming mulled wine, hot cider or after dinner coffee, hands need not be cold if they’re wrapped around a glass of something warm. As the evening draws in and the party begins, treat guests to a rum punch station, where fresh fruit juices served with spiced rums are sure to have an effect, warming and otherwise – tis the season after all.

Image by Neale James

Whatever the weather

Rain, rain, go away, come back another day; it’s something brides chant in the run up to a winter wedding. However, a little rain can make for some hugely entertaining and memorable moments, especially for brides who embrace it. Winter weddings don’t come without the risk of rain, so come prepared with umbrellas, colourful wellies and let the wind create some magic. With a ‘whatever the weather’ attitude, photographers can have fun shooting unique and enchanting images of your day, creating heart-warming memories which last a lifetime. Don’t waste time watching the forecast, let winter do its thing and remember every cloud has a silver lining, even the dark grey ones.

If you’ve yet to visit Wasing Park, we would love to show you around. Simply give our friendly Events Team a call on 0118 907 0199

White, gold and champagne. We all know what these mean to a happy bride; the dress, the ring and, well, the champagne! But how easy is it to incorporate this colour theme into your wedding?

The simple elegance of a neutral scheme opens up a world of adventure in terms of styling. Our rustic barn juxtaposes the classic neutrals in a way that’s warming and cosy but still just as chic as you’ve always envisaged. Think of flickering white pillar candles, champagne toned roses and hints of classic gold.

If neutrals are your thing but you want to add a pop of colour, wine-red for a wintery theme or blush-pink for more of a spring feel will become the central focus when surrounded by beautiful muted tones.

The connotations of white and gold have been woven into the essence of a wedding for many generations and there is a reason it has stuck! Years and years of photo albums upon photos albums strewn with white gowns and golden wedding rings brings an air of nostalgia to the wedding world. Even if this seems a little outdated, there is no denying that the memories of our childhood looking through granny’s wedding photos are special ones. There is nothing wrong with updating a classic.

With such a malleable pairing as white and gold, it seems almost impossible to bring a more contemporary feel to the table and yet here we’ve done it. Champagne shades have crept their way into the modern wedding day with the colour itself almost being impossible to avoid in one way or another. Rose gold accessories being the most obvious way of incorporating a more blush toned neutral. The colour of the decade has expanded in our hearts from an unusual and quirky expression to a staple part of the late two-thousand-and-teens trend. Peachy champagnes are indicative of a ballerinas ribbons; soft, dainty and beautiful.

Charlotte and Mark chose Wasing Park for their stylish September celebration. With a decadent colour scheme, creative design and fabulous food and music, it was a wonderful blend of romance and fun.

The Venue

On the lookout for a beautiful wedding venue in Berkshire, Charlotte and Mark fell in love with Wasing Park.

“There was no competition! Wasing Park had everything we wanted. It was perfectly positioned with stunning grounds, exclusivity and an outdoor ceremony option. It also has the most incredible guest rooms” – Charlotte

Setting the Scene

Choosing an early September wedding date, the happy couple decided on a rustic woodland theme based on ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ with a colour palette of rich berry tones. Celebrating their love for Glastonbury Festival, they recreated the famous Glastonbury sign with ‘LOVE’ letters and positioned them on the grass opposite the Castle Barn.

As a designer by nature, Charlotte spent months sourcing materials, mocking up displays and making everything from stationery through to an outdoor bar made from pallets. Opulent floral arrangements incorporating moss and feathers completed the look.

“I really enjoyed planning our decorations and also involved my dad in some of the bigger projects. The details made the day extra special and unique to us.” – Charlotte

Bridal Style

Charlotte looked stunning in a lace gown by Maggie Sottero embellished with crystals and beads.

“I adored my dress. The detail is breathtaking and I felt like a princess in it.” – Charlotte

The beautiful bride accessorised with elegant jewellery, a crystal headband and veil. Marrying a tall fiancé, she also chose to wear high heels – ivory peep toe stilettos from Monsoon Bridal.

Charlotte’s six bridesmaids wore Dessy gowns in two different colours with fresh flowers in their hair.

“It was important to me that my bridesmaids were all comfortable in their dresses. I chose styles I knew they would like and alternate colours that complimented them.” – Charlotte

Finally, Mark looked the part in a bespoke navy lounge suit by Robert Tracey, along with tweed waistcoat, silk tie and pocket square.

Order of the Day at Wasing Park

With the sun shining, Charlotte and Mark were able to say their vows outside in the Victorian Summerhouse and host their drinks reception in the Garden Room and on the lawn.

“We also provided a ‘Pimp Your Prosecco’ station with juices, fruit purees, fresh berries and edible flowers.” – Charlotte

Moving in to dine, the happy couple chose a Scotch egg starter followed by fillet of beef and a triple chocolate brownie.

“All the food was delicious, but the standout dish was the Scotch egg – the perfect starter for soaking up the reception drinks!” – Charlotte

Evening Celebrations

As the sun went down, a DJ and live band entertained guests, alongside ‘Bertie’ a vintage VW camper van photo booth!

The newlyweds danced their first dance to ‘The One’ by Kodaline and the dance floor filled.

“Wasing has a late-night bar for residents so the party kept going. It was amusing seeing everyone for breakfast the following morning!” – Charlotte

Memorable Moments

“There were so many favourite moments. If I had to choose one, it would be when we walked in to our reception, welcomed by our guests as a newly married couple.” – Charlotte

Advice from the Bride

“Allow plenty of time to plan your day exactly as you want it. The more time you have, the fewer compromises you’ll need to make. Make savings by hunting for bargains and embarking on some DIY projects.” – Charlotte

“The Wasing Park events team were amazing and so helpful. From start to finish they were a huge support to us.” – Charlotte

If you’ve yet to visit Wasing Park, we would love to show you around. Simply give our friendly Events Team a call on 0118 907 0199.

Photography by Studio Rouge

Partylights have been working alongside us here at Wasing Park for many years now. The beautiful original beams in the Castle Barn lend themselves completely to twinkly fairy lights or a display of hanging Edison bulbs.

No matter what your vision is, lighting can be absolutely integral to creating an atmosphere and setting the stage for your big day.

If  you’re thinking about a winter wedding, consider the cosy, romantic feel of a fairy light canopy to compliment the tea lights flickering away in the arrow slits. If you’re a summer couple, consider the possibility of lighting the terrace with festoon lighting or fairy lights as the sun begins to go down.

Images by Studio Rouge

Partylights also provide the ever popular LOVE letters, a wonderful focal point in the Castle Barn or the Garden Room.

To book a visit call 0118 907 0199

How many wedding favours have you received, and how many do you remember?

Image by Studio Rouge

Wedding favours are a wonderful way to reflect your interests as a couple. Love gardening or being in the great outdoors – think about bee bombs or seed packets. Love a good party – try drink vouchers or personalised shot glasses. They don’t have to cost a lot to mean a lot either. We’ve seen almost everything over the years so we thought we’d list some of our biggest hits and greatest newcomers to the growing world of wedding favours:

Off to a flying start

A growing trend is to provide welcome bags instead of the traditional parting gift. It’s all about making your friends and family feel welcome, thinking about what you would give them if they were staying with you in your home. Small hampers left in their hotel rooms will ensure they know you’re thinking about them right from the off. Consider including bottles of water, light snacks, painkillers, a copy of the plan for the day, local treats etc.

Keeping it local

Speaking of local treats perhaps include something to take home that they’ll be able to eat or drink while also supporting businesses in the area. Some jam or chutney from the farmers market (local to you or local to your wedding venue) or a handmade trinket from a local craftsperson. We love liz, from LoveHeart Wood, who creates contemporary wooden gifts, favours and place names. You could even make a day of it and speak to some of the vendors and taste the products available before deciding.

We made it!

Why not try your hand at some DIY. Make your own preserves (an oldie, but a goodie!), create pre-measured cake mix in your favourite flavours, create a wedding hangover kit (paracetamol, eye mask, ear plugs, vitamin tablets etc). They don’t even have to be entirely homemade, bulk order some plants and place in hand painted pots. You could even make it part of your pre-wedding events and gather some friends and family to help you over a glass (or four) of something bubbly…

Light of my Life

An old favourite is a scented candle, and it’s a favourite for a reason. Order a few spare and light them on the day, this will let your loved ones recreate the feel of the day later while they reminisce over the Insta pics!

FUN-ctional

We’ve all been to a wedding or two where we’ve seen unwanted favours left on tables as the night winds down, avoid this by looking for things that your guests will want to keep (or consume!). Personalised bottle stoppers (for wine or even gin) make a great gift.  If you’d like to light sparklers at the end of the night, gift these on the tables, or a cute package of after dinner mints ensures they’ll all be used and appreciated! You could even box them up and label them to double them up place names at your Wasing Park wedding.

Aw…sweet!

Who doesn’t love a sweet treat? Let’s be honest, everyone will probably eat them before the starters are served! We’ve seen our fair share of initialled biscuits, jars of sweets and personalised chocolates. Cocoapod can provide gorgeous chocolate treats with your guest’s initials on, maybe use them to double up as place names.

Charity begins at home

There are so many worthwhile charities that offer alternative wedding favours, a quick search will show you endless options. For example, Wildflower Favours supply seed packets containing British-grown wildflower seeds. They support a number of environmental charities such as Action Against Hunger and Tree Aid, the seed packets offer a donation to a chosen charity from each packet sold.

Love is a Lottery…

Buy a cheap scratch card or lottery ticket for each of your guests and place them in adorable scratch card wallets. Fingers crossed you get a winner! Top tip – when buying lottery tickets you should save all of the numbers on a spreadsheet so that you can give people a heads up if there’s a winner!

Just remember that wedding favours don’t have to be perfect and shouldn’t cause you any stress, so pick wisely and don’t forget that they should be fun and not something that keeps you awake at night!