Arundel Wedding Show: September 2016

 

So I guess you could say that last weekend had a bit of a wedding theme to it, you see after visiting Fraser Hart in Bluewater for my first ring inspection, both Al and I decided that whilst the weather was so glorious we would both make the most of it. Naturally this led to a spontaneous trip to Arundel for their local wedding show which was being held at the Town Hall.

Once we arrived at the venue, Al signed us in and I was given a great little information pack, which was full of lots of local suppliers as well as a cute little wedding planner. Then we were also informed about what was on and the timings for the fashion show, so we decided to make our way upstairs where we were immediately greeted with the beautiful tones of a local harpist.

After speaking to my older Sister who got married in 2006, I discovered Natalie who created my Sister’s stunning bridal bouquet and floral arrangements for her special day. Once I had paid a visit to Natalie’s incredible Facebook page  and had Corresponded   via email for a couple of months, it soon became clear to me that I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to meet the lovely lady behind these gorgeous creations. So when I found out that Natalie would be exhibiting at this local event, I naturally thought this was the perfect opportunity for me and Al to discuss our ideas with her and find out exactly what was feasible. Now, generally speaking most men tend to favour the catering side of planning or as my better half likes to call it ‘food and beer’, so it was crucial that I won Al over with the flower side of things.

Luckily for me Natalie was great to chat with and after explaining that I wanted Peonies in August she was able to offer me lots of alternatives that looked exactly the same and were a fraction of the price. She is clearly an expert in the florist sector and really knows her stuff. She also showed us some photographs of some previous work she had done at our venue, as well as a few examples of other floral displays that we inquired about. I was even surprised to discover that she had made Al fall in love with the idea of a floral arch – result!

Next we decided to have a chat with the lovely Melanie from The Cake Artist and try a few cake samples like you do. What was particularly interesting was how she can incorporate the pattern from your wedding dress onto the overall design of your cake. The great thing about Melanie is she also offers a free consultation and can tailor your cake to your own specific requirements and taste. What really surprised us was when we spoke to Melanie we discovered that it is best to order your cake up to 12 months before the big day, it just goes to show it is never too early to start planning.

 

 

As we were walking around the show, we couldn’t help but notice Tan from Tan’s Tasty Cakes who immediately greeted us with a lovely smile and offered some cake samples for us to try. I always think that when you are in the early stages of planning, it is always a good idea to talk to and compare different suppliers, as it helps you to refine your choices and perhaps consider an option that you weren’t aware off.

Whilst talking to Tan she told us all about some cakes that she had created that were tailored for both the Groom and Bride. Personally I have never been a fan of this option, but Tan makes such incredible cakes, I couldn’t help but secretly fall in love with her designs. We can have more than one cake right? I would defiently recommend considering both of these wonderful and talented ladies to help you wow your guests.

After admiring these gorgeous cakes I had a chat with a local wedding boutique who really shocked me when they said I should start the dress hunt now – we aren’t getting married until August 2018! However, I soon discovered that you need to allow time to order the dress in as well as alterations. The ladies were so lovely and immediately made me feel at ease. Sadly I missed the fashion show as I was too busy chatting away to all of the lovely suppliers, but I did bump into two of the models as I was leaving and their dresses were absolutely stunning. I really can’t wait to start my search for the one.

These are just a handful of some of the wonderful suppliers we got to meet. There were marquee companies, suppliers of chair covers and wedding decor props, suits for that special man in your life and his groomsmen, wedding rings, makeup artists and so much more. Even if you already have a few suppliers in mind, I would still recommend visiting a couple of shows and trying to meet your intended suppliers. That way you can ask them questions and get an idea of exactly what they can do for you. You may even discover a love for something new like a harpist, I know I did!

 

Suppliers Mentioned:

Amberlilys Wedding Florist

The Cake Artist

Tan’s Tasty Cakes

 

I hope you have enjoyed this post and have been inspired to attend a show near you.

Love Emma

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