A Quick Tip: Flowers

Scented flowers and foliage can be a great at a wedding- a waft of honeysuckle, a hint of freesia, a burst of garden roses but be careful where you use them, strong scents can be overpowering at the tables so best to use them with the personal flowers or key locations such as entrances to rooms.

Image by Always Andri Wedding Design

Adorable Links

Well as I’m sharing a little more about me and some of the behind the scenes going on at Always Andri I thought I’d also start sharing some adorable links with you of the fabulous things out there that inspire me and I’m loving this month.

I love beautiful calligraphy and hope to do a little course on it soon; this Whimsical Calligraphy by Barbara Kua via Oh So Beautiful Paper is just lovely

Photo by Barbara Kua

Some more Pretty Penmanship here via Little White Book

Lots of great Valentine inspiration this month-here are just a few that inspired:

A cute Paul + Julia Childs inspired love shoot on Green Wedding Shoes with a stunning Anemone bouquet (recently saw Julie & Julia too-all those yummy recipes mmm)

Didn’t get a chance to do my own valentine inspired inspiration board this year but I love this beautiful Valentines Inspiration board by Postcards and Pretties via Hotspot

Sweet little Valentine vintage typewriter DIY project that would make fab favours for your wedding

I recently visited the Anthropologie store in Kings Road it was amazing, I could have wondered around it for hours; they have also just launched a wedding range BHLDN (pronounced beholden) which is pretty fabulous. Stationery Company Magnolia Rouge posted these beautiful dresses paired up with some of their stationery designs.

I’m a big fan of US floral and event designer Carissa of JL Designs and her flowers at this fabulous old world circus themed wedding of her brother and sister-in-la w are divine. It’s a wonderful wedding full of loads of great details too, many DIY, lovingly created by the family-the father of the bride even cut down the wood in his back yard to create the ceremony space. It also featured on 100 Layer Cake here, and Green Wedding Shoes here

Photo by Gabriel Ryan Photographers via 100 Layer Cake

Finally I’ve been playing around a little recently with making paper flowers, mine are on a very small scale unlike the amazing giant flowers at this whimsical wedding featured on Green Wedding shoes.

Photo by Ali DeGraff Photography via Green Wedding shoes

Always Loves: Mercury Glass

I have a bit of a thing for mercury glass at the moment; I love the tarnished effect, the way it glimmers when used with candles,  the lovely texture it gives to mirrored surfaces and I think it is a perfect way to add a touch of vintage combined with a bit of metallic glamour. Traditionally made from blowing two layers of glass and lining the inside with mercury (a short lived practise due to its toxic nature) you can also find it in other shades too.

1 Photo by John Schnack Photography via I Love Lolliblog here

2 Photo by Henry Shoots via Style Me Pretty here

3 Photo by Marie Labbancz. via Elizabeth Anne Designs here

4 Silver Apothecary Jar by Primrose & Plum via Not on the High Street here

5 Photo by Jessica Claire via Elizabeth Anne Designs here

6 Photo by Wildflowers Photography via Style Me Pretty here

7 Photo by Gulnara Studio via Ruffled here

8 Photo by Natalie Norton Photography via Inspired By This here

A Quick Tip: Multi-cultural Weddings

When planning a multi-cultural wedding take the time to discuss between yourselves and your families which cultural influences are important to you all and will have the most meaning to you at the ceremony and the reception; by acknowledging the differences as well as the common ground you can take the best of both worlds and create a wedding unique to you as a couple.

Photo courtesy of Marianne Taylor Photography

Always Andri ~ The Poem!!

When I got in touch with Kate the Wedding Poet to ask her my questions I also asked if she could write me a little 3-4 line poem to go with the post. This is what she came back to me with-I loved it so much I thought it deserved its very own post.

Always Andri

Trying to plan the perfect wedding

Can drive you up the wall

So contact Andri the wedding planner

And she’ll take care of it all

Whether you need a lot of help

Or only a little bit

Always Andri will find you a package

That’s just the perfect fit

From venues to tiaras to photos

There’s nothing Andri cannot do

To make your day go smoothly

And be really special too

She can take the stress

Out of choosing a dress

Find someone to bake

Your wedding cake

Come up with ideas for kids and things

And help you choose your wedding rings

So for a day that’s as perfect as it can be

Make sure you visit Always Andri!

©Kate Tym – The Wedding Poet - 2011

A huge thank you to Kate for my fab poem.
Photo courtesy of Fanni Williams at Fubumedia

Always Asks: The Wedding Poet

Continuing with our reading related week in honour of Valentine's Day on Monday, I caught up with Kate Tym The Wedding Poet to ask her a few wedding related questions...

How did you get into wedding poetry?

I’m a published author and performance poet so my life and work has always involved lots of writing anyway. Then in 2008 I got married. I searched high and low to find something suitable to read during the ceremony and speeches and came up blank. There are lots of lovely poems out there but none of them said quite what I wanted to say. The love poems weren’t about MY love and the ‘humorous’ poems were way too cheesy! So, I wrote something myself. I wrote a poem for me to read to my husband during the ceremony and a poem for my daughter (who was 8 at the time) to read during the speeches. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house and it felt very special to have readings to share that were so straight from my heart.

Why did you decide to set up The Wedding Poet?

I thought that if I’d found it so hard to find an appropriate reading, surely other people must be having the same problem. I loved the idea of finding out all about people and crafting a poem that was unique and special to them. I loved every minute of my wedding day and I love the thought of being in a small way responsible for helping to make other people’s weddings as wonderful as my own. I get a real thrill when I feel I’ve really written something that puts in to words someone else’s innermost thoughts and feelings.

Where do you find your inspiration?

The stories people tell me about their relationships are inspiration enough. How people met, why they love each other, special things they’ve said or done and funny things too – I’ve come across some very bizarre habits and tastes in food!

What has been your favourite wedding to write a poem for?

I actually love writing every poem I do – I pride myself on being able to gauge just what will work for the particular couple I’m working for and because each person is different, so is every poem. The more information I’m given the easier it is… so I like people who are happy to tell me every last detail of their lives – it’s a great job for nosy person!

What have you found the most challenging job?

I have written a poem for a couple whose child was terminally ill and another for a woman who had just spent a year fighting breast cancer. Obviously this kind of job requires an enormous amount of sensitivity. I felt very privileged to have them share their stories with me and very proud to have been part of their weddings and to have been able to put their thoughts into words at a time of very mixed emotions.

What do you think couples should be looking for when thinking of having a bespoke piece of poetry written?

Have in mind whether you’d like the poem for the ceremony, or for the speeches, and whether you’d like something funny and light-hearted or more romantic and loving. Often if people are very nervous about doing a speech, one of my poems is perfect, as the rhythm and rhyme gives them a bit of support – I’ve had very positive feedback from even the most anxious of clients!

What do you wish couples knew already when working with you?

Nothing! I’m very careful to guide my clients every step of the way. So I send an initial questionnaire, which really gets everything going, and then we question and answer back and forth until I have enough information to start writing. So, I suppose the only they do need to know is that they should be prepared to tell me everything! The more I can ‘get to know’ a couple, the more personal and unique their poem can be.

What’s your one obsession (non wedding related) at the moment-something you just can’t live without?

I’m on a mission to decorate my whole house in 2011! My husband is a builder…. so he never wants to do any ‘work’ at home, and as a consequence my house is always in a state of disrepair. I’ve decided to take matters into my own hands, and so I’m obsessed with colour charts and wallpaper samples, and I’ve got more tester pots on the go than B&Q! Anyone who steps through the front door is made to stand looking at paint samples and not allowed to leave until they agree with me on which is the nicest shade!

 Come back on tomorrow for a little poem that Kate wrote for me Always Andri the Wedding Planner!!

All images courtesy of Eliza Claire Photography

A Quick Tip: Readings

“Love is not a selfish need

It is not a hunger that must be fed

Love should not exclude

It should make our lives broader

Our hearts wider”

Dorcas from ‘Lark Rise to Candleford’

When you’re looking to choose your wedding readings remember as well as meaningful poems and passages from books you could have the lyrics from a favourite song, an extract from a play even quotes and speeches from well loved films or TV programmes.

Valentine Love Poetry: Syntax

Syntax

I want to call you thou, the sound

of the shape of the start

of a kiss - like this, thou –

and to say, after, I love,

thou, I love, thou I love, not

I love you.

Because I so do –

As we say now – I want to say

thee, I adore thee,

and to know I n my lips

The syntax of love resides,

and to gaze in thine eyes.

Love’s language starts, stops, starts;

The right words flowing or clotting in the heart.

By Caroline Duffy from Love Poems

Photograph courtesy of Fanni Williams

Valentine Baking

One of my favourite things to do on a quiet weekend is a bit baking with my little boy and I think this weekend I just might bake these with him-perfect for Valentine’s day on Monday and would make cute little weding favours too.

for baking instructions see Sweet Paul here

 
Photo by Frances Janisch

Adorable Finds: Cutture Valentine Cards

So it's Valentine’s Day on Monday and I’ve got few wedding readings and poetry related posts lined up but if you’re looking for an adorable Valentine card, then why don’t you go online or head down to the Cutture Boutique on the Wandsworth Bridge Road in London to pick up one of their fab lasercut Valentine Cards.

All images courtesy of Cutture

A Quick Tip: Venues

Historical buildings can often have very strict policies about what is and isn’t allowed such as no high heels, red wine or naked flames, even no dancing or flowers; check and double check your contract for any restrictions that might dampen the celebrations before you book.

Photo courtesy of Marianne Taylor Photography

My Inspiration: Ani DiFranco

Last week my husband and I went to see Ani DiFranco, a Grammy award winning US artist who, considering she has released almost 20 albums in the last 20 years, surprisingly few people know about. Well my husband is a HUGE fan and has all those albums. Her music will always be very important to both of us, her lyrics are very personal and always express so much

Here are the lyrics from her beautiful song, that I have always loved, Overlap from the 1994 album Out of Range I think the opening verse/chorus would make a lovey wedding reading or quote for an order of service too.

i search your profile for a translation

i study the conversation like a map

'cause i know there is strength

in the differences between us

and i know there is comfort

where we overlap

come here

stand in front of the light

stand still

so i can see your silhouette

i hope

that you have got all night

cause i'm not done looking yet

each one of us

wants a piece of the action

you can hear it in what we say

you can see it in what we do

we negotiate with chaos

for some sense of satisfaction

if you won't give it to me

at least give me a better view

come here

stand in front of the light

stand still

so i can see your silhouette

i hope

that you have got all night

cause i'm not done looking yet

i build each one of my songs out of glass

so you could see me inside them i suppose

or you could just leave the image of me

in the background i guess

and watch your own reflection superimposed

i build each one of my days out of hope

and i give that hope your name

and i don't know you that well

but it don't take much to tell

either you don't have the balls

or you don't feel the same

come here

stand in front of the light

stand still

so i can see your silhouette

i hope

that you have got all night

cause i'm not done looking yet

i search your profile for a translation

and i study the conversation like a map

'cause i know there is strength

in the differences between us

and i know there is comfort

where we overlap

© 1994 ani difranco / righteous babe music

Image courtesy of Steve Gerrard

Rosalind Miller Wedding Cakes

As I mentioned on Friday I went to visit Rosalind Miller Cakes last week, here are some of her fabulous cake designs.

I can’t decide which one I like best as I do like coloured cakes so the 3 tiered pink & gold open rose and the pistachio green lovebird cakes are favourites but having seen the ivory rose wedding cake (top left) in the flesh and knowing it was inspired by a piece of Art that Rosalind did herself I think it just tops them all.

Which one is your favourite?

For an insightful interiew with Rosalind check out the English Wedding Blog here

All images courtesy of Rosalind Miller Cakes