M ON AG L AZ INE IN E
South Wales
2020
12 pages of inspiring wedding ideas
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING RINGS
TIPS & ADVICE
REAL WEDDING IDEAS & INSPIRATION
FLOWERS BY SEASON
HELPING YOU CHOOSE YOUR BOUQUET
FIND YOUR PERFECT
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Wedding Dress Style
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a note from the
Contents
editor...
04 Find Your Venue
W
elcome to our South Wales Wedding Guide! If you’re planning a wedding in this gorgeous county, then we have all the advice and inspiration you’ll need to plan the perfect day. South Wales has over 142 licensed venues to choose from, from historic estates to chic city centre hotels, so if you’re on the hunt for the ideal place to say ‘I do’, take a look at our venue guide on page 4. Once you have your venue sorted, then we have top tips for all the details you’ll need to create your wedding vision, from seasonal wedding flowers to choosing your wedding rings. We even have a guide to picking the perfect wedding dress on page 12! Want even more wedding planning advice? You can find more fabulous South Wales suppliers at guidesforbrides.co.uk and check out the pages of our blog for even more beautiful inspiration and handy tips.
06 The Savvy Bride 2019 08 Real Wedding: Sophia and Alex 12 Your Perfect Wedding Dress 14 Wedding Flowers by Season 15 How To Choose Your Wedding Rings
Happy planning!
Alison Hargreaves Follow us on
@guidesforbrides
Editor Alison Hargreaves
Features Isabel Hicks
Account Managers John Maddaford Ali Moore Amy Jaremchuk Christine King Denise Huff Elaine Rough
Design Claire Rowland
GfB South Wales Wedding Guide 2020
Guides for Brides Ltd Larkhill Farm Wantage Oxfordshire OX12 8PJ T 01235 770078 E info@guidesforbrides.co.uk www.guidesforbrides.co.uk © Guides for Brides 2020
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Choosing Your
Dream Venue
in South Wales
See our favourite wedding venues near you If you’re hitting the road to ‘I do’, with no idea of what kind of wedding venue would suit your tastes, this guide can help! Here are some of the most popular wedding venue types and who it would be suitable for, and we’ve picked some of our favourites from the local area to help get you started…
Hotel Wedding Venues Hotel wedding venues come with all the mod cons, often boasting luxurious rooms, on-site catering and acres of breathtaking grounds, with expert staff on hand catering to your every whim and desire. Plenty of hotels offer easily customisable wedding packages to make wedding planning as easy as possible, and your guests can easily retire to their rooms after dancing the night away only to meet you for a delicious breakfast the next morning.
Barn Wedding Venues Barns are a classic choice for an English wedding, as we have so many beautiful barn wedding venues throughout the UK. With their gorgeous rustic feel and wooden interiors, barns are perfect for couples who want something relaxed yet romantic. Enjoy the countryside views, beams strewn with fairy lights and bunting and beautiful photo opportunities, all while enjoying modern heating and sound systems. 4
OUR FAVOURITE VENUES IN MERSEYSIDE Country House Wedding Venues For glamorous brides who want to feel like something out of a fairytale, you can’t go wrong with an elegant country house wedding venue. Country houses and stately homes have stunning spaces for both wedding ceremonies and receptions, so if you’ve always dreamed of tying the knot in a picture gallery or orangery before enjoying an evening reception in the ballroom, then a country house may be the ideal wedding venue for you.
Outdoor Wedding Venues When it comes to outdoor wedding venues, the possibilities are endless. Ranging from a botanical garden wedding to a relaxed beach celebration by the sea, if you’re a bride that’s at one with nature, this type of wedding venue is for you. So, swap your wedding shoes for cowboy boots or flip-flops and get hitched in the great outdoors!
Hotel: King Arthur Hotel, Gower View details of this venue
Barn: Old Walls, Gower, Swansea View details of this venue
Castle: Hensol Castle, Hensol View details of this venue
Unique/Outdoors: Fairyhill, Gower View details of this venue
Still looking? Click here for more South Wales wedding venues
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WHY YOU FELL IN LOVE Let us take care of every last detail and discover the timeless luxury of Oldwalls
Oldwalls, a collection of exclusive wedding venues oldwallscollection.com
Satu rday
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Savvy
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If you’re feeling on edge about the cost of a wedding, don’t worry, it’s totally normal! Couples can often be too focused on prices and end up compromising on areas of their wedding that they loved at the beginning. Our savvy pointers will help you stay within your budget, keep calm and find ways to incorporate everything you want for your big day. 8
www.guidesforbrides.co.uk
How to be a Savvy Bride 2019 Pinterest is a great way to follow trends and gather inspiration for your big day. If you don’t have it already downloading it is an absolute must. It will soon become your best friend. Pinterest allows you to pin your favourite images, build a board and even share your ideas. This is a nice way to involve your mum, bridesmaids and friends in the wedding planning process, plus it’s free! Click here for Pinterest Being organised is one of the most important elements in order to stay savvy. If you love spreadsheets, you’re going to be in your element! However, if spreadsheets aren’t your thing and you want someone to do the hard work for you, sign up for the free online Guides for Brides Wedding Planner. You can work through a checklist in the lead up, manage your suppliers and quotes, organise a guest list and table plan, all while keeping track of your budget! Sign up for your FREE Wedding-Planner
It sounds cheeky but everyone does it! Have a sneak peek at other people’s weddings and see what it is you like about them and what worked well for them. The perfect place to do this is our Real Weddings section, where we feature endless beautiful weddings, oozing inspiration.
’ s weddings e l p o e p r e th O
A personal touch is what makes a wedding your own. Being a DIY bride is no bad thing and can end up saving you hundreds of pounds! Friends and family are often happy to help, so why not organise a night in for you and your nearest and dearest to get creative! Click here for more great wedding ideas A massive trend this year is couples creating their own wedding website. You can add your engagement story, collect your RSVP’s, share the menu choices and order of the day, all with your guests! You don’t even need to send physical invites but ‘e-versions’ – a great way to save on stationery costs.
GfB South Wales Wedding Guide 2020
9
REAL WEDDINGS
Jeica & Mia Click to see more Real Weddings
The sweetest love story fromAston Marina Venue: Aston Marina Photographer: Jodie Brennan Florist: The Topiary Tree
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www.guidesforbrides.co.uk
The Day! Jessica and Michael have the sweetest love story - because they met while working at an ice cream shop! Five years later Mike popped the question after a meal out at Aston Marina with a white gold ring with a cluster of diamonds. The couple loved Aston Marina so much that they chose to marry there two years later! Jessica and Michael chose an elegant white, navy and gold colour scheme for their September wedding. Both the groom and the two bridesmaids looked chic in navy blue, and the table decorations were sparkling gold jam jars and bottles. Jessica and Mike fed their guests a delicious meal of gourmet pie and mash, and chocolate brownies, passionfruit cheesecake and prosecco. In the evening, guests could take a break from dancing to enjoy beef and turkey baps with salad and chips. We love it! To see more from this real wedding, visit guidesforbrides.co.uk/ real-weddings
GfB South Wales Wedding Guide 2020
11
O
ne of the best things about wedding dresses is that they come in all shapes and sizes, so no matter your bridal style, there’s something to suit everyone. Here’s our guide to finding the perfect silhouette for your big day…
Dress by Phil Collins Bridal
Click here for Wedding Dress Suppliers
It’s a classic for a reason!
Dress by Phil Collins Bridal
If you’re imagining a typical fairytale princess dress, then what you’re thinking of is probably a ballgown! The most voluminous wedding dress silhouette, a classic ballgown is fitted on the bodice, and flares out from the natural waist in a full skirt. This silhouette suits pear-shaped, hourglass and bigger busted brides, as it makes the most of your curves and still gives you a fairytale look; but it can also make apple shapes look wider. Taller brides will be able to pull off the large skirt, but petite brides may look swamped, so we’d recommend steering clear if you’re under 5’3”!
GfB South Wales Wedding Guide 2020
Dress by Lyn Ashworth, Daydreamer Collection
Dress by Willowby
The A-line silhouette (so-called because the shape of the skirt looks like a capital A) is flattering on practically every body type, thanks to the fact that it’s fitted up top and flares out from the waist. The wider skirt gives you plenty of room to walk and dance without being too big, and the fitted bodice shows off your waist while skimming over your stomach. If you want something a little more fitted without graduating to a fit and flare, then a modified A-line flares out a little lower, at the hip rather than the waist.
If you love the curve-hugging cut of the mermaid but are worried about it being unforgiving (or difficult to walk in!), then we recommend you try a gorgeous fit and flare gown. The fit and flare is also known as a trumpet silhouette, and is becoming more and more popular with brides thanks to its flattering cut. Unlike a mermaid wedding dress, the skirt on a fit and flare starts at the mid-thigh, rather than below the knee, which gives you more room to move as well as a more forgiving cut on the thigh and a more understated silhouette.
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WEDDING FLOWERS BY
Seas
Seasonal wedding flowers are cheaper and easier to source, so we’ve created a helpful guide of what’s in season in the UK!
Click here for a wedding florist near you
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Spr
Calla Lillies • Tulips • Ranunculus Anemones • Irises • Narcissus • Freesias Forget-Me-Nots • Gerberas • Hyacinth Hydrangea • Sweetpeas • Lily of the Valley
Autum
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Mimosa • Alstroemeria • Anemone Gladioli • Orchids • Cosmos Hydrangea • Berries • Roses • Calla Lillies Physalis • Chrysanthemum • Phlox 14
Summe r Peonies • Foxgloves • Stocks • Dahlias Gypsophila • Sunflowers Lavender • Carnations • Chrysanthemum Roses • Lilies • Marigolds • Zinnias
nter Wi Hypericum • Wax flowers • Amaryllis Poinsettia • Hellebores • Ivy • Holly • Anemones Gorse • Narcissus • Pussy Willow Snowdrops • Euphorbia www.guidesforbrides.co.uk
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR
You’ll be wearing your wedding ring for the rest of your life, so it’s key to choose one that you love! Here is a quick guide on how to choose your perfect wedding rings...
Click here for a Wedding Jewellers near you
Where to Begin? Start by working out some basic preferences, such as the colour of the metal, and whether you want a simple or embellished band. Start the Search! Now you have a basic idea, start trying rings on! Plan to start shopping around 6 months before your wedding as you'll need time to browse, research prices and revisit rings. Also, some wedding rings need to be ordered or made bespoke and extras, like engraving, can take up to one month.
No Need to Match Don't worry if you and your partner have different tastes – there's no rule that says you have to choose the same metal or even style! Finding something you personally love is key.
Finding the Right Style If you plan on always wearing your engagement and wedding ring side by side, consider how they fit together. You're going to wear this ring every day, so choose something that seamlessly becomes a part of your life. For example, if you regularly play sports or an instrument, a slimmer ring with rounded edges may make the most sense. Finding the Right Fit Most people rarely take off their wedding bands, but your fingers swell and contract from heat, cold or weight gain. To find the right size that can deal with these changes, schedule your final ring fitting when you're calm and your body temperature is normal. Wear it around the store for a few minutes and try writing and texting as a comfort test.
Be 100% Comfortable Wedding rings are extremely personal, so be sure to love what you buy! If you have any doubt, consider shopping around before making a final decision.
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