Dream Weddings Magazine - Devon & Cornwall

Planning Makes Perfect
Those all-important
The Photographs
If you’re anything like most brides, your wedding
day will fly by and the best way of reliving it in the
years to come will be through your photographs.
So how do you go about choosing your
photographer?
The Professional Wedding Photographers Network
(PWPN) advises:
• Base your selection on whether you like the kind of
work your photographer does. Visit a selection (in
person or by website) and ask to see examples of
their work from recent weddings. Notice how the
photographer has chosen his settings and make sure
there’s a mixture of different types of shots.
• If the firm you visit employs several photographers,
find out who has taken the pictures you like best
and make sure you book that specific photographer
for your day – and find out what happens if that
photographer is suddenly not available.
• Decide whether you want formally posed shots, or
whether you would like the photographer to take
informal pictures as they happen.
• Black and white photographs are now as popular
as colour so find out whether your photographer
will shoot in black and white film or turn colour
pictures into black and white afterwards. Ask
whether proofs will be available at the reception.
• Your photographer may well know the church and
reception venue you have chosen, but if he doesn’t
check he will visit both before the day so he can
choose the best locations.
• Make sure you get a written quotation.
All PWPN member
are professional wedding
photographers and only ever take
one wedding per day. Fully insured
they use the latest technology
and have back-up cameras.
For more information – and
an instant availability check –
visit the website at
www.pwpn.co.uk.
The Flowers
details
The Cake
Ideally your cake should be ordered at least
three months before the wedding. Though the
tradition is for a multi-tiered fruit cake, the rich
variety of styles and designs now means you can
have anything from profiteroles to a rich
chocolate fudge. The only thing to remember is
that it will have to be big enough to give
everyone a slice at the reception and to send
slices to absent friends. Traditionally the top tier
of a wedding cake was kept for the christening of
the first child - if you want to follow that
tradition, you’ll have to opt for a cake that will
last that long. Ask to see designs of wedding
cake and find out whether bakers will create one
to your own specifications. Try to match the style
of cake to the style of your wedding - and
remember that you can save money on the
reception by choosing a wedding cake which will
The Transport
The cost of your flowers depends very much on the time of year, so if you want a huge
display don’t choose the middle of winter when you’ll have to pay a fortune for
sufficient blooms.
Spring and early summer are when the biggest choice of blooms is available - it’s something of a
myth that flowers are easy to come by in the height of summer - though at other times of year
dramatic effects can be achieved with foliage.
It’s lovely to have a luxury chauffeur-driven limousine to drive you to the ceremony - and it’s also a
practical choice. You can be sure you’ll arrive on time and with all that room in the car, you won’t
have to worry about your dress getting creased.
Normally the best man drives the groom to the ceremony and then takes the car to the reception. But
you will need transport for the bride’s mother and bridesmaids (who usually travel together) and for the
bride and her father to the ceremony and for the principals from
The Video
Much the same advice applies to choosing a videographer
as to choosing a photographer. Make sure you see
samples of recent work, make sure the videographer you
get is the one whose work you like best. Again check with
the priest first whether he is prepared to give permission
for filming during the ceremony.
double as a dessert. If you do this, you might
want to cut your cake early at the reception,
so it can be cut up ready to serve at the
appropriate time.
You will need the cake to be delivered to the
reception venue on the morning of the wedding -
and don’t forget to check that the venue has a
cake stand and knife you can use.
the ceremony to the reception. Whether you want a traditional
Rolls Royce, a classic Daimler, a convertible Cadillac, a stretch
limo or even a horse and carriage, contact a variety of
companies in your area and ask to see the cars themselves, not
just pictures of them. Some companies offer a service which
includes flowers in the cars and a glass of champagne for the
bride and groom on their way to the reception. Check exactly
what’s included in the price and get a written quotation.
PHOTO BY
NORSWORTHY
WEDDINGS
PHOTO BY MOMENT IN TIME PHOTOGRAPHY
Your florist will help you match both the colours and the arrangement of your flowers to the style of
the wedding, teasing out the shades of your bridesmaids’ dresses, matching the men’s buttonholes
and styling the arrangements for both church and reception to help you create an atmosphere which
may be country style, dreamily romantic, classically elegant or even based on a theme.
4 4 • D R E A M W E D D I N G S I N D E V O N & C O R N W A L L
cut out and keep