This month, we talk to Love & Lord wedding planner Lucy Foord about how even small details can have a big effect on a couple’s wedding day, helping create a truly individual occasion...

This month, we talk to Love & Lord wedding planner Lucy Foord about how even small details can have a big effect on a couple’s wedding day, helping create a truly individual occasion...

WHOEVER the couple, wherever they choose to get married, one consideration that is sure to be high on their agenda is how to make their big day unique, a day that they and their guests will never forget. But, overwhelmed by the constraints of budgets and deadlines, couples often have difficulty in seeing past the big issues like organising the reception venue, choosing attire and making sure Uncle Stan isn’t seated next to Aunty Mabel. But in fact, often the things that people remember most are small details like the handwritten invitations or the jam jar of daisies that served as a centre piece to the tables, or simply the overall mood or theme of the day. We asked planner Lucy Foord for some pointers on how to personalise your wedding day and make sure the many details combine to create a coherent and elegant whole.

THEME WEDDINGS

Many couples are now considering theme weddings. What kind of ideas should they consider when looking to create the big day around a central notion? Most of our brides now have a particular theme in mind when they come to us, or once we have looked through some mood boards and images for inspiration, it quickly becomes apparent which themes they favour. These range from vintage and contemporary to masked balls and Roman banquets, they may even ask all guests to wear a particular colour such as black and white. However, it is important to ensure that the venue and destination they have chosen will suit this particular theme and then to carry it through all elements of the day to whatever extent they may wish.
The theme should be reflected in the flowers, menu and music as these are three important parts of the day which draw everything together. Then, from this point, it is possible to add subtle touches with table names, drinks, dress code and modes of transport or to take it further and hire props and entertainers if they wish to whole heartedly embrace the theme! However, I would urge all brides to bear this theme and overall ‘look’ of their big day in mind with each decision they take, no matter how small. It does not have to be directly linked but it is important that it does not contradict it, therefore muting the impact it will have on their guests.

CLEVER COLOURS

What ways are there to use colours to best advantage and what effects can couples achieve making clever use of colour? Colour must be taken into account in a practical way, for example, things that cannot be changed, such as the colour of the venue, but from here, the only restrictions are the theme and the mood that they wish to create for the day. Last year saw a definite trend towards muted tones to create a vintage feel, while this year whites and champagnes are proving very popular and are being used to add a contemporary element. These colours should be used in obvious places such as the flowers, ribbons, linen and general decoration, but can also be incorporated into the catering, perhaps offering a soft peach bellini to guests or a rose coloured Rossini.

THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS

What type of considerations should the bride consider when choosing her flowers? And are different flowers still considered to hold different significance? Two very important considerations with flowers are budget and season. Once we have established what is available within these brackets it is purely a question of taste, although, if the wedding breakfast is outside in the heat I would also encourage brides to choose durable types of flowers so that they will continue to look fresh and not wilt between courses! As for the significance of certain flowers, this is becoming less important as years go by, with couples prioritising their personal taste; for example lilies are certainly no longer restricted to funerals and are proving increasingly popular. Destination weddings tend to take their chosen region into account when deciding on flowers, which always works well, such as sunflowers and lavender in Tuscany or wisteria in Amalfi.

I would also encourage the bride to pay particular attention to the bouquet, in terms of shape, colour and choice of flower and many brides are now choosing to have two bouquets made so that one is fresh for those all important photos later on. Within a flower brief, we are also now finding the increasing popularity of other elements of decoration, for example, candles, lanterns, jam jars or tea cups, and the use of water, such as in fish bowls with minimal flowers as table centres which can also be used to enhance a chosen theme.

'WITHIN A FLOWER BRIEF, WE ARE ALSO NOW FINDING THE INCREASING POPULARITY OF OTHER ELEMENTS OF DECORATION...'

THE FOOD OF LOVE

Do you have any tips for making the catering service and menu really special? The obvious place many couples choose to create something meaningful in their wedding catering is the cake, where the options are seemingly endless. The days of the traditional, heavily-iced fruit cake are long gone, especially with destination weddings, with couples choosing to take this opportunity to inject some local cuisine into their big day, a particular favourite being the delicious millefoglie of Italy. Other popular ideas are cupcakes, macaroon towers and cakes with different fillings, such as carrot cake, allowing the couple to break with tradition and input their personal taste.
When it comes to the wedding breakfast, most couples follow a more traditional route, especially in Italy, where they love to incorporate the passion for food with many courses using local specialities such as pastas, risottos, meats and fish, depending on the area. In addition, as we become a nation of grazers, we are also finding this reflected in food choices with ‘dessert stations’ and various midnight snack options, such as pizzas, mini fish and chips or bacon sandwiches, being offered to guests, and these are an ideal opportunity for the bride and groom to inject their personality into the catering.
With cocktails being in vogue again thanks to popular culture, many couples are also choosing to offer their particular favourites to guests following the ceremony in addition to the traditional champagne and perhaps a favoured or locally produced wine with dinner.

WE FIND THAT MINIATURE BOTTLES OF WINE, OR OLIVE OIL… ARE A LOVELY GESTURE...

GIFTS AND BOMBONIERI

How can the choice of gifts and bombonieri be exploited for a special effect? Although gifts and bombonieri are becoming less popular, they are actually a great opportunity to provide each guest with something that either reflects the couples’ personal taste or the local region. We find that miniature bottles of wine, or olive oil produced locally are a lovely gesture and can be personalised with labels featuring the bride and groom’s names and date of wedding or the name of the guest and then double up as place settings.
Other ideas include fans, which can again be personalised and offer a practical use for those warm evenings, or the traditional sweets which can be used as another way to bring an element of colour onto the tables. Another increasing trend, especially among destination weddings, is to give a donation to a charity of the couple’s choice which may be close to their heart for a personal reason and to have a small card printed stating that a donation has been made on behalf of each guest which can then be added to their place setting.

PLANNING TO SUCCEED

How important is forward planning in the successful coordination of all these different details? It goes without saying that planning your big day carefully from start to finish is incredibly important and it is essential that you have an overall theme in mind with which all choices must be compatible to ensure that the final effect is smooth and not fragmented. This job is obviously a lot easier if you have a planner who is able to source suitable bands, for example, perhaps tribute acts, discuss even the smallest elements with caterers and florists and create mood boards for you to ensure that all elements are tied together and compliment each other. The aim is obviously to create a seamless and personalised day!
Any last tips or ideas for exploiting details to make the big day a ‘once in a lifetime’ occasion? When planning your wedding it is important to remember that these days anything goes! Take inspiration from your passions and what makes you happy and try to think outside the box. Although it is a time when you may want to take certain traditions into account, you are no longer restricted by the formulas of the past, and this enables you to make your special day completely individual and, importantly, a true reflection of you as a couple.
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