Here is a selection of Q&As from Your London Wedding magazine whether it be about flowers, hair and makeup, fashion, wedding themes, health & beauty, cakes, stationery, legal advice. If you would like your question answered by our experts, please email it to editor@yourlondon.wedding
To view more expert advice on a different topic, please select one from the list below.
Party in style
Q. We want our wedding to be one huge celebration from start to finish. What entertainment would you suggest for each element of the day to keep the party vibe going?
A. David Brooks says: Firstly, I'd recommend finding a supplier who can supply the entertainment for all parts of your day. That way, it helps to take the stress out of managing multiple suppliers and you can relax and enjoy it all! The options are endless but I'd suggest a brass section to play at the entrance to the ceremony. They could play traditional jazz or contemporary classics. We also have numerous options that could play during the ceremony, such as a soloist or ensemble. A saxophonist goes down well during your drinks reception and why not opt for a pianist during your wedding breakfast? Your evening party would then come to life with anything from a DJ set to a 12-piece party band to fill the dancefloor until your day comes to an end. We work with our couples to make sure we get every element of the entertainment exactly as they want it and we believe that it's this attention to detail and our versatility on the night that sets us aside from other bands.
With Sway you get our years of experience. We're used to taking charge of the entertainment, getting your guests up on the dancefloor and helping them to have a great time so you can concentrate on other things. If you get the right band there's so much less that you have to worry about on the night.
David Brooks, Sway All Stars
www.swaytheband.com
Get the party started
Q. We want to create a party atmosphere for our evening celebrations. What does a live band bring to the occasion?
A. Tashara Forrest says: A live band should bring that wow factor to your wedding. They should keep you and your guests engaged, thoroughly entertained and on that dancefloor. An experienced and well-rehearsed band, like Tashara Forrest and Sleeke Chix, will bring fresh and new originality to your favourite cover songs giving you and your guests an experience that you'll never forget. We perform a vast catalogue of music, spanning several decades and genres of music and we have an initial consultation with this catalogue to find out what type of music and feel you want for your special day. We can also learn new songs and tailor make our sets to your desire.
We recommend you choose your favourite upbeat songs that you and your guests love to dance to for the reception entertainment. You should also definitely throw in a handful of your favourite ballads if you want to, but remember if you want the party to be swinging it's ideal to choose mostly up-tempo music.
Finally, be sure to check out client testimonials of whichever band or performer you choose. We're proud to have a page on our website dedicated to lovely words from previous clients.
Tashara Forrest, Tashara Forrest & Sleeke Chix
www.tasharaforrest.com
Child's play
Q. We want to invite children to our wedding but how can we keep them happy and prevent them getting bored?
A. David Gregory says: When planning your wedding, you might be faced with that difficult decision of whether children will be invited. Many couples choose to keep their big day to adults only, to save on costs and to prevent bored little ones running around and causing havoc. Inviting children to your wedding can add magic to your day and it doesn't need to be stressful. All you need to do is make sure they're suitably entertained.
During your reception, children can become restless, and that's why it's important to keep them busy. It can be something as simple as giving them an activity pack to complete during the wedding breakfast and during the summer months, outdoor games such as giant Jenga will go down a storm. If you have lots of children attending your wedding, I'd recommend getting in touch with an entertainment supplier – they can work with you to maximise the space at your venue and can plan activities throughout the day to keep guests of all ages entertained throughout.
David Gregory, Entertainers Worldwide
www.entertainersworldwide.com
Entertainment
Q. Following the last 18months, how has the wedding industry changed?
A. Dessie Poleon says: After the past 18 months, it seems like people were desperate to be back with their loved ones to have a celebration. This has made us feel welcomed every time we've recently performed at a wedding, like everyone's been missing us and the band has come to bring the party.
After the pandemic, I expect to see an increase in bookings and weekends filling up quickly as there will be no restrictions and everyone will be ready to celebrate. Couple's priorities have changed and varied as people were affected differently by the pandemic. You have those clients who are now trying to cut down on their band sizes due to change in venues, or perhaps even income, and on the other hand some people are increasing their band size and adding more live music through out the day for their drinks reception and ceremony – this could be due to increased budgets through saving during lockdown or because the last 18months have made them want to celebrate bigger and better. We're looking forward to being a part of some amazing parties!
We have a very easy online system where clients can start planning their event with us. This means that throughout the pandemic, most clients who postponed had good time to get it all in order. When we do our final call before the event, it's usually very easy as everything is already prepared for us. This includes their music preferences, schedule and logistics.
Dessie Poleon, Blue Lion Band
www.bluelionband.co.uk