Kay Cunningham: Wedding Make Up Artist | Weddings

Posted on August 20, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

On the day of my wedding I had not only spent the previous night without any sleep, but only had three hours sleep at most on the eve of my wedding. None of this mattered because of the magic of Kay Cunningham. An incredibly talented make up artist who did my wedding make up. None of my guests noticed I was basically a zombie and said they could not tell I had such little sleep. Everyone said I looked radiant. I didn’t, but the make up sure did.

wedding, weddings, wedding venue, wedding make up artist, London, wedding planning

Photo credit: Holly Thomas

Photo credit: Michael Yardley

Photo credit: Holly Thomas

Kay is very talented and has worked for pretty much everyone of note, including Trish McEvoy, Versace Cosmetics, Guerlain Cosmetics, Prescriptives, Chanel, Dior and Givenchy. She was very friendly and it was great having a girlie chat with her. She is also a fashion designer and is a senior writer and beauty editor of www.l3magazine.com, which is published in the USA. Wow. Multi-talented.

She made me look amazing on my wedding day and my skin looks great in all of the wedding photographs. No mean feat considering the lack of sleep and the stress of the day. She is amazing. Snap her up now.
www.makeupbykayce.com

Kay is interviewed in The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity, the only wedding planning book you will ever need, written by our editor Catherine Balavage.

London Wedding Venues: The London Rowing Club | Weddings

Posted on August 20, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

As weddings go, choosing the right venue is incredibly important. In fact, not much can be done without a venue. The choices however are (almost) limitless. It can be overwhelming but, fear not, if you are getting married in London I have a recommendation for you: The London Rowing Club.

wedding, weddings, wedding venue, london rowing club, wedding planning

Credit: Vanessa Bailey

I got married here on the 24th of July and many of our guests said it was the best wedding, and wedding venue, that they had ever been to. Olivia from the London Rowing Club is a life-saver. She makes sure the day goes smoothly, does the schedule during your consultation and deals with all of your suppliers. The rest of the staff were also amazing. Even our registrar, Jackie, said it was her favourite wedding venue and had high praise for Olivia.

Credit: Holly Thomas

Credit: Vanessa Bailey

This beautiful venue is on the river and it is more than likely that some Canadian Geese, swans and ducks will come to your wedding if you have your pictures taken by the river.

Credit: Vanessa Bailey

Credit: Holly Thomas

You get exclusive use of the club across three beautiful rooms, a cake stand and knife, china, glassware and cutlery, an events manager, tables and chairs, table linen with white linen napkins, a master of ceremonies and a licensed bar with a bar manager. There is also an option to only book the club room or members room.

Photo credit: Michael Yardley.

It is a very beautiful venue which is easy to get to and in a stunning location on Putney Embankment. We can highly recommend it.

Embankment, Putney, London, SW15 1LB
(020) 8788 1400 lrc_office@londonrc.org.uk
London Rowing Club Website

The London Rowing Club is interviewed in The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity. It has great advice on finding your perfect venue and is written by our editor, Catherine Balavage.

London Wedding Caterer The Pickled Fork Interview | Weddings

Posted on August 9, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

Few things are more important to get right during your wedding than the catering. The Wedding Breakfast is so-called as it is the first meal of your married life and making sure it is a good one is paramount.

My wedding caterer was The Pickled Fork. There were brilliant and many of the guests said it was the best wedding food they had ever tasted. I have an interview with the owner, Alex Motture, below.

wedding, wedding food, wedding breakfast, caterer, London, weddings, wedding, the pickled fork

How did you get into wedding catering?

I first got into wedding catering whilst working at Mustard Catering 4 years ago. Although I had catered for weddings in the past it was not on the same scale.

Tell us about the Pickled Fork

Here at The Pickled Fork we are all about using the best of British seasonal produce whether it be from the land, sea or sky. We host weekly pop up restaurants around London and are also involved with local brewery’s and distilleries.

What is the most important thing to get right?

For me the most important thing to get right is your timing. If you don’t get this right things can spiral out of control very quickly

What should couples look for in a wedding caterer?

Couples looking for a wedding caterer should be keeping an eye out for someone with flair, patience, attention to detail, a passion for food and a strong back round in hospitality.

What kind of questions should a couple ask their caterer?

A couple questions that I think should be asked would be..How much and are you flexible on price!?

Talk us through a day catering for a wedding.

Slightly tricky question as every wedding is different therefore no two days in the kitchen will be the same. Although generally the day will generally run the same depending on what style of menu the couple have chosen. It will usually involve an early start and a late finish with lots of prep in between.

What kind of food do you recommend for weddings?

It all depends on what the couple want. Probably the most straight forward and least problematic from my point of view would be a hot and cold buffet. Another good option is to have sharing platters placed on the table and the guests help themselves.

What about seasonal weddings? What food is better for summer rather than winter?

Definitely menus should be based on seasons. There is no point putting a braised ox cheek with root vegetable dish on in the middle of summer. Food should match the time of year that way it keeps it simple and the ingredients can shine.

Any tips for couples on am tight wedding budget?

Decide on a nice, simple menu and price and stick to it. Don’t let the cater bully you into spending more than you budgeted for.

Any decadent ideas for those with a lot to spend?

I guess if you really wanted to impress your guest you could go for a menu that would include hot and cold canapes, 3-5 courses, Amuse Bouche in between each course followed by cheese and port trolleys

What is the most important thing to remember when catering for a wedding?

The food!!

What is your favourite wedding meal?

For me it would have to be a good charcuiterie selection along with some nice local cheeses and freshly baked bread. Cant get much better than that in my opinion!

http://www.thepickledfork.com

Alex from the Pickled Fork is interviewed in The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity. It has great advice on finding your perfect caterer and is written by our editor, Catherine Balavage.

Wedding Planning For Dummies | Book Review

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

It is well-known that planning a wedding is hard. But it is not until you actually plan a wedding that you realise that it is even harder than you thought it would be. And then some.

The mixture of organisation, planning, ideas and different family members is quite a toxic mix, making even simple decisions seems insurmountable sometimes. I am planning my own wedding at the moment and it is rapidly approaching. So when Wedding Planning For Dummies dropped through our letterbox I was incredibly happy. I am that dummy and I need that book.

Before a relative reads this and panics about how close the wedding is, it is mostly done, I am just worried I will forget something. Not so with this book. It is thorough and fun to read. What’s more, it taught me things that I never even knew. It may be a ‘For Dummies’ book but, like all in the series, it leaves you feeling very competent in the end.

It has lots of tips on how to not pay too much, tips on finding the perfect venue, ideas for making your wedding personal and suggestions for the invitations. Actually, it just has every basis covered that you will need for your wedmin.

It even tells you the different types of marquees you can get and I loved the section on how much alcohol to order depending on how many guests you have. It really was invaluable. Brilliant book, a must read for those planning their wedding. The authors really know their stuff.

Wedding Planning For Dummies is available here.

Win Tickets To The National Wedding Show Autumn 2014

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Frostie

London Earls Court 26th-28th September | Birmingham NEC 3rd-5th October

Manchester Central 11th -12th October

The UK’s biggest wedding show returns to London, Birmingham and Manchester this autumn. With exciting feature areas, a breath-taking Catwalk Show and over 250 experts specialising in everything from stunning dresses to sparkling accessories, exquisite flowers to mouth-watering cakes and exciting entertainment to idyllic venues, The National Wedding Show is the ultimate destination for shopping, inspiration and wedding planning.

Stephanie Allin at Courtyard Bridal Boutique

Take a seat at the spectacular Catwalk Show, where the latest trends and wedding themes are brought to life, featuring the latest collections from the nation’s finest designers, boutiques and retailers including Justin Alexander, Timeless Couture, Ivory & Co, Qiana Bridal, Katya Katya Shehurina, Berketex, Eliza Jane Howell and many more.

With suave groomswear from the likes of Moss Bros, elegant mother of the bride attire from Nigel Rayment, stylish solutions for your bridesmaids and bridal hair and beauty inspiration, the Catwalk Show is an unmissable experience for your entire bridal party.

Young’s Hire

Head to the Bridal, Boutique and Designer Areas, which together house the largest number of dresses under one roof! Browse and try on more dresses than you ever imagined, in spacious changing rooms with no appointments necessary. With 1000s of styles to suit every shape, style and budget, you are sure to find the dress of your dreams.

Don’t miss the Big Day Top 10 Tips in the Wedding Theatre, where the show’s host of experts will share invaluable advice on styling, hair and beauty, planning and much more in an exciting countdown featuring demonstrations and makeovers live on stage.

Whether you are looking for your perfect bridal bouquet or a striking centrepiece, head to the Designer Flower Market to discover a spectrum of colours and beautiful blooms from the nation’s finest florists.

Shop ‘til your drop and meet the experts from your favourite high street brands including Moss Bros, John Lewis, Sandals, Thomas Cook, Debenhams, House of Fraser and Virgin Holidays, who will be on hand to help you with everything from creating your gift list to planning your perfect honeymoon.

Round off an exciting day in the Vintage Tea Room, where you can relax and unwind with a traditional cream tea, or head to The Champagne Bar and toast to future happiness with a glass of bubbly.

Enjoy the show in star style by bagging yourself VIP tickets. This exclusive experience includes fast track entrance, reserved seating at the Catwalk Show, unlimited access to the stylish VIP Lounge, a complimentary glass of bubbly and a goody bag full of beauty products to pamper yourself in the build up to your big day.

Frost Magazine has teamed up with The National Wedding Show to offer two tickets to lucky readers and their ‘plus one’ the chance to attend the year’s most prestigious wedding event, absolutely free!

To be in with a chance of winning these fabulous tickets, To win follow @Frostmag on Twitter or Instagram, or like us on Facebook. Alternatively, sign up to our newsletter. Or subscribe to Frost Magazine TV on YouTube here: http://t.co/9etf8j0kkz. Then comment below saying what you did. Tickets are valid any day and are limited to one pair per winner.

For more information visit The National Wedding Show website www.nationalweddingshow.co.uk

Don’t worry, if you are not a lucky winner, you can still book in advance and save £3 off the door price*. To book, visit www.nationalweddingshow.co.uk or call the ticket hotline on 0844 874 0486. Bring a group of four or more and take advantage on our fantastic group savings.

*Advance ticket prices revert to the on the door price of £18 at midnight the day before opening

Autumn 2014 Diary Dates –

London Earls Court – 26th-28th September/ Birmingham NEC – 3rd-5th October

Manchester Central – 11^th -12^th October

For more information visit The National Wedding Show website www.nationalweddingshow.co.uk

Facebook – www.facebook.com/nationalweddingshow

Twitter – @nationalwedding / #TNWS

Instagram – thenationalweddingshow

Competition end date is June 14th.

Different Styles Of Wedding Dresses

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Frostie

So you are trying to choose a wedding dress but there are so many styles to choose from, and so much jargon, I mean, what the hell is a trumpet? We decided to put together a visual reference guide to help you along the way. Let us know what your favourite is, we had so much fun writing this article and looking at endless pictures of wedding dresses. If you want help and advice planning your wedding then buy our editor, Catherine’s, wedding book, it is full of great advice and lots of tips. If you are off wedding dress shopping soon then also check out our editors experience of buying her wedding dress. Happy shopping!

Strapless Sweetheart Neckline Halterneck V-Neck

Plunge

One-Shoulder

Mermaid A-Line or Princess

Empire

Ballgown Trail / Train

Short

Trumpet

The trumpet silhouette is different to the mermaid as the skirt gradually flares about mid-thigh. It has a close-fitting bodice.

Backless Lace Back

Straps Sleeves

Cap Sleeves

Off-The-Shoulder / Boat Neck

What one will you choose? What is your favourite?

If you are planning your wedding then get your hands on The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity. It has great advice on every aspect of wedding planning and lots of great advice on choosing the perfect wedding dress.

Frost Magazine

Books and Lifestyle

Tag Archives: wedding planning

Kay Cunningham: Wedding Make Up Artist | Weddings

London Wedding Venues: The London Rowing Club | Weddings

London Wedding Caterer The Pickled Fork Interview | Weddings

Wedding Planning For Dummies | Book Review

Win Tickets To The National Wedding Show Autumn 2014

Different Styles Of Wedding Dresses

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