My Little Oasis

I'm sure there are those of you out there who would agree that sometimes London can get too much. The hustle and bustle of the city is enough to weary the best of us, whether its the constant stream of traffic, or claustrophobic crowds of the tube at rush hour. I know you can all tell from these comments that I am not a Londoner, I am just a frequent commuter eager to get work done, and then skedaddle back to the coast where I am more in my comfort zone.

However doing what I do, it is one of my many tasks to find venues and hotels that will suit my brides. One of the most asked after cities for me is of course the big smoke, London. However with all I have said there are hundreds of delights in London just waiting to be found, and find one I did!

After a particularly aggravating journey across London  I emerged slightly disheveled in charming Bloomsbury, and I made my way to my final destination, The Montague On The Gardens. I had heard tell of this hidden hotel through my colleagues and couldn't resist to check things out for myself. Set back from the busy hub of the main stretch, this little gem is tucked into a terrace of historical town houses, just across from a beautiful green stretch. Just at the sight of its entrance I already felt like I had taken a side door out of the City, and into an echo of a forgotten past when decadence & luxury was a way of life.

Part of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection this hotel is part of line of boutique luxury hotels starting by a couple in love. Bea Tollman, who now along with her daughter, personally designs all the decor of each and every room (each being totally unique, furnished with one off pieces) Her husband Stanley who was a distinguished hotelier, renowned for always having a red carnation in his lapel, hence the name. Now I am a hopeless romantic so this little research into the company already had me charmed!

Stepping into the luxe surroundings of the reception the opulence of the decor was already evident. With lots of friendly smiles and doors being opened I was ushered away by a porter who gave me a quick tour, and showed me to my room. I am not going to lie but the tour was blur of sumptuous colors and smiling staff all the while my tired feet after there battle across London were screaming enough is enough!

With my baggage stored away by the porter who discreetly showed me how the rooms technology worked, he disappeared in a whisper and left me to survey my room. Room is not the right word, suite would be more appropriate, I swear it was bigger than my first flat! It was smart and comforting all at the same time, decorated in soft nude's with powder grey touches, everything about the room said relax. Soft fabric lined walls, plush heavy curtains & a huge bed, I new I had found a haven within the metropolis.

I am ashamed to say the first thing I did was jump in the shower to wash off the day, and without going into too much detail, what a shower it was! A room of rain is a better description! With plenty of products to choose from, soon I was wrapped up in fluffy gown with the bounciest cushioned slippers my feet ever had the good fortune to find.

I bypassed the lounge area with comfy sofa's and went straight for the huge bed to merely "test out" the comfort, fully meaning to return to a clothed status and business like manner. However who was to know that I would sink into said huge bed, and realize I certainly wouldn't be leaving any time soon! The throw pillows were made of the softest material with a matching throw rug and before I know it i am snuggled up with the plasma screen on and the room service menu in my hand!

While choosing what sneaky treat I was going to tempt myself with, the door bell went, and with curiosity I padded over to the door. My initial curiosity was overjoyed when I found a box of homemade cookies left for me with a welcoming note, well that was a touch I was not expecting.
So with a hop skip and jump off to bed I went with the complete indulgence of room service, cookies and daytime TV! What more could a girl ask for!

Fully refreshed I made my way down to the bar for pre-dinner glass of wine, the bar was done up as a luxury Scottish hunting lodge. Huge comfortable leather sofa's and dark wood finishes, with the added bonus of a piano player and heated terrace. I made my way out to the terrace and was surprised to find views over a secret garden and you could completely believe that you were anywhere but in central London! In fact nothing about this hotel reminds you about where you are, it simply begs you to relax and let the charming staff look after you. I was recommended a particular wine which was delectable, and given a comfy seat by the terrace and not bothered by over eager staff , a real pet peeve of mine.

I then regrettably had to leave for an evening reservation I already had planned which was supposed to take up the bulk of my evening, However after a few hours I realized that I just didn't want to be there, and found myself clock watching until a suitable amount of time had passed. I promptly jumped into the nearest taxi and felt relief flood through me as I arrived back in the bar lounge and spent a happy evening drinking wine, taking in the evening air on an unusually warm night.

That night I slept like a log, and upon awaking made my way down to the dining room for the biggest breakfast I have ever had the pleasure of eating. My only quibble was too much choice I couldn't decide and ended up trying a bit of everything, leaving me stuffed in an utterly satisfying way!

With a heavy heart I packed my bags and got ready to leave, but not before a chat with the sales director just to ask more about their weddings, and bridal options. I had assumed that he had notified the staff I was there, what with the cookie delivery and charming staff, teamed with impeccable service, it all seemed to me I was being well looked after. However you can imagine how surprised I was when he informed only a few managers new of my stay, as he had wanted me to really understand the average guest experience. I was totally taken aback and truly impressed that this level of service was kept up consistently for all guests, impressed was the word that came to my mind.

Upon the tour of the bridal suite and banqueting suite, I came to realize what a perfect venue this was for a bride looking for a venue to cater for a Vintage wedding. The art decor feel of the banqueting suite teamed with the opulent decor yearns for vintage wedding to be held there. The intimate elegance of the hotel will give the bride a feeling of utter luxury.

With the bridal suite including an adjoining room for the bridesmaids the night before (sleep over ahoy!) and a suite dripping with romance for the night of the wedding it ticks all the boxes for me. With gorgeous outside area's and hidden secret gardens  wedding pics will be stunning, room for anything from an intimate wedding of 30 to grander guest numbers of 120 you can pick and choose the feel of your wedding. Whether that be relaxed bbq on there lovely veranda space, or a formal sit down in the elegant banqueting suite.

It doesn't matter if you are looking for somewhere to stay with your girlfriends while dress shopping, or you are looking for a wedding venue for the big day, this hotel is worth making it to your shortlist. A truly lovely oasis in the middle of London having this gem in my back pocket I know next time London beats me I will have a retreat to hide myself away in!

A Vintage bride

It felt like the sun was only just rising as my new bride arrived for the early morning interview today I was delighted to see how relaxed she was about this interview, and we settled in for what is basically a good old girlie gossip about getting married!

I thought I would start off by asking how Pam met her fiancé and as I knew it would be, it’s a hilarious story! Now of course I have got to know Pam & George fairly well while helping them design their wedding decor and both are incredibly funny & light hearted. Pam & I hit it off from the start, so we feel more like old friends now and I was looking forward to hearing about the start of their little love story.

Pam & George met at a crazy festival in Serbia and what better place for a festival than in a historic fortress in that well known holiday destination Novi Sad!  Now whether this was fate or just pure luck while Pam was “breaking out some bad ass moves” to some “epic tunes” she and George bumped into each other finding an instant connection! However Pam being the independent lady she is decided that she wasn’t going to rush head long into anything. So she took herself home and went back to sensible Pam, that was until George being the dashing gent he is, drove hundreds of miles to the theatre she worked in, and pretty much blew her socks off! And the rest is history as they say.

So my fave question to ask newly engaged couples is how they got engaged, and just like their meet cute, it is a brill tale! They were on holiday in Sardinia exploring the Italian country side, Pam was pretty grumpy  wandering around in the blazing sun, & George was “very strange”  mulling over the coming all important question. So they are sitting looking at the stunning views at a vantage view point, and George is attempting awkwardly to lie down . He started with “so we’re really good together aren’t we” ,Pam not understanding the strange behaviour or reading any of the signs, like the romantic walk, or breathtaking views, replied with “Well that’s a given really”.

Brave brave George however continued to arrange himself on one knee for his question and Pam was completely taken by surprise. In her shock and excitement the special moment became a blur and she completely forgot to answer, until gently reminded by George. Pam’s excuse for this is she thought she was saying yes but in fact nothing was coming out at all! (Unusual for Pam) Of course the answer was yes, and all the parents were called, and the wine was drunk, while sunning themselves.

Pam’s ring while we were chatting was sparkling away, and when asked she says there is something really official about being given a piece of jewellery to mark such a momentous question. She proudly gazes at it, telling me how much George researched and learned about diamonds before settling on the perfectly cut single solitaire on a simple white gold band.

On starting the planning process Pam was really excited to get started, however like lots of brides the pressure hit home after trying to jump the first hurdle. Pam decided to choose her venue first which she saw as her biggest challenge, and searched through the south east country side seeing so many venues with George in tow until settling on the perfect setting. A stunning converted barn, set in the grounds of a beautiful period mansion , nestled into stunning gardens with hidden enchanted oasis and a mellow stream framed by romantic willow trees. It is in every way completely heart warming and romantic. She did however have to confirm everything with her best galpal of course “just to make sure!”

On deciding to attach a theme to her wedding plans she explained that a traditional wedding was never really on the cards just due to Pam & George’s personality. Nothing about this couple says traditional whether it be the occasional cheeky rave they like to rock up to, or Pam’s love of break dancing, so a theme was an easy choice. Pam & George decided to use Pam’s theatre background as inspiration and go for a Midsummer night’s dream feel, with vintage festival thrown in as a nod to their love of music.  Pam really wanted the wedding to be an expression of them as a couple, and portray what their personalities are like, and really reflect that for their guests to enjoy and for them to look back on. She didn’t really feel a traditional wedding could do this, and so I suppose this is when I step in!

Pam & George were expecting the design process a lot more tricky than it actually is. Upon asking Pam if she was nervous about her theme, she replied with confidence that she has no worries. George has needed lots of visual aids to envisage the theme, while Pam has the most amazing imagination and has really been swept along with me as we put this magical theme together. With George all the scene setting & decor has to have a reason & a propose. With Pam as long as it is in keeping with her theme, her mind is as open as I could possibly hope for, making this one of my absolute fave weddings to design.

To conclude our interview I thought I would ask some really easy simple questions to round things off,

What are you most looking forward to about your wedding aside from marrying the lovely George of course!

“Friends and family all in one place, we have guests coming from all over the world, and it is just so exiting & the nicest thing in the world to know they would make that journey for us”

 Is there anything you are nervous about?

“Walking down the aisle early to find myself awkwardly standing at the end as the music crescendos and nothing is happening! The moment we first see each other on our wedding day is really important to me. Also my hair not doing what it’s supposed too!”

What are you most looking forward to about being married?

Quick as a flash Pam sais “The honeymoon!” I have a very cheeky bride on my hands here, but they are jetting off to Hawaii so I totally don’t blame her on this one, I’m green with envy!

Is there anything you are nervous about being married?

“People always tell you that you will feel different, but I will have to give you the answer to that later. I am really nervous about changing my name, as I reckon after 30 years of the same name it will be tricky taking a new one”

We then proceeded in a very mature fashion of course, to practice writing her new name for a her signature, which she confessed she has been doing long before she was engaged!!!

I get terribly caught up in each wedding I work with, each wedding I fall hopelessly in love with the theme, meaning I never have a fave, it is all about the couple. When you enjoy what you do, and you get to hang out with cool people like these two, what more can one ask for?

Happy Planning  x

Top 5 Wedding Styling Tips

1. Its All About The Concept

If you are anything like me when you were little you dreamt of what your day could look like, then as we got older this dream changed, here, there and pretty much everywhere!

 So when your man got down on one knee, did you suddenly realise......”Where do I even start!?!”

There are many out there who have so many ideas and themes within their styling that their wedding theme ends up looking similar to a styling jumble sale. 20 odd years of ideas, thoughts and day-dreams combined into a few rooms. You can imagine this hardly becomes the fairytale setting you were looking for.

So, the key is to narrow down your ideas to two or three amazing concepts, now, at this point take all your little ideas and fave bits and pieces and place them into the most appropriate concept.

Creative ways to do this could be through mood boards or keeping separate scrap books. I am a complete stationary nerd I adore buying pretty folders and taking on craft projects!

Once you have done this you have a few clear and concise themes. From there you pick a favourite and tailor and adjust all your ideas for this particular theme, this will then result in an obvious tone and message for the day. It may just be a colour scheme or a full blown concept such as Enchanted Forest, either way the goal is to have direction.

2. Use Your Bridal Party

When speaking to brides a common concern is how much there is to do and little time to do it. Brides feel rushed and stressed as their day approaches, leaving no room to get excited and look forward to one of the most memorable day s of your life. This is not my ideal experience for a bride, not even close, for one thing it will create worry lines & a smooth faced bride is so much prettier!

Use your bridal party, those you have chosen to be part of your wedding, such as bridesmaids, groomsmen and family. You have not picked these people to look good in the outfit, you have chosen them to be there for you, so let them.

Believe me, I am one of the biggest control freaks going, but I still think it is better for your health if nothing else, to relinquish the reins even just a little and allow others to get involved. You would be surprised how many of your friends would be eager to get stuck in with you and honoured to be included.

Divide out all those little jobs, correspondence and irritations to those around you, with clear instruction, and watch your to do list whittle down to a more manageable amount.

3. Dont Forget The Groom

Now, you would think this is a no brainer, however after being in the industry for as long as I have I can guarantee it needs addressing.  The amount of times I have had to prompt the bride to introduce me before the wedding to the groom, or even just to get him on the contact details is a surprise!

The reason I think this is an important point, is the wedding is about him too. I know that he probably hasn’t dreamt of this day as long as we have ladies, and we have the rest of our lives to make it up to him, however, bare with me. Your wedding and marriage is about becoming a partnership and what better practice for the real thing than the most stressful process of planning a wedding!

The best weddings I have worked with or been too (and believe me there have been many!) they have been an amalgamation of the brides and the grooms personalities.  But fusing your tastes and ideas you create a totally unique wedding experience. My heart will always sink when I speak to a bride and her first words are “I want pink tones, butterflies and lace!!!!”  All I can think is the grooms poor face! I apologize if this is your vision, or perhaps your groom likes pink and frills, but for the majority of grooms they are a voice unheard or thought of.

I am one of those people that instead of watching the bride as she steps up aisle, I watch the groom. His face lighting up with love and pure un-shielded joy at the first glimpse of his bride, it’s one of the best parts of a wedding for me. I have never seen a bored groom looking down the aisle. He cares about the wedding, so let him into the concept and style too, let the wedding show both of you.

4. Be True To Your Fairy Tale

This I cannot stress more, it is so important to your day and to your planning process too. Start out with this in mind and you will have an easier time of it, I promise!

I have spent so much time saying this phrase over and over but say with me now

“It is my day”

This day isn’t for your mum, or your mother in-law, it isn’t for your sister or for your best friend. This is a day for you and your partner, you are choosing to share this with all your loved ones, but it is still yours, your dreams, your fairy tale ending whatever that may be. If you want an blue colour scheme, and your best friend says blue is out this season, SO WHAT! Who cares if your wedding colour is in fashion, that changes faster than you can click your fingers! The important thing is YOU like it, the same goes with everything else, if your gran doesn’t like beans but it’s your fave veg of all time, eat the beans!!!!

There will be so many times everyone will try to instil their own opinion & style on you, and it’s really important to take a breath, take a moment and remember who’s day it is. They are not going to be looking through the pictures, wishing you had gone for the uber chocolate extravaganza of a cake, while your dairy intolerant mother in law told you the dairy free cupcakes were a much better option!!

5. Be Timeless

This one is personal, but I think its important to think about while styling your big day. I want you to use your imagination here guys, imagine you are 60, it’s your anniversary, you are sitting with your husband looking through your wedding pictures. Your remembering how happy you were on that day, how in love you were, how much you danced the night away, these are beautiful thoughts. However you do not want to open the album and wince at the very “fashion forward” black wedding dress you thought was so on trend at the time, and cringe at the ostentatious white horse you arrived on because that famous actress did for her wedding.

Be crazy, be unique, have an out of this world theme, but don’t do it because its in fashion, or everyone else is doing it. Do it because you love it, you are going to remember this day forever and you want to know that you aren’t going to look back with regret.

Choose everything because you adore it, choose your styling concept because you have day dreamed about it for hours while you should have been working! Choose it because you can’t imagine your day without it, under no circumstance should you choose it because someone told you “You have to, It’s so in right now!”.

So in conclusion, these tips are more on how to approach your wedding instead of how to style I suppose but I don’t think you can do one without the other. And if you’re really struggling with your styling, you know where I am,

Happy Planning!

Theme-Works Weddings low down on V.I.N.T.A.G.E

Weddings can be so daunting. What to do? Where to start? Here at Theme-works Weddings we thought it may help to put together a little A to Z of how to do the Vintage theme, or in our terms we call it the V to E of Vintage. Hopefully this will iron out some of the few key areas you will need to consider and how best to approach it when writing out your "to do lists".

V: is for veil. One of the most exciting moments of a brides day is when her veil is lifted and the most important moment of her life is revealed. However, the twist on this is not just to use the idea of a veil in your attire but to use it in your décor and theming. It is common practice in many events to use a big reveal to uncover another area of the event space. If your wedding day is not the biggest event of your life then I don't know what is! Use a veil to separate one area from another this will cause excitement and suspense for your guests and give everyone something to look forward to. For example you could have your wedding breakfast in one area and then reveal another space for the evenings reception. This could be themed in an entirely different way to create a different atmosphere, like a starry lit dance floor with vintage sweet carts and entertainment of an old swing band. This could easily be achieved at your wedding by using a big piece of material, the veil and allowing it to fall and uncover the next part of the day.

I:  is for invitation. An invitation is the first sign people get of what your wedding will be like. There are so many options out there this can be confusing. You can either buy them pre made, design your own and get them printed, or even go down the craft route and make your own. A good idea is devising a combination of these ideas, for those of us who do not have the time to dedicate our lives to all the intricacies that a wedding seems to provide. To enhance the idea of your vintage theme a nice option is to buy a beautifully simple invitation and add a vintage feel to this, like a bit of vintage lace wrapped round or tied into a bow. It is so personal and your guests will understand your efforts to try and give your day its own personal touch. All of these additional extras really make your day stand out from other weddings that you go to or have been too. The more times you use these accents of lace around the venue the more fluid your theme will be. Look to add this to your table centres such as hanging lace ribbons or tying a bow round your vase.

N: is for name tags. Every table needs a name tag, it is so personal and a great way to enhance your vintage theme. Where traditionally a table plan would consist of names on a board, for a vintage barn wedding we're theming this summer, we've suggested hanging keys from a tree. More simply, you could use a vintage frame to carry your theme through. Tie a label with your guests name on it and the table they will be sitting at. This creates fun as it becomes a game to find your key. To keep continuity you could use some lace instead of string, similar to the previous example used for invitations. For the vintage barn wedding mentioned above we are taking the idea of a game further and having an old vintage cabinet with a prize in it. This will get every guest involved as everyone will have to see if their key fits. A great ice breaker for those guests who have come from further afield to get to know everyone there.

T: is for theme. The vintage theme has been around for a while and I'm not afraid to say it is here to stay. What is the vintage era, well here at theme works weddings we have decided that it runs from the 1920's to the 1950's, each decade has a slightly different twist on the vintage look. From delicate lace to slightly heavier darker wood each works within its own right and this is the topic for the next couple of months so look out for our other blogs on which decade of vintage will catch your eye. Bear in mind to always try and have some continuity in your theme and not to cover too many different styles at once. Simplicity speaks wonders. Last week's blog covers a modern take on Vintage, as we can appreciate some Brides want the look without having to hunt for the accessories.  

A: is for aisle. Such a proud moment when the bride walks down the aisle! Why not incorporate this into your theme as much as all the other elements of your day? It is so nice to see all of those individual touches that make your big day so special. A really nice idea is to use little jam jars filled with a few simple sprigs of wild flowers. Tie the jar with some lace for an added vintage touch. Alternatively you could use old photo frames hung from the aisle side seat, filled with old black and white family photos so that you will feel like a bit of history is with you on your big day. Make a big thing of the alter and hang lots of white draping. Alternatively, use an arch way intertwined with lots of flowers to create the wow factor!

G: is for guest book. It is such a nice memory to go back after your wedding day and look over all of the beautiful comments that people have left about your big day. Make a feature of your guestbook and all of your guests will know exactly where to go. One of our brides has used a vintage French dresser with draws containing beautiful flowers. On the dresser is a guest book placed by pictures of all of her old family wedding pictures in vintage frames. A beautifully personal touch that speaks louder than words.

E: is for entrance. Every bride and groom likes to make a big entrance. A really nice way to achieve this in the vintage theme is to use a love seat. This is an arch way with two facing seats either side. You could make your arch into a tunnel to make everyone feel like they are walking through a traditional country garden or use it like a trellis and weave flowers and lights in and out for that special wow factor.

This is our V to E of Vintage, covering many of the steps to achieve your big day. We hope that it helps to drive your inspiration and illuminate some of the key points when using the vintage theme. Here at Theme-WorksWeddings we are always excited to turn your theming dreams into a reality so get in contact to discuss how we can help.

Special thanks to the below companies
posyrosy
onewed
elizabethannedesigns
dandelionandgreyblog
weddingbee
cherishweddingplanning
bride2bride
stylemepretty

A Modern Vintage Love Affair

The love affair the bridal industry is having with vintage is in full swing, ever popular and chic I’m sure it is something many of you brides are considering. However you don’t have to necessarily step back in time through that vintage portal to channel this ever fashionable theme. One way to re-vamp this theme is to take a modern stance to vintage, embracing the new with the old. If you think carefully, this is what marriage is all about, looking to a new future due to a romantic & cherished past.

The modern vintage bride doesn't necessarily trawl through all the flea markets and antique shops, covering herself in dust and cobwebs! She looks for a modern twist, and the products are flooding the market. It’s about keeping to light pastel colours and accenting it with metallics, or Black, creating a lovely bold statement. Using regal patterns, and scalloped edging to fabrics and your styling will enhance the vintage feel.

When it comes to styling the venue, when setting the scene, the most popular mind set is to take the inside outside, and bring the outside in! This sounds bizarre but it works beautifully, so along with your modern colour palette look at ways to include the natural elements all around you, in a subtle and utterly romantic way.

For the outside area’s look at using the ever present shabby chic items in the retail world as accessories, a chandelier, or perhaps some oversized antique styled picture frames. You can hang these from trees or use them for photo opportunities. It also works really well on a patio with a covered area such as trellising or beams, giving a seamless feel from the inside style through to the outside.

To bring the outside in, take the view that kooky is okay, for the modern twist this is in subtle amounts. Try using moss within your centrepieces or even grass. It gives the table a fresh yet surreal feel which adds to the magic of the vintage theme. The key with the modern twist to this, is keeping it clean, and simple, with as little flourish as possible. Allowing your styling ideas to speak for themselves. 

When it comes to aisle design keep the lines clean and the pastels flowing, but with those bold streaks of your chosen accent. Choose an aisle runner that really fits in with your theme and colour way, don’t be afraid to venture out from the norm. I think with this theme it is nice to bring in some foliage, so think about lining the aisle with potted trees. The ends of the rows of seating for your guests is often forgotten, and this can be such a simple yet effective area to style. Think of posies with lace ribbon, or perhaps little floral balls hanging from the chairs. Candle light is very important with any romantic setting, even during the day they can add the atmosphere of intimacy, so always think of ways to include this during the heart of your day.

One handy tip is to collate all the things you love about vintage, and all the aspects you want to include in your day. Once you have everything together, match up things that sit well together, and colour palette’s that suit each other. Once you have a well put together amalgamation then try not to add to much extra, keep it simple and work with your favourite, rather than all your ideas! This will give the vintage style that clean and fresh image that brings the modern twist to life.

To sum up, this is just one more angle to planning a vintage wedding, and I love this modern spin on an already stunning styling plan.

Well, that’s my thoughts on that, happy theming everyone! Please don’t hesitate to contact me for your very own bespoke wedding creation!

Special thanks to the below companies:

W-Wedding Flowers
Viva Vintage Stationary
Ariel Yve Design
Cute Craft Decor
Teresa's Plants & More
The Knot
Three Beans & Co
Loveburlar

A Gatsby Extravaganza

To start off our vintage wedding month I thought I would begin with a piece based on a truly fabulous era and with "The Great Gatsby" coming out tomorrow our timing couldn't be more perfect. With this in mind let us enter the world of vintage opulence, luxury and long strings of pearls!

As a theme for your big day, vintage art deco is a truly fabulous way to go, with the era encapsulating the essence of romance and glamour, with a hint of risque excitement.  It would no doubt prove to be an awe inspiring day for you and your guests.

Surround yourself with luxe fabrics and pearls, drape them without reserve from the ceiling and walls. Include deco shaped mirrors, the bigger the better, either casually leaning up against key walls, or if the venue allows, hanging up amongst the draping.

When it comes to a colour scheme keep with the traditional deco black and cream, but add in hues of muted brushed pink. The black and cream really embodies the art deco theme with clean lines and asymmetrical shapes, this can be quite harsh, even with the addition of texture. So by adding an almost vintage pink you are softening the effect, and bringing that dash of romance every wedding deserves.

Your tables make a huge impact on how the reception room looks to your guests as they enter the room. The key is not to forget them, stick a centre piece in the middle and hope for the best. It is important to really style the tables according to your theme if you are looking for the maximum impact. Theme Works Weddings has a huge passion for table styling and maybe an unhealthy passion for the right chair!!! In regards to "The Great Gatsby" I imagine the tables would be a heady mix of gold trim and giant bottles of champagne, this isn't always possible with today's budgets so there are always great alternatives. My favourite for this theme is a vintage mirrored vase, preferably tall so as to add height and impact. With vintage blush roses inside the vase, peppered with feather plooms. For the best effect make sure the vase has a rustic gold hue to the finish for a vintage antique look, and for glamour add a single pearl into the centre of each rose.

Your table should be finished with thoughtfulness, so don't forget the type of linen that should be used. If you want to use the venue's linen for cost effectiveness, then keep in mind you could always use a runner down the centre to add to the tables look. For this type of vintage theme choose something elegant with texture, and pattern, so as to really enhance the table centres you have chosen.

For your chairs please don't feel you have to settle for a generic white chair cover and coloured sash. You can do so much more than that, we feel it is really important to think outside of the box with every wedding and I feel the Gatsby era movers and shakers would turn their noses up at such laziness! Think of changing the chairs altogether to something aesthetically elegant to look at to start with, with the addition of something simple such as a corsage to tie it into the theme. Or if you do like sashes, tie an oversized swathe of cream voile vertically, tie with simple knot with black ribbon with the addition of a rose if you prefer. The oversized ends will hang down as if each chair has its own dress. Beautiful!

A Chill out area is a great addition to your wedding reception, and Theme Works Weddings specialises in providing amazing unique chill out areas. The idea is to allow your guests an area to drink and chat. The specific styled furniture adds a talking topic and truly accents your theme. For this vintage wedding I would go for the comfy white chesterfields, lit with elegant lamps and a black carpet. To add to the theme I would add in some small square mirrored cases dotted around, with the pink roses to soften the deco lines.

This whole theme is about lavish enjoyment, a theme isn't just a way of decorating your wedding: it's a whole atmosphere that you are creating for your guests. The aim is to transport them to your perfect era, location to style to really personalise your day so that the wedding day is more of a memorable experience, rather than just another wedding your guests attend.

I can't wait to go and see The Great Gatsby now!! I also have convinced myself this would be an amazing theme for someone's big day, so anyone keen please get in touch so I can bring this to life!!
Also please do check out our pinterest board on this theme, along with many other inspiration boards if you are looking for unique ideas - Theme Works Weddings Pinterest "the-great-gatsby"

Many thanks to the following suppliers below

whole sale flower supplies
Wedding flowers Cotsworlds
Vintage Vibe
Bride and groom store
save on crafts
The knot
The english sofa company
Fab.com

Woodland Festival Wedding at Broyle Place, Sussex

Reception Marquee with Light Blue Draping and Bunting  

In September 2012 Theme-Works Weddings created a magical Woodland Festival themed wedding for Jen and Jamie. Jen describes her experience working with Theme-Works Weddings to style her big day.

Which theme did you choose for your wedding? 

"We both enjoy going to music festivals and we wanted our wedding to reflect this. Our wedding venue was a 12th century manor house with an old oak boathouse in the grounds which enabled the ceremony to be held outside, surrounded by a lovely mature wooded area. We felt that the Woodland Festival theme would really suit the venue. We also wanted a sky blue colour theme in the wedding too, as this was a colour my late father wore quite a lot, and reminded me of him, so it was a way of having him there with us on our big day."

"Before our big day Kate from Theme-Works Weddings came and visited the venue with us and suggested lots of amazing ideas that really worked to bring the festival theme to Broyle Place. Blue and white feather flags lined the wooded driveway, and there were picnic blankets and baskets under the trees for the guests to sit on, as well as beautiful bunting all through the trees."

Voile draping on boathouse

Garden Ceremony 

"Our table centrepieces were fabulous- they really captured the woodland theme, and also incorporated delphiniums, which were one of my Dads favourite flowers- another way that Theme-Works Weddings helped his presence to be felt on the day."

Table Center Pieces with Milk Jugs on Tree Trunk Slices

"Inside the marquee looked fantastic, with more bunting, and the blue theme carried on with blue voile draping across the ceiling and in the flowers on the table centrepieces."

Bunting

Cake Table and Bunting

What was your favourite part of your day?

"The best bit, and my most favourite memory of the whole day (apart from marrying my husband of course!) was when all the guests sat down for the wedding breakfast ; watching guests from young to old donning bunny ears, glitter hats and wigs from the fancy dress favour boxes! It was a real talking point which broke the ice between guests that didn’t know each other, and made for some great photos! The atmosphere that the fancy dress created was unbelievable, to have all our guests laughing and thoroughly embracing the fun was just brilliant."

Party Goodie Bags

"The cherry on top of the cake was really the side stalls- all the guests came out after the wedding breakfast to have a go on them, and it was great seeing them all (esp the younger ones) walking around with their prizes!"

Side Stalls

What did your guests say about your wedding decor and styling?

"The feedback we got from the guests was 100% positive. I think that everyone that I spoke to commented on how fabulous the venue looked. Even the manager of Broyle Place, Emma, said that she had never seen the venue look so good, especially the way the boathouse was draped. The atmosphere that the fancy dress created was unbelievable- to have all our guests laughing and thoroughly embracing the fun was just brilliant. And it has to be said, we were literally gobsmacked when we saw the marquee for the first time- the transformation from the plain, bare marquee that we had seen when we visited the venue, to what we saw was truly unbelievable, and we both have just loved looking through all the pics again and remembering how good it looked."

Black and White Dancefloor with Starcloth

Do you have any advice for couples looking for something a bit special at their wedding?

"I would advise any brides (or grooms!) to get Theme-Works Weddings to help them!! I can honestly say that I would not change anything, and I think that my hubby and all our guests would agree. I read about a thousand wedding magazine and browsed so many websites in the run up to our wedding, and on our own, there was no way we could have pulled off the day that you guys gave us."

"To say that we were absolutely over the moon with everything would be an understatement- you gave us the real WOW factor that has had our guests talking about our wedding for weeks after- in fact, whenever we see anyone now they still comment on how good it was!! Kate and Sophie did the most amazing job of planning and organising, and came up with the most fabulous ideas when I talked to them about what me and Jamie wanted for our big day."

Topiary trees and seating

"I was blown away by how Theme-Works Weddings incorporated what we wanted in with their ideas, and when I arrived at the venue just before the ceremony I just could not believe that this was MY big day- it was like something that you could only dream of. They really had taken into consideration the essence of the venue, and all the decorations, from the bunting to the table centres, right through to the draping of the oak boathouse where we said our vows, complimented the venue so so well. Both Sophie and Kate bent over backwards to help put this anxious bride at ease- especially when it came to answering all my constant emails! They liaised with the venue to make sure that everyone involved knew exactly what was going on, and I was able to relax (well, relax as much as any bride-to-be can!!), because I knew that so much of what we wanted was taken care of. Before Theme-Works Weddings came on board me and Jamie had been worrying about getting everything done the morning before the wedding- Jamie had an image of him getting to the venue with the ushers at 6am to get decorations and table centres in place! It was just such a weight off our minds that Sophie, Kate and her team could take care of things for us."

If you'd like Theme-Works Weddings to style your big day call 01273 224777, email info@theme-works.co.uk or visit www.them-works.co.uk/weddings

All images in this post are from Theme-Works Real Weddings 2012

Photography credit: Nicola Rhodes