Getting Married? Then Definitely Have A Look At These.....

Many couples are now opting to get married in alternative ceremony locations. This brings an exciting and interesting element to your wedding day as you are  not limited to a church or registry office. The downside to this is that you don't always get the drama and impact that a church can have. The answer to this is the wedding backdrop!! 

The wedding backdrop is simply a decorative structure and is usually placed at the top of the ceremony area as a back drop to the ceremony and the couple. These may come with the venue or if not they can be hired or you could make it yourself. 

Having a wedding backdrop may not be top of your to-do list but it is something you might consider. It will be one of the most photographed locations on your wedding day as most people (including your photographer!) will want to take photos of the newly married couple at the ceremony. Having your own personal wedding backdrop also means that your guests will never look back and not know whose wedding it is! 

It also sets the scene for the rest of the day and connects with your overall wedding style and decor. It can lift your ceremony venue to something ordinary to something individual and fun.

When your ceremony is over you could also use your backdrop as a backdrop for your sweet table, dessert table, or photo booth - nothing like a bit of recycling!! 

Here we have put together some of our favourite Wedding Backdrops. We hope you enjoy our selection and get some ideas for your own wedding ceremony. Please let us know you thoughts in the comment section - we would love to get the feedback!! 

Getting Married? Then This Is The Wedding Checklist You Need!!

To those who have just got engaged then a huge congratulations to you all!! To all those who are in the early stages of planning and organising a wedding, you may be finding it is a bit of a mad time trying to get your head around the fact you have whole wedding to plan - fear not!! To get you thinking here is the ultimate starter checklist of items you need to consider when planning your wedding!!

It is not a complete and detailed list it is just the things that you need to start thinking about and deciding if you do or don't want them as part of your wedding day. Yes there is a lot in it but it's just a guideline to help you on your way to what will be a very special, personal and fabulous wedding day!! We hope it is helpful........

• What time of the year and what day do you want to get married?
• What type of wedding do you want?
• Decide on a reasonable and realistic budget - yes we said reasonable and realistic!
• Pick your wedding party - think about this, they all need to get on and be able to put you first!
• Do a rough guest list so you have an idea of how many guests when you go venue shopping!
• Visit venues and book your venue as soon as you can places book up fast!
• Book your Celebrant, Officiant or Church - these are also in huge demand and book out quickly!
• Book your ceremony venue soon if it does not come with the venue.
• Music for the ceremony and wedding reception - you can have any type anywhere!
• Florist - the good ones are gone fast!.
• Photographer - again do as soon as you can the best book out quickly!
• Videographer - special memories recorded!
• Caterers if needed.
• Entertainment - Ah sure why not!
• Make-up - an absolute for all the bridal party and a lovely treat to have some one do it for you!!
• Hair - another absolute!
• Cake - so many options!
• Rings - can't get married without them!
• At least 3 month notification of intention to marry to the Registrar - no getting married without it! 
•  Wedding transport - if needed, don't walk especially not in those heels!
• The Dress and the bridal party dresses - this is where the fun starts!! Oh and the shoes!!!
• The Grooms and Groomsmen attire - not so much fun!
•  The Honeymoon - this is the all essential, make sure you treat yourselves!!

Our advice yes planning carefully and fully is so important but even important is that you have fun and enjoy this special time. Do what you want not what others expect or want - don't let them wreck your head!!

Happy Planning Everyone!!

Melanie + Isobel   xxxx

Need Some Lighting For Your Wedding? Then Check This Out.....

Every wedding needs some magical lighting!! It sets a positive mood, creates a romantic and relaxed atmosphere and if planned right will encourage the party to last all night.....

Lighting can come in many and various ways including candles, t-lights and electrical lighting. It's what you use and how you use it that will create the desired effect. Our advice is use plenty of secondary lighting like candles, festoon lighting, fairy lights and lamps and use as little as possible of the main lighting like ceiling lights and strong electrical lights. 

The next thing to think about is planning your lighting, making sure you have thought of all areas, have enough lighting to make it safe and comfortable to move around and have plenty of replacements to relight for the night time turnaround after dinner. It may take a little time and effort to source and buy all you need but it is so worth it!! It really is magical..... 

Here are some of our props we use for lighting and some of the weddings we have included them in! Please feel free to drop us an email or phone us if you would like some free advice on how to add lighting to your special day or if you are interested in hiring some of our lighting props!! If you would like to see the full collection of props click here

Wedding Props? Wedding Styling? Here's Some Inspiration...

If you, like a lot of couples at the moment, are in the middle of organinsing your wedding you may have found yourself a bit stuck when it comes to how to decorate your venue and where to get the props in which to do so.     

Some people like to buy props but the cheapest and easiest option is always to hire. When you hire props you have a lot more options available to you and you can hire things that you could never afford or never be able to buy. Basically, the sky is the limit when it comes to hiring props for your wedding. Our advice - have fun and just go for it!!

At The Wedding Festival we have a large and varied collection of props to hire that includes the necessary, the interesting and the ‘Oh I just have to have that!’ kind of props.

Our collection includes wedding essentials, party products, eclectic props, décor hire, handcrafted items and much more. We also offer a bespoke prop hire service where we can make or source a specific prop for you for your wedding. 

Our prop selection promises to inspire and excite and provide those finishing touches that bring an event to life. To have a look at our full collection just press this magical button!!

Here are some of our favourite props to help inspire you...

Prop Photos Taken by Nuria Canestro, Momento Photogrpahic Studio

Main Cover Photo Taken by Elaine Barker Photography

Some Simple Props And Some Simple Styling Touches and... Voila!!

If you are like most couples who just want something simple but stylish for your wedding decor then have a look at these inspirational photos for some styling ideas that could make all the difference!!

Last weekend we had the privilege of styling a wedding in , Bellinter House  in County Meath. A fabulous couple, a stunning venue and some simple Ikea props! What to do?

The Bride got in contact with us from Australia a few weeks before the wedding concerned about how she was going to get the look she wanted for the reception room with the props she had. She was also worried about how she was going to set up the room and get everything done the morning of her wedding. The solution was to get help to achieve both these things and not have this extra stress on herself and family members on the days before and the day of the wedding - basically hand it over to the us!!

With a very small budget and a few hours of styling, we pulled together a simple but stylish look for the couple by mixing some of our props with the items she had bought in Ikea. We added lots of candle light and a fun and interactive photobooth station and guest signing table - it worked fantastically!! Our message is that it can be done with no stress and with little cost to the couple.

Now some inspirational photos......

Cake by The Kupcakery

27 Quirky + Unusual Wedding Backdrops

Getting married now brings you a lot more options and freedom than years gone by and it is all good - thankfully!!

One of those changes is the option to get married in alternative venues and ceremony locations. This brings an exciting and interesting element to getting married as you are  not limited to a church or registry office. The downside to this is that you don't always get the drama and impact that a church can have. The answer to this is the wedding backdrop!! 

The wedding backdrop is simply a decorative structure and is usually placed at the top of the venue as a back drop to the ceremony and the couple. These may come with the venue or if not they can be hired or you could make it yourself. 

Having a wedding backdrop may not be top of your to-do list but it is something you should consider. It will be one of the most photographed locations on your wedding day as most people (including your photographer!) will want to take photos of the newly married couple. Having your own distinguishable wedding backdrop also means that your guests will never look back and not know whose wedding it is! 

It also sets the scene for the rest of the day and connects with your overall wedding style and decor. It can lift your ceremony venue to something ordinary to something personal and individual.

When your ceremony is over you could also use your backdrop as a backdrop for your sweet table, dessert table, or photo booth - nothing like a bit of recycling!! 

Here we have put together some of our favourite 27  Wedding Backdrops. We hope you enjoy our selection and get some ideas for your own wedding ceremony. Please let us know you thoughts in the comment section - we would love to get the feedback!! 

A Wedding Venue That Will Get Everyone Talking!!

We are out and about at the moment visiting wedding venues some well know and some of them like this particular one are as of yet almost undiscovered and are a real jem of a find!!

We love to come across wedding venues for our couples that are different, fun and a bit off the radar and Galway Glamping is definitely one of these! The venue know as Brooklodge is located in Ballyglunin, Co. Galway near Tuam and Galway City. 

The venue is set in the historic Blakes Estate along the banks of the beautiful Abbert River. Glaway Glamping has much to offer for weddings of all sizes. The wedding facilities include a converted barn (max 120), drinks reception area, outside reception area, covered porch, bar, outdoor and indoor ceremony area as well as ample space for a marquee.

There is plenty of onsite accommodation including Mongolian Yurts, Cabins and in house rooms all having there own individual and quirky style. There is also a separate Bridal Suite in the tower. The site also has plenty of outside areas with colourful seating and fire pits as well as 3 large indoor social spaces. 

We really like this venue for its flexibility, friendly atmosphere and beautiful setting. If you are looking for a venue that has it all and is a little bit different and something fun and exciting for your guests then go and have a look -  you won't be disappointed!! 

There Is A New + Rather Exciting Wedding Venue In Town!!

Yes you read it right, we have just been to visit a new + exciting wedding venue.....

We recently went to take a look at a new wedding venue called The Grocery  

The Grocery is situated in the center of the picturesque town of Tyrrellspass, Co. Westmeath. It is a family run business and comprises of a host of buildings and amenities including a Bar, Lounge, small grocery shop + cafe, accommodation, outbuildings, large garden, courtyard, The Barn and Orangery.

It is a listed building seeped in history and charm. It was built by Jane Countess of Belevedere in the mid 1800s and retains many of the original and quirky features.

Weddings are held off the main street at the back of the grocery and cafe. There is a separate entrance where you find hidden away, the most beautiful courtyard, outbuildings, Barn, large landscaped garden and Orangery at your disposal. The space can have up to 120 people, it is very flexible and can hold ceremonies, drinks reception, main reception and music and dancing, how you use the space is up to you.

Both the barn and orangery come with a full licence bar, wood burning stoves and lounge areas. There is also a full catering kitchen, they have an on-site caterer but you can also bring your own caterer if that is your preferred choice. 

What is unique about The Grocery is that it has been lovingly and painstakingly restored by its owner. Both the accommodation and buildings are full of character, comfort and impressive details. It oozes old world charm while still having all the modern comfort and up to date facilities you require.

We loved everything about this venue! We were very impressed with the restoration details, fun and quirky atmosphere and the overall flexibility of the space. It is well worth consideration, if you are looking for a venue with a difference, then a visit to The Grocery will not disappoint!!

Here are some photos to give you a sneak peak of all it has to offer...

The Barn + Orangery 

Outbuildings + Garden

Accommodation