If you’re a regular reader of our blog, then you’ll know we love nothing more than sharing a real wedding story. With That Amazing Place being so busy over the summer however, we found ourselves a little preoccupied with blushing brides and some devilishly handsome grooms. With a gap left to fill, we thought it was about time we shared with you another very special story and what a way to jump back into it than with the fabulous Lauren and Laurie, who chose our Essex wedding venue as their venue to say “I do”.
Having spent 8 years together, the wonderful duo decided it was about time they waltzed down the aisle, committing to ‘for better or worse’ in front of their loved ones. Having met at University, this wonderful pair became best friends before the romance blossomed, making their union all the more special. We were truly thrilled to share such a special event with such a wonderful couple. What’s more, we couldn’t be happier to bring all the details to you, our readers, of their special day.
Photo Credit: Victoria Cadish
The Venue
When it came to choosing the venue, Lauren and Laurie chose That Amazing Place for a number of reasons. Lauren felt, “comfortable there as soon as we arrived for our viewing.” They wanted a venue with history and a chic interior and That Amazing Place most certainly ticked those boxes. Lauren said, “That Amazing Place had the most beautiful grounds for an outdoor wedding and the inside of the house has been styled and decorated so well that it really fit our simple yet chic vision”. The happy couple were also fans of the size of our country house wedding venue, claiming it was the perfect size to make the day feel personal. It also encouraged guests from both sides to mingle.
Photo Credit: Victoria Cadish
Theme and Entertainment
When it came to their theme, Lauren says there wasn’t a theme per say, “I wouldn’t say that our wedding had a theme. I just wanted it to look attractive. We also wanted to use decorations and props that we hadn’t seen at other weddings.” The couple felt That Amazing Place was a total blank canvas giving them free rein to play around as much as they wanted. They wanted flower heavy décor without the worry of clashing with the rest of the venue and that’s exactly what they got; their colours including white and lilac with white, gold and black on the stationary.
Before you even entered the venue, guests were presented with a stunning welcome sign made by Quill London, “it was made with a swag of fresh roses and foliage. We wanted guests to get a feel of the wedding before even entering the building. The welcome sign, invites and seating plan all included the same name motif and style to keep it consistent.”
The wedding breakfast marquee housed 6 long tables for all guests with a giant balloon on each table. Each table had a runner effect of roses and hydrangeas (white and lilac). The table name placements were created using gold wooden calligraphy cut outs and the favours were gold heart pins from Macmillan Cancer Support. A real touching addition and so important for Lauren and Laurie, “most weddings we go to, people leave the wedding favours or forget them. It was really important to us that the money went to a worthy cause and one that all of our guests could relate to.”
Last minute changes are never something any bride or groom wants but Lauren and Laurie thought fast. Having their ceremony on the hottest day of the year meant the possibility of guests getting a little too hot (not something that’s ever said very often here in the UK). Thanks to their quick reflexes, guests were made to feel super comfortable with a quick purchase of Spanish style fans just days before the big day itself. They were also treated to the exquisite sounds of an Apollo Strings Quartet who provided music while situated alongside the gazebo. In Lauren’s own words, “they were magical”.
Décor
Family means a huge amount to Lauren and Laurie which is why they included family frames, “we wanted to include those who couldn’t be there and also wanted to celebrate our grandparents and parents marriages. At the front of the entrance we displayed wedding photos in gold frames. It felt so lovely having photos of those who couldn’t be there with us.”
They also had a fabulous donut wall instead of a sweet cart or table, as they wanted something a little different. It was actually made by Lauren’s dad and it looked amazing, “it went down a treat. It was painted lilac with gold calligraphy and the donuts were from Krispee Kreme.” Instead of a love sign, they also displayed a ‘Til Death Do Us Party’ sign that lit up. Everyone loved it and it featured heavily in the photography. Lauren felt it transformed the lounge into a party room instantly and she wasn’t wrong.
To keep the guests comfy, they also provided everyone with flip-flops so there were no excuses not to get themselves on the dance floor.
Catering
For their catering, they used the fabulous Premier Crew Hospitality. They opted for mini burgers, mini fish pie and mini bangers and mash along with sweet potato rostis. The wedding breakfast consisted of a roasted red pepper and tomato soup, chicken wrapped in Palma ham for mains and a trio dessert of vanilla cheesecake, chocolate brownie and Eton mess. In the evening, guests were treated to bacon and sausage baps. When it came to the catering, Lauren said, “the food was delicious and service sublime.”
While there are a million more details we could share about their special day, we thought we’d leave it up to the pictures to really show you just what a fabulous, once in a lifetime experience it was for them. We couldn’t have been happier to share such a special moment in such a wonderful couples life and from all of us here at That Amazing Place, we wish them the very best for the future. For more information on our Essex wedding venue, simply jump online and contact us today!
When it comes to your big day, if there’s something there to make things easier then we know you’d want to grab it with both hands. From wedding planning guides to to-do-lists, anything that takes the stress away from the big day can only be a good thing. Your wedding is one of the happiest days of your life and planning your happiest day shouldn’t be as stressful as some feel it is, which is why we hold our wedding fairs.
Here at That Amazing Place, we know only too well how much it can help to have everything in one place. From the wedding venue of your dreams to florists, DJ’s and more and that’s exactly what our wedding fairs offer. Designed specifically to provide a convenient way to see everything you could need to make your dream day come to fruition, under one roof. What’s more, we allow only the very best wedding suppliers to come along so we’re only too happy to boast that our wedding fairs offer you the chance to connect with some of Essex’s finest wedding suppliers there are.
We couldn’t be more pleased to have the fabulous Main Event Wedding Shows hosting our next wedding fair on Sunday 8th April. Our doors will open from 12pm to 4pm giving you more than enough time to pop along and meet every one of our fabulous wedding suppliers, glass of fizz in hand, and get to grips with some of the finest suppliers in Essex to ensure your wedding looks and feels as amazing as it is but that’s not all…
While you’re here at our wedding fair, you’ll also get the chance to walk the grounds of That Amazing Place and see for yourself, just why so many couples are choosing to say “I do” right here in our country house wedding venue. From the stunning views to our amazing wedding team who are on hand to help you in any way possible; you’ll get to see for yourself just why we’re called That Amazing Place.
So what are you waiting for? Make sure you’re available Sunday 8th April for the ultimate wedding shopping experience and your perfect chance to see one of the most popular wedding venues right here in the most beautiful Essex countryside. From our fabulous in-house team available to answer questions you may have to the fact that it’s a totally child friendly event, there’s absolutely nothing stopping you from taking the first steps to organising one of the most important days of your life. Head to That Amazing Place on Sunday 8th April for one of our amazing wedding fairs…we can’t wait to see you!
It’s been quite a while since we last shared a real wedding story here at That Amazing Place and we couldn’t be more pleased to be sharing the wonderful nuptials of Tash and Matt. This gorgeous couple, after having met via Tinder four years previous decided to say their “I do’s” at our stunning country house wedding venue after deciding it ticked all the boxes, there and then and we couldn’t have been more pleased. Let’s dive into their wonderful day and see just what made their special day that extra bit special and just why they chose to say yes to That Amazing Place…
The Venue
When we asked Tash just why herself and Matt decided on That Amazing Place, there was no hesitation, “It was only the second place that we viewed and it ticked all the boxes. The additional option for our family to be able to stay for the weekend at the venue was what swayed us, as it gave the wedding a more homely vibe.” Something that also really stood out for Tash and Matt was the help they received from the start, “Angie, Sarah and the team at TAP were so welcoming and down to earth. With such experience behind them we knew we could trust their support and suggestions, and as such they made wedding planning so exciting and memorable.”
Theme and Entertainment
Photo Credit: Frances Sales
Their theme was decided from their choice of flower. They found a photo together online that they both loved which led to them choosing a fantastic colour scheme of peach, burgundy, ivory and rose gold. They loved the classic appeal with a rustic twist. When it came to their entertainment, they sought the help of That Amazing Place for suggestions and used the fabulous Herts Events. Tash said, “Mark the DJ was brilliant and very responsive to the crowd. He even let the groom do his own pre-prepared set. We had fireworks in the evening too thanks to Fireworks Crazy; the display was beautiful and definitely made the evening very special and unforgettable.
Catering
Photo Credit: Frances Sales
Tash and Matt chose the fabulous Premier Crew Catering to cater for their big day. They had paella and a BBQ for the wedding breakfast, which went down a storm. Their guests were then treated to mini fish and chips later on in the evening. What else could they say but, “amazing food and value”.
Tash and Matt’s big day was truly something special and one we’ll cherish for a long time. From all of us at That Amazing Place, we’d just like to say a huge congratulations once again to the happy couple and we hope to see them back very soon celebrating their forthcoming anniversaries!
It doesn’t matter how much you get organised or how much you think you won’t, weddings will always cause you to get a little stressed at times. Regardless of whether you get a little stressed or a lot, there are ways to help alleviate the stress and reduce its impact. From recognising the symptoms to seeing the bigger picture, here’s our ultimate guide to dealing with wedding stress.
Realise the symptoms – stress is something that people deal with on a daily basis and this is only accelerated when a wedding is involved. Recognising the warning signs is therefore incredibly important in the steps to being able to control and/or treat the symptoms. Whether it’s a lack of sleep, becoming more snappy or even forgetful, recognising your own symptoms of stress will help you to deal with them much better and in some cases, allow those closest to you to recognise the fact that you may be suffering from a little stress.
To do lists – as they say, there’s nothing like a good to do list to help you get things done. They can also prove to be incredibly helpful when it comes to preventing stress. Having something to look at in front of you, especially a list that you’re able to tick off as and when each task is completed can prove to be incredibly therapeutic. So make that list and tick off each task as you go.
Honesty is always the best policy – when working with suppliers, it’s always best to be considerate and of course polite but more-importantly, it’s best to be honest at all times. Remain honest and upfront at all times with suppliers with regards to what you want, when you want it and how you want it. If your budget won’t stretch to their suggestions, just let them know. Tell them your budget, what you can and can’t afford and when you need it by. You never know, you may even find the supplier is able to make you a deal after all, if you don’t ask, you don’t get.
Recognise a small problem is exactly that, small – there are times in life when we just need to let things go and during wedding planning, that couldn’t be more important. Being prepared to let the little things go will not only ensure your focus remains on the bigger things but will stop you becoming stressed over the smallest detail. You’ll soon realise, on the big day itself, that those little things really didn’t matter that much in the end.
While these tips may not be able to completely eradicate every ounce of stress leading up to your big day, they’ll certainly help. Is there really an answer to coping with wedding stress entirely? Perhaps not but humour, patience and intuition are the best qualities to help you battle stress as much as possible; that and of course the fabulous Angie right here at That Amazing Place who’ll be on hand every step of the way to help you as much you need on the lead up to your big day. For more information, simply contact us today.
While the wedding ceremony may be the most important aspect of your day, your wedding reception is probably the part of your big day that your guests are looking forward to the most; getting it right, therefore is vitally important and one way to ensure it’s perfect is to make sure it’s fun. Here are some top tips to ensure you have a fun wedding reception from beginning to end.
Arrange your seating thoughtfully – this may sound like a very obvious notion but it’s important to ensure decent and solid seating arrangement. Ensure each guest is with someone they know and people they get along with. While it may seem a great idea to play matchmaker, it never is. Just remember, while they’re there for you, they’re also there to catch up with friends too so let them enjoy themselves as much as possible. In other words, sit your younger cousins with other kids their age and let your school friends sit next to each other too.
Give out amazing wedding favours – show your guests just how much you appreciate them with amazing wedding favours from take home treats such as donuts, coffee beans and mini bottles of prosecco to a cute plant, a pair of sunglasses or even a key ring with your wedding date and initials as a sweet memento.
Don’t overrun on the toasts – we all love toasts, especially when they’re funny. We all love to relive amusing stories but they can become an issue when they start to drag on somewhat. Anything longer than five minutes and you’ll start to lose their attention.
Keep the little ones entertained – having children at your wedding is a debate that’s often revisited on many a wedding forum but for those who’ve decided to invite the little ones, it’s important to ensure they’re entertained. Give them a designated area in which to play and have fun. You could even arrange for a children’s entertainer to set up movies, games and arts and crafts in a separate room to keep them entertained. A little extra time spent on the kids entertainment will ensure a fun and enjoyable wedding reception for you.
Keep your first dance fun and unique – it’s always fun to shake things up and that’s especially so during your first dance. All eyes will be on you so it’s the perfect opportunity to really wow your guests with a little something special. Anything from jazzing up a romantic start with a classic dance song, welcoming everyone onto the dance floor to a group dance that gets everyone involved; whatever you feel suits you most and makes it something fun to remember.
Offer the chance to change – we all love dressing up but there’s something we all love even more and that’s taking off those restrictive clothes and putting on something more comfortable. From a basket of flip flops for tired feet to giving everyone the opportunity to change into their comfy clothes for the remainder of the evening; ensuring your guests are comfy is a great way of ensuring everyone enjoys themselves even more.
Do you have some more tips for a fun and exciting wedding reception? Then let us know in the comments below!! Better yet, check out our suppliers page and find some fab entertainers to keep things fun and fresh at your upcoming wedding reception.
Are you getting married this coming spring? Then we’re guessing you’ll be enjoying your bridal hair trial sometime soon and what better way to stay prepared as a spring bride than to have a few ideas in your back pocket. Here are just a few fab spring wedding hairstyle ideas for the perfect inspiration…
Straight, smooth and sleek – the greatest thing about spring is that the weather remains pretty mild, neither too hot or too cold and that always gives you so much more wiggle room when it comes to your hair. Straight and sleek hairstyles are the ideal choice during a season when there’s far less chance of frizz so enjoy it while you can. If you’d like to jazz it up then perhaps look at sparkly silver tiaras or even sparkly fascinators to take it from an everyday look to something really special.
Keep it floral – when you think of spring, flowers in bloom will always “spring” to mind (pardon the pun) so if you’re looking for a thoroughly spring filled theme, think flowers. Keep it seasonal to really feel the airs of spring and keep costs down too. You could even extend this to your bridal look too. You could even match your wedding hairstyle to your floral bouquet to really keep things looking together. This look is particularly good for those who choose a simple wedding dress.
Pretty curls – whether you’re naturally curly or not, a curly ‘do’ on your wedding day is nothing short of perfect for a spring wedding. Taking into consideration the low chance of frizz and of course, the versatility of curly hair and it’s easy to see just why it’s such a popular choice. Being so versatile means you also have the ability to make it as dramatic as you want too.
Bohemian beauty – if you’re leaning toward a bohemian style wedding dress then you’ll need the ultimate bohemian hairstyle to match and there’s more than one way to unleash your inner hippy. Think messy waves, think flowers and of course, think plaits. Fishtail plaits are incredibly popular at the moment, along with ombre hair. This is where baylage hair makes a big impact too. Make the most of your unique hair colour and nail the boho vibe with those all-important accessories.
Non committal hair – not sure whether you want an updo or long flowing tresses? Then enjoy the best of both worlds and opt for half up and half down. This is such a classic do it was even selected by the amazing Kate Middleton back in 2011. One of the greatest things about this hairstyle is that you can make it as glamorous or as simplistic as possible. Plaits can be added, or simply a wedding veil for a more traditional appearance.
If you’d like more information on bridal hair and make-up or if you’d like to find a tried and tested make-up and hair stylist for your big day, check out our list of suppliers for the best professionals out there.
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