New Supplier - Arch House Deli

Here at My Wedding Workshop we all love the Arch House, the setting is lovely and the store chock full of so many goodies, the cafe does tasty food and you can buy anything you would need for a beautiful dinner where you don't have to do anything more than warm their delicious food, or grab yourself a filled picnic basket and catch some sunshine (if you can find some) in the nearby square.

We love their cheese counter the most, they really know their stuff here and regularly make a trip to Arch House for just that, you can taste away to your hearts content and they will tell you all about the different cheeses.

They are so good here they are winning awards every year. 

So over to them to tell you a little about how this works with a little extract from their guide to choosing your cheese...

We take a tailored approach to creating your cake. We seek to find out what your preferences are, guest numbers etc and give you a bespoke cake that we believe will exactly meet your requirements. This consultancy is free.

As a typical indication of likely cost we recommend sizing the cake on 100g of cheese per guest. Some love cheese and may eat more, but this is typically compensated by those that don't eat cheese at all. You made need more if the cheese cake completely replaces a wedding cake or dessert.

It's important when choosing the cheese to get a good range of cheeses, for example hard, soft and blue as well as at least one non Cow's milk cheese in the mix for example goats or ewes milk cheese if possible.

Aesthetics of the cake are also important, getting an increasing diameter of cheese and variation of colours is key in creating a visually impressive cheese wedding cake. Having similar size cheeses will create a chimney of cheese which does not look as good, and is hard to dress. This is an area that a lot of people find difficult and we will help you pick the right ones as we only use cheeses were we know the dimensions and weight.

We find a simple black slate works best as a base for the cake and can supply this for a small deposit. One option that is often overlooked is leaving the cheese undressed By picking the right cheeses the cake will look beautiful with no adorn age.

If there is a colour scheme you may wish to have this represented with the cake, for example to have the same flowers or ribbons as the bridesmaids.

The most popular method is to dress the cake with fruit, this can be done as simple as adding strategically placed grapes right through to a tower or cascading fruit pinned in place, we recommend grapes, figs, berries and physalis.

Check out Arch House Deli or email us  if you're interested in having a cheese wedding cake. 

The Wedding Players

A guest post from the amazing Wedding Players about wedding music today...

Wedding Music Selection l Your Wedding l Your Music (by Lee Probert, MD of The Wedding Players)



Music is such a big part of a Wedding Evening Party, getting it right is crucial to setting the right atmosphere for you. We encourage at the outset for our Couples to consider two main things when planning a Playlist:

1 - Their Guest s 2 - How they visualise their Party in their mind

Guests could be: Family, Friends, University friends, Work Colleagues, Children, Senior Family members.
They could be from different parts of the Country, or overseas; and many of these guests have not seen each other (or the happy couple) for a long time!

Visualise the evening party - how do you imagine the night to be – which guests are likely to be doing what and when – plan with that in mind.

Things to consider:
How many songs / pieces of music should be supplied to the DJ?
We would suggest that a list of up to 40 songs is ideal.
Why? Most Evening parties are 4.5 hrs. 40 Songs takes up 3 hours. You then have 1.5 hours left for:

• -  Guest Requests – then this could be 45 minutes worth easily. (Just 10 songs!)
• -  Requests from you, that you remember on the night, even 3 or 4 is another 15 mins!
• -  Early on – ‘warm up’ or background music. This could be 1⁄2 hour to an 1 hour quite easily
• -  The DJ to use his experience to add songs that compliment your selection – suitable big tunes that help hold the
  party together
  When you consider this – you then get a well balanced evening – where all your favourites get played, the guests are kept happy, and the DJ has the chance to use his knowledge to surprise you, read the mood, and help the flow of the evening. 
• 
  Ideas to help you
  Early evening:
  Instrumental, lower volume music may be more appropriate, as people talk, catch-up, get to know each other for the first time.
  Children:
  Music for the little ones for half an hour or so may help their parents have a break, so they can have a talk with you and your other guests. However – we have found that children will dance to ‘grown up’ music – so don’t feel you have to play nursery rhymes!!
  Senior Guests:
  Weddings are always special to older guests – it doesn’t hurt to include suitable music to remind some of the older guests of their younger days may be a nice touch towards the begging of the evening, as often senior guest retire early. As with children, the volume of music should be such not to make them feel uncomfortable.
  The latter part of the night:
  Often the most popular time on the dancefloor!
  Maybe choose music that you know those guests (still there) will love – those student or school memories – when those friends share the dancefloor with you!
  Other Ideas: 
• Do you want guests to request songs? Or do you want the DJ to stick to your list? An element of both usually works best

First Dance (Extension!)
We’ve recently seen an increase in Couple’s requesting a few extra ‘love / slow’ songs after their first dance – a chance for other couples to have a close dance with a loved one?
‘Request hours’
An idea we took from a Bride – play our playlist, but have a ‘request hour’ where all the guests can have a say also? – Quite a good idea we thought.
Your Venue
Certain factors will influence a party, the music and when people tend to want to dance.
A venue with an Outside area in the summer for example will usually mean guests will come into the party room a lot later than they would in winter. This is worth bearing in mind when planning your music.
1st Dance
What time is your first dance? Often the party doesn’t really get started until after the 1st dance

In Summary
Think about your Guests and whether you’d like to incorporate ideas that are relevant for your guests, the different ‘parts’ of the evening – and most importantly – what you are happy with.
Speak with the DJ Companies you are considering– find out if they will accommodate your ideas – and indeed ask them if they can help you with ideas.
Plan early – keep a notebook handy, and as music and song ideas come into your head – scribble them down (even if a year to go before the wedding); this will be much better than rushing to think of ideas during those frantic last few weeks to the big day.
Like anything, planning the music will help with the success of your party – and can be lots of fun as a couple spending a few evenings going through your music collection.

Good Luck!

Lee Probert (The Wedding Players) Summer 2012 

Wedding favours

From the thirteenth century, couples have been giving favours to their wedding guests as a token of gratitude for sharing their special day and the beginning of the new life ahead of them. 

Although I don't think that wedding favours are a necessity I do really like them! So I've walked around Bristol and come up with some that you can purchase locally supporting our independent shops or from riverstation.

Tea

Lahloo tea

I just love this company. It's local, fresh, passionate and very cool. They have a tea pantry based in Clifton Village with all there wonderful teas on display. They do these small tins of tea that would look amazing as wedding favours. You can pick what tea matches the vibe of your wedding. They also hire the place so if you are looking for a alternative hen do. I will be posting more on Hen do's and more info about this next blog. 

Books
Oxfam




I always, always give my children books as gifts and at small weddings they can be such a lovely gift. Books can be a bit pricey but getting them from a book shop like the Oxfam one in Cotham would keep your costs down. Read this lovely POST on giving books at weddings by the wonderful Rock n Roll Bride. The photo above was taken from it. 

Mexican Good luck charms

Otomi

I really didn't have a clue what these were when I stumbled across this beautiful Mexican hive in Clifton Arcade, Bristol. I knew that in Mexico they celebrated their dead in a festival but was unaware they gave each other figures as a type of good luck. These truly are so unusual and great! They also sell all kinds of fantastic things that would be great for decorating your wedding venue. 

Sweets and Sugared Almonds

Romanengo

 Sold through riverstation 

Earlier in the year we had a fab sweet tasting by Romanengo. They came all the way over from Italy and shared their sweet secrets. Everyone had the most wonderful morning. If you would like to read more about this wonderful traditional company have a look at this blog by Eat like a Girl.  You simply cannot get better sugared Almonds. 

Mints

Forbidden planet

How wonderful are these! 

Dapper favours if having high tea instead of a 3 course sit down! I say...

Soaps 

Jane Maddern

These are made right here in the West, affordable and divine! I'm sure if you gave these as 

favours they would not be left behind. Tied with ribbon and your name tags they would be a perfect gift to your guests. She also makes shaving soap for the gents!

Drink favours

Corks of Cotham

I often get people ask me where is best to get mini's and Cork's of Cotham, Cotham Hill have a great range. I think I love the little Hendricks Gin bottle best.  It would look super sweet with a small luggage name tag on and taste not bad either!..

Seeds

Not on the high street

Not Bristol based but very Eco friendly and definitely up in my top 3 best gifts to give wedding guests. Let the love grow wedding favour seeds. These are from not on the high street and they melt me.

Chocolates

Choc on choc

I really love these chocolate lollies above but they also do a great range of little square choc's perfect for wedding favours. Stockists in Bristol include Harvey Nic's in Cabot Circus and they can be found in Clifton bouquet shops too.

Candals

Love from Random

I spotted these and thought they are a really great unusual bargain favour. This shop on Park St. however is abundant with goods to decorate your wedding, Thank you gifts, favours, vintage stuff. Stuff to put on top your cake? Cards, invites.. It's just endlessly GOOD! 

Go, shop, Enjoy!...

Give

Temwa Charity

Why not start your marriage knowing that together you are doing something really, really special by exchanging giving gifts to your guests to donating to a Charity? 

I've chosen this charity as it's Bristol based and helps whole communities build, from teaching important skills in cooking, building, farming. 

Please take a look at the wonderful things they do.

Love Michele =)

Jubilee Weekend at riverstation

We had a very busy time over the Jubilee Bank Holiday with two weddings as well as lots of people enjoying the harbour side with all their extra days off... so we thought we'd share a few instagram photographs with you to give a little taste of the wedding details we loved.

Our first wedding was a simple classic colour scheme of blue and white, we put up bunting, pretty balloons, gorgeous flowers and cupcakes from Iced Magic that looked so good we had to stop ourselves from sneaking a bite of them.

Our second wedding had a subtle royal nod to the Jubilee with tables named after Royal residences and British icons; an amazing post box for all of their cards to be posted, guests arriving on a double decker bus and Pimms for welcome drinks.

We had a wonderful time and hope our Brides and Grooms and their guests had an amazing time too.

Table Cloths..

Tables cloths or no table cloths?

I find a lot of couples ponder on wether to have tablecloths or chair covers. I like with and without, so I'm not much help! I thought I'd put together some photographs from previous 

weddings with different styles of dress and hopefully this will help with your decision!!...

Image above by Zahir photography

Image above by Fotolicious

Styling above by The Little Wedding Helper

Image above by Rosie Parsons

Images above by Max McClure

Here below are some other inspirational tables all taken from Style me Pretty blog.

If you do decide dressing your tables and chairs is for you then please don't hesitate to contact Kathryn King from Ambience Venue Styling. She will give you a free consultation at riverstation and will bring as many coloured sashes in different fabrics that you can ever imagine. 

Wedding receptions downstairs at riverstation

It's been lovely weather again at the start of this year and guests have been making full use of terrace. 

The brides so far this year have had a great eye for detail and its been most fun (and challenging) for me to co-ordinate all the details on the day. 

The food has also looked (and tasted) amazing! 

I thought I'd share some pics of some of the receptions taken place so far this year..