A lovely Hen...

Today's post is giving you an idea for a really lovely low key hen day and night for a small group of sophisticated ladies who are looking for a day of glamorous pampering and relaxation...

We are going to start you off at The Sanctuary Spa...

Located in Quakers Friars in the centre of Bristol the day spa is a very glamorous place to be, the chandeliers are so lovely...



Treat yourselves to a massage, facial or a simple mani-pedi to start your day off right...

You can see a full list of treatments here; http://www.sanctuary.com/our-spas.

We love the Hot Lava Shell Massage, a little bit like a hot stone massage the shells add an extra heated dimension to your massage. I cannot recommend this highly enough, I recently had a 25 minute massage but I will be going back for a longer one as soon as possible! (Sally)

We also recommend the Hydrodermabrasion Facial, (Michele had this) her skin was so clear and glowy afterwards she said it was like a new face! I also want to go back for this one.

The therapists are the loveliest we have ever met and couldn't do enough for us, we can't think of anything better than spending the morning here having bubbles on the velvet chaise lounges and popping out for a treatment now and again!

Then we highly recommend taking yourselves up to Clifton Village, if it's a nice day walk up the big hill that is Park Street and pop in to stores like Reiss or Whistles for something to wear later on...

Then get to the village and visit Lahloo Pantry, if there's a nice group of you why not book an afternoon tea and an area to have all to yourself.

Lahloo Pantry started out life as a Tea Company, and still is... here is what they have to say...

Tasting real tea for the first time is often compared to discovering the complex world of wine.
Amazingly, all tea is made from the same plant (camellia sinensis) whether it’s black, oolong, green or white. Like wine, cheese and whisky, tea's unique characteristics are influenced by the ‘terroir’ - where it’s from, what the soil is like, how high the land is and what the weather conditions are, not to mention who produced it.

Lahloo teas are all about taste and provenance and they will take you on an exciting journey through your senses. Whether it’s for your morning cuppa or for tea-based cocktails, Lahloo has a tea for every occasion, every taste and every pocket.

We love the pretty flower based teas rosebud and orchid.

The afternoon teas here are something special, not the ordinary finger sandwiches and scones but a gourmet delight of bespoke treats made with the Pantry's very own teas, they're lighter than you would expect and will mean you are full and satisfied but not affecting any dress measurements.

See the tea and food menus and details about how to book by visiting the website Lahloo Pantry

After all this it's time for some more glamour and some fun...

We recommend taking yourselves back to Quakers Friars and hitting Harvey Nichols...

If you're entering early enough you could easily flex the credit cards some more in the small but perfectly formed beauty hall or upstairs... the selection of womenswear is of course exclusively the best, otherwise you enter through the side and miss more temptation straight to the bar...

First get yourself some space at the bar or on the seats by the windows and ask the cocktail waiters to mix you up some fabulous cocktails.

This is one of our favourite places to go for drinks, you almost feel like you're in another city entirely, Singapore or Bangkok... okay we are stretching it but it is a world away from the shopping streets outside.

Then have some delicious dinner in the golden restaurant...

The chefs here are so good (the head chef is award winning) so the food here is amazing and the menu has something for all of your hens we promise.

This is pretty much the perfect girlie day and Michele and I had some much fun testing everything out for you... so all of these places come with our personal recommendation attached.

Disclosure; Michele and Sally were guests of The Sanctuary Spa but opinions are their own.

Wedding pictures on Instagram

                       

  

  

 

 

  

  

 

Cotham Wedding Shopping

Here at riverstation we love to champion local shops and suppliers, so Michele asked me (Sally) to take a walk around Cotham and report back on what they have to offer... and I loved what I found.

While I have spent a lot of time of Cotham and I knew there were shops there that we could recommend to our couples, I had never really checked them out, so here you go, our mini guide to Cotham...

First up is Frocks and Tails...

Frocks and Tails is a menswear hire shop that has been here for 37 years, ran by a team of 4 lovely ladies they can dress you from head to toe, the only thing they can't help you with are the pants!

I really loved the top hats stacked up in the shop...

 

Go check out Frocks and Tails for more info or go and visit the girls in store, they really are great.

Then go right next door to Cotham Antiques... if you don't already have your engagement ring and are looking for something unique then this is the place. 

The majority of the trade in this store is for engagement rings and we can see why, there are so many beautiful rings from the classic diamond solitaire to antique rings with semi precious stones, ideal if you want some colour for your rock.

Service is super friendly and old fashioned, and if you do have your bling already then visit here for your bridesmaids or thank you gifts or something special to wear on your big day, a necklace or some earrings maybe!

So walking on up the hill I spy Corks of Cotham, whether you need Champagne and wine for your whole day, or a few bottles for gifts for your Best Man or new Father-in-Law Corks of Cotham are knowledgeable, friendly and happy to help.

When I got married we actually got all our ushers and best men gifts here, from a bottle of whiskey, a rum you cannot get in the supermarket or a great bottle of red they had it covered. We also filled our fridge with Processo for the morning so the bridesmaids and I didn't get thirsty!

Cotham also has your hair and beauty covered with the girls at Hair at 58...

The salon stocks and uses Aveda products so you can be sure you are getting the best, which is the assurance you need.

The salon is girlie and glam and a great place to hang out to relax while the girls get you ready for the walk down the aisle.

They told us...

Hair at 58 are passionate and friendly people wanting you to leave with more than just a haircut, here you can expect a complimentary head shoulder and neck massage, hand and arm massage and a finishing touch make-up at the end of every service using Aveda's paraben free mineral make-up to ensure you leave feeling and looking your very best.

Who wouldn't want a massage every time they get a haircut?

Their dedication and hard work was soon recognised by winning 'Independent salon business newcomer 2011' in the british Hairdressing business awards. 

Hair at 58 have now been nominated for 'salon of the year' 2012 after impressing judges with its level of growth and talent of the team. 

Wedding packages are available, tailoring to individual needs. Consultations are complimentary and we are able to come to your destination on the day giving you the luxury of getting ready without coming to the salon.

Contact details: website: www.hairat58.co.uk email: sam@hairat58.co.uk 

Telephone: 0117 9737793, you can also book appointments online through our website.

And last but not least you can also decorate your venue by visiting House of Flowers around the corner on St Michael's Hill.

House of Flowers is your one stop shop for gifts for your Mum's or Bridesmaids and they work closely with The Wilde Bunch who does all the wedding flowers.

We love House of Flowers, we love their non-cheesy selection and The Wilde Bunch grow their own British flowers which is amazing and very important for a lot of riverstation couples.

So stay local where you can, check out these Cotham stores and shop with the independents... they are plenty of choices and you'll get better service. 

You may become a customer for life with these shops... there is nothing like building relationships with shops you'll go back to again and again.

Do you have any local wedding suppliers you would like to recommend to us?

Modern Wedding Inspiration

For those that may have a little trouble seeing beyond a restaurant space to marry, or for those that cannot picture us as a wedding venue we have a little inspiration for you from similar venues...

06 St Chads Place in London, a completely different building but with the airy main room and beams perfect for hanging those decor details we feel has a very similar vibe...

This wedding has kept it fairly simple with a few pom poms hung from the ceiling letting the beautiful wood and brickwork do the talking...

The tables when laid and flowers everywhere ensure you know this is a very special day.

We love the modern wooden chairs...

Check the full wedding post on Shell De Mar

The following space is even more pared down... and this couple have really used that to their advantage going wild with ribbon and balloons.

Even more beautiful chairs... ugly chairs are a bug bear of ours... this golden ones are great, and those balloons... we LOVE them.

Go have a look at the full wedding post at 100 Layer Cake

This wedding has long been a favourite of mine... held in an art gallery, on this amazing stair case.

Simply stunning, and that dress!

Again this couple let their beautiful venue shine through and decorated with simple bunting, rustic table decorations and drinks served in mason jars.

Their genius touch was given out 3D glasses that filled the room with hearts when you put them on. Now that is magic.

See the full post at 100 Layer Cake, those Americans know how to do a good wedding!

Modern wedding venues give great photographs...

The backdrop of something industrial against a wedding dress makes for a great photograph... right on the old docks and train tracks in the harbourside... so many couples head there and it always looks brilliant.

Another beauty from Shell De Mar

In an art gallery? Use the art!

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This couple in San Fransisco had an amazing rocket ship as a backdrop... in Bristol we have the Planetarium which makes for a similarly spectacular photo.

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Just for fun I had to include these photographs from The Ace hotel in Palm Springs...

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We hope we have provided some inspiration or at least given you some pretty weddings to look at!

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