From top venue dressing ideas to brilliant ways to ramp up the atmosphere, check out our wedding planner for brilliant finishing touches to ensure your party sparkles
Blossom time
Twilight Trees’ amazing selection of designer trees are the perfect finishing touch to dress your venue and don’t require lots of upkeep. Its ‘in bloom’ selection of trees are made of hand-painted resin with real wood branches and silk petals. They also have an impressive selection of LED-illuminated trees so you can create a twinkling after-dark focal point at your wedding. The trees look great indoors or out, so the design possibilities are endless – whether you want to add colour up the aisle, light the dancefloor or create a romantic corner for photos. Trees are available to hire or buy and, of course, if you buy you’ll have a permanent reminder of an epic party. twilight-trees.com
Props for hire
Get Knotted offers a fantastic selection of props that are ideal if you have a large or tricky space to decorate, such as a barn. Based in the Scottish borders, it delivers props anywhere in the UK. So if you absolutely have to have 200 folding chairs, 1,000 candlesticks, a dozen illuminated birch trees, inflatable sofas, a pop-up bar or a starlit ceiling, this is the place to call. The team at Get Knotted have even put together two packages to help you create specific looks – helping to take the legwork out of sourcing components individually. And if you want a bit more help, it offers full wedding planning and styling too. get-knotted.net
Music masters
If you are looking for live music for your wedding, Music By Arrangement is a great place to find it and is a go-to name used by many a top wedding planner. It represents over 700 acts – from harpists, string quartets and dancers to DJs, soul divas and large bands. Founded by former concert pianist Sarah Balfour (who personally vets all the acts) the agency regularly supplies performers for top venues – from The Dorchester to the V&A and also nurtures new acts. Performers on its books include Xtatic (pictured) a band led by bassist Paul Carmichael that can number between five and 15, depending on your venue and the noise levels you want. The agency can advise you on all the practicalities, and also offers creative input if you know you want your party to swing, but aren’t quite sure which musical direction to take. musicbyarrangement.com
Snap happy
Photo booths are such a brilliant idea for weddings that they have become almost an essential part of the wedding-day experience. Guests not only get to cram into a booth for a spot of memory making, but you get some fantastic mementoes of the bits of the party you didn’t spot on the day. We love The Vintage Photobooth Company’s take on making the booth a star turn at your party. There are three fabulous hand-built booths in the mix – the Art Deco-style Gatsby (pictured) is our particular favourite. The company also supplies loads of props and ephemera to go with each vintage booth and even plays appropriately themed music to get your guests in the mood to say cheese. thevintagephotoboothcompany.co.uk
Shall we dance?
Sorting out that first dance can be, well, a bit of a nightmare, especially now there is a certain amount of peer pressure from all those YouTube videos of couples owning that floor. Karen Hardy Dance Studios in Fulham is your saviour if you want to learn some dancefloor-diva moves of your own. The private members’ dance club is designed to not only teach you how, but also be a comfortable and luxurious environment to learn. From the Swarovski-encrusted wallpaper and chandeliers to the sprung maple floor, this is a place where you can let your inner dancer flourish. There are loads of special opportunities for brides and grooms, with wedding dance classes, at home sessions and even bridal party sessions so your nearest and dearest don’t let you down. karenhardystudios.com
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