Table For Under Twenty Pounds

So a few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to have a day shooting lots of great styling and design set-ups for my fabulous new website with the wonderful Claire from Brown Box Photography. We rattled through lots of different looks and I love them all (so you'll all be seeing them over the coming weeks!).

I was really keen to do lots of DIY and to do some budget friendly styling details too and, in that spirit, today I'm bringing you a table for under twenty pounds. Yes indeed - this one is easy on the wallet and easy to put together on the day.

And here's what I spent my money on... Doilies (£5 per pack - I used a quarter of a pack = £1.25), Vases (50p each x 5 = £2.50), Cupcakes (these were made for me by the wonderful Indigo Cakes but you can get similar high street options from Waitrose at £1.04 each so 6 x £1.04 = £6.24), Flowers (I bought 3 bunches from my local market for £5), Pink Lemonade (on offer at Waitrose for £1.62 per bottle so 2 x £1.62 = £3.24 )

All of which rampant spendthrift-ery gives a grand total of (drum roll please...) £18.23. That's table decorations, chair decorations, place markers, favours/desserts and even some lovely pink lemonade for drinkies! Don't say I'm not good to you all! So, now you know what I bought and what I spent, here's what I did...

Above - the table runner is just doilies laid along the centre of the table, nothing complicated, no gluing or sticking, just place there where you want them and away you go...

Above - place markers are smaller doilies with the guest's names written on them in white pen...

Above - those chair back decorations are just smaller doilies threaded onto a little ribbon and then they're tied to the chairs...

Above - a cupcake is set at each place setting as a fab favour/dessert combo...

Above - the vases are filled with a few stems of flowers and lined up along the centre of the table (this helps to hold those doilies in place)...

Above - and a bottle of pink fizz completes the table...

Huge thanks to the fabulous Brown Box Photography for being so great to work with on this project. I heart her lots and lots xx

The Dos & Don'ts... Dressing Your Venue

Let’s face it, we all want our guests to ‘wow’ over our gorgeous weddings and a lot of thought is put into decoration but before you rush to the ribbon or go crazy with the candles, check out these ‘dos and don’ts’ to make sure your venue is dressed to perfection on your big day...

Elizabeth Anne Designs

Do take lots of photos of the rooms at the venue that you’ll be using once you’ve booked.  These can then act as your reminders when you’re thinking about decoration.  It might be months in between visits to your venue and who can remember where the doors are, what colour the carpet is and if there are windowsills for candles?  You might like to try and get a copy of the floorplan from the venue as well so you can decide where big items are going to be placed.

Don’t plan things too far in advance.  Deciding on your decorations before you’ve decided on your venue is a big mistake as you can end up with colours that don’t go and details that don’t work.  Instead, let the venue you choose be your inspiration rather than spending a lot of time (and possibly money) on deciding decorative ideas and items that won’t work in the space that you have – let your venue act as your blank canvas and you won’t go far wrong.

via Oncewed

Do learn to be bit a bit sneaky!  If there’s a part of your venue that’s not that great, use some decoration to draw the eye away from the grot to the great!  Or, hide the not so nice bit with something like a big swath of fab fabric or even an amazing seating card display.  A dark and dingy corner can be transformed with lots of hanging candles or jar lanterns or a so-so ceremony room looks completely different if you add an aisle runner or a thick scattering of petals.

Don’t be afraid to ask the venue what they have that you can borrow.  By using their stock of tea-light holders you could save yourself quite a bit of cash and if you want to go for it with chair covers or coloured linen, ask your venue if they have links with any suppliers that might be able to give you a discount.

Do think about your lighting as that’s one amazing way to create the perfect atmosphere.  No-one feels romantic under too bright lights so see if there’s a dimmer switch or if the lights are sectioned so you don’t need ‘full beam’ all day.  Obviously fairy lights and candles add light and look suitably magical and can be worth splashing out on – your florist is a great source of inspiration here and don't be afraid to consider more funky options for the evening.

Alice Hu

Don’t feel that every single table centre has to be exactly the same.  Having a mix of heights with your arrangements looks great or you could go for one colour throughout but use different varieties of blooms.  Don’t be afraid to do something a little different as it can work brilliantly.

Do remember the outside of the venue too as even the most gorgeous of gardens can look better with a few decorations.  How about pathways lined with petal filled lanterns or ponds with floating flowers?

Don’t forget to ask about the rules!  Some venues love candles, others loathe them.  Some will let you attach things to walls and windows, others won’t or will hit you with a huge bill for repairs after the event.  And always remember to ask when you can get access to the venue to set everything up - you don’t want suppliers hanging around or to be running out of time.

Cameron Ingalls

Do write clear instructions to the people who’ll be setting things up for you on the day and do try to have a trial run if it’s possible.  If you’ve thought long and hard about how everything is going to look, make sure that people know what you want so you’re not disappointed on the day.

Don’t think you have to be a creative genius to have a stunning venue – get advice from your florist and venue, ask your photographer or planner for information on what they’ve seen before, steal the style of the fab real brides you've seen on blogs or in mags or consider hiring someone (like me!) to do it all for you!

A Rainy Sunday Update...

So, the last few weeks have been so busy, I barely feel like I've had time to catch my breath but today, a cancelled school summer picnic and a day of rain and very unseasonal weather has given me a little bit of unexpected time and it feels like such a treat so I think it's time for another of my little updates.

The first bit of big news (that I can share at this stage anyway!) is that later this month I'm going to be launched a new venture. After lots of requests from brides and private clients, I'm going to be styling and designing weddings and events. I am so terrifically excited about this I can't explain! It's always been my favourite part of working on weddings - taking ideas and bringing them to life and then that totally magical moment when the bride sees everything set up absolutely takes my breath away. Someone asked me last night why I do what I do and my answer is simply that I love making people happy. So if you want something fabulous and totally 'you' for your wedding, do let me know because I would love to help.  

The new website for this is coming soon and I'm going to integrate the blog into it. I still can't believe how many of you read my ramblings and posts every day and it's great so thank you. The website will also be full of lots of amazing images from a big shoot I did last week. The ever gorgeous Claire from Brown Box Photography was behind the lens and we had the run of a great barn. I had planned lots of different looks - literary, vintage travel, herb garden, gyspy, pretty pink and tea & cricket - and had sourced or made and designed everything. The shoot was fab, the shots are amazing and I can't wait for you to see them all. All those ideas in my head translated perfectly and I'm thrilled with the results. Big love to Claire (and to Julie Tooby for her assistance too because she was just great). I even got to put on a wedding dress for some of the shots but luckily for you all, I've kept my face hidden!

Images by Brown Box Photography

There are so many more photos to share but I'm going to wait until the new website is up and running and of course, I'll announce all the details here and on Twitter first so if you're not following me, now's the time! - you can find me as @tamrynkirby

More news - I'm working with frankly one of the most amazing venues in Berkshire at the moment to put together what will be a wonderful wedding event in October. Again, more news here & on Twitter as soon as it's ready to launch and there's lots of exciting surprises coming then. Honestly, it's going to be fabulous and I get all smiley and excited just thinking about it!

There's so much more to tell you but I'm worried I could end up writing a novel of a blog post so I'll keep it short for now but thank you to everyone for support & help recently. I've also met some really lovely 'new' people in the last month or so (you know who you are!) and thank you all for being another part of the answer to the 'why do you do what you do' question - because as much as I love making people happy, there are lots of people that make me happy too and right now, because of you all, clients & industry friends, I'm just about as happy as can be.

I Love... Brown Paper Bags

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you'll know, I'm sure, about my love of wedding DIY and my total fixation with using simple things to create special things. And let's face it, things don't come much simpler than the humble brown paper bag. Cheap to buy in bulk and easy to adapt, these little beauties are just perfect for weddings.

They make great lanterns, favour bags, menus, decorations and you can even put your table centres in big ones - just hide a vase inside and you're done! Brown bag details work particularly well in rustic, country styled days but depending on where & when you're planning on using them, they can be just as perfect for other events too. All you need to do is get a little crafty...

Above - love these brown bag lanterns. Easy to make - take two brown bags, cut your design into one and then pop the other bag inside so that when you put the light inside, you get the effect above. The thicker 'double bag' means that you can attached the wires to the top to hang your bag lanterns wherever you wish! Image - Design Sponge

Above - how cute are these ceremony programs? The couple's details are on one side and the running order of the day is on the other. You could put anything you want in the bag - how about confetti or a little ribbon streamer for post-ceremony celebrations? Image - Elizabeth Anne Designs

Above - a fab stationery set, all inside a brown paper bag. Love the pink hues on this design as well, they work so perfectly with the browns and creams and I love the idea of guests opening a little goodie bag to find their invitation, how special would you feel? Great if you're including more information with your invitation too as everything can be kept in the bag so (fingers crossed!) losses are limited! Image - Liz Banfield

Above - this is such a great visual - the brown bags against the monochrome background, just so striking. The 'thank you' is stamped onto the bags, the favours popped inside and then the bag is sealed with a black & white pin badge or over-sized brad. How great to see this all lined up for guests to take at the end of the evening? Image - Lovely Little Parties

Above - Another look I really love, especially with those big bold buttons holding the bag shut. Here, the bags are rolled shut once the favour, confetti or other surprise is inside then the printed strip is attached and the button goes over the top. I'm now thinking you could pop nibbles in those bags for an excellent DIY canape option during post ceremony drinks... Image - via Lulus Inspirations

Above - ahhh, doilies, how I love the. Here, this gorgeous lace look is created simply by gluing doilies to the inside of the bags and then popping a light inside. The bags are then arranged on the table to cast a really beautiful glow over the area. Image - Martha Stewart

Above - the bag lantern has long been a favourite for creating lit pathways at weddings and, having set up quite a few in my time, my tips would be to weigh the bags down with a couple of hefty pebbles (sand is too moist and makes the bags soggy!) and use battery powered tealights. If you can put a couple in each bag, they cast a much better light. Image - My Kate Parker Wedding

Above - such a simple but effective idea for a seating card/favour combination. The bag just have the guest's names written on in coloured ink and their seating assignments are below. You're guaranteed your guests will pick up these bags! Image - The Sweetest Occasion

Above - love love LOVE this! These simple little brown bags are doubling as favour bag and menu card, how wonderful. They they're just closed with a peg and laid on each place setting. Works so well with this simple table setting and I think this is just great. Image - United With Love