Category Archives: Ask Jenny
Ask Jenny – Shoe Issues.
Hi Jenny
I’m having a big dilemma about wedding heels! I’ve got a lovely pair of ivory peep toes that I wanted to wear for the church, but they’re not comfortable, so I bought a pair of flats to wear in the evening. Only then I realised that if I put flats on, my dress will then be far too long! Does this matter? Should I not wear my first pair of heels, and find a more comfortable mid-height heel/wedge instead? Or should I stick to flats and be super comfy all day?! I’m getting married in Ibiza, so flats would be perfectly in keeping with my beach wedding (church ceremony, then reception at beachside restaurant) but a few people have told me I wear heels for the church and for photos/first dance etc, for posture.
I have no idea what to do, and time is running out. First dress fitting fast approaching!
Thanks
Jenny
Dear Jenny,
Ok I’ve a few suggestions for you my dear, how in love are you with your painful ivory peep toes…? I would perhaps consider keeping them for your photographs, and buying another pair of heels that aren’t going to cripple your tootsies, no one needs to see a bride walking like John Wayne by the end of the ceremony, and you will have better things to worry about than where your next plaster is coming from.
It’s important your dress hangs right, you don’t want to be picking up the bottom so you don’t trip over it when you walk, so maybe you could wear some gorgeous beachy boho flats, and have your dress taken up to accommodate them?… View the full post.
Ask Jenny – How far is too far…?
Hi Jenny,
I’m having a big wobble about reception venues, and how far it is acceptable to ask guests to travel, and I’m hoping you might be able to offer some advice..
The background – my fiancé’s family will be coming from Ireland, and most of my family will be coming from up north (Lancashire way). In addition, we will also have guests coming from America (we hope!) and Switzerland. So a lot of people already coming a long way to be at our wedding.
The wedding – the Church we want to get married in is the Parish Church where I grew up, and where my parents still attend, in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. It means an awful lot to me, and my parents, that this is where we’ve decided to get married.
And now for the ‘but’ – all of the reception venue’s I’ve seen that I’ve fallen in love with are all about 30-45 minutes drive (or more) from the Church. I’ve always dreamed of getting married in a barn, or possibly a marquee decked out to look like a barn (!!), and I haven’t found any which are closer to Amersham that’s not ridiculously out of our budget (like, double than what we can afford!)
So this has thrown up a real question for me – how far is acceptable to ask guests to travel between wedding and reception? I’ve thought about putting on transport from the Church to the reception, such as a coach or bus, but then how do guests get back to their cars afterwards?… View the full post.
Ask Jenny – Open Bar Drama.
Hi Jenny,
My fiancé & I are getting married this September & all our plans are going well & we’re very, very excited. However, I am prone to flapping & this week I’m mostly worrying about drinks. Our package at our reception venue includes 4 drinks for each day time guest & I thought this would be fine, but I saw an article on theknot.com that suggested guests would be peeved if there wasn’t an open bar. Is this just an American expectation or should we be doing it too? I can’t bear to cost it- I’d probably faint in horror- & I just don’t think we could stretch to it, but I don’t want to be a bad hostess!
What do you think? Are we being stingy by just having a cash bar for the rest of the day? Getting sozzled is a given at a party, but I don’t want to have to compromise on everything else to facilitate it. Your advice would be greatly appreciated!
Jenn x
Hello Jenn,
Cor I remember the drinks/open bar stress. Mr O was intent on having an open bar, as was Mr O the Senior. I however have been to many events with open bars, and ended up absolutely sozzled beyond belief (because it’s rude not to, right?)
Let me share my experience of having an open bar wedding. My concern was that people would take the mickey and order double whiskeys and champagne. So after much debate we finally agreed on an open bar set at a limit of a certain amount of money, say £700, and guests were offered beer, wine, and single spirits.… View the full post.
Ask Jenny.
Hi Jenny!
To save on costs we’re not having a sit down meal at our wedding but having a big evening buffet, but me and hubby to be can’t decide what would be the best time to get married. I don’t think getting married too early is a good idea because there will be a long waiting time after the photos etc. But was thinking of having a little tea party with sandwiches and scones just to give people some food. Any thoughts appreciated.
Cara Xx (getting married in April 2013!)
Hello Cara!
Thank you for getting in touch, my first ‘Ask Jenny’!
I think it all depends on the type of venue you are going for, are they happy for you to forgo the sit down meal and provide an afternoon tea instead? If they are, then why not go for it? If you got married at 4pm, had afternoon tea at 5pm, and then a big evening buffet at 8pm your guests will be fed and watered and happy! It would be no different to a 2pm wedding, with canapés prior to the main meal – it’s just you are doing it slightly later in the day. I would imagine mosts guests having lunch before attending a 4pm ceremony, I know I would eat before hand anyway!
Afternoon tea is a lovely idea, quintessentially British, and you could incorporate that into your décor too! Lots of lovely doilies and crockery.
Another suggestion though, it’s worth looking into costs, and getting some numbers together, because by the time you have paid for afternoon tea per head, it may actually still be only very slightly more costly to go for the sit down meal and an earlier ceremony, and once you have your dress on, and you have said ‘I do’ the day will go by in a flurry of activity and you will wish there were more hours in the day for you to enjoy your wedding!… View the full post.
