Buttercup Bus

Since the Surrey Networking Tweet Up a couple of weeks ago the Wedding Industry Awards Regional Winners have been announced. Having met so many wonderful people at the Tweet Up I looked with interest to see who the regional winners were. On the list, amongst the people I have heard of but not actually had the privilege to meet, I was thrilled to see the name of one person I had met and with a delightful and unusual business! Mr LG has a huge soft spot for VW Campers, having spent months living in one travelling across Australia many years ago - in fact he still has the VW badge from the front of the van tucked away with all the photos from the trip. My parents bought a VW Camper when I was a teenager, a rather fetching two tone orange and cream (well, it was the late 70's!), with a pop top roof where two people could sleep.

Nathalie, who runs Buttercup Bus VW Campers is passionate about restoring these vehicles which I'm sure feature in the memories of many of us .......

 Mini-mooners with a sense of adventure!

I was delighted to be invited to write a blog entry for the lovely Kim at Lil Guys. (We met a couple of weeks ago at the weddings in Surrey Tweet Up, exchanging stories about our mischievous puppies!). I wanted to write a blog about something that seems to be a current trend I have identified, and also something very close to my own heart as a lady passionate about the outdoors...

Over the past three years, surveys have reported a decrease in wedding budgets of around £5k. The honeymoon is starting to make way for the new “mini moon”, as couples become increasingly cost-conscious with wedding plans. These “mini moon” breaks can lead to people coming up with inspirational ideas on how to spend a blissful short break with their loved ones, whilst often avoiding the stress of busy airports, long haul flights and not forgetting the passport shenanigans with maiden name changes.

Giving up the traditional two week holiday on a tropical island need not be a sacrifice with some of the ideas I have seen floating around on the UK wedding forums. As a wedding supplier myself, I spend considerable time on these forums, keeping tabs on changes in wedding trends. I wanted to share with you my top UK mini moon ideas, taken from real bride’s recommendations combined with my love for the British countryside and camping with a luxurious twist...

Having lived a large proportion of my life on the Hertfordshire / Essex border, this  little find was rather close to my heart- BOUNCERS FARM CAMPSITE.  The cute little gypsy caravan traditional bowtop wagons are adorable, and ooze with romantic charm... imagine sitting together in front of the log burner with a glass of red wine, enjoying each other’s company...  Set in an orchard, this campsite is a must, if you are getting marries in the first week of May – think of all that blossom! If you are planning a trip later in the year, October would be ideal for the orchard harvests! For those of you with a real sense of adventure, the farm land can be used for horse riding, and there are even carriage trips available. At £50-60 / night, this little gem is a viable option for those on mini moon!

Gypsy Caravan at Bouncers Farm

For those of you looking to sleep under canvas, but without the stress of putting up tent poles, or carting all you camping equipment down with you, why not try Glamping Holiday  based on the Surrey / Sussex Boarder. Bell tents decked out with everything from bedding to chandeliers guarantee a camping trip that offers something special...not to mention the welcome breakfast pack on your arrival containing eggs, bacon, bread, butter, jam, milk and even marshmallows.

Glamping Bell Tent

If a holiday isn’t really a proper trip unless you have crossed the sea, then what about The Isle Of Weight? The Really Green Holiday Company offer 16ft fully furnished Yurts... and you can even hire one complete with four poster bed! There are plenty of tourist attractions in the area, and in the evenings, you can watch the stars in each others company – or go to the communal “dome” and meet other couples as a “Mr and Mrs” to enjoy a drink and a chat!

Really Green Yurt

One place that I have always wanted to go to (but never been able to get availability) is The Treehouse at Kinlochlaich House in Scotland. Yes, this octagonal shaped accommodation is up in the branches, with an oak, spiralling staircase, winding round the central tree... I don’t think that I would want to leave, all snug, looking out at the fantastic views. Short breaks are available out of peak season, at around £360 from Friday to Monday. Prime time August for a full week comes in at £605. Just remember to book well in advance for this hidden treasure.

The Treehouse

For the magpies out  there that are attracted to bright and shiny things, there is no accommodation that sparkles more than an airstream. We love one campsite in East Dorset near the popular New Forest and wonderful sandy beaches, that hires out these vintage Airstream caravans. Happy Days RetroVacations offer Mobile fire pits can be rented from reception so you can enjoy toasting marshmallows with a glass of local cider by the fire as the sun goes down. A fish and chip van visits on a Saturday night in high season and an ice cream van visits frequently too.

Airstream

Looking for accomodations reflective of history a little further back in time? Shepherd’s Huts were built in the 19^th century to provide living quarters for shepherds who were away from home during the lambing season. Today, many of these huts are being restored to a high specification, to include sofas, double beds, kitchen and shower room.  The Rose and Applewood Shepherds Huts in Butley, close to the Suffolk coast, are situated in a lovely garden, deep in the countryside. Guests will enjoy a wonderful experience, with a pre-war atmosphere, while every practical consideration has been taken care of... Friday to Monday short breaks come it at £318 during August, with a full week costing £505.

Shepherds Hut

Last, but certainly not least, how could I miss out an adventure very close to my own heart... the vintage VW Camper. As the owner of Buttercup Bus VW Campers - a Croydon (South London and Surrey Border) based VW Camper hire company, one of the perks of the job is to regularly go out on little breaks – the Sussex countryside being one of my favourites. The campervan provides you with the freedom to hit the open road, the flexibility to visit as many destinations as you want, and brings a certain vintage charm to your trip, which will turn people’s heads and make them smile. We love to go to the WoWo campsite in Uckfield with our buses. This campsite is based in the Sussex countryside, and has a brook that runs through it, allows open fires and offers communal soup gatherings. There is a yurt and a Tipi on offer to hire, as well as ample space for campervans and tents alike. They will even allow musicians to stay for free if you are willing to share your musical skills with the campsite. Prices start at £60 per pitch for a long weekend at Wowo. Buttercupbus campervan hire starts at £325 for a long weekend. Book early to get your places secured!

Nathalie with a Buttercup Bus!

Whatever your preference, the blanket term “glamping” used to describe holidays that embrace  humble (and sometimes quirky) outdoor living combined with the modern luxuries any newly weds would desire, is certainly becoming increasingly attractive as a mini moon choice.

Nathalie | Buttercup Bus VW Campers Website | Twitter | Facebook | Buttercup Bus Blog

I'm very definitely a country girl but glamping is much more my thing than the traditional wet week in a Welsh field with the loo block half a mile away! I'm seriously considering looking into the Isle of Wight option, not because I have to feel that I'm 'abroad' but because I heard on the radio the other day that Springsteen & The E Street Band are headlining the closing day at Bestival 2012 - would love to go but not keen on a tiny tent and queuing for a smelly portaloo at night! 

Lastly, and this is purely indulgent, I have to post pics of Nathalie's Yorkie and my LGs!

Nathalie's cheeky chappy - not sure why the photo's
refusing to stay upright!

Bingo's trying to persuade Betsie to help him
find the squirrel he saw......

Betsie prefers exploring rabbit warrens though!

So Bingo has another go himself .......

Bingo & Monty enjoying a walk on the River Adur

More photos of the LGs on our Facebook Page, why not come and join us?

Zebedeez Jewellery

Favours and gifts are always hot topics when planning a wedding, budgets and ideas vary widely. Today we welcome Zoe from Zebedeez Jewellery  who makes a plethora of ranges from tiaras to favours for your wedding!

There are so many different things now available for wedding favours….. Anything goes, classic, quirky, sweet  and fun it is completely your choice.  With the costs of weddings rising there are things to suit every budget, and this is what I try to provide with all my items. I create ready produced items, or bespoke items for the bride and when doing a consultation always get an idea of budget so that we can stick within it, or as near to… as much as possible.

The most recent wedding favours that are seeming popular from brides are the wine glass charms, however I have created clip on Swarovski pendants to suit the brides colour scheme, fabric hearts, and have more recently gone into individual bags of sweets/homemade fudge for your guests.. These come beautifully packaged in either organza bags or cellophane bags with tags and can be personalised with the guests name if required.

I have lots of ideas coming up for the future including lavender bags, fancy pegs,  key rings and lots more… so keep your eyes out!

You can visit Zoe's various outlets: Folksy; Etsy; Zebedeez Weddings ; Zebedeez Jewellery 

You can also follow her on her Facebook Jewellery Page, her Facebook Gifts and Crafts Page and on Twitter!

Pink Rose Cakes

You may remember back in February I wrote about Mrs LGs addiction to Twitter. Not only does she like to chat to her Tweeps on-line but sometimes she gets to meet some of them too. Earlier this year she combined a shopping trip to Brighton with meeting Fay Millar who runs Pink Rose Cakes. Fay promised Mrs LGs a blog post and today she shares French Macarons with us. 

The Rise of the French Macaron 

Not so long ago if you mentioned macaroons to somebody it would conjure up an image of a thick almond-flavoured confection with rice paper stuck on the bottom. The rather more delicate French macaron (and yes I write it deliberately as the French would!) was something only seen across the Channel and rarely on British shores.

But recently these delectable shiny domes of almond meringue filled with flavoured ganaches have been gaining popularity in Blighty. As people increasingly look for something different from the standard three tiered white wedding cake, the once esoteric macaron has suddenly found its place as a chic and fashionable alternative.

It is a worthy rival to the much-vaunted cupcake, which though still extremely popular, sometimes lacks the delicate nature and sheer versatility of the macaron. The macaron begs to be experimented with, to be fun, to be different. A cacophony of colours, smells and decorations combine to give it its endless allure.

Great towers of multi-coloured macarons can be created in place of the traditional cake and they can be colour-coordinated to match bridal schemes with everything from rich dark chocolate to green pistachio or blue mint. And for those who still want some cake the tower can sit atop a single tiered cake decorated to match.

In addition, at a time when people are more conscious than ever about spending a lot on a wedding, macaron towers generally work out cheaper than a standard wedding cake - £150-£300 for a tower as opposed to £400 for the average three tier cake. Even if you still hanker after a white stacked cake blocked with fresh flowers you can still indulge your inner macaron gourmand by offering them as wedding favours to guests.

The only problem with macarons is they are a bugger to make and get right! They must have an egg shell-like shell but be soft like meringue inside, smooth across the top and have that all important little foot at the base.

At Pink Rose Cakes we have been practising religiously for the last few months and the number of batches that have cracked, spread, collapsed or generally gone awry (although they always still taste nice) doesn’t bear thinking about. However, we are planning to launch three different-sized towers soon and bring the le macaron Francais to Brighton.

To see more of Fay's creations visit her website, catch up with her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. From traditional to creatively different Pink Rose Cakes will give your celebration a real WOW factor! 

BareBlooms

Mrs LilGuys fills up our Sky + recorder with many different programs to do with weddings - apparently this is 'work' (much like all the wedding magazines piled up in her office!), and I must confess that for some obscure reason I do sometimes sit and watch them with her!. From all these programs it shows that there are very different budgets and very different priorities for each wedding. Some couples go overboard on the venue, some on the outfits and some on the flowers. Others prefer to cut back on one area to concentrate on another. We are incredibly lucky where we live in that we are surrounded by fields, hedgerows and footpaths which are filled with a great variety of wild flowers and greenery. We (Mrs LG!) planted loads of bulbs in advance of our home based wedding in 2008 and they still flower each year at more or less the right time in a burst of bluebells and other similar coloured blooms. Budget was priority for us in all areas, but we managed to have a lovely variety of flowers without breaking the bank, partly from our home grown blooms and partly because we are lucky enough to have a very good friend who is a florist.  Our guest today is Chloe Plester from BareBlooms with some advice and ideas on budget flowers for your big day........

I think the general trend at the moment for 'Vintage', 'Shabby Chic' and 'Homemade' is filtering into the floral trends, coupled with the state of the economy and everyone trying to save money, natural, home grown British flowers seem to be appearing more frequently then the over stylised imported exotic flowers. This trend is also environmentally friendly (which is a bonus) all great for anyone trying to save money!

So why not skip the florist (I am doing myself out of money here!) and arrange yourself or get friends and family to help? If you plan far enough in advance you could even get friends and family to help grow too? Or find a company such as BareBlooms that grow themselves or source locally from their (in the process of being formed) ‘Flower Cooperative’.

When working with flowers that have been grown locally and naturally in this country one really can't go wrong. The less fuss and arranging the better which is perfect for the 'do-it-yourself' wedding. My tips: - Take a walk along a native British Hedgerow for inspiration. Look how nature does it. This random informality with lots of greenery is what one is looking to replicate to achieve a natural look   Ideas for cheap table centres: - Check out junk shops, car boots, etc for old bottles and mustard jars. Or even recycle tin cans or jam jars, tied with pretty ribbon or jute twine. These make simple 'shabby chic' table centres. Their small size mean they are easily and cheaply filled with simple posies of sweet peas for example or other British garden flowers. In my opinion much prettier than formal oasis filled exotic blooms. Add some bunting to your hall and you have the perfect 'village fete' style reception, perfectly on trend at the moment. - You don't have to have cut flowers at all, how about a very simple pot with one of your favourite plants inside? Something simple and very English such as a native primrose or viola??

Many thanks to Chloe for sharing this budget buster with us.  You can contact her through her website as well as finding her on Facebook  and you can follow her on Twitter.

Does Budget have to mean 'Cheap'?

When I first started my business I wanted to create high quality and beautiful invitations for couples who are not as handy at crafts- and I still do. I soon recognised that not everyone can afford to pay for handmade stationery, but it took me some time to come up with an alternative. Because whilst I saw the need for budget stationery I could not get my head around the fact that all the budget ranges I saw were 'cheap' in a bad way.

The first thing you normally see for someone's wedding is their wedding invitation. If it is badly printed on thin rough card it does not create a good first impression. How does it make you feel to receive such an invitation? Do you feel that it's a shame to have settled for poor quality? Are you less likely to make an effort on the day of the wedding with how you dress? I readily admit that I'm something of an invitation snob! I'm in the lucky position of making gorgeous stationery for people and of having access to the best materials. If I receive an invitation, however plain, on a good quality card where care has been taken over the printing then I am more likely to be excited about the thought of attending the event than if it is something very slapdash on thin card.

  

I have been on wedding forums where many brides-to-be seem to rave about certain on-line printed wedding invitations, relishing the fact that they can sometimes get their invitations free and they just have to pay for the postage. I was also shown an invitation to one of my b2b's from a friend of hers which was clearly printed at home or work where the picture on the front and the writing inside hadn't even been centred properly! Whilst the days of having a stack of invitations printed on extraordinarily thick card propped up on the mantle piece have long gone (think Jeeves and Wooster and The Mitford Girls!) there is something rather nice about receiving a pretty or plain invitation to stand on a shelf, one that is robust enough to stand up on it's own!

 

Do you think that budget has to mean 'cheap' in the wrong way? Not everything that costs a lot of money is necessarily the best quality. Some suppliers put a premium price on anything to do with a wedding, which we discovered when we were getting married 3 years ago, which is quite wrong and doesn't happen with us - after all I want happy customers and repeat customers (birthday celebrations, parties, christenings, etc.,) which I'm not going to get if I've charged through the nose on the first job!

Our budget range  combine a very reasonable price with outstanding practicality and quality. They combine invitation, information or map for guests, RSVP card and envelope all in one, on a gorgeous 290gsm card - we currently offer Candlelight Cream and Marble White.

Inside 

The invitation details are printed on the top portion underneath the 'envelope flap', the border colour can be changed to match the colour scheme of your celebration. The wording is printed in a dark charcoal which is classier and easier on the eye than hard black. On the next portion of the card you can have additional details that guests may need to know or a map printed, or even a picture if you wish (again the border colour can be changed), and the lower portion is the RSVP card which is perforated for easy detachment. 

Outside

On the reverse of the invitation portion the name and address of the guest is printed, and on the reverse of the RSVP card the return name address of the host(s) is printed. All your guests have to do is to complete the RSVP details, detach it, stick on a postage stamp and post it back to you. Experience shows that the easier you make it for your guests to reply the quicker you will get them back and you will have fewer stragglers to chivvy along!

Folded and ready to post!

The invitation is folded up into itself, with the RSVP card inside and the guest name and address on the outside and then sealed with either envelope tape or a clear seal on which you can have your initials printed if you like.

For as little as £2.80 per invitation plus a one off set up fee of £10.00 you can have fully personalised invitations sent direct by us to your guests. I think this is good value for money and many professionals have agreed, and proof that Budget does not have to mean 'cheap'!  If you would like to see and feel the quality of these for yourself please go onto our website and request a free sample today! 

Inspired Celebration

Today Zoe Grant from Inspired Celebration shows that a small budget for your wedding does not mean that you can't have the wedding day of your dreams!

A Handmade Wedding

One of the first things we think of after the initial excitement of becoming engaged is the cost of the actual wedding.  Before you can even think about trying on a dress, booking a venue or tasting cakes you need to think about your budget.  Whilst we hear of people spending vast amounts of money on their big day not everybody has the same amount of funds to spare for an expensive wedding day.  But the lack of funds should not deter you from creating the day you want.

With a bit of creativity and researching for inspiration you can have the wedding day you want.  Firstly speak to friends and family as I am sure you will find somebody either makes fabulous cakes or knows somebody who does. They may also know a photographer or consider hiring a third year photography degree student who may have already shot a couple of weddings and is looking to enhance their portfolio before graduating.  Stationery can easily be made by yourselves if you know the theme you are wanting to create and supplies can be brought from many retail outlets and websites, yet many stationery designers also have budget ranges that will save you time that maybe precious in the run up to the wedding.  Another option when thinking about your stationery is if any friends or family work as graphic designers, I am sure they will be happy to produce an original design just for you.

Decorating your venue may seem quite daunting but with the help of the wedding party you can achieve the look you want.  Choosing a vintage or country theme fete requires bunting, which can easily be made from remnants of fabric or old shirts from the charity shop, which is also a great place to pick up vintage crockery and glassware for stacking with cupcakes and serving cream teas when you greet your guests.  

Flowers are an important part of your day, both for you and your maids but also for decorating tables. The bouquets can double up as flowers for the top table and it is worth asking Auntie Kitty who creates fabulous floral arrangements for her home if she would consider helping to create the floral display for your big day.  Perhaps your Dad and Mum even have a flourishing garden that could be raided for your wedding flowers.

I know there are some things you cannot make yourself unless you are a jewellery designer or a fabulous seamstress.  The high street offers many reasonably priced options for bridesmaid dresses, bridal jewellery and shoes. Online marketplaces like Folksy and Etsy  offer you the chance to buy unique handcrafted jewellery, dresses and even decorations for your shoes. 

So you have asked mums friend to bake your cake, Auntie Kitty is doing the flowers, you and your fiancée have made your stationery and your maids are sewing metres of bunting but the venue and entertainment are still expensive.  Time to think outside the box! The village hall is a walk away from the church, so no need for transport and you can decorate it to suit your theme or Mum & Dads back garden is big enough to hold a marquee.  Now all you need is some entertainment, how about going back to the local university and see if any music students can help, a string quartet or a jazz band, I’m sure you will not be disappointed.

A small budget does not mean that you are limited you just need a sprinkling of imagination, a big spoonful of time and people willing to help mix until all the ingredients are ready to make your wedding day everything you dreamed of and more.

Many thanks Zoe.  I would just add that it's worth being totally honest with yourself whilst deciding what you are capable of doing yourself both in ability and in the time it will take, the last thing you need is to be stressed in the run up to your big day!  

Budget Invitations

My main objective is to create special and stunning bespoke wedding stationery. I am aware that this is not necessarily within every couple’s budget. I don’t see why, however, lower budget should mean lower quality. Your celebration means everything to you and you still want the first impression, generally the invitation, to count. I have designed the All In One – it gives yous the quality you deserve in your invitation, information for your guests, plus a perforated, double-sided RSVP card for your guests to complete and pop in the post box back to you. Additionally there is no need for a separate envelope, keeping the cost down! 

Your invitations will be personalised with all the relevant details of the occasion, you chose the colour of the card (currently Candlelight Cream or Marble White) and the colour of the border. Text is charcoal unless we are advised otherwise. The card used is of the same quality and weight that I use for my bespoke work (290gsm), not a flimsy low quality that you may get elsewhere. 

The cost? There is a nominal set up fee of £10.00 – if you find later on that you need more 
invitations then this fee is not payable again 

Each invitation costs £1.75 

25p per invitation to insert your guest names in the invitations 

25p per invitation to add guest name and address on the outside 

45p per invitation to post first class to your guests 

P&P by a recorded delivery service charged at cost if invitations being sent to you