Centre of the universe...

Or centre of the table?

Choosing the right centrepieces for your tables can make the difference between your wedding looking HOT or NOT... With lots of things to consider, such as height, colour, practicality and cost, it's a lot to take on. Don't let your centre pieces take over your wedding with our helpful hints....

First things first - Ask your venue to recommend their favourite ideas and what they would chose if it were their wedding, they would have seen countless different displays in situ and their advice will undoubtedly be helpful. At Crowhurst Park we have our own large cocktail glass centrepieces which can be hired from us for a fraction of the cost they would be from venue dressers or florists, so you could save money too.

Secondly - Shop around and do your research! Wedding magazines, asking for photo's from your venues previous weddings and internet research are all excellent ways of thinking 'outside of the box' and discovering your perfect centrepiece. Rather than keeping it all one colour scheme, trying mixing a clashing colour in, you'd be surprised how good this can look especially with dark colours.

Thirdly - Make it personal. In our experience, the best centrepieces have a personal touch to them, it could be tying it in to your theme or adding something that means a lot to you as a couple.

Finally - Try it! Take it to your venue for a practise run, on their tables and in your room and see how it looks.

If you love it, your guests will love it.

Candles & Sprinkles

Julie & Abi
Your BBF's
x

Chair Covers...

Hire or Buy?

Chair covers are absolutely essential for that 'WOW' wedding effect, transforming any room instantly into a nuptial haven. Like most lovely things, they don't come cheap. However, there is no need to blow your wedding budget just yet!

 U
nlike most venues, we include the use of our chair covers and sashes within our packages. Most venues want to charge you the earth for this or encourage you to hire them in from specialist companies.

The cost of hiring chair covers and sashes can actually be more than they cost to purchase but you do need to invest your time or the time of some helpers.

There are plenty of companies who will deliver next day a massive selection of sashes and covers. We recommend the spandex variety for ease of fitting (fit many different types of chairs) plus they are so easy to maintain with no ironing. They take less than a minute to fit to a chair with the sash tied and the effect on the overall aesthetic is amazing.

Once you have used them for your event you can achieve excellent prices if you decided to resell, lots of brides will be looking to do exactly as you have done! Or, why not hire them out yourself? If you have some spare time at weekends you could recoup your costs in no time.

Jewels and decorations to go on the sash bows look highly effective and you can find lots of affordable options on the internet.

Bowing marvellous!

Sparkles and Mirrors,

Julie & Abi, your BBF

x

Food Talks...

So let's speak it's language!

If you aren't lucky enough to have us as a venue, it's worth asking your venue if you can offer a variety of dishes to your guests for them to choose from. Trying to cater for your entire guestlist with one dish is dated and unrealistic.

The easiest way to do this is to include a copy of your menu within your invitations with tick boxes for the menu options. As soon as you receive your RSVP's, you'll have a complete list of who wants what, meaning everyone gets something they will love. As long as your venue is informed about the choices in advance, it shouldn't create any issues for them and it takes the pressure off you as the hostess (with the mostess).

But remember, if you give your guests a choice it's likely they will forget what they have chosen by the time they come to eat it! The best thing to do is to jot down on each persons name card what they have chosen, this will also help the food service run quicker and smoother.

Food & flowers,

Julie & Abi

Your BBF

Welcome to Sussex Wedding Planning!

We are a team of events planners from Crowhurst Park, one of the most popular wedding venues in East Sussex.

Set in 120 acres of unspoilt 1066 country, our weddings take place in the beautiful 17th century manor house. We have 56 lodges, many with glorious costal views and private hot tubs, available to make a real relaxing weekend of your wedding day for you and your guests. With our top of the range leisure and spa facilities, you can sit back, relax and leave all the organising to us.

We pride ourselves on offering affordable all inclusive wedding packages, starting from just £2495! The fairytale wedding you always dreamed of at a price you never thought possible...

In this blog we will be sharing hints and tips on every aspect of your wedding day, from invites to colour schemes to menu choices to favours and table plans. We have years of experience we want to share with you!

Bows and favours,
Julie & Abi
Your new BBF (Brides Best Friends)