Weather-proof outside party & launch event ideas for the May bank holidays

With the May bank holidays around the corner there’s still time to plan a party that embraces the start of the summer.  Of course for many of us used to the varying British climate, that means accounting for all weathers. 

Fortunately you can still keep warm and dry whilst creating a great outdoor celebration.  So don’t be put off.  Harness your inner desire to get your celebration or event out of the house (and most of us desperately want that after this year’s long winter!!) and consider more luxurious marquees, poled tents, tepees and yurts for your celebration.   

All can include carpets, open fires & traditional heating , sumptuous seating to enable you to enjoy the outdoors in true comfort.  Clear PVC marquee models can let you visibly enjoy the beauty of your surroundings from within the tent and the latest designs place comfort and luxury high on the agenda. 

Give Gilly a call on 01483 243503 if you’d like to learn more about our field event and party expertise and recommendations to celebrate the bank holiday in style.

Wedding invites – how to make them more of an experience

We’re often asked by brides and grooms how to approach the whole wedding invitation process. Typically invites are sent out 3 months before the wedding but it’s now common practice to send out well in advance of that a ‘save the date’ message to those friends and family you definitely want to be part of the celebration.  This avoids holiday and other diary clashes that will prevent them from attending.

Make it the starting point of your celebration
With the date secure in people’s diaries you can then spend more time getting the right look, feel and content to your invitation.  In fact the invitation can be an exciting start to the whole celebratory experience.  You can use it to set the tone for the event and, if you’re following a particular theme, let the invite offer up a sneak preview. We’ve seen some couples really consider the whole process of their guests receiving the invitation … from the choice of envelope, the feel of the invite itself as well as the look, choice of words and style of writing etc.

Make it unique to you
Depending on your budget and style preferences you might want to call on the help of a professional designer, calligrapher or printer. Handcrafted and highly individual invitations are also proving popular at the moment.  We’ve seen some impressive invite creations using a whole range of unusual paper stocks and materials.  So don’t feel you have to go with a highly traditional invitiation style.

Useful things to include
It’s sensible to include with the invitation a sheet with details of nearest hotels and B&Bs if you have guests coming from far afield and also to give some guidance as to your wedding list/gift preferences as most guests will want to ask you.  Even if you don’t want gifts, or are asking for charitable donations to a particular cause,  it’s worth including this guidance to avoid having to deal with mulitiple enquries… or unwanted gifts.  And do give a final RSVP date so you are clear of guest numbers at least 2 weeks before the wedding date and don’t have to chase up replies.

One final tip, don’t give too much away in the invitation and always give something back to surprise and delight your guests on the day.