Question 1

What is your advice on overcoming the most common planning conerns?

Accepted Answer

1. Choose the right venue. Selecting the perfect venue sets the tone for your entire wedding day. Consider those that offer indoor and outdoor spaces, providing flexibility in case of unexpected weather changes. Look for venues with beautiful gardens or picturesque landscapes that capture the essence of summer. 2. Consider the weather. While summer weddings often boast sunny skies and warm temperatures, planning for all eventualities is essential. Have a backup plan for outdoor ceremonies in case of rain or extreme heat. Tent, umbrellas, and fans can help keep guests comfortable regardless of the weather. 3. Timing is key. Opt for a ceremony time that avoids the hottest part of the day, typically midday. Early morning or late afternoon ceremonies offer more comfortable temperatures for the both of you and your guests. Additionally, consider the sun's angle when choosing your ceremony location to avoid harsh shadows in photographs. 4. Dress light. Choose lightweight and breathable fabrics for your wedding attire to stay comfortable in heat. Consider opting for a sleeveless or a short-sleeved wedding gown and lightweight suits or linen attire for the groom and groomsmen. 5. Embrace seasonal blooms. Take advantage of the abundance of seasonal flowers available during the summer months. Incorporate vibrant blooms such as sunflowers, peonies, and dahlias into your wedding décor to add a pop of colour and freshness to your celebration.

Question 2

What is your advice on overcoming the most common planning conerns?

Accepted Answer

It's a dream for many couples to get married outside and enjoy the English countryside while they say their vows, but in the UK we don't always have the best weather, even down here in the South West! We're fortunate to have the option here at Orchardleigh to be able to make the decision on the day and if it's going to be raining we can move the event inside with ease. We have a huge range of possibilities when it comes to the ceremony, wedding breakfast and the reception, from the vestibule with its grand staircase for an epic entrance, to saying "I do" surrounded by candlelight in the island church, or making a statement with the Grand Valley room complete with glistening chandeliers overlooking the estate gardens. We also regularly get a slightly more niche enquiry: can our pet be part of our big day? These days dogs are often ring bearers or part of the service, which we absolutely welcome and can incorporate into all plans. We've also had requests for horses, including a white horse, which the groom entered on, and to have llamas on site available for petting. This takes more organisation and planning, but again, thanks to the services we have at Orchardleigh Estate, including our own stables, we're able to accommodate these requests too. Ultimately, our goal is to deliver the dream wedding vision for each of our clients, which we strive to do every day.

Question 3

What is your advice on planning a sustainable wedding?

Accepted Answer

At Leigh Court, a certified B Corp, we're committed to making your special day as sustainable as possible. To minimise the environmental impact, we encourage our couples to embrace sustainable practices. Our partnership with Ecologi allows us to offset emissions for every wedding, planting trees as a lasting gift to each couple. We also advocate for the use of pre-loved decorations and second-hand wedding dresses, supporting a circular economy. Meanwhile, our wedding planners are at your disposal to source eco-friendly suppliers, from florists who grow flowers without pesticides, to charitable wedding favours. In our catering operations, we've eliminated single-use plastics in favour of glass, bamboo, and compostable materials, significantly reducing waste. Our commitment to local and seasonal produce not only supports nearby farms but also cuts down on transportation emissions. Additionally, our food waste management through anaerobic digestion turns leftovers into renewable energy, further reducing our carbon footprint. Finally, we allow only biodegradable confetti, such as untreated rose petals, ensuring that your celebration leaves a positive mark on the planet. By choosing Leigh Court, you're not just planning a wedding; you're investing in a sustainable future.

Question 4

What is your advice on planning a sustainable wedding?

Accepted Answer

Choosing eco-friendly and sustainable options without compromising on style is becoming increasingly easy. Instead of buying new items, shipped halfway around the world search for a locally-based décor hire company. We carefully maintain our props and linens (using eco-friendly cleaning products) so they can be re-used time and time again. As for signage and stationery, instead of non-degradable materials, such as acrylic sheets consider cardboard signage, which looks surprisingly sleek and elegant, or reusable wooden boards. We love using wooden laser-cut place names painted to suit your theme, recycled paper or seed paper for place names and menus. When it comes to flowers, ensure you select an eco-conscious florist. Working with local flower growers where possible, choosing designs that don't use chemical-based floral foams and re-purposing designs from ceremony to reception are all great ways to keep your day as sustainable as possible. Your eco-conscious styling team will also be able to collect items the next day and ensure everything is recycled, composted or re-used. We dry left over petals for confetti and even have our candle wax recycled into new candles.

Question 5

What is your advice on planning a sustainable wedding?

Accepted Answer

Our favourite wedding trend is conscious decision making and there are so many ways to be ethically and environmentally friendly. Check out online resale sites for items used at other weddings and repurpose them for your own. You'll save them from being single-use and help your budget in the process! Check out websites such as Facebook Marketplace and Freecycle. There's much more you can do in terms of being more conscious of what and how you purchase, and you could even ask guests to be mindful of how they travel. Book a venue that has sustainability as a top priority and keep food miles down by ensuring items are local and seasonal. Why not try giving back to the environment to balance the impact of your wedding? Perhaps plant your own tree, or purchase and scatter a bee-bomb. After the last few years, we've all done some reflecting and have a better understanding of what's truly important. This has certainly given wedding celebrations a deeper meaning, so perhaps you could ask your guests to make a charitable donation or fund a local project on your behalf, rather than receiving gifts.

Question 6

What is your advice on planning an outdoor wedding?

Accepted Answer

With the summer wedding season in full swing and the English weather as unpredictable as ever, you may get more than you bargained for when it comes to wishing for a sunny day for your al fresco nuptials. Don't compromise your photographic backdrop for finding shade. Your wedding venue is the backdrop to your day and it's important that it's not lost in your photography when avoiding squinting eyes. Work with your venue and photographer in advance to discuss where you'll take your couple shots and allow for early evening snaps in the iconic areas of your venue that might be too bright for the day. Ensure you have someone on hand to bring you water and canapés during your photo session and to top you up with suntan lotion, which can often get forgotten. Nobody wants a sunstroke headache on their wedding day! As you'd make the decision to move your ceremony indoors if it rains, don't feel pressured to stay outside if the sun becomes too hot. Consider your dress or suit and consider whether you'll be too hot to enjoy the moment. If you're intent on staying outside, maybe ditch the suit jackets and instead opt for braces or waistcoats that buttonholes can be pinned to. Think too about your guests, will some be older and struggle with the temperatures? Work with your venue to understand if the area you've chosen is shaded or exposed to the sun. Otherwise, make the most of your venue's inside space and move things to shelter so you can keep your cool at the altar. If you're worried about guests struggling with the heat while enjoying your venue's grounds, incorporating some cooling wedding favours can help them deal with the soaring temperatures. My favourites include paper fans, sun cream, flavoured water dispensers, cooling mist stations, or even offer ice cream or ice lollies. Don't for get to take time out to refresh. Whether it's packing a few extra shirts, arming your chief bridesmaid with powder for keeping the shine away or popping some refreshing towels and sprays into the venue's toilets, all this can encourage that moment to refresh allowing your guests to feel their best.

Question 7

What is your advice on planning an outdoor wedding?

Accepted Answer

Keep all suppliers (including registrars) informed of your plans and always check in to see if they're happy and able to host outdoors. Some areas of the day may need to be tweaked to accommodate various elements: sunshine causing candles to melt, wilting flowers and even bowing musical instruments! Let your guests know too, so that they're dressed and prepared for all eventualities. You may consider supplying parasols, water bottles and even heel stoppers for the grass. Utilise the outdoor elements as much as you can. Being outdoors means you can use the natural flora all around. Perhaps a beautiful natural aisle, wildflowers for additional decoration, or orchards and woodland for shade. Remember to manage your own expectations! This is England and the weather may not be on your side. Ensure you've mentally prepared yourself and that the change of plan doesn't disappoint or spoil your day. Prepare for plan B, C and D! You'll need to talk through a weather contingency with your venue and suppliers. If it's too hot, cold, windy... these things will all affect the day differently. Producing alternative plans will ensure the day runs seamlessly and is just as beautiful and enjoyable wherever it takes place and whichever way things go.

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