Something Different

Cakes pops are catching on fast as a tasty and eye-catching alternative to traditional wedding cakes. They look like lollipops, but they’re actually tiny bite-sized cakes – just right if you want to offer your sweet-toothed guests something a bit different, or as a fun extra.

Cake pops can be made in different flavours and decorated in all sorts of adorable ways – to match your colour scheme or stand out as a funky talking point or centrepiece. It goes without saying that they’re perfect for kids – and they also make great favours! Could these be the new cupcakes?!

Click for more fun ideas and personal touches for your wedding from Get Knotted.

Not cake pops, but just as cute…

Visit Fifi’s Boutique Cakes for more gorgeous cakes!

Lindsey Hunter of Get Knotted is a wedding planner for Scotland and the north of England. She’s the in-house wedding planner for four lovely Scottish wedding venues: Mellerstain House, Aikwood Tower, Hoscote Estate, and the Buccleuch Arms Hotel. For more wedding inspiration, visit our gallery.

Do custom bridal shoes come more fabulous than this? Get Knotted was bowled over by these delectable bridal shoes from Figgie Shoes. The company is the brainchild of artist Deborah Thomson, who specialises in custom hand-painted shoes that are unique artworks in their own right.

Deborah works to your own ideas, motifs and images – the more creative and eclectic, the better – and hand-paints a wonderfully individual design that you’ll treasure forever. Previous brides have requested flowers, rings, names and dates, an ice cream cone, lyrics to personal songs, favourite dogs, and even the Trevi Fountain! There are no limits – as long as there’s an area to paint!

The artist describes her shoes as ‘ridiculously personal – their purpose is to try and explain, in picture and personality, who YOU are, to anyone who happens to be looking’.

Almost any style of shoe can be transformed by Figgie’s art, whether heels, flats or slippers, satin or leather. The only exception is patent leather, which doesn’t take paint well. You can either send your own chosen shoes, or Figgie can supply them, though this will mean you can’t try them on before painting. The great news is, she also creates shoes for non-brides, and well as adorable Figgie Footsies for babies and toddlers…

As Bette Midler said, ‘give a girl the correct footwear, and she can conquer the world!’ Click for more fun ideas and personal touches for your wedding.

Visit Figgie Shoes and Figgie’s Flickr gallery for more fabulous custom bridal shoes.

Lindsey Hunter of Get Knotted is a wedding planner for Scotland and the north of England. She’s the in-house wedding planner for four lovely Scottish wedding venues: Mellerstain House, Aikwood Tower, Hoscote Estate, and the Buccleuch Arms Hotel. For more wedding inspiration, visit our gallery.

Wedding accommodation in the Scottish Borders doesn’t come more romantic than a lovely Romany roulotte! Whether you’re getting married in the Scottish Borders area, or just looking for a really different holiday, Roulotte Retreat’s lovely caravans make a perfect base, and are ideal for wedding guests staying at our Get Knotted wedding venues – including the nearby Buccleuch Arms. They also make a magical space for a honeymoon first night!

I was new to roulottes, which turns out to be the French word for Romany-style caravans. Avril Berry and Alan Fraser fell in love with these artisan-built handcarved wooden palaces on wheels and just knew they would be perfect in their meadow retreat three miles from Melrose, below the Eildon Hills. ‘We wanted magic with elegance, luxury with simplicity, all mod cons with a genuine sense of timelessless’, Avril says. There are currently 5 roulottes with evocative names  like Devanna, Karlotta, Gitana, Maharani and Rosa Bella, as well as nearby Horseshoe Cottage, which also welcomes children.

The roulottes were brought across from France, and are set around a small wildlife loch. Each one has its own exquisitely designed interior and quirky, individual character, with sumptuous colours and textures, chic crockery and comfy facilities. You can also order special treats such as gourmet hampers, champagne and chocolates, or activities such as mountain-biking, horse-riding or Yoga for your wedding party.

With professional backgrounds in Yoga and Psychotherapy, Avril and Alan are committed to an environmentally friendly approach, and have planted lots of native trees, shrubs, hedging and wildflower meadow to encourage local wildlife. The site has solar lighting, recycling facilities, eco-friendly paints wherever possible, and the roulottes are heated using green energy logs made from compressed rapeseed. The roulottes are made by specialist artisans in France and transported by a Borders haulage company on the return journey from the continent. And you won’t find any glossy brochures – all the information you need is on their website.

Roulotte Retreat won a Tourism Innovation Award at last year’s Scottish Tourism Conference in Edinburgh – great to see a company that prioritises ethical and environmental values do so well! See below for more pix, or visit their site here.

Lindsey Hunter of Get Knotted is a wedding planner for Scotland and the north of England. She’s the in-house wedding planner for four lovely Scottish wedding venues: Mellerstain House, Aikwood Tower, Hoscote Estate, and the Buccleuch Arms Hotel. For more wedding inspiration, visit our gallery.

I’m always looking for fun ideas to help wedding parties go with a swing, and these wedding photos by Birmingham photographer Steve Gerrard really made me smile. His Fun Booth has a set of kooky props and costumes which guests can use to stage informal pictures that bring out the livelier side of their personalities. Steve sets up an area of your reception room, and unpacks a treasure box of theatrical hats, specs, wigs, deely boppers, musical instruments…  anything colourful and daft that’ll help guests to relax. They seem to need no persuading to show off their silly side, and the result is loads of hilarity, whether you’re watching or taking part! And you’ll come away with some playful pictures that your guests will love.

Steve also offers some edgy ideas for couples looking for a daring, original look for some of their wedding photographs. His Trash the Dress sessions are a new look at portraiture, contrasting the beautiful bride and bridal gown against alterative settings, including urban backstreets, scrapyards, fields and beaches. A great way to get more out of your wedding dress (and you don’t really need to trash it…)!

Click for more fun ideas for breaking the ice at wedding parties, and wedding props for hire in Scotland and the north of England.

Visit Steve Gerrard Photography for more of his lively wedding photographs.

Lindsey Hunter of Get Knotted is a wedding planner for Scotland and the north of England. She’s the in-house wedding planner for four lovely Scottish wedding venues: Mellerstain House, Aikwood Tower, Hoscote Estate, and the Buccleuch Arms Hotel. For more wedding inspiration, visit our gallery.

Silhouette art is a fascinating Victorian form of portraiture that ties in beautifully with a vintage wedding theme. If you’re looking for a great talking point and a memorable way to entertain wedding guests, why not hire a silhouette artist?

Alison Russell specialises in creating silhouette art at wedding and other events, and has cut paper portraits of many celebrities and public figures, including Princess Anne, Shirley Bassey, Gordon Ramsay and Jonathan Ross.

She was also commissioned by Mclaggan Smith to cut the silhouettes of Kate and William for their mug design to commemorate the royal wedding, and often works at festivals and events  such as Royal Ascot.

‘It only takes only a few minutes to create a paper portrait’, she explains. ‘I enjoy the challenge of capturing the essence of the human spirit, and the likeness can be kept and treasured for years.’

Guests receive their portrait in a special card that can also be custom printed to include specific details, such as the names of the wedding couple, date and venue, to create a perfectly personalised memento to take home and frame.

Alison learned her timeless art from her grandmother, Mary-Lou Russell. ‘She was a painter and silhouette artist for more than 50 years’, she says. ‘I watched her technique, and cut my first silhouette when I was just eight. Then I kept practising on friends and family!’ She went on to study for a BA degree in Illustration, and also carries out commissions from her London studio.

On Alison’s website is a fantastic video showing the artist in action, and there are lots of examples on her blog.

Email: Alison Russell

Vintage-inspired weddings are a huge trend that looks like staying with us for a long time to come, so I was delighted to discover London-based company Lovely Favours offering deliciously pretty wedding favours and gifts with a vintage theme.

Lovely Favours specialises in hand-crafted stationery made using beautiful vintage prints, set off with unusual ribbons, lace, pearls, brooches and buckles.

Their stationery collections include save the date cards, invitations, table plans and names, order of services and favours to carry your chosen theme throughout the day. Everything is tailored to your wedding, so the tone and styling can be fun, formal or luxurious.

They also have pretty vintage props and accessory ideas with a theatrical flair – perfect for setting a romantic mood at your vintage wedding! Click for more ideas on a vintage wedding theme.

Visit the Lovely Favours website, email Lovely Favours or ring 020 8969 6650 for more vintage wedding ideas.

Lindsey Hunter of Get Knotted is a wedding planner for Scotland and the north of England. She’s the in-house wedding planner for four lovely Scottish wedding venues: Mellerstain House, Aikwood Tower, Hoscote Estate, and the Buccleuch Arms Hotel. For more wedding inspiration, visit our gallery.

If you’re looking for an unusual touch for your wedding day, how about your very own wedding poet laureate? Frankie Parks is an actor and writer who has branched out into writing bespoke wedding poems that are specially commissioned for the occasion.

‘I’ve found that having a poem written specially for a couple is both touching for them, a wonderful keepsake and amusing for their guests,’ Frankie explains. ‘I like to make it precious, poignant, obviously personalized; but also like to inject some humour and spice so that the guests are entertained.’

One example is the poem she wrote for Simon and Kendra, who met at the Apple Store where they both worked. Kendra left Apple, but meanwhile Simon had moved in as a tenant into her flat, and they became good mates. Kendra was approaching 40 and getting desperate for a baby but was single, as was Simon. They went, as friends, to a festival and came back a couple.

Frankie interviewed the couple to get the details of their story for weaving into their poem. ‘I need some background information, catchphrases – that kind of thing. I also consider who will be reading it, whether it be the Bride to the Groom, vice-versa or another member of the wedding party.’

‘I heard that Kendra fell pregnant with Jackson Fox – named so because they’d been watching a fox in the garden the evening they conceived. Simon has openly, but lovingly, complained about how costly babies are; whereas Kendra’s pet gripe is her tummy – which she swears, is ‘the booze’, as she’s partial to a glass. That was enough information for me to write their poem, which was read by the Maid of Honour, as follows.’

SIMON & KENDRA’S WEDDING DAY POEM

Like Adam and Eve, they met at the Apple
Mates at first bite, not yet a ‘couple’
Simon moves in, ‘just renting a room’
Had no idea he’d soon be the groom
Kendra was happy, ‘I’ve got a good ‘flatty’
We get on great, we chat til late
And all that cool kind of stuff.’

A few months later, or was it weeks?
They went to a festival, began rubbing cheeks
Both faces and bums, they had all kinds of fun
Kissing and playing under the wet English sun
Simon was happy, ‘my landlady’s my date
‘We get on great, kiss until late
And all that cool kind of stuff.’

Soon after that, Kendra’s belly not flat
Was it the booze? ‘I’ve got weight to lose!’
A fox in the garden, had caused the hard on
Which led to the romantic romp
They both were happy, ‘my period’s late
We get on great, we’re the bestest mates
And all that cool kind of stuff.’

Kendra’s boobs expanded, Jackson had landed
He took his time to arrive, the pain she survived
Simon’s over the moon, Kendra’s all a-swoon
Jackson makes their hearts balloon
They’re all so great, ‘Jackson is happy,
We take it in turns to change his nappy,
And all that baby coo kind of stuff.’

Now not long after that, this is the fact
Kendra is tired, though totally wired
Simon’s bank balance fell, under the spell
Of a new family life, baby and wife
Wife? Yes WIFE! For life! So now you must
ALL be so great. Do love, not hate
Soothe not grate, listen don’t bait,
Kisses and cuddles are what it’s supposed to be

We all love you, and love you as Three.
Congratulations to you precious three
Wishing you all the luck there ever could be
To the Bride and Groom
Let’s make the most, and drink a toast
To your happy marriage
Kendra and Simon!!…..Now get me a carriage!

If you’d like to commission a bespoke tongue-in-cheek wedding poem from Frankie Parks, you can email her via fpark@toucansurf.com. Or click to see more fun wedding ideas from Get Knotted!

Lindsey Hunter of Get Knotted is a wedding planner for Scotland and the north of England. She’s the in-house wedding planner for four lovely Scottish wedding venues: Mellerstain House, Aikwood Tower, Hoscote Estate, and the Buccleuch Arms Hotel. For more wedding inspiration, visit our gallery.

I’m a great fan of vintage wedding style and pretty objects that make good wedding gifts, so it was great to come across the Very Fabulous online boutique. It’s run by award-winning wedding stylists Cindy Kirkland and Kim Neville, whose motto is ‘there’s always a place for something fabulous in one’s life’. Couldn’t agree more!

The creative duo have more than 15 years’ combined experience in styling beautiful events, and have just launched an online mail order service selling all their most gorgeous finds, including wedding gifts and treats for mothers and bridesmaids. Everything has been chosen to be used and treasured long after the day itself.

Unusual finds in their online range include a handcrafted memory board to display trinkets and souvenirs, wooden love blocks and beautiful love votives.

Cindy and Kim have spent the past year scouring for undiscovered treasures in the UK and internationally, and there’s plenty of temptation on their site, even if you’re not planning a wedding – so be warned!

Visit the Very Fabulous website (edit: currently site not available – June 2012), or click for more vintage wedding ideas from Get Knotted.

Lindsey Hunter of Get Knotted is a wedding planner for Scotland and the north of England. She’s the in-house wedding planner for four lovely Scottish wedding venues: Mellerstain House, Aikwood Tower, Hoscote Estate, and the Buccleuch Arms Hotel. For more wedding inspiration, visit our gallery.

Royal Wedding watchers can’t have failed to notice a tasty trend that’ll appeal to everyone that’s no so keen on traditional wedding cakes – the groom’s cake. Prince William apparently requested his favourite chocolate, biscuity one using McVitie’s Rich Teas, as an alternative to the magnificent eight-tiered one created by Fiona Cairns.

It seems grooms’ cakes aren’t a new phenomenon – there’s a recipe for a ‘Plain Bridegroom’s Cake’ in an 1897 book called The British Baker. In the meantime, the trend originated in the United States, and the Royal Wedding has given it a big boost over here, with cake designers reporting a sudden upsurge in enquiries.

Groom’s cakes are usually themed around the groom’s job or hobby.  There are some wild and wonderful examples on Flickr, featuring beer cans, Daleks, stags and even hog roasts.  Time to have fun and let your imagination run riot!

And the best part is, you can have a traditional bridal cake, and a fun groom version. Have your cake and eat it, in other words. Sorry – couldn’t resist!

Check out the fabulous examples from The Cake Partnership below, or click for more wedding cake inspiration and fun ideas from Get Knotted.

Visit The Cake Partnership for more delicious groom’s cake ideas!

Lindsey Hunter of Get Knotted is a wedding planner for Scotland and the north of England. She’s the in-house wedding planner for four lovely Scottish wedding venues: Mellerstain House, Aikwood Tower, Hoscote Estate, and the Buccleuch Arms Hotel. For more wedding inspiration, visit our gallery.

With vintage weddings being such a big theme, here’s a lovely idea for vintage transport with a fun twist! This fabulous vintage ice cream Rolls Royce is a genuine piece of Scottish history which is bound to create a great talking point and provide some gorgeous romantic photos.

This amazing vintage Rolls Royce was originally built for the Marques de San Miguel of Spain back in the 1920s. It was then owned by Viscount Scarsdale, and finally bought by S Luca, who lovingly converted it into this unique Rolls Royce ice cream van. It’s now available for hire for weddings and can be driven to venues within a 50 mile radius of East Lothian, including most of our our Get Knotted wedding venues in the Scottish Borders.

S Luca has been making fabulous ice cream for 100 years to a secret family recipe, and they’re based in Musselburgh and Edinburgh. They also do a great range of confectionery, including chocolates, truffles, and fantastic classic sugar mice, soor plooms and Hawick balls! Not to mention their famous Knickerbocker Glories, Banana Splits and Chocolate Nut Sundaes. Maybe an idea for your wedding dessert?

Click for more fun ideas for your vintage wedding.

Lindsey Hunter of Get Knotted is a wedding planner for Scotland and the north of England. She’s the in-house wedding planner for four lovely Scottish wedding venues: Mellerstain House, Aikwood Tower, Hoscote Estate, and the Buccleuch Arms Hotel. For more wedding inspiration, visit our gallery.