Grooms Buttonhole- Boutonniere grooms Wedding flowers created by Fabulous Functions UK

A Summer Wedding

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A Stunning Summer Wedding for Sue and Steve at the Crown at Ampney Brook

A summer wedding. Sue and Steve chose the Crown at Ampney Brook because they loved the laid-back, relaxed feel of the venue. Further, the location was ideal for their celebration. It boasted ample inside space to celebrate and enough outdoor space with a beautiful little bridge for those fabulous photos.

I met Sue and her sister Tracey, at The Crown and the three of us hit it off at once. We explored ideas, shared inspirations and discussed colours, fabrics, décor, centrepieces and flowers for the wedding party. In fact we had a glorious time chatting everything weddings – so much so the coffee got cold! And we all went away with homework to do. Me to create the proposal for the venue decor and wedding florals and Sue to make decisions on colours etc.

But, before the wedding could happen the venue closed for extensive renovations. After much thought, Sue and Steve put their plans on hold and decided to wait for it to reopen.

As it turned out, that was the best decision they could have made. For the transformation from the original décor of the hotel to its refurbished look was a breathtakingly beautiful one. Indeed nothing remained of the ‘before’. The flooring was new as were the walls and ceilings, bridal suites and guest rooms. Everything was stone and wood with gorgeous details everywhere.

Ceiling decor for the Crown at Ampney Brook


The Wedding Day

Sue stunned her groom in her full length lace bridal gown. While Steve cut a handsome dash in a blue three-piece-suit with light blue tie. The bridesmaids wore dresses with a subtle baby blue chiffon skirt and silver sequinned bodice.

It so happened that the summer of 2022 was the hottest on record for decades. Not a cloud in sight to spoil these visions of loveliness.

The Fabulous Functions team arrived at The Crown and installed the white draping around the bar so it wasn’t a feature in the ceremony and wouldn’t appear in the photos. We removed it after the ceremony to allow the serving of drinks. Then we placed lanterns in the aisle to the ceremony table and a gorgeous long low arrangement on the registry table.

The Table Decor

Banquet style table setting for a summer wedding. The flowers were created using a palette of blush pinks, blues and creams.

The lovely rustic trestle tables we arranged in a banquet style setting with four rows and guests setting on both sides of the rows. This style of setting works well in this venue and created a convivial setting for a summer wedding.

We used ruched chiffon runners along the length of the tables. And we then set in place small glass vases with arrangements of fabulous fresh flowers in Sue and Steve’s colour palette of blush pinks, blues and creams.

Next we placed clear glass candle holders and elegant tapered candles along the centre of the tables in-between the floral arrangements. We also added loads of clear glass tealights holders and tealights. There were multi levels of details and interest along the length of the tables.

Sue also chose us to create her wedding florals. It was such an honour that she entrusted us with both décor and wedding florals. But it helped us ensure that the flowers used for both the wedding florals and centrepieces complemented each other.

Personal touches

We loved the personal touches created by Sue’s sister Tracey, who made the delicious wedding cake. And Sue had a charm made with photos of both her and Steve’s Mums to add to her bridal bouquet.

Bride and Groom and the cake cutting ceremony. Flowers for the cake provided by Fabulous Functions UK

The flowers

Bridal Bouquet created by Fabulous Functions UK in tone of blush pinks, blues and creams.

Sue had selected a romantic blend of blush pinks, subtle baby blues and creams. So a beautiful bouquet filled with hydrangeas, roses, nigellas, lisianthus, thistles and a whole host of other beauties was the order of the day.

Blues were the order of the day for a summer wedding on the Cotswolds.
Blue suits under a blue sky for a 2022 summer wedding.
Wedding flowers for a hot summer wedding at The Crown Ampney Brook in Cirencester. Florals Created by Fabulous Functions UK
Baby blue bridesmaids dresses for a summer wedding

While we’re talking about bridal bouquets why not check out our blog about the bridal bouquet?

The table arrangements also featured these flowers and were all so very different in their design and composition. The mix added to the details for each table. The aim of course being to create a beautiful sight to delight the eyes add lift the heart.

Small glass vases filled with fresh florals for this summer wedding in Cirencester. EAch vase held a different design adding to the final beauty of the banquet style setting

Sue and Steve placed in us great faith to create for them a magical place for a summer wedding. One where they’d make their commitment to each other and celebrate with their nearest and dearest.

Thank you so much Sue and Steve for entrusting a summer wedding vision to us. We wish you a long life together filled with much happiness and sunshine.

Bride and Groom Sue and Steve on their wedding day with Sandra from Fabulous Functions UK

Are you the social sort?

If you then why not follow us on social media to keep up to date with our happening and to see even more of our decor? Follow the links to Instagram , Facebook and Pinterest





Posy Bridal Bouquet created by Fabulous Functions UK

About the Bridal Bouquet

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The bridal bouquet: there are so many decisions to make when choosing the design of it. This post cover a few things for you to think about. 

Hand tied bouquet using fresh flowers pink and cream palette
The Bridal Bouquet

About Your Dress

Find your dress before you decide on your bouquet. Consider the style and shape of your dress. Your bouquet should complement your silhouette, not hide you or make you look and feel off-balanced.

The style of the bridal bouquet

Here’s another conundrum! There are a multitude of bouquet styles to choose from. Consider the following:

Cascade bouquet

Cascade or teardrop wedding bouquet incorporating greenery and florals. The shape flows towards the floor and can be as long as you like.

This style of bouquet comprises flowers and greenery and resembles a waterfall of flowers cascading towards the floor. They’re impressive for sure. But something to consider is their weight, the bigger they are the heavier they are. But don’t worry, if it gets too heavy for you hand it to your partner and share the load. Sharing is caring as the saying goes!
It would be a great addition to your album to get a photo of this. Queue one for the photographers!

The Hand-tied bouquet

Hand-tied bouquets resemble a bouquet with flowers that has just been picked from the garden. This is a more relaxed style of bouquet. This bridal bouquet incorporates a multitude of florals in tones of blush pinks, fuchsia and cream blooms.


They look like you’ve just gathered the blooms from the garden. The stems are left exposed and depending on the theme, the bouquet is tied with ribbon or twine. You can have ribbons of different lengths trailing down. They are often caught by the wind and add a bit of the whimsical to your photographs.

Round bouquets

A round shaped bouquet is more compact and uniform in shape.


In this bridal bouquet the blooms are arranged in a tighter shape, you could consider using just one type of flower to create this type of bouquet, or one colour tone.

Asymmetrical bouquets

Asymmetrical bridal bouquets are freer in shape and design allowing you the freedom to really express your personality.

Quirky and unusual this type of bouquet favours the unstructured look, overflowing with blooms and foliage of different lengths and sizes. Usually one side is higher that the other and you can use large showy blooms and interestingly shaped foliage.

What’s in your bouquet?

This is an interesting one!

You don’t have to use fresh flowers and foliage. You can incorporate brooches, grasses, crystals and pearls. Paper, felt, silk flowers, dried seeds and other dried elements. Then there’s feathers, family heirlooms, a bouquet charm of a loved one to consider using. The list is endless.

A silver toned brooch bouquet - Bridal bouquet created with white silk hydrangeas and silver brooches.
A silver toned brooch bouquet

The colour of the bouquet

This is where you might want to pull the covers over your head and pretend you don’t need to decide on the colour of your bouquet.

Silk bridal bouquet in a palette of vibrant pinks and subtile creams.


Think about the colour of your dress and the colour of your bridesmaid’s dresses. Are you favouring a single colour or do you have a colour scheme you want to use? Are you thinking of wild colours or of a mono colour bouquet?

The good news is there is no right or wrong answer. It’s all about what feels right for you.

Take our advice and chat with your florist. They’ll offer invaluable advice on creating the perfect bouquet for you. She or he will offer advice on flower combinations, seasonal availability, colour and style of your bouquet. And the size and weight of your bouquet that is right for you.

Do let us know if this post has stirred up more questions. We’re happy to help. You can find all our contact information here.

Further on this topic check out our blog about wedding flowers, bouquets and buttonholes. And if you’re thinking of breaking with tradition then give this one about tossing the bouquet – or not – a read.

Social media

Why not follow us on social media to keep up to date with our happening and to see even more of our decor? Follow the links to Instagram , Facebook and Pinterest

Things to do 6 months before your wedding - Fabulous Functions UK

Wedding Planning Timeline: 6 months+

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A note about DIY – Wedding Planning Timeline: 6 months

We’re at the 6 months wedding planning timeline stage. This post is about what you need to do during the period from 6 months before the wedding – up to the day itself.

Now is the time to get going if you’re planning any DIY aspects: invitations, table centres, cake or favours. Whether you’re thinking about bubbles or the traditional sugared almonds – it’s time to plan now.

You’ll need practice time as well as production time. So get cracking!

Wedding DIY- The groom 3D printed a different animal for the table names.
The groom printed a set of animals to use as table names

Download a checklist of venue walkthrough questions here below:

Venue Walkthrough QuestionsDownload

1. Order or get making your wedding invitations. Not forgetting all the other wedding stationery including: orders of service, place cards and thank you cards.
2. Meet with your wedding cake designer to confirm your order, the design and the flavours. If you are DIY-ing your cake then you will want to do a test run.
3. Buy your wedding shoes and accessories.

You’ll need your shoes in time for the first dress fitting. And your tiara and veil in time for your make-up and hair trial run.

Book your hair and make up artist and have your trial run ready for your wedding day
Make up and hair by Holly Anderson

4. Book your make-up artist and hairdresser. Speak to several to find one you feel comfortable with.
5. Buy: bridesmaid’s dresses, suits for the for groom, best man, ushers and flower girls and page boys. Or hire them!
6. Book the honeymoon suite.

Wedding Planning Timeline - an open diary with a pen laid on it.

3 Months+ on the wedding planning timeline

  1. Get your wedding dress altered If you need to. Then try not to lose or gain weight!
  2. Kick off a regular facial routine for a glowing wedding day complexion.
  3. Buy the rings. Check that when they arrive they’re the right size  and that your wedding ring sits comfortably alongside your engagement  ring if like most of us, you are going to wear them together.

At the 6+ months wedding planning timeline point, send out the invitations. It’s tradition to send them out 6-12 weeks prior to the wedding. But if you prefer – do it sooner.

See our complete wedding planning timeline for what to include on your invitations.

Meet with your venue stylist to confirm your decor choices ?

You can add any last minute additions to your venue decor and your stylist will have time to source them for your wedding.

Don’t think you have to buy everything. An excellent alternative to buying is hiring. Hiring saves all manner headaches.

Do check out our For Hire section or the Treasure Trove section for some fabulous accessories.

We also offer a bespoke service  for any accessories you must have but cannot find.

Get a gift list
Now is the time to set up your gift list. Make your list available to your guests and have it on your wedding website if you have one.

Also:

  1. Choose readings and music for the ceremony
  2. Buy gifts for the best man, ushers and bridesmaids. If you’re presenting bouquets to the mothers of the bride and groom order them from your florist so they can plan their orders.
  3. Arrange any necessary vaccinations for your honeymoon.
  4. Start planning your hen and stag parties – A job for the Maid of Honor and Bestman!

1 Month to go

  • Arrange a final wedding dress fitting
  • Double check all arrangements are in place with all your suppliers. Be sure to speak to them and get written confirmation of dates, places and times.
  • Finalise your seating plan – and make your seating/table planner
  • Arrange your wedding rehearsal
  • Chase up on guests who’ve not RSVPd
  • Arrange a date to collect any hired suits – making a note of their return by dates. A job for the best man surely?
  • Write the speeches. From the heart – then practice, practice and practice some more.

1 week before – almost there!

  • Have your hair trimmed and/or coloured. This is NOT the time to experiment with a new colour or drastic changes of hair style.
  • Have your wedding rehearsal
  • Pack for your honeymoon
  • Wear in your wedding shoes. Don’t go to Tesco in them but wear them around the house to get used to them.
  • Put together a wedding emergency kit – put your chief bridesmaid in charge of it. Things to include: A compact mirror and powder, lipstick, tissues, stain spot remover.
  • Order your foreign currency for your honeymoon

Last minute plans

  • Make any other last-minute arrangements now. It might rain – this is Britain after all. Make sure there’s lots of brollies.
  • Have any planned beauty treatments now – Get your eyebrows shaped, fake tan done all in good time.
  • If you haven’t yet, find your something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’.
  • Designate someone to look after the contact list of your suppliers. And then …
  • … FORGET ABOUT IT

The day before the great day itself

Have an RnR day if you can. Surround yourself with people who are going to take care of you and help you enjoy the special moments. Spend the day with friends or family and don’t do anything more exhausting than a manicure.

Try to get an early night – After all – you’re getting married in the morning!

And finally …

Keep in mind that this day is the beginning of your marriage.

So if anything goes wrong on the day – best laid plans etc. – focus on your marriage rather than your wedding. That’s the important part – that’s what will make it a day to remember!

Find Fabulous Functions

We hope you’ve found this useful.

If Fabulous Functions UK can help you with any aspect of your wedding  or you are looking for that must have accessory and cannot find it any where, give us a call on 07511 842 451

We’ll be happy to help.


Bold Colours in Wedding Décor - autumn themed wedding table decor

Bold Colours in Wedding Décor

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Bold colours in wedding décor
I reckon it’s fair to say the colours we’ve tended to use in wedding décor have, of tradition been muted, subtle and classic. So we’re talking about soft pastels, blue and white, or neutral colour palettes. And super beautiful all those tones are.

But what if they’re not you? If you’ve never worn a pastel shade in your life and the idea of them leaves you cold, then consider if bold colours in wedding décor are the way to go. In particular if you want to imbue your wedding with the wow factor! As David Austin says: ‘While we love soft subtle shades and they’ll always have their place in timeless wedding design, bright colours feel fresh, modern and fun. So don’t be afraid to experiment with colour as it can add lots of personality to your wedding day.’

Covid created a change

It does seem that the progression out of Covid-19 has wrought a change in weddings. As this Australian site argues: ‘There’s a move towards doing things your way, going bold in your wedding styling, and really pushing the envelope. Bucking the trends like this is a fine line to balance between incorporating the traditions that your family may want you to keep, and injecting your own personality and desires into your most special day.’

Let the seasons inspire you

Take inspiration from the season in which you’re getting married. For instance, if your wedding is set for late September through October then autumn is a burnt orange and bronze gift. Or, if you really want to be different, you could go all Hallowe’en. Either full on or with a few spooky accessories like the goblets in this picture below. But of course, if your wedding is in the spring but you love autumn colours then there’s nothing to stop you having an autumn-themed wedding as demonstrated in this blog post.

Bold Colours in Wedding Décor - autumn themed wedding table decor
Top table decor in autumn colours complements to perfection the venue styling – autumn shades are brilliant for putting bold colours in wedding décor

Not only seasons of the year

Meanwhile, weddings in the Christmas and Valentine seasons also offer bold colour inspiration and a fab chance to use bright blooms in your bouquet and around the venue. Roses come in all shades of red and pink from a pale bush to a deep wine shade. Add in a little bit of green to set off the reds.

Do think about your venue

It’s helpful, when thinking about your colour scheme, to take your venue into account. What do we mean? Well – if you’re set on a particular colour scheme then it’s likely that a venue with a neutral backdrop will work best. So, we’re talking barn conversions and similar. BUT – if you can be flexible about your colour choices then seek a venue that already has the colours you want, built into its décor in such elements as soft furnishings, walls, carpets, furniture. Even artworks. That will all contribute to a cohesive look.

The 60-30-10 rule

The 60-30-10 rule is well-known to interior designers. It’s a decorating concept that interior decorators use to pull together a cohesive colour scheme. But of course, there’s nothing to say you can’t apply it to your wedding décor. If you use this decorating rule then your main wedding colour will comprise the 60% and will hold the whole thing together. That could be the bridesmaid’s dresses, the wedding stationery and the focal flower in your bouquet.

Then the 30% of the rule is your secondary colour. For this, think about the mens’ ties, napkins and your bouquet’s supporting flowers, along with centrepieces and any floral installations. And then to tie it all together is the 10% accent colour.

It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway, we’re here to help you to follow this rule if you want to – or to break it if you want to. Anything goes!

In summary

Using bold wedding colours is a beautiful and interesting way to stand out and to take your guests’ breath away. As mentioned earlier, red, the colour of love, romance, and fire, are amazing choices for weddings.

Bold colours sets the tone and mood for your decor. And can determine the accessories you add to complement them.
A beautiful floral arrangements featuring passionate reds and complementary tones created by Augusta Hope Flowers


But don’t hold back – pair your main colour choice with other bold colours rather than muted warm tones. That way you can develop a fresh and exciting colour palette.

Vibrant oranges adds to the bold colour scheme for this beautiful wedding decor.

Other inspiration

Do check out our blog for more wedding theme inspiration beyond bold colours in wedding decor. You’ll find that here.

And of course we’re on social media. There you can see what we’ve been upto and get a further feel for what we do and how we work. Find us on Instagram here and Facebook here. And if you prefer a good old fashioned phone call, you’ll find all our contact details here.

Amy and Jerrad at Kingscote Barn in Tetbury - Styled by Fabulous Functions UK

Amy and Jerrad at Kingscote Barn

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January 2022

Amy and Jerrad’s Wedding at Kingscote Barn, Tetbury

Amy and Jerrad at Kingscote Barn
Amy is a returning customer – Fabulous Functions UK did the décor for her birthday party a few years ago – something she’d loved. So you can imagine our delight when she messaged us to say she’d met the love of her life, was planning her wedding celebrations and wanted us as part of her wedding planning team! Excited doesn’t cover it!

We arranged to meet for a coffee and an initial planning meeting in a cosy little pub in Devizes – with social distancing and masks in play to meet Covid regulations.

Initial planning meeting for Amy and Jerrad’s wedding at Kingscote Barn

It was great to meet up with Amy and her lovely mum and listen as she described the vision she had for her wedding venue décor. We explored ideas and suggestions, discussed colour scheme and made suggestions for other suppliers needed for the day.

I’d brought samples to show Amy. It’s so helpful to see the fabrics, compare colours and combinations where possible and make choices based on that knowledge. We created a beautiful vision and I was super excited to get started.

Wedding location

Amy and Jerrad had chosen Kingscote Barn in Tetbury for their wedding celebrations – a beautiful venue with much indoor and outdoor space for the couple and their guests to enjoy.

As part of our service, we include an on-site visit, approximately one month before the wedding date. This gives our couples a chance to walk through the venue and envision the décor they have chosen. Confirm locations for their accessories and make any last-minute changes. Amy and Jerrad’s Kingscote Barn wedding was no exception and so they walked through the venue with me, discussing each room and the best locations to place their accessories. At the end of the visit they were sure all was as they desired.

Amy and Jerrad at Kingscote Barn chose a personalised mirror for their table plan. Created by Sandra of Fabulous Functions UK it was themed with floating tealights in cylinder vases and a glorious floral arrangement
Personalised mirrored Table Plan for Amy and Jerrad at Kingscote Barn

Action stations

Come the wedding day it was all action. We arrived and unloaded all the accessories, had discussions with the coordinator at Kingscote Barn and got to work.

First up was dressing the chairs with a light grey chiffon hood and waterfall ruffles, creating a soft romantic feel. Once the florist had placed her centrepieces, we added tealights and candles to the tables, placed in groups of 3s around the tables to create a warm ambience once they were lit.

Next we turned our attention to the reception welcome room. We are happy to use accessories provided by our couples and incorporate this into the accessories we provide as part of the décor.

The floor standing mirrored table plan was a beauty and with much care we set it in place and added cylinder vases with floating candles. The personalised mirrored welcome sign was also placed ready to greet the guests.

Amy and Jerrad's Kingscote Barn Wedding - table setting at Kingscote Barn

Amy and Jerrad wanted to give a little nod to loved ones not present and had provided a treasured drinks trolly belonging to Amy’s Nan. This we carefully placed and decorated with items provided by Amy.

Amy and Jerrad at Kingscote Barn had a wealth of personal touches so… Not forgetting the ceiling! Kingscote Barn has a wealth of original beams and we attached some beautiful twisted willow branches, added tealights in glass baubles hung at various heights.

The aim was to create a warm welcoming décor full of romance, charm and sophistication. The venue looked so beautiful.

Amy and Jerrad at Kingscote Barn in Tetbury - Styled by Fabulous Functions UK
Amy and Jerrad at Kingscote Barn

What the lovely couple said about us

Jerrad said: ‘I knew the venue would be beautiful, because you were doing it.’

The both of them: ‘We cannot thank you Sandra & the Fabulous Functions team enough for the amazing work they did for us building up, and on the day of our wedding.’

The venue looked breath taking and you worked so hard so we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We loved working with you. You knew our vision and you helped with every little touch!

Sandra was on hand whenever I needed her. Thank you all so much it was just perfect. Any event in the future we will contact you!

Mr & Mrs Murphy

Rose gold wedding theme. The draped backdrop was moved from the ceremony area to become the backdrop for the top table. Styling created by Fabulous Functions UK

A Rose Gold Wedding Theme

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A rose gold wedding theme for Sam and Lucy

Meeting Lucy and Sam at the Kings Head Hotel was so much like meeting old friends – because we’d communicated so much in the previous weeks. I had a good grasp of the vision they wanted to create and had with me many samples of the colour tones in the fabric they’d chosen with which to create a gorgeous rose gold wedding theme. 

I also had with me many samples of agate slices for them to choose from. They loved the ideas of what the French call “joindre l’utile à l’agréable”  – a lovely phrase that translates to “to combine the practical with pleasure.”

In this instance the agate slices would serve as both guest place names and guest favours. Sam and Lucy chose the natural colour agate slice as they were the perfect complement for the rose gold tones of the vertical drops they’d chosen for the chair decor.

a rose gold wedding theme - Agate slice in natural tones serve as guest place names. The perfect wedding favour and memento for your guests. Available from Fabulous Functions UK

Fast forward many months and the much-planned and much-anticipated wedding day arrived. They and we were super excited to see all the planning and preparations come to fruition in the rose gold wedding theme that Sam and Lucy had wanted to create.

Rose gold themed wedding decor

The decor was classically elegant in its simplicity and the rose gold theme suited the venue beautifully.

Rose gold chiffon vertical drops serve to decorate the chiavari chairs in the Assembly Rooms of the Kings Head Hotel in Cirencester. The backdrop was created with a white voile draped panel and green foliage for the top border decoration. Styling by Fabulous Functions UK
Rose gold chiffon vertical drops serve to decorate the chiavari chairs in the Assembly Rooms of the King’s Head boutique hotel in the heart of Cirencester We created the backdrop with a white voile draped panel and green foliage for the top border decoration.

We always encourage our clients to get the most out of their accessories so we suggested that Lucy and Sam bring the ceremony backdrop into play again as their top table backdrop – having first used it as a backdrop to their ceremony. You can use our flower walls in a similar way.
Rose gold wedding theme. The draped backdrop was moved from the ceremony area to become the backdrop for the top table. Styling created by Fabulous Functions UK
The draped backdrop was moved from the ceremony area to become the backdrop for the top table.
Decorate your wedding chairs with lengths of chiffon and secure them with sating ribbons- Fabulous Functions UK
Decorate your wedding chairs with lengths of chiffon and secure them with satin ribbons.

The personal touches were apparent everywhere in the decor and especially in the personalised post box for the guests to leave their card and gifts. And the table plan continued the rose gold theme of the wedding decor.

NB: We have a selection of wedding post boxes for hire and you can find them all, including the one you see here, in the treasure trove section of this website.

rose gold wedding theme - personalised rustic post box
Fabulous Functions UK created the table plan A reclaimed wooden board was the base for the table plan. Rose gold ribbons were used to attach the guest tables. The white and green floral decor continued the floral theme from the wedding breakfast decoration.

“We had an absolutely perfect day!! Thank you so much for all of your hard work and efforts, we couldn’t be happier with how everything looked!”

Lucy and Sam
Couple sat in front of backdrop at their wedding

For more inspiration

If you want to get an idea of how we work and what we do checkout our Instagram and Facebook feeds for inspirational images and ideas. We update them both on a regular basis.

And also the section on our blog that has a range of venue styling themes to inspire you. And of course, we’re always happy to chat and bounce ideas around. If you’ve looked through our website and not seen what you’re looking for please don’t go away without talking to us first. If we don’t have it there’s a jolly good chance we can either source it for you or make it for you.

We have a web form here: https://www.fabulousfunctionsuk.com/contact-us/ but if you prefer to pick up the phone or drop an email here’s how you can:

Phone: 01793 326 354

Mobile: 07511 842 451

Email: hello@fabulousfunctionsuk

Memories of a beautiful rose gold themed wedding day- Fabulous Functions UK

Photos on this page by kind courtesy of the fabulous Twirlygirlphotography



Bold Colours in Wedding Décor -Top table decor in autumn colours perfectly complements the venue styling. Look at the fabulous goblet provided by the bride and groom. SimTop table decor complements the autumn themed venue decor

An Autumn Themed Wedding

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David and Steph’s Autumn themed wedding – in spring!

We had the honour and pleasure of working with David and Steph, who let us loose to create magic on their wedding day. I loved that they felt confident in wanting to follow their passions and creating a decor that was true and authentic to them.  Hence, I worked with both of them to create their gorgeous autumn themed wedding, in Spring! How fabulous is that?!

Below are some vibrant photographs of David and Steph’s autumn themed wedding.

Shimmering organza sashes in golds and rusts to decorate the ceremony venue - An Autumn Themed Wedding
Top table decor in autumn colours perfectly complements the venue styling. Look at the fabulous goblet provided by the bride and groom. Top table decor complements the autumn themed weddingvenue decor
Top table decor in autumn colours perfectly complements the venue styling. Look at the glorious goblet provided by the bride and groom. Simply fabulous!
close up of orange and bronze sashes
Happy guests at an autumn themed wedding
This photo is just so full of love for David and Steph.

Here’s a video overview of the venue transformation involved in this couple’s wedding day:

An Autumn Themed Wedding

You can see more accessories in our Treasure Trove page. Pop on over and have a look. You are sure to find items you’ll love for your venue decor.

Join our social media family

Follow us on social media to keep up to date with our happening and to see even more of our decor. Follow the links to Instagram , Facebook and Pinterest



Access to your venue is even more impofrtnat when your have limited mobility - Ensure disabled access for you and your guests- Fabulous Functions UK

Wedding Venues and Disabled Access

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Wedding Venues and Disabled Access
Here are some important questions to ask/points to consider when you’re searching for a venue to host your wedding or other celebrations. Whatever the occasion, if you have guests with any sort of limited mobility then this subject is one you’ll need to consider.

Wedding Venues and Disabled Access - person in a wheelchair



9 questions to ask about disabled access

What follows is some suggested questions to ask about wedding venues and disabled access either when making the first contact with the venue or during a venue show round. 

1. Is the disabled access through the front access or a side entrance. If you are the bride and groom and are offered a side entrance, ask yourself if this is the right venue for you?

2. What are the dimension of the doors?

Ask for the measurements of the doors as wheelchairs are not all the same sizes. Some power chairs are larger than manual wheelchairs.

3. Are the car park and walkways paved or gravelled?

Wheelchairs are already heavy. Then add the weight of the person and you’re going to need a superman to manoeuvre over gravel.

4. Is there a lift to access the upper floors if need be? If you have accommodations on site and they are on the upper floors how will you reach them?

5. Ask about ramps at the venue and if you can take your guests with limited mobility on a visit with you to test out the access arrangements.

6. Think about buying a second-hand wheelchair and customising it for your wedding day. You can respray it or re-upholster it.

7. Is the bathroom big enough to accommodate a wheelchair and attendants?

8. Does the venue have non slip floors in in the reception areas, bathrooms etc? 

9. Are support rails in place? 

You might find this website useful. It gives details of a number of wedding venues and disabled access across the country.

Moving away from weddings for a moment and on to accessible UK event venues in general, this website from Age UK is worth visiting. As they point out:

‘The UK is replete with many wonderful music and event venues that are enjoyed throughout the year. This country is certainly very lucky in this regard as we have plenty of choices no matter where we live, especially in the cities. The even better news is that there a good number of venues across Great Britain where people can enjoy music, talks, workshops, and myriad other events, that have also made a great effort to implement accessible facilities.

Attitude is Everything, who have made wonderful strides to improve deaf and disabled people’s access to live music, know a thing or two about what it takes to make a venue accessible …

… From big arenas to small local venues, there certainly are a number of truly terrific locations to be proud of. With this in mind, please read on for a selection of some of the very best accessible event venues in the UK. Hopefully, you will be able to visit some yourself in the near future.

Wedding planning timelines

If you found this blog about wedding venues and disabled access useful, you may also want to visit our wedding planning timeline blog. It’s full of useful tips and advice on the tasks you need to do and when during your wedding planning journey. See also, our Wedding Planning timeline 18 Months +

Are you the social sort?

Follow us on social media to keep up to date with our happening and to see even more of our decor. Follow the links to Instagram , Facebook and Pinterest and see the latest additions to our accessory hire range as well as the fab venue transformations that we produce for our lovely couples.






Second Marriage Wedding Dress Etiquette - drawing of red gown

Second Marriage Dress Etiquette

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April 2021

Second Marriage Dress Etiquette - pair of gold wedding rings


Second Marriage Dress Etiquette

Of late I’ve been giving some thought to two questions I’ve seen asked in various Facebook groups, that relate to second marriage dress etiquette:

  1. Should one wear a wedding dress for a registry office ceremony?
  2. Are there rules around second marriage style etiquette? Or put another way, a bride to be, marrying for the second time, wanted to know if it was acceptable to wear a white wedding dress for her ceremony.

    My own thoughts on both those is a big YES – of course. If that’s what you want to do, if that would make you happy, then go right ahead. 

    But you don’t have to only take our word on second marriage dress etiquette for it. I’ve done a little digging to see what big wedding-related websites are saying about second marriage wedding dress etiquette. Hitched.com have an article from late last year, Second Marriage Wedding Dresses: The Rules and Etiquette Revealed. They posit that some second-time-around brides have the lustre of the wedding shopping process tarnished by remarriage etiquette uncertainty. It seems there’s often a worry over whether or not white is appropriate for a remarriage.

    But, as they say, browsing for a second wedding dress ought to be as enjoyable as it was for your first. Further, some brides hold a conviction that a second marriage puts white out of the bridal picture. But yet, when Meghan Markle wed Prince Harry, a second marriage for her, she wore white.  And wonderful she looked too. 

    And anyway, the whole white wedding thing has nothing to do with purity and everything to do with Queen Victoria deciding to wear white because it complemented the lace on her dress. You can read more about that in our blog, Something Old and Something New that takes a brief look at a few of the classic wedding traditions.

Say I do in glorious colour

White is wonderful yes. But there’s nothing to say you can’t say I do in colour too. Red is a popular choice for a wedding dress – for the first time or for a second marriage. As this Vows Bridal website points out: ‘Coloured wedding gowns are everywhere these days.

Brides are breaking from tradition and going for a unique look that can reflect their personalities. These wedding gowns may have just a little colour, or be completely one colour with absolutely no white or ivory to be found.’ A red gown will sure as heck make a statement! Red is a popular choice for weddings around Valentine’s Day and Christmas.


Second Marriage Dress Etiquette - drawing of red gown




But it’s best to use the colours that suit you as a guide – that way you’ll both look and feel amazing. And, as the Hitched article says, you could always put a twist on traditional white by opting for a super chic white trouser or jumpsuit. 

Put another way, when it comes to second marriage dress etiquette rules – there are none. It’s the 21st century – do whatever you feel!

Incidentally, should you be in the Swindon area and should you not ever have had a colour and style analysis done, then now might be the time. If you’re thinking of going down the coloured wedding gown route for your remarriage then knowing the colours that best complement eyes and your skin tone will give you a head start in your quest for the perfect wedding dress! Ishbel’s Wardrobe, run by Reshma Field is a colour and style analysis business based in Swindon that Fabulous Functions UK is happy to recommend.

If you’re feeling social …

… do follow us on social media to keep up to date with our happening and to see even more of our decor. Follow the links to Instagram , Facebook and Pinterest and see the latest additions to our accessory hire range as well as the fab venue transformations that we produce for our lovely couples.



Something old, something new

Something old and something new

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It’s a Tradition

Something old and something new

All the occasions we celebrate are riven with traditions. Easter has the eggs and the bunny, Christmas has Father Christmas/ Santa Claus – and more besides – depending on the nation. And, of course, every family puts their own spin on these regular calendar markers. And weddings are no exception.

So here’s a quick tour round some of the classic wedding traditions from horseshoes, to chimney sweeps to the well-known rhyme featuring something old and something new and something borrowed and something blue.

Chimney sweeps

Back in the days when most of us had chimneys, to have a chimney sweep turn up at your wedding was seen as great good fortune. If he wished the couple good luck that was a very good omen indeed.

Remember Dick Van Dyke inn ‘Mary Poppins’?: ‘Good luck will rub off if you shakes hands with me’.

Chimney sweeps had, as Sooty the Sweep explains, this luck dispensing ability invested in them by King George II, when a sweep was the only one brave enough to stop his out-of-control carriage and save the king’s life. As a result the king issued a royal decree declaring chimney sweeps as bringers of luck that one should treat with respect.

Lucky horsehoes and edible traditions

Then there’s horseshoes – an ancient symbol of good luck of course. Since time immemorial we’ve hung them over doorways across the globe to protect the home from evil spirits. The giving of horseshoes to a bride is a tradition of long standing. Well before Christian times people thought that a horseshoe resembled a crescent moon and that made it a very potent fertility charm! But, more recently, in Victorian times the tradition became established as a way of bringing good luck to the newlyweds for the duration of their lives together.

Something old, something new - horseshoe and bride and groom

The wedding cake

Steeped in as much tradition as it is in fruit and brandy is the old fashioned wedding cake.

The wedding attire

The traditional white wedding dress is a relatively new one for British brides after Queen Victoria made them fashionable. As this Vanity Fair article explains, Queen Victoria made such a sartorial impression nearly 180 years ago that her example of wearing white is still considered mandatory by many a traditional bride. Further, Victoria’s choice of white bore no relation to any notion of purity. Victoria wore white for no other reason than that it complemented the delicate lace on her dress. Before Queen Victoria caused a sartorial stir women of the lower orders wore their best dress and those with a bit more money married in a colourful dress that they could recycle for other occasions. And IF, before Queen Victoria, a bride wore white, it symbolised wealth rather than purity – they could afford to have the dress cleaned.

A wedding rhyme – Something old and something new


There’s a related tradition that may have its origins much earlier than the white dress:

Something old,
Something new,
Something borrowed,
Something blue.

The origins of the rhyme are not clear but you can find references to it as an ancient custom in an 1876 edition of ‘Notes and Queries’. (Wikipedia) In Britain this old couplet is a direction to the bride on what she should wear. Originating here, the tradition has since spread across the globe.

Tradition holds that the something blue takes the form of a garter – and there’s yet more tradition behind that. In some wedding rites the bride had the garter plucked her. Saucy? Or Chauvinistic?

Additionally, something blue combines with something old as a device to baffle the Evil Eye – feared to render the bride barren. Preventing such an unfortunate occurrence is the wearing of something borrowed. Properly speaking this should be the undergarment of a women blessed with children so as to pass on her fertility to the bride.

When I got married, many moons ago now, I observed this tradition but in my own way. I borrowed a necklace, the new took the form of my dress and shoes and the blue was a garter.

This particular tradition is not ignored by popular culture. It made it into the ‘Friends’ episode: ’The one in Vegas’. Monica tells Chandler she has to have ‘Something old and something new, something borrowed and something blue before they can get married. So, to fulfil the borrowed part of the rhyme they stole a new blue sweater from a shop and for the old they pressed a used condom into service!

How about you? How did you meet the rigours of this something old and something new rhyme at your wedding? If indeed you met them at all. Or if you’re planning to tie the knot soon do you plan to?

Why don’t you let us know? We’d love to hear from you. Drop a note to: hello@fabulousfunctionsuk.com Our full contact details are here.

Tradition with a twist

The website of Wedding Ideas Mag has lots of ideas on how you can follow the rhyme while you can find a list of 12 modern day takes on the tradition in this article: ‘12 Modern Items to Replace Your Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue’.

Something old, something new - blue garter, wedding ephemera