{Images 1, 3, 4 & 5 by Iced-Online; 2 and 6 by The Lavender Bakery}

If this girl and her boy were going to have a wedding cake, they may have chosen one of these beautiful options. All of which look fab and all of which certainly would have tasted delicious. Cupcakes or tiered cakes; they were all stunning.

But this girl …

When we started thinking about the reception my first thoughts were not about the food but the setting. I had always wanted a relaxed country-style garden party with a marquee and tea cups. It didn’t take us very long to settle on a marquee option and then I left M to think about the food whilst I gave greater thought …

Of all the aspects of our wedding I have taken responsibility for, it is the honeymoon that I have thought about the most.

I started off thinking that I should surprise Rachel, whip her in a romantic whirlwind of indulgence and new experiences without preparing her for any of it. This kind of trip still really appeals to me but the …

I may have mentioned, once or twice, how we initially planned to handwrite our invitations. How we had bought the cards and the envelopes and had a stamp designed with a peacock image to complete the look.

{Image from Author’s personal collection; design by Baby Jewels}

Well, I said last week that in the interest of sanity we had changed our minds. And …

In the UK we indulge the rather quaint tradition of Hen and Stag-Dos. I believe in the US they are called Bachelor and Bachelorette parties. Conventional activities for Stags include excessive drinking, strip clubs and womanising of all kinds. The idea exists that this is the Stag’s last chance to mess around, his last gasp of freedom. It is also …

{Image Credits: Left column & Top Centre by Botelet; All other images from Author’s Personal Collection}

86 days left until the big day. We have taken further steps to simplify things. Whereas I was once thinking I would hand write all our invitations in calligraphy, we have decided our sanity is more important. We have delegated these to Alex, talented Graphic …

{Image from Wikipedia}

The Music is the 3rd pillar of our wedding reception triumvirate. Crucial because of the role of music in guiding the tone and the pace of the evening yet difficult to execute. At a house party anyone can get up and stick on a song and the music becomes a way to express oneself and have an immediate …

Now that M also writes a weekly column on here (I hope you are enjoying reading about the aspects of the wedding which are more important to him) I really can’t tell you much about my dress. What I can write about though are my accessories, as M has a pretty good idea about these. We live together in a …

{Image from Author’s Personal Collection}

Choosing wine for a wedding is a tricky business, especially if you are “in the business”. I’m often called upon to help my clients get the wines just right for their big day. Like me they have pretty fixed ideas but for most people this is not the case.

Some people simplify, they pick their favourite …

When I first started this weekly column here on EAD it felt like there were months and months of preparation time. I drew up a list of weeks to go and realised I had 27 of them before the big day. It seemed an eternity. Not any longer. Tomorrow we shall be into the double-figured count down and before we …

To my mind food, drink and music are the three most important structural aspects of a party; the framework for the more ethereal connections between people and their ideas and emotions. This week we will look at food.

I think food is particularly important at family celebrations. Feasting at family events is a tradition that crosses cultures and has very deep …

When I first met Rachel I wasn’t ready to fall in love. Now we are seven years on and I can’t imagine it any other way. I still sometimes feel like that single guy, happy keeping my own company but I now think relationships free you not bind you.

Often the first night means nothing, for us it …