Thursday 22 September 2011

Gorgeous Tents and amazing events




Here are some photos of our events that feature marquees and have that quintessential English summer loveliness.If you love vintage china ,afternoon tea,beautiful gardens, amazing tents,lots of bunting and gorgeous flowers then do take a peek.





A very lovely vintage themed wedding this summer,featured on the Rock n Roll Bride website and the amazing Sussex photographer Annamarie Stepney`s website.Do take a look at Annas photos,they are stunning . www.annamariestepney.co.uk

 



This was a stunning event that combined vintage theming with modern touches .The stunning tent is from Sussex Marquees.Say hello to Tim if you call , he`s my brother ! But don`t forget his partner Neil as he`s lovely too.Have a look at their website ,especially the gallery which is packed full of wonderful photos of events and weddings in and around the Sussex area and beyond.Lots of vintage theming too for all you vintage lovers. www.sussexmarquees.co.uk




Inside the tent our stunning silver antique candelabras took centre stage .Lovely flowers were by Kiki and Cole.Our blue and white vintage dinner plates were a huge hit .You won`t find them at many parties - so beautiful and unusual.




What better setting for a truly English summer party .
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Monday 19 September 2011

Goodwood Revival 2011

http://spriggsflorist.blogspot.com/2011/09/its-vintage-year-at-goodwood-revival.html


This year we were asked to get involved in the amazing Goodwood Revival courtesy of the very lovely Spriggs Florists in Petworth .


It was a very vintage affair and the lovely china we supplied was filled by Spriggs Florists with beautiful flowers in gentle plums and soft pinks.Teapots surrounded by teacups and milk jugs filled with flowers took centre stage on each table .There were also lots more amazing vintage floral arrangements dotted around to complete the look.


Shabby chic French dressers were styled with more vintage goodies and old fashioned black and white pictures and photographs  hung from the walls.Faded colourful old books hand bound with ribbon and even well loved shabby old teddy bears completed the very authentic vintage look .

Do visit the above link for lots of inspiration if you are a lover of vintage.Spriggs have also very kindly offered to send on some more photos so do check back soon as there is lots more to see!




Thursday 8 September 2011

Pretty Vintage

Vintage is so pretty and one item can be a starting point for planning a whole party! One customer came to see us for her free consultation for a 40th birthday party .She loved the colour turquoise and so we looked through all the vintage goodies at Splendid Days Hq to see what could work . The idea was to set up a lovely cake area with the three tier cake stands for the cupcakes and lots of lovely jugs of flowers dotted around and a gorgeous vintage table runner down the centre.A large three tier cake took centre stage on one of our vintage cake stands and to add to the opulence other cupcakes were dotted around on vintage tea plates.Guests could help themselves to their own vintage tea plate and cake ork and help themselves to cake . Plain white table cloths can be lovely with vintage china but sometimes a runner can look great or an extra hand embroidered table cloth laid over the top can really add to the vintage vibe and look.
We painstakingly individually handmade lots of little sugar flowers to go on top of the vanilla buttercream cupcakes.
and this flower jug was a must with this theme and once filled with cream delphiniums it was a wonderful centre piece for the cake table .
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Wednesday 7 September 2011

Some fabulous photos of a vintage style wedding

http://www.rocknrollbride.com/2011/09/a-locally-sourced-vintage-wedding-marie-claire-nick/




We are on the Rock n Roll Bride website this month! 

Click on the link above to be taken to some really lovely photos by the amazing photographer Annamarie Stepney ( www.annamariestepney.co.uk )of a unique and gorgeous vintage tea party wedding we styled with our  vintage crockery and other lovely vintage accessories.We also made a scrumptious jam and vanilla buttercream sponge iced two tier wedding cake which was lavishly decorated with red roses and displayed on our antique silver tray.


Here`s the story behind the photos :


I first met the bride Marie - Claire when she came to Splendid Days HQ for a consultation with her lovely mother .We sat together to talk over Marie- Claire`s  vision for her wedding day and all enjoyed cupcakes and tea served on vintage china.Apparently the tea party theme came about as Marie - Claire and her Mother love nothing more than a visit to a tearoom for tea and cakes ( I knew they had style as soon as I found that out!)


Straight away I could see that this wedding was going to be something really special and I got that buzz of excitement you get when you know that an event is going to really come together and have a unique style of it`s own .


Marie- Claire stunning red wedding dress and her mothers beautiful lace dress came from the London Store Fur Coat No Knickers .Here they take vintage dresses revamp them and tailor them to fit you perfectly .If you want a dress that is totally unique and beautiful then do go and take a look.Her photographer captured so well the vintage vibe and all the little details that had been so carefully chosen ,from the shoes to close ups of the hand embroidered table linen.


Her florists actually grew all the flowers for the wedding themselves and then arranged them with great finesse.The colours were really bold, joyous and vibrant .I would highly recommend them.Apparently you chose your flowers as they are growing in the ground or they can grow something you would especially love!


Marie -Claire`s Mum made some gorgeous chutney as wedding favours and then had bespoke labels made for the jars.It`s always lovely if the family gets involved and there are some personal touches to a wedding .

Go and take a peek a the photos and and see what you think!












Friday 2 September 2011

A magical Afternoon Tea Party



This was a gorgeous tea party event we had the pleasure of being involved with this summer. All the elements were orgainised by us here at Splendid Days and we even had the additional pleasure of serving a yummy afternoon tea too! Fluffy scones and homemade jams, cupcakes topped with swirls of buttercream,meringues with lashings of cream topped with strawberries were all on the menu.Some big cakes such as coffee and walnut and Victoria sponge were also on offer and they looked delicious on their vintage glass cake stands.


The napkins were hand tied with purple ribbon and finished off with a lovely sprigg of fresh lavender.The vintage crockery looked very pretty indeed and the three tier china cake stands made a lovely centre piece when all the cupcakes were dotted around.


Bunting was strewn throughout the ceiling of the old style canvas marquee from LPM Bohemia .Big heads of hydrangeas in blues and pinks filled our zinc buckets and our large flower jugs decorated big cake table and the champagne reception area which were also dressed with beautiful hand embroidered table linen.

Thanks so much to all in the Splendid Days team who worked hard to make things work so well on the day and who also looked lovely too in their flowery vintage aprons !
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Thursday 25 August 2011

My love is like a red,red rose (or a strawberry cupcake or a flowery,summery dress)


The Most fantastic colour red roses -ever


Not sure how this photo got in here but this is what happens when you try to do a photo shoot and Tinker is around.She`d just eaten a cupcake.Do you like the hampers? I have lots for hire.


The taste,smell and colour of summer .


For those shunning pastels maybe this Splendid Days wedding cake might light your fire


Pretty but it has attitude .


I love this platter, it reminds me of lunches at Grandma`s house years ago.


I`m in love with my new red floral dress,it makes me very happy! Thankyou to the lovely Hayley from Vintage scoops for helping me find it .By the way check out Hayley`s amazing vintage icecream van www.vintagescoops.co.uk I have a huge smile on my face as soon as I look at the website -it`s so happy making.


This is one of the stone urns for hire (yes I know they are heavy but I have some muscles somewhere )I liked it so much I bought it carried all down Lewes high street to my car.Quite a workout...
then I decided I wanted a pair!
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Ginger Beer and Cherries



Two of my absolute favourite things are cherries and ginger beer.They both would have to be included in any tea party I was throwing for my own friends and family.The photo was taken by my handsome son last year when he was 13 at Batemans Gardens just before I quaffed and guzzled.There wasn`t much to buy in the shop (a refreshing change from the norm when visiting these places) but there were lovely old vintage wooden crates piled high with cherries and in the only things to drink were ginger beer and strawberry lemonade -perfect!
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Friday 19 August 2011

Summer Vintage Styling


Hello!

This is me in the middle of styling a recent vintage themed wedding.There will be a lots of photos to follow of the finished look which I can`t wait to share with you .I have had a sneak preview of the photographers amazing photos and she has really captured the vintage vibe and colourful look of the day .The whole story of the day will follow soon -I promise !
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Wednesday 23 March 2011

Beautiful sunshine and the promise of parties !

Spring is well and truly here, the daffodils are out, the birds are singing  and we are hotting up for a season of wonderful parties and weddings .It`s going to be splendid!

If you are organising an event in the coming months here are a few top tips that might help you get on top of things, save a few pennies and add uniqueness and fun to your event -after all -who wants to be like everybody else?



1. Flowers .

How about planting some seeds and bulbs in a spare patch in the garden ? If you get your timing right you will have huge bunches of flowers to decorate and dot around at very little cost. Try  www.sarahraven.com for inspiration. Think about fragrance as well as looks , walking into a marquee filled with vases of sweet peas on a summers day would smell delightful.Take a look at our vintage flower vases, jugs and punch bowls for the wow factor.

If you are wanting to hand over the responsibility to a florist then I can highly recommend the very knowledgeable Spriggs Florists for the most perfect flowers .www.spriggsflorists.co.uk .Also good for flowers with a vintage vibe are Kiki and Cole www.kikiandcole.co.uk. Their website is gorgeous.

2. Drinks 
Make your champagne go further by serving bellinis -a mixture of champagne and  fresh fruit which is scrumptious and looks very pretty in the glass.Use fruits such as peach ,strawberry and even rhubarb for a really delicious summery feel. For the perfect glamorous finishing touch serve from our gorgeous vintage ornate silver trays. Proseco is a great sparkling cheaper alternative  .Make sure you pamper the non drinkers -sparkling elderflower is a lovely summery option.
A summer cocktail can also be delightful way to start the party .Think sea breezes and margaritas for hot days.
Ring the changes and serve your champers in vintage teacups if you want to set the latest trend and surprise your guests by doing something different!


3.Tables
Every meal will need napkins.Try to avoid paper as it will spoil the look and they will blow around everywhere! Make yours special by tying with a silky or linen ribbon and adding a sprig of lavender to finish off. Your tables will also smell beautiful too.
Make sure you have water jugs filled with ice and lemon on the tables and good glassware .Ask your waitresses if you have them to regularly clear dirty glasses which can soon build up and look horrible in all the photos.
Make sure your chairs suit the look of the party,there are lots to chose from so shop around.Sussex marquees have very similar chairs to the chairs in the photo of the Kennedy wedding below if you want to add real class!
If you are providing wedding favours for your guests make sure they suit the look of the table and don`t clutter things up .If necessary create a fabulous separate display near the exit so guests can pick up their favours as they leave as they can so often get left behind by mistake.

4.Overall look 

Think about having a stylist on the day to bring all the elements together and ensure you get the all important finishing touches just right. We offer styling consultations before the event and on the day styling so you have time to pamper and beautify yourself and really enjoy yourself.

5.Garden Ideas

 

If your party is at home then dress up the garden with twinkly lights, candles in jam jars tied with ribbon and some extra elements for the wow factor.
Line the pathways with garden flares,preferably the plain bamboo ones.
Put up your lights well in advance as this can be fiddly ,you can also then check them and replace bulbs and work out whether you need extension leads.All these things can be time consuming!
Do make sure the garden is well presented with mown lawns and tidy borders and don`t leave this job until the day of the event! 

We supply gorgeous bird cages which can be hung from trees in the garden and filled with candles ,flowers or even cupcakes!
Stripy deck chairs dotted around finished off with vintage cushions look great .A hammock slung from a tree and filled with cushions makes a fun area for any children that may be attending.
Garden games such as croquet or boules can be enjoyable and get the conversation flowing amongst people who don`t know each other .Take a look at our website for the old fashioned fun garden games we have for hire .

6. Think of the comfort of your guests.

If you are having a party going on into the evening then a row of pretty wraps for guests to borrow to sling around their shoulders will be much appreciated when the night temperature falls.
Put out your best soaps and hand towels in the bathrooms,even if you are hiring toilets in and don`t forget a small posy of flowers. Make sure the guests have a mirror to check their appearance.
If you are having a marquee and want to push the boat out have a smaller marquee added onto the main marquee and set up a shabby chic dressing table and big mirror .Don`t forget to add a large vintage flower jug filled with a big display of flowers .Take a look at our amazing flower jugs for hire .

Summer evenings can become chilly so don`t forget to think about heating .In the garden you could think of dotting around some fire pits filled with logs .These will add glow, warmth and atmosphere .Place some deck chairs around them finished off with vintage cushions and throws for a stylish evening.
If you are having a marquee ,speak to the marquee company about heating the marquee ,they are sure to be able to advise .Try www.sussexmarquees for the best customer service in the South East area.Tim and Neil are experts in putting together the perfect package for your event and their tents are stunning and  immaculate .

8.Nibbles and goodies.


You may be having a huge feast but once that is over and people are still drinking, dancing and having fun they will need tasty things to pick on. How about some of our delicious cupcakes piled high on vintage glass cake stands in an array of flavours ? Not only will they cause a stir when they are displayed half way through the evening they will keep everybody energised for dancing the night away.
For those with a more savoury tooth our savoury tarts in a variety of flavours are delicious or how about a huge platter of cheeses and biscuits ? 
Some gorgeous vintage china plates and platters for the nibbles will finish off the look.

9.Being organised  

Buy a notepad and keep all your important details in one place to avoid hunting down scraps of paper !
Make sure you book all the important elements such as marquee of hotel, caterer, crockery supplier and stylist well in advance to avoid disappointment especially in the summer months.
Sort out a list of taxi numbers and possible accommodation and email to your guests in advance .
Delegate chores like lighting candles and tending the fire pits to responsible people who are happy to help .You can`t do everything! 
Make some lists and do as much as possible in advance and have someone take over on the actual day .You will not be wanting to worry about the details on the day and things may become stressful and tiring.

10. Do what you love!
If you have your heart set on vintage china then make sure you put it to the top of your list, if you really want floating candles on your pond then make sure you sort it out ,if you have dreams of your whole driveway being lit by hundreds of candles then do it .These are the things that will set you apart and make your party amazing.It`s your party so do it in your own style !
Save money where you can but spend on the things you absolutely love.It`s all about setting the scene and creating the atmosphere .Scruffy cheap marquees that have seen better days and dated 1980`s old crockery will never look good no matter how nice your flowers and decor. White plastic chairs are also going to ruin the look .If you are wanting to economise you could always borrow some straw bales from your local farmer ,top them with cushions and use them as extra seating in the garden.

So happy planning to all who are putting on an event this year and don`t forget to give us a call here at Splendid Days for vintage china hire ,afternoon tea parties ,event planning and styling ,delicious cakes and goodies and a whole lot  more.We are here to help and you can guarantee your event will be splendid!

Roll on summer! xx
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