Edward and Genevieve Hurst's Perfect Wedding & Perfect Wedding Entertainment!

I have used Alive Network before, when they produced the best disco ever for my husband's 60th birthday party. We therefore knew how they worked, and knew that we could rely on the quality of the band we were booking.

My daughter’s wedding took place near Kendal, where my husband’s family have lived for over six generations, writes Katherine Cropper.  It was also where we had taken family holidays throughout my daughter’s childhood.  The wedding ceremony was held at St Oswald's church in Burneside, followed by a wedding reception in a marquee on the grounds of a family home with stunning views of the Howgill fells.

Due to budget constraints, we limited the party to a maximum of 120 guests so we could really do things properly.  This had its own challenges with the bride and groom both having large families, so we took the decision to not include small children (which was not at all popular with the parents of those children!)

We wanted the wedding to have a smart country theme, so the majority of men wore morning suits, with the ladies wearing hats.  The church was decorated very traditionally with large pedestal arrangements, and flowers on alternative pew ends.  To keep flower costs down, we decided to decorate the marquee ourselves.  We hired topiary - several lollipop type trees, and four cone shaped trees.  These were decorated with white butterflies, something that took half an hour to arrange and we were able to do ourselves, rather than use a florist.  On the tables, we put pots of fuchsias (which I had grown all summer) and we put candles around them. 

One decision that was really important for us was to ensure that we had a good photographer.  We were so pleased to have chosen Richard Wilkinson Photography.  He listened carefully to what the bride and groom wanted, and built a strong relationship with them when he did a pre-wedding shoot.  He was lovely to have around and managed to organise people efficiently but quietly, whilst capturing some sensational shots.

The wedding ceremony took place at 3.00 pm so that there would be time afterwards to have photographs taken outdoors in day light.  (Being in Cumbria it gets dark a little earlier than in the south).  We hired a local choir to sing while guests arrived at the church.  They sang Ave Maria during the signing of the register, and they gave a strong background to the singing of the hymns too.

A drinks reception followed in the garden with champagne and canapés being served.  The bride and groom were able to greet all of the guests before the group photographs were taken.  At 5.30 pm, the guests were ushered into the marquee for the cutting of the cake and speeches, something we wanted to get out of the way so that everybody could then relax and enjoy the party!

We sat down to a two course meal, as canapés had been served so we didn’t feel any need for a starter.  We decided not to have a formal "top table" as the bride and groom wanted to see their friends, particularly as some had travelled a long way to be there.  After the first course we got all of the men to move to a different table (and one girl, so that the bride and groom still stayed together for the meal).  This involved a lot of extra organisation when doing the table plans, but everybody said how much they enjoyed meeting so many more people that way, so it was well worth the effort.

During the planning stages we discussed how important it was to have a really good band.  Most of the guests didn't know each other, and we wanted to get them up dancing.  I have used Alive Network before, when they produced the best disco ever for my husband's 60th birthday party.  We therefore knew how they worked, and knew that we could rely on the quality of the band we were booking.  Not only could we listen to the band from a CD, but more important (in my view) were the testimonials from satisfied customers who had previously booked them.  We booked the Scott Grant Trio, and they were fantastic.  They had a really good sound, but more importantly, they seemed to "read" the guests, so that the dance floor was always full when they were playing. 

At around 11.00 pm we encouraged the guests outside, and then gave anyone who wanted one a Chinese lantern to light and send sailing up into the sky (biodegradable ones of course!)  We had 50 Chinese lanterns which took a while to light and go, but made a stunning sight in the evening sky.

The night concluded at midnight when the bride went back into the marquee and threw her bouquet.  The bride and groom disappeared, and the party was over. 

We had live entertainment at two points in the day, the local choir in the church which had an enormous impact to the service, and the Scott Grant Trio and disco for the evening entertainment.  Our decision to spend as much money as we could afford on live entertainment was the reason why the day was such a success.  By 8.00 pm, everybody had had a chance to meet each other, and had been well fed and supplied with champagne.  Without a real boost to the evening at this point, we would have found people drifting off, so a proper change of pace and a band that makes you want to get up and dance was vital, otherwise the whole party would have fizzled out and become seriously boring. 

One of my favourite moments of the day was seeing my daughter in her wedding dress, with her hair up, and her make-up looking so natural.  She looked so incredibly serene, and unbelievably beautiful.  It is something that will remain in my memory forever.  When my husband walking her up the aisle I found it really difficult not to cry, it was so emotional, and he looked so proud.  My other favourite moment was when my daughter told me that it really had been perfect for them, and that they had loved every minute.

What pearls of wisdom or words of advice would you extend to future brides who are planning their perfect wedding?

Decide on what you want, and what is important to you, before you start liaising with suppliers.  The moment you mention the word "wedding", prices go through the roof.  We nearly spent an extra £3,000 on a marquee, due to a first class sales pitch.

Plan for a worst case scenario.  Holding a wedding in the Lake District meant it was highly possible that it would rain, so we had umbrellas ready and a contingency plan in place so that things could be altered at short notice should this happen.   

After the event, remember to thank all those who helped, however small the contribution. 

Our decision to spend as much money as we could afford on live entertainment was the reason why the day was such a success. Without a real boost to the evening, we would have found people drifting off, so a proper change of pace and a band that makes you want to get up and dance was vital.