Your Manchester Wedding: BOYGIRLBOY Feature

We are very proud to have been featured in the Venue Styling section of Your Manchester Wedding Magazine this month. The article includes photographs of our table stationery, seating plans and signature frames as well as some tips and advice on personalising your big day that I have reproduced below. Our thanks to the magazine for including us so prominently and in our home town too. It was the best Christmas present we could have asked for! 

On planning the style of your day:

Think carefully about the style and feel of your wedding and take cues from visual elements such as the era of the venue, your dress and the colours of your blooms and bridesmaids' attire. Try not to be too rigid though. It's more subtle, and a lot easier, to have all the little details complement the style of your day than have everything match exactly.

On choosing your table stationery and dining room decor:

• Trust your instincts and don't let anyone tell you what you 'ought' to like.
• Shop around as costs can vary considerably and don't be afraid to ask for samples.
• Visit wedding fairs - a lot are free or have minimal entry cost. You can talk to suppliers face-to-face, collect ideas and get some fabulous discounts.
• Table stationery and seating plans tend to be one of the last considerations. Although final guest numbers for your wedding aren't certain until the big day approaches, you can still decide on the look and feel of your table designs in advance and get estimates.

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Happy planning!

Up, Up & Away!

Presenting my new BIG BALLOON personalised digital print/ guest book for weddings/ engagement parties. It can be framed as is or scribbled all over in silver, gold or white gel pen and then framed to make the perfect keepsake - and a very natty gift for the happy couple! 

Available in sizes A4, A3 and A2, it can be framed as is or scribbled on in gold, silver or white ink as a guest book. This is the beginning of an exciting new direction for BOYGIRLBOY as we go distinctly different in the next few months so the subject matter could not be more apt.

Sold unframed and available in the shop now from £11.99 including FREE P&P.

Places Please

Presenting LEXIE, ISOLDE, KIRSTEN, INDIGO & NELL - our new place card designs and some interesting ways to place them. The design can be followed through onto menus, table names, table numbers and even your seating plan. Visit site

Create it & Keep it

Presenting BOYGIRLBOY's exclusive new twist on the guestbook frame which is fast becoming the must-have alternative to the traditional guestbook. Our new version is a colourful, less formal and funky number: a print that can be personalised to suit the occasion. It it available framed or unframed. All you have to do is cut and paste in your photographs and get everyone to sign it or write a little message. The hen party frame got a lot of attention when we launched it at the National Wedding Show this weekend and we are giving one away as part of a promotion for the new range. If you sign up to our mailing list before 31st October 2012, you will automatically be entered into the draw to win one of these prints. So far the range consists of three designs: Hen Party, Wedding Party and Landmark Birthday (which can also be used as a family tree) but we've got loads more in the pipeline to roll out over the next few months. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you would like to order a bespoke version for a special event that you are planning for yourself or a loved one. Shop Keepsake Prints

National Wedding Show 2012 NEC: A Photo Album

Our thanks to all those involved in making this weekend's wonderful trip to the NEC possible, all who stopped by to say hello and took such an interest in our work and a big hello to our marvellous and very friendly neighbours at the show Wedding Venues & Services Magazine, Design Elegance Venue Styling, Lisa Burrett Photography, La Mariee Bridal Boutique, Ice The Cake Supplier Directory and Ceremonies in Cheshire.

   

A Letter From Mr & Mrs Fricker

I received a lovely e-mail from one of our lovely May brides and her new husband and I thought I'd post it in it's entirety because - well frankly - it says lots of lovely things about us and it also contains the benefit of their experience having actually just got married. I only got hitched five years ago but I find daily that this whole business of weddings and everything that comes with them have moved on a staggering amount since then so it's always refreshing to have a contemporary view. Here's what she had to say along with some photographs she included with her message:

"Every bride wants her wedding to never end. Having a BOYGIRLBOY frame hanging proudly in our hallway, with messages of love and congratulations from our closest friends and family keeps the memories of our happiest day at the forefront of our minds. As a bride to be, you have countless tasks and decisions to make, which photographer will capture the day usually being the hardest decision of all and it was with that in mind that I chose our BOYGIRLBOY signature frame, how can we capture our day and make it last forever? Of course guest books are lovely, but what do you do with them once the day is over? 

From our first conversation I knew Jennie was going to deliver fantastic service and an outstanding product. Whilst wedding planning you have countless tasks and to do lists. So time consuming and absorbing, you often get stressed having to "chase" people. Jennie so efficiently developed the product through simple emails and mood boards and when the frame was delivered (well before the due date, hugely reassuring) we were not disappointed. As well as looking great, the frame oozes quality, the wood, mount and finish are superb. 

Our signature frame generated excitement and curiosity, we have messages from grandparents to 5 year old nephews and all those in between, absolutely priceless!! 

No wedding related decision is easy but if you want high quality products and fantastic service for the happiest day of your life - you won't be disappointed.

Happy wedding planning! 

Lynsey and Martin Fricker

A Ruby Do Two!

Congratulations to couples Ian and Liz and Chris and Vicky who held a joint celebration party for their fortieth wedding anniversary on Saturday night. I had great fun creating a bespoke theme for their seating plan and table stationery which they wanted to to keep light and playful. Forty years of marriage is no mean feat and we wish them every happiness in their married lives going forward!

Encased in a slick black swept frame, the table names were based on the various places that the couples have lived over the years. My favourite was Splott which is an area of Cardiff.

The background of the seating plan was a huge drawing of cascading ruby shapes each depicting a year of their marriage between 1972 and 2012 and a major world event or historical landmark that defined each year. My favourite was 1981 which read - "Who shot JR?". It was a great way for the guests to reminisce about everything that has happened since the couples tied the knot. Their photos and table inserts were attached on raised plates to the outside of the glazing to give the frame a really dynamic effect.

The perfect keepsake - on arrival at the reception the guests were handed a champagne glass and a pen with which to write a message on a guestbook mount for each couple that displayed their official wedding phtotographs. It was cause for much comment (particularly since both brides didn't seem to have changed very much at all) and was a fab way to get everyone in the mood for a celebration.

Ready, Steady, Go!

I am so excited to present our new range of seating plans, guestbook frames and table stationery which features on our brand new shop site being launched this month in the run up to The National Wedding Show at the NEC on 5 - 7 October. During this time, I will be introducing the new range in detail so please watch this space.

Lakeside View

Congratulations to Joanna & Henry who married on Saturday at Sandhurst. Here's a photograph of our bespoke seating plan outside the marquee at the idyllic lakeside where the reception took place. A lovely touch: instead of using a photograph, the groom sketched the wedding chapel for the centre of their frame.

A Pretty Picture

Here's a nice sight. One of our favourite seating plans gracing the living room of Sasha and Tim who married at beautiful Lainston House in Hampshire over Easter. You can see the way that the couple very cleverly chose their design. As Sasha herself put it: "Tim and I wanted to say thank you...The choice of the frame was spot on, as was the design and they not only matched the character of the Dawley barn at the wedding, but also at our home..."

Here's a picture of the same seating plan at the door of their wedding breakfast at Lainston House:

The perfect illustration of our keepsake ethos: both a stunning momento and a talking point for years to come! See our website for some more recent examples of our work.  

National Wedding Show News

BOYGIRLBOY will attend the National Wedding Show at the NEC Birmingham from the 5 - 7th October. Watch this space for more information and offers as the show approaches. This lovely photograph of her BOYGIRLBOY seating plan taking pride of place in her living room was sent to me by April bride Sasha. 

Game, Set & Match!

Congratulations to Tim and Sasha who married last weekend at beautiful Lainston House in Hampshire. Here is a picture of their bespoke BOYGIRLBOY seating plan on an ornate easel at the door of the dining room. They opted for an elegant, black, swept frame with a double mount in cream and white and a black and white portrait of the couple and their beloved Shih tzu Elizabeth. Both skilled tennis players, the tables were named after great female tennis stars. Game, set and match! 

Pen Pals

I have had an enquiry from a client about the best kinds of pen to give to guests for signing the mount of the guest signature frame she has ordered from us for her wedding in May. It was an excellent question that I had neither been asked before and nor to which I knew the answer. So it was time for a spot of investigation. I have tested 8 different types of ink pen on high quality mount the same as that used in the finished guest signature frames and my findings are detailed below. 

I suppose that you might also find this survey useful for planning any kind of guest message collection on your special day be they in a frame, a book or  elsewhere.

One final thing: I apologise for my horrible scrawl. All I will say is, I come from medical stock.

1. Fountain Pen - prices start from around £5.00 from any stationer or department store

If you are upward of thirty, you will probably remember the days when all school children learned to write at school with this extremely messy tool...and you will also remember being told not to share fountain pens because they accustom themselves to the hand of the writer. Very true. I used my husband's extremely posh Mont Blanc special for this sample. Scratchy, dragging and not recommended.

Verdict: 2/10

2. UNI-BALL Signo £1.99 each from WHSmiths

Not bad although the ink has quite a dull finish once dried (which you might actually like). A soft, continuous flow and a good price if you want to buy a few spares.

Verdict: 7/10

3. BEROL Italic (fine) £1.70 from Paperchase

A little too heavy for my liking but the mountboard takes the ink very well (without bleeding) and it creates an extremely bold finish. The price is good but some guests might struggle with the sharp shape of the nib. Perhaps a regular felt tipped pen would be a better bet if this is the look you're after.

Verdict: 6/10

4. PENTEL EnerGEL Liquid Gel Pen 0.7 £3.99 (pack of two) from WHSmiths

My favourite by far. Inexpensive with smooth flowing ink, quick drying and a strong, clean finish. 

Verdict: 9/10 - BEST OVERALL

5. PILOT V7 HI-TECPOINT 0.7 £2.99 from WHSmith

I've been using these pens since school; ever since I gave up bothering with ink cartridges and bottles. It's another very nice choice although a more expensive one. The ink flows well and dries quickly but the finish is more dull than the PENTEL above (which you may like) but overall the effect is very pleasing.

Verdict: 8/10

6. Generic Black Rollerball around £5.00 for a multipack of 10 from most supermarkets (mine were from Asda)

Very good quality for a mass-produced product. A teeny, tiny bit scratchy in places but this is barely noticeable. The ink is quick drying and dries to to a slightly dull but not apologetic finish. It gets the supreme value for money vote too.

Verdict: 7.5/10 - BEST VALUE

7. PILOT G-TEC-C4 £3.00 from Paperchase

A really good quality, fine writing pen...for anything but this job! Anyone trying to produce a flourish will find it scratchy and awkward. It just doesn't take to mountboard well and the result is faint and a bit weedy. Not recommended.

Verdict: 3/10

8. UNI-BALL VISION NEEDLE (fine) £2.25 from Paperchase

It has what it takes and is branded with the promise of being waterproof which might come in handy. Again, it dries to a slightly dull finish but flows well and dries quickly. The high price however means that it is not the best value for money if you're after a few. 

Verdict: 7/10

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any experiences to share regarding the subject of this post or have any suggestions. 

New Seating Plan Design

Presenting a new square design featuring a non-uniform eight table configuration, double-mounted with table numbers, dedication and photo aperture. The square frame is a sumptuous 7cm cushion profile with silver-flecked gilt finish. The mount is ivory inset (tables only) with burgundy.

Let's Keep it Clean!

Anyone who has been to a wedding will recognise three distinct phases to the day: Phase One - The proper part where everyone is polished, perfect and polite at the beginning, Phase Two - the interim bit where everyone's loosening up and starting to get a bit hungry and Phase Three - the after-dinner drinking and dancing. On the whole, a recipe for a truly magical and memorable occasion. But there will always be those who try might be tempted to try to be clever or naughty or both. I've borne witness to weddings with boob flashing, rows, sobbing bridesmaids, canoodling on snooker tables and people stuffing bits of table dressing into their handbags...and that was just mine. (I jest!) In short, alcohol is a very necessary and very human part of any celebration. So, today, when I was yet again asked what has now become a very common question, it got me thinking about the human condition when it comes to fascinators and champagne and ink pens. Why is it, do you think, that people like to write on plastercasts? Could it be all that clean, white, pure surface waiting to be dirtied and sloganed? It's like a pile of leaves or an expanse of untouched snow. It's temptation. So, how do you stop guests at your big day from spoiling your beautiful clean signature frame with (shall we say) fruity comments or cartoons that might detract somewhat from the lovely sober messages of goodwill when you come to hang it in your home as a momento of your wonderful wedding day. I've had a think and an ask around, and this is what we've come up with:

How to Limit The Risk of Inappropriate Comments on A Guest Signature Frame

1. The first thing is to treat your guest signature frame as yet another stage in the day and make sure you time it right. At some point towards the end of Phase One and the beginning of Phase Two should be perfect; when folks are still on their best behaviour and aren't compensating for being a bit peckish by necking a bit too much champagne. At a suitable point close to the entrance of your reception or in a prominent place close by the gathering is ideal. Make it look purposeful by laying it on a nice crisp cloth and having your florist finish the table with some extra blooms or petals. Making it a feature will draw people near. People love reading messages and tributes and a crowd is most likely to deter any horse play or ill-advised contributions at this stage.
2. Go on! Give your attendants another job to do. As I always say, they're in it for more than the stag do and the dress and they'd better not forget it! Choose a trusted bridesmaid or groomsman and give them the job of getting as many people as possible to sign the mount during the drinks reception. It need be no longer than an hour or hour and a half tops, they can work shifts and, if you make it their responsibility, they'll be on any potential ne'er-do-wells like a tramp on chips.
3. You could make an announcement but this might come over a bit precious or bossy. Nobody likes it when you assume they are going to misbehave even if they know in their hearts that they desperately want to get their hands on that disposable camera and take 36 pictures of peoples bosoms with it. Instead, why not place a witty and easy-going - and yet at the same time crystal clear - sign somewhere prominent advising people to think twice before leaving a message or drawing that includes cheek, profanity or anything that does not in some way reflect their purest thoughts on this most sacred of occasions. (BOYGIRLBOY will be happy to help you with this notice completely free of charge by the way).
4. Have an attendant or member of staff at the venue remove the frame from sight and safely stored during dinner. If anyone important has been missed out (impossible!), then they can always sign it at a later date but seriously, by 8pm, enough is enough. It's time to party!
5. Lastly, a novel one this and probably the most effective by far: Position your signature frame within easy sight of a comfy seating area where many of the more mature guests are likely to gravitate at various points during the reception, the idea being that people are less likely to lark about with granny doling out hard stares in their peripheral vision. It would definitely work with my granny.

What you consider to be inappropriate comment will, of course, be subjective and an affair that is entirely for you, but most people should realise that a wedding is not the place for black humour, life drawing practice or indeed to try out new stand-up material particularly when two, or possibly three, sheets to the wind. By following some or all of these steps, it is my hope that disaster may be averted. Please let me know if you come up with any more.