Essential Details:

Where: 320 Portswood Rd, Southampton, Hampshire SO17 2TD (map below).
When: November 27th 2010
Time: 8:00pm
Special Guests: D CODE (rock covers band playing music by Kings Of Leon, Paramore, U2, Good Charlotte, Greenday, No Doubt, The Killers and many more!).

Let us know if you’re coming on Facebook: http://fb.me/Nau0uIuf

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A beautiful and clever letterpress printed design.

Suzanne has kindly let us ask her a few questions about Prettywild, giving a great insight into what she does and how she works:

Q&A…

How long has Prettywild been going for?

I started Prettywild Design in 2006 but the desire to have my own business took root a long time before then.

Did you train as a designer?

I spent 4 years at Ravensbourne College in the late 80′s on a foundation course and Graphic Design degree course. Our intake were the first to have access to Apple Macs so I was an “inbetweener” of two generations of design practitioners. In addition to being part of a technological revolution we also learnt old-school type mark-up, manual artworking with a bromide & scalpel, and preparing pristine mock ups for clients, tracing from type sheets with a 0.25 rotring pen, which was still used in some the places I worked after. They were all important disciplines that have given me really meticulous handskills for some of the work I do now.

Do you design on the computer, or do you create things by hand?

For a brand new design I always start with my trusty sketchbook and then later work up ideas and artwork on the Mac. That way it concentrates the idea first, rather than getting bogged down playing with the details before the idea is fully explored. It will also evolve over the stages of making prototypes. I have to keep in mind that I could be making them in batches of hundreds so they have to be feasible time and budget wise. It’s not unusual to find me weeping whilst attaching my 874th diamante and vowing never to make them again!

An elegant wedding invitation.

Take us through the stages you take when producing some wedding invitations for a couple.

Most of the orders are based on my own pre-designed invitation styles from my website which are customised and personalised to suit. In this case either hard or digital proofs are sent to the clients for approval prior to making up the full order.

Bespoke commissions work in a different way. I’ll usually spend several days researching and brainstorming ideas in a sketchbook based on a client brief. I’ll choose the three or four that I consider are the most suitable and initially present them to the clients as a series of computer roughs and notes. The client will usually have a favourite but often like bits from the other ideas too so the next stage will be to create a workable sample set addressing their comments, likes and dislikes, and put together a realistic quotation working to their budget. From there I’ll produce full proofs and the order is made. It can be quite a long and involved process so an initial design fee is required for this type of work.

Do you like couples to come to you with ideas, or do you prefer to create something completely from scratch?

I think couples tend to choose a bespoke design because they already have something in mind or a specific theme that they have been unable to find ready-made stationery for. But the most successful designs result if the brief is kept quite loose and the clients are open to ideas and suggestions. I like to find out their favourite colours or a scheme they are already working to, any items & services they’re considering for their big day and a little of their personalities and hobbies.

Do you find the gals have more ideas than the guys?

90% of the time I’m contacted by Brides. The other 10% are a mix of Grooms and parents. I often find that if the Groom is liaising directly with me they tend to be surprisingly conservative and prefer very plain, but elegant and traditional style invitations. I’ve wondered if this is perhaps because it’s Brides that overwhelmingly buy wedding magazines and tend to research every minutiae of weddings on the internet so they will have seen so many other possibilities. They’ll often consider the style of the day as a whole, reflecting their own and their bridesmaids’ dresses, flowers, table decor etc. But that is a huge generalisation. I particularly love it when Brides come back to me and say “I’ve just shown my Fiancé your designs – it’s the first time he’s been really enthusiastic about the planning”.

What’s your favorite job you’ve worked on so far?

Loads, but the two in particular are a bespoke commission from a few years ago loosely based around an Alice in Wonderland theme, and recently a music festival style table plan poster, based on the couple’s shared love of certain gigs they’d experienced together. Both couples were amazing to work with.

Truly wild! A unique music festival table plan poster.

Have you had any strange requests?

I worked for a lovely couple who were marrying by a Scottish Loch and specifically wanted two otters on their invitations. You often get strange requests for table names on seating plans eg. Carry-on Films. What one couple may consider strange and “unweddingy” is another couples to a tee. But I love ‘out of the ordinary’ – it gives the stationery personality.

You can find out lots more about Prettywild by visiting prettywild.co.uk. Suzanne also tweets regularly: twitter.com/Prettywildwed

Essential Details:

Where: Southampton Guildhall, Civic Centre, Southampton, SO14 7LP (map below).
When: September 30th 2010
Time: 5:00pm – 9:30pm
Entry fee: £3.50
Extras: Goody Bag with gift for Bride & Groom.

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We hope to see you there!

Can the band play the song?

Barry White and his unique loving growl!

This sounds slightly ridiculous, but it’s a bit more complicated then you might think. Whilst the band you’ve picked for your wedding reception may be musically spot on, they may not have the capabilities to play your chosen first dance tune. For example, the singer may not be able to lovingly growl like Barry White or the band may not have the female vocalist to complete the duet for the Dirty Dancing song. If you’re unsure if the band can play the song, just ask. They will be the best people to advise you and if they say it’s not possible, you can always play the original version over the sound system.

Have you planned your first dance moves?

Rehearsed your first dance? Let the band know. Sometimes bands can tweak or alter the structure of a song to benefit the show. If you’ve practiced to the original track and then the band play things slightly differently on the night, the whole spectacle might go a bit pear shaped!

Speed

A good band will be conscious of song speed.

Another thing to keep in mind is that live music can sometimes be played at a slightly faster or slower tempo. This is a pretty normal human element that comes into play with bands. Good bands will be very conscious of tempo (especially the guy at the back on the pots and pans!) and will play songs very close to the original track. This could effect things for you on the dance floor, so keep in mind that you may be dancing slightly faster or slower then you practiced.

Is there enough space?

The first dance is often the most anticipated moment for any wedding party goer. Things may get a bit crowded when it’s time for you to dance! Make sure there’s a spacious dance floor, a good space for the band to play comfortably, and enough room for your friends and family to watch and take photos.

All in all, if you plan your first dance very closely with the band, the night will be unforgettable. Just make sure you get the above points sorted and you won’t regret getting the band to play.

Have a question about this post? Ask us by leaving a reply below…

Choose a song that’s personal to you both

It’s easy to think of songs that would sound right for a first dance, but it’s important to choose a song that means something for you as a couple. Think back to when you first starting dating, or the first time you met, is there a song that really stands out? It might be a song from a film, or a band that you went to see. Perhaps there’s a song with lyrics that relate to your relationship. Choosing the right song is important.

Not a fan of the lovey-dovey? Go for the funny!

For some, the whole lovey-dovey vibe just isn’t right, but a first dance is still a must. Plenty of people are opting for the light hearted approach. Just take a look at this video…

Let your guests know when the first dance will start

As well as the first dance being important for you, it will also be important for your guests. Make sure you let your guests know 5-10 minutes before the first dance is due to begin. You could get a friend or relative to announce it over the PA system. That way your wedding guests can get their cameras ready and gather around the dance floor.

Long songs can be a bit boring

Keep in mind that your guest will want to stand around the dance floor and watch the first dance. Whilst it’s important to have the right song, you don’t want a song that goes on forever and leaves your guests a bit bored and wanting to sit back down again! A good tip, if your chosen song is long, is to make a shorter version by fading the song out after 3 or four minutes.

Getting a live band to play your song?

Getting a live band to play your first dance song is a great idea, but there are a few things to think about. We’ll be covering these points in our next post!

Have you thought about any points that we haven’t included? Leave a reply to this post below…

In this three part article we’ll discuss the most popular songs, things to consider when choosing a song, and finally, points to consider when asking a wedding band to play the song live.

First off, here’s a list of the top 10 most popular first dance songs in the UK:

10

‘My first, my last, my everything’ by Barry White

9

‘Amazed’ by Lonestar

8

‘Chasing cars’ by Snow Patrol

7

‘Better together’ by Jack Johnson

6

‘(I’ve had) the time of my life’ by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes (from Dirty Dancing)

5

‘It had to be you’ by Harry Connick Jr

4

‘Fly me to the moon’ by Frank Sinatra

3

‘Everything’ by Michael Bublé

2

‘Lets stay together’ by Al Green

1

‘Can’t take my eyes off of you’ by Andy Williams

What do you think of the list? Are there any songs you feel have been missed out? Let us know by leaving a comment below…

Part two of this article is now live, read it here.

Who are the Six Bearded Fish?

We are Six Bearded Fish, a four-piece function band from the UK. We play rock n’ roll, rock, funk and pop music from the ’50s and ’60s to the present day! ‘The Fish’ were formed back in 1999 and for over ten years have been entertaining at parties, weddings and corporate events.

We’ve played venues of all shapes and sizes, from outdoor marquees and function rooms at hotels and village halls, to larger venues, such as St. Mary’s Stadium and Southampton Guildhall in front of hundreds of people.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the band, visit our main site. Here you will find videos, photos and info about the band. Make sure to let us know what you think!