Food, glorious food!

Who'd have thought that it costs more to hire caterers per head than to take your guests to a top restaurant, certainly not me. If you're having a small intimate wedding, then you might want to think about hiring out a private room at a restaurant, this could work out better value.

We've chosen to have our reception in a Church hall, leaving us free to choose our own caterers. It's really hard knowing who to go for unless you have a recommendation, although budget's going to play a part in your decision. In the end we've chosen a local restaurant Miltons to cater for us, because we've really enjoyed the quality of their food and what you get for your pound compares well with others. It's a husband and wife team that run the restaurant and catering business. Sarah is really well orgainsed and accommodating and has made some excellent suggestions without forcing her point of view.

Neither of us like formal sit down dinners at weddings, so platters are going to be served to each table, which should get guests chatting. Sarah and her husband are real foodies and clearly love coming up with suggestions for dishes, so there have been no shortage of options. I'm particularly looking forward to the tower of desserts that each table will be served, definitely going to be the highlight for me!

If you're looking into getting a caterer and live within the M25, here are the contact details for Miltons:
020 8979 5662
5 Ashley Road, Station Approach, Hampton, TW12 2HY

I'll be able to let you know just how yummy the food is after I've eaten it on Saturday!

THE Shoes

I've steered clear of the traditional white dress, so the usual wedding shoes are definitely not for me. Trying to find the right shoes has taken me ages and I've been all over London and browsed online. Part of the problem is that I've been looking for a pair of summer shoes in the right shade of green, which is quite a challenge (had I realised that summer was going to have an uncanny resemblance to winter I would have had a greater choice). Add to this the fact that I'd like a mid-height heel rather than a 6 inch monster and the choice gets even more limited. If you're searching for some original footwear I'd recommend taking a look at the footwear designer Tracey Neuls. Unfortunately my feet are too narrow for her designs, otherwise I'd definitely have picked up a pair.

In the end I decided custom made was the way to go and set about trying to find someone suitable online. Wow handmade shoes are expensive, they seem to start at about £1000 for your first pair, ouch! Eventually I came across Karmen Accessories who stocks made-to-measure shoes by designer Hetty Rose. These shoes are made to fit your feet and are covered in the kimono fabric of your choice. Fortunately when I contacted Karmen, Hetty was on a buying trip in Japan and was able to pick up some beautiful kimono fabric from a textile market to match the colours of my dress.

My experience of organising this wedding has been made so much more enjoyable because of the excellent customer care shown by the independant businesses that I have dealt with. Karmen at Karmen Accessories has kept me up to date with the progress of my shoes and Hetty the shoe designer has been very helpful. It makes such a difference, especially when compared to the sloppy rude service I normally encounter in London. After the wedding I'll upload some photos of the shoes and dress....