Bucks &amp; Oxon


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-food">The food</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="998" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Lamb_Cristina-Ilao07023-copy.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-154304" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Lamb_Cristina-Ilao07023-copy.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Lamb_Cristina-Ilao07023-copy-800x532.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Lamb_Cristina-Ilao07023-copy-1000x665.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Lamb_Cristina-Ilao07023-copy-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Lamb_Cristina-Ilao07023-copy-789x525.jpg 789w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The rise of local and seasonal food at weddings is a huge trend. A nod to the couple’s favourite cheese, beer and even chocolate are making appearances on wedding menus as part of their personal stories, with provenance and supporting local business also an important part of the equation. We&#8217;re  proud to work with several farmers and small producers that create really beautiful artisan ingredients that we share with our clients and their guests.</p>



<p>Another trend that is on the rise are longer celebrations. Gone are the days of a one-day affair, these days you can say hello to a three-day fantasy starting with a welcome reception on the Friday, wedding celebration on the Saturday and finishing off with a brunch or BBQ lunch on the Sunday! Each meal shared is completely different to the other and each dish on the menu is unique to the couple, from cocktails and canapes to right through to late night food. &nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/lamb-catering-oxfordshire/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Samantha Stonehouse</em>, <em>Lamb Catering, Oxford</em></a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-bling">The bling </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="400" height="279" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/platinum-and-0-77ct-laboratory-created-diamond-engagement-ring-e1703580804282.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-154305"/></figure>



<p>While the engagement ring is always the star of the show, wedding bands need to complement it. Simple metal bands never go out of fashion, but we&#8217;re seeing more women and men choosing set diamonds too. Note of warning, you&#8217;ll need to wear with care as it needs to last a lifetime! Titanium is a great option for grooms looking for a modern wedding, industrial looking ring. They&#8217;re also very light, durable and more affordable. A common mistake is overloading on the jewellery. Bridal jewellery needs to be kept simple. If the neckline of the dress doesn’t allow for a necklace, invest in the earrings. Drop or stud will depend on if the bride&#8217;s hair is up or down… there&#8217;s a lot to consider!</p>



<p><em><a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/biagio-the-jeweller/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Biagio the Jeweller, Thame and Bicester </a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-venue">The venue</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Untitled-design-2023-12-11T114746.828.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-153780" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Untitled-design-2023-12-11T114746.828.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Untitled-design-2023-12-11T114746.828-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Untitled-design-2023-12-11T114746.828-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Untitled-design-2023-12-11T114746.828-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>What we are seeing from couples heading into 2024 is a wish to transform spaces to really reflect the personalities of the couple.&nbsp; They don’t seem to be satisfied with just a few florals, drapes and fairy lights, their vision is to take a gorgeous blank canvas and then build on it with layer upon layer of their personalities, stories, and vibe &#8211; case in point was the recent couple transformed our incredible 14<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;Century barn into their fairy tale Winter Wonderland for the weekend, above. </p>



<p><em><a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/the-tythe-barn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Emma Deeley, Director, Tythe, Launton</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-booze">The booze</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/London-Spritz-Serve-copy.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-154111" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/London-Spritz-Serve-copy.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/London-Spritz-Serve-copy-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/London-Spritz-Serve-copy-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/London-Spritz-Serve-copy-525x525.jpg 525w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/London-Spritz-Serve-copy-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Or for those who love Aperol Spritz, the fabulous <a href="https://hoxtonspirits.com/london-spritz-70cl/">Hoxton Spritz Amaro</a> with sparkling wine has flavours of Morello Cherry, raspberries, lemon &amp; Fennel. For many years now welcome drinks served at weddings have not varied from either bubbles  or Pimms. However, now we are finding people want to support local producers more and try something new. We really enjoy vermouth year-round at weddings and think they make wonderful aperitifs. West Oxfordshires own Wood Bros Distillery and Freedom of the Press winery make a lovely collaboration <a href="https://woodbrosdistilling.com/products/wood-brothers-x-freedom-of-the-press-dry-vermouth?_pos=1&amp;_sid=7440c216e&amp;_ss=r">Vermouth</a>. Or for a summer wedding, instead of Pimms try <a href="https://reverendhubert.com/products/reverend-hubert-summer-cup">Reverend Huberts Summer Cup and soda</a>. This has lovely flavours of plum, pomegranate and rhubarb. </p>



<p><em><a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/eynsham-cellars-eynsham/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oli Gauntlett, Eynsham Cellars</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-sustainable-choice">The sustainable choice</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Untitled-design-2023-12-11T114720.710.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-153782" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Untitled-design-2023-12-11T114720.710.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Untitled-design-2023-12-11T114720.710-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Untitled-design-2023-12-11T114720.710-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Untitled-design-2023-12-11T114720.710-525x525.jpg 525w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/Untitled-design-2023-12-11T114720.710-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Gold is still growing in popularity, with some customers even bringing in their white/silver jewellery to be gold plated and others using rose gold for their wedding bands (see our recent commission, above). Many more people are also recycling the gold that’s been in their families for generations and getting it remodelled into something new. This is a trend we can see continuing into 2024 &#8211; it seems to have become a more popular choice since the cost of living crisis. &nbsp;<br>Lab diamonds continue to grow in popularity as they offer incredible value for money and I&#8217;ve also noticed a trend towards more adventurous gemstone choices &#8211; dark blue sapphires in particular are popular with my customers at the moment.</p>



<p><a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/artisan-jewellery-west-wycombe/"><em>Justine Holliday, Artisan Jewellery</em>, West Wycombe </a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-flowers">The flowers</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="2250" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/thomas-william-Q3PzwHKpEdc-unsplash.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-154303" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/thomas-william-Q3PzwHKpEdc-unsplash.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/thomas-william-Q3PzwHKpEdc-unsplash-533x800.jpg 533w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/thomas-william-Q3PzwHKpEdc-unsplash-667x1000.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/thomas-william-Q3PzwHKpEdc-unsplash-267x400.jpg 267w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/thomas-william-Q3PzwHKpEdc-unsplash-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/thomas-william-Q3PzwHKpEdc-unsplash-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/12/thomas-william-Q3PzwHKpEdc-unsplash-350x525.jpg 350w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>This years’ Pantone colour of the year is Peach Fizz. Peach is always a popular colour when it comes to wedding&nbsp;flowers, but this year we expect the demand to increase even more. Paired up with deeper shades of pink and maroon, this lovely soft tone fits in wonderfully with summer weddings. In the Autumn it matches perfectly with those copper tones and jewel colours we love to see at the end of the year.&nbsp;</p>



<p>More and more couples are doing the work themselves. We&#8217;ve seen a real increase in demand of DIY flower buckets. Brides love the idea of getting involved with the simpler arrangements, like table decorations, and leaving the more complicated things, like bouquets, to the professionals. DIY buckers are a wonderful way to keep costs down, whilst incorporating beautiful seasonal flowers to your wedding day.</p>



<p><em><a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/howe-farm-flowers-aylesbury/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amber Partner, Howe Farm Flowers, Dorton</a></em></p>


DING DONG! Wedding tips for 2024 brides

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