With the start of the school term, September has a distinct back-to-school feeling. Parents often feel the pressure with the onset of children’s parties, so we have compiled our favourite ideas to ensure everyone has a happy and stress-free day.

The first point of call for your party will be choosing a suitable child-friendly venue. Try unusual places that will add atmosphere to the day, and even a small amount of decoration can give a recognisable place a party feel.

After the guest list has been drawn up, use invitations that tie into the theme of your party. Marvel-shaped characters announcing the date, place and time of your party, or personalised printed invitations in a bright colour are a stylish touch. We also find that emailing a stunning Paperless Post invitation is an efficient and chic way to manage your entire guest list online.

Food can be a challenging aspect of any children’s party that needs creative thought. Rather than worry about each child’s dietary requirements, why not get the children involved? We have done pizza-making parties, where the children add their own toppings and then watch the wood-fired oven turn their creation into their tea. Give each child a chef’s hat and a personalised apron, and you’ll have the whole group saying “yes Chef” as one.

The birthday cake should be a show stopper – all children love admiring a birthday cake. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate the birthday boy or girl’s favourite theme, and we like to keep it a surprise until the very end of the party.

To keep all the children engaged and having fun, consider an entertainer who can turn a good party into a great party. We love the inimitable Sharky and George for their energy and wonderful array of ideas for all types of parties. http://www.sharkyandgeorge.com/

Hopefully tired and happy after a fun-filled party, send children off with a party bag to remember. Our favourites have been retro paper bags with vintage toys, pet goldfish (required prior parental consent) for a zoological party, a set of plants to grow at home, or after a cinema outing, small bags of popcorn. Alternatively, the classics never die – which child can resist a balloon to take home, or you could add glitter or colourful confetti for extra sparkle!

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One of the hardest sartorial challenges of wedding planning can be choosing bridesmaids’ dresses. Accommodating different tastes and styles of the bridesmaids, while creating a picture perfect look can cause headaches. We have some hints on how to make the process easier and who our favourite designers are.

Choosing a dress which offers classical tailoring, modern elegance and can be worn again is a tall order, but we love the beautiful bespoke dresses from the ethical fashion house of Beulah London. Natasha Rufus Isaacs, co-founder of Beulah London, discusses the importance of the bride having a choice in the style of the bridesmaids’ dresses and the trends the brand have seen this year.

Beulah Sabitri Dress

“Trends we have seen are brides choosing a silhouette from our collection and ordering a bespoke dress in a particular colour/ silk fabric. The Beulah bride is looking for a mix of contemporary elegance and vintage design. She wants a dress which is unique to her and embodies timeless elegance. She is able to choose the style and detailing to create her bespoke wedding dress.”

Bespoke dresses are becoming increasingly popular and contribute to a unique and original aesthetic for the wedding day.

Our top tips for how to make a decision on bridesmaid dresses:

• Offer your bridesmaids a choice of either a long or short option in your chosen style.

• A classic outline with a modern twist will ensure the photos stand the test of time.

• Link your bridesmaid dress colours to the overall scheme and include younger bridesmaids’ dresses with coloured sashes and ribbons. We love the range from Little Bevan for younger bridesmaids and flower girls. http://www.littlebevan.co.uk/

Prices for a bespoke Beulah bridesmaid dress start at £800. Please contact Beulah London http://www.beulahlondon.com or visit their store 145 Ebury Street.

Image courtesy of Fin Fellowes – Bespoke Illustration and Stationery.

It can be the smallest elements that make the Big Day one to remember. Couples are choosing to personalise and make key features bespoke more than ever before. Traditionally tables have been numbered or named after memorable places, however with a growing popularity for less conventional seating plans, placecards have come to the fore as an important aspect of the bespoke seating arrangements. Quirky and unusual items bearing names are as popular as pared-back cards with beautiful calligraphy.

Here is our guide to placecards:

First choose whether to match the wedding stationary or identify the specific theme to the event. Our own design for ikat-bordered placecards has been featured on the US site, Vogue.com

For a hint of nostalgia we like vintage tea cups with luggage tags on saucers to make an interesting talking point for guests. Or for a themed party, we loved using printed record labels for place settings as seen at our Austin Powers themed party.

Tie in with your favours. If you are deciding to use favours or a tipple for the toasts, labels make a wonderful personalised gift and double as place cards. Fill small bottles with vodka or sloe gin for extra special toasts! A satin ribbon in a matching colour can be used to attach the label and adds a hint of glamour. Or engage your guests with the dining experience by printing individual personalised menus instead of placecards.

Typeface matters; decide if you are going to have these handwritten or printed. Handwritten implies a more personal touch and we recommend stylish calligraphy to set the scene for elegant dining. Make sure that the names are clear for quick and easy seating of guests. We love the work of Fin Fellowes for her bespoke wedding crests, monograms and wedding design boards. These timeless and stylish placecards are perfect for chic weddings. http://www.finfellowes.com/

For an individualised and quirky look, brides are often choosing non-paper alternatives to be eco-friendly. The world is your oyster! Make sure your surface is flat and clear. We have seen pebbles from favourite beaches, shells, leaves and ceramics. Try calligraphy on these different surfaces using metallic pens or write directly on mirrored table tops.