You’ve booked your venue, what’s next?
It might not seem like the most glamorous of planning tasks but as a venue we recommend getting yourselves some wedding insurance. The cost can vary but will cover a multitude of potential mishaps should anything untoward happen on the run up to the wedding or on the day itself. The insurance will cover things like lost wedding rings, cancellations due to illness or immediate family bereavement and financial failure of suppliers. Sadly, they won’t cover you for a rainy day, but it should at least give you peace of mind.
Budgets and Spreadsheets
If you’re working to a budget its important to know where you stand as you go through your planning process. Create a spreadsheet, list your suppliers, venue and caterer. Whether you spend £4.75 in Paperchase or £600 with your florist, take note of it. You can then see where your money is going and will help should you need to tighten the purse strings. Having an excel spreadsheet as your best friend won’t do any harm.
Next up… your photographer/videographer and evening entertainment.
You’ve been following a band on Facebook for what seems like months and you’re desperate they play at your wedding, there is nothing worse than discovering that they are already booked. Like any good band, photographers and videographers are busy people so it’s worth checking their availability as soon as possible. Photographs and music are a very personal thing when it comes to weddings, so you need to make sure you feel comfortable with them and like their style.
The wedding dress!!
You’ll probably have scoured Instagram and Pinterest for wedding dress inspiration, but any shop or boutique owner will tell you that you’ll need order your dress at least ten months before the wedding. You might try on one dress or you might try of fifty but the more time you allow yourself to shop the less stress it will cause. If you’ve booked your wedding with less than ten months to go many shops and boutiques will have a sale rail or dresses, you can walk away with on the day. It might just be a case of a few simple alterations.
Now for the rest of the fun.
There will be cake tastings, menu tastings, you’ll need stationary, a florist, outfits for the bridal party, hair and makeup, the list goes on. Decide on a color scheme or theme and this will help tie everything together for you and make things slightly easier. Your florist and cake supplier will be able to assist with all of this too and might even come together for cake decorations.
The all-important bling.
You’ve got the engagement ring of your dreams now you just need to wedding ring to seal the deal. It might be that there is a wedding band to match your engagement ring so its an easy task but if ring shopping is required then again, shop around.
Don’t forget to register your intent to marry!!
You can submit your marriage notice between 29 days and 3 months prior to your wedding, however it is recommended that you do this 8 – 10 weeks before the ceremony. Regardless of who is conducting the ceremony, you must submit your notice to the registration office within the district you are to be married in.
The area of least control… the Stag and Hen Party!!
If they can be trusted with the task, leave the Best man and Bridesmaids to it. This will take a lot of the pressure away and you can focus on the wedding plans.
Spreadsheets and paperwork galore!!
Your invites with the exception of a few have been sent back, you discover how many people have conformed to a vegan lifestyle and who doesn’t like mushrooms. Its time to work out who is sitting where and create your table plan. Whether you’ve gone banqueting style or square, people need to be seated. We will have floor plans to help guide you through this and your chosen caterer will let you know how to seat people and in what order. This helps to ensure that a seamless food service can be delivered throughout the wedding breakfast. If you’re having a printed table plan your stationer will also need copies of this.
The finishing touches.
The big things will be done but now it’s time to make sure you’ve got everything you want. If you’re dressing the tables yourselves have you enough fairy lights? Name cards for the tables? Enough empty gin bottles for the table flowers? Making lists is the easiest way to ensure you are in control and avoid going into a flurry of panic days before the wedding.
The Big Day…
You’ve done the planning and now your wedding day is here. Relax and enjoy it. Try to get a good night’s sleep the evening before and while its easy to enjoy many a glass of prosecco don’t forget to have breakfast. You don’t want your rumbly tummy featuring as part of your nuptials. You’ll both know what is going to happen throughout the day as you’ll have been over your wedding schedule a million times. Let you event manager take control and enjoy. It is the biggest day of your life after all.
Finally, a few do’s and don’ts…
- Do read contracts, you don’t want any last-minute costs or surprises
- Do ask questions, you’ll only regret the ones you don’t ask.
- Do give people jobs to do, it’s all about teamwork
- Do make it personal, it’s your wedding day
- Don’t be scared to set social media boundaries, you don’t want fifty iPhone screens getting in the way as you walk out of the church for the first time as a married couple
- Don’t panic, you have a hugely experienced team on hand to take the pressure off
- Don’t leave things until the last minute, have a couple of days off work before the big day itself, if time will allow