HOW TO PLAN YOUR WEDDING

Securing your wedding suppliers is one of the most exciting milestones in planning a wedding, but the choice can be overwhelming. If you're struggling to decide, look at our recommended list of the UK's best wedding suppliers HERE.  

 

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Securing your event suppliers is one of the most exciting moments in planning your upcoming celebrations, but the choice can be overwhelming. If you need help, please review our recommended list of the UK's best event suppliers HERE.  

 

HOW TO PLAN YOUR WEDDING

If you're planning a wedding, chances are you have been overwhelmed by the number of decisions to make. Who should be at your bridal party? What kind of flowers should I order? Which photographer is best for me? What type of cake do I want? It's easy to get lost in all the details and forget what matters most: this day will only come once. 

Planning a wedding can be stressful. With so much to do, it's easy to get overwhelmed. That's why many couples are turning to hiring a professional wedding planner or at least getting a copy of the digital wedding planner. This blog will give tips on planning your wedding without getting too caught up in the minutiae, so it doesn't take over everything else.

Inspiration mood-board

A wedding inspiration board is a great way to help you plan your perfect day. It's a fun and easy way to get ideas from all kinds of sources; for example, you can easily upload images from places like Pinterest or Instagram. Using a digital planner allows you to create unlimited inspiration boards. Create, pick the perfect one, and share it with your wedding vendors.

Tracy Lavin events UK's best wedding and events planners London Events AtelierPlanner Tracy Lavin Events

Priorities

Start planning your wedding by thinking about what matters most for your big day. Do you want the best food? Specific entertainment? The prettiest venue? Note it down. Once your priorities are listed from top to bottom, you can move on to the wedding budget. 

EMMA MURRAY-Jones UK's leading wedding and event plannerPlanner Emma Murray-Jones Weddings & Events.

Wedding Budget

With the average cost of a wedding in the UK at £30,000 and climbing, it's essential to plan your budget. Whether you're paying for everything yourself or have help from family members, it is almost inevitable that there will be some unexpected costs when planning an event like a wedding. It can be hard to come up with the extra funds needed for things like flowers, food, decorations and entertainment. But by being creative about where you spend your money and what you spend your money on, on-you can get more bang for your buck! Read more in our blog post "How to plan your wedding budget?".

Sharron Gibson UK's Leading Wedding PhotographersVenue Marylebone Town Hall, Photographer Sharron Gibson

Wedding Guest-list

The first thing that comes to mind when you think of a wedding guest list is the number of people attending. This should be your second thought, as it's essential to know what size venue you're looking at and how many seats are available. The other thing to consider is who will attend your destination wedding or not-so-traditional ceremony. For example, if you have a close family friend who lives in another country, they may want to come for the weekend but won't stay for the ceremony itself. It's also worth considering those guests with mobility issues or disabilities—will they need wheelchair access? Will their caregiver need a seat for them too? It's good etiquette to check with all your guests about their needs before sending out invitations!

Wedding entertainmentEvent Entertainment Entertainment Nation 

Wedding venue

Picking the right venue for your wedding is a big decision! Whether you're having a small intimate affair or a large celebration with hundreds of guests, there are venues for all budgets and styles, so don't worry if it seems impossible at first. Research what kind of ceremony style fits your needs: religious, non-religious, indoor/outdoor. What size event do you want? Etc...

Arosemakeup UK's leading wedding event makeup artist London Events AtelierBridal Hair & Makeup Arose Makeup

Wedding seating chart

A seating chart is a diagram that helps you plan your wedding reception. It can help track who has been seated where, and it's perfect for people who have trouble remembering names or faces. The more complicated the family tree, the more difficult it can be to keep things straight. If you have a sizable guest list, a seating chart will help avoid confusion or awkward moments on your big day.

Lindsay Pemberton UK's leading wedding cake designerCake Make Lindsay Pemberton

Wedding Cake

What cake design should you choose for your wedding? What flavour is best for the event? How many people will be attending your special day? These are all questions that need to be answered before a choice can be made. The best thing about choosing your cake supplier is getting precisely what you want. 

Peboryon wedding cake designer UKCake Maker Peboryon

Wedding Catering

A good catering company should be able to provide a range of services, including but not limited to finding food vendors, providing servers and bartenders if needed, coordinating rentals like chairs, tables and linens and helping plan out logistics for parking lots which are often required at weddings. Write down your preferred wedding caterers, including their contact details, location, availability & cost. Remember to mention any allergies or specific food preferences.

Rocket Food UK's leading event catering supplierCatering Rocket Food

Wedding Drinks

Remember to consider what drinks you'll serve. You could serve champagne or sparkling cider for the toast at the reception. Or you may want to try something different, like frozen lemonade or fruit punch. What will everyone drink while waiting for their turn on the dance floor? How about water bottles filled with flavoured seltzer or spiked lemonade? And then there's always coffee and tea! So many tasty options! If you want guests to remember your special day as one full of rich tastes and lively conversation, make sure plenty of beverages are available.

The Rum Runner Wedding and Events Drinks Specialist mobile bar UKWedding & Events Bar Rum Runner

Wedding Flowers

Are you ready to plan your wedding flowers? It's a daunting task. First of all, know that two factors will affect what kind of flowers you use: your budget and your style. You can save money by using less expensive bouquets or using fewer flowers in each bouquet, but if you need to figure out how much time and energy this will take on your part, it might be worth investing in some more expensive arrangements instead. What's most important is that whatever decision you make reflects who you are as a couple! If this is an ultra-traditional event with lots of lace and pearls, go ahead and buy those pricey arrangements!

Larry Walshe UK's leading wedding event floristFlorist Larry Walshe

Wedding Registry Tracker

A wedding registry is a list of gifts or items you would like to receive at your wedding. An excellent way to plan and manage your registry tracker is by using the registry tracker template from the Digital Wedding Planner, which will help you create a personalised list of items for guests and act as a reminder to send "Thank you" cards after the event.

It's important to remember that this day will only happen (hopefully) once, so it is worth taking the time and effort to have a wedding you'll never forget. Whether you want a traditional ceremony or something more quirky, or if you're having an intimate affair or one with guests from all over the world, there are ways for every bride to create her dream wedding. 

 

FAQ (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS)

What is the best date to get married in 2023?

It's best to get married in September 2023, when the lucky days in the zodiac are Virgo and Libra. These months fall in the autumn season, considered a time of change and new beginnings, and September is also considered a month of harvest, abundance, and fertility. The Virgo sign is associated with orderliness, cleanliness, and attention to detail, while the Libra sign is associated with balance, harmony, and cooperation. So if you're looking for a date that will bring good luck in all areas of your life, September 2023 is it!

What are the 2023/2024 wedding trends?

1. More couples are choosing to have destination weddings.
2. There is a growing trend towards unique, custom ceremonies and receptions.
3. Couples are increasingly opting for intimate gatherings with fewer guests.
4. Rustic, natural venues are becoming increasingly popular.
5. Live music is still trendy, as are DJs and band performances.
6. Photo booths and fun, unique wedding favours are still in style.
7. Miniature desserts and sweet buffets are gaining popularity.
8. Couples are spending more on their weddings than ever before!
9. Vintage decor is making a comeback, especially shabby chic details.

Who pays for the wedding?

The bride and groom typically pay for their wedding, except for the engagement ring, which the man traditionally gives to the woman. However, there are no hard and fast rules regarding weddings, so any variation on this arrangement is possible. For example, some couples might split the costs evenly or have one person cover most of the expenses. Ultimately, it's up to the bride and grooms themselves to decide who pays for what.

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