If you were reading my facebook page yesterday you will have noticed there has been a momumental change in the marriage laws, namely the time you can now marry.

“From today, October 1 2012, the UK will join the 21st century as outdated restrictions on marriage and civil partnership times are removed. The Home Office have announced that people wanting to get married or register a civil partnership will now be able to do so any time of the day or night under the Protection of Freedoms Act. Couples were previously restricted to between 8am and 6pm. ”

The New Law Doesn’t Apply to Church of England Ceremonies

At present, both canon law and the 1949 Marriage Act say that weddings can be conducted only between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The restriction in the Marriage Act will be lifted from 1 October, when provisions in the Protection of Freedoms Act come into force. But the new law does not amend canon law.

Read more: Churchtimes

But will the venues want to do ceremonies at midnight or later?

Local authorities will not be forced to conduct marriages outside the traditional hours so it remains to be seen how in reality this change in law will affect the majority of weddings. Yes, some venues will do well from a midnight or 3am ceremony a-la vegas style (think blackpool tower or tower of London) but I think that will be the minority.

Read more: Daily Mail Online:

What this law does mean is more flexibility

Not every couple want to have a full day of drinking and eating, many say to me they want a wedding more reminiscent of a Mediterranean wedding. They want the wedding to feel like they have just gone out for a dinner, albeit a luxury one.

Of course, having a later ceremony can help with the budget restraints as a later ceremony means evening food is unnecessary and if you are paying for all the drink, less drink is going to be consumed. I can see 6pm being a popular time to marry as this still gives couples some time in the evening to celebrate with family and friends.

Possible timetable – no dancing

Emphasis on a leisurely meal. No fuss or frivolity, I’ve shortened the ‘drink reception’ into a cocktail hour as I feel this will flow better. I’ve allowed longer for the meal in case of cheese & port courses!

6pm      Ceremony

6:30      Cocktail Hour

7:30      Speeches & cake cutting

8:15      Wedding Breakfast/Supper

10:30    Carriages home

Possible timetable – whole shebang

Emphasis on a having an evening party more similar to evening balls. Again I’m allowing an hour for the drinks (normally it’s 1 ½ hours) , slightly less on the meal but some time for dancing!

6pm      Ceremony

6:30      Cocktail Hour

7:30      Speeches

8pm      Wedding Breakfast/Supper

10pm    Cutting of the cake + first dance

10:15    Evening music commences

12am    Carriages home

What would an evening ceremony look like?

Ok so I know we don’t have the evening heat of the Mediterranean but an evening ceremony lit by fairy lights, lanterns orlittle candles – just imagine how pretty that will look.

But of course you might decide to hire a lighting speciaist to light up those trees and have fireworks released just as you finish exchanging vows.

“Being able to have an evening ceremony really does provide a fantastic opportunity to create a real atmosphere with the use of a tailored lighting design. Any number of ideas can be utilised to ensure you get exactly the look and feel that you’re after. For example, fairy lights can be used in their thousands to create a magical, intimate setting or coloured lighting can be used to highlight your venue and help unify a colour scheme. The possibilities are almost endless!” James, Wedding Creative

What about the photography?

If you’re worried about not having any daytime images why not adopt a little trend from the U.S and ask your photographer to do a ‘First Look’. There is where some private shots are done before the ceremony – I’m not going to explain this is full details because Michelle – pocketful of dreams does it so well and has many images for you to look at as well! Below is an image from a wedding planned by Californian planner, Whitney Drake. The beauty of the ‘First Look’ is you get some daytime shots of you as a couple then beautifully lit ones of the ceremony and wedding breakfast etc.

“I think it’s great that couples have an opportunity to get married at whatever time they want, obviously it makes my job more challenging in terms of lighting the wedding but I would brief my “Bride & Grooms” beforehand so they are aware of the type of photography they will be restricted to. To me a wedding should be whatever the bride & groom wants, if only they could lift restrictions on where you can get married…..now that would interesting” Jasmine Photography

But what do you think?

Whether you are getting married or if you’re a venue or supplier, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Photo Credits:

Church: Mydas Photography

Outside ceremony with the moon Noel Delpilar  

Outside ceremony with trees lit up: Trump Int’l Beach

Ceremony with white chairs Silverstone Golf Club via weddingwire

First Look Photo Boxlight  photography & wedding planned by the gorgeous Whitney from Wish Wonder Dream

Congratulations you’re engaged! You’re on glad nine, your fiancé has declared his love and asked you to become his wife, you excitedly talk about the future and your wedding day. You dream about the dress, partying with your friends and of course becoming husband and wife.

But, then the panic sets in. Just how do you plan a wedding, where should you begin? Originally published in 2009 my planning guide has been updated to set you on the right path.

What Wedding do you want? (part 3)

I have noticed a difference in budget allocation over the last 2 years due to the economic uncertainty we have all faced, bride and grooms included. Couples are being more realistic about what they can afford and reluctant to get into debt for their wedding (quite rightly so). So if you are newly engaged how can you ensure you spend the money in the right areas?

Parts of my advice below were published on English Wedding blog in 2011

What’s in the wedding ‘pot’?

Think about when you want to get married, is it this year or in 18 months time. Do you have savings set aside for the wedding, if not then work out your expenditure vs your income, what is a realistic amount to save? Add this figure to any contribution from family to give you your realistic budget. Without producing a budget from the outset it is very easy to get carried away and spend money unnecessarily. For example 45% of your budget will normally go on the reception, this only leaves you with 55% for all suppliers, outfits and the ceremony. Are there some family members that will be providing a service or skill as their wedding gift to you? Always have a contingency of about £500-1,000 for those items you never knew you ‘needed’! In order to cut costs think carefully about every aspect of the wedding and what your priorities are, what areas can you save on?

Talented helpers

Ask friends and family or even the local community to actively help you with the wedding. Perhaps someone has a hidden talent like cake making, hair & beauty or does someone have a luxury car that can be used as the wedding transportation. Maybe your in laws are enthusiastic gardeners, they could make up pots of flowers for you to use as centre pieces or line the aisle with.

Homemade with love

Where possible consider getting creative and make the design items for the wedding. Not only will it give your wedding a design edge it will be totally original and memorable.

Get wise

If you need to cut costs then think about what is really important and where money can be saved. Does it matter that all stationery coordinates? Instead of flowers why not have candle holders instead? Candelabras inexpensive to hire and very elegant.

Enthusiasm vs Experience

Contact your local colleges and universities; those studying music could play at your drink reception or maybe there is a university band that would love to entertain you for free? The catering students might want to make canapés or your cake for you. And let’s not forget those studying floristry, I’m sure they would provide their services for free as long as you buy the flowers (wholesale) for them. At the same time though work out what is important to you, if photos are especially high up your list ensure you pay for a professional photographer – this isn’t the time to ruin future memories for the sake of a few hundred pounds.

Photo Credit: Kerry Morgan

Congratulations you’re engaged! You’re on cloud nine, your fiancée has declared his love and asked you to become his wife, you excitedly talk about the future and your wedding day. You dream about the dress, partying with your friends and of course becoming husband and wife.But, then the panic sets in. Just how do you plan a wedding, where should you begin? Originally published in 2009, my planning guide has been updated to set you on the right path!

What Wedding do you want? (part 2)

Reception Venue

You might already know where you want your wedding reception. Perhaps you hold romantic visions of a castle or if a country girl at heart then I’m sure the barns will draw you in. There are many factors to consider when choosing a venue. Use the tips below as your guide when selecting venues. Also check our venue series http://www.dream-occasions.co.uk/category/weddings/venues to see if we have typed a report on it before.

1. Will the wedding take place where you currently live or where you were bought up?  Think about whether you want a city location or would prefer to be surrounded by the countryside. If guests are travelling far then good access would be appreciated. Is it necessary for you to have exclusivity or would the general public wandering around add to the ambience.
2. If you are unaware of venues in the area you wish to marry then you need to start the sometimes tedious and time consuming task of researching. To be successful use a range of methods when trying to find the best venue.
• Speak to family and friends in the area for personal recommendations
• Go onto Google and type in ‘wedding barn Suffolk’ or whatever your preference and location is
• Buy the local wedding magazine like those from County Wedding
• Buy wedding venues & services magazine
• If you wish to have a civil ceremony then does the venue have a license and if so which room? What is the maximum number of guests they can accommodate in a ceremony? Most venues charge an additional fee for a ceremony on top of the registrar’s fee.
3. The cost of the reception can encounter for about 75% of your budget so think about the venue charges. As well as welcome drinks and table wine and of course the wedding breakfast itself.
4. If no Saturday’s are free then are there reductions for mid week weddings?
5. Ask about on site accommodation for you and your guests, much easier being able to stumble back to your room after a hard days partying. Ideally there should be a variety of accommodation near by within a range of budgets. Think about arranging a shuttle service at night to get guests back safely.
6. Can the venue accommodate the number of anticipated guests comfortably? You want to have enough room around the tables for staff to serve proficiently.
7. Will your venue co-ordinator work on your wedding day? Do you have a good rapport with them and can they answer all your questions about how the day will run? If worried consider hiring a planner even if just for the day, I have a range of services that might be suitable you need someone on the day to implement all your ideas and plans. Ask whether they take on all table decorating on the day or whether you need to delegate to someone else.
8. When viewing your venue have a look round the grounds and ask what will be exclusively available for you and your guests on the day. If you anticipate a lot of children then be aware of nearby roads or ponds.
9. When viewing venues look carefully at the décor and general maintenance. A well maintained means the owners care about their venue and as such you their client.

 Photo Credit:Mark Bothwell

Congratulations you’re engaged! You’re on cloud nine, your fiancée has declared his love and asked you to become his wife, you excitedly talk about the future and your wedding day. You dream about the dress, partying with your friends and of course becoming husband and wife.But, then the panic sets in. Just how do you plan a wedding, where should you begin? Originally published in 2009, my planning guide should set you on the right path!

Step 1 – What Wedding do you want?

One of the first things I do with clients is to conduct a consultation; this is to determine what style of wedding they want and which suppliers will suit them best. So, although you will not need a consultation with yourself, do compile a questionnaire and go out somewhere relaxing to discuss it. By the end of your evening you should be clear on what you both want from a wedding and most importantly, what you can afford.

1. Talk about when to get married

2. Discuss what you both want from a wedding

3. Compile a rough guest list to get an idea of numbers (you will need this for when you start searching for venues)

4. Discuss type of ceremony i.e religious or civil

5. Talk about the type of venue you would prefer, i.e hotel, manor house, barn, marquee etc

6. Choose wedding attendants

7. Talk about who is paying for the wedding, is it solely you or are parents contributing to part or all of the wedding?

Be organised from the start

You will need somewhere to keep all the wedding documentation. There are many specialist books made especially for this purpose otherwise buy a simple display book or filing folder from your local stationery store. You should keep invoices, supplier letters and pictures you like here, easily assessable when needed. Of course for the technical brides out there, consider having a wedding website where pictures can be stored and guest lists compiled and tracked.

Rough Guest List

It stands to reason that ideally you’d have all your family, friends and work colleagues at your wedding. Remember though that every guest has a price to their head and not just the wedding breakfast, but drink, table flowers, favours and stationery. Create an A & B list, that way if anyone from the A list declines you can invite someone from the b list.

Ceremony type

There are many forms of ceremonies, too many to list here so I have just concentrated on the most popular ones in the UK.One of your first major decisions will be what type of ceremony to have. Will you want a religious or civil ceremony? If you wish to marry in your local church then arrange a meeting with your vicar, most require you to attend church on a regular basis but some are flexible so do check. The banns will be read out in church on 3 consecutive Sundays after which you must marry within 3 months. Try http://www.cofe.anglican.org/lifeevents/weddings for further guidelines.If you wish to have a civil ceremony then contact the registrar in the town you wish to marry. They will then send you a list of licensed venues in that area along with details of local register offices. The earliest you can confirm a date with a registrar is 12 months before, so even if you book a venue 18 months in advance, there is no guarantee on the ceremony time or even availability of a registrar until 12 months.If you are planning a civil partnership then again by contacting your local registrars you will be given a list of licensed venues in the UK.

Alternatively if you want to plan something different then why not have a legal civil ceremony followed by a humanist celebration? These can take place anywhere and are as individual as the couple themselves. You may have any reading, poem, song that you wish and the ceremony can be conducted anywhere, i.e. beaches, cliff tops, gardens, boats etc. go to humanism for further details.

Ceremony Time

Early ceremonies are good if you have lots of entertainment planned and evening guests. A later ceremony is perfect for the same guests all day creating a more relaxed atmosphere. A late ceremony means a late wedding breakfast and reduces the need for evening food. A cheese table with bread and fruit is more then sufficient.

Photo Credit: Kerry Morgan & Nick Kontou

Congratulations you’re engaged! You’re on glad nine, your fiancée has declared his love and asked you to become his wife, you excitedly talk about the future and your wedding day. You dream about the dress, partying with your friends and of course becoming husband and wife.

But, then the panic sets in. Just how do you plan a wedding, where should you begin? In our fortnightly series we will break down how to organise a wedding like a professional wedding planner. In our 8^th instalment of our planning guide we continue with the final detailsIn the last two months you need to be cross checking all your supplier confirmations thus ensuring everyone involved with your wedding knows what they are doing.

1-2 Months

• Finalise table plan & layout
• Give final numbers to the caterers
• Chase missing RSVP’s
• Organise dancing lessons for the important ‘first dance’

Copyright Kerry Morgan

Table Plan

The easiest way to do this is on the computer enabling you to move guests around from table to table with relative ease. Otherwise put guests names on small pieces of paper and pin to a foam board (available from art shops) round each table, you can see what tables are near to each other and whether children have easy access to toilets or gardens.

Bridal Fitting

Go for your final fitting and hopefully take your dress home. Speak with the designer regarding any special instructions on getting into the dress on your wedding day and how to store it after the wedding.

RSVP

Keep track of these on a daily basis and never put off adding the confirmations to your master list. You don’t want a situation with guests turning up on the day who you have not allocated a seat; yes it does and has happened! Detail whether they are coming, dietary requirements and whether they have bought a present from your gift list.

Final Month

Everything is organised but it is a matter of confirming details and ensuring everyone knows what to do on the wedding day.

• Attend wedding rehearsal
• Buy gifts for the wedding party
• Pack holiday clothes
• Produce a wedding schedule for key members & venue
• Remind key people about the wedding speeches
• Reproduce all supplier contracts for the venue
• Run through duties with ushers & best man
• Start to wear in your wedding shoes at home

Wedding Rehearsal

Most religious ceremonies will include a rehearsal as standard whereas civil ceremonies do not. If you want to run through the plan for the day then ask your venue if you can use the ceremony room for 1 hour for you and the wedding party. But your venue will have final say on a civil rehearsal without any registrar in attendance. Think about who will walk down the aisle first and in which order, I always think bridesmaids going down first creates a more dramatic entrance for the bride.

Insider Tip – take deep breaths before walking down and remember to walk slowly, sounds obvious but when nervous people tend to walk fast.

Supplier Letters

Send confirmation letters to all suppliers reconfirming what you expect from them on the day. Give a copy to your wedding co-ordinator if you have one so they are fully aware of your plans. Include directions and a schedule for the day along with emergency numbers, i.e. your co-ordinator or maid of honour.Top Tip – check whether any suppliers need feeding on the day.

Stationery

Have the order of service printed and write out the place cards. Put all table stationery in a separate envelope per table, this makes it easier for your co-ordinator or venue to lay out for you on the wedding day.

Insider Tip – have a few extra place cards in case some get damaged or you have guests drop out and subsequently fill their seats.

Speeches

Check that the speeches have been written and practiced; also give key speakers an estimated time in which to complete it in order for the timetable to be kept. Who will announce them if you do not have a toastmaster or co-ordinator then perhaps a family member will provide this honour?

Copyright Harvey Collard

Catering Plan

Your venue or caterers will need final numbers about 8 weeks before the wedding. Don’t forget to let them know about children, allergies and dietary requirements.

In our next and final instalment we cover the actual wedding day. If you think you would like help planning your wedding dont forget to visit our main site

Photo Credits: Kerry Morgan & Harvey Collard

Congratulations you’re engaged! You’re on glad nine, your fiancée has declared his love and asked you to become his wife, you excitedly talk about the future and your wedding day. You dream about the dress, partying with your friends and of course becoming husband and wife.

But, then the panic sets in. Just how do you plan a wedding, where should you begin? In our fortnightly series we will break down how to organise a wedding like a professional wedding planner. In our 7^th instalment of our planning guide we talk about the final details.By now most details will have been finalised leaving you to concentrate on bringing all the elements together. If you have been buying items for your tables then ask to visit your venue one day when they have tables laid out and decorate one table. This gives you an idea on how far petals go and in fact why less is more, you don’t need to clutter tables to create a beautiful look.

2-6 Months

• Book overnight accommodation for you if necessary, plus block book rooms for guests
• Choose favours
• Book beautician and hairdresser
• Finalise ceremony wording
• Choose gift list
• Send out invitations
• Buy the wedding rings

Favours

If you want favours for the day then start researching them now. Will you want something memorable or simple? Do you have the budget to spend on substantial favours? I always think favours that fit in with the theme are best. For example miniature jams, fans or packets of seeds work well for country themes.

Beautician

Book a trial with a wedding makeup artist, be honest with them about what you like or dislike. Remember makeup needs to be heavier then usual in order to show up in the photos and last the duration of the busy day.

Hairdresser

Can your regular hairdresser put your hair up for you or do you need to find a freelance person. Definitely book in some trials and show pictures of what you wish to recreate.

Ceremony Format

Start thinking about any readings you wish to have in the ceremony. These will need to be approved by your priest or registrar prior to the wedding so do this early in order to make any amendments and then print the order of service sheets.

Top tip – why not print the order of service on a paper fan providing dual purpose on a hot day?

Photo Credit: Harvey Collard

Congratulations you’re engaged! You’re on glad nine, your fiancée has declared his love and asked you to become his wife, you excitedly talk about the future and your wedding day. You dream about the dress, partying with your friends and of course becoming husband and wife.

But, then the panic sets in. Just how do you plan a wedding, where should you begin? In our fortnightly series we will break down how to organise a wedding like a professional wedding planner.

In our 6^th instalment of our planning guide we talk about the design.

6-9 Months

The wedding is getting closer so now is the time to think seriously about your design and what you want the day to be like. Make a scrap book of magazine pictures as I’m sure you have hundreds at home. Section the images into flowers, décor, cake & stationery. This will help when meeting a florist or cake maker.

Florist

The flowers will make a big impact on your wedding style so choose a florist carefully, ask to view their portfolio of previous weddings and ask how long they have been doing it. There are many freelance florists who specialise in wedding & event flowers so are familiar with larger displays and how to create the wow factor. Discuss your initial ideas and colours with her and ask for suggestions on what flowers are in season and what would work well for your wedding.

Remember to ask about:

• Bouquets
• Button Holes
• Ceremony Flowers – pew ends, altar, registrars table, pedestals
• Reception Tables
• Reception entrance
• Reception focal points

Cake Maker

When selecting a cake maker think about whether you want a  simple cake to cut & serve or whether it should be a dramatic feature of the day.  Is it to be sliced in the evening or served as a desert. How many guests does it have to feed (daytime + evening guests + cakes to be posted). Ask your venue for recommendations on local cake makers and visit their studio to see current designs. Then compare to the more national designer cake makers. Talk about the fillings and style of cake you like i.e.  traditional, cup cakes, contemporary or chocolate. Popular flavours include:

• Lemon drizzle
• Carrot
• Ginger
• Rum and raison
• Cherry
• Chocolate
• Coffee

Stationery

The wedding invitation is the first chance guests get a glimpse of the wedding style and design. It can be an exciting process selecting the right designer who understands your vision for the wedding. Think about whether you want stationery designed bespoke for you or whether you are happy to choose pre designed versions. Ask for samples so you can check the quality of their work. What type of card is the stationery printed on, is it textured, coloured, floral or iridescent? Does the sample arrive in good condition? Local fairs are a good place to see designs in the flesh and quality check them. Also search the internet for stationery companies. Visit Chartula who offer some tips on etiquette or appropriate wording as well stunning stationery.

The stationery used in a wedding normally includes:

• Save the dates
• Wedding invitations inc. RSVP, directions & info card
• Order of service
• Table names
• Seating cards/tags
• Table plan
• Thank you cards

Congratulations you’re engaged! You’re on glad nine, your fiancée has declared his love and asked you to become his wife, you excitedly talk about the future and your wedding day. You dream about the dress, partying with your friends and of course becoming husband and wife.

But, then the panic sets in. Just how do you plan a wedding, where should you begin? In our fortnightly series we will break down how to organise a wedding like a professional wedding planner.

In our 5^th instalment of our planning guide we talk about some of your suppliers in more depth.

Photographer

Think about what you want from your photos. Do you want an album of modern images or would you prefer to buy your own high street version? Is it vital to have a CD of images to print and share with friends around the world? Will you want traditional posed photos or mainly reportage? Personally I think a good photographer is vital to capture all your memories from the day. Is the photographer willing to work with you and your vision or do they seem set in their ways? There are many styles to choose from traditional, modern, artistic so browse photographer websites to see what style suits you best. Some of my favourites are: Harvey Collard, Kerry Morgan, Lloyd Dobbie, Tim Bowden

 Videographer

Videos are gaining popularity after a decline in recent years. Visit some fairs and do some internet based research. Ask to see actual wedding demos and not a show reel which of course has been edited superbly as a sales tool. Has it been shot in focus and is the editing seamless. What effects have they included, does it add to the film or detract from the footage itself? What is included in the price and what is extra. If you do not want a traditional video then what about Super 8 cine film. It’s very stylish and has a classic vintage feel, this does tend to cost more then standard video/DVD filming.

Entertainment

Of course you will want your guests fully entertained on the day both day and evening, the options are literally endless. To begin will you want any professional singers or musicians for the ceremony? As with everything else check references and demos. Back at the reception the musicians can continue playing or you can book additional entertainment. In the evening a band or disco is the most popular options but to get your thinking caps on here are a few more choices for the day/evening. A good agency will have most of these on their books.

• Harpist
• String quartet
• Jukebox
• Opera Singers
• Gospel singers
• Guitarist
• Pianist
• Caricature
• Silhouette Artist
• Magician
• Comedian
• Life statues
• Casino
• Professional dancers
• Tribute bands
• Look-alikes
• Party bands
• Discos

Caterers

If your venue allows outside catering or you are having a marquee then you need to start looking for good reputable caterers. Does the venue have a list of recommended companies familiar with the venue kitchen & layout? If not look through local wedding magazines, wedding fairs and the internet. Ask whether they have experience of weddings and check their relevant insurance & food & safety certificates. Check what is included in the price and what is extra, for example some companies have a set price including linen, staff and equipment whereas others charge these items separately. How many staff will they have on the day, any less then 1 per table of 10 then start to worry! Ask how long they need to serve your wedding sufficiently and how big they need the catering tent (if needed) should be. And finally have a food tasting nearer the time to choose your menu, cutlery, crockery & glassware.

Dress

This is one of those moments you have been dreaming about for years so make the most of it. Make a list of some bridal shops to visit, why not do some local and some in town? Decide who you want to go with you and set a girly date. Start to think about the styles you like and of course dislike but enter this stage of planning with an open mind. The dress style you like is not necessary the style that suits you. Make notes as to what you liked or disliked about the dress so you remember when digesting the day afterwards. If you cannot find one you like then think about browsing US websites, even with shipping and additional seamstress costs it may work out cheaper. Otherwise why not have an individual dress made for you, its not as expensive as you may think. Once the dress has been chosen you need to select a veil, shoes and accessories.

Top Tip – don’t make too many appointments in one day otherwise you will be checking your watch constantly, try to fit in afternoon tea or lunch to discuss the dresses with your Mother or bridesmaids.

Photo Credits: Kerry Morgan & Nick Kontou

Congratulations you’re engaged! You’re on glad nine, your fiancée has declared his love and asked you to become his wife, you excitedly talk about the future and your wedding day. You dream about the dress, partying with your friends and of course becoming husband and wife.

But, then the panic sets in. Just how do you plan a wedding, where should you begin? In our fortnightly series we will break down how to organise a wedding like a professional wedding planner.

Tom & Mel

In our 4^th instalment of our planning guide we talk about getting all those fabulous suppliers on board. The type of suppliers you could be hiring include:

• Photographer
• Videographer
• Cake
• Stationer
• Transportation
• Entertainment
• Nanny/crèche
• Décor specialist
• Beautician/hairdresser

You can find suppliers through personal recommendation, bridal magazines, wedding directories, blogs, twitter, wedding fairs and venue recommended supplier lists.

Don’t rush into any decisions and make sure you make all the appropriate checks before confirming any. Don’t assume a wonderful website means they are a fabulous supplier, someone make be excellent at PR & marketing but have very little experience of the job itself. Ask to see references and when necessary copies of their insurance. Of course one of the best ways to select a supplier is via personal recommendation but, because a florist was perfect for say your cousins wedding, does it mean they are perfect for yours?

When comparing suppliers do so on a like for like basis, shortlist down to 2-3 before making your final decision. Once you have hired a supplier add them into a payment spreadsheet detailing when deposits are needed, final payment details, address & any special instructions. This helps you keep track of your wedding expenditure.

Stay in touch with your suppliers advising them of any changes to your wedding like design but esp. if you have changed the date or venue!

 Photo credit: Lloyd Dobbie

In the 3rd part of our wedding planning guide we discuss how important it is to budget for your wedding from the outset.

Step 1 – What Wedding do you want? (part 3)

Budget

If there is one thing that upsets me greatly, it’s seeing couples struggle to pay for a wedding they cannot afford. Please work out what you can realistically afford to save and speak to your parents about any contribution they can offer. Do you have any talented relatives or friends that can lend a helping hand? The key is to have a wedding you can afford without compromising on style. Discuss with your fiancée what elements of the day are important to you, i.e entertainment, venue or number of guests. You then spend money on the areas important to you and save on other areas, for example spending £3 per favour for every guest is not a necessity whereas perhaps a good photographer is?

If family are contributing towards to wedding, put it towards something like a photographer or transport. Once you use that money for the reception, you open yourself up to conflicts in terms of who ‘should be invited’. Use the below % breakdown as a guide when working out what to allocate to the reception or suppliers.

In the next instalment we will discuss how to hire your dream team.