The moment... it happened. He did the proposal, fancy or not
fancy, however you may have dreamt it to be... or maybe you proposed... who knows. Whatever way, you said yes, and it's so exciting! Everyone wants to hear what happened and how it happened and what you said, and then, all the big, tougher questions start getting asked! When are you going to get married? Where? Are you having a Church Wedding? Who is making your cake? Are you registering? And so, so many more millions of questions that you hadn't even contemplated, even if you'd already thought that you had thought of everything! Trust me, there are even more questions. And the nearer it comes to your wedding, the worse it gets. The more little questions, of the most trivial parts of your wedding, to the point that you literally couldn't care less about how Aunt Margaret is going to get from the ceremony to the reception, or what the gluten-free vegan girlfriend of your best man will eat. But... with the hard work, tears and tantrums, comes the best day. The day that you won't forget - everyone says that it rushes past, and it really does. But you still want everything that You want for Your special day. So where on earth do you start?
Well, firstly. Don't worry about the silly little things. They can come much later. Get the big things sorted first of all.
1. Venue
You can't sort anything else out without your venues. Book your ceremony and book your reception. There is lots to consider here... key focus is the catering, entertainment, venue manager, and where your ceremony takes place. Think about the photographs, and the amount of people it can fit.
2. Catering
Start off with a discussion about what you and your partner want for your catering - is it a buffet, a formal 3-course, or something a bit different? Make sure your caterer are willing to vary their food for various allergens and intolerances, and keep an eye on the cost... A favourite of mine is a pig roast, and we highly recommend Park Farm Pig Roasts! http://www.parkfarmpigroasts.co.uk
3. Transport
If you need transport, get it booked now. Don't worry yourself too much over it - just make sure you and your partner can get to and from the ceremony. Worry about the rest later.
4. Photographer/Videographer
Photographers book up quickly - make sure you get a really good look at previous work they've done, read some testimonials, make sure you are on budget, and get them booked in. We love Caz Holbrook - she really loves getting the best and most special moments from your weddings. https://www.cazholbrookphotography.co.uk
5. Florist/Venue Decorations
Again if you are after flowers, these can also get booked up quickly. Make sure you look at previous work, and check your budget. Flowers can really ruin a wedding budget! Decide on exactly what you want before you go, so that you don't get suckered in to their beauty!
6. Cake
Get some ideas for what you want from a cake, and look for some local cake decorators. Get some quotes, and go for it! Jenny's Cakes is our resident cake decorator, and we love this nautical themed cake she made for a wedding in Cornwall! https://www.facebook.com/jennyscakedecoration/
7. The Entertainment
This could be anything - you may already have a resident DJ at your venue. If not, look and shop around for your ideal music. There are lots of other entertainment ideas to look into as well, including Magic Mirror Booths, Photo Booths, Marryoke, Casinos, Magicians, and loads more. Again, they can get pretty booked up, so get this sorted as soon as you can.
7. The Rest
The rest involves anything you want it to - but it can all wait. That is, save the dates, wedding invites, gift lists, centrepieces, drinks, canapés, order of ceremony, favours, table plans, post boxes, further venue decoration, further entertainment, extra transport, bridesmaids, and bachelor parties.
So get yourself a cup of tea, and get some ideas together. I highly suggest a way of keeping all the little ideas that you like together. My favourite way of doing this is using the Pinterest App. This way, any picture that you like, any little idea that you see on a website, you can instantly pin, and keep on your own board. Then when it all gets a bit too much, you can take yourself away, but you won't lose all your fantastic ideas.
And if all of this post has got your heart rate elevated, the clammy hands, and feeling a little dizzy, get in touch. If you hadn't noticed, I plan weddings - as much or as little input as you need, whether it's a full blown wedding planner, some consultancy time, or a day co-ordinator. Good luck!!
Written by Zoe Giblin, partner in Your Special Day
www.yourspecialday1985.co.uk
www.facebook.com/bysamandzoeharris