Planning a wedding can often be a daunting task, with so much to think about and cram into just one day. It's a huge expense, and it's very easy to get bogged down with the cost and timeline of how your wedding day will pan out.
10 years of experience in the wedding industry puts me in a perfect position to help and share the things I've personally learned and give you some top tips to help your day go without a hitch - leaving you the time to focus on what is going to be one of the happiest days of your life.
I've put together a little list of things that can not only help when planning a wedding but also add a little creative flair and individuality that definitely won't go unnoticed by your guests.
So here goes...
Pinterest - Lot's of you will have probably never delved into Pinterest, but it's a tool I recommend to all my couples. There are honestly so many creative ideas and things that you can take inspiration from, and creating a board with ideas can really help when you're struggling for inspiration on the finer details such as wedding invites, table plans and favours that are just a little bit different to the norm. I always like to ask my couples to share a board of photography ideas with me, it really helps give me an idea of the kind of shots you're looking to achieve from your wedding photography, so when the big day does roll around we're nicely prepared.
Crafting! - We've all got lots of time on our hands at the moment, and it can be really fun to experiment with crafting ideas (taken from Pinterest of course!) that more often than not are more personal and cheaper! I've seen lots of couples create their own table plan boards, place settings, and even wedding invites. Youtube is a huge resource of information, and if you're looking to replicate an idea and put your own spin on it, there are lots of video tutorials that help easily guide you through the process step by step.
Wedding insurance - This is a big one that in my experience always gets forgotten about. The bill for your big day can easily spiral into thousands of pounds, and it's important to have some sort of cover in place to protect you if the worse does come to the worse. It's worth shelling out that little bit extra to get some comprehensive cover and leave you with the peace of mind that one way or the other the money you've spent is protected.
The wedding food! - The simple fact is you're never going to please every single person at your wedding with the food choices you make, but my advice is this. It's your big day, it's your hard-earned cash, so choose a menu that you'll enjoy first and foremost. Obviously making concessions for vegetarians and people with allergies shouldn't be ignored, but in that instance, speak with your caterer who will have contingency plans for those people with dietary requirements.
Table plans - From speaking with all of my couples, I find that the politics of wedding planning can sometimes cause a massive headache. There's always that one member of the wedding party that you're a little worried about not getting along with everyone and the question of who you're going to sit them next to ensure they're not causing too much trouble for everyone else. I've found that keeping families grouped together, mixing the groomsmen and the bridesmaids, and positioning the older generation away from the rowdier tables will go a long way to making sure everyone does have a nice time. And that one person you're worried about? Ask the best man to keep an eye on them. That doesn't mean they have to be standing there like a bouncer for the entire day, but it's helpful to keep them in the loop so they can jump in and deal with it if any problems do crop up.
So there we have it! This is by no means an exhaustive list, and this is only a small snippet of the tips and tricks I have up my sleeve to help my couples.
The excitement of the big day and hearing what you have planned often rubs off on me and I always like to hear what surprises and little personal touches you've created, so I can grab a couple of shots of them too amongst the all-important photos!
I'm proud to say that I've remained firm friends with all of my couples. There's certainly been no shortage of occasions where brides (and Grooms!) have given me a call at all hours of the day worrying about details or asking me for my opinion on an idea they have for their wedding, and I'm always happy to help where I can.