Let me share my 15 years of experience of planning with you and offer you these bitesize pieces of guidance:
Hire a Wedding Planner (an obvious start!)
A good planner (Jade at Shropshire Events for example !) will be a well of information, have a
trusted bank of suppliers, negotiate on your behalf, save you money, co-ordinate your day, be a
sounding board and ultimately alleviate stress and allow the seamless execution of your dream
wedding.
Prioritise your Supplier Bookings
At the offset of your planning make sure you book the vendors who will more than likely have
busier diaries than others. My general rule of thumb is VOCP (I tried but failed to make it a catchier abbreviation!) Vendor Officiant Caterer Photographer. That said, if there is a non-negotiable element of your wedding that you simply have to have then get it booked asap.
Also where possible try and meet your vendors in person ahead of paying a deposit. It allows you, and them to strike a good relationship from the start which makes the whole process so much more enjoyable.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate (or have your planner do it for you)
More often than not wedding suppliers will have set packages, sometimes with or without possible bespoke additions, but there’s usually some wiggle room with either price or terms, and this can make a huge difference to your budget or the running of your day. For instance (and my regular suppliers won’t thank me for this!) mid-week weddings often allow for a slight nudge on the standard weekend price, vendors just don't advertise it as they can’t always foresee their busier periods or know when they will be more in demand.
Insure or ensure.
If you are having a big or costly wedding, are holding it in a marquee or village hall or know your anxious self won’t sleep unless you have it then wedding insurance is advised. Wedinsure offer 10 different levels of cover starting from just under £40.* Whether you opt for or against insurance for your big day, ensure you gain confirmation for all bookings made in writing!
Reconfirm all bookings one month prior to your wedding to make sure everyone knows where they are supposed to be and haven’t double-booked.
Consider timings
Timings are a great place to start with your planning. Decide whether you want your day to be a short one, a full day to make the most of your venue time, or even a whole weekend/week long affair. Do you want an early start? A late ceremony or finish? A rehearsal dinner or post-celebration barbecue? Believe it or not these initial decisions allow for so much more of your planning to slot in to place.
Don’t lose sight of what is important to YOU (both of you!)
It is so easy to get caught up in what friends and family are doing/have done for their weddings or the vast realm of Pinterest and Instagram, but as you start planning your wedding day sit down together and imagine what will make it special for you as a couple. Are you finer detail people? Foodies? Do you just want a good knees up? Is there a specific venue that is poignant to you and it would make all the difference to hold your wedding there? You can always add to the fundamental parts at a later date.
Don’t copy and paste
Extending the above advice, try to navigate away from a wedding that you are ‘sold’, perhaps for ease or due to a venue or supplier not offering you a lot of choice. You want your day to be unique, just as your relationship is… with your style, your preferences, your aspirations and your vision.
Say ‘YES’ to help
Lighten the load and enjoy a smoother process, especially if you need help with setup the day
before and/or take down the day after. Don’t feel like you’re being a burden or that it should be your job and nobody else’s; this is after all a time of families and friends coming together for you.
Always have a contingency
Keep in mind and plan for the obvious last minute changes like an indoor option if your dream is to be wed outdoors, but also set aside a bit of extra budget for last minute details and remember other cost contingencies such as damage waiver deposits and last minute extras that were either added or needed because of changes in situation.
Plan for AFTER the big day
Hugely important.. the honeymoon! Only joking, yes this is a part of your planning but actually this piece of advice is more about keeping at the forefront the reason why you are having this wedding, why you want it to be perfect, who you are bringing together to celebrate you becoming a legally binding couple ….. your marriage… which encompasses your commitment and partnership (hopefully) forever.
* At the time of posting
