When it comes to planning your dream wedding there is a lot to think about. From who to invite to what sort of flower you’ll have on your invitations, even the small decisions can become huge. I’ve been a wedding photographer since 2014, and over that time I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks when it comes to wedding planning. So, here are my top 10 tips for planning your wedding.
Budget
My top wedding
planning tip is to make a budget. Talk to your partner, agree what you will
spend on your wedding and stick to it.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the moment, add on extras and suddenly be
thousands of pounds over budget – ultimately making your wedding a stressful
experience.
When you talk about your budget it’s not about how much your day will cost, it’s about what you can afford. If you want to split that figure into how much you’ll spend on each aspect of the day, be my guest. Not considering what you can afford can end in loans, credit card debt, and arguments in the run up to your day.
I’m not suggesting you need to ask your parents about every decision you make, but when it comes to things like guest lists and wedding photographs it’s important they’re included. They’ll point out anything obvious you’ve forgotten (like missing Grandma off the invite list) and asking for any photographs they want will make them so happy.
Being honest with your
wedding party from the start takes a huge stress away down the line. If you’re
intending on paying for everything – tell them. If that’s not in your budget –
tell them that too. If they’ve agreed to be in your wedding party then they
won’t mind either way, they just need to know what’s expected.
Be Realistic
Take a moment to think
about the last wedding you attended. Did they have chair covers? What about in
the evening? Did they have a light up dancefloor? Canapes or welcome drinks?
What wedding favours did they have?
If you can’t answer all these questions, the chances are your guests won’t be able to either. These are the extras I was talking about earlier – they’re nice to have but ultimately forgotten (sorry!). If you need to cut back on spending, look here first.
There are some parts
of your day you have no control over. The weather, your guests, and wardrobe
malfunctions. All you can do is be prepared. I’d suggest having umbrellas on
hand no matter what the forecast is, and an emergency wedding pack that
includes: safety pins, needle & thread, plasters, headache tablets,
sanitary products, eyelash & nail glue and mascara. If you feel you need to
talk to guests prior to the wedding do so.
The more prepared you are the better you’ll feel on the day.
You’ll need to make sure your guests have all the information on your wedding, including directions to the venue, where they can stay, or taxi numbers if needed. If you’re having a sit down meal with no options, check dietary requirements of your guests too. Baby changing tables, being breast feeding friendly and accessibility in your venue is also important.
If you have 100 day
guests, choosing a venue that only holds 80 isn’t a good idea. If you have
family members that struggle with travel, choose somewhere local (unless you’re
looking to not invite them…). If you’d love everyone to stay over, make sure
there are enough rooms.
I’d suggest making a list of what’s important to you, and making sure each venue you look at ticks every box.
This is so important,
particularly when it comes to venue capacity. If the evening capacity at your
venue is 150 guests, do not invite more than that. Going over capacity can void
insurance, make it difficult to evacuate in an emergency, and make the space feel
over crowded. There’s nothing worse than having to fight your way to the bar in
an overcrowded venue!
It’s also important to stick to the rules of your contracts with all your suppliers. They’re there for a reason – to make your day run as smoothly as possible.
There are a lot of things that you can DIY, and some things you can’t. I cannot stress enough that booking professionals is never a waste of money. Friends and family may offer to make your cake, take your photographs or create your centrepieces, but unless they’re professionals in their field it can all go horribly wrong. It’s also much more difficult to tell your friends and family what you want, or speak to them if you’re unhappy. Booking suppliers you trust will help take some of that stress away.
My final tip is: be comfortable. Choose an outfit, accessories, shoes and underwear that make you feel as fabulous at midnight as they did when you first tried them on. The last think you need on your wedding day is to feel anything less than amazing.
BIO
I’m Charlotte and I opened Charlotte Elizabeth Photography back in 2014. I
specialise in wedding and family photography, helping to tell your story
through beautiful, natural images. Based in South Yorkshire I photograph
weddings all over the UK and beyond.
https://charlotteelizabethphotography.com/
https://www.facebook.com/CharlotteElizabeth2012
https://twitter.com/PhotoCharl
https://www.instagram.com/charlotte.elizabeth2/
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