Five ways to make
wedding planning a breeze
You’ve said ‘Yes!’ to the love of your life, you’ve shared the joyous news with your close friends and family, and you’ve got a date in the diary. The months leading up to your big day are thrilling, as you strive to achieve nothing short of perfection for this all-important event. It’s a big investment, and we all know that perfection is hard to achieve, so now’s the ideal time to put your trust in a wedding expert to help you manage your wedding budget, styling and design. Here we offer you 5 tips on how to make the time between saying ‘Yes’ and ‘I do’ as easy (and joyful!) as possible…
1
With people asking you questions left and right, your family and friends giving you advice freely, suppliers needing to be contacted, booked and paid, it’s easy to lose sight of your purpose and the reason why you’re doing this in the first place. The main things should be sharing your big day with the people you love and creating memories to treasure forever. Having a framework when the pressure mounts will help ward off stress and keep you focussed on what you want to achieve.
HAVE A VISION
For your framework we suggest you consider:
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Atmospheric: How do you want to feel? Think of a few words that you’d use to describe the atmosphere or /vibe you dream of for your special day. Is it extravagant & enchanting, intimate & magical or vibrant & fun?
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Styling: What do you want your flowers & accessorisation to visually look like? Do you want luxurious & overflowing, romantic, dreamy & abundant or contemporary, elegant & understated glamour?
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Design: What elements are you looking for in your floral compositions? Are you looking for petite & understated or big & bold? Are you looking for subtle contrasts between the colours or vibrant clashes? Do you love soft & delicate or bold textures? Do you want movement and rhythm in your florals as you glide down the aisle? Do you want scented florals to evoke memories for years to come?
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Colour Palette: What kind of colours are you drawn to? Do you love the classic neutrals of ivory, nude and sage, the delicate and poetic pastels of pinks, blues and lemons or the vibrant and contrasting colours of warm oranges with cool blues? Or if you are unsure, let your expert pull your palette together.
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Planning: Do you want to be totally immersed and in control of every detail of your wedding or would you prefer the expert to deliver your sensational vision?
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Family, friends & fur babies: Are you looking for a small and intimate gathering of those close to you, or a glamorous and indulgent event with all your family and friends gathered together?
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Location: Your florals should complement the surroundings of your chosen venue. Is it indoors or outdoors? Is it modern & contemporary, historical& grand or rustic & natural? Does it have high or low ceilings? What colours are in the room/garden? Does it lend itself to a ceremony feature? …and don’t worry about what’s ‘normal’ for the space or what other couples do, go with your instincts and/or consult your floral expert, and you’ll create something you love that's unique.
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Memories: Capture memories in your flowers, what special memories do you associate with flowers? Do you have fond memories of your late grandad growing Dahlias or the yellow roses your partner bought on your birthday?
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Sustainability: How important are environmentally friendly flowers and sustainability to you? Have you considered your carbon footprint?
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Investment: Which flowers are most important, - your personal bouquets, your ceremony or your reception? This helps you determine where you can compromise and where abundance is important to you. Make sure your floral designer is in line with your vision and try not to opt for the cheapest supplier, you need to connect with them and trust them to deliver.
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Make it Personal: YOU, You’re the secret ingredient to the day of your dreams, so be confident, and authentic and weave your personality into your florals. Use this as your inspiration. What’s your favourite colour, outfit or perfume? What’s your passion or hobby in your spare time? How would you describe yourself in a few words?
'...you ensured I could put all my trust and faith into that my vision will become a reality'
becki & saracen
Iscoyd Park, Shropshire
2
Create gorgeous wedding collections on Pinterest or Instagram so you can choose the kind of style you want to go for and, once you’ve decided on your style, theme and colours, find the venue that’s right for you. With the venue sorted, make a list in priority of all the suppliers you’ll want/need. Think about photos, catering, florals, cakes, music, hair and makeup, celebrants, wedding planners….ask the venue for any they recommend, but do your own research too. Developing your personal vision and style is especially important when thinking about things such as your wedding florals, for example, which are so much more than bunches of flowers. They are the fragrant, focal point of your wedding style – a source of enchanting colour and scent which will evoke memories of your wedding for years to come. Whatever your flowers mean to you, they are sure to be a key feature of your wedding day. Getting them right will set the mood for the rest of the day and ensure that your guests will find the day as romantic as you will.
SPEND TIME DOING YOUR RESEARCH
3
Going wedding dress shopping, or wine tasting, or discussing your wedding florals with a designer are all wonderful excuses to celebrate and have a fun day out. Why not treat yourself or your bridesmaids to an indulgent manicure, enjoy a scrumptious lunch at your chosen venue, or have a celebratory cocktail when you find your dream dress? It’s not every day that you do these things, and it’s all part of the exciting build up, so take time to enjoy every step along the way.
ENJOY THE WEDDING JOURNEY,
NOT JUST THE DESTINATION
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They need to be on the same page as you when it comes to your style and personality, and above all, your unique vision. Devise a schedule of the day’s events, including when you will need your floral designer or hairdresser to arrive, ceremony time, what time the wedding party will be sitting down to eat, even the cake-cutting/first dance times - and don’t forget to share it with your suppliers and the all-important people in your wedding party. Treating your suppliers with respect and helping them out in the run-up to the wedding will come back to you on your big day when you’re full of emotion and reliant on the good relationship you’ve fostered with them.
CREATE GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
WITH YOUR SUPPLIERS
'.....trust in the experts they are there to help and guide you along your incredibly exciting journey.'
becki & saracen
Iscoyd Park, Shropshire
5
Don’t expect things to always go to plan once the big day arrives, because there’s always a chance they won’t! Have a list of people you can delegate to when plans inevitably change at the last minute, so you can relax and just focus on enjoying your day. Your floral design expert and/or wedding planner can be in the wings to take over and make sure all the last little details are smoothed over, such as remembering the flowers for the cake or making sure the groom knows how to wear a buttonhole! Buying wedding insurance is a must for your peace of mind nowadays, too. Given the events of the last two years, it’s always best to be prepared.
THINGS MAY NOT GO TO PLAN
'Jacqui has an edge bringing something different to the design board every time. Jacqui always went out of her way to respond to my 1000 questions, even scheduling a couple of calls to put me at ease whenever I was stressing out about my ideas/vision and trying to bring them to life.'
becki & saracen
Iscoyd Park, Shropshire
CREDITS
Photographer: Shane Weber Photography
Church: St. Mary's Church, Whitewell
Reception: Iscoyd Park
Dress: Elegance Bridal Gowns