Many couples across the UK are now wondering what British wedding traditions they should include in their celebrations, what they are, and, quite frankly, why we even do them?! While today’s weddings are often more personal and creative than ever, many couples still choose to weave in nods to British heritage, and many also just feel like it wouldn’t be a wedding without them!

Whether you’re a lover of all things classic or just curious about the origins of that silver sixpence in your shoe, this blog explores 13 (unlucky?!) of the best-known British wedding traditions, and how you might choose to honour them in a way that feels truly you.

1. Something Old, Something New…

“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue — and a silver sixpence in your shoe.” Perhaps the most iconic British wedding tradition of all, this rhyme dates back to the Victorian era and is all about bringing good luck to the bride.

• Something old represents continuity and the connection to your past, which often comes in the form of a family heirloom, a piece of lace from your mum’s dress perhaps, or vintage jewellery.
• Something new stands for optimism and the future, this could be your dress, veil or even your new initials!
• Something borrowed is usually from a happily married friend or relative, symbolising the passing on of good fortune.
• Something blue represents fidelity, purity, and love. Think a blue ribbon stitched inside your dress, a sapphire ring, or even blue shoes.
• A silver sixpence in your shoe (the lesser-known fifth line) was traditionally placed in the bride’s left shoe to bring prosperity and wealth. Some wedding shoes already have this built in!

Many modern couples, not just brides, are finding creative, personal ways to make this tradition their own, often incorporating heritage pieces with a modern twist. Some just completely forget to even include these things, and if it doesn’t mean much to you, then we say don’t worry!

2. Not Seeing Each Other Before the Ceremony

The tradition of the couple not seeing each other before the ceremony has its roots in arranged marriages, where it was considered bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the vows were made — just in case one of them got cold feet!

Today, many couples still embrace this custom as a way of preserving the anticipation and emotion of that first look at the aisle. But there’s also a growing trend towards first look photos which gives you a private moment before the ceremony begins, often captured beautifully and naturally by the photographer. This works well for couples who are really nervous about walking down the aisle and being the centre of attention. Through conversations with couples recently, I’ve had a few say they wish they had actually stayed with their other half the night before as they would have slept better! I personally stayed with my other half for our elopement before we legally wed, and it was so nice to have a nice chilled breakfast together in the morning before getting ready.

3. Confetti and the Ceremony Exit

Throwing confetti as the couple leaves the ceremony is a really nice moment to capture, plus it’s a deeply symbolic one! Originally, guests would throw rice, grain, or petals to wish fertility and prosperity. The word “confetti” actually comes from the Italian tradition of throwing sugared almonds at parades and celebrations.

In Britain, paper confetti became popular in the 19th century, and today, we see everything from dried rose petals and lavender to biodegradable paper circles, and even bubbles instead of confetti! We absolutely love the use of paper and it’s floats so nicely! Dried petals can be a nightmare to dig out of your dress and hair… 

Top tip: Check your venue’s policy on confetti – many ask for biodegradable only, or may have designated areas where it can be used.

4. Wearing a Veil

Historically, the bridal veil symbolised modesty and purity, and in some cases, was used to ward off evil spirits. In arranged marriages, it also served a practical purpose – obscuring the bride’s face until the ceremony was complete!

Today, veils are entirely optional and often chosen as a style statement rather than a symbol. From cathedral-length showstoppers to simple tulle styles or even whimsical birdcage veils, they’re a beautiful way to add a touch of tradition while expressing personal style. 

What is a the difference between a blusher veil and a drop veil?

A blush veil has the piece which can be moved to cover the face, and a drop veil is just for the back of the head, with no face covering. It’s quite rare now that people cover their faces with a veil.

Brides tend to keep their veil on during the ceremony and drinks reception, and remove it when seated for dinner, as you may find it annoying! 

5. Walking Down the Aisle with Your Father

Traditionally, the bride is escorted down the aisle by her father and “given away” to the groom. A symbolic handover that stems from the time when women were seen as property to be passed between families.

It is still a very popular tradition for the bride to walk with her dad, but we have seen this altered on many occasions, such as walking down the aisle with both parents, a sibling, a close friend, or walking in together. Some even choose to walk in solo (like I did!). 

I think it all comes down to your beliefs, and what you feel comfortable in doing. Every family has different relationships. My advice would be to stick with what you want to do.

6. Wedding Breakfast

The term “wedding breakfast” often confuses guests, especially international ones! But the phrase doesn’t refer to the time of day; it simply means the couple’s first meal together after being married, so essentially, the wedding ‘dinner’!

Rooted in tradition, it symbolises breaking the fast after the wedding ceremony, particularly in religious services where the couple may have fasted beforehand. Today, the wedding breakfast is your reception meal — whether it’s a formal three-course menu, a relaxed sharing feast, or an alfresco BBQ, but we still seem to have adopted this title for the part of the day in the UK!

7. The Wedding Cake

British weddings have long featured a tiered cake, dating back to medieval times when guests would stack small buns on top of one another, and the couple would try to kiss over the pile without knocking it down (a sign of future prosperity! There seems to be a lot about properity and fertility in British traditions!).

The modern version, which was a multi-tiered fruitcake covered in white icing, became popular in the Victorian era. The tiers were said to represent wealth and status, with the top tier traditionally saved for the christening of the couple’s first child. The bigger the cake, the wealthier you were.

While few couples opt for fruitcake today, many couples do still opt for a wedding cake as part of their day, along with a cake cutting. We generally advise to display the cake on the dancefloor, cut it just before the first dance, and your caterer will whip it away for you to go straight into your first dance – saves you gathering all the guests twice! We generally do a little countdown into you doing the cut, then ask you to share your first slice of cake together which always makes for a fun photo! 

8. Speeches and Toasts

British wedding speeches are a tradition in themselves. Full of humour, heartfelt sentiment, and occasionally, a few nerves and dodgy stories! The traditional order is:

1. Father of the bride
2. Groom
3. Best man

But many couples now choose a more inclusive line-up (not just all men!) with speeches from the bride, maid of honour, or even a joint thank-you speech from the couple. It’s a lovely way to personalise the day and include more voices.

We would advise to still try and keep to just 3 or 4 speeches, and ask your speakers to have a time cap of 5 minutes. It’s plenty of time for a speech, as you really don’t want to go on too long!

9. First Dance

The first dance as a married couple is a romantic finale to the formal part of the day, marking the start of the partaaaay! Traditionally, the couple take to the floor alone, before being joined by parents, wedding party, and guests.

Whether it’s a carefully choreographed number or a relaxed sway to your favourite song, it’s a chance to pause, connect, and soak in the magic of the moment, and also makes for some lovely photos!

10. The Bouquet Toss

One of the most playful wedding traditions, the bouquet toss, dates back to Victorian times. Back then, it was considered lucky to touch the bride, so guests would sometimes rush at her to snag a piece of her dress or flowers for good fortune. To escape the crowd, especially for ladies, when strangers would try and get in on this tradition, brides began tossing their bouquets into the air as a distraction, and the tradition stuck! Today, it’s quite rare we see this. Many bride’s want to keep their bouquet or have it preserved, but it can be a fun moment, especially for that superstitious friend waiting to get engaged, often with lots of laughter and a little friendly competition!

11. Carrying the Bride Over the Threshold

This tradition is steeped in superstition and symbolism. In Roman times, it was believed that evil spirits lurked at the threshold of a new home and could enter through the soles of the bride’s feet. Carrying her over the threshold was a way to protect her and begin married life with good fortune. Today, it’s more of a romantic gesture!

12. The White Wedding Dress

Thanks to Queen Victoria, white wedding dresses became the ultimate symbol of bridal fashion. When she married Prince Albert in 1840 wearing a white gown (a bold move at the time), she set a trend that still dominates today. While white is often associated with purity, it originally represented wealth and status, as white fabric was expensive and difficult to maintain, so only the rich wore white. These days, it’s simply the classic bridal look—but modern couples are increasingly choosing soft pastels, bold colours, or even black for a personalised twist.

13. Exchanging Rings

This ancient tradition goes back thousands of years to the Egyptians, who believed a circular band symbolised eternity. The idea of placing it on the fourth finger of the left hand, now known as the “ring finger”, came from the belief that a vein (the vena amoris) ran directly from that finger to the heart. Today, wedding rings remain one of the most recognisable and meaningful symbols of being married, and is one that we see most from modern couples.

Honouring Tradition, Your Way

British wedding traditions offer a sense of charm, history, and ritual that many couples treasure, but the beauty of modern weddings lies in your freedom to pick and choose. Whether you embrace every tradition or just one or two that feel meaningful, it’s all about creating a day that reflects who you are as a couple, and what resonates most with you. If you aren’t going to enjoy a confetti shot, or a first dance, then don’t do them!

And if you ever need help weaving tradition into a modern wedding with elegance and intention, we’re always here to guide you! You can get in touch here.

Interested in seeing what we do? Then head over and follow us on Instagram, where we keep you in the loop of what’s happening this wedding season.

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Wedding planning isn’t always easy! I have had so many questions about planning my own wedding while I am a wedding planner myself, working in the wedding industry, so the lovely Chloe who works alongside me has decided to put together some FAQs we have been getting from you all to talk all about my own wedding!

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Hey! It’s Chloe! I have had the opportunity and pleasure to chat to Hannah all about her own wedding planning and wedding day! She is known for her attention to detail, great taste and “will do anything!” attitude, she has built her career out of making other people’s dreams come true. 

Now as she steps into the role of a Bride, we have the rare opportunity to flip the narrative and see how she has brought her own wedding to life, learn what she has learnt, and follow the emotions of a Bride planning her own wedding, as a wedding planner.

How did you and Martyn meet? We met through friends on a night out! It was a bit of a whirlwind as he lived in Bedfordshire and I was in Norfolk, so we were travelling to see each other. Martyn then moved to Birmingham, which was even further, so he asked me to move with him! After just 3 months….and the rest is history!

How did the proposal go? It was amazing and completely unexpected! We are both into hiking, so we hiked Snowdon and then took the trail up to Y Lliwedd, which was a really quiet mountain peak, so it was super private! I didn’t have a clue that it was happening!! Martyn is very much into photography and videography, so it was very normal that he would put a drone up into the sky and ask me to stand somewhere so he could video the landscape. This is what he did before he proposed and so we have it all on film! You can see it over on Instagram!

What did you do for your Hen and Stag? Martyn went to Wales for the weekend and camped, did some activities etc and we rented a house in Cambridgeshire for the weekend! We both kept it very much ‘us’. We didn’t want the typical hen/stag parties focused around drinking!

Why did you decide on an elopement and a separate wedding day? Being in the industry for so many years, I have seen MANY civil ceremonies, and I just don’t feel they are completely personal to the couple. I wanted to get the legal part done separately, and then have a really personal service on the wedding day. The elopement then turned into more of a celebration, which was completely different and very much us, which we LOVED! There is no way we could have had that wedding with family and friends there, so we are really glad we made that decision and had the experience of the elopement!

What bits of the wedding were the easiest to plan? Finding suppliers as I know so many amazing ones. It was in ways, also difficult, as I then had to choose from them all! Also, the elopement, as we kept it so stripped back.

What did Martyn plan? He was very much involved in final decisions. He also sorted the suits for himself and his best man, along with his elopement suit, shoes etc. We both made all the final decisions on music, flow of the day, etc. He also very much wanted a pianist. As Martyn is really into his photography, he did the research on local photographers.

Let’s talk elopement quickly first! 

How did you come up with the decision to climb Snowdon for an elopement, why was it so important to you? The first time we climbed Snowdon was one of our stand-out experiences together, and it really got us into hiking. We also got engaged there, so it had to be done! It was also really important for us to have a very personal day!

How did it work, how did you make it a legal wedding ceremony? We got married at the registry office first, then drove 20 minutes to start the climb with our 2 photographers, videographer and 2 friends who carried our bags with food, water etc.

How was climbing Snowdon in your wedding outfits? Everybody kept saying ‘Wow you will struggle in a dress’, but I chose a dress which was a beautiful material and had a slit, so I was fine! Martyn did slightly struggle in tight trousers though…

What did you do after the climb to celebrate? Due to a group of us climbing, the time of the ceremony and stopping for photos etc, we didn’t actually get back down until 8pm, so we went and got pizza which we ate in our van in a beautiful park up. We were knackered so it was an early night!!

What is your biggest takeaway from that experience? Always follow your heart and do what YOU want to do! So many people thought we were crazy and didn’t really understand the idea, but this didn’t deter us! The elopement was literally perfect, there wasn’t a single thing I would change. The weather was amazing to us, and it will forever be the best day of my life.

Let’s talk about your wedding day!

How did you feel moments before your wedding? Excited! I just wanted to get going! The emotions kicked in literally as I was about to walk down the aisle! I was absolutely fine all morning, just excited.

What was the most special part of your wedding? A stand-out moment for me was during our drinks reception. We hired an acoustic guitarist who was amazing, and we danced together with our friends and family – anyone would have thought it was the evening reception at that point! Also, absolutely loved Martyn’s speech. The morning was also really special for me, everyone was so excited and so happy with their hair and makeup. It was a lovely chilled morning.

We want to know about the planning! What was the number 1 most stressful thing about your wedding planning? People’s input. People who wanted to get involved in a negative way. It’s very stressful trying to manage other people’s emotions and what they think you should do.

You must get asked this as a planner quite a bit, there is always a debate on how long you need to plan for a wedding! How long were you actively planning for? We got engaged in August 2022 and started thinking about what we wanted to do. We knew straight away what we wanted to do for the elopement, but we didn’t actually book our venue for the wedding day until Jan 2023, so planning started then really, so around a year and a half. We would have loved to have had the wedding in 2023 but the diary didn’t allow it! And I am so glad now that we didn’t go for 2023 as that would have been busy!!

How did you decide on 2 wedding dresses? Originally, did you want them to be similar or different to one another? I got my elopement dress pretty quickly! It was one of the first things I did. I knew I had to be able to climb in it, and I really wanted a long-sleeved dress. For the wedding day, I wanted a different vibe, and something more fitted. I actually bought this dress on the 1st outing! I only tried it on because my sister-in-law liked it and wanted me to try it on! I knew in my head the kind of thing I wanted, although I did end up with something quite different! Just with elements such as spaghetti straps and a plunge front.

How did you decide on your Bridesmaids dresses? And how was organising dresses with your Bridesmaid’s not living local? They made their own decision on dresses! I gave them the colour scheme and they chose what they wanted, so they could go off and shop for themselves. I ordered swatches for the colours so they knew what colour to get.

We are only halfway through our interview, so stay tuned for part two of stepping into the mind of a wedding planner, planning her own wedding(s)! In Part Two Hannah will be letting us in on food choices, honeymoon and planning as a planner with her own reflections and advice for all of you lovely couples!

If you’re planning your wedding and need some assistance, perhaps you’re struggling to find time, or are not sure where to start, you can get in touch for a complimentary consultation to discuss how we can work together here!

Want to hear more about my elopement and full wedding day? You can listen here and here!

The post From Wedding Planning To “I Do”, The Planner Edition! appeared first on Wedding Planner and Event Manager, London and UK.

Not sure where to get married? WEDDING CEREMONY OPTIONS IN THE UK

What even is a notice of marriage?

The notice of marriage appointment is intended for you to confirm that you are legally getting married (not already married etc) and that you are willingly marrying. The information of your marriage, names, ages, jobs etc is then posted to your local registry offices register for any public to see, in case anyone may object and say that you aren’t actually legally getting married, that your information is incorrect, or that you are underage without parental consent. This is legal in England and Wales and you cannot legally marry without giving your notice of marriage.

How to book your notice of marriage?

You need to book your notice of marriage at the local registry office to your home, regardless of where you are getting married in England or Wales. Our ceremony was being held in Wales, but we did our notice of marriage in the local registry office to us – you don’t need to travel to the location that you are getting married in. Some couples may think this is the case, but no travel is required! If you are getting married in Scotland, you won’t need to give your notice of marriage. When you book your ceremony (which you will do before booking notice of marriage) they will send you a confirmation with information of how to book your ceremony. The best way to find your local registry office is via the link here. You can then go directly to your local council website and generally, they will have an automated online service where you can easily schedule in a time.

Do we need to go together?

When you book your notice of marriage, you can either book to do this together or separately, depending on both of your locations and your schedules. Most couples will tend to do this together. We opted to do ours together.

When do I need to give notice of marriage?

You will need to give your notice of marriage a minimum of 28 days prior to the wedding day. You can book appointments up to 12 months in advance. Some registry offices will only allow you to book a certain number of months before, ie. 4 months if they are a busy registry office and have minimal appointments. Generally, the appointments are only available during office hours, Monday – Friday. Some will offer Saturday sessions; it just depends on your area. I always advise to just get it booked and out of the way as soon as possible. It is something you can easily forget around the stresses closer to the wedding, and you won’t be able to get married without it!

What documentation do I need to take?

When you book your notice of marriage with your local registry office, they will send a confirmation of the exact documentation you will personally need. We took our passports, driving license, a bill with confirmation of address and I also needed to take a deed poll certificate as my name changed when I was younger, but because I no longer use my old name on my passport etc, I didn’t actually need it. Always best to take it just in case though if you have changed your name previously.

How long does giving your notice of marriage take?

The question I searched for but couldn’t find anything! When we booked, we booked a double appointment and it put in 45 minutes each – so 1.5 hours in total which I was surprised about! It actually only took a total of 25 minutes for both of us in total.

What happens at the appointment?

To begin with, you will go into a room with one registrar. They will ask the information of where you are getting married, when etc. You will need the exact address of your venue or registry office, so make sure you have that to hand (I didn’t and was then searching around in my emails to make sure I had the correct address as you can’t change it afterwards and have to rebook and pay for another notice of marriage!) You will then be split up, one of you will go back into the waiting area, and one will stay. They will ask you what is the name, date of birth and address of yourself and the person you are marrying. They will also ask if you want your parents or guardians’ names on your marriage certificate – if you do, they will then ask for their details, including occupation. They will then swap you over and do the same with your partner. You will then come back together at the end, where you will both sign to say that the information you have given is correct. They will explain that this is then added to the register for 28 days.

Did you know – until 2021 when the marriage act changed, only your father’s name would be shown on the marriage certificate! This changed recently so both parents names are able to be shown if you wish!

What about information for music and witnesses etc?

You don’t need to confirm any of this information at the appointment. This is purely to give your intentions to marry. The registry office holding your ceremony, or the registry office who is providing your registrar will contact you with a form to complete with this information.

What happens if I am late or have the wrong documentation?

If you know you are going to be running late, call the registry office and see what can be done. If you miss your appointment, or you don’t have the correct documentation, you will need to book and pay for another appointment.

What if I am getting married in a church?

If the person marrying you, is able to legally marry you within their church, instead of giving your notice of marriage, they will read the banns before church service for 4 weeks in case anybody objects. If the person marrying you does not have a license, then you will need to also hire a registrar from the local registry office and you will need to give notice of marriage. You can discuss this directly with your place of worship.

Can wedding witnesses be family?

You can have anybody as your witness! As long as they are witnessing you legally marrying, it can be anybody who signs to say that the marriage happened. There may be clauses from your registry office on what age your witness needs to be, although there is no law on the minimum age, just that they need to be of age to understand what is happening, but your registrar may have their own rules which you need to abide by on this matter.

Need some help wedding planning? 2024 WEDDING TRENDS TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR PLANNING!

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Still working on your pre-wedding stationery? Read part 1 of our wedding stationery blog here: What Wedding Stationery Do I Need?

Place cards

An essential part of the day if you are having a sit-down meal with a table plan, otherwise how else will your guests know which seat has been designated for them?! You can of course just have a table plan, tell guests which table they are assigned to, with guests then making the decision on which seat they take. This can be an issue for your caterers if you have dietary requirements or a choice menu. If you have dietary requirements, or if your guests have made the choice of what they would like to eat, do not make the mistake of not having place cards!

You can of course go all out informal and have no seating plan at all. This only works well if you are having informal food to match this, such as street food trucks or a BBQ for example. This set up also only works well if you have approximately under 60 guests. Any more than this and it can just cause chaos! Also be aware that if you opt for no table plan, you will need to have a set up for more table settings than guests, which will then leave some empty seats. If you have exact table settings for guests, you can then be left with situations where people are left with the only seat remaining.

What are wedding escort cards?

There are a couple of different ways you can use your place cards. You can either opt for a table plan, directing guests to their table, with place cards then on each place setting, OR you can go for an escort service, where place cards are all popped onto a table with the table number written on the back. The guest then picks up their place card and can then see which table they are on. They then either place their place card where they want to sit on the table, or you then have a second place card on the table. This works well if you think you may have a lot of drop outs which will then ruin the table plan!

Table plan

A table plan is essential for any wedding, unless you are opting for escort cards. This generally comes in the form of a board on an easel, but I’ve also seen couples opt for frames, mirrors, even pot plants! The table plan lists each table, with a list of which guests are then sitting on each table. Tables are generally even numbered or named. 

The table plan is then displayed in the drinks reception so guests can start to look at what table they are situated on, to save a bottle neck of people looking once everyone begins to sit down. The table plan is then placed at the entrance to the wedding breakfast for anyone who hasn’t check or can’t remember!

What if I need to change my table plan?

Ok so yes, inevitably the guest list can change last minute! People drop out for illness and all sorts of other reasons! They may just drop out, which you can just leave them on the table plan, but ask the caterers/co-ordinators to take their spot from the table. The issue comes when you then want to replace the guest. If it’s just one of two, you could just tell them to sit where the previous person was, but if you then need to rearrange some seats, (which happens quite often!) this is when your table plan will need correcting. You can ask your stationer to print it at the last possible point, but this is usually a week prior, which doesn’t avoid those last minute drop outs. 

If you are thinking there may be people who could drop out last minute, and will then try to replace them, perhaps you know there are certain situations where it’s not a definite yes for some guests, perhaps you’ve paid an expensive catering bill so would want to replace them, in this situation I would opt for either escort cards, making your own table plan which can be edited, a table plan with a card per table where you only need to print the affected table/s or using something such as a mirror with names stuck on which can then be peeled off.

Menu Cards

I would always highly recommend having menu cards on the tables as part of your wedding day stationery, so people know what they are eating, especially if it isn’t a pre-selected menu! Another option which also looks beautiful is to have a menu per person, with the guest’s name written at the top – merging both menu and table plan into one. If you are having a choice menu, I would highly recommend having a menu per person with the options the guests have chosen on the menu – people tend to forget what they have chosen for the wedding breakfast!

Order of service

An order of service is always required for a church service. You can design these with your vicar/priest etc. The order of services contains the hymn lyrics and the prayers so guests can follow along and join in. For civil ceremonies and blessings, some couples do decide to still have an order of service on the seat of each guests, newspaper style is even becoming popular! These contain information such as the names of the bridal party, information of what is happening at what time.

What wedding signs do I need? 

Signage is crucial for the day if you want people to go to a certain place or to do a certain thing, I have some suggestions below:

Welcome sign

The welcome sign can just be a lovely way to greet your guests at the entrance! A place to begin. It can also be a sign that this is the location of your wedding day – yup you’ve made it to the right place! Also works very well as part of your wedding day stationery if there is more than one wedding at the venue….

Order of day

Order of day boards are also very popular for wedding day stationery, listing what time the wedding breakfast is, the band begins, the evening food etc – people love to know what is happening when! You can even get beautifully designed order of day boards, with personal illustrations linked to your day. Check out Pink Peony Weddings specialist order of day board here.

Menu signs for buffet/sharing food stations

Whether it’s signs for a smores station, dessert boards/tables, wedding cake flavours, drinks options, evening food, or cocktail bars, signs are perfect to let guests know exactly what they are about to dive into! Guests can be shy from tucking in if they aren’t quite sure what the food item is, or if it contains certain allergens. You can get some lovely signage nowadays with beautiful illustrations to add into the aesthetic of your day. 

Directional wedding day signage

Whether it’s directing guests to the toilets, where the car park is, where to party or where to eat, it’s always good to have signage included in your wedding day stationery so guests know where they are going! Especially important if you have your wedding on land or at a large venue where different elements of the day are spread out and could be difficult to find.

Instructional

Want guests to do something? Complete a guest book? Take a photo on a polaroid camera? Tell them! Whether you want to inform them that you want no phones during your day, or an unplugged ceremony, instructional beautiful signage is the best option! You can either add signage to thank guests for gifts, or to ask guests where to send the photos they have taken to.

Did this give you lots of great ideas about your stationery? Pop on over to the rest of the blog for more tips and inspiration here, and you can also follow us on TikTok and Instagram for even more!

The post Day Of Wedding Stationery: What do I need? appeared first on Wedding Planner and Event Manager, London and UK.

Save the dates

Once you’ve locked in that venue, your first step in your wedding stationery journey is those all-important save the dates! You don’t need anything other than the information of the date and location, so guests can start to book time off of work, or book flights if they need to fly in for your day. There are so many different variations you can get nowadays, from a standard card, to fridge magnets, keyrings, puzzles….you name it, we’ve seen it!

Invitations

Next up for your wedding stationery is those all important wedding invitations! I always advise to send these out 4-6 months prior, and if this is due in December, for example if you have an April-June wedding, to avoid sending end of November/December as they get mixed up with the Christmas cards and lost! People are also far more excited for a wedding invitation in January as it’s something to look forward to during a pretty dreary month! 

There are a couple of ways now that you can send your wedding invitations which I am going to discuss with you:

Hard copy wedding invitation with inserts:

This is a pretty traditional when it comes to your wedding stationery. You have the main invitation card, then inserts alongside it, detailing information such as menu, accommodation options, gift list, then a separate insert for RSVP which they can then post back to you. You can then seal these all together with a wax seal or belly band, or opt for a folder invitation with the inserts inside. There is so much you can opt for with this option, from personalised monograms, to gold and silver foiling. You can even get hand drawn images of your venue or maybe something more personal such as your pet! You can match your wedding stationery to the theme of your day, using colours and fonts to really give people the idea of how your wedding day will look and feel.

Pros:

• They look stunning and set the theme and aesthetic for the day!
• They can be easier for some guests to understand

Cons:

• People are slower at RSVPing and may just pop you a text for example instead of using the wedding RSVP insert card
• Cost to print is much higher
• The inserts make the envelope thicker which costs more to post
• Getting them out to guests can be tricky, especially if abroad 

Hard copy wedding invitation with wedding website:

This is probably the most popular option I see now! Many couples opt for an A5 size card, which then has a QR code or a typed link for people to access a wedding website, where guests can see all of the information that you would add onto the insert cards, but instead it’s virtual. You can still have all the beautiful embellishments we discussed in the above, just that you don’t have to order as many inserts! With a wedding website, you can also set it so you have a certain guest list for day guests and another for evening guests (for example) so they only see the information required for them, for example, timings, or menu requirements.

Pros: 

• It’s 2024 – who wants to go to a post box to post back their RSVP?! Where even is a post box?
• People tend to RSVP pretty instantly once it’s been received
• There is no worry of people losing their invitations or insert cards with the information you need
• Less cost to budget for

Cons:

• You may have some people in your wedding party, such as grandparents, who wouldn’t understand how to work the wedding website and would appreciate a hard copy more – in this instance, you can get a few hard copies printed for RSVP/information etc
• People may lose the link – ask them to bookmark it!
• Guests may not read it properly and just assume you know they are coming, then never go onto the link to read important information

Virtual Wedding Invites:

Going completely virtual is now an option for your wedding stationery! You can use websites such as Paperless Post and Greenvelope to send your invitation to your guests. You can design the invitation (there are also many, many templates) and personalise the colour of the envelope, add wax melts and even music! You can then receive RSVP directly via these websites, or you can create a wedding website on sites such as WithJoy, with a link on your virtual invite which guests can click on to take you directly to the site to RSVP and find out more information.

Pros/Cons:

• The pros and cons are pretty much the same as having a hard copy wedding invitation alongside a website, although I would say that it may be more difficult to use a hard copy invitation. The pros of a virtual invitation are that they can click directly onto a link
• Some people may not have email addresses but you can send them a hard copy
• Some couples worry if people don’t receive the email, but both sites mentioned show when the guest has received/opened their email

When should we ask wedding guests to RSVP by?

I always advise to ask for RSVP 8-10 weeks prior to the day (depending when you send them) Your caterers/venue/stationers etc will generally need all information 6 weeks prior, so this gives you 2-4 weeks to chase up any last minute RSVPers and collate the information to send.

What information is needed on the wedding invitation or wedding website?

Basics: Venue, map of location or directions, postcode of what3words if it is a remote location, date

Order of day: Always put the time guests need to arrive by, and not the time of the ceremony, to avoid latecomers! You can also add a list of the timings for the remainder of the day. For a wedding website, have the evening guests arrive time, and hide the previous timings of the day for them (this is simple to do!)

When to RSVP by: as advised above

FAQs: What shoes to wear, who to call if any problems on the day (ie. not you!! This should be your wedding planner/co-ordinator) whether they can bring a plus one, if children are allowed etc

Accommodation: Information of local accommodation available and how they can book

Transport links: For anyone flying in or travelling from another part of the UK

Menu: Make sure to book in your menu tasting before sending your invites. If this isn’t possible, add a ‘coming soon’.

Gift list: You can either just add a poem or a few lines about gifting money towards the honeymoon (very popular nowadays!) or you can use a gift list website such as Prezola – I also love the function on this website where you can set up lists of excursions etc so people can ‘buy’ that excursion for you, or pay for you to have dinner one night for example, but actually the money just goes into a pot for you.

Information of any other events: Welcome drinks, post wedding brunches etc

Little extras you can add: Information of who is in your bridal party, how you met and photos of you as a couple, a suggestion for songs for the evening party.

What questions should we ask in the RSVP?

Whether they are attending the wedding: a simple yes or no! You can also add for them to leave a note if they cannot attend

Dietary requirements: highly important! The caterer will need this information

Menu choices: If you are opting for a choice menu (discuss with your caterer first!) then you will need to ask your guests for their choices during the RSVP process. If you haven’t locked in your final menu specification before sending invites, at a minimum have: chicken/fish/vegetarian for them to then give their preference. In this instance, I would keep the starter and the dessert the same for everyone. Also remember to have an option for a child’s menu if you are having children!

Extra events: Ask if they will be attending X, have a separate question for each additional event

Will they be bringing a plus 1: If this is an option for you

Email address: Always good to have if contact is required to all guests, ie. plans change

Other: Suggestion for a song for the evening party, advice for the happy couple etc

What other wedding stationery do we need?

Next up, you need to start thinking about your day of wedding stationery. I will be coming very soon with part 2 of what wedding stationery do you need, which will cover wedding day stationery on the blog!

Some lovely UK stationers I recommend getting in touch with:

Pink Peony Weddings

Millie Stone

Draw My Door

Olive and Millicent

LouPaper

Jenna Claire

The post What wedding stationery do I need? appeared first on Wedding Planner and Event Manager, London and UK.

Over 18 months later, the couple are now MARRIED! And having listened to every single episode (yup that’s right!) and scouring their Instagram’s, plus many cast members who attended the big day, I had to write up my thoughts on the wedding, and also point out some bits were mentioned along their podcast journey, which may or may not have made it to the day.

the dress

Of course, it had to be mentioned first, made by the incredible talents of Emma Beaumont, who even admitted in a latest episode of Nearlyweds that Sophie didn’t quite do as many trials as usual (I imagine Sophie’s diary is pretty full to the brim so maybe that’s why!) but still looked incredible. I had an idea that Sophie would go for a fit and flare style, but was surprised by the lace. I thought she would opt for a sleek, plain white number, very contemporary. I was also surprised by the sleeves due to the wedding being in Spain and I’m sure, very warm! But loved them all the same! Absolutely LOVED the addition of the cathedral veil – it really made the outfit. You can see in photos and videos that Sophie then changed later in the evening, but professional photos and designer haven’t yet been released.

The canned cocktails debacle

I think all the listeners of the podcasts highly enjoyed what we thought was Jamie winding Sophie up about having canned cocktails at the wedding. But maybe he wasn’t as they did make an appearance and the night prior celebrations, supplied by MOTH Drinks. Jamie actually also reveals that he invested in the company for the wedding, and Sophie did admit that they were amazing and that after a conversation with the owners (who she loved) on a zoom she didn’t really want to attend, that she agreed to have them within some part of the celebrations.

the sten idea

The couple talked at length about having a STEN party – a combined hen and stag party. But this didn’t happen in the end which was revealed on the podcast, and spent their bachelor and bachelorette parties separately in Paris and Val D’Isere. Sophie also had a London hen party, attended by Olivia Bentley and Verity Bowditch.

officiant

You have most likely seen in the press, social media or on one of Jamie’s many podcasts, the ‘Spencer and Jamie fallout’, after Spencer was under the impression he was officiant at the wedding, but was actually the MC. Jamie did mention that Spencer was officiant on the podcast. He also asked his brother to be usher on the podcast, but that also didn’t transpire. Perhaps Jamie has a case of, asking and forgetting, like many brides do actually!! I often hear tales from my bride’s where they have drunkenly asked a friend to be bridesmaid, hoping they will forget the next day. Role reversal? We have seen the actually officiant in the videos and photos, but still unsure as to who they were and if they were a friend or family member, or a celebrant they hired.

catering

We meet the incredible caterer – Chef Tom Kerridge, who is based in Buckinghamshire on the podcast, where Jamie asked if Tom would cater their wedding. I did think this was strange as this is a big task catering in Spain when you are based in the UK, but it was also something that didn’t transpire, as on the day, their wedding was catered by GOYO Catering. But we would highly recommend Tom as a UK caterer!

accommodation – palm rock retreats

Jamie and Sophie stayed for a week prior to the wedding celebrations and also had their day 2 at Palm Rock Retreats, which actually offers wellness retreats, including healthy eating plans and personal training sessions. The owner was present on one of the final episodes of the nearlyweds podcast and did comment that they most likely wouldn’t host a wedding party again. We can’t imagine having saxophonists on the roof, as they did on the day 2, really fits with the vibe of a wellness retreat after all, but hopefully it helped to get their name out there for anyone looking for that kind of trip.

Day 2

This was debated for quite a few episodes due to cost, and I think if they went with the original venue they picked, which they decided to change due to being such a high cost, they maybe wouldn’t have had one. But the couple did comment that they felt bad for people travelling so far for it to be over in one day. They even put it to the viewers, who had mixed views, some saying people will want to do what they want to do, others saying to go for it. In the end, by looking at many stories on Instagram, there was a Day 2, which was hosted at Palm Rock Retreats, with entertainment from their wedding day band, including trumpeters and saxophonists. It looked a very informal affair, with the guests dressed down, and all there just to enjoy themselves. I also spotted a post from Jamie with many drinks in his hand at around 10pm, so I think it was still a late one!

personalised guest poems

This actually came from the ‘favours’ part of the podcast, when each week, Jamie and Sophie would read out an idea or a business in the wedding industry, which was really beneficial to so many wedding suppliers and a really lovely thing to do to help these businesses, one being Pinky Studio who create personalised poems for each of your guests. Sophie said how much she loved this and how she wanted to do this for their wedding. And it did transpire, which Is aw on some beautiful photos of the place settings from a few of the attendees, who then sat down to a lovely poem written for them.

guest numbers

It was talking about there being around 300 guests on the a few episodes of the podcasts, especially when Sophie was talking about how anxious she was for such a big event, and how Jamie just kept inviting more and more people. There was also a lot of drama about the invites, as they went out quite late and quite a few invitations didn’t make it to the guests. Looking at photos, and also mentioned in later episodes, it seems there were around 150 – 200 guests, so potentially a smaller affair than originally planned, which I am sure Sophie was happy about!

guest list

There were definitely some well known faces there, especially if you are an MIC fan, including recently married Ollie Locke, Ollie Proudlock, Emily Blackwell, Olivia Bentley, Ruby Adler and Melissa Tatum, who is Sophie’s podcast host on Wednesday’s We Drink Wine. Spencer Matthews, Jamie’s podcast 6 degrees co-host and best friend, was MC. Sam Thompson and his girlfriend Zara McDermott were also there and looking stunning, followed by a brilliant Instagram post from Sam, showing a clip from the old school (best) MIC days. Sam actually dated Sophie way back when, so when Jamie took Sophie on a date shortly after the split, they fell out, Sam exclaiming, “I wish you had gone and married the girl so at least it was for something”, followed by a clip of Sophie and Jamie then actually getting married, and Sam in the audience, emotional with happiness for them….LOVE!

aisle walk

Jamie hinted many times that he wanted to walk down the aisle, with music which was…er….controversial to say the least! From videos, it seems that it was just Sophie who made an entrance, on her dad’s arm, to the sounds of a string quartet, and without the Jurassic Park theme tune!

Music

It was discussed how important music is for the wedding day, and something I also emphasise to couples too. Jamie and Sophie walked into the song ‘September’ performed by their band for the wedding breakfast. You can see the guests dancing along, cheering, waving their napkins in the air (which I am sure was encouraged by MC Spencer Matthews!) which really just makes you feel amazing as a couple! If you don’t have music, there also ends up being a moment of silence when everyone takes their seats which isn’t great, so would highly recommend any couple to choose music, especially upbeat music, during this entrance. The evening entertainment was wedding party band ALR Music, based in London

wedding suppliers

Jamie and Sophie’s wedding suppliers we have spotted so far and did an incredible job to make such a stunning day come to life which I am sure we will all remember for a while!!

Hair & Makeup: Willis Galbraith Hair

Photographer: Phoebe Piper Photo

Video: Will Warr (bravo! can’t believe how quick the video content started to be released! You must have been up all night!)

Band: ALR Music

Wedding Accessories – Gigi and Olive

Wedding Planner – Caprichia Weddings and Events

Cake – Kats Cakes Marbella

Would love to know name of venue and florist if anyone comes across it!

Looking for a lavish, Spanish style wedding in the UK? Get in touch here and let’s make it happen! Large scale weddings in iconic venues, with beautiful food and aesthetics is definitely bag!

The post CELEBRITY WEDDING: Jamie Laing & Sophie Habboo appeared first on Wedding Planner and Event Manager, London and UK.

Struggling to choose who to have as your bridesmaids? Read my advice here

how much does a wedding planner cost?

This can be like asking how long is a piece of string….many planners work on a % basis and you can expect to spend around 10-15% of your budget, with many planners having a minimum budget they work with.

Many planners also offer different services at different costs, for example, for the planning side, I offer a full planning service, which covers everything from finding your venue and suppliers, to guest management, wedding management and all the other things in-between!

I also offer a partial planning service for couples who have already booked their venue and a couple of key suppliers such as caterer and photographer, have then realised it’s actually ridiculously time consuming to find suppliers, and then decide to hire a planner! I then jump in and take over.

For couples who want to plan themselves but need a co-ordinator as they have a dry hire venue or hosting their celebrations from their own land, I also offer an on the day management service. All of my services work on a set fee basis, so the price on the website is what you can expect to pay, depending on your requirements, ie. If your celebrations are multiple days, the cost will be higher. You can see my pricing here.

What does a wedding planner do?

It’s a planners job, basically, for you as a couple to enjoy the planning journey more than you would without a planner….of course you are going to still face potential stresses of any family related problems that we cannot control, and of course the stresses of guest list and table plan, so I am not going to say we make the process completely stress free. But what we do do is take a lot of stress away that isn’t necessary, such as endless Google searches for suppliers, stressing over not having the time for searching for suppliers, the endless communication between suppliers and many other time-consuming tasks!

As you can see from my answer to the question above, there are various services that many planners offer, so depending on the level of service you opt for depends on how much the planner will be involved with planning tasks.

What I will say is that what a wedding planner doesn’t do is take away your control. I hear this a lot from couples who say that they can be control freaks and don’t want to loose the control. Ultimately, you don’t loose the control. You make the final decision on your suppliers, you just save the masses of time searching for them, finding our if they are available on your date, are within your budget and fit your style and vibe. You also make decision on details such as colour schemes, what flowers you want and your menu. We just do the background work to make this information far more accessible to you with the right suppliers who are the best for you!

Do i need a wedding planner?

In short, yes. Everyone needs a planner is some way. I have hired a planner to manage my own wedding day, and that is what I do for a living. Whether it’s just a few one off 1-1’s along the way to put your mind at ease and help unload some stress, or a full planning service to completely take the time-consuming task of planning a wedding off tour shoulders, every couple will benefit from a planner.

Venue co-ordinator vs wedding planner?

A venue co-ordinator is there to manage the venue. Yes, they can give recommendation for suppliers, but those suppliers may not work for you. Let’s put it this way, a co-ordinator manages anything from 30 – 150 weddings a year, depending on the venue, compared to a planner who generally take on 5-8 full plans a year. This shows how involved a planner is.

I was a venue co-ordinator myself for 10 years and can wholeheartedly tell you that the roles are completely different. A planner works directly for you. You may also find that your co-ordinator may leave the venue during your planning process, so although you could have a great relationship with them, they don’t work directly work for you so have free will to get a new job elsewhere! You may also find that your venue co-ordinator isn’t there for your full wedding day and passes over to an operational team, as a venue co-ordinator role is full on and doesn’t always leave time for wedding day management!

do wedding planners help find venues?

Yes! If you hire a planner for full planning or even just for a venue search which many planners offer, we can of course find you the perfect venue to fit your requirements such as date, location, accommodation etc and of course your budget. As planners, we have a directory full of perfect wedding venues, including some hidden ones you would probably struggle to find yourself – those private, family-owned venues who don’t have the budgets to get themselves to the top of Google or maybe aren’t the best on social media!

when to hire a wedding planner?

You can hire a planner at any point, depending on when you decide you need one! Only thing I would say is that with busy diaries, and with many planners only taking on a certain amount of couples each year to make sure they can give each and every one the time they deserve, if you have a particular planner in mind, you may want to get in quick!

Do wedding planners get commission from vendors and suppliers?

Ok so this is a controversial conversation across the wedding industry and is one that you may want to ask your planner during the consultation stage when you are deciding on which wedding plan you are hiring, although they may not want to answer the question! For me, my answer is simply – NO! I would never choose a supplier based on who will give me commission. If they want to pass on a payment or a gift to say thank you for booking, then that is up to them and I will always happily take a gift, but I would never choose a supplier based on this factor. I base my choice on the suppliers who will work for my couple.

is hiring a planner a luxury?

It could be, it all depends on your wedding budget, but what I will say is that many of my couple’s feedback after their wedding that they would never have kept to the budget they had in their heads if they hadn’t hired a wedding planner.

When we first start working together, we discuss what you want to spend, and saying ‘we don’t have a budget’ doesn’t wash with me (unless you literally have unlimited money to spend, then fine!) as everyone has a certain budget to spend. My answer to that is, if I put a 1 million pound wedding in front of you, would you be happy to spend that? No? You have a budget in mind then….

We then split your budget down to each area of the wedding, so when I am supplier searching, I can make sure they don’t go over what you want to spend.

Many couples make the mistake of not thinking about budget, as we all, as humans, hate talking about money! They then go off, find a lovely venue and book it without thinking of all the other costs that come with it, then stress because the wedding ends up costing far more than they actually want to spend. Hire a wedding planner and avoid this – in fact, I can guarantee the cost of a planner will actually what you overspend by (and more!) without having a planner.

Still looking for your perfect London hotel wedding venue? Check out my favourite options here

Yes, you may get the odd comment from a friend – “you have a planner?! What are you, Beyonce?!” but this thought process needs to change. In America, when you get engaged, you get a planner, it’s pretty standard. No one thinks you are being a diva by getting a planner, they just think you are clever. They have the right mentality. So many of my couple’s friends and family say afterwards, wow, I will definitely hire a wedding planner now I’ve seen what you’ve done for them and how incredible their wedding was. In fact, many of my bookings are referrals from previous couples. So, ignore the stigma of having a planner and get in touch here!

The post Hiring a wedding planner FAQs appeared first on Wedding Planner and Event Manager, London and UK.

Trying to decide on your wedding day jewellery? Take a look at: How To Ensure Your Jewellery Matches Your Look 

Not having a wedding videographer

Probably the top answer to come out of me asking couples what they would have done differently. Videos are such an amazing way to keep memories for life. Spending time with family, re-watching your videos over and over again are priceless, you will have these videos forever, to see loved ones when they pass, to re-watch your vows during every anniversary and to show your children if you decide to start a family once you’re married. A videographer is a must and a big wedding regret if you don’t invest! Make sure a videographer is in the budget from the wedding planning offset. You can often find photographers who offer a package with both photography and videography, which can often work out a lower cost than hiring the two services separately.

Wedding planning stress regrets

Whether it’s stress during the wedding planning phase, or on the actual wedding day, stress and anxiety crops up often when talking through wedding regrets. Stress on the wedding day can be common, and a lot of the time it is the adrenaline from the day, mixed with emotions and also overwhelm. Not everybody enjoys having all eyes on them. Majority of the time, once the ceremony is over, you can breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy the day, but occasionally, the stress stays throughout, with worry about timings, whether everything is running smoothly, if suppliers are ok etc. My advice is to put your full trust in your suppliers. We do this for a living, have done for many, MANY weddings and know what we are doing. Trust the process. Enjoy yourselves. ALWAYS make sure you have someone with experience onsite to manage the wedding day. Still looking for a wedding coordinator? Get in touch here.

Not spending enough time together

Something that also comes up regularly, at the end of the day, the wedding is about the two of you and the love between you. Of course, you will be enjoying your day with your friends and family, which is great, but also make sure to take time out, just the two of you, to sit back, enjoy some alone time and watch your guests enjoying themselves. This works well when incorporated into the evening couple shots. You don’t want to reflect on the day, and think, wow, I barely saw my other half unless I had to! Enjoy the full day together.

Spending too much time on photos

Some of the lists of group shots I see….crazy! I would stick to an absolute maximum of 10 group shots, as they really can drag on, and when planning you photos, you may think you really want all of these photos, but in reality on the day, you will get sick of it and just want to enjoy yourselves. Don’t forget, your photographer will take natural group shots. Cut the pointless shots, like the ‘full group shot’. It’s not a photo you will ever use, and the distance it needs to be taken out, you can barely even see people’s faces. Make sure to have your planner/wedding manager one of the Bride’s/Groom’s party to help find the guests needed for each photo to save some time, as you don’t want to regret spending pointless time hanging around taking wedding group shots.

Not getting everyone to sign the guest book

Whether you decide on a guest book, video, voice messaging, a picture, a polaroid station and book, a tree….wow there are plenty of options, make sure it gets used. Ask the DJ to announce it to your guests and task one of your party or your planner to pass it around to guests. It would be a shame to not get a message from all of your guests if this is something you have your heart set on, and many couples have wedding regrets on not having this.

Bridal/Grooms party

So many newly engaged people are so excited to be a fiancé, that they quickly jump into bridesmaids, best men, groomsmen etc. It is easily done, especially when people can come over strongly and actually ask you outright if they are going to be one of those important roles, without even thinking, especially when alcohol is involved, and the next think you find yourself is saying yes! One of the biggest problems I see are fall outs, arguments, and stress caused by Bride’s/Groom’s parties. Make sure you choose wisely, people who you know love you and will support you, and don’t think of the role as just putting on a nice outfit. If you regret your choice, then be honest before the wedding day, so you have no wedding regrets on your bridal party choices!

Suppliers involved in the wedding day regrets

Make sure that during your planning process, you aren’t rushing into booking suppliers too quickly. Ensure you are reading testimonials, having conversations with a few different people and checking through contracts before confirming anything. DO NOT focus on price! Quality costs. Many couples regret after their wedding choosing certain suppliers who many not then give what they promised, caused stress for the couple with lack of communication during the process or not being aligned with their wedding style and vibe. For example, a rustic décor provider wouldn’t work if you want a chic, modern hotel vibe.

Look for red flags such as delayed responses in the enquiry process, bad recommendations or unprofessionalism such as calling you ‘hun’ during emails and putting kisses at the end of messages. Use a planner for supplier recommendations if you are really struggling to find the right people. There are so many suppliers out there who are amazing, but also many who are not what they say they are, and don’t have the skills and knowledge required, for example, a florist generally would have had professional training and aren’t just doing it because their friend said their flowers are nice.

Focusing on cost over quality

As mentioned above, quality is much more important that the cost. Of course, everyone has a budget, but focus your costs on what is important. Don’t have EVERYTHING but then do each thing half-heartedly at a minimal cost. So many couple have wedding regret over things which they ‘cheaped out’ on.

Buying things not needed

Cut the rubbish which isn’t needed, as I said above, focus on the important things you need first, ie. food, venue, music. Things such as flip flops on the dancefloor, favours on the tables, a long line of Bridesmaids, just aren’t necessary. You can seriously cut costs by cutting these unnecessary items. For example, if your favours aren’t edible, they WON’T get used, and you will end up with a box of them to take home with you.

Not having more help

Whether it’s assistance setting up, someone to set down the next day, or during the planning process, help will be needed! Make sure to choose people involved in your day who you know will help you and won’t be a hinderance. Many couple regret after their wedding or just before the day, not hiring help. Hiring a wedding planner may seem like a luxury, but when you have a career, a family, fitting wedding planning in can be so stressful. You will also find yourselves saving money due to the knowledge of the planner. For example, I include my costs into your wedding budget and will make sure you don’t go over! Most couples will go over budget if they added up everything they spent.

Listening too much to other people

Another massively popular wedding regret, and one I see regularly. It can be difficult to avoid opinions around you, especially ones coming from family and parents who may be inputting financially. Remember that this is a day about the two of you, and you are celebrating your love together. Financial gifts are great of course, and I am sure you will appreciate them, but they shouldn’t come with an obligation for the person to make decisions on your day. If there is something you really don’t want, make sure to have a calm conversation and explain your reasons. It can help to give people who want involvement, a task to help you with instead of decisions to make, as you will of course need help along the way.

Not bringing their own personalities to their wedding day and regret it on the day

Something I have seen in the past, and actually makes me feel sad, is a wedding completely planned around what other people want (as discussed above) that the couple almost look awkward at. If for example, public speaking isn’t your thing, and you don’t really like dresses, there are other options! Bring your personalities into the day, with your music, your venue, even your table names! If you are outdoorsy people, then have an outdoor wedding. If you have never lived in your hometown where your family are based, don’t feel pressured to have your wedding there and it being one of your regrets afterwards.

Drinking too much alcohol

A big one which crops up – getting too drunk and not remembering parts of the day is a BIG wedding regret! Keep your cool, remember it’s a marathon not a sprint, enjoy yourselves but just be careful on your alcohol consumption, especially if you haven’t eaten much and people keep buying you drinks! Many couples also decide to wait until after the wedding breakfast/evening couple shots to start drinking, or may just have a couple before then, so you don’t get too carried away too early!

Saying yes to the venue too soon

You’re excited, of course, you are about to get married! But before you sign on the dotted line for your venue, make sure you have your budget worked out. So many couples start venue searching before putting the budget together, and end up falling in love with a venue which ends up taking a large proportion of the expenditure. Another wedding regret which crops up is booking a dry hire venue which has an external caterer, thinking you can afford the venue no problem, without getting a quote from the catering company they use.

Still having anxieties about regrets after your wedding day? Maybe you are struggling with a difficult situation? Get in touch here and let’s chat!

The post Wedding Regrets And How To Avoid Them appeared first on Wedding Planner and Event Manager, London and UK.

Maybe you have hired a venue which is a dry hire venue which means that you just hire the space so you don’t have another co-ordinator or manager on site, maybe the team at the venue you have hired are only there in terms of your planning and you don’t actually have the venue coordinator on your day, it could be that they just have a duty manager on site on the actual wedding day and you want somebody that you know familiar face and that has been with you along your planning journey.

That’s what hiring an on the day manager or wedding co-ordinator is all about, having somebody that is completely unbiased a venue that will be there for you on your day so you can sit back relax and enjoy your day. Some couples even hired me as an on the day manager even though they have an event manager/co-ordinator also on site, because they want somebody that is unbiased to the venue, somebody that I can call upon during the planning process if they need a one-off session and also somebody that will work with the venue coordinator to make sure that everything is absolutely perfect.

Here are 6 regular questions which come up when hiring a wedding manager/wedding co-ordinator and tips when searching for one!

What is the difference between a Venue Coordinator and a Wedding Planner/Manager?

A venue coordinator is very different to a private wedding/event manager/coordinator – I’ve done both and each have their differences! Being a venue co-ordinator is an extremely busy job, and whilst you are focused on the wedding happening that day, the main considerations are for the venue itself, plus assisting other weddings coming up and new enquiries coming in. When I was a co-ordinator, on a wedding day, I was still having meetings in the morning, so my full attention wasn’t on the wedding itself. Also, as a general rule of thumb, as a venue, you are unable to sign for cakes, flowers etc as we aren’t generally aware of what you have ordered. At some venues, it may not even be the co-ordinator you have been communicating with, it could be a duty manager or operations team on the day, so someone you haven’t met or spoken to before.

When you hire your own co-ordinator, they are working purely for you on the day, no other couple so you are the only focus. When booking through myself, you will always meet the person who will be there on your day in advance. We are also able to sign for any orders as we would have communicated with your suppliers in advance. We will also be present for your ceremony and will see you in the morning, regardless of location, so for example, if you have a church wedding, we will be there. We work purely for you and will do whatever you need, not just what the venue needs.

Do I need a venue co-ordinator and a wedding planner/manager?

You need at least one and it’s definitely best to have both if it’s available – we are there to work together to make sure your day is perfect. Remember that there is a big difference in a wedding planners planning and management services. If you want assistance with the whole planning then you definitely need both. The advantages of having a private planner/manager alongside your co-ordinator is the wedding planner will be unbiased to the venue and will be able tackle any venue related issues. They will also be available to add on extra planning sessions, give supplier recommendations and to add on final month planning if you want extra assistance during those last few stressful weeks.

If I hire an on the day wedding manager/co-ordinator, what are they there to do?

Allowing you to relax and not worry about a thing, setting your tables up, being a communication for your guest, solving any problems which arise (because they do!) the list is basically endless, and you can see a breakdown of what I include in the service here. It’s all about making sure the day is perfect and that any problems that do arise are solved without you noticing!

Can’t my Mum or Bridesmaids just manage my wedding day?

]Your sister mum/mum/bridesmaids/groomsmen/best friend/auntie/dog is not a manager/co-ordinator. They are there to enjoy the day with you. They are not your staff as I’m sure you are aware. They most likely won’t have the experience to handle any issues which may arise (and if they do, they probably want a day off!) We do around 30,000 steps a day, work 12-14 hours barely with a break – are they prepared for this?

Do I need to hire a wedding coordinator at a dry hire venue?

If you have a dry hire venue – this is a MUST. A dry hire venue means that you just receive the venue space, everything is then up to you, from hiring all the suppliers, to making sure your guests know what to go on the day. As you’ve already seen from this blog, there is a lot involved, and to not have someone on the day to make sure it all runs smoothly is like going on holiday with no travel insurance. Things will go wrong. It’s a massive risk. Add a wedding co-ordinator to your budget and put it up there with all the must haves, before you start spending your budget on the little luxuries. I would even advise with a dry hire venue to have a full wedding planning service from a wedding planner to make sure you have the best suppliers and that the logistics for the day are all covered.

Wedding manager vs on the day co-ordinator? What is the difference?

It’s the same job, just different titles! When you are hiring your own co-ordinator, you will find many use different terms, so it may be worth searching for your co-ordinator in different ways. Majority of private wedding co-ordinators are also wedding planners who offer an on the day management services, so looking out for wedding planners is also a good way, then looking on their website to see if they offer this service. Or just save the time and get in touch with me here as it’s a service I offer!

Hiring a wedding planner or a day of co-ordinator needs to become the norm, having someone there as a support and to make sure your day runs incredibly shouldn’t be seen as a luxury. After you’ve spent so long dreaming about this day and hours and hours of planning, you want it to run well on the day, right? You want your guests to be happy, right? You want your parents to relax and not sweat the small stuff, right? Does that sound like a luxury? No. So hiring a wedding coordinator/manager shouldn’t be seen as one either.

The post 6 Reasons A Wedding Manager or Co-Ordinator Is Needed appeared first on Wedding Planner and Event Manager, London and UK.

Thank you for joining us! What are we writing about today?

We have recently rebranded our business and really just wanted the opportunity to chat about who we are, what we do, and how we can turn your planning into an easy and enjoyable experience, as that is what it should be!

our motto

Our moto is that your Wedding day experience isn’t just about from the moment you walk down the aisle, it’s from the minute you get engaged. When you first start dreaming about your Wedding day, hunting for venues, choosing suppliers- this is ALL part of the experience, every moment of planning from choosing your invites to trying to sort the table plan! (nightmare!)

We Care!

Why us? Why listen to us? Not only do we have 10 years experience in the Wedding industry, helping couples to plan their perfect day, but we CARE. We pride ourselves on being so passionate about Weddings, we love LOVE! And always have. As a child and a teenager, I wore my heart of my sleeve, and this has continued into my adult life, when, to no surprise from my family and friends, at the age of 20, after a short period as an entertainer (I still do sing!) I decided to go to uni, study for a degree in Events Management, then become a Wedding planner!

Experience

My first position after uni – I say after uni, it was actually 4 months before the end, where I worked full time alongside finishing my degree – was as a planners assistant, which I absolutely loved and was a position I thrived in! It was a super busy company, 170 Weddings a year to be precise (!!) and within six months, I became a full planner, with the guidance of the rest of the extremely talented team.

I spent the next few years doing everything I could to better myself and to learn. I managed and planned Wedding after Wedding, spending my Saturday nights, Sundays, early mornings, late nights, in my early 20s planning, planning and more planning! This gave me the experience I needed, experience of what to do to be there for my couples, experience of what would make them feel amazing on their Wedding day, experience of how they could make the most out of their day, experience of amazing suppliers and shoddy suppliers, and also, unfortunately, experience of what could go wrong. Yes, it is inevitable, things will go wrong, but I am so glad I have had that experience so I know how to handle these situations now.

Emotion

Since then, I have worked in various locations in the UK. I am originally from Norfolk and met my partner back in 2013 who was from Bedfordshire (2 hours away). He then announced after 2 months that he was moving to Birmingham for work (3 and a half hours!!) so asked if I wanted to go….I felt like I needed a change and wanted to spread my wings in the events world, so I went! It was the best thing I ever did and has helped my career massively. I had the pleasure of working with some truly remarkable couples and some amazing corporate businesses such as National Grid, Aston Martin, Jaguar Landrover and Claires (to name a few!). Everybody thought I was crazy, chasing a man half way across the UK, but this is what I am saying, I wear my heart on my sleeve and I do things I feel are right! We have just celebrated 7 years together!

My partner is my constant support, and gave me the boost I needed to start the business back in 2018 which I named Complete Rose Events. Sitting here now in 2020, with a newly branded business – Hannah Rose Weddings & Events, I have learnt so much and have managed to survive Covid after quitting my job to go full time in January!

why start?

It has been a dream of mine for years to have my own business, with my own brand and my own values and I am passionate about the business being successful in doing what we do best – helping couples to achieve their perfect day, with minimal stress for them.

So in answer to the question in the title of this blog, it’s simple…we will be working together for say 1-2 years, it is vital that we get along, have a great relationship and can work together! If you like what you have read, you agree with our moto, you like our experience and personality, and think you want to hear more, then you can book a video call here and you may just learn that we are definitely the planners for you!

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