It's so easy, when you've just got engaged, to get caught up in the whirl-wind of wedding fayres & looking at venues & suppliers, without ever really coming to any decisions... There's so much choice & the prices can vary massively, so to begin with, you need to ask yourselves the following questions .....
· What you really like about weddings ?.
· What you really dislike about weddings?.
· What is the total amount of money that you want to spend on your wedding?.
· What do you want people to say about your wedding?
By answering the questions above, you can narrow down the options & start making some decisions. To do this, you would normally start by breaking down your budget & deciding exactly what you intend to have on your wedding day. So, for example, if the average spend on a reception is around 40% of your budget, ask yourself if that will be enough to ensure you have all the things that you want .... If the most important thing is that you want the full works in terms of canapés, a sit-down wedding breakfast, with wines, champagne toast etc.. you might have to forfeit something else, that is less important to you both.
Once you have decided exactly what money you have to spend on each of the elements that you require, you need to decide on a theme for your wedding. By this, I don't mean fancy dress ... it's more about what colour schemes do you both like & in terms of a venue, do you like old buildings or do you prefer the more contemporary style?
Once you have a theme in mind, stick to it & ensure that everything mirrors it, from the invitations, through to the favours & everywhere in-between.
Here's what to do next:
· Find a venue that can accommodate your needs. This may either be for a packaged wedding or a venue that offers more flexibility.
· Ensure the venue matches both your style & budget.
· Book early to secure any special deals they might be offering.
· To get maximum value for your money, book a mid-week day or a Friday.
· Engage suppliers that are flexible & can deliver to the style & price you require.
· Stick to your original plan .. don't get pressured in to doing things that don't suit you .. you'll regret it on the day.
Consider hiring a planner. The misconception is that this is a massive additional expense to your budget .. However, if you find a good planner, this shouldn't be the case. Most planners start with a free consultation, where you can get to know each other & they should listen to everything that you wish to have for your wedding. From that, they should produce a proposal for you that documents everything that they will do for you & the associated fees that they will charge. A planner will be used to working with suppliers & will generally be able to negotiate discounts on your behalf. You'll also have the added advantage of an expert being on-hand, from the moment you hire them, normally to the time you have your first dance.
