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5 Reasons Why You Should Visit a Wedding Fayre

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5 Reasons Why You Should Visit a Wedding Fayre

  • BY CLAIRE BOON
  • 06/12/2018
  • 6 MIN READ

There are a number of reasons why you should visit a wedding fayre. If you’re getting married, have you ever thought about going?

So you’ve just got engaged! Congratulations!

You’ve hit the champagne, and celebrated with all your close friends and family. But now the realisation has hit that you have to plan a wedding and you have absolutely no idea where to start.

Don’t worry! Every bride is the same. The key is to figure out what you really want from your day. And don’t dive in to trying cake samples, and attending bridesmaid dresses appointments in the first week of being engaged. You’ll only confuse yourself with information overload.

The best route to slowly introduce yourself to the world of weddings is to attend a local wedding fayre. There are a number of reasons as to why they’re so popular with brides. So whether you’re a new bride, or your big day is only a couple of months away, here are a number of reasons why you should visit a wedding fayre.

1. See A Venue

It’s important to see your venue stripped down and devoid of people to get a true impression. But it’s also equally important to see the venue dressed up as it would be on your day, and full of people.

Many wedding venues organise their own wedding fayres, which is a wonderful opportunity to see your venue fully dressed with table decor, blossom trees, flower arches, red carpets, and anything else you might want.

There’ll be staff milling around all day so you can ask them any questions about the venue, or even speak to an internal wedding co-ordinator.

2. Start Meeting Suppliers

Wedding fayres are the best way to meet suppliers from your local area. Meeting them in person is so important, as you get a true impression of them and their work. This is one of the biggest reasons why you should visit a wedding fayre.

You’ll be able to meet and chat to a whole range of suppliers, from photographers to magicians, cake makers to DJs. You’ll get a ‘feeling’ about them based on their stall, what they look like, and the work they do. It’s important to connect with your wedding suppliers, as you’ll be meeting with them a lot in the run up to your wedding day.

Even if all your suppliers are picked out and paid for, you might want an opportunity to finalise some details. If your cake supplier lives an hour in the opposite direction from your venue dresser, but they’re both attending the fayre, it’s a real timesaver to arrange to meet them there.

3. See a Catwalk Show

Wedding dresses can all start to look the same on the rail if you’re not too careful. A catwalk show is a wonderful opportunity to see the dresses on real women of all shapes, heights, and sizes. It might give you inspiration if you have no idea what you like, and you can talk to the organisers behind the catwalk and book an appointment at their shop to try some on yourself.

Catwalks are now showing men’s suits, bridesmaids’ dresses, and even Mother of the Bride outfits, so it isn’t just about wedding dresses.

4. Save Money

This is one that many brides might not be aware of, but wedding fayres can actually save you money. Suppliers might do a ‘Book on the Day’ deal. If you book them and pay a deposit at the fayre, you might get 10% off the cost, or even a freebie, like a free engagement shoot when you book a photographer.

You’d be amazed at the deals you can find, so it’s worth visiting for this reason alone.

5. Sample Some Food

I always joked that this was my husband’s favourite part of wedding planning: trying all the food!

Wedding fayres usually have an abundance of food supplied for you from cake samples, sweet stalls, and chocolate fountains to pizza vans providing lunch at £3 a slice.

If you want alternative catering options, a pizza van or burger bar is an excellent way to go, and you’ll usually find these at wedding fayres. You can get chatting to the owners and maybe even book them for your wedding.

You won’t be short of cake suppliers at wedding fayres either, and they tend to bring delicious samples with them like red velvet or chocolate cake.

Wedding fayres are a fun way of beginning your wedding planning journey. They’re not just helpful, but can be a really fun day out full of entertainment, food, and people!

We hope these reasons why you should visit a wedding fayre have convinced you to find your local one. To start, you can find the wedding fayres organised by us around Cheshire, Shropshire and North Wales on this page.

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Bridal Prep: How To Survive the Getting Ready Process (+ FREE schedule template!)

Your wedding day has finally arrived! You’ve probably not slept much the night before, and are conscious that numerous people are going to begin bundling through your front door any moment. So how can you keep calm and focused? How can you actually survive and enjoy the should-be-exciting getting ready process?

I was very lucky to get married in June this year, and I was really looking forward to having all my bridesmaids and closest family members around whilst I got ready, but I knew I had to prepare and I have a lot of tips that can help you survive the getting ready process (and actually enjoy it!).

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Source: atravelersheartphoto.com

It’s all in the prep

I’d highly recommend getting as organised as possible in advance to the day. This will avoid rushing around trying to get everything done on the morning of.

Buy some yummy nibbles, a range of drinks (soft and bubbly), make sure all the bathrooms are clean and beds are fresh for a relaxed start. I also arranged designated areas for the hair stylists and makeup artists to set up and prepared it for their arrival.

I also prepared a Spotify playlist, filled with feel good songs to play throughout the morning. You can listen and download it here.

Print off your morning schedule

I created a morning schedule with all the important events of the morning listed. This included things like what time the photographer was due to arrive, what time to leave for the church etc. Basically anything I needed to remember I put into the schedule.

Click here to download and print your own wedding morning schedule.

Remember to sit down & relax

It’s so important to take some time out to chill, have a bite to eat and drink lots of water. The time goes very quickly so it’s good to enjoy the moment.

Get dressed in plenty of time

The bridesmaids and Mother of the Bride should get into their dresses around 45 minutes before leaving, then they can all assist you.

My bridesmaids totally underestimated the amount of time if takes to get into dresses (sorry ladies!). The final half hour turned into a mad rush to get everyone dressed and out the door. The bridal cars were outside eagerly anticipating our departure, but the neighbours kept them chatting!

It’s important to remember that it will take the longest time to get you into your dress (especially if you have buttons running all down the back like I did!) so get your bridesmaids to help as soon as they’re dressed.

I hope you’ve gained some tips and tricks to getting ready on your wedding day. Don’t forget that you can access my library of free planning resources by clicking here.

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How To Start Planning Your Wedding (+ FREE Planning Starter Pack!)

Congratulations! You’re engaged! But…now what?

Most bride’s find the starting point the toughest part in the wedding planning journey.

And that’s why I created this Wedding Planning Starter Pack – specifically to help new Brides begin the planning process, but most importantly to develop your dream wedding vision.

Having a clear vision helps to make difficult decisions a heck of a lot easier throughout the process.

And don’t worry if you’ve already started planning; completing this step will enable you to weigh up your decisions so far and you may actually discover something you never thought about.

Click here to download your free worksheet and let’s work through it together.

starter-How-to-plan-wedding-day

 

When would you like to get married?

As soon as possible? A specific date thats significant to you as a couple? In a few years so you have plenty of time to plan?

Pro tip: I’d recommend the date being no less than about 9 months from now to give you oodles of time.

 

What is your budget?

Think of a realistic figure that is reachable for the date of your wedding. 

Deciding on a budget is one of the most essential parts to planning your wedding, because everything will revolve around it from this point. Your venue, location and number of guests are all determined based on your budget. Setting a precise figure right from the start allows you to have a clear target and avoids wasting time. 

If you’re unsure, sit down with your partner and discuss a realistic figure.

Where do you want to get married?

This can be your home town, somewhere abroad, or maybe a place that you and your other half have always envisioned.

Pro tip: Take into consideration the convenience for your guests. Nobody likes to travel for hours to a wedding. 

What type of venue would you like to get married in?

Do you want a relaxed, boho style wedding in somewhere like a barn? Or perhaps a glamorous affair in a manor house? Use your budget as guidance to help kick start the venue search.

How many daytime and evening guests would you like to invite?

This can be just an estimate for now. Having an idea of numbers from the start massively helps determine the size and location of the venue.

How many are you having in the Bride and Grooms parties?

It’s best to decide on this sooner rather than later as A LOT works around these numbers. You’ll find most suppliers ask this exact question. And anyway, it’s fun asking your best friends and most loved ones to be involved in planning your wedding day.

 

List five absolute must haves at your wedding.

It’s absolutely essential that you complete this step. I ask all of my clients to do this during the first consultation and most only begin to truly realise their vision after doing so.

These can be something like hiring a photo booth for the reception, or perhaps having your dog as the ring bearer, or playing a certain song for the first dance. You really aren’t restricted when it comes to this. Just pick five things you absolutely want to see at your wedding.

List three things you absolutely DO NOT want to see at your wedding.

Going along the exact same lines as what you just did, I want you to list three things you absolutely DO NOT want to see at your wedding.

Don’t worry as much about completing this section, but it’s still important to realise what you don’t want.

All of these things are still contributing towards achieving your dream wedding vision. 

What five things would you love to have at your wedding, if money was no option?

You can really let your imagination run wild with this.

Perhaps you’d love to rent a super car to pick your partner up on the morning of the wedding, or maybe you’d love to arrive by helicopter to your reception, or have the biggest chocolate fountain ever. This one’s a bit of fun, but it continues to develop your dream wedding vision and help you realise what you truly want.

Now you have all of those vital details decided on, you’re ready to start REALLY planning your wedding day.

 

***

I’m sooo excited to announce my brand new online Wedding Organiser.

Download and print essential tools created by me (a real wedding planner!) for a smooth and fun planning process.

Hiring a full, dedicated wedding planner can be costly. That’s why I decided to create an alternative that’s much more affordable, but just as valuable.

 

Click here for more information.

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10 Simple & Budget Friendly Ways to Wow Your Wedding Guests

You’ve secured the date, booked your dream wedding venue and drafted the all important guest list.

But it’s the small details at a wedding that make all the difference. Guests will remember your day for the little extras, and these will make your day the most talked about wedding for years.

Here are my top simple and budget friendly picks to make your guests say “wow”.

Keep them entertained

10 Simple & Budget Friendly Ways to Wow Your Wedding Guest

Weddings are often a looong day. And with the wedding breakfast lasting up to two and a half hours on average, it’s important to keep your guests throughly entertained. Having games on the table is a good, simple way to keep guests alert and they can also be a fantastic ice breaker if guests aren’t familiar with each other.

Psst – We have been getting crafty recently and can create completely bespoke table games for you. Contact us for a free quote. 

Anticipate their needs before they do

10 Simple & Budget Friendly Ways to Wow Your Wedding Guests

It’s your job to think of absolutely everything your guests could possibly need to make the day a little more comfortable for them.

A popular idea is to offer flip flops for tired feet, or blankets if the weather’s predicted to be a little chilly.

The idea is to anticipate your guests needs before they do.

Give them a say

It’s important to hear your guests out. Find out what song they’d like to hear by including a space for a request on the invitations.

Create an interactive guest book

10 Simple & Budget Friendly Ways to Wow Your Wedding Guests

Polaroid’s are a fun an alternative way to create a guest book. Have your guests snap away and sign the polaroids, then stick them into the guest book.

Write a personalised note

10 Simple & Budget Friendly Ways to Wow Your Wedding Guests

Personalised notes are a great way to show your guests that you really appreciate them sharing the day with you.

Write each person a personalised note and leave it on their place setting to show your appreciation.

Give them favours they’ll actually use

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Favours are something people always tend to leave until the last minute and skimp on. Do you guests really want a pebble with your initials on? Give them something they can really appreciate.

Click here for wedding favour ideas.

Do a surprise choreographed dance

10 Simple & Budget Friendly Ways to Wow Your Wedding Guests

This is throughly entertaining for guests and is such fun for you as a couple. Create a fun mix of your favourite cheesy hits. You can have first dance lessons for as little as £30.

Assign Ushers to guide guests to their seat

10 Simple & Budget Friendly Ways to Wow Your Wedding Guests

Believe it or not, this was originally an Ushers duty at a wedding, however the tradition has faded in time. Why not bring it back and make guests feel cared for.

Let us know if you try any of these tips!

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6 Things Brides Wish They’d Done Differently on Their Wedding Day

Planning your wedding can be a tough journey – to say the least. Brides often rely on the likes of Pinterest and Bridal magazines to gain inspiration on the current trends and themes, and Bridal Forums can be a planning saviour.

Your wedding day is quite possibly one of the most important and memorable days of your life. This comes with an immense amount of pressure for everything to be perfect.

But what would REAL Brides have done differently if they could plan their wedding again?

We asked a selection of past Brides this exact question and put their responses in a blog post for you to relish.

 

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Had a photograph with their nearest and dearest

The day is often such an overwhelming blur that it’s easy to forget to be photographed with the people you love the most. Discuss your requirements with the photographer prior to the wedding and they’ll give you a little nudge on the day to prompt the important shots.

Having a photobooth or disposal cameras on tables make it easy for guests to grab shots together.

 

Had a wedding video

This is the number one biggest Bridal regret. Having decent photographs is one thing, but a wedding video truly captures the day.

Those that organised a professional to shoot the whole day on film were really glad they had spent the extra money.

 

Lived in the moment

A lot of Brides become so overwhelmed on their wedding day that they forget to take a step back, breathe and just look at what they’ve created.

It’s your day, so don’t end up annoyed that you didn’t enjoy every minute of it because you were running around making sure everyone is happy.

 

Hired a Wedding Planner

We couldn’t count the amount of times we’ve heard “I wish I’d had a Wedding Planner”.

Sooo many brides only realise how stressful planning their wedding would be after their big day, and they desperately wish they’d reached out for some help and guidance before it all got too much.

We can be on site for your entire day to ensure everything runs smoothly, as well as helping with your styling and decor.

 

Taken a spare pair of comfortable shoes

What ruins a night? Sore feet!

Don’t forget that you’ll be wearing your wedding shoes since mid morning. Your feet are bound to throb as the day progresses. Have your Maid of Honour look after some comfy flats for you.

 

Letting the stress take over

The day will go extremely quickly, so it’s important to make the most of it and truly enjoy every moment.

I think it’s better to accept that there will be minor hiccups on the day. Then you can at least prepare yourself for this.

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Adding the Finishing Touches to Your Wedding

Guest post by Wedding Fireworks.

adding-finishing-touches-wedding
Image from www.weddingfireworks.co.uk

As stressful as wedding planning can sometimes be, it’s a fantastic feeling to finally get everything confirmed and be in a position where you can start looking forward to the big day.

What would make this feeling even better?

Finding out that you have a spare £1,000 in your wedding budget because you’ve been able to make savings along the way would definitely have our vote, especially if you’ve planned and paid for your honeymoon within that.

So, your wedding is ready to go, but you have that spare £1,000 that you could use to add a finishing touch to your wedding. Here are some of our favourite ideas that you could perhaps spend the money on.

Photobooth Fun

Photobooths are becoming increasingly popular at weddings, and for guests who don’t make it into the ‘official’ wedding photos it’s a great way for them to take something away from the day that they’ll always remember.

Photobooth companies offer a variety of options, too, from you just paying to hire the booth while guests pay a few pounds to use it to you paying for as much use as you like. As well as photos you can create GIF’s, add effects like you would on Snapchat, and add various other quirks to your photos.

The Photobooth Guys are one of the best providers in London, while Picture Blast cover all of the UK.

Take Another Look at Your Wedding Entertainment

If you weren’t sure what you wanted when it came to your wedding entertainment and ended up booking your venue’s house DJ, having this £1,000 left over may be a chance to change things up a little.

Now, we’re not saying there’s anything wrong with a house DJ, no doubt they’ll provide you with a great party and play everything you ask them to, but this is your day, and an opportunity to do something differently.

You could consider booking a wedding band instead – just remember they’ll take up more space than a wedding DJ – or looking at other forms of entertainment such as a table magician or dancers.

Freak Music is a great website for finding a wedding band, while if you use a wedding planner such as ourselves we can put you in touch with other options across the UK, too.

Book a Fireworks Display

Despite the widespread popularity of fireworks, they’re still something of a rarity when it comes to seeing them at weddings.

One of the big advantages of fireworks is that you can have a lot of flexibility around the length and type of display you have, while if you only wanted to use a small amount of your remaining budget you could order a display but fire it yourself!

Wedding Fireworks by Firework Crazy provides a range of display options, and for self-firing packages provides you with a layout map and a remote ignition kit to make your display happen yourself, or alternatively they can come to you and wow you in person.

Invest in More Wedding Favours

Whether you have a wedding list, ask for gift vouchers, or request contributions to your honeymoon fund, your wedding guests contribute a lot to your day. If you aren’t having hundreds of people at your wedding then your £1,000 could go a long way to upgrading your wedding favours.

Brides Magazine has some great ideas for wedding favours, while of course you can come up with your own unique ideas, too.

Adding the Finishing Touches, What Will You Do?

What will you do to add the finishing touches to your wedding? If you need help in adding your finishing touches or with your wedding planning in general, you can contact us here.

Did you know you can access a range of free, useful documentation including spreadsheets, checklists and guides to help you plan your wedding, the RIGHT way?

Click here to gain access.

Happy planning!

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Wedding Budget Planner (Free Downloadable Spreadsheet!)

Your wedding budget. Something that Brides want to ignore, and most simply don’t know where to start when it comes to setting a budget, distributing costs and keeping track of everything.

That’s why I decided to make my incredibly handy wedding budget planner available for YOU to download, fo’ free.

I’ve used this spreadsheet numerous times during my time as a Wedding Planner, and Brides have found it incredibly useful to track funds throughout the entire planning process.

Listen up, ‘cos I’m about to discuss why it’s ESSENTIAL to have a clear budget and to manage it well.

Wedding-Budget-Planner

Having a precise budget right from the start sets a clear path to follow. Here are a few more reasons why setting a budget is the most important thing you can do:

1. You won’t waste time. Avoid having consultations with suppliers you later discover you can’t afford, and rustling up ideas you know aren’t realistic.

2. It’s easy to get carried away. The cost of an average wedding in the UK is now at a staggering £22,000. Ouch. It’s so easy to want more because let’s face it, there are tonnes of options out there, so having a budget will avoid temptation.

3. No nasty surprises. Keeping track of everything throughout the process gives you a clear idea of how much you have left to spend. Forget going over budget or realising you can’t afford something after putting a deposit down.

Setting a budget and shopping around will cut costs. Fact.

So what are you waiting for?
Click here to download your free wedding budget planner.

Why will this wedding budget planner benefit you?

1. It covers absolutely everything you could ever possibly need to budget towards for your wedding day.

2. It allows you to keep track of deposits you pay and the date you book everything, as well as a handy notes section for important details (outstanding balance, cost per head, Bridesmaids requests etc.).

3. It has an entire column of average wedding costs to help guide you.

Use this wedding budget planner throughout the process and you’ll avoid mistakes and save on cost. 

Click here to download your free wedding budget planner.

Did you know you can access a range of free, useful documentation including spreadsheets, checklists and guides to help you plan your wedding, the RIGHT way?

Click here to gain access.

Happy planning!

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Top Expert Wedding Planning Tips & Tricks

We’ve gathered together a selection of top wedding planning tips & tricks based on our experiences, as well as those from experts in the industry, just for you.

We reveal clever ways on how to save money, as well as techniques to make the entire process a heck of a lot more stress-free.

Want to read even more tips and tricks? Download our FREE resource straight to your computer now. Click here. 

expert-wedding-planning-tips-tricks

START EARLY

Don’t hang around. Suppliers often get booked up extremely quickly, so don’t prolong the booking process, especially if you’re getting married in peak summer. “Late planning will drastically reduce the options,” says Vic Alexander, Visiting Tailor at JB Bespoke. “This could result in ‘second best, poorer service, and far from a dream wedding.”

 

HIT PINTEREST
Pinterest is quickly becoming the most popular search engine, especially for Brides. I like to call it the wedding Bible.

 

BE BUDGET SAVVY
Start by actually writing down your budget, saying it out loud even helps. Then begin to think about what you’d LOVE to have at your wedding.

 

THINK BEFORE YOU START RESEARCHING VENUES
What kind of wedding do you want? And how many guests do you want to invite? Only once you know the answers to these questions should you start researching possible venues.

 

VISIT YOUR VENUE AGAIN, AGAIN & AGAIN
You’ll find that you come across so many questions throughout the planning process, such as, “how many tables can we fit in the space?”, and “where can we put flowers where guests will notice?”. Visiting your venue during open days/evenings is a great way to discuss any queries with the staff (plus it’s always nice for an excuse to see the venue again!).

 

THINK ABOUT THE LIGHTING
Lighting is something that is usually massively overlooked, yet it can make all the difference to your venue. Uplighters and candles are relatively low-cost effective ways of introducing lighting. Don’t forget to think of outside lighting too – outdoor lanterns are really cheap and look amazing.

 

CHOOSE WISELY
“Take your time and choose suppliers that compliments your personal style. Shop around before contacting them. Everything is easier when you work with suppliers that you trust 100%.” Cameron & Mindy Braun of Braunphotography.

 

Click here to download even more incredibly useful wedding planning tips & tricks — it’s free!

 

CHOOSE A MENU YOU WILL ENJOY
Many future brides and grooms worry about the wedding breakfast menu, and get caught up in the details of others’ preferences and dietary requirements. Trying to please everybody is an impossible task. It’s YOUR day, so pick a menu you and your partner both love.

 

MAKE THE PLANNING FUN
“With so much to think of, planning a wedding can be really stressful. It’s easy to forget to enjoy the journey,” says Maria-Antonia Greenhill, Wedding and Event Planner of White Door Events. She encourages her clients to make a celebration out of as many planning events as possible. “For instance, if you’re having a dress fitting, meet with your entourage for afternoon tea or bubbly afterwards.”

 

GET ORGANISED
Create a master document with supplier names, contact numbers, and other important details. Not only will you feel in complete control during the planning stages, you can print it and hand it to one of your trusted bridesmaids on the day!

 

TAKE NOTES
“It may feel a bit like being back in school, but take lots of notes when visiting venues or other suppliers. You’re bound to forget the detail by the time you get home. With venues specifically, I recommend giving marks out of ten on things like style, charm, and budget.” MariaAntonia Greenhill, Wedding and Event Planner of White Door Events.

 

Click here to download even more incredibly useful wedding planning tips & tricks — it’s free!

 

Did you know you can access a range of free, useful documentation including spreadsheets, checklists and guides to help you plan your wedding, the RIGHT way?

Click here to gain access.

Happy planning!

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Top Hidden Wedding Costs Nobody Warns You About

Most Bride’s are unaware of hidden wedding costs. But you’re already very wise to search the net for any potential nasty surprises that will knock a hole in your budget.

With lots of hidden wedding costs sprinkled throughout the planning process, it can cause you to go way above your budget, around 30% in fact. Ouch.

So where are these hidden costs? And how can you avoid them? Listen up, my friend, cos’ I’m about to teach you a whole lot.

Grab a pen and paper to jot down some of my essential tips.

top-hidden-wedding-costs

SET-UP & BREAKDOWN

Are you going to hire a florist? A venue dresser? A cake maker? Each of these will charge various fees to cover transport costs, and the time it takes to set-up and breakdown items.

This can be anything from 20% of a single suppliers total costs. And obviously, the more suppliers you use, the more you can expect to pay in these fees.

ALTERATIONS

Alterations can be costly for the Brides and Bridesmaids dresses. Before you buy, you must ask what the stores alteration policy is.

It’s extremely common for the Bride and Bridesmaids to fluctuate in size, and you don’t want to be forking out potentially double your original budget in alterations.

This can cost anything from £100 per dress.

POSTAGE

It seems most Brides are still opting for the more traditional method of posting the invitations to guests. Which personally I LOVE, however, you must remember that not only are you paying for the invitations to be delivered, but also for stamps and RSVPs.

To keep costs down, avoid bulky or large invitations and use RSVP postcards rather than letters.

VENUE

This is fo’ sure my biggest tip. If you take anything away with you today, let it be this.

Ask your venue what exactly is included in your chosen package.

Table linen? Chairs? Cake table? Lighting? These aspects can be the most costly for a wedding. And do you know why? Because it’s a WEDDING, so venues know they can be sneaky and charge up to triple what they usually would.

Be very careful that you’re not purely paying for hire of the venue.

These costs can add an additional £75 EXTRA per person. Say what?!

CORKAGE

Bringing in your own wine sounds like a good get out of extra fees, right? It can be, but be wary of the corkage charges.

If you bring your own alcohol to avoid the venue’s costs, you may still rack up a similarly priced bill. And you may even be charged glass rental fees.

Corkage fees range from venue to venue, so it’s always worth asking.

PERMITS

While having an outdoor wedding may initially seem cheaper, you may have to get permits to hold your event. Add on rentals (marquee, heater, generator, etc.) can begin to get costly.

Some indoor venues will also require a permit if you choose to use candles or other non-approved details. Inquire about these before signing the contract.

Additional add ons can cost from £500.

WEDDING BREAKFAST

Some venues charge extra for guests to select their own meal from a range of dishes. This can cost an additional £2 per person. However, this is not expected by guests so make life easier for yourselves and just choose some good all rounders.

If there’s no set price for a three course meal, be cheeky and save some buck by opting for the wedding cake as desert instead.

TAXES & SERVICE CHARGES

Did someone say taxes? Yawn. Listen up though, cos’ this is important.

Tax varies from country to country, however you can expect to fork out an extra 20% on food, drink and rental fees.

Make sure that the venue package is inclusive of VAT, or at least be aware of the extra costs you’ll possibly have to pay. Sometimes, you will even be taxed on the service charge, increasing costs more.

Taxes and tips will be around 1/3 of your budgeted amount.

I truly hope you learnt some useful tips. The bottom line is, always read the small print to avoid hidden fees.

TOTAL COSTS: £8,460+

Did you know you can access a range of free, useful documentation including spreadsheets, checklists and guides to help you plan your wedding, the RIGHT way?

Click here to gain access.

And I’m VERY excited to introduce a new planning program for Brides – launching soon! Click here and complete the form to be updated.

Happy planning!

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Wedding Flower SOS – How to find the perfect blooms + your free downloadable checklist!

how-to-find-perfect-wedding-flower-checklist

Deciding which flowers you’d like at your wedding will help you to focus your discussions with your florist, and most importantly, stay within budget.

It always amazes me how much of a difference flowers make to the overall look of a wedding. They are an essential factor of the venue dressing, particularly now that most florists supply decorative fixtures and fittings too.

The first step to finding the perfect blooms is to sit down and put together a list of all the floral elements you could ever possibly need for your wedding day, including your favourite flowers. We’ve made things super easy for you by creating a pre-made checklist.

Not only that, but we’ve also attached a completely free downloadable version of the checklist for you to print off and take along to your florist appointment. So get your pencil out and start ticking off which flowers are the most essential for your wedding day.

Stuck for a professional, reliable florist? We’ve got an extensive list of trustworthy contacts that we’ve worked with all over the North West. Get in touch for some guidance. 

Number of daytime guests:
Number of evening guests:
Colour scheme:
Wedding theme:
Type of preferred flowers:

Bride, Bridesmaids and Flower Girl:
Number of Bridesmaids:
Number of Flower Girls:
□ Bride’s bouquet
□ Bride’s hair flowers
□ Bridesmaids’ bouquets
□ Bridesmaids’ hair flowers
□ Tossing bouquet
□ Flower girl’s basket

Grooms, Groomsmen, Ushers and Ring Bearer:
Number of Groomsmen:
□ Groom’s boutonniere
□ Groomsmen’s boutonnieres
□ Usher’s boutonnieres
□ Ring bearer’s boutonniere

Family Members:
□ Mother of the bride’s corsage
□ Mother of the groom’s corsage
□ Father of the bride’s boutonniere
□ Father of the groom’s boutonniere
□ Grandmother’s corsages
□ Grandfather’s boutonnieres

Ceremony:
□ Entryway or welcome table arrangements
□ Altar/chuppah arrangements
□ Pew or chair arrangements
□ Candles
□ Aisle decorations
□ Confetti for guests

Reception Flowers:
Number of guest tables:
□ Entrance arrangements
□ Bar arrangements
□ Gift table arrangements
□ Table plan arrangement
□ Centerpieces
□ Top table arrangements
□ Bride’s and groom’s chair decorations
□ Guest chair decorations
□ Buffet-table/food-station arrangements
□ Lounge area arrangements
□ Flowers for wedding cake
□ Cake table arrangements
□ Bathroom decorations
□ Getaway car arrangements

Click here to download the checklist for free!

Did you know you can access a range of free, useful documentation including spreadsheets, checklists and guides to help you plan your wedding, the RIGHT way?

Click here to gain access.

Happy planning!