So as you have probably already figured out, we're planning our lovely spring wedding and by heck it's taking a lot of time and energy, but it will all be super happy and fun in the end.
I thought I'd share with you some of my advice and tips as a bride to be if, like me you're planning a wedding or even if you're not engaged yet or have recently been asked *massive congratulations!*
1. tea and cake | now these two go hand in hand, not only are they totally necessary for planning a wedding but you're also sort of researching as you go along. we're having afternoon tea at our wedding, an avid tea drinker and lover of all things alice in wonderland, there couldn't *not* be a the party! so if like us tea and cake are going to be a part of your wedding, then definitely make this a top priority! take your mum, bridesmaids, groom, and most importantly your dad- he's gonna be the one who sways you one way or another from decadent chocolate fudge cake to tradish victoria sponge all stacked up with homemade strawberry jam and sumptuous vanilla buttercream. all dads like tea and cake.
2. the vision | this has to be something you love, both you and your other half. it's so incredibly easy to get swept off your feet in a pinterest whirl of glitter, white peonies and balloons (yeah, so this might be what we're having, but hey) but the absolute best thing you can do is sit down (this is where point one comes into play) and talk through all your thoughts and dreams and then think about how you're going to make them a reality.
3. pinterest & other social media | as a bride to be i'm actually addicted to most forms of social media and while they are a massive help, keep reminding yourself about point two! use social media as your friend, an extension of mood boards, scribbles in endless notebooks and a place to keep everything, all in one place. it's an ideal thing to have specified pinterest boards labelled up with ideas for things like *the dress*, flowers, cake, decor ideas and also links to lovely blog articles and diy ventures you've found after all those hours of trawling the net.
4. buy yourself a notebook| or folder or high sketchbook, whatever you're happy with, maybe even go with a small notebook for all those thoughts and wedding ideas you're going to have on the commute to work, brushing your teeth, midway through a bubble bath, this one is probably going to be your new BFF. it's really nice having all those pinterest boards and shizzz but there's nothing like getting your bridesmaids over and feeling like your in a 90's film with cherryade, glitter and loads of pritt stick.
5. budget | this is boring but i promise once you've sorted it the planning process will run much smoother! have a proper chat with your other half and parents (if they're in on the budget too) and think how much you actually want to spend and how much it is going to be physically possible to do so. yes a vintage car to the wedding would be gorgeous but if it means eating nothing but porridge for weeks it suddenly doesn't seem like such a good idea. you can do this!!!
6. diy | so if you're on a budget then doing things yourself is going to get you through and you'll have loads of fun on the way! it allows you to personalise your day without overspending and you'll have days out in lovely places and in years to come look back and be like 'oh yeah remember that lovely afternoon in lincoln when we had strawberry cider in that gorgeous pub... oh yeah we were teapot hunting for the wedding weren't we?!'
7. the dress | i thought i'd mention this because again it's super easy to get persuaded you need to have a certain type and look a certain way, but the best thing is getting to swoosh around in loads of different dresses. definitely try on, take people who you love but who will also be honest with you, keep it to maybe two or three because having loads of opinions can get confusing and you'll be overwhelmed. have afternoons out, try looking in different places, also if you're on a budget try looking on ebay, preloved, sellmyweddingdress, preownedweddingdresses, there's loads online and a lot of them are still new so you can find yourself a dream dress for a fraction of the price! also look into maybe having one made, there's beautiful designers and dressmakers out there who don't charge the earth.
8. the venue | this is down to you and your fiancee, definitely think about what sort of feel you'd like, places that mean something to you, always consider budget and location. you will have to compromise on things even if you have plenty of dollaz! but that's ok, you can get creative and always come back to how you both feel and can you see yourselves getting married here? all the small details will become even more minuscule on the day so don't worry if you love the venue but hate the colour of the floor or something! if you're on a budget think about maybe having the wedding midweek or in the autumn/ winter months, a local pub can be a grand place for a wedding if you're after something more homely and intimate. look at national trust locations too as they are stunning and don't always cost a massive amount.
9. food & drink | definitely get loads of quotes if you're having a caterer in for your wedding, if it's all in-house then get tasting, often venues will sort out a bespoke menu for you for the same price! have what you like to eat, if fish and chips is your fave then have that, don't feel pressured into having a six course stuffy dinner, it's so much better to have more relaxed, familiar food especially if you're wedding is going to be a reflection of you both! always ask your venue about corkage, if they don't have it then you know you can buy all your drinks in advance and it's going to be a massive saving plus you can have exactly what you want! if you have to have theirs talk to them about what drinks you'd like on the day and again they should be able to whip up bespoke drinks menus and even personalised cocktails! woo!
10. be happy | remember this is meant to be an adventure, it shouldn't be stressful, i know it can be at times when you're having to be the bride/groom, wedding planner, florist and stylist all in one but it doesn't have to be! talk to your family and friends they would all love to be involved in some aspect of your big day, talk about things that you're worried about and nine times out of ten there will be a simple and easy way round it!
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