Planning Your Wedding - Part 1

Planning Your Wedding - Part 1

Setting the Date & Finding your Venue

This part of your planning can be the most time intensive and probably one of the most stressful in planning your whole wedding.  There are various things that you have to take into consideration before doing anything.  Breaking your planning down into workable parts is the most effective way of making sure that your plans are as organised as possible.

Okay here are things that you need to consider.

• What type of ceremony do you want?  Religious, Civil, Humanist, Pagan (indoors/outdoors?)
• What time of year do you want to get married? What season?
• Approximately how many guests do you want to come to the wedding - this is a ball park figure at this stage, I will explain later why this is important.
• What type of venue do you want?  A hotel, country house, marquee, pub, back garden etc
• Very important What is your budget for the wedding?   you must be realistic as costs can spiral out of control very quickly.

Now lets look at things a little more in depth.

Religious Ceremony

Having a religious ceremony is the first choice for many couples who want to have a traditional wedding or whose beliefs require it.  This means that you have to take into account other factors.

• Is there a wedding venue (of your choosing) reasonably close to where the service will be?
• Can it accommodate all your guests?
• Will you have to provide transport for your guests to get there? (coach - do they have availability on that day?)
• Are both venues available on the same date?

You may need to go back and forth between the venues and transport providers to make sure that they all have the same date that they can accommodate you with.

Civil Ceremony

There are 4900 licensed wedding venues in the UK which can be found here   This option means that you can  get married and have your reception all in the one location, and for a lot of couples this is the ideal option, as it  cuts down on  costs (unless your are getting married in the Registry Office of course).

Humanist Ceremony

Marriage by a Humanist Celebrant is becoming more and more popular by couples.  What is  Humanist Wedding?  A Humanist Wedding isn’t religious, but it is saying important things about you  and what you believe, your values and your ethics. It’s about publicly making serious vows and promises which mean something to you, and which are legally recognised and legally binding. All this doesn’t mean that the Ceremony has to be dull and boring – far from it. It should be full of joy and laughter, and have the music and readings, which mean something special to you as a couple. You’re free to ask friends and family to take part, not just as bridesmaids and best man, but to take an active part in the ceremony by reading or speaking if you’d like them to.  Your wedding can be almost anywhere (as long as it’s safe and dignified) and can be on any day and at any time you wish. Source   

At this point in time Humanist Ceremonies are only legal in Scotland (except Civil Partnerships) and must be supplemented by a Register Office wedding in England and Wales.

Pagan Weddings (Hand fasting)

This is a traditional wedding that goes back to ancient times and was traditionally called hand fasting.  This is due to the tradition that the wedding ceremony would start by "bonding" a man and a woman who wanted to get married by tying their hands together with a red cord and after one year they would then be recognised as husband and wife.   These days this isn't a requirement and the Pagan wedding can be a lovely ceremony.  As with Humanist ceremonies, this isn't legally binding and must be supplemented by a Register Office wedding.

When to get married.

Think about this carefully.  The "peak" wedding season is normally May to September and December of each year.  Expect to pay more for your venue during these times.  It can really help your budget to get married outwith these months.  Even consider the day of the week to get married.  You will ultimately pay more for a Saturday wedding.  Many venues will do deals during the quieter months and you will get much more for your money just by having your wedding a month either side of the "peak" season or even midweek.  Unless you have your heart set on somewhere, shop around, you will be surprised what deals can be done.  Other money saving tips are :  you might be offered a "package" from the venue, can this be broken down into elements that you can do yourself cheaper.   For example; table centrepieces - can you provide your own?   How much do they charge for linen? Can they incorporate your own colours? Will they charge extra?  Its likely you can do those elements yourself for less. (in most circumstances) 

How many guests

At this point its not necessary to have exact numbers, a guestimate will do.  This will allow you to find out if your desired venue is able to accommodate the amount of guests you want to celebrate your special day with you.  If it can't,  you may have to rethink your options and consider other venues.  It will give you an indication of the total cost of hiring your venue, your wedding breakfast, drinks package and evening buffet.  Many hotels will give you the honeymoon suite (if there is one)free of charge or a room to change/store wedding gift.  They will often give special rates to any guests who might be staying at the hotel/venue on the night of the wedding.  Bear in mind the greater the number of guests the greater the cost.

Type of Venue

This is purely a personal choice, you might have your heart set on a country house, a city centre hotel, local community centre or even a marquee in the grounds of the local pub.  

Remember, you will have to leave deposits which are usually non refundable so choose carefully.  Take time, do your sums and make sure your can afford it, this will save a lot of headaches later.  Make sure you give yourself enough TIME, whether you want your wedding in 3 months or 3 years time, you need to make sure that you are able to pay for it  by the time the wedding comes around. Remember suppliers won't wait for payment until after the wedding they will want it settled in full either a few weeks before or on the day.  Avoid disappointment by budgeting carefully.

Next Week - Planning your Wedding Part 2 -  The Bridal Party!  

Not to be missed - Planning your Wedding - step by step!!!

Congratulations, you have had the romantic proposal (hopefully! ) you have a gorgeous ring on your finger, all your friends and family are so excited for you and you feel on top of the world.   So what's next?

Beautiful diamond ring available from
Pebbles Jewellery Ltd

It's time to start putting the wheels in motion to plan your wedding, one of the biggest days in your life, when you are making promises to each other and starting out on your new life together as husband and wife.   But where do you start!   There are tons of websites out there that will give you ideas and tips, but that can seem so overwhelming.    Over the coming weeks I will be covering the main tasks for your wedding planning step by step.  Of course it does help to have a wedding planner/coordinator, but remember if you are set on doing it all yourself, most planners will give you the initial consultation free of charge,  at least you can bounce some of your ideas off them or even gain a few of your own for your forthcoming plans.  Even if you don't take up their services at the end of the day, the meeting can be a very useful exercise.   But also remember they can be a really valuable source for suppliers,  that not only go the extra mile, but are reliable too.

Over the next few weeks, I will be covering everything from the process of how to set the date  - you may think that's the easy bit... it's not and can be the most time consuming part of all your planning, finding the right venue for you, catering, flowers, dresses, cars etc.  and how to bring them all together so that your day goes off without a hitch.

Make sure you don't miss the first instalment this Friday 16th March 2012

It's my Wedding Day....what could go wrong?

I don't think I have met a bride yet (including myself on my own wedding day) when I was paranoid that something was going to go wrong.   Of all the days this is one where you want it to be perfect.    But such is life, mishaps DO happen, its how you deal with them that's important.

So what could go wrong on your special day?

1. You are up bright and early, feeling excited as well as a little nervous, this is perfectly natural, but what you need to do is EAT and DRINK (not alcohol!!)   Have a proper breakfast as this will set up you up for the long day ahead, what will happen if you don't...you are likely to Faint or feel Dizzy especially when saying your vows.

2. Your flowers arrive and they aren't what you ordered, first don't panic, get onto the florist right away and Delegate someone or let your wedding coordinator go along and get the correct flowers from the florist, don't wait for them to be redelivered.  When you order your flowers take a photo of them so you can have a record of what it is you wanted them to look like and in the case of a slip up, the florist can make amends right way.

3.  To avoid any unsightly stains on your dress from spray tans etc, get your tan done 2 - 3 days before the wedding, this will allow any excesses to be showered off properly before the big day, but should you get a bit of staining on your dress as you are putting it on or before you leave use stain removal wipes or unscented gentle baby wipes and DAB don't wipe.    Something that happened to me at my own wedding, red wine got spilt down the front of my dress, don't panic just get yourself immediately to the ladies room and run the offending stain under cold water, then dab it dry.  

4.  Some guests don't turn up or others who didn't RSVP turn up, venues are accustomed to that, if you have a wedding coordinator they will just fix the problem, rearrange the table settings to accommodate, you won't even know anything about it.  If you don't have a coordinator make sure that your MOH is aware of your table plans and she will be able to sort out the problem for you.  It's not a big a deal as you might think it is, this kind of thing happens all the time.

5.  The car breaks down on its way to pick you up or on the way to your wedding, panic starts to set in, don't  worry it's a little glitch, the car company should be able to replace the car, if not the worst case scenario, call a taxi!  just make sure that someone calls ahead to the venue to let them know that you are running a little late and the reason why. 

6.  A brides worst nightmare tripping as she goes up the aisle!  Don't get upset, make light of it and make a joke of it, it will break the ice and your guests will forget it happened.

7.  The caters have got your menu selection wrong.  Okay this might seem the end of the world, but is it really?  It will be too late to do anything else about it at this point, so you may just have to go with what they have, as long as the dietary requirements of your guests are met.   Get your wedding coordinator or MOH to speak to the caterers discretely and calmly, let them know that its wrong and that compensation or reduction in the bill is required.   This is something that can be dealt with at a later date.

8.  The band doesn't turn up!   Most venues will have an "emergency" back up most likely in the form of a DJ, but its better than nothing,  you are unlikely to find a replacement band who can turn up at very short notice but a DJ can.   Go with the flow and worry about it later.

9.   Someone stands on your dress and rips it!!!   That can be an awful moment for any bride.  Make sure that you have your emergency wedding day kit with you (your wedding coordinator will have one) and have someone put in some emergency stitches, along with a few strategically placed safety pins.  It will get you through the rest of the day, without worry.

10.  To help avoid all of the above,  the week before the wedding contact ALL your suppliers to make sure that what you have ordered is correct and what time things will be delivered and write it all down and who you spoke to and when.   If you have a wedding coordinator they will make sure all this is done for you and will liaise with the suppliers on your behalf to make sure that it all goes to plan.

The most important thing to remember is you are getting married and what that stands for, all the other logistics are just a part of the celebrations.  You are still going to be married after your wedding day and starting your new life together, that's what is really important.

More than just a pair of wedding boots...: Sneaky Preview - Wink!

From : http://wedding-boots.blogspot.com/2012/02/sneaky-preview-wink.html


More than just a pair of wedding boots...: Sneaky Preview - Wink!: A Big Thankyou to our model Amy, Clare from Silk Rose Designs and Ellie from East Coast Photography for Big efforts made yesterday Sunday 26th February at House of Elliot photo shoot. The star of the show had to be our over the knee lace ivory wedding boot
http://www.houseofelliotcollection.com/Views/Product.aspx?productID=0e8d7178-126d-1eb7-9374-cbe7e4ec17d1

Worn with an Ivory lace wedding coat designed and made by Silk Rosehttps://www.facebook.com/clareperkins.silkrose Im sure you will agree, was absolutely exquisite.
The images should be ready in about two weeks, but we just couldn't resist showing our bloggers and followers a sneaky preview

Thank you to all our well wishers

Say "Tanks for loving me" this Valentines Day

TELL YOUR VALENTINE 'TANKS FOR LOVING ME' WITH A MILITARY GIFT EXPERIENCE

Stand out of the crowd of teddy bears and red roses with a once-in-a-lifetime gift experience from Gift Activity Scotland this Valentine's Day.

Let your partner know how special they are by putting them in the driving seat of a tank and in charge of your relationship for one day.

Greeted by your host at the Tank Driving Scotland site, near Dundee, you and your Valentine will be given your secret mission which includes the opportunity to get behind the controls of a military tank and driving around the specially created obstacle track.

Nothing says ' I trust you' like being driven around in a 13-tonne tank!

At the end of the experience your Valentine will be presented with a rose and each couple will be invited for a glass of bubbly.

Anyone wishing to propose be warned it is extremely muddy so going down on one knee is

optional.

Package costs £59.95 per couple and available from www.giftactivityscotland.com and

www.tankdrivingscotland.com

For more information please contact a member of the Gift Activity Scotland team on 01250 873808 or info@giftactivityscotland.com

Lomond Beauty

The week before you wedding is when you should be the least stressed (if there was ever a time to use a wedding coordinator this is it! )  and its time for you to be pampered to the extreme as you want to look and feel your best on your wedding day.


When will I find the time to fit it all in? you ask. Well you can have all your pampering done in your own home, and why not invite your bridesmaids along too, to enjoy the experience.  

A company I work closely with and can't recommend highly enough is Lomond Beauty.  Lesley is not only fantastic at what she does, she is professional, friendly and guaranteed to make you feel great. Lomond Beauty is available in the Dumbartonshire and Glasgow areas and provides a wide range of packages to fit any budget.


The products Lesley uses are of the highest quality, they smell great and will leave you feeling gorgeous.  Lomond Beauty offers services such as waxing using the PS Waxing System, this waxing system is clean, less painful and completely hygienic.

The massage treatments that Lomond Beauty provide are amazing and will leave you feeling relaxed and pampered, a must for any bride to be (or groom! ).   You can choose from a Swedish Massage which is an invigorating massage using a variety of techniques, to treat sore muscles, reduce tension and stress and help to increase circulation.


Or why not go for an aromatherapy massage, using specially blended oils to promote relaxation and a peaceful state of mind.


Don't forget your hands and feet, your hands will be on show a lot on your wedding day as your friends and family will want to see your new shiny wedding ring and your photographer will want to capture this too, Lomond Beauty can help make your hands beautiful for your special day.   A luxury pedicure will make your feet look great while you show off your gorgeous wedding shoes! 






There are a variety of packages designed for weddings at very competitive prices.  Check out the website for Lomond Beauty http://www.lomondbeauty.co.uk/ for more information on prices and packages available.  Or call Lesley today to discuss your requirements or make an appointment on 07875 367822

Beauty Weddings 2012

WoW!  What a fantastic start to the year for Beauty Weddings.   I think this Christmas and New Year has been the most romantic with so many proposals of marriage.    We have had alot of enquires and many initial consultations booked into the diary, so am very excited about the year ahead.    I feel that changing the range of services we offer has made a massive difference to how couples are responding to us, and of course much of the enquires have been because of word of mouth referrals (massive thank you to my previous clients and families for singing our praises)

The words "Wedding Planner" still instills that fear and doubt in couples and their families that its about having your wedding taken over and to be honest the recent programmes on television really aren't helping that image either.  (I won't name them but am sure you know the ones I mean!), and to anyone who is in this industry it really is cringe worthy and makes our job much much harder, especially when we spend so much time and energy dispelling those myths that we come in and take over, its simply not true!    A wedding planner helps you with your planning not take over, we help you with your decision making, we help by giving you choices that you might never have thought of yourself, we help with ideas and inspiration, we never take the decisions out of your hands and you always have the last say in all your plans.

At Beauty Weddings we offering a range of services that are available to view on our website www.beautyweddings.co.uk  which will cater to the needs of any couple who are in the planning process, our initial consultations are always free and we will come along and spend a couple of hours with you talking about your wedding and see where we can fit in to help make your day the way you want it.  Planning a wedding can seem on the face of it as fairly straight forward, until you start to dig a little deeper and realise that there is a huge amount to organise and coordinate to make sure that it all comes together on the day.  There are so many elements to a wedding it can seem very daunting even to the most organised person.

Have a look at our website, read our testimonials and give us a call or drop us an email and we can see how we can help.


We look forward to hearing from you!