5 Things to Think About When Planning a Dream Wedding*

Last year I was lucky enough to be part of one of my best friend’s big day. I was a bridesmaid for the first time ever (at 30!) and it really gave me an insight into what goes on when planning a wedding. If you’re someone in the throws of planning, or you have planned one in the past, you’ll know exactly what I mean! You’re paying all this money, you want your day to go smoothly and be exactly how you pictured it. A lot of people have an idea of the wedding of their dreams from a very young age, but the logistics of orchestrating it are not as simple as you probably though. So here are 5 important things to think carefully about while planning your dream wedding day;

When
Before you do anything else, you need to decide when you want to get married. This doesn’t just extend to when in the year but also includes what time of day and what day of the week. There is a growing trend of midweek weddings as Saturdays at popular weddings venues can book up years in advance. It’s also much cheaper to get married on a week day. Some couples favour getting married in the morning and having all day to celebrate, others choose evening so there day doesn’t feel stressful and drawn out. When picking a time of year you need to think about weather. Do you want a cold Christmassy wedding with twinkling lights, or have the possibility of a hot summers day. You might also pick a time of year when most of your friends and family will be able to attend.

Venue
Next is there where. Where do you want to get married? In the UK to officially get married you need to choose a venue that is registered to perform official ceremonies. You may have somewhere special to you and your partner, but if it doesn’t have a licence to perform a marriage you won’t be able to tie the knot there. Bear this in mind while looking at wedding venues. However, if you decide to have a destination wedding, the laws could be different. Do your research and get somewhere booked before informing your guests in case they need to find accommodation and transport of their own.

Capturing The Memories
One of the biggest expenses for a bride and groom is choosing how they wish to capture the memories of their big day. Still photos? Are you wanting professional or candid? Are you looking for video footage? You it’s best to look for a professional videographer who will not only come and shoot your day, but edit all the footage into something you’ll want to watch again and again.

Guests
Speaking of guests, you and your partner need to decide who you will be inviting. This is important to do after you settle on a venue as the size and safety restrictions could dictate to how many people you ask to join you on your special day. Some people prefer the idea of a small intimate wedding (that would be me) over one where you invite everyone you’ve ever met, and their grandmother. A big wedding doesn’t necessarily mean a happy marriage so don’t feel pressured into inviting anyone you don’t want to share your special day just to appease other people. You’ll also need to decide on your wedding party and who will be signing the official documents.

Colour Scheme
You know when, where and who, now it’s time to start looking at the little details and a good place to start this is with your colour scheme. Are you going for a classic black tie with a couple of complimenting colours? Or are you going for a theme such as literary or places that mean something to you where the colour scheme is more eclectic. I’ve attended a wedding where every bridesmaid wore a different colour and the cake was rainbow inside, i’ve also attended a modest black, blue and silver wedding. Both were beautiful and complimented the couple perfectly.

Food
Finally, how are you feeding your guests? A lot of this depends on the length of your wedding. If you’re planning a whole day party you’ll probably have to think of two meals, one sit down wedding breakfast (aptly named as it’s the first meal the couple eat after getting married) and maybe buffet in the evening. Will you be serving canapés with your wedding toast? Another thing to think about is whether or not you’re giving your guests the choice. I used to work at a wedding venue where the bride and groom could offer up to three choices for their guests, two different meats and a veggie choice! It all depends on your budget.

At the end of the day, all decisions fall to you as the couple getting married , you have to do what is within your budget and what will bring you the most happiness on your wedding day.