Wedding A-Z: E is for Emergency!

In the past you may have heard me talk about my wedding day emergency kit.  This is my box of tricks that contains everything I might need on a wedding day to resolve any kind of problem that may crop up.  This is something I naturally bring along if you hire me for On the Day Co-ordination, to ensure I am well prepared for any eventuality.

Now I don't expect all Brides to have quite as extensive a kit as I do, but there are certainly a few essentials I would recommend throwing in a bag and leaving at the venue 'just in case'.

• baby wipes (great stain removers)
• chocolate
• deodorant
• hair grips
• hairspray
• hand held mini fan
• hankerchiefs
• mints/breath spray
• paracetamol/asprin
• party feet
• plasters
• safety pins
• scissors
• sellotape
• sewing kit
• stain remover
• sting relief
• tampons, panty liners etc.
• tissues
• white chalk

What's the one essential thing you have in your emergency kit?

Guest Book Cheat Sheet

Are you one of those people who knows exactly what to write when the guest book lands in front of you?  Or are you like me?  You really want to write a meaningful and memorable message for the bride and groom but as soon as you have the pen in your hand you go completely blank!

Why not give your guests a steer in the right direction with a cheat sheet to get them started, here are some message inspirations:

The time is .......... and I'm feeling ..........
In three words I see the bride and groom as ..........
The highlight of the day so far for me has been ..........
My favourite memory of these two together is ..........
My crystal ball tells me that in five years time these two are ..........
To guarantee they live happily ever after, the best marriage survival tip I can offer is ..........
A personal message to the bride and groom from me ..........
My name is .......... and my relationship to the bride and groom is ..........


What did you last write in a wedding guest book?


Photo: UK Greeting Cards
   

Wedding A-Z: D is for Dance

Your first dance as a married couple is an opportunity to show your personality and love for one another and traditionally gets the party started.

So what will you do for your first dance?  Do you have a 'song'?  Some couples have a particular song that means something to them and their relationship together.  Whilst a slow love song might seem the most obvious choice it is perfectly acceptable to choose a more upbeat number.  If you want to you can even take lessons beforehand and hire a professional to choreograph a routine for you.

Take a look at Best Wedding Dances for some great examples of first dances.  However, make sure you get a cuppa before you visit - you will be on this site for hours!!

For song suggestions, you can check out sites like You and Your Wedding or First Dance UK for 'top ten' lists.  I decided to do a poll of my family and friends and this is their list of first dance songs:

Marylin Monroe - I Wanna Be Loved By You

Elton John - Your Song
The Beatles - I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Lonestar - Baby I'm Amazed By You
Ben E King - Stand By Me
Bon jovi - Always
Delta Goodrem - Fortune & Love
Texas - So In Love With You
Tom Baxter - Better
Ronan Keating - Superman
Frank Sinatra - Fly me to the Moon
Extreme - More Than Words
Take That - A Million Love Songs
My first dance was 'The Way You Look Tonight' by Frank Sinatra.  My husband and I took dance lessons and we did a Foxtrot.

What will you do for your first dance?
  

Come and Meet Endless Love

Endless Love will be exhibiting at the Suffolk Wedding Show this weekend - here are the details:

Sunday 27th February 2011

Wherstead Park, The Street, Wherstead, Ipswich, Suffolk IP9 2BJ

11.00am - 3.30pm

Free entry!

Endless Love will be in the atrium at stand number 27, come and meet Caroline and have an informal chat with her about how she can help you plan your wedding.

We will also be launching a very special discount offer on our forthcoming Wedding Planning Workshop which will only be available to Suffolk Wedding Show visitors so come along and find out more!

We look forward to meeting you there.

Don't forget to read my top tips for Getting the Most out of Wedding Fairs before you go!
  
   

Wedding A-Z: C is for Ceremony

Choosing the type of wedding ceremony to have is one of the most important decisions you will make.  Forget about the dress, the beautiful flowers and the colour scheme for a moment and take some time to think about the serious commitment you are making to one another.  There are many, many options when it comes to the marriage ceremony so I have included the most popular below:

Church of England

The Church of England has its own website dedicated to weddings that will give you all the information you need to know about planning a church wedding.  See the Your Church Wedding website for more information.


Civil Ceremony

You can marry in a civil ceremony at any Register Office ceremony room or at any licensed approved premises.  For civil marriages you do not have to marry in the area in which you live.  The ceremony is conducted by a registrar.  See Getting Married in Suffolk and the Celebrate in Suffolk brochure for more information.

Please click on the links for more information about each of the above.  Unfortunately I don't have enough hours in my week to research the many different types of ceremony available and all of the detailed requirements for each one - however as soon as I have a new client it's one of the things I love learning more about.  For example: I planned a wedding for a Polish bride last September and learnt an awful lot about Polish wedding traditions! 

Contact us now if you would like to find out how Endless Love can help you plan your wedding.


Picture Credit:
St Mary at Stoke Church, Suffolk Churches
Civil Ceremony, Seckford Hall
  

Wedding Planning Workshops

Would you like to plan your own wedding but don't know where to start?

Come along to our interactive workshop that will give you the knowledge and tools needed to plan a stress free wedding on budget.

Sunday 13 March 2011

9.00am - 12.30pm

Ufford Park Hotel, Golf & Spa

You will go home knowing how to have a stress free wedding, how to save money, how to work with suppliers and much more. Below is an example of a mood board:

Everyone that attends the workshop will make a mood board for their wedding, a great keepsake and a great place to start thinking about your theme.

Just £50 per person or £75 for two
Places are limited | Refreshments will be provided

"The fee for the workshop was small compared to the money we saved"
Kathryn Quinton, Wedding in July 2010

If you would like to know more about the workshops, please call me on 01473 681201 or 07906 705191. You can also contact me via my website http://www.endless-love.co.uk/.
  

Wedding A-Z: B is for Budget

Weddings are costly affairs with the average spend at £19,265 in 2009 (source: You and Your Wedding magazine).  One of the most important things you will do when planning your wedding is setting your budget - you may have some money put aside for your special day, now is the time to think about how much you feel is reasonable to spend on all the elements of your wedding. It may also be worth setting up a dedicated wedding bank account to start saving.

Here are my top ten tips for saving money on your wedding:


1. Set a budget and stick to it – use a budget planner to keep track of your budget, and ensure you have at least 5% put aside as a contingency.


2. Use local suppliers – by using local suppliers you will eliminate the additional costs that may be added for travel and delivery.


3. Get married on a week day or out of season – a lot of venues offer a discount for a non-Saturday wedding, and getting married ‘out of season’ i.e. October – April can reduce the cost too.


4. Use seasonal flowers in your bouquets and decorations – flowers that are not in season can cost up to twice as much as those that are. Work with your florist to choose seasonal flowers and keep the costs on track.


5. Serve your wedding cake as dessert – wedding cakes can cost as much as £500-£600, serving your cake as dessert can dramatically reduce your catering costs.


6. Think carefully about your guest list – around 40% of your budget will be spent on the reception; consider a smaller, more intimate ceremony and a big party in the evening.


7. Make your own playlist – instead of hiring a Band or DJ, create your own playlist and use an mp3 player, ask your guests to suggest some tracks when they RSVP.


8. Make your own invitations – you can buy everything you need to make your own invitations at a craft shop. Cut back on postage as well by hand delivering them where you can.


9. Shop around for your wedding attire – look in high street stores as well as boutiques and don’t try on anything that is out of your price range. Once you find your dream outfit, ring around other suppliers to see if you can get a better price.


10. Hire a Wedding Planner – wedding planners work with venues and suppliers on a regular basis so can negotiate savings and discounts on your behalf which can significantly reduce your costs, as well as covering the fee to hire a wedding planner!


If you would like help planning your wedding, visit http://www.endless-love.co.uk/ to find out how Endless Love can help. We offer a range of services from a bespoke hourly advice session to full wedding planning, including on the day co-ordination. Contact Caroline Gould on 01473 681201 or 07906 705191 for further information and to arrange a free, no obligation consultation.