First things to do when your start planning your wedding

You’re engaged – may I be one of many people to say congratulations!  

Once you get over the extra weight you’re now carrying around on your left hand you will at some point ask yourself “So, where do I actually start?”.  Visiting wedding fayres and buying wedding magazines can be great inspiration for your wedding but can also be very overwhelming as you quickly realise there is a lot of choice when it comes to planning a wedding.  So, there’s a few things I suggest you do first of all:

·         Set a realistic 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, and ensure you have at least 5% put aside as a contingency. It may also be worth setting up a dedicated wedding bank account to start saving. If you have set your budget right from the start, it will be much easier to stick to it.

·         What time of year do you want to get married? - Some venues are more suitable for spending lots of time outside, likewise there are venues that have a beautiful interior that you will want to enjoy.  When looking around venues, be sure to ask what the alternatives are to outside spaces if the weather is bad.

·         Draft a guest list - it will be difficult to book a venue (and ultimately set a date) if you don't know how many people are going to be there. Some venues will only be licenced up to a certain number and you don't want to cram all of your guests in. Likewise, you wouldn't want your 80 guests to be lost in a room big enough for 300.

·         Must haves - any newly engaged couple will have ideas of what they want to happen on their wedding day. Now is the time to talk to your partner and agree on a few 'must haves' that are important to you both for your wedding and will take priority. It may be that your cake is a certain flavour, the bride's mum does the flowers, or you go somewhere really special for your honeymoon...

·         Think about the theme – The best way to start choosing your theme is to look at bridal magazines and on the internet, there are some fantastic and very inspiring wedding blogs out there with lots of real wedding features.  Start collecting pictures of the things you like, don’t worry whether they match or not.  Start a file with cakes you like, dresses you like, flowers you like, colours you like etc.  One you have started to build a collection a theme will soon naturally emerge. 

·         Don’t rush out and buy a dress – it can be easy to get caught up in everything and just go straight out and start shopping for your wedding dress.  Try to wait until you have the venue booked.  You will need a wedding date to arrange fittings etc. and you need the venue to ensure your dress with go with the overall theme.

The average bride spends 250 hours, the equivalent of 6 full time working weeks, planning her wedding.  If you would like help planning your wedding, visit 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 more information.

Picture Credits:

Engagement Ring - Tiffany

Venue - Wherstead Park

Are recommended suppliers really recommended?

If you have started searching for wedding suppliers you will have noticed that most venues have a list of recommended suppliers in their brochure - but are they really recommended?

Many venues produce a nice glossy brochure showcasing their venue, but these come at a price.  They are often paid for by suppliers advertising in the brochures and therefore becoming 'recommended' by the venue.  Many people will tell you that the best way to find suppliers you can trust is to ask for recommendations, my advice would be to ask the staff at the venues rather than relying the brochure.  Most venues will get to know the suppliers that regularly work at their venue so can see their work.  Also ask your friends and family for recommendations, especially those that have recently planned their wedding.


The alternative is that you ask a professional wedding planner to source suppliers on your behalf.  Before recommending suppliers to a client I will always ask more questions around the exact requirements, budget and overall theme/style of the wedding.  That way I can find the right supplier for you, that meets your exact requirements.  Suppliers often offer me a discount or fee if I recommend them to clients - please be assured that any discount or fee will always be passed on to the client.  I always remain impartial to ensure that you find the right supplier for you.


To find out more about supplier searches contact me to arrange a free, no obligation consultation.

Behind the Scenes at Endless Love

As 2011 comes to a close I thought I'd give you a sneak peek behind the scenes at Endless Love and the reasons why I haven't been updating my blog as often as I'd like to be.


In May this year I gave birth to my second child, my son Rufus. This explains the main reason I've been away! Bring up two children as well as running a business is hard work and takes a lot of planning - luckily I'm pretty good at that! I co-ordinated a wedding in July for the fabulous Tori and Lukasz (look out for an upcoming blog post with more details on that wedding soon). Then I decided to take a couple of months off to spend time with my family. In October I was back and busy working on, and taking part in a photo shoot for the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners - look out for pictures on the blog very soon. In November I was invited to view a new venue in Suffolk, Bruisyard Hall. Do take a look at the website, its a great new wedding venue.


So, what's next?


So far I have plans for a new networking event in January, a photo shoot in February, an awards ceremony in March and some major changes to my website and blog - who knows what else...


Happy New Year to all my blog readers.
Caroline.x

Merry Christmas

Wishing all my blog readers a very Merry Christmas and all the best for a Happy New Year.

I hope to have the opportunity to work with you in 2012.

Caroline.x

Wedding A-Z: Y is for Your Day

I'm sure most of your married friends have told you that your wedding day will fly by! It's true. There's so many people to catch up with, they will all want to congratulate you - it's not surprising if you find yourself thinking 'Where's my new wife/husband?' regularly throughout the day. If you are getting married and holding your reception at the same venue, it's difficult to find some time alone together. However, I think its important that you make time to get away and spend a few precious moments together on your wedding day.

Here are a few ideas of when you can get away:

• Directly after the ceremony - ask the registrar to direct your guests to a different exit to you
• Before the wedding breakfast - ask your wedding planner to ensure all of the guests are at their seats before you make a grand entrance into the room as husband and wife
• Before the evening reception - take a few moments to get away and freshen up together before welcoming your evening guests
• Anytime - get together in a corner of the room and just watch all your friends and family having a great time

Your wedding day is one you will remember forever - make sure you have a few special moments that you can reminisce about together.


Photo credit: Ross Dean Photography
   

Wedding A-Z: W is for Wedding Planner

78% of Brides who have just got married wish they’d had a professional to help plan their wedding  (source: Brides Magazine)

So, why hire a wedding planner?

You work long hours and don't have the time
The average bride spends the equivalent of 6 full time working weeks planning her wedding. Hiring a Wedding Planner means you have one dedicated contact point who will be with you from the initial consultation right through to your wedding day.

You are hiring professionals to do everything else
Hiring a Wedding Planner is becoming the natural thing to do, 26% of UK Brides do. Why not get someone in who has done it lots of times before and has the experience of making the common mistakes, so already knows the solutions! A Wedding Planner will not panic when a problem arises, they will simply look at it logically and come up with a solution.

You will save money
With a keen eye for detail, a Wedding Planner will help you set your budget and more importantly help you stick to it! Wedding Planners work with venues and suppliers on a regular basis so can negotiate discounts and savings on your behalf.

You are really organised and don’t need any help
For really organised brides a wedding planner is an essential investment, especially on the day. Whilst you are at home getting ready the morning of the wedding, you can relax in the knowledge that your wedding planner is making sure everything is as you have requested. The napkins are in the right place, the chairs are positioned correctly, the cake has arrived, the florist has worked her magic with the table decorations and the caterers and venue are prepared for your arrival. You can enjoy the day without worrying about anything.

Creativity
Whether you want a traditional wedding that adheres to the conventional etiquette or a unique, wacky original design – a Wedding Planner will give your wedding the 'wow' factor.

Your venue includes a wedding planner in their price
On-site wedding co-ordinators know everything there is to know about their venue and can recommend suppliers. An independent and professional Wedding Planner will provide a personal, bespoke service that is specifically tailored to you.

You will not be stressed
Hire a Wedding Planner to deal with all the stresses of your wedding so you don't have to. You make all the decisions, we do all the hard work.


To find out more about hiring a wedding planner visit www.endless-love.co.uk.
  

Wedding A-Z: M is for Money Saving Tips

Weddings are costly affairs with the average spend at £19,265 in 2009 (source: You and Your Wedding magazine).

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 our website to find out how Endless Love Wedding Planners 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.