Yet there are so many traditions and expectations that come with being involved in a wedding, especially for the chosen ones….the Bridal Party! Surrounded by your nearest and dearest, your wedding day should go without a hitch; however ensuring that each member of the party knows in advance what their key duties are is a must. The following hints & tips will help you, and your Dream Team, create a stress-free and simply gorgeous wedding day.

Best Man

Just like Harry Potter & Ron Weasley, Fred & Barney and The Lone Ranger & Tonto, your Groom’s  ‘sidekick’ plays a very important role on your wedding day, as the Best Man, his main responsibilities are:

 Pre-wedding

*To help the groom choose the ushers and ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities, attend fittings of suits and are available to attend the rehearsal (if required).

*Together with the groom, decide on the outfits for both themselves, and the ushers (if the outfits are hired the cost is traditionally the responsibility of the groom).

*Prepare the Best Man’s speech. The Staggered website will be able to help them with this…and the Stag Night!

*Arrange the stag night or stag weekend if the groom is having one. It is probably wise to arrange this to happen at least a few days before the wedding to give everyone a chance to recover!

*Attend the wedding rehearsals and check car-parking facilities at the wedding venue and reception venue. If there are elderly or disabled guests pay particular attention to access for them.

The Ceremony

*Ensure that they have the ring(s) and the money for the church fees and any other fees that may arise on the wedding day. If the bride and groom are having a civil wedding the fees will have probably been paid beforehand in advance.

*Upon arriving at the ceremony venue, take control of the buttonholes if necessary and ensure the orders of service sheets have been brought to the venue for handing out to the guests as they arrive.

*At the required moment, when prompted, hand over the ring(s).

*Join the recession down the aisle. Follow in line after the bride and groom, the bride’s father and groom’s mother and the groom’s father and the bride’s mother.

At the reception

*Help the photographer to arrange any formal snaps if necessary.

*Announce the speeches and cake cutting if there is no master of ceremonies.

*Give a speech at the wedding reception.

Bridesmaids

A girls’ best friend, the bridesmaid has the fabulous duty of wearing a beautiful dress and supporting you on your walk down the aisle; sounds wonderful! Apart from this rather lovely task, there are others that should be addressed by your Bridesmaids:

 *Plan and organise the hen night – tiaras and L plates aren’t obligatory!

*Attend all dress fittings and support the Bride in choosing the dresses, shoes and accessories for the Bridesmaids.  

*Attend the wedding rehearsal and make sure they know where they need to be and what they need to be doing at all times.

*Walk down the aisle as part of the procession then standing alongside the other attendants before being seated during the wedding ceremony itself.

*Follow the Bride & Groom out of the ceremony venue as part of the exit procession, either two-abreast or being escorted by an Usher.

 Ushers

Alongside the Best Man, a dedicated team of Ushers are worth their weight in gold. Ensuring that all of the guests are seated, with Order of Service in hand, is just one of the important duties they fulfil:

*Arrive at the wedding ceremony venue before any guests or other members of the bridal party to help to co-ordinate things from the front.

*Stand at either the entrance to the venue (essential for at least one Usher) or mid-way up the aisle prior to the start of the ceremony.

*Hand out the important stuff (orders of Service, directions to the reception venue etc) and inform guests of any essential things they need to know. This could include the fact that the throwing of confetti is not allowed, photography during the service is forbidden, mobile phones should be turned to silent etc.

*Take charge of seating the guests at the ceremony; the guests can either be pointed in the right direction or shown to their seats. The most crucial thing to remember is, when looking from back to front, to seat the Groom’s friends and family on the right and the Bride’s on the left.

*Familiarise yourself with who the VIP guests are (grandparents, brothers, sisters, close relatives and friends of the Bride and Groom may all be part of this clique) and it is critical that they get star treatment and the best seats in the house.

*Be clued up with all things practical – where guests can park, directions, exits and entrance, where the toilets are etc. – this last one may be of particular interest to the Groom before the ceremony begins!

Happy Planning!

Credits: Photographs

PR Wedding Photography

Lloyd Dobbie Wedding Photography

It’s a Classic The traditional table plan, usually placed at the entrance of the Dining Room or Marquee, will detail the guest’s table location and number. These can be home-made (a trip to HobbyCraft will have you stocked and ready to get creative in no time), from a kit (Confetti have a fantastic range) via the internet (TablePlans offer a great selection and range of themes) or designed and produced by a Wedding Stationers….the possibilities are endless!

All your birds in a row Using a bird cage as the centre of your table plan has been popular for the past few years, particularly at English Country Garden themed weddings where they tie in very nicely with the marquee, bunting and blowsy blooms. For the talented DIY-ers out there, a quick search on eBay should source you a beautiful birdcage that you then simply dress with flowers (real or artificial) and attach a card for each table detailing the names of the guests – et voila, hand-crafted and cost-effective.

Hanging Tree A small amount of creativity for a big result! Hanging Trees simply require a beautiful container (for example a large glass square vase for a contemporary wedding or a large metal water jug for a country garden wedding) and the prettiest branches you can find – these can either be from your garden or purchased from a local garden centre. You then attach cards to the branches detailing the guests and which table they are seated at.  The branches can also be ‘dressed’ to match the theme of your big day – miniature bunting, pearls, ribbons, etc…

Rustic Charm to give your wedding a rustic ‘outdoor’ feel; you could consider a variation on the more traditional Escort Card. Small squares of chalk board can be personalised with each guests name and placed on a picnic table outside of your Dining Room or Marquee. Team them with gingham napkins, brushed metal votive holders and native flowers for a relaxed, rural Californian type feel!

A few top tips for table planning:

* With divorced / remarried parents, the top table seating arrangement can cause headaches. Consider not have a traditional top table and instead each set of parents / step parents can host their own tables – filled with their close friends, they will feel comfortable and in their element.

* To save disagreements whilst deciding who to sit where – colour-code your guests (family, close friend, work colleague) on sticky notes which you can move around the paper ‘tables’ until you are happy that each table has the right mix of people.

* However tempting it is, try not to sit two single friends next to each other – they will see through your match making motives in an instant!

Happy Planning!

Credits: Photos

PR Wedding Photography

Butler Madden

Etsy – Bragging Bags

Being a savvy spender in one area can usually mean that you can splurge another; however have you considered renting key wedding items? It really could allow you to have your cake and eat it!

Let’s start with a girl’s best friends…Bridesmaids…as they come in many beautiful shapes and sizes, the trend for bridesmaids choosing their own dresses, tied into your theme by either colour or style, is set to continue in 2011. This is where Girl Meets Dress comes into play; having recently added a stunning Wedding Boutique to their collection, you and your bridesmaids can benefit from a wide range of dresses from 3.1 Phillip Lim to Alberta Ferretti from £49.00 for 2 days – not an unflattering puff sleeved number in sight!

Now let’s consider your other best friends…Diamonds… Sophie and the team at Rent Your Rocks have nearly 150 pieces of jewellery for you to choose from, with rental prices starting at a very purse pleasing £50.00 per week. Choosing to rent your wedding jewellery could enable you to drape yourself in diamonds, pearls or sapphires that would usually break the budget – how divine!

Have you been weighing up the possibility of purchasing Louboutins for your big day? This is often a dilemma; will the colour and style be wearable after the big day? Consider contacting the ladies at Cinderella Me for the fairy princess treatment, without the price tag! A gorgeous pair of Louboutin Prive Riga or Jimmy Choo Brent heels could be yours for as little as £49.00 for a week, perfect for you to strut down the aisle in style.

Should you be planning a retro wedding, another area of your wedding that can benefit from rental is your crockery and decoration. Two favourites in my little black book are Idyllic Days and Simply Love Vintage, both boast a huge selection of teacups, plates, cake stands, vintage table cloths, hurricane lamps and much more! Kim and Carrie have both taken time and care traipsing around car boot sales, eBay and charity shops to build up their fabulous collections so that you don’t have to. This rental option is not only cost effective; it is very ‘green’ which will leave you with a warm glow too!

Happy Planning!

This event, spearheaded by my alter-ego as Director of the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners was ambitious in its aims, to genuinely inspire and offer advice to brides in a wedding event with a difference. No hard sell, just pretty things, lovingly presented and teamed with practical information on how to really pull together your wedding day from those who do it everyday, we wedding planners. Some asked ‘how is that going to work – 20+ wedding planners all working on one event on one day?’. But it did work and it worked superbly.

To talk you through the event:

I spent much time in our registration area welcoming our visitors and talking them through what was on offer at The Wedding Sanctuary at Somerset House.  (this isn’t me at the desk, but another planner colleague)

 Check out our ‘plan’ of the event which I worked very hard on with designer Melanie of  Cranberry Blue Weddings who offers a bespoke table plan service.

Guests strolled into our inspiration zone.  Six tables including the photographed sweet treats station were individually and carefully designed to very unique styles and with much attention to detail by fellow wedding planners of UKAWP. Here are just a few images:  

  Next up was the fashion boudoir, beautifully styled with props from Vintage Style Hire

 I was particularly proud of our ‘advice zones’ which I worked hard on designing and planning. Our visitors loved having the opportunity to sit down and actually engage properly with our hand-picked collection of wedding suppliers.

 And finally our ‘talks zone’  not only looked but played the part, with three highly practical and useful talks on key areas of planning from members of the  UK Alliance of Wedding Planners

 For more images and further write- ups on the event you might like to take a look here

 A special thanks to Always Andri  and Isabel Smith Weddings for working tirelessly with me on this event.

Credits:

Photography: Julia Boggio Photography

Flowers: Amanda Austin Flowers

Stationery: Cutture  and With Love

Lighting and production: Wise Productions

Advice zone furniture: Velvet Living

Catering: Table Talk

Table top items: Well Dressed Tables and Just 4 Linen

Cake and candy station: Zoe Clark Cakes

There are many different ways to make your guests feel like they are a true part of your day and not just spectators:

Get in the game If you are planning a summer wedding and hope to make the most of the outdoor space at your venue, there are many different game options for you to choose from; chess, croquet, giant Jenga, or for a French feel, how about open lawn boules – c’est fantastique!

Break the ice For when the guests are seated for the Wedding Breakfast, break the ice by using the back of each place card to jot down a funny fact about the person sitting to their left, it is guaranteed to be a conversation-starter and is a relaxed and amusing way to get the table talking.

Up you get Getting guests up off of their chairs and onto the dance floor is a sure fire way to make them feel part of the celebration. If you feel your guests will need coaxing onto the dance floor, consider a group activity such as a barn dance with the Pass the Buck Band who comes complete with a ‘caller’ to walk you through each dance before the music starts and call out the moves once the band starts. Once your guests are up and enjoying themselves, you will struggle to get them off of the dance floor at the end of the night!

All smiles Throughout your wedding day you will have 100s of professional photographs taken, however a fun way to capture the essence of the evening celebrations is installing a photo booth, complete with props (think feather boas, fake moustaches and oversized reading glasses) for your guests to head into and strike a pose. Say Fromage and The Photo Emporium both offer wedding packages and the photos are a great memento for your guests to keep, but can also be placed in your guest book with a witty message of marital advice for you and your new husband to laugh over in the months to come.

Happy Planning!

Credits:

Photos

Helen Maybanks Photography

Annie Armitage Photography

There are many elements of your big day that can benefit from savvy spending such as handcrafted details and cost-effective catering, here are a few of my top tips:

Focus your efforts

Don’t spread yourself too thinly, rather than slashing costs on six different areas, pick three priorities that you absolutely must have and do those really well. So depending on what is super important to you, you could consider splurging on a stunning wedding cake by forgoing the decorative charger plates at each place setting.

Getting the right fit

Found your perfect wedding dress? It is important to remember that alterations are generally not included in the ticket price. It is likely that you will need to attend at least two further appointments where the seamstress will ensure that the dress fits you absolutely perfectly – the price for this service depends on the initial cost of the dress, but I’d budget around £150 to £200.

Feeding your team

Many of your suppliers will be there for the majority of your big day, in particular these include the photographer, the band and your planner; usually around 10 people in total. You will need to ensure that they are all well fed and watered throughout the day, and this cost needs to be taken into consideration. To reduce the cost, I ask venues to prepare something like lasagne and chips which is cheaper than the wedding breakfast but filling – this option is usually charged at around half the price of your guests’ meals.

Is service included?

The expectation is yes, but I did work with a venue this year that added a 12.5% gratuity to the bill. I would strongly recommend that you double check your contract for any ‘surprises’ prior to signing it.

Blank Canvas

When planning your wedding day, hiring chairs, cutlery, linen and crockery can really pile on the pounds! At approximately £15.00 per head for full rental, this would add £1,500 to your burgeoning budget. A far more cost-effective method is to use the venue’s default items and just customise one item, such as glassware, for a far more purse pleasing £300.

Hefty Corkage Fees

Sourcing your own booze can be a huge cost-saver, but many venues and caterers will add a corkage charge onto your bill. Even if you have found wine for £5 a bottle, versus the £20 wines on the venue/caterers list, it might cost you £15 per bottle in corkage. Alcohol is where they make their profit (we all have to make money somehow), so they will discourage you from bringing your own. My recommendation, don’t go crazy in the Majestic Wines champagne aisle until you have checked their policy!

Tweak your aisle style

Flowers can runaway with your budget, so rather than expensive pew-end bouquets, use colourful ribbon trails. Another cute and cost-effective option is to line the aisle with candles and scattered petals; many florists will include fresh confetti for free with a large order.

A mighty big thank you

Remember to set aside some money to purchase thank-you gifts for your bridesmaids, ushers, parents and anyone else who has gone that extra mile whilst organising your big day; it’s really important to show your appreciation.

Happy planning!

Credits: Photographs

White Gold Wedding Photography

Formula Wine

If you’re in the mood for some serious wedding advice from the experts, do consider joining us. Put carefully together by members of the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners (I’m a Director of this company), we aim for the show to leave you brimming not only with beautiful ideas, but a practical action plan of how to realise those ideas . 

Come and listen to the insightful talks, peruse the carefully designed tables in the ‘inspiration zone’ and sit down with some refreshment and pick the brains of the best in the wedding business; do take a look at the dedicated event website for the low-down on who’s involved. 

Want to join us? Click here for tickets

All the trimmings Barnett Lawson is a treasure trove of ribbons and trimmings in an unassuming basement near Oxford Circus. Frequented most often by theatre and costume specialists, it is the perfect place for luxurious ribbons, buttons and lace. Ribbon must be bought in full rolls, but it is at a purse-pleasing trade price!

Props and accessories Looking for something a little bit fun then David Fitch Services  have a warehouse full of fantastic props; from retro microphone stands to a milkmaid’s yolk and buckets, there will be something that takes your fancy.  Or for a full on themed experience try Theme Traders  who will create a Winter Wonderland fit for a princess, a Masquerade Ball, or possibly a ‘Mad Men’ themed celebration, complete with the whisky sours, jazz music and gorgeous dresses.

For the talented DIY-ers We recommend a trip to your nearest HobbyCraft where they are full to the brim with beads, sequins, gorgeous card and much more; perfect for hand crafted wedding invitations and table plans with a personal touch. Cox and Cox is a must for beautiful, yet affordable pieces to accessorise your wedding day; the little vases below could double up as table decoration and the perfect favour for your female guests – cute and cost effective!

Be Inspired! Whilst the specialist wedding shows are excellent (The Designer Wedding Show  is our particular favourite), sometimes it’s good to get inspiration from other trade shows. Why not try RSVP, we’ve been going to this show for years, and it’s full of fabulous entertainment ideas, inspiration and design; aimed at the corporate events market in the main, but equally applicable to a stylish wedding.  Please don’t forget the Spirit of Christmas and Spirit of Summer fairs – I went to the Christmas version last year and it’s full of not only delightful Christmas gifts but unusual and bespoke ideas, ideal for decorating and theming your venue or tables; or choosing unique favours or bridal party gifts. 

Want more from our little black book? We are thrilled to be involved in The Wedding Sanctuary, the first event of its kind run by the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners. It’s a genuine opportunity to meet and pick the brains of wedding planners in a stylish and advice-led environment. Taking place at London landmark, Somerset House, on 20 March 2011, it’s filled with top industry experts to help you bring together your perfect day. Planners from the UKAWP will be hosting talks on useful and practical topics, and designing dining tables in the Inspiration Zone to show you how to pull your theme together.  Do take a look at the dedicated website here where you can reserve tickets: www.theweddingsanctuary.ukawp.com

Happy Planning!

Credits:

Photos: Cox and Cox and HobbyCraft

 And involved is most definitely the word; I’m heading up the planning of the event with my other hat on (my role as Director of the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners).  The concept came about at our annual members meeting where our planner membership gets together to review the year and plan for the next. “Meet more brides and show them how we can really help bring their plans to life”, came back the answer loud and clear.

So we set to work and over the past few months I (plus a number of hard working colleagues) have been burning the midnight oil pulling together an exciting event with a very different feel to your usual wedding fayre – we’re there to give advice and provide genuine insight and inspiration and are limiting numbers so that visitors get personal attention and a great experience. We have the fabulous Somerset House, hosting the event and a dream team of both established and fresh talent in the wedding field including  laser cut stationery sensation Cutture (who designed the event logo), wedding cake queen, Zoe Clark Cakes, renowned event caterers Table Talk who will be demonstrating some of their wonderful cuisine, men’s blogging legend Staggered and many many more including a dedicated fashion zone with style advice and hair and make up demos.

 My colleagues from the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners will be heavily involved on the day, offering advice alongside our industry partners, delivering useful talks on meaty subjects such as budget planning, timetable planning and finding good suppliers and demonstrating their creative talents in our showcase “inspiration” zone. Individually styled wedding reception tables will be themed plus there will be heaps of quirky little touches on display to help with your wedding design and theme. 

 If you are planning your wedding currently and would like to join us tickets can be obtained from www.theweddingsanctuary.ukawp.com where you can find even more information about who’s there and what’s going on. Tickets are priced at £10 for a single and £15 for a double ticket. We have an exciting prize draw on offer too.  I hope to see you there; do come and say hello. I’ll most definitely have a clipboard in hand!

At this time of year many happy couples are revelling in their newly engaged status and starting to plan their wedding day, as such we thought it would be the perfect time to divulge a few of the top ‘Save the Date’ trends and ideas for 2011.  

When planning your wedding day, sending out a ‘Save the Date’ to your guests is the ideal way to ensure that they reserve the date in their busy social calendars. It is also the first glimpse your guests will have of your pending nuptials…..‘Save the Date’ is a great opportunity to give your guests a sneaky peak at the style and theme of your big day.

There are many different options from simple and stylish, bright and bold, all the way through to the edible; these include beautiful cards in the same design as your wedding stationery, to fun fridge magnets incorporating a photo of you and your husband-to-be, with the all important date to be saved.

Here are a few of our current favourite trends, enjoy!

Hello Lucky’s take on the Save the Date postcard, incorporating photo booth images, which continues to be a popular and fun option in 2011.

Etsy, as always is a treasure-trove of talent. Pinch of Spice produces these fantastic photo-magnets above and Shine Invitations has opted for a modern twist on the traditional Save the Date card below. Both are available via Etsy.

For those of you with a sweet tooth, a biscuit could be for you! These delicious calendar cookies are produced by The Flour Pot who are based in the US; however you could roll up your sleeves and bake up a storm….or on second thought, contact the Biscuiteers who have a mouth watering range of biscuits which they will personalise in their very best iced handwriting.

Top Tips:

Remember to order a few extras as the cost of reproducing a few more at a later date is always higher.

As we mentioned in a recent blog post, a cute addition to your Save the Date could be a personalised postage stamp from Royal Mail’s Smilers range.

Happy Planning!