Are you sitting down?!

According to recent reports the average UK wedding budget comes in at a staggering £19,000! Wow!

Hang on!! Don’t despair!! Read our latest blog for ideas and inspiration on how to get married on a small budget.  Yes, thanks to yours truly, you will become man & wife!

Right, first things first…. Set the date! Believe it or not this first important decision you make will make a huge impact on your wedding budget. Depending on which day of the week you choose and of course which season you decide to set your date can double the cost of your wedding ceremony, wedding breakfast, and evening  reception just for planning your wedding on a glorious summer Saturday in the UK…..Hang on a second, did we say glorious summer?!  This is where we hit the nail on the head…

We will put money down that the first question on the morning of your wedding day will be “What’s the weather like?!” Living in this beautiful country of ours, the one thing you cannot buy or guarantee is the sun on your dream day. FACT!  Here at the wedding planner, we actually love out of season Weddings, our favourite out of season being Autumn and Winter, there are many reasons for this. The wedding couture is fabulous, the colours are much more vibrant, there is no great expectation regarding the weather, in fact it’s an amazing bonus if the sun is shining in her full glory, as she will not expected. And of course last but not least, it’s cheaper!

Most venues discount out of season, actually, we do not know of a venue which doesn’t, you will also find that they offer discounts for a weekday wedding.  You will even pay more in a registry office for a Saturday wedding!  If you do decide to get married on a week day, it’s a good idea to take the following into consideration:

• Do you have children attending? If so maybe look at a Friday or school holidays, this way the parents can enjoy the evening festivities without worrying about the kids getting up for school the next day.
• Remember your guests may have to work the next day too, and may have to take a day’s holiday the next day, a valid point should they want to party into the early hours.
•  Remember your guests are a huge part of your day, and can spend quite a fortune on new outfits, gifts, hotel accommodation and travel costs, so as much as you are cutting down costs, you still want your guests to have a great time without them making too many sacrifices!

 So far we have saved you considerable costs just by choosing your date, season and day of the week!

Now consider the actual time of your ceremony! Sounds daft but this too will cut considerable costs. Get married later on in the afternoon rather than earlier in the day. This way you cut down on your catering costs.  If you get married during the morning or around mid day, you then have quite some time to kill before the wedding breakfast, you will expected to provide canapés and drinks to keep guests happy and the hunger at bay, this all comes at additional costs. Simple but effective cost savings!

OK, so we have saved considerable costs just by choosing your date, season and day of the week, now we have saved on additional catering costs by having the ceremony later on in the day, what else can you do to?

Cut the guest list! Now before you think that sounds harsh have a look at the following points to help you decide the best way to do this.

• You can change your initial thought process and just have immediate family attend the ceremony.  By immediate, we mean immediate. Grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters, niece, nephew, your own children if you already have them. IMMEDIATE! No third or fourth cousins, distant aunts and uncles, relatives you never see but send a Christmas card to! This way your wedding breakfast is much smaller and much more intimate too. This also keeps your flower costs right down as fewer corsages, also your printing costs for the wedding service sheets; it’s just a knock on effect for saving!
• Your friends and other relatives are then invited to join you all at your chosen venue for an evening of celebration, this way you just need to provide buffet style refreshments. This is a nice acceptable scenario; to make the events flow, stick to what we mentioned earlier and make sure you plan your ceremony for as late in the day as possible.
• Or simply, just have fewer guests to attend the whole day.  You do not need to be ruthless here, simply invite your nearest and dearest.

How much have you saved already?!  Just by sticking to the points we have mentioned, you will be amazed at the savings!

Remember your cutting costs not standards; it can be beautiful, intimate and stylish without the huge price bracket. Read on for further pointers:

• Minimize the number in your bridal party, one or two bridesmaids instead of seven!
•  Have the ceremony, wedding breakfast and reception at the same venue, most venues offer civil ceremonies now, this will cut back on your transport costs. You can still have your luxury limo, vintage car or horse and carriage, but one trip will be cheaper!
• Have a destination wedding – see our destination wedding blog for further information.
• Keep your eyes open for dress sales, designer trunk sales – join us on Face Book for regular updates, or keep your eyes on our events page on our website. You can really get some fantastic bargains. Or even shop the high street for your bridal couture, the choices are amazing.
• Purchase your rings from high street jewellers; again you are not compromising style, just getting married on a budget!
•  If you’re a dab hand at Photoshop, create your own invitations, this is actually quite a nice personal touch and done properly are really effective. If you’re not a dab hand at Photoshop, nice invitations can be purchased from the high street or even on line; local printing shops are also a cheaper alternatives.

Last but by no means least!

•  Hire yours truly!  With all suppliers discounts passed directly to you your wedding planner has never been more affordable.  Bring your dream day to life, contact me today!

Top trends and Facebook Friend

In our latest news roundup we look at the top trends within the wedding industry, plus link to an interesting article on wedding planning and we expose “Meet the Facebook Friend”.

Eventplanningamerica.com ‘s  December 2010 article carries an interesting perspective on the benefits of hiring a Wedding Planner. You can check it out by visiting the site article Why employ a Professional Wedding Planner?

We recently took part in a “meet the facebook friend” feature on KMFM, hear the broadcast here, and listen to yours truly, Meet_The_Facebook_Friend_3_-_Sharon_Cornwell_.

What are the latest wedding trends?

We welcome back the return of the ball gown wedding dress, the princesss style is back on the radar thanks to the Royal Wedding this year. Vintage couture is also proving be popular with our brides. We are happy to be seeing more colour as our future brides are opting for colourful wedding dresses!

 Destination weddings are becoming increasingly popular and a good solution to those on a tighter budget, although not always the perfect solution for your guests! Popular destinations are the Caribbean, Hawaii, Italy, North Cyprus, Jamaica and of course Las Vegas. For further information on destination weddings go to our blog pages.

Bridal bouquet preservation is a lovely way to keep your bouquet for many years after your wedding. The flowers must be taken to the preservation company of your choice ideally as soon as possible after the wedding. They will be treated and then framed in a special glass which helps with keeping them preserved. Many companies now also offer a 3D service, so your bouquet will not be pressed but presented exactly how they looked on the day.

 Find inspiration  from days gone by from the Victorian era through to the 1950’s and incorporate vintage jewellery into your wedding day accessories. These timeless pieces are stunning and will certainly add some glamour and glitz to your day! From hair accessories, clips and tiaras, to earrings, bracelets and even garters, this is a fabulous way to sophisticatedly add “something old” into your wedding day style.

A latest trend in flowers and bouquets sees crystals and diamantes being added into the floral displays, giving that extra sparkle to your flowers and buttonholes. Other popular additions are butterflies in floral table displays and feathers on the bridal bouquet and bridesmaids bouquets adding some romance and a vintage look to your wedding flowers.

Could you be Kents most Romantic Couple?!

The Organisers of The Kent Wedding Awards (KWA) are on the hunt to find Kent’s most romantic couple for their chance to win a fantastic prize for two next year! The Kent Wedding Awards – due to be staged at the Ashford International Hotel on 10th November 2011, will celebrate everything that’s great about marrying in Kent and, in the true spirit of romance KWA is offering a fantastic prize to the writer of the story that tugs their heartstrings the most! For the chance to be crowned Kent’s most romantic couple and win a fabulous prize, simply download the entry form at www.kentweddingawards.co.uk

Vajazzle – latest beauty trend!

We are pleased to announce that our preferred  hair and beauty specialist have introduced Vajazzle crystals into their bridal packages.  Add some sparkle and glamour to your neckline, shoulders, or bikini area.  Completely safe, non-allergenic and harmless to the skin, why not go for blue Swarovski crystals for your “something blue” element!

Best of British!

We are really happy to see good old English favourites returning to the wedding breakfast menus.  Things like traditional pork sausages and mash, beef wellington, the great British roast dinner,  fish ‘n’ chips, even nice chunky burgers! Dont be afraid to keep things normal, sometimes choosing cuisine that you wouldnt normally eat can prove to be dissapointing. Remember too that the one of the biggest costs on your day will be the food, dont be afraid to ask for sample tastings.  You want your guests to be happy, a sure way to keep them happy is to keep them fed and watered with a fantastic menu!

How do you make your wedding day unique?

Simple! Just be yourselves! Your getting married, not having a personality transplant! Incorporate your favourite things into your day, the things that you enjoy as a couple will make your day unique to any other. If you are outdoors people have a garden wedding, if you are religious, keep to your valued traditions, if you live for a particular sport choose a venue which reflects that, if your passionate about humankind have an Eco Wedding, the possibilities are endless. If your having trouble finding your inspiration, give us a call, we will be happy to help you out!

Coast launches Bridal Range!

At long last high street store Coast famous for its stunning party wear has launched a new bridal range. The collection is named To Have and to Hold, the dresses range from £295-00. The collection hosts a number of different styles, fabrics, and lengh variations, definately worth a look!  www.coast-stores.com

Come and meet us:

We had a fantastic day exhibiting at the Wedding Experience at Detling, a big hello to everyone we met on the day, great to see so many excited couples, we look forward to assisting you with the planning of your special day. Nice to see a few of you also renewing your wedding vowels, we have come away feeling all warm and fuzzy!

Dont forget to follow us on FaceBook for all the latest wedding news and events direct to your news feed. You may also like to join us on Twitter for upto date news and coverage of Celebrity, Royal and Iconic weddings.

The Royal Wedding

It was everything we imagined it to be and so much more! Lots of happy tears, lots of champagne, and oh my goodness …..that dress!!

We wish them every happiness.

If like us you can not get enough of Wills and Kate visit the official Royal Wedding Website for photos and video coverage. 

http://www.officialroyalwedding2011.org/ 

The Wedding Experience – 2011 Spring/Summer dates

The Wedding Experience hosts Kent’s most vibrant, exciting and inspiring wedding exhibitions. To find dates and a venue near you visit www.wedding-experience.co.uk

Best Brides Spring show dates

Wedding fair shows in Kent and the South East are free to the bride and groom and their guests. For further information visit www.bestbrides.co.uk

Bridal Wear Sale and Exhibiton 26th June 2011

Hundreds of dresses available to try on and buy at a fraction of the original prices.  The Holiday Inn London-Bexley, Southwold Road Bexley, Kent, DA5 1ND, 11am-4pm, entry free of charge!

Kent Wedding Fairs 2011

Get your list of Kent wedding Fairs throughout 2011 right here! www.kentweddingfairs.co.uk

With every pair of eyes focusing on you on the big day, you can not afford to get this wrong, you want everyone to gasp and even maybe choke back some sobs, that would be good – for the right reasons of course!

Put down the diet books, in these glorious times of Gok Wan, this does not have to be a painful process with you feeling miserable and hungry for months on end. It could not be simpler, you just stick to the correct dress shape for your body type.

Remember the simple rule we want to create the look of an hourglass figure. A curvy silhouette featuring a smaller waist in relation to the bust and hips.

Please find the wedding planners guide to that perfect dress:

Pear-shaped: A smaller upper body and waist, with larger hips, thighs, and buttocks

This body shape would suit an Empire style wedding gown.

Apple shape: Full chest with little or no waist the upper body is wider than your hips

This body shape would best suit the classic A line wedding gown

Long and Lean: A lean boyish figure with a thicker waist and narrow hips

This body shape would best suit The Ball Gown style wedding gown.

Busty: A larger bust in relation to the waist and hips

This body shape would best suit the Sheath style wedding gown.

Stick to this guide and kiss goodbye to that diet!

Now get your best girls together and hit the shops for without a doubt the most fabulous dress you will EVER wear!

Now…..you just need to decide when to start the planning, which destination will you chose, which guests will be invited, what legal issues are involved, and what religious issues are involved, WHERE DO YOU START??!!

You start right here with the wedding planners guide to destination weddings!

Ideally you’re looking at a 12 month time frame for a destination wedding; however, it can be done in less time.

Pros of a destination wedding are they tend to be cheaper, so if your budget is quite tight this is a wonderful way to get married, the wedding is usually much smaller and more intimate, and all aspects of your day and honeymoon are all covered in one package, simple!

The type of destination wedding you would like depends on you! Would you like to get married in a beautiful exotic location, or maybe you would like to incorporate your dream day into a once in a lifetime holiday such as a cruise. Perhaps you are the sporty kind and would like get married in a ski village, or maybe you would like to get married in a chic European City. If bright lights, glamour and glitz are your thing, then Las Vegas is the destination for you! Word of warning if you are going for an exotic location avoid the hurricane season! Another aspect to take into consideration is whether the destination of your choice hold civil ceremonies as well as religious ceremonies, some countries will only marry you if you are a certain religion, this is extremely important and you need to clarify the religious laws before you book.

Once you have chosen your preferred location and dates you need to send out Save the Date cards to your guests (should you be taking anyone with you!) Guests will need time to save for the trip, book time off from work, arrange their travel, and ensure they have the correct travel documentation. Bear in mind that although a destination wedding is a cheaper option for you, unfortunately it is not the cheapest option for your guests!

You will also need to obtain a marriage licence, this can be a daunting process when getting married overseas, and you also need to ensure that your marriage will be valid in your own country. Some countries will require a residency of 3-30 days, if this is necessary for the destination of your choice, bear in mind the additional time off work and higher accommodation expenses. Usually both the bride and groom to be must appear in person with all the required documents when applying for the licence.

Something else to take into consideration is whether you will need vaccinations before you travel, your travel agent or you GP will be able to advise you with this. If you do have to take a course of medication, ensure you do just that, some medication you need to take even after your return, just because your home it does not make you immune – just think Cheryl Cole, you do not want to start your married life in a coma!

Last but not least, should you be joined by guests, make a huge fuss of them, it is a big deal for your guest to attend a destination wedding, they have pulled out all the stops to be with you at this special time in your life. You could have a nice welcome basket in their room on arrival, or host a welcome event before the wedding, or plan nice excursions for them. Also make sure you have some sort of itinerary in place for them, including details of the wedding, the reception, any rehearsals and some details on the area would be a nice touch too.

I hope you have found this blog to be of interest. Of course should you decide on a destination wedding, but find the task a little daunting, simply give me a call, I would love the opportunity to assist you with the planning of one of the greatest days of your life!

Our first meeting. Here we will discuss your requirements and expectations. Choose the package suitable for your needs. The elements of your package will be explained. We will discuss and set the budget, and answer any further questions you may have.

Each package includes your own personal website on theweddingplamnner.biz . You will receive a personal login to distribute to all your friends and family. All updates regarding all the events leading up to your special day will be posted here, along with details of the actual ceremony and reception including times, locations, hotel accommodation, transport information, everything your guests need to know. There will also be access to your gift registry here. Your very own information portal exclusively designed for you by the Wedding Planner.

Your day – Your way!

It is entirely up to you how much you would like us involved in the planning of your special day. Every wedding is different. Your lifestyle may find you simply do not have any time to plan every aspect of your wedding, or you may have started planning but just need help with the reception.

Whatever your requirement we will tailor make a package that suits you, your needs and your budget.

Complete Wedding Planning Services:

We can coordinate, plan and prepare every aspect of your wedding, from the initial wedding planning, including day of the wedding, your honeymoon booking and after the wedding tasks. We will put schedules into place for you and keep you completely updated on our progress. We will meet and liase with all the vendors/suppliers on your behalf and report back to you regularly. With our inspiration and bespoke ideas we will create the wedding day you have always dreamed of, your special day will be completely enjoyable, a day you will always cherish.

Civil Partnerships:

We will assist you with all the planning of your special day whether you wish to tie the knot in the UK or overseas. We will help and give valuable advice regarding ceremony information; and source your perfect wedding venue. We will ensure that your dream day reflects your personalities. Your wedding will be truly unique to any other with memories to last a lifetime.

Eco Weddings:

We would love the opportunity to plan and coordinate your Eco Wedding.  We will source your perfect wedding list with causes close to your hearts that will change and improve lives, wedding favours that will make a difference,   food which is ethical and fair trade, seasonal flowers that are home grown, and help you source that perfect pre-owned designer wedding gown. Whatever your wishes we guarantee your dream day will live on and change lives of others for the better.

Day of wedding coordination:

This is a great service for those who have been involved with planning their own day, but wish to have a professional there on the day overseeing all the last minute details and ensuring the day goes to plan and is a terrific success. This service also free’s up the time of your relatives and friends who would help out on the day, allowing them to relax and enjoy and make the most of your special day. We will meet you prior to the wedding day, put a planned schedule into place for you, and liase with all your vendors to confirm all the details are in place and correct. You can rest assured that your day will be absolutely perfect and stress free for you.

Destination Weddings:

Whether you dream wedding day is relaxing in Paradise, being energetic on the Piste, or fashionably chic in a European location. Maybe you would like to tie the knot in Sin City Las Vegas or even on an exotic Safari. Whatever your requirement, I will work with you and coordinate for you every step of the way to ensure your destination wedding is perfect and stress free.

Renewel of Vows/Blessings:

Vow renewel is becoming extremely popular, with couple’s choosing to re-new their original vows. Whether you have overcome some bad times, or maybe you have a special anniversary coming up, or simply wish to re-affirm your love and commitment to each other. A vow renewel is a very special ceremony in front of family, friends and even your own children who were not born the first time round. Whatever your reasons, I will help and assist you in your planning to make this special ceremony unique.

Wedding website:

Each package includes your own personal website on theweddingplamnner.biz . You will receive a personal login to distribute to all your friends and family. All updates regarding all the events leading up to your special day will be posted here, along with details of the actual ceremony and reception including times, locations, hotel accommodation, transport information, everything your guests need to know. There will also be access to your gift registry here. Your very own information portal exclusively designed for you by the Wedding Planner.

Package Prices:

With packages starting from as little as £300.00 and with all supplier discounts passed directly to you, having your own personal wedding planner has never been more affordable. Contact us today for further information.

Now let the mayhem begin! As well as being one of the best days of your life, the planning of a wedding can seem a very daunting prospect, so much to think about, so much to plan, where do you start?!

Well before you start ANYTHING, my first piece of valuable advice to you is – it is your day! Not your parents or your in-laws, they have had their chance, this is your day. We do not want to offend anybody, after all chances are they are possibly helping towards the costs. Do not let anybody make you feel guilty about your choices, especially when it comes to the guest list and all the distant relatives come crawling out of the woodwork, most of which you have never met! Be firm and assertive, and keep smiling!

Now on with your planning!

On the list of the most stressful things in life planning a wedding comes in at number 5, after divorce, bereavement, house moving and losing your job……

Why?

The answer is simple – The participants of the list did not use a Professional Wedding Planner!

By hiring our services I guarentee that out of the top 10 most stressful things in your life – your wedding will not be one of them!

Lets go!