Of course the first thing most couples need to book in the planning stages is the wedding venue. Since the changes in the laws, wedding venues have come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from castles to country manors, hotels, golf clubs and almost everything in-between.
Choosing a wedding venue is probably the most exciting stage for most couples. When you find your ideal wedding venue it really gives you a buzz of excitement, visualising your guests enjoying your special day.
For the guys, they'll probably look forward to planning the catering and the bar requirements. The ladies will be looking for the ideal photo opportunities that the wedding venue can provide.
One the wedding venue is booked and the date is set, it's often a good idea to send wedding guests a save the date card ahead of your formal invites. This helps people plan, especially if you're organising a summer wedding, you won't want your closest friends or relatives booking holidays that clash with your wedding day.
For the brides to be, their next big decision will be the wedding dress, wedding magazines provide plenty of ideas to the different styles; the internet has thousands of wedding dress images, so have plenty of time to browse through. When you enter the bridal shop, make sure you maximise the fun by taking some girls with you, but not too many. Everyone will have a different opinion on your wedding dress, but yours will be final.
Decisions will need to be made about whether you'll be hiring wedding photographers or a wedding videographer, or both of course. Capturing your wedding day means you'll be able to look back on the day for years to come. It also is a brilliant way to share your wedding with those friends who couldn't make it.
There are also wedding flowers to organise, buttonholes for the guests, bouquet for the bride and bridesmaids, and whether you want more flowers for table centrepieces. Another idea for decorating your tables could be balloons, or fairy lights. There are so many different options and ideas when it comes to decorating your wedding venue. Chair covers also add an extra bit of flair to the beauty of the day, and don't forget the wedding favours too,
Some couples like the idea of hiring a toastmaster to keep the proceedings running smoothly. Not only do they add certain pomp to the whole day, but by having a toastmaster around they can also remove a little stress from you, and even the best man. They'll make the announcements at the right time, and ensure that people are organised and know what to say and when to say it.
A nice touch to any wedding is the background music and bridal entrance music, hiring a harpist or solo guitarist really adds to the romantic feel to the ceremony.
The all important wedding cake will be a focal point of the wedding, and will appear in many photographs. Whether you opt for classic white icing on a fruit cake or perhaps white chocolate, whatever you choose make sure the cake baker has plenty of experience and can show you many photos of their previous work.
Don't forget that you'll need to arrive at the wedding somehow, again, the options are almost endless. There are the classic vintage wedding cars, horse and carriages, limos, cabs, helicopters, whatever you like. Just make sure whatever company you book has a back up plan for you available, in case the worst happens, you'll still want to ensure you arrive at the wedding, and preferably on time.
A lot of people don't actually pay too much attention to the fact that the entertainment at the wedding reception is actually the longest part of the day, and cutting corners here could be disappointing.
Booking your wedding disco, or wedding band don't just ask them how much they cost, ask them for a recording of previous weddings they've played at. Consider what your favourite music is and whether or not it would be suitable for a wedding.
If these people are entertaining your wedding guests for four hours you want to make sure you choose the right ones.
Other nice ideas for the evening entertainment are close up magicians, or hiring chocolate fountains. Both add a certain wow factor to the evening, and create a talking point amongst the guests. Other ideas such as ice sculptures and champagne fountains may seem extravagant but again, they'll create a wonderful buzz for the guests.
Whatever you plan for your wedding, just ensure you relax and enjoy the day as much as possible; it'll be gone before you know it, but the memories will last a lifetime.
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