THE FIRST 5 STEPS TO BEGIN PLANNING A STYLISH WEDDING
Embarking on the journey of planning a stylish wedding is a complex process and can feel especially overwhelming when surrounded by such a wealth of inspiring ideas. The initial five steps outlined below will not only help you to define your wedding vision and operational needs, but also ensure a well-prepared start to your exciting wedding planning adventure!
Prior to delving into the details, take a moment with your new fiancé to revel in the happiness of starting the rest of your lives together, live off the euphoria, celebrate, drink copious amounts of champagne, and tell all your loved ones!
SET YOUR WEDDING PRIORITIES
Delve into the essence of what truly matters to both of you – whether it's exceptional entertainment, delicious food, an unforgettable guest experience, stylish wedding design, show-stopping moment, or a grand entrance; and not forgetting the emotions you want to evoke on the day. Each of you should compile your individual lists before engaging in a discussion where you consolidate and harmonise your priorities to create a final, unified version. Your distinct preferences will not only shape how you allocate your wedding budget but also guide the entire planning process, and ensure a wedding design that is uniquely yours.
My client's main priority is usually guest experience, yearning for an epic celebration and party that’s coupled with a timeless, elegant, and fashion-forward design that is woven into every moment of their day. To inspire and guide you further here is my advice on how to get that wow-factor wedding which might help as a source of inspiration for this section too.
SET YOUR WEDDING BUDGET & PLANNING EXPECTATIONS
Have an honest conversation with each other to determine your wedding budget, outlining your financial parameters, priorities, and expectations for the big day. Assess your combined resources, contributions from various parties, and the potential for savings over time. This is the most monotonous part of planning, but it is exceptionally important! Without having a set budget you're planning blind. Think of it as going into Selfridges, selecting everything you love without checking prices, only to face the dilemma at the checkout of choosing what to sacrifice or risking overextension.
Having a clear understanding of your financial boundaries ensures that your choices align with your budget, allowing you to enjoy the planning process. The wedding industry offers a plethora of talented suppliers, inspiring designs, exquisite products, venues, and delicious catering options you need to know what is available to you before diving in. Consider this financial groundwork as an essential step to avoid disappointment, stress, and frustration further down the line of your wedding planning journey.
BROWSE STYLISH WEDDING INSPIRATION
Capturing the essence of your wedding vision after delving into what makes ‘you you’ then moves to the power of imagery, and Pinterest is an invaluable tool. Before immersing yourself in supplier bookings, start by creating a visual board to explore wedding ideas. This process helps unveil a cohesive colour scheme and helps to define your unique wedding style. Armed with a solid vision, any wedding industry expert can use their professional knowledge to build upon it and produce something that surpasses your expectations.
For seamless pinning, consider adding Pinterest to your Chrome browser as an app, allowing you to gather inspiration from a number of sources, including Instagram, online wedding magazines, and wedding blogs.
Crucially, as wedding designers we believe and always work on the pretence that an authentic and memorable stylish wedding design has to be inspired by the both of you. Draw inspiration from your personalities, your relationship dynamics, shared activities, your home, cultural heritage, individual passions, favourite destinations, and even the wedding traditions you wish to embrace or redefine. Let your wedding design reflect the essence of who you are as individuals and as a couple, creating an environment that feels like home and leaves a lasting emotional impression on all your guests.
WRITE YOUR FIRST DRAFT GUESTLIST
When collating that first list of guests you want to invite to your wedding, let your heart guide you, and don't fret if the list initially seems extensive and out of control. You can always revisit and refine it later.
Organizing your guests into categories, such as work friends, school friends, and each partner's respective circles, can be a helpful strategy. Begin contemplating your ideal wedding party by identifying individuals from these groups whom you both envision playing a special role.
When faced with the task of trimming the guest list, consider the longevity of your relationships. Reflect on whether you anticipate maintaining these connections over the next five years or if you've shared meaningful moments with them in the past five years. It's crucial to emphasize that those who don't fall into these categories might not significantly impact your wedding day experience if they attend.
There is often a lot of pressure from outsiders on who to invite or not invite. Especially if those outsiders hold the purse strings, I always advise my clients that yes it’s important to keep the peace however this is YOUR day and your wedding should be shared with those who you wish to share it with!
HIRE A UK WEDDING PLANNER
If you already feel time-starved and want as little stress as possible when planning your wedding, enlisting the services of a luxury wedding planner is the ideal solution! An experienced wedding planner provides expert reassurance, advice, and a streamlined process. The time-consuming administrative tasks associated with planning such a complex event are meticulously organised for you, leaving you free to explore the possibilities of your celebration and relax throughout the process with absolute confidence in our meticulously crafted plan.
Engaging a wedding planner doesn't mean relinquishing control or having someone else dictate your wedding day. Many of my clients thoroughly enjoy the wedding planning process and wish to be actively involved. However, being style-conscious they recognize the value of having an experienced professional planner and designer to lend support in bringing their vision to life and elevating it to new heights. Wedding planning, in essence, becomes a collaborative effort, and a skilled planner will allow you as little or as much involvement as you wish, with the ultimate decision-making authority always resting in your hands.
As your planners, we show complete loyalty to you, your priorities, and your wedding visions. We will always be honest and transparent along the way, perfectly balancing our expertise whilst diving alongside you into your wildest dreams. Our entire process is about elevating your celebration both visually, logistically, and atmospherically. Get in touch with us here to find out more about our wedding planning services.
