When people ask the question: ‘why spend so much money on one day?’ it’s easy to feel embarrassed with answers such as ‘I want to show the world how much I love that person’ or ‘the thought of some remote island with none to see me makes me feel sad’ or the most secretive of all ‘I want as many people as possible to see me in a beautiful dress and beautiful setting and tell me over and over again just how beautiful I look.’ But it’s your day, and you need it to make it what you want- you’re only planning on doing this once, so make it a day to remember!
At the point Iain (my husband!) and I (finally) got engaged none of those reasons applied. I just wanted to get married to my best friend, have his surname and see him with a ring, signifying our commitment to each other. It wasn’t until I started planning that I began dreaming up possible themes, venues, food choices, decorations and of course dresses! Of course the vows and the life-long commitment is the reason you marry and yes everything else is superfluous, but let’s be honest, you want the perfect day and a venue people walk into gob-smacked by how you managed to organize such an amazing event AND look as amazing as you do! You want your wedding to be the one guests rave and talk about for days, months-heck years afterwards!
So what makes a good wedding? Is there really a winning formula? Nope, but there are ways of making sure your day is perfect for you and your future husband. As an ‘unconventional’ bride-forced into heels, ear piercing, hair, nails and make-up I have a few ideas/tricks/pearls of wisdom to pass on in the build up to your special day.
The Dress
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Try on as many as possible- even ones that resemble your Grannie’s toilet roll holder, or something from ‘My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding’. You need to exhaust all possibilities- and let’s face it- dressing up is fun! Try and take a few different people, it’s important they’re honest and aren’t the sort of people who would let you walk down the aisle looking like you’ve made a Kirstie Allsop type attempt at making your own dress.
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Don’t make it too tight! Yes it’s great to be fitted, but you must be able to breathe and food and drink must be able to enter your body and not have its journey cut off by a ribbon/bodice tied so tight your legs turn blue!
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It has to be ‘wow’- you want every person in your wedding to hate you for looking so incredible, you want married women wishing they could get married again in YOUR dress, single girls to get straight onto match.com to find the man who’s going to get them into that dress, AND all the men wishing they hadn’t let you get away! BUT you must feel and be happy in your dress.
The Venue
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Choose one that reflects you and your partner- if you aren’t showy people, then don’t choose a stately home- sounds obvious, but once people start giving their 2 cents, the water can become a little clouded.
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Hidden costs- don’t be drawn in by a hire price- there can be hidden catches such as the requirement to use their caterers, which can mean expensive bills and A LOT per head!
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Find out about restrictions- what time is kick-out? How can you decorate? When can you get access? When do you have to clean away all your decorations?
Decorations
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Do you have a theme? Do you even want one?
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If you are going to make it all yourself-consider time, stress levels, who can help? Sometimes it only works out a little cheaper to do it for yourself once you have bought materials etc. Don’t underestimate the importance of accepting help and getting the right people around you .
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Research different suppliers and wedding companies- it’s nice to have kind, friendly people who understand what you are going through as a couple working with you and supporting you in the build up to your wedding and on your wedding day.
Guests
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Ahhhh the dreaded guest list! It’s always been a tad tricky, with both parents forgetting whose wedding it is! Stay strong! No matter who’s paying the bill! You’re essentially taking all these people out for dinner and a dance- make sure you’d be happy to do that on any day- if you wouldn’t, maybe reconsider?
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Allow each set of parents to choose four guests- that way they’re kept happy and you can stick them all on the same table!
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When writing the seating plan and to avoid any altercations, tell no-one, then, when they see where they’re going to be sat on the day they won’t dare moan- not to the blissfully happy bride!
You!
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Take care of yourself and remember your groom proposed to you knowing what you look like in the morning and at 2am when your head is down the toilet and your mascara is halfway down your face- no radical changes hey?!
Honeymoon
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Yes! Your chance to relax- you’ll both be exhausted, so try not to plan an all action-packed trip- well not for the first few days anyway!
If you are interested in finding out more about me or want to have a chat (generally over a piece of cake!), then check out my website-http://homemadeevents.moonfruit.com/
Ellouise