Wedding planning tips for couples
Inspiration and guidance on how to find trustworthy wedding suppliers and vendors for your dream wedding day in Lincolnshire. Scroll down to read the wedding planning articles on how to find your dream wedding venue and how you should choose a florist, with questions you can asks them.
Finding the right wedding suppliers and vendors for your wedding day
Choosing your wedding suppliers is an important part of your wedding day. Not only are you trusting them to recreate the vision you have spent months planning but also parting with such an investment!
1) Use word of mouth
Talk to people you know who have gotten married recently, could they recommend somebody who did an amazing job at their wedding? If you don't know anybody, ask at your venue, they usually have a list of trusted businesses who've they have worked with before (They'll also have the bonus of knowing your venue) Lastly check their reviews, this will give you a great indication of what kind of supplier they are.
2) Trust your gut instincts!
If you've got an iffy feeling about someone you're chatting to, trust your gut. Most suppliers will do a great job of your wedding, however like any industry there are always some people out there to make some quick cash. Do your research, look at their past weddings, and read their testimonials. Check out their social media - do they show up? If the answer is yes and they are regularly posting on their social channels then that's a good indication they can be trusted. Ask for a contract and if they don’t have contracts that’s a huge Red Flag!
I hope these tips help you.
Victoria Fenix
Your ultimate guide to choosing your wedding venue - Wedding planning advice and support for couples in Lincolnshire
Congratulations, you’re getting married! This is a time for happiness, so definitely take it all in - pop some champagne, get all blissed out on your soon-to-be lover for life, and welcome everything that comes with him or her putting a ring on it, but get ready for some big decisions, too, starting first and foremost with a pretty big thing to tick off the list: the venue.
In addition to being one of the biggest investments you’ll make while wedding planning, the venue also sets the tone for the entire event. It’s like the glue that holds all the elements of your wedding day together, from ceremony all the way to send off. Needless to say, choosing a venue is a big decision!
Whilst this subject may seem intimidating I’m here to hold your hand with all of the do’s and don’ts and walk you through the entire process including the search, questions to ask and what elements to consider when choosing the perfect place to say your I do’s.
Set a Budget
Determining a wedding budget should be right up there on your list of priorities. Knowing who is going to be contributing to your overall wedding finances
will help you set realistic expectations for every decision you will be making.
Granted, that conversation, whether it be between the two of you or all
of the parents (and even extended family members), could be a tough one. So, in our experience, it’s best just to bite the bullet, sit down with your beverage of choice, and figure it ALL out together.
Keep in mind that exploring expectations vs. reality can be a learning curve, and things may need to be adjusted down the road.
Consider dates
There are a few things to consider when considering a date for your wedding. The first step is to sit down and consider what season you and your partner would like to get married. You may ask yourselves
“Is there a particular time where life is a bit hectic for you?”
“Is there a date or time of year that holds some significance to you as a couple?”
“What kind of climate, floral and general feel do you envision for your day?”
Narrowing down the possibilities with those questions will help you come up with an overall plan for the day. If you want a cosy wedding with dramatic lighting and lots of leafy greenery you may consider a winter wedding. Whereas your more typical springtime wedding may have more pastel blooms and light, airy colours. There are advantages and disadvantages to all seasons, so be sure to weigh the options carefully. Check weather patterns and plan accordingly, from the beginning, for a pleasurable experience for guests, rain or shine.
If you’re not particular about the season or range of dates, there are a couple things you can do to save money. First, consider booking an off-season wedding.. In addition, booking a day other than Saturday (which used to be the gold standard in wedding-perfect days of the week) can also help the budget, but in return could be a bit less convenient for guests. Remember that dates that play with numbers (11/12/13, 08/18/18, etc.) tend to be popular and more expensive, so if booking one of those dates is important to you, reach out to venues sooner rather than later.
The biggest factor in selecting the date is the actual availability of the venue! Venues often book 12–18 months in advance, so keep those timelines in mind when setting appointments.
Destination or Domestic
Destination weddings are becoming more popular and it’s not hard to imagine why. When deciding on whether to have a domestic wedding or have a domestic wedding, consider what makes the most sense for you based on your style, budget, guests and schedule. In addition you may consider tourism seasons. High tourist seasons may find it difficult to find transport and accommodation and bump the costs up. It can be quite a challenge to plan a wedding in a country you don’t live in but a destination planner will be able to help. These professionals know all of the ins and outs of curating celebrations and they will handle a lot of the heavy lifting for you.
You may want to consider potential language barriers and cultural differences and in the current climate and travel restrictions and rules.
Determine your guest list
It’s easy to underestimate how many people will actually end up on your guest list, especially if your parents are contributing to your budget, as they may wish to invite a few of their own friends. Having a firm idea of the number of who you’d like to be invited will determine the cost not only of the venue but also centrepieces, catering, chair covers and stationery.
Of course, not all of your invited guests will be able to make your wedding, it is normal when estimating numbers for the day for around 85% of invited guests to attend a local wedding and around 55-65% to attend a destination wedding. Keep in mind that it is best to be more generous with plus ones for destination weddings or in any situation where a guest is travelling a long distance, so you’ll find that your guest count, here, will need to increase.
Other Suppliers
When choosing your venue it’s wise to consider how much can be done in-house by the venue and whether they have a preferred supplier list for you to use. Some venues will be able to point you in the direction of trusted suppliers they work closely with and even insist on you hiring their DJ or caterers for example.
It’s then important to factor in those costs too as it may work out more expensive than sourcing your own. Venues will also mostly insist that suppliers you hire on the day have relevant insurance.
Ask your coordinator about any restrictions they may have, for example on the time the reception can go on until, whether they’ll allow fireworks, insist on biodegradable confetti, whether they’ll allow corkage, if they’ll provide a room to get ready in on the day and whether they’ll allow you to put up decorations on their walls. The answers to these questions will determine who then you need to hire for the day.
Choosing a venue can seem a minefield however it’s a really exciting part of the wedding planning process. Getting your venue locked in nice and early will then enable you to plan other aspects of your wedding and get your invitations sent out.
I hope this blog post inspires you and helps support your wedding planning!
Victoria Fenix
Hire Wedding Suppliers Fully Support Your Wedding Day Vision
When looking for suppliers to hire for your wedding day be guided by their work and their style as to whether they are right for your day. You’ll usually get a feel of their work from their website, Instagram feeds, or Pinterest but you’ll get an even better understanding of them, their business, and ideas for your day if you have a coffee with them. Whether that’s virtually or in-person, no wedding supplier I know will turn down a coffee and the chance to talk through plans for your day and how they can enhance that experience!
Pick a supplier that compliments the ideas you have for your own wedding and you’ll enjoy the process a lot more and it’ll mean you get to work on something truly magical together.
Trust your gut instincts when researching the suppliers you would like to hire for your wedding day. If something sticks out to you as a red flag – don’t be afraid to ask more questions, do some more research, or walk away. You will always be able to find someone else who will make you feel at ease and comfortable with the vision of your day.
I hope these tips help you.
Victoria Fenix
All The Reasons You Should Hire a Wedding Florist Plus The Must Ask Questions To Ask Your Preferred Supplier
Flowers are a huge part of any wedding, whether you are having a big celebration or something a little more intimate. It’s probably the only day of your life that you get to carry around a beautiful bouquet and have the males around you adorn a buttonhole is often that flourish that differentiates a groom’s suit from any other formal look. So why not make the most of it?
Most people love fresh flowers and naturally want to have them as part of their wedding day, but don’t have much idea on all of the names, possibilities, or what is in season and when.
Given that the price of wedding flowers can typically be take up a sizable chunk of the wedding budget it’s no wonder that choosing a wedding florist is up there in one of the most important decisions couples will make in their planning process.
Flowers will not only contribute to your wedding attire during the day but it will also add to the look of your ceremony and reception spaces too.
Why hire a Wedding Florist
Some couples will decide to do their own flowers. Whilst this is occasionally a cheaper option, it is by no means an easy task!
Wedding florists will source and buy everything they need to bring to life the style and look you are aspiring for, whether that means early trips to flower markets or last-minute changes because certain blooms haven’t opened.
They have masses of experience and training in putting together perfect arrangements and will ensure that your flowers look as fresh as possible for your wedding day. There’s more to this than you might think. Your florist will know when the best time is to start creating your buttonholes, bouquets, and arrangements so that they look perfect for you, which often means staying up quite late in the run-up to your wedding. Creating beautiful arrangements can take a lot of time. There’s the cutting and wiring of each stem, and putting them into the design whether it’s a bouquet, top table arrangement, or flower crown and it all takes longer than you may think.
They’ll also take care of transporting all of your delicate flowers usually in a fitted van, which will ensure your flowers stay safe and arrive in the best condition at your wedding ceremony and venue.
One of the biggest things a florist can help with is choosing the right types of flowers for you and your partner. They know all of the options available and the names of the flowers too. They can inform you of what’s in season and when and can make suggestions for flowers to compliment your design plus make suggestions for blooms that are more sustainable or budget-friendly. If you want your flowers to symbolise something your florist will be able to help with this too.
The simple fact is that planning a wedding can be a stressful process and flowers are not the only things you’ll need to think about in the final few days before the wedding. Having someone to take care of this area for you will lift a lot of weight from your shoulders and allow you to focus on other areas of the wedding and enjoy the build-up to your special day. Your florist will also be prepared with spares for any squashed buttonholes or broken stems keeping stress to an absolute minimum before the wedding.
How to choose your wedding florist
Look at as many wedding florists as you can, and ask your friends, family, and work colleagues for any recommendations but then don’t take their word for it- your taste and style may differ. Do your research – follow florists you are considering using on Instagram – this often gives you a give you insight into how they work.
Next, create a shortlist of florists you’d like to meet. Send them your Pinterest boards and any other information you have for your wedding such as your dress and venue. Listen to their ideas and see how they respond to your vision and choices too. Look at lots of their past work not just one wedding, to get an idea of their style. Although a florist will work to your brief, a florist is creative and will produce their best work when they can work within their style. Some couples prefer to choose florists with a more structured style, some may prefer florists who work with silk flowers, and others may choose a wedding florist with a more wildflower, undone approach. Think about the general style of your wedding day and look for a wedding florist who shares your vision.
To ensure you get the look you’ve dreamed of and that you choose the wedding florist that’s best for you, I’ve put together a list of must-ask questions to ask your wedding florist.
Can I see some examples of your work?
Are you available on my wedding date?
Have you worked at my wedding venue before?
How would you describe your floristry style?
Do you have a minimum spend?
How many weddings do you work in one day?
Which flowers will suit the style of my wedding?
Are you able to help me choose a color scheme?
Which flowers will be in season when I marry?
Which flowers are available within my budget?
Are you able to advise on how many arrangements I will need for my ceremony and reception?
How soon do I need to order my flowers?
Who will deliver my flowers on the day? Is there an extra charge for this?
Can you move my ceremony flowers to the reception?
Do you provide any other décor items? Display items?
How will I return any rented items to you?
Am I able to change my mind / add or take away things to my order?
When will I need to make the final choice by?
When does the final balance need to be paid?
Do you charge for breakages?
Will you work with my Cake Maker and add flowers to my wedding cake?
When will you deliver personal bouquets, any hair flowers, and buttonholes?
And finally, couples generally book their florist 6 months before their wedding. But if you’ve got your heart set on someone in particular…. book them as soon as you can!
I hope these tips help you.
Victoria Fenix