A couple of days ago I realised it had been a very, very long time since I’d sat down and properly filled you all in on where Joe and I were at with our wedding planning…
Having spoken about it somewhat endlessly with family and friends (and, well, anyone who will listen) it’s easy to assume you’ve told the world and their wife that you’ve selected canapés, dried some confetti and spotted flower girl dresses when you were last in Marks and Sparks.
But with this week marking a year since we got engaged (!), I’ve struggled to quite believe how quickly time has gone, even more so since our original plan was to get married in September! Suddenly I feel very behind indeed- even if one thing I’ve learnt is that you’ll both do things in your own time. I know people getting married around the same time as us next year and it’s so easy to go into panic mode when you see someone has their dress, flowers and bridesmaids sorted when you’ve just about started a Pinterest board- but really, don’t fret- it will come together.
Anyway- I feel like I’ve learnt so much since we started planning, and although I covered certain things in this video, thought I’d pop a post together to expand on some things and update you with others, as things can really move quite quickly when you get the ball rolling.
Planning:
If I’m being honest, I was really struggling to get a grip on everything and knowing how and when to tick things off and knowing when I should be getting things done by when it came to planning. Although I had a couple of really helpful planners, I absolutely fell in love with Bridebook, a site I stumbled across when trying to find a way of organising our guest list- and it’s not let me down yet. With options to put in your budget, guest list (including RSVP’s and whether they’re day or night guests), it’s such a great resource for knowing when you should start pulling your socks up- from remembering when you should give notice by to sending out save the dates too.
The Venue:
The venue was probably the first thing Joe and I thought about- and after realizing what our priorities were (normally it’s between capacity, location and the freedom you want when it comes to food, decoration and utilizing the space) we settled on our dream venue about twenty minutes away from home- as having it in London with everyone there was something we both mutually agreed on. Naturally, where you decide to get married impacts everything from cost, space and everything in between- there are very few London venues that hold a lot of people, and a lot (unless dry hire) will come with a big recommended suppliers list, meaning that things like food and floristry can be governed by that too- which can be a help, or hinderance, depending on which way you look at it. Thankfully for us, although there is a suppliers list- we still have a reasonable amount of flexibility, so if anything it’s made narrowing down suppliers for caterers easier.
The Guest List:
Which leads me nicely on to this big ‘un- the guest list. Having a really strict capacity meant we unfortunately had to be strict with our invitations too. If it was up to me (and money was no object) I’d have the DPD man, postie and lady who does my nails- but narrowing it down has probably been the hardest thing for us- and totally made us realise why people do super intimate weddings or, elopements- because it’s unlikely you’ll manage to include or please everyone when it comes to it. A wedding invite isn’t the be all and end all of a relationship though, and it’s only having one myself that I’ve realised how much these things cost (and how many venues have small capacities), and if you don’t make the cut it’s certainly not a choice that was taken lightly.
The Dress:
Ah! THE DRESS! I feel like this is (hopefully) going to be the next thing I’m going to tick off, as it’s certainly been a while coming! Although there hasn’t necessarily been the tears, screaming and claps that you’re told come with finding the ONE, it’s been such a pleasure trying on some of the most gorgeous dresses with some of the women I love most in my life, and although I’ve tried a lot on, to be perfectly honest- I’ve liked a lot too. Like a lot of things in life, I don’t think there’s ever one ‘right’ thing, especially for an indecisive gal like me! But I’ve finally tried on a couple I felt truly like myself in, and I’m so excited to see what my next dress appointment holds.
Finding Suppliers:
And last but not least- suppliers! We finally have our photographers ticked off and through their list of suppliers found an amazing print and design studio for our invitations too. I’ve found looking at sites like Rock My Wedding super helpful and have scoured Instagram more than Pinterest when it came to the smaller details- collections on there is a total godsend. It’s worth looking at wedding photographers, and seeing the different suppliers they’ve worked with- and similarly scouring Instagram for this too. I’ve found Pinterest a brilliant resource, but sometimes a little overwhelming- so there and wedding magazines (from Brides to Together Journal) have all been excellent.
At the end of the day, last night I said to Joe that over and above everything, what I really wanted was for our big day to be was a big party for our family and friends that everyone could (hopefully) remember forever (or a really long time at least). A big old love in of sorts and just a special day for everyone, and not just us. I can’t wait to keep you updated on the rest of the planning as it happens- 8 MONTHS TO GO!
x
10 Comments
Lii
August 11, 2018 at 6:42 pmThis is really fascinating! I know many people stress about wedding planning but I am more excited than stressed. I think the pressure comes when you are expected to have a similar dream wedding as everybody else and when you decide to have something that looks like you it starts to get easier. We are having a wedding next year but abroad and like you cuts in the guest list have to be made, which seems to be the biggest issue of all. Good luck with your wedding preparations, I hope you get the wedding of your dreams 🙂
Macey
August 12, 2018 at 2:12 amThat website sounds like such a helpful assistant for planning weddings!! Definitely had to save that as a reminder for myself one day. Really enjoyed hearing you explain so many of the ins & outs in this post; it’s teaching me what it’ll realistically be like one day.
Yasemin
August 12, 2018 at 12:45 pmI like to Plan my wedding but I’m not sure if I want the big celebration or just sign and have a small dinner afterwards. We want to marry this year officially but the party would be months after that…I dont see the point to spend a fortune for one day of a big party after you already are married for months.
Siobhan
August 12, 2018 at 1:34 pmI love this! We got married in 2015 and your planning process sounds similar to ours. We wanted a relaxed, party atmosphere and that’s what we ended up with. We kept things quite minimal, and it was very ‘us’. Lots of people still comment on what a great day it was, and one couple we are friends with even said they enjoyed it more than their own wedding! It sounds like you’re approaching it in a sensible way and so long as you’re doiylng things for you as a couple, rather than for everyone else, I’m sure you will have th wedding of your dreams.
Ray Amaari
August 12, 2018 at 4:28 pmGreat post here. Everything pretty much covered.
http://www.rayamaari.com
Sarah
August 13, 2018 at 3:08 pmLooks like you’ve gotten so much done! I too got engaged last August, but our wedding is in September (like your original plan!) and I’m freaking out about the final items on the list we need to check off before the big day! Having 8 more months is amazing, glad you gave yourself more time! 🙂 And can’t wait to see all of the beautiful photos from your big day.
x Sarah
http://www.seasonsbysarah.com
Claire Jennings
September 5, 2018 at 9:29 pmI found stacks of inspiration on Instagram, especially when it came to hair styles and the type of hair piece I wanted (ended up with lovely red and winter berries comb that was pinned in to a massive low messy bun and a side braid) and being able to create one big wedding folder was the best for hair, nail ideas, flowers etc. My top tip would be to go easy on yourselves and do what YOU want to do. We did it all exactly how we wanted and had a flipping brilliant day and biiiiiig party!
Laura
January 16, 2019 at 7:49 amHi Liv! This post is super helpful as I’ve just got engaged. Do you mind telling us your photographers and their directory? It would be a great resource for those of us who don’t know what we are doing! Thanks! Laura
Olivia Purvis
January 16, 2019 at 9:04 amOf course! They’re The Curries (http://www.thecurries.co/) and this is their directory; https://theweddingcollective.co.uk/
Nippon
December 24, 2020 at 3:12 pmKeep up the good work, it’s hell lot inspiring!!