Love to Plan Blog

So, Wedding Fayres! Prior to being engaged, you may not have come across them before – unless of course you have a sibling / close friend who has married recently and dragged you along to a few!

What is a Wedding Fayre?

Wedding Fayres are information hubs! They mostly take place at venues that are licensed to hold civil ceremonies, hold receptions, or both.

Wedding Fayres act as a venue showcase with rooms / areas dressed for a wedding, and staff on hand to chat about your plans and show you their facilities.

In addition, (and perhaps most importantly) there are a number of wedding suppliers exhibiting on the day ranging from cake companies to florists to make-up artists. All are there with the intention of showcasing their company to you, and chatting with you about your plans and how they can help.

Some also have the added bonus of fashion shows, whilst others have venue / exhibitor booking incentives attached to the day of the Fayre.

Why go along?

In a no pressure environment, you can see what the suppliers have to offer, talk to them about your plans and ensure that you could work well together – all giving you the confidence to book their services for your wedding.

If you’re interested in the venue itself, it’s a great opportunity to see an event in action – a good, well run fayre means a good, well run wedding.

What should I take with me?

• A clear head – try not to be overwhelmed, treat it all as a business transaction.

• An idea of your total budget – you’ll know immediately whether an exhibitor is within, or outside of your budget, allowing you to maximise time and move on if necessary.

• A notepad and pen – don’t be afraid to take notes when speaking to the exhibitors, it will ensure that you remember your efforts on returning home.

• Your colour scheme swatch / ideas folder – this will give the venue / exhibitor a firm idea of your plans

• A bag to keep all your literature safe, and you hands free.

• A cheque book – should there be an incentive running on the day for the venue / exhibitor and you have complete confidence in your decision, you will be able to secure your date with a deposit there and then.

When do they take place?

Generally they’re held twice a year on a Sunday – the first season is mid January until the end of March, the second starts in September until the end of October.

There are exceptions to this rule, as some venues run summer evening Fayres, for example, Lydiard House Conference Centre will be running a Wedding Fayre on Thursday 31st May 2012 from 5pm – 9pm.

How do I find out about them?

There are a number of ways to keep informed about upcoming Wedding Fayres:

• Love to Plan run a number of Wedding Fayres and Bridal events in the local area, so why not sign up to our Newsletter or visit our Wedding Fayre Diary at www.lovetoplan.co.uk, and we will keep you informed of the dates as we have them.

• If you’re on a venue’s mailing list they may keep you informed of their next event.

• Online search.

• Local press and radio.

Rest assured that your trip to a Love to Plan organised Wedding Fayre / Bridal Event is worthwhile. Not only do we ensure quality venues and quality exhibitors, we also ensure a great variety of exhibitor types, all with the mission of making your planning as easy and as straight-forward as possible!

For more information on the the Wedding Fayres and other Bridal events that Love to Plan organise, explore our website, or get in touch:

E-mail: natalie@lovetoplan.co.uk

Telephone: 07765 705669

Now here’s a controversial subject for you! Whether to invite children or not, is one of the big questions that will crop up when putting your guest list together.

With everyone having a different opinion on the matter, and the worry of offending close friends and family if you don’t, it can become a real headache…especially as it’s one of the first questions asked by some of your potential guests!

Let’s put ourselves in a child’s shoes:

They are most likely told (a lot!) on the run up to the wedding that they will be expected to be good and do as they’re told! The child is then a bit wary of this upcoming day and may be a bit put off by having to wear best clothes all day, sit quietly for long periods of time, eat food that they don’t want and not have any fun – boring!

What they want to do is be sociable like the adults, play with the other children, take advantage of a new place and explore it, and generally have fun! This unfortunately leads to them being told off a great deal and them getting irritable.

So…what to do! Well, only you can decide, but here’s my advice:

If you do invite children to your wedding, ensure that they are well catered for and are entertained throughout.

Have colouring books, crayons, puzzles and games available on the tables – but not cars or trains as these just ensure that the children are on their hands and knees and under the tables throughout!

Perhaps organise a colouring competition or a photograph scavenger hunt with disposable cameras with a prize incentive which could be announced during the speeches.

Organise a children’s menu with your caterers – they should be more than happy to arrange this and should offer you a reduction in price for children under 8 years of age.

Perhaps put all the children on one table on their own, it will make them feel special – but having their parents in the very near vicinity will keep them in line!

Consider a wedding crèche service. They will keep the children entertained for as long as you like and should supply aprons to keep them clean and presentable when returning to the wedding – they will even stay on as babysitters.

Organise extra entertainment, such as a children’s magician, bouncy castle or outdoor games (if in a safe environment)…they’re good for the adults too!

If you don’t invite children to your wedding, be up front about it from the very beginning.

It’s not considered to be etiquette or polite to make a statement of “no children” on your invitations, so instead broach the subject with family and friends and make it clear in conversation.

Do not feel that you have to offer an explanation – remember that it’s your wedding, not theirs and it’s important that you get the day that you want.

If you do not make it clear, don’t be surprised if some RSVP’s include the names of children even if they were not on the invitation.

Be prepared for some to decline your invitation as a result. Some guests will genuinely find it difficult to organise child care.

…on the flip side, many parents will relish a no child zone as it’s a day / night off!

So, it’s a tricky one isn’t it and not an easy decision for sure, but I hope the above helps towards you making the right one for you.

As a Wedding Planner, I’m very used to these issues and deal with relatives and friends of the Bride and Groom all the time – now that’s definitely a way of removing the issue isn’t it – hire Love to Plan to help!

For more information on the services that Love to Plan offers, check out the website, or give me a call / drop me a line to discuss your options:

E-mail: natalie@lovetoplan.co.uk

Telephone: 07765 705669

All too often I hear snippets of conversation where couples are tearing their hair out over their wedding budget and saying how impossible it is to stick to it!

This is a very common and reasonable problem. Let’s face it, it’s most likely their first time organising a wedding, and how can you know how much everything costs, right down to the Groom’s buttonhole?

In addition, there is a huge amount of choice available to you, and with each month new ideas, trends and themes appear giving you the headache of both keeping up with it all, and the worry that you will find something you prefer in a couple of months time – so who can blame you when adding the odd extra to your wish list?! Add peer pressure into the mix and suddenly the budget can spiral.

But don’t be disheartened – it’s all about research, research, research! No wonder the average wedding takes 240 hours to plan!

Where to start?

Speak to friends and family, search the Internet, visit Wedding Fayres and speak to your preferred venues about their recommended suppliers and start to put a short list of venues and suppliers together.

Once you have a short-list, arrange to meet them, discuss your requirements and obtain quotes. Never be afraid to negotiate – by cutting just one small element of your day could save you the £100 required to get you back on track.

Indeed, why not flip it on its head – advise your potential venue / supplier that you have “X” amount to spend and ask what service they can offer to meet this budget.

One very important piece of advice…never negotiate too hard, this creates bad feeling from the start (even if it’s not shown), and in my experience, bad feeling does not equal good service.

Why stick to budget?

Sticking to budget is an obsession of mine, for all the right reasons.

Reining in is not me being a kill joy – far from it, you know I love a good wedding and most definitely value the significance of the day…but the key here is that your wedding day is the first day of the rest of your lives together – so be kind to yourselves and start married life together without debt and concern.

My Top Ten Tips on Sticking to Budget

Your budget could be anything from £3,000 to £30,000 – the total does not matter as a budget is a budget, and here are my top tips to sticking to it:

1. Set a priority list – the first thing I ask a new client is what are their 3 most important and 3 least important elements of the day – we focus on the first 3 and take it from there.

2. Add in a 10% contingency to cover unexpected expenses.

3. Organisation and research – these are the ultimate keys to keeping on track.

4. Shop around – don’t settle on just one quote, always get at least two.

5. Check the small print and ensure there are no hidden charges – VAT / Service Charge can be an unexpected extra.

6. If you’re creative, consider making your own stationery / favours etc.

7. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know – take advantage of your well placed / talented friends and family – but don’t expect too many freebies, in my experience, people are more willing to grant a favour should your intention be to contribute, even a little.

8. Guest List…now here’s a minefield if ever there was one! It is sometimes necessary to reduce your guest list to have the day that you have dreamed of. Be careful, but be practical. Perhaps consider a smaller wedding ceremony and wedding breakfast, and a larger evening reception.

9. Always know at any one time the spend and payments made to date – keep abreast of every single penny spent, even if it’s just 50p here and there on card samples for invitations – trust me, it adds up!

10. Hire a Wedding Planner – we do it for you and actually save you money due to our supplier base relationships and experience – all commissions are passed on to you, the client!

Above all, be realistic and enjoy the challenge…getting the most for your money is actually very rewarding and leads to a far more enjoyable wedding day, I promise!

Sincere congratulations to you on your engagement!

Exciting…yet slightly daunting times ahead – I’m sure you’ll agree! The question “now what?” is very common, and should you be getting stuck into planning your own wedding then here is a little guidance in the form of a Wedding Countdown for you.

All weddings are different in terms of the time available to plan, and some parts of the organisation work hand in hand together, but the following guide will give you a starting point:

One Year to go…

• Decide on your preferred wedding date and time

• Work out your available budget – including your honeymoon and add a 10% contingency

• Decide on the 3 most important elements of your wedding day and the 3 least important elements and agree on them together – this will put you in good stead on the planning side of things and will encourage you to stick to your budget

• Decide on approximate number of guests – both day and evening

• If you are hiring one, meet with your Wedding Planner

• Start your venue and supplier research

• Book your wedding and reception venue / marquee / caterers and confirm your wedding date and time

• Start thinking about a theme

• Book your florist

• Book your photographer / videographer

• Go wedding dress shopping!

Nine Months to go…

• Choose your attendants, including Best Man, Bridesmaids, Flower Girls, Page Boys and Ushers

• Wedding Dress to be on order

• Choose the outfits for the Groom and attendants

• Book your DJ / Band

• Select / design your wedding stationery – not forgetting your order of service, table plan, place cards, menu cards and thank you notes

• If you have chosen to, send your Save the Date cards

• Arrange your wedding transport

• Book all other wedding entertainment e.g. Magician

Six Months to go…

• Book your honeymoon (do you need any jabs?)

• Organise your wedding cake

• Choose and order your wedding rings

• Decide on, and confirm your ceremony choices including music and vows

• Look into make up artists and hair stylists

Three Months to go…

• Send your invitations

• Decide on, and order your wedding favours

• Ensure arrangements for your Hen and Stag Do’s are in full swing

• Make sure your hair stylist and make up artist are booked

• Confirm your flower choices

Six Weeks to go…

• Chase up outstanding wedding invitation responses

• Buy gifts for your attendants

Four Weeks to go…

• Have an in-depth meeting with your venue to confirm final details, suppliers involved, timings of your day and advise final numbers

• Confirm playlist / first dance song with DJ / Band

• Pay final balances

• Collect wedding rings

• Suit fittings

• Bridesmaid fittings

Two Weeks to go…

• Final dress fitting and collection

• Finalise seating plan and send to venue / caterers

• Make up artist and hair stylist rehearsals

One Week to go…

• Keep venue / caterers abreast of any last minute changes to numbers etc

• Start beauty treatments

• Run through your plans and iron out any niggles that you have – go with your gut instinct on this one, if you have any doubts or worries, even small ones, sort them out now

• Book and collect your currency / travellers cheques for your honeymoon

• Wedding rehearsal

• Dress rehearsal including all jewellery and accessories

Day Before…

• Speak to all suppliers to reconfirm all wedding plans – even if you only spoke to them the previous day, this will allow you to relax and allow the experts to take over

• Lay out your dress and accessories ready…including your Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue…

• RELAX and enjoy your last day of single status!

GET MARRIED and have a whale of time! Go away on your honeymoon with treasured memories!

On return from your Honeymoon…

• Write and send thank you cards – this really is important. Guests love a thank you, and it gives them a memento of your special day

To celebrate the sparkly new Love to Plan Newsletter, I have invited a couple of leading wedding specialist companies to give tips and advice on areas within their profession.

In my opinion, flowers are one of the most important elements of your wedding day, not only do they set the theme, they create the WOW factor! Choosing the right florist for you is very important. You need to gel with your florist and they need to understand your personality, likes and dislikes in order to create your vision.

I have invited Nicole Gamlin of The Floral Studio to give her thoughts on why whatever wedding date you choose, seasonal flowers are the best option:

In spring a mass of seasonal colour is available. Tulips and ranunculus are available in many colours from white to deep burgundy and dark purple. For scent hyacinths, narcissi, freesias and mimosa are fragrant. If you fancy a vibrant yellow theme with daffodils and yellow tulips, you can add scent by using mimosa. Other special spring flowers include muscari in blue and white, hellebores in a range of colours which make fabulous posies and charming romantic arrangements for tables.

In late spring and early summer there is an abundance of pale pinks and blues available. I love peonies and scented garden roses for round bouquets mixed with aromatic lavender. Sweet scented stocks, hybrid delphiniums and lilies look wonderful in large arrangements. The simplicity of a bunch of daisies in a posy or in simple jugs on a table is quite breathtaking. Cornflowers and lily of the valley also work well.

Late summer brings a wealth of striking, bright-coloured flowers such as sunflowers, poppies, sweet williams, zinnias and roses. These suit simple displays. Lilies, hydrangeas and peonies look fabulous in large decorations or en masse.

Autumn brings rich colour themes. Red and orange flowers are more popular in the autumn. Mango calla lilies, brown or red hypericum berries and lime green vibernum opulus are a classic choice for a country wedding. If you are looking for autumn scent use late flowering garden roses or herbs in your arrangements. For me, an autumn wedding is the best opportunity to make use of the fruit that is abundant this time of year. Glass vases filled with tiny crab apples and top with a seasonal hand-tied posy look mouthwatering.

Winter brings rich colours to our senses. Cymbidium orchids are at their best in the winter months. A personal favourite of mine is lime green with burgundy blooms and I love to mix this with deep ‘Black Baccarra’ roses and rich evergreen foliage, such as spruce, mistletoe and ivy. There are also some fantastic berries on offer. For an all white and silver theme, white euphorbia fulgens, which is an arched stem of many tiny florets, white amaryllis, tall silver twigs and fairy lights in a tall vase is visually stunning.

Nicole Gamlin, a Chelsea Flower Show Medallist specialising in wedding flowers from simple intimate celebrations to grand ceremonies.

To find out more please contact Nicole for a non obligation consultation and visit their website to view their fantastic range.

Telephone: 07834 062068 E-mail: nicole@useaflorist.co.uk Website: www.useaflorist.co.uk