Planning your wedding can be one of the most stressful yet most fun periods of your life and hitched.co.uk is here to help you every step of the way. Our quick step guide has been designed to make planning your wedding day fun and easy. Please let us be amongst the first to wish you all the best on your forth coming marriage.
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If the coins in your wallet don't quite add up you might need to consult the bank
(or maybe your dads credit card?) Whether your budget is £1000 or £100,000,
you can be sure that there are services out there that will suit your needs and
are within budget. Visit the wedding
diary planner on the hitched.co.uk website for further advice on planning
your
budget and how to allocate your spending.
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We are working here on the principal that you have a rough date in mind. More often
than not, unless you are planning to an exact date years in advance, the availability
and choice of venue will drive the actual date of the wedding. Choosing the right
venue will most certainly take time, but with the help of the
venue finder on the hitched.co.uk website , and over 4000 choices to browse
through, you will be sure to find your most perfect setting for your big day. When
both the ceremony and venue arrangements have been chosen, the whole day will then
fall into place. Something else important to remember will be your first night together
as a married couple. Not all reception venues can act as a hotel too, so planning
your first night together should be something you should consider when viewing wedding venues.
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Did you know that the average wedding these days costs around £17,000? Just
think about the cost of wedding rings, wedding dresses, catering and the many other
wedding essentials and you will soon see how much they add up to. Not only that,
but many wedding reception venues
will not allow you to book unless you already have public liability insurance in
place which is part of the Ecclesiastical wedding
insurance. While it is not very romantic to think about what might go wrong
with your wedding, it is best to be prepared. So, if you want the piece of mind
that insurance can provide consider Wedding Insurance from Ecclesiastical from just
£30! Also, Ecclesiastical Wedding Insurance
is designed to be flexible with the mix and match policy allowing you to choose
the benefits that are right for your wedding. To find out more about what can be
covered by Ecclesiastical simply read more wedding
insurance
information. As with all insurance, terms and conditions apply. * Excluding honeymoon
costs, You and Your Wedding magazine, June 2008.
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Now you have set a date and purchased insurance you can really start to spend. We
all marry for love, but in the back of our minds aren't we also excited about what
that exquisite piece of jewellery
will look like on our finger? Some say that the tradition of wedding rings comes
from the circular shape symbolising an endless stream of love. Others say the tradition
stems from the fact that a vein runs directly from your wedding finger to the heart,
connecting the two constantly. Whatever the truth, when
selecting your ring
you are not just choosing a beautiful piece of jewellery that will look lovely on
your finger, you are also taking another step towards bonding yourselves together
forever.
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Now the fun really begins! Where do you start with your guest list? The truth is
you have probably already thought about it. When you were young did you dream of
the fairytale wedding or was yours a smaller, more intimate affair? When you planned
your budget earlier in step 1 presumably you have agreed on the amount you will
be spending on your reception venue
and as you have selected your venue it's safe to assume that you have a good idea
of the size of your wedding party. So now start writing out names. Our advice is
really quite simple. Start with the people closest to you, the key players (family
members, best man or men, bridesmaids, etc) and then work outwards. Imagine you
are designing your 'family and friends tree'. Get a large piece of paper and at
the very top write your names. Then work downwards in rows starting with the most
important people and working to the end until you have encompassed everyone you
can think of. At this point, do not worry about the actual number of people you
have written down but think more about not overlooking anyone. Once you are convinced
you have everyone included, you can start crossing people off or at least categorising
people into daytime and evening guests. Be prepared to give and take a little when
discussing people with your partner and try to be as accommodating as possible.
That being said, remember that it is your day and if there is somebody there that
will really make your day, stand firm!
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This will be one of the most fun and exciting parts of the whole wedding preparation
process. No matter what shape or size you are, there are a multitude of dresses
to be found in the hitched.co.uk
bridal wear section, not to mention all the accessories you will need to
make yourself look like a fairy princess.
Grooms wear, ushers,
bridesmaids, pageboys and every other member of
the wedding party also need to be considered so be prepared to spend some time making
sure the complete wedding party is coordinated.
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Whilst you have probably already told everyone you know about your up and coming
big day, now is the time to make it official. Your
invitations need to be sent out well in advance so whilst this may be a
little early to send them, you should at least begin looking at colours and designs.
If you want to be really well prepared, why not send out some 'save the date' cards
out now just to say that your big day is on the XXX and the official invitations
will be sent out closer to the time? People love to receive mail, especially when
it is covered with feathers and pretty bows. Your
stationery order will be themed by the colours in the rest of your day,
and is traditionally sent on behalf of the brides parents. The stationery order
can include everything from a save the date card, to your place cards, and even
your order of service card. It is always handy to get your order done with one supplier
to avoid confusion. The hitched.co.uk website lists hundreds of
stationery suppliers for you to ensure the perfect look for your big day.
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Having dealt with 101 suppliers, bridesmaid issues, months of stress and trying
to make the biggest day of your life perfect you will need a holiday. Your honeymoon is normally your first
few weeks alone with your new partner, so it will be very exciting. Going down to
your local travel agent early will avoid disappointment and make sure that you have
the most relaxing holiday of your life. Changing your name on the passport is best
left until after you return from the holiday, but if you don't own a passport with
a least 6 months validity left on it, it would be advisable to get one sooner rather
than later. If you are travelling to a distant island that no one has ever heard
of, you may also want to check out the visa situation. You wouldn't want to show
up unprepared only to find out that you have to turn around and come back home again
if they have a requirement or jab that you have not been informed about. Doing your
homework will most certainly pay off in the future.
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Through out your wedding day you will experience so many wonderful moments that
you will want to remember forever. By booking a good
photographer/videographer
you will be able to look over your favourite moments time and time again and they
will be a treasure to keep forever. Your
wedding car will also need to be booked at this stage, along with the lengthy
process of choosing the right colour coordinated and meaningful
flowers to complement your day (check out the hitched.co.uk
flower guide). The essential cake
to eat during the evening
entertainment and
music all need to be thought about now. The hitched.co.uk
directory is jam packed full of professional and reliable resources
to help you organize and add the finishing touches to your dream wedding.
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Whilst you are getting married for love, one nice 'bonus' is all those lovely presents
you are going to receive. And even better, you get to pick them all out yourself!
Most girls love shopping so going in to a store or online and choosing anything
you want for your guest list will be amazing, and is also a smart idea because it
avoids you being given 3 toasters or 9 blenders. A
gift list is also good for couples who do already live together and have
everything. You can choose unusual presents that you might not purchase yourself
or simply select gifts that will resemble your day or the love you have for each
other. Wedding gift lists
can be arranged at any leading department store, and with a number of specialized
online guides. To learn more about how to conduct a wedding gift list please see
the Wedding List Ideas
section on the hitched.co.uk site.
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If you've made use of the 'save the date' cards, most of your guests should be well
aware when your wedding is and will be eagerly anticipating the
invitation landing on their doormat. You should send out your invites a
minimum of 8 weeks before your wedding however sooner is often better. If you are
inviting a lot of over seas guests it would be advisable to send them early in order
for replies to come back to you. There is nothing more frustrating than not knowing
how many people to cater for or where to seat who if you are unsure of your final
numbers. One way around this is to have a 'reserve list' of people that you would
like to invite if numbers permit.
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Your last chance as a single person to let your self go wild is going to be at the
stag or hen night. This night is all about you, and should get
you fully psyched up for your wedding day. It is the duty of the best man and bridesmaids
to organize this evening, but they are usually done in style and painting the town
red is the attitude to have. This will be a very exciting evening, because you will
be amongst your closest friends, and the people who know you best. Stag and Hen nights are now often turning into weekends and even
weeks. If you've budgeted well these events can be spent in far away lands topping
up tans and relaxing before the day itself.
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Everyone's wedding is unique to them so it is difficult to put into words exactly
what final touches you will need to take care of. Things to think about are seating
plans, order of service, rehearsals, speeches, readings, poems, thank you gifts,
first dances, music, timings, transport, children, favours, first night accommodation,
return of hired outfits, thank you cards, etc… Our 13 step guide cannot possibly
cover everything for everyone but we do hope to offer most people a good idea of
what may be involved in their big day. If you still feel you need more help, please
browse the rest of the hitched.co.uk wedding site and for advice from other wedding
planners, go to the hitched.co.uk forum.
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