Someone asked me yesterday where to start with planning a wedding. I don't know why as I am absolutely not an expert. The only wedding I have planned is my own and that isn't even half done, God knows how it will turn out.
Anyway, I thought, as your Thursday treat, I would give you a quick Livy guide to all weddingy planning tips I know.
1) The first thing we booked were the favours. Honest to god. I would not recommend you start this way, perhaps be more traditional and go for the venue or dress or even date. Was it because I love my guests so super much that their gifts were paramount? No. Don't get me wrong, I love my potential guests (yep potential... I can still erase you Ben) but the real reason was that I found a shop that produced Welsh cakes in the shape of stars.
Yes, you read that right. Star shaped Welsh cakes were absolutely a must have for just engaged Livy. Obviously.
2) We then hit the venue search and literally visited every registered location in Yorkshire, and two in Lincolnshire before settling on the first one I saw. It was a very long process and bless my lovely Dad for coming with us. It was an utter minefield to be honest and I stressed A LOT because in my mind it had to be perfect.
Can I tell you a secret? It doesn't. What makes your wedding perfect is you and your partner and your family and friends and the whole day of it. Venues are nice, some are amazing but it doesn't really matter if it has a monochrome dance floor (really it doesn't). Close your eyes, clear your mind and pick the one you liked best and that you can see you and your beloved saying 'I do' in. That is it.
3) Budget - YUCK! Nothing is more unromantic than working out what you can and can't afford. But you must. I really struggled with it as, well it's hard. We started with what Steve and I could afford and what we could save. That was the only number we depended on as really, it is cheeky to assume anything else! We totally lucked out and have been overwhelmed with gratitude by the financial offerings of our family but, for us, it was important to know what we could do ourselves and I am totally, totally beyond proud that the majority of our wedding is being paid for by us! Oh and that set-a-price-for-all-items-and-stick-to-it mantra that is in every magazine? That is very nice but do some research first, finding that cars cost like £400 for a 10 minute journey is not good when you budgeted £200 for it.
Oh and set up a joint 'Wedding Savings Account', grown up? Yes. But awesome when you get the quarterly statement through.
And everything else will fall into place. How? I don't know, it just will.
Pick what you like the best and want the most and think about who you are. And if you get lost just think about the marriage you are entering into and how fab that will be.
That's what I'll be dreaming about when I munch my star shaped Welsh cakes.
2 comments:
any tips on how to find the man though Liv?
Hee hee. I love the fact you picked favours first! I work for one of the leading bridal magazines, as well as being a photographer.
It's true the budgets set are just full of averages. What is great, is that myself, my editor and one of the other team members are all getting married this year (bit mad but true!).
The other team member styled and created something that martha stewart would be proud of... however myself and the editor have tried to throw the rule book out and just create something that is us. Whether that comes across on the day we will have to wait and see!
Pick the things that important for you and forget about the stuff that isn't! I shot a wedding recently with no cake, she didn't like cake so didn't see the point... and then my editor is having the most amazing "tattoo" cake hand painted by her tattoo artist brother
I reckon star welsh cakes are the perfect thing to start with! x
http://modernphotographic.blogspot.com/
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