The Essential Steps to Planning a Wedding
Your Guide to a Memorable Day
Planning a wedding is exciting. It’s filled with countless decisions, details, and dreams coming to life. I love planning and organising, so I might be biased!
No matter what sort of wedding you’re envisioning, whether it’s an intimate ceremony by the sea or a grand celebration in a historic venue, the key to a successful wedding day is down to careful planning and organisation. As a wedding photographer specialising in candid moments, I understand how important it is to capture your personalities and unique relationship quirks through every detail of your wedding day. So, what are the steps to planning a wedding in South Wales and the South West?
1. Establish Your Budget
Before diving into the details of your wedding day, it's super important that you set a realistic budget. Figure out how much you're willing to spend in total, and set budgets for the different parts of your wedding, such as venue, catering, photography, and attire. Setting budgets will help you prioritise your spending and make decisions that you’re comfortable with throughout the planning process.
2. Choose Your Wedding Date and Venue
Choosing the perfect wedding date and venue is one of the first and most important decisions you'll make. You’ll be celebrating it for many years to come after all! Think about things like seasonality, availability, and personal preferences when choosing your wedding date. Once you've set the date, you’ll want to research and visit potential venues in South Wales, or wherever you’re wanting your wedding to be, to find the ideal setting for your special day.
3. Decide on Your Guest List
Write out a list of guests you'd like to invite to your wedding. Bear in mind things like budget, venue capacity, and personal relationships. If you start with close family and friends, then you can potentially add additional guests based on your preferences and venue limitations. I highly recommend that you keep track of RSVPs and guest preferences to make sure your planning goes smoothly. There are plenty of free tools out there, such as Asana and Notion, or even something as simple as a Google Sheet or Excel.
4. Book Vendors and Services
Get your essential wedding suppliers booked, including a photographer, caterer, florist, and entertainment. If your wedding is in South Wales, take a look into local vendors in South Wales, read reviews, and schedule consultations to chat about your vision and requirements. It’s a good idea to book your favourite vendors far in advance of your big day to make sure they’re available. I’m getting bookings for 2 1/2 years time for instance!
5. Plan Your Ceremony and Reception
Plan the details of your wedding ceremony and reception, including the order of events, décor, and seating arrangements. To make things easier, work with your venue coordinator and vendors to create a timeline that allows for for your day to flow seamlessly, and have plenty of time for each aspect of your celebration. You may not have planned a wedding before, so lean on the experts around you to guide you. Adding personal touches and meaningful bits and bobs that reflect your love story and personalities can make your wedding day just that bit more special.
6. Finalise Details and Confirm Arrangements
As your wedding day approaches, get in touch with your wedding suppliers and venue to finalise details and confirm arrangements. Re-read contracts, double check timelines, and make sure your payment schedules are up to date to ensure everything is in order. Let your vendors know of any last-minute changes or special requests, and delegate tasks to trusted family members or friends to help you and your guests have smooth and stress-free wedding day.
7. Enjoy Your Wedding Day
Finally, relax, enjoy, and cherish every moment of your magical wedding day in South Wales. Trust in the planning and preparation you've put in, and allow yourself to be fully present during the day so you can enjoy celebrating your love with your partner, family, and friends. Remember, it's not just about the details; it's about the memories you'll create and cherish for a lifetime.
Planning a wedding may seem daunting at first, but by breaking it down into manageable steps and staying organised, you can create the wedding of your dreams. If you’d like a wedding planning checklist to help you stay organised, just sign up to my newsletter. You’ll be sent a link to download it in the format you prefer.
Ready to capture the candid moments and cherished memories of your special day? Get in touch!