Greetings lovely ones! Welcoming you to one of many weekends of wedding inspiration we have planned for you over the next 12 months! It’s so good to be back sharing inspiring content with our community of brides and grooms.
Now, whilst I’ve never believed that you have to wait for New Year to make changes to your life, it’s always seemed like a good excuse to shake things up a bit.
Just prior to the festive holiday, I spoke to some of the wonderful wedding suppliers you’ll find listed in our Little Book wedding directory, to find out what one single thing they would recommend that you could do this year, that might make a really positive difference in the planning of your wedding, or maybe totally change your mind-set altogether. In so doing, I’ve managed together a whole raft of wonderful little nuggets of advice for you – you might want to bookmark this page to come back to in the due course!
Enjoy all of these insights my loves, but let’s begin with something you can start on right now…
“If you do one thing this coming 12 months, remember that you really do need to look after your skin,” says Caroline at Amazing Face. “One of the most important parts of any skincare routine is once a week using an exfoliant – without its use, the expensive creams and serums do not work properly! Exfoliation removes dead skin stimulates circulation and aids the absorption of any cream used to improve the skin for any problems. Keep your skincare simple and easy to use then time isn’t a problem.”
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We all know that documenting your day is so important so here are some tips from brilliant photographers and videographers, starting with Rob at Curious Robin Films:
“If you do one thing this year, remember that your wedding day goes by in such a blur that it is really important for couples to take a few minutes during the day with just each other; to chat, take it all in and think “we’re married now”. We always try to build in five minutes of alone time for the couple during the couple shoot, giving them time to reflect on what has happened and get excited for what is to come. It is so important.”
Barney Walters agrees:
“Ensure that someone at your wedding, (photographer, friend or planner) has the task to ensure you and your new spouse spend some time alone together as a couple. It’s so easy to spend the day talking to other people, pleasing everyone else and quickly floating from one ‘duty’ to the next, then before you know it – it’s midnight. Make some space in the day for each other, you’ll treasure the peace and reflection of those few minutes forever. Delegate the job to someone to ensure you have that 10 minutes. You’ll hold those 10 minutes in your heart forever.”
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Photographer Damien Vickers has some more advice for timings on the day:
“As a photographer I have one piece of advice to any couple planning their wedding in 2019. When thinking about the timings of your wedding day please allow yourselves some time alone with your photographer during “The Golden Hour”. This is the hour prior to sunset when the light is soft and warm and is perfect for stunning backlit portraits. You shouldn’t need any more than 15 minutes in your schedule and the results will definitely be worth it. Whatever time of year this can be worked into the day’s schedule. In the height of summer it will probably be after your first dance – a lovely way to round off your wedding photos. For spring and autumn it fits nicely in-between the wedding breakfast and the evening reception and for winter weddings it works well in between the ceremony and the reception. It is dependent on the weather of course but if you give yourselves and your photographer the opportunity you absolutely won’t regret it!”
This next piece of advice is, in my opinion, rather fabulous and it comes from Danielle of Danielle Francesca Photography:
“If you do one thing this year, make your wedding about what you love, your hobbies, your favourite colours or your favourite films. Let your individuality shine through in your details.”
The thought of doing what you love also extends to wearing what you love too, as Luna from Britten Wedding Accessories explains:
“Don’t forget that your wedding shouldn’t be about anyone else but the two of you. When dress/veil shopping don’t feel like you have to invite everyone (leave your mother in laws second cousin at home!) – you’ll end up trying to please everyone but yourself and quite possibly end up wearing something you don’t like! Too many voices can be overwhelming especially when there are big decisions to make so make the most of the opportunity to plan your dream day together.”
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Victoria at Faber Novella agrees and encourages us all to be a little bolder in 2019:
“Brides should really not be afraid to express their personality on the big day. If you always wanted to have royal blue shoes for your wedding, then go for it! Do not worry about being too bold, worry about being too unoriginal”
So, when you head out to find your gown and all those wonderful bridal accessories, remember these words from Kerri at Bridal Indulgence:
“My biggest tip to make wedding planning enjoyable is to always do your research first. Every bridal boutique is unique catering to different styles, tastes and budgets, so it is always worth doing some research before booking an appointment at a boutique. But doing your research isn’t specific to dress shopping, it is something you should do with all areas of wedding planning. Not every supplier is going to be suitable for you and if they don’t suit your taste or budget, you are going to find it frustrating if you’ve take time and effort to visit them or send countless emails. So, make sure you do your research to keep wedding planning fun and productive.”
“If there’s one thing I would suggest, it would be to get your wedding dress custom made,” says Mette from Freja Designer Dressmaking. “That way, you get exactly what you’re looking for and you can be part of the process too. Not only that but you’ll also be supporting small, local and independent businesses.”
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Let’s move on to some more practical planning points and we’ll start with venues:
“Make sure that you consider how your wedding photos will look when viewing a venue,” says Dizzy, wedding coordinator at the Restoration Yard. “They will be your memories for years to come.”
Another venue-related tip comes from photographers Craig and Eva Sanders:
“Have banquet tables instead of round tables. Much better for guests to hold easy conversations (you can speak to a group of people instead of just the person to your left or right) and also it looks better when trying to get large numbers of guests into smaller venues!”
Helen, from Bels Flowers, offers this budget-related thought:
“Don’t spread your budget too thin by doing everything on your research lists and Pinterest boards and not doing any of these things to their full potential. Fewer areas with bigger impact will wow your guests and be more memorable in your overall snapshot of the day.”
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Entertainment is yet another element to consider and doing something different is sure to get guests talking, as David from Entertainers Worldwide explains:
“Why not look into alternative ways to capture images of guests? Classic photo booths at wedding have been around for many years now so lots of couples are looking for more novel ways to entertain guests. Book a silhouette artist or a caricaturist or hire a full length magic selfie mirror instead.”
William at Dukebox Discos agrees that entertainment plays a big part in making sure that everyone enjoys the day:
“Think about what your guests will enjoy when you’re planning. You’ll have a much better time at your wedding if all your guests are having a great time.”
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If you’re in the early stages of wedding planning, you might like to do this ‘one thing’, as suggested by Stephanie from Little Eglantine:
“Ask a few children aged around 4 to be your flower girls and page boys. This will add a hyper cute touch to your wedding that everyone will definitely remember!”
Of course, I couldn’t submit this feature and not include something deliciously cake-related so here’s Fabiana from Mama Cakes Cumbria with an idea that I’m definitely going to pay attention to:
“Take the time to enjoy your cake tasting and let the delicious flavours excite your senses – this might actually be the only chance that you get to eat your wedding cake!”
I also love this gem from Kerensa at Bijou Bridal Boutique. Taking time to look after yourself is an absolutely essential so this is one to read and remember right through the year:
“Planning a wedding can be a truly wonderful and exciting time for the bride but it can also be a stressful journey trying to please everyone and it is so, if you do one thing this year, accept help and advice when it is offered and take time out for yourself. Get plenty of sleep, eat well and enjoy the experience! Don’t let it become a chore. Planning a wedding takes a lot of work and you need to think about your health and wellbeing to be at your best for your big day!”
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Finally, in the whirl of wedding planning, it is, as Catherine from Catherine Blades Couture explains, there really is one very important thing to do, always:
“Remembering why we love is not only important in 2019, but in every year and every moment. Marriage is the beginning of a journey of deep love and evolution together, and your wedding day is a visible commitment for everyone to see the depth of both of your hearts. So, make it a day of true connection with every decision made, because love is in everything we do, in everything we touch, and in every word that we speak. It is in the subtitles of the energy we resonate and the expression of your combined hearts. Be true to your own personal expression of love and let it be felt by all those who witness your day.”
These words have come from just a few of the brilliantly talented wedding professionals that you’ll find in our carefully curated wedding directory, Little Book. Just click here to see more amazing companies and individuals – if you do one thing this year, find the best wedding suppliers here!
Love,
Tamryn x
Main image by our Little Book member, Caro Weiss.
Tamryn Settle View all Tamryn's articles
Self-confessed wedding addict Tamryn spends her days in her Berkshire studio writing about all things beautiful and romantic with her black Labrador for company.
