Recently got engaged and starting to plan your special day. I can understand that you feel overwhelmed, a bit of what comes next at this stage.
1. So what does come next Your so excited as so you should be, you have just got engaged to the one you love and want to spend the rest of your life with. When is the best time to start looking at potential venues, it's up to the individual couple, some couples may want to enjoy their engagement for a while before starting to look, some may just want to dive straight in. You will know! You need to set a date when you are both free and have a proper planning discussion. You need to consider a date/month/year the guest list and your budget if you have one., will family be helping you out. 2) Where to start As the bride to be, you have had a little look already and probably have a idea of what your perfect venue has to look like. There is many avenues to consider, from enlisting a wedding planner to google search, I would consider the list below. * Google search * Family and Friends * Wedding Fayres/ Open Days * Magazines * Wedding Planner 3) Initial contact There are a couple of ways how this is done, firstly you could always give the venue a direct call and ask for a show around, secondly fill in a venue's contact form on their website and thirdly send them a email, don't forget to give as much information as you can. 4) Show around It is always good to prepare a list of questions to ask, as you may forget as you are having your show around. Don't forget to ask for a wedding brochure. If you really like the venue ask for a quotation, they may have packages which will suit your needs. Don't forget to ask about their Terms and Conditions, this is usually in a form of a Contract, it covers the deposit payment, when the balance is due and their cancellation procedures as well as other important information that you will need to know. 5. Booking your venue You probably have a short list of about 3 venues which you love, they can accommodate your date, guest numbers and is within your budget, go and have a second show around at all 3 of them, this usually helps to make that final decision. If you are still not sure ask if you can reserve the date for the next 14 days, most venues offer this. This will give you time to talk it over with family and friends, it's a bit portion of your budget remember. Read their contract, I know they can be long and boring but this should have everything you need to know, if you are not sure about anything then ask, you may have a few questions of your own which are not covered. 6. Deposit Make sure you are happy with the deposit you are paying,I would strongly suggest you pay by credit card if you have one, you are then covered "under section 75 of the consumer credit act, credit cards must provide protection for purchases above £100 and below £30,000". I would also strongly advice taking out Wedding Insurance, it's not that expensive and it's a extra cover, just in case! 6 steps to finding your Ideal wedding venue! Happy Hunting
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Following on from my last blog, I thought it was only right that I touch on the topic about how important it is to search and find the right suppliers for your wedding, who understands your unique vision and can offer you the professional and reliable service you expect.
I would firstly consider approaching your venue as over the years they would of probably built up a good working relationship with a number of appropriate suppliers from previous weddings. They may even have a preferred suppliers list who may be offering discounts. These suppliers would usually attended the venue’s Wedding Fayes and Open Day's and may of collaborated on photo shoots for the venue. Defiantly contact these suppliers and ask for a meeting to discuss your requirements, ask them to bring evidence of their previous work in the way of photos and reviews from previous couples. This will give you some idea if these suppliers will suit your unique style. On the other hand you may want to outsource your own suppliers, you have had a recommendation from a family member or friend about a supplier, or you have been to a friend’s wedding recently and seem impressed with a supplier there. I hope you took their details! Firstly I would always do your research about a supplier, take a look at their website, make yourself familiar with what they are all about, take your time and look at the whole website, hopefully they will have pictures showing venues that they have worked with before, this can give you an indication of where they are willing to travel to, as this can be important, as extra charges maybe incurred if you are outside their normal delivery radius. Check their gallery, pictures say a thousand words. Always have a look at their prices, usually most suppliers will put their start from prices to give an indication of how expensive their services can cost, I would have to say personally I prefer these suppliers, shows they have confidence in what they offer. Have a look at their reviews; remember not every couple will off left a review. Don't forget to check out their facebook page, again take a look at their reviews and pictures, checkout any comments on their feed page. There are also plenty of wedding groups which you could put a quick post on asking for any reviews from couples who have used their services. You could also use facebook for recommendations, I personally have found this a great way to locate suppliers, people leave remarks suggesting a company who they have used and can recommend. You then have the good old google search, just because the company is at the top does not mean they are the best around; you can now pay to be at the top of a google search! Once you have found your ideal suppliers, ask them for a itemized invoice, at this stage only pay the deposit to secure your day. Deposits can range from 20-50% of total invoice. Don't for get to get a receipt for your payment. Final payments are usually due 4-6 weeks before your wedding day, but if feel you may struggle with a one of lump sum, ask the supplier if you could pay monthly. Never pay in full straight away, any reputable supplier would never ask you to do this. An Option... Any wedding planner would be happy and able to offer you suppliers sourcing package, there is a charge for this service, but could be incorporated in to addition services which you may require. Many couples do struggle with the amount of personal attention that the venue co-ordinator can provide and offer. A wedding planner can offer over and above allowing the venue co-ordinator to deal with the operations on a day to day basis. I can offer support, assistance and guidance through the process of choosing the right suppliers who are trustworthy and within your budget for you. I offer an initial consultation to discuss what services you would like to compliment your wedding day. Remember at the end of the day myself and all suppliers are working for you, so our end goal is to ensure you receive the best possible customer service and a day to remember, stress free! Are you needing a little help, just got engaged, I would love to here from you, message me today. The outside wedding... what's it all about, there is a craze sweeping through the U.K and bridal market at the moment. Your venue forms such a big part of your day, spending it with love ones is important to you, it show your unique style. More venues are offering the availability for couples to choose this individuality, something a little different which expresses who you are as a couple.
There are lots of ways to achieve your unique wedding, especially with this style of wedding, farmers are renting out their fields, using barns which are not used throughout the summer months for cattle, Tipi tents or marquee's being erected, in a field or on a forest clearing, venue's using their lawn area's.. There is the added bonus that many offer accommodation, in the way of bell tents or shepherd huts. The bonus is this is usually a weekend event, spending more time celebrating with family and friends, allowing a more relaxed and less rushed experience. Planning this style of wedding is no harder, you just need to have the right suppliers on hand, remember they do this every weekend so they are old hands at it. Do you arrange it all yourself or do you find a place which is already established and has everything on site already, this is great but of course it is more expensive but they do it all for you, on the other hand if you want this style of wedding and only have a certain budget then there is ways of doing it yourself and saving money.. It is always best to look at both. So how can I help as a wedding planner I can provide professional, expert advice, saving you time, money and energy which could be spent on the more personal details of your special day. I offer support and guidance needed to have everything perfect. I identify and prioritize what needs to be done, taking the stress out of wedding planning. All you need to remember is to take care of yourself and enjoy your engagement period so when you’re special day arrives, you have peace of mind that you can relax and enjoy your day with family and friends. Wedding suppliers Finding the right suppliers for you who understands your unique vision, dealing with all correspondence and the logistics of what each supplier requires to be able to provide your perfect wedding day. I can recommend reliable suppliers who I have worked with knowing that they are trustworthy and will give you their best price on your style and with the added bonus as your wedding planner, I will be in constant communication with them. Budgeting Money is the hardest aspect of planning a wedding, budgeting is something no one wants to talk about, but it is a big part of making sure that you can afford this style of wedding, costs can easily run away with you, I know how much things should cost and what percentage should be allocated for the venue, food, decorations, right down to gifts. I can provide a full break down of costs and keep you on track. Letting you know when deposits need to be paid to secure services and when final payments need to be paid, so there is no danger that a supplier will not turn up on the day, due to poor preparation. Are you newly engaged and this unique style is for you, I would love to here from you , Get in touch today.! |
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