10 Wedding Details that Make All the Difference
Wedding planning details not to miss!
Planning a wedding is like riding a rollercoaster. There’s the giddy, butterfly-in-the-stomach moment when you commit and join the queue. You’re filled with a sense of anticipation and expectation and 100% ready to embrace the journey ahead. The good news is that most people get to the end of a rollercoaster ride and want to do it all over again! The same should be true of your wedding day. Read on to avoid overlooking the wedding details couples sometimes miss, and take wedding planning ups and downs in your stride!
1. Spreading the word
Good communication is key. Consider how to share information with everyone simultaneously, or you’ll regularly be answering queries about wedding gifts or arrival times. Traditional invitations with helpful information enclosed are one solution, but be warned… invitations end up in the back of drawers for ‘safe keeping’, never to be seen again (we’ve all done it!)
A wedding website is an affordable (often free) solution, keeping everyone in the loop and preserving your sanity. Personalise a ready-made template, then guests log in to find out everything they need to know. A WhatsApp group can be a lifesaver, too if you need to ‘send to all’. We re-directed our guests when flooding closed a road the morning of our wedding via WhatsApp!
2. Best laid plans
Not everything will go to plan in the run-up to your wedding or on the day itself. No matter how careful your preparation is, expect changes to arise. Make a conscious decision not to let these ‘surprises’ derail you. They are often impossible to predict and beyond your control. Remember that guests won’t realise there’s been a change of plan if the change isn’t too dramatic. It’s easy to amend seating plans or schedules written on mirrors/chalkboards, and guests and suppliers are amazingly resourceful in a crisis! If things go wrong, accept offers of help graciously and focus on the most important thing – getting married to the person you love.
3. Don't run before you can walk!
The temptation to walk TOO fast down the aisle is overwhelming when the big moment arrives. All those late-night conversations choosing aisle music will be in vain if you gallop down the aisle in the first few bars. The aisle moment is genuinely nerve-wracking for some, and the rush of emotion takes you by surprise. Give the music time to unfold and go s-l-o-w-l-y! Your photographer will thank you and you’re more likely to remember such a special experience.
4. The devil is in the wedding detail
Although you’ve been thinking about your wedding day for months, not everyone has given it as much thought. Those with a special job need to know EXACTLY what to do (and you might need to tell them more than once!) If you have an aisle party, tell them the order they’re walking down in, what to do once they reach the end of the aisle, and the plan for coming down the aisle after the ceremony. Tell anyone making a speech when it will be, who they will follow, and who will introduce them. Young children are likely to behave differently on the day. Have a familiar adult on standby to help, and let little ones do their thing. Nobody minds if a flower girl gets stage fright. Don’t assume that everyone knows the plan – it’s easy to overlook these wedding details when there is so much on your mind.
5. Avoid a dress drama
If you want to keep an outfit secret, this needs careful thought. Whilst gowns are best kept out of their bag to avoid creasing, hanging dresses safely and secretly is easier said than done for wedding gowns with long trains! Remember to plan collection around work commitments and the supplier’s opening hours, especially if someone is collecting the dress for you. Check in advance that there is somewhere suitable to hang a bridal gown at your venue. If you leave on honeymoon the day after the wedding, arrange for family or friends to take your wedding dress/suit home – they’re not the easiest things to pack in a holiday suitcase!
6. Be present and in the moment
It may be a cliché, but unless you make a conscious effort to be present and stay in the moment, your wedding day is a bit of a blur. Think about how to spend time with loved ones on the day, for example, free up time by keeping the schedule relaxed and informal. Consider alternatives to a sit-down meal so you can mingle, or opt for story-telling photography rather than time-consuming group shots. Couples can arrive together to enjoy the welcome drinks with guests before the ceremony. For big weddings, choose just the wedding party and immediate family for the confetti line-up. It saves time by avoiding rounding up a crowd, and you’ll need a lot less confetti.
7. Have your cake and eat it
Gone are the days when leftover wedding cake is saved for a christening, or sliced and posted in tiny gift boxes. After the expense of providing a beautiful wedding cake, decide in advance who to gift any leftovers to. Ask your venue if they can portion and wrap it for family and friends to take away. If it’s not practical for guests to take leftover cake home, it makes a thoughtful ‘thank you’ to staff at your venue.
8. Waste not,want not
The wedding industry sees thousands of flowers going to waste each year. Ask your supplier or venue if fresh floral arrangements can be re-purposed. Move flowers from the ceremony to the reception space, as this is far more economical. Why not gift your bouquets or table arrangements to guests at the end of the wedding? For a DIY venue, choose floral décor in pots that can be re-planted. Guests are delighted to take these home and enjoy them in their gardens.
9. Getting ready goals
The wedding might be your first experience of working with a hair or make-up stylist. It’s worth careful planning to avoid misunderstandings. Check if your stylist requires a minimum number of faces/heads before you book, as supplements may apply. Ask how many people they can style in the time before you invite everyone to be part of it! Stylists will help you put a timeline together, based on your chosen styles. Check if there are restrictions on wedding party size that your venue can comfortably accommodate. Plan childcare, so that little ones are safe and happy whilst grown-ups get ready. Glasses of bubbly, hot appliances, and delicate dresses are not an ideal backdrop for tiny tots.
10. And Finally...
Your wedding day is your priority – but it can’t be everyone else’s. It’s not personal if guests don’t RSVP on time or change their plans. Life is hectic, and people generally do their best. Don’t let frustrations build, as take the shine off your special day. The value of hindsight makes these little wedding details seem common sense… but knowledge is power! We all need a helping hand to navigate the wedding planning journey. Remember the rollercoaster analogy… there are be highs, and lows, twists, and turns, but on the day itself, there’s no feeling like it. Happy planning!
Thanks
If you are a regular wedding supplier here at Cote How and would like to contribute to our wonderful wedding blog, please get in touch.
Many thanks to all our couples for allowing us to share photographs of their amazing wedding days! A special thank you to our wonderful photographers who have contributed their amazing photos too. You can see more of their work here
You can find out more about our wedding planning hints and tips here
Planning to get married in Westmorland and Furness? Find out more information from the Registrar Team here
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