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Top Tips For Keeping The Costs Of Your Wedding Down

https://www.the-hungryplaice.uk/top-tips-for-keeping-the-costs-of-your-wedding-down

Weddings are expensive!

Your Wedding Day may turn out to be one of the most expensive events in your life but there are many ways in which you can keep the costs down if you think about it.

Some things of course cannot be done cheaply, you’ll always have to pay for the cost of the ceremony and the officiant for example but there are a number of areas where you can cut the costs.

Here are some tips to help you keep reduce the costs of your Wedding and help you stay within your budget.

Top Tips For Saving Money On Your Wedding Day

The Wedding Date

• Choose An Out Of Season Wedding Date

The Wedding Season in the UK normally runs between April and September with the months of June, July and August being the high peak season.

By choosing a date in a lower season you are guaranteed to find cheaper venue who are likely to have an out of season rate.

There are many advantages to holding an out of season wedding, this would avoid the problem of guests not being able to attend due to summer holidays being booked for example and you could have a themed wedding in line with the time of year such as a Spring, Winter or Christmas Wedding.

• Choose a midweek booking

Another way to ensure you can keep the venue costs down is by choosing a weekday instead of the weekend, venues have mid-week rates which are lower than those at weekends.

Having a mid-week wedding is becoming more of a trend for weddings and the savings may also extend to any suppliers that you employ as well.

Wedding Venue

• Host the wedding reception at home

If you have the space in your garden for a marquee or have a large house with indoor space then hosting your wedding at home can be a super cheap decision, there is lots to organise but with a bit of effort and planning you could get that sorted in no time.

You will be able to have whatever you want on your special day with no venue owner to tell you no and it would make your day extra personal and special.

• Use A Local Pub, Church Or Village Hall To Hold Your Reception And Evening Do

You might have that massive country house in mind as your ideal venue but there are so many alternatives to where you can hold your reception and evening do.

Places to think about should include local Pubs, Restaurants, Village Halls, Local Schools and Social Clubs.

Whist these might not be the normal places to hold a reception and might not have all the facilities and services available that you want on your special day they are guaranteed to be a way lot cheaper than bigger venues, the upside of course is that there probably won’t be any limitations on what suppliers you bring on site where you might be restricted with this at typical wedding venues.

• Keep The Wedding Venue Local

Choosing a more local venue will obviously help keep your transport costs down but this will also extend to accommodation for yourself and your guests, as discussed above there will be savings to be made by choosing more local smaller venues too.

• Hold The Ceremony In The Same Place As The Reception

Holding your wedding ceremony and reception in the same place is bound to save costs with the venue but you will also see savings on other areas such as transportation as you will not need to move between the venues.

Wedding decorations would not need to be covered in more than one venue and wedding suppliers will not charge any transportation costs between sites either.

• Find A House That You Can Rent For A Weekend To Get Married

Here is a real thinking out the box idea that you might not have through of!

Rather than hire a standard wedding venue see if you can hire a house for a weekend and hold your wedding there.

There may be some restrictions to doing this and it might be difficult to find someone happy to let you hold your wedding there, but you could find yourself somewhere quite different and spectacular.

Food & Drinks

• Provide Your Own Alcohol Or Buy When On Special Offer

Rather than put on a free bar why not buy your own drinks to provide to your guests?

You could go to a wholesaler where you could buy everything in bulk, you could approach a specialist supplier to see if they would give you a deal or you might want to keep an eye out for any special offers, Supermarkets of course are a pretty good example for this.

• Do Your Own Catering

The food at a wedding is undoubtedly a huge part of the budget and you could save yourself literally thousands by doing the catering yourself or asking friends and family to help out!

There are deals to be found at supermarkets and wholesalers from which you can make your own buffet, or you could buy platters instead so the buffet is already done.

• Ask Guests To Bring Their Own Drink

This would be a great idea if you were having your wedding at a local venue without a bar or at home.

Your guests might be happy to bring their own drinks, it would work out cheaper for them rather than having to pay at a cash bar and at least they will be able to drink what they want on the night!

Wedding Transport

• Ask A Friend With A Posh Car To Drive You To The Venue

Why pay out for the hire of expensive cars to take you to the Wedding venue when you are probably only going to be paying for a short period of time?

Surely you have a friend or family member with a posh car that you can encourage to give you a lift instead?

Wedding Guests

• Have A Small Intimate Wedding For Less People

A great way of keeping the overall costs is simply to keep the number of guests to a minimum, opt for a simple low-key wedding and you’ll see your wedding costs reduce dramatically!

• Cut Down On The Number In The Wedding Party

I know this one might be a little controversial but traditionally having bridesmaids, groomsmen and ushers just pushes your costs up, not only are there expectations to pay or contribute to their attire there is also the gifts that should be buying them.

• Give Guests Homemade Favours Or None At All

You might want to choose to scrap the idea of wedding favours completely or you could make these yourself.

There are a range of ideas to be found on places like Etsy and Pinterest to give you ideas of what you could make to keep the costs down.

Wedding Attire

• Make Your Own Wedding Dress Or Borrow One From Someone Else

You might be lucky enough to be able to make clothes yourself or you know someone else that can.

Making your own wedding dress would save you money as would altering a family heirloom instead of buying new.

You could also look at making the outfits for the rest of the wedding party to really keep the costs down.

• Buy A Second-hand Wedding Dress

Second hand, preloved or used goods are a smart choice all round so why not for your Wedding Dress?

Alright this might take a bit of research, you might have to go to a few charity shops and spend some time looking at what’s on offer on Ebay but there are specialist shops that sell second-hand wedding dresses including charity shops that Oxfam.

• Hire The Wedding Outfits

It goes without saying that hiring outfits rather than buying is a cheaper option, this way you would be able to wear something more expensive than you could otherwise afford.

There is a trend with more sustainable trends now and there are number of businesses and designers that are happy to hire out their creations.

• Keep The Cost Of The Rings Down By Purchasing On The High Street

Another clever way to keep the costs down on the Wedding attire is to look at buying your wedding rings from a high street retailer rather than a specialist shop.

Jewellery retailers such as Pandora, Argos and HM Samuel will be much cheaper than an independent jewellery specialist.

Wedding Stationery

* Make Your Own Invitations

Guaranteed to add that personal touch making your own invites is sure to cost you less than ordering expensive personalised ones from a Wedding stationer.

There are lots of ideas to be found in the aisle of craft shops such as The Range and you could easily find ideas and templates on the internet by doing a small bit of research.

* Use Text Messages And Emails Rather Than Stationary

Using technology rather than physical stationary will be a much cheaper option for any wedding.

Send your invitations via a text message or by email rather than using traditional invites that are posted to your guests, these may take a bit more time to put together but you will save money on buying the actual invitations, the postage costs and you won’t have the hassle of giving the invitations out either as it will all be done electronically.

Wedding Decorations

* Use Cheaper Alternatives For Decorations

Wedding decorations can be expensive particularly if you have a Wedding Stylist.

Choosing items that do not need to cost the earth like baubles, leaves, foliage, pinecones, pebbles, sand and stones will keep the expense down. These would also help to give a more natural and simpler look and your individual flair will be different to anything your guests would have seen before.

* Rent Out Wedding Decorations

Renting wedding decorations rather than buying these will also save you money on your budget.

There are wedding stylists who rent out Wedding items and you could find local individuals who have a number of items they rent out on a part time basis that work out quite cheaper than buying these.

Things like chairs, tables, tablecloths, chair bows and sashes, wedding post boxes, candelabras, candy floss machines, chocolate fountains and centrepieces are a good idea for wedding items to rent or hire out.

* Make Your Own Bouquet Or Buy Flowers From A Flower Wholesaler

You might be surprised with how much money you can save if you arrange your own flowers, there are a number of flower wholesalers where you should be able to buy flowers quite cheaply or you might choose to make a deal with a local florist for the flowers only and arrange these yourself.

Another alternative here is using artificial flowers rather than the real thing.

Wedding Suppliers  

* Ask A Friend To Take Your Photos

There is no doubt a photographer will take some stunning photos but who really looks through lots of photos these days, the days of the wedding albums are behind us, and people normally only really want a few shots to put onto a canvas and hang on their wall!

If you have a friend who is interested in photography why not ask for this help, you could pay them to take your photos for the day, just make sure you are sure you pick someone who can trust who will forget about their role on your special day!

* Use A Local College

A local collage is a great place to find students that might be interested in being one of your wedding suppliers this might be something you wish to pay for at a much cheaper rate than elsewhere or they may offer a few freebies.

You could find yourselves caterers, hairdressers, nail and beauty technicians, photographers and dressmakers, students who would welcome the opportunity to cover a wedding and add to their portfolio.

* Do Your Own Hair And Makeup Or Ask A Friend

You might decide that you are not too bothered about having a full makeover on the wedding day.

You could be quite proficient with hair and make up and happy to do this all yourself or you might have a kind friend happy to do this is all for no charge at all.

* Do A Deal With A Local New Formed Business

Doing a bit of research on wedding suppliers will pay dividends, there may be some up and coming new local businesses that would be happy to offer a reduction on their services, so they get their foot in the door to the industry like a newly formed band looking for social media exposure to get their business off the ground.

* Choose Cheaper Alternatives For The Wedding Cake

The cost of a Wedding Cake can run into hundreds of pounds, and this is one thing that would be easy to reduce the cost on.

You may be quite good at baking a cake and happy to make your own, you might have a friend or family members that can knock up a great cake and happy to offer their services as a wedding present or for free.

You could also buy a cake from a local baker and put the icing and decorations on yourself, or you could buy something ready prepared from a local supermarket.

Wedding Entertainment

* Use pre-selected downloaded songs rather than have a DJ or band

If your budget cannot stretch to having a DJ or you are having a much smaller affair you could just have a personal playlist playing the background, this would also ensure that you only have the songs you want on your day too!

Wedding Budget

* Only spend money on what you really want

Try and list your wedding wishes in order of priority think about those things you really want above others and prioritise these, with a bit of thought you could eliminate a number of things and the cost of these too.

* Keep track of your budget at all times

If you don’t keep track of your budget you will end up spending lots of money on lots of things, there is a lot to manage so you need to keep an eye on things.

Get yourself a Wedding budget planner, put together a spreadsheet or just keep a manual list of your expenditure.

Keeping an up-to-date figure of the overall spend will soon stop you in your tracks if you start going over budget.

* Use cashback sites and supermarket coupons

When you are buying items for the wedding, use cashback websites wherever you are able to.

You might not get a huge amount of money off initially with the cashback, but it could contribute to a larger amount later on after the wedding day.

Go through all those supermarket coupons we sometimes ignore and ask your friends and family if they can give up theirs for the cause.

Honeymoon

* Choose A Cheap Honeymoon Destination

A honeymoon does not need to be an extravagant affair and it does not need to be abroad either.

There are so many deals for staycations particularly since we have got through the Covid pandemic and there are some travel destination gems to be found with a bit of research.

Others

* Recycle Where You Can

You could be reusing items that someone has given or lent to you, you might be buying second-hand, or you could choose to sell on the items that you have bought for the wedding day.

However you integrate recycling into your day it will save you money and it goes without saying that it will help the environment too!

* Take Out Wedding Insurance

Not one to save you money straight out but taking out wedding insurance will help if there are cancellations by either you or one of your suppliers.

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Should I Hold A Wedding Rehearsal?

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Should you have a Wedding Rehearsal and what is this for?

Our guide gives you the heads up on the advantages and disadvantages of holding a Wedding Rehearsal so you can decide whether this is right for you.

What You Need To Consider When Thinking About Hosting A Wedding Rehearsal

What is a Wedding Rehearsal?

There is always so much to do and get organised for a Wedding Day, the venue, the food, the drink, the suits and dresses, the guests, the entertainment etc etc, it is easy to get swept up in all the planning but few couples actually consider the physical mechanics of the day such as the layout of the bridal party, the timings and what actions everyone should take and at what time.

A Wedding Rehearsal is exactly what it says on the tin, it is a chance to rehearse all these aspects of the Wedding Day before the big day itself!

With all the Wedding planning, the build-up and the excitement of a Wedding it is easy to forget what will actually happen on the big day, what will happen at what time where you need to stand etc a member of the Bridal party may simply get caught up on the day and forget where to stand at a particular moment because of everything going on.

It is a good opportunity beforehand to go through what will actually happen on the day so that everyone involved in the Bridal Party knows the timetable and what is expected of them.

Who should be at the Wedding Rehearsal?

Who attends your Wedding Rehearsal is totally up to you, you may wish to turn this into a mini pre celebration or be part of the full Wedding celebrations perhaps kicking off the weekend for example.

Depending on how you view the day you could go all out and invite all your guests or you could invite a select few.

To make the Wedding Rehearsal worthwhile you should consider the people that will be having a role to play on the Wedding Day such as the Bridal Party like the Wedding Couple, Bride and Groom’s Parents, Best Men/Women, Bridesmaids, Ushers, the person giving the bride away, the person who will be conducting the ceremony such as the Vicar, Officiant or Registrar.

You may even wish to invite any suppliers with an active role in the Wedding Ceremony such as the Wedding photographer or Wedding Videographer so they can get a sense of the day too.

If you have employed a Wedding Planner for your Wedding Day they may have organised the Wedding Rehearsal for you or they may want to be invited along so that they can go through the finer details.

What should happen at a Wedding Rehearsal?

The Wedding Rehearsal could be a quick couple of hours or a full day’s celebration and most importantly it needs to encompass a run through of the Wedding Ceremony from start to finish.

Some parts of the ceremony might sound straight forward but it is surprising under pressure in front of everyone how you can easily forget what you need to do and how the nerves can kick in.

Ideally the Wedding Rehearsal should take place where the ceremony will be held to gain a real insight into who everything will fit together.

Whilst the Wedding Rehearsal takes place it might be wise to nominate someone to be in charge and oversee the process to ensure this runs smoothly, make sure this is someone who can look at everything objectively and can make changes if need be

What Should The Wedding Rehearsal Include?

• The Wedding Day Order of Service – this overall plan should be in place for every wedding as it important to have a flow for the Wedding Day, the order of service should be checked over by the group and referred back to during the course of the Wedding Rehearsal day.

• The timings and pace throughout the ceremony – each part of the order of service should have at time planned in and there should also be a run through of the pace, one area often overlooked is what should happen if things do run over and if there should be someone in charge on the day to make sure timings are adhered to

• The arrival of the Groom and Grooms Party – it might be that the Groom Party is in place right at the start of the ceremony or that they want to make an entrance once everyone is sat down, you would need to consider where they will stand at the start and where they will sit once the ceremony starts

• The arrival of the Bride and Bridal Party – Traditionally the Bride arrives last to the ceremony accompanied by their Bridal Party, they will need to come in from a particular entrance and this will need to be timed

• The order of procession of the Bridal Party – in different countries and cultures the order of procession will differ for example sometimes the Bridesmaids walk in front of the Bride and in other circumstances they walk behind the bride, it needs to be clear who stands where and in what order

• The aisle walk – when the order of procession has been arranged, the timings should be worked out and rehearsed, if there is a larger group walking down the aisle for example this will of course take longer, a crucial point not be missed here is the pace of the walk of the party which should be slower than normal, this may be in time to a piece of music and should be timed so everyone knows this pace

• Where the Bridal Party should stand – once the Bridal Party has got to the end of their procession there needs to be a clear plan of where everyone stands when the ceremony starts and where they are then seated and at what point during the service

• Where the Ushers will stand to greet the Guests – this would normally be somewhere near the entrance to the venue so that Guests are welcomed in and shown to their seats in an orderly manner and swiftly in order to keep to the timings

• Where the Guests will be seated and when they will stand – Here you should work out whether the Guests can sit anywhere or if you will some kind of a seating plan, perhaps you would like for the close family members in the few rows at the front and other family members and friends behind. Normally the Guests will stand up when the Bridal Party arrives and this should be factored into the timings and order of service

• Correct spacing between Bridal and Groom Party and the Guests – make sure that everyone has a decent amount of space around them and that no one is squashed in either standing or sitting

• The legal wedding ceremony – there should be a run through of the ceremony, the wording that will be used and when each of the couple will interact with the officiant

• The religious ceremony – as with the legal ceremony the process should be run though here too

• A quick overview of any readings or speeches – there would be no need to complete the full readings or speeches but a quick overview helps including where these will be made and where the individuals completing these will stand and when these will be made

• Any hymns/music that form part of the ceremony – these would form part of the order of the ceremony and the person in charge of the music will need cues for when these will be played

• The order of recession of the Bridal Party – the final part of the ceremony is when the Bridal Party departs, obviously the recession order will differ from the recession and all members who take part may need to take different positions if they are included here

• Any greetings made at the Reception venue with guests – there may be a Wedding Receiving Line for the Wedding Party and the order of this should be discussed

• The Order of the Wedding Breakfast and the Speeches – the Wedding Breakfast should have a flow including where everyone will be on arrival, when the Bride and Groom arrives and whether this is announced, when the food is eaten, when the speeches are made and the after dinner arrangements, these aspects can also been run through to ensure all parties know what to expect

With all the points above needed to be taken into account at the Wedding Rehearsal some down time may be appreciated and the day could be rounded off with Wedding Rehearsal Dinner for all the attendees, this could of course be either formal and informal and may be an opportunity to invite more guests that were not needed at the run through of the Wedding Ceremony.

What are the Advantages of a Wedding Rehearsal?

With the finer details of the Wedding Day being discussed and rehearsed it will help all those taking part on the Wedding Day to understand what part they play and will alleviate any last minute nerves anyone is experiencing.

As the Wedding Rehearsal will take on a more informal setting it gives the opportunity for anyone to ask any last minute questions that may be niggling them, when you are going through a process it puts you into the mindset to concentrate and think of things you might not otherwise have thought of.

There may be situations where family and friends have not yet had the chance to meet and the Wedding Rehearsal will help with the introductions so that people can feel acquainted and more comfortable on the day itself.

By having suppliers attend such as the photographer this may help to improve on the days arrangements and there could be changes that could be made to make the day better for everyone.

What are the Disadvantages of a Wedding Rehearsal?

Arranging a Wedding Rehearsal will obviously take some time and effort and it may be tricky being able to organise everyone that you want to attend.

If you are having a small simple wedding then of course a Wedding Rehearsal on a larger scale may not be suitable for you and may wish for a simpler affair.

You may find there is a reluctance for some key people to attend who may be otherwise engaged or unhappy to go, in this case you should understand that people may not take things are seriously as the Wedding couple will and you should try and make the best of things without them.

The Wedding Rehearsal could add costs to your Wedding Budget, if you wanted a smaller scale day you could just ask people to turn up and then leave at the end but if you chose a longer day you would need to account for all the additional costs.

To entice some people you may wish to go so far as to pay for any transportation and hotel costs if your guests needed to travel from home especially for the occasion.

In Conclusion

It does appear that the advantages of a Wedding Rehearsal far outweigh the disadvantages to ensure a smooth run on the Wedding Day, whilst this day will add to the wedding Budget it will be money well invested by the Wedding couple.

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How To Decide On Your Wedding Catering

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Wedding Food is one of the most important aspects of the Wedding Day and you need to make sure you get this bang on to keep everyone your guests fed and happy!

So how should you navigate through the minefield that is Wedding Catering, what should you plan for and what decisions need to be made? Our indispensable Wedding Catering Guide will help you along the way.

What You Need To Consider When Planning Your Wedding Catering

What Your Wedding Budget Allows

The Wedding Catering Budget will be the first thing that you need to identify in order to work out what kind of Wedding Catering you will have on your special day.

It is thought that the Wedding Catering should make up a large proportion of your Wedding Budget along with your venue costs. Costs can range anywhere from less than £10 per head for each guest to £200 per head or even more, this will be dependent on a number of things such as the type of food and service that you choose as well as the number of food servings you have on the day.

If you have no real budget you can of course choose whatever suits you both as a couple and have all the food you have dreamed of but if you do need to make cost savings across your Wedding budget you could look at all the options that you could select and pick what your budget can afford.

What Wedding Catering Options does your Wedding Venue allow

When researching your Wedding Venue you should be clear on exactly what our venue will allow when it comes to your Wedding Catering.

Some Venues will insist on you using their own Wedding Catering Services this might be for all options in the day or just the main reception, some places will allow you to choose from a list of preferred suppliers or are happy to let you choose your own Wedding Caterers to come on site.

Obviously, there would be limitations if there are restrictions for the Wedding Caterers not only for the range of services and types of foods but also for the costs involved. What you can and cannot have at your venue might scupper your Wedding Catering plans so ensure you are clear before you make any firm bookings.

What are the Times when there will be Food Throughout the day

Once you have your Wedding Catering Budget and understand what your Wedding Venue allows you are then able to start planning your Wedding Catering.

Think about the times in your day when Food and Drink will be needed.

Some couples decide to have Wedding Catering for their Wedding Rehearsal this could be held a few weeks or days before the actual day giving everyone the chance to see each other before the big day and rehearse what will happen and everyone’s roles on the day.

You may be considering a Drinks/Canapes Reception whilst your guests are waiting for the ceremony to begin, you may decide to have something similar when the ceremony has finished whilst the photographs are being taken.

It is very likely you will be considering a main meal for the Wedding Reception Breakfast normally in the afternoon where all your Day guests will be in attendance, this is traditionally where the speeches are made and the dinner is a more formal affair.

In the evening celebration of the Wedding there will be a final food serving time for all the evening guests to enjoy this is normally known of course as the Wedding Buffet.

In some cultures there are different occasions when food is available but above are the main types of food servings you will find.

What Type of Wedding Food Serving Do you Want

Hopefully the type of Wedding Catering Service you want is within your Wedding Budget range, here you should think about the type of Wedding Day you want, your theme if you have one and whether you are looking for a Formal day or something a little more relaxed.

Should your Wedding be a Formal Affair perhaps Canapes and Full Sit-Down Breakfast and a Grazing Style Evening Buffet is what you are planning.

If you are hiring a Tipi or having a less formal affair you could have a range of Street Food Vans, Food Stations, Sharing Boards and even snacks at midnight!

Try not to think about how you can keep everyone happy here, think about your own favourite foods rather than something to suit everyone, remember its your special day and not theirs.

Consider that you will need both Savoury and Sweet Wedding Food ideas and you could mix and match these or have separate succinct servings for each type.

Whatever you decide on the type of Setting you are looking for will define the Wedding Catering your eventually choose.

How Many Wedding Guests should you cater for

This is always a tricky question to answer because you do not want to be in a position where you are over-catering or even worse under-catering for.

There are people that would suggest you take of a % of the total number of guests that you have for each food sitting this accounts for people that do not turn up for whatever reason or those who simply do not eat. If you invite 100 guests during the day for example you could just take off 10% to account for this.

Of course the worry is what if everyone does come to your Wedding and so you really want to be left in a position where the food runs out, in which case book for everyone and let you Caterer guide you if you wish on numbers they are the experts after all.

The problem is there may be extra people you did not plan for on the day, make sure you think to include any suppliers you plan to feed on the day such as Photographers, the Band, the Serving Staff if this is applicable.

How to Select Your Wedding Caterer

When selecting your Wedding Caterer you could get a few quotes from different suppliers this gives you the chance to see what is available and who suits you to fit in with your day.

Make comparisons between Wedding Caterers if you have to make a choice between favourites but try to understand that each caterer will probably be offering a different type of service and their price may reflect that, just as you would expect that there are different qualities of Supermarkets from Aldi to Waitrose and Asda to Marks and Spencer you will find the same with caterers, if you want to pay less you will get a good service but the quality may not be the same as a more expensive Wedding Caterer.

Be sure to do your research on potential Wedding Caterers, look at their website, social media and their recommendations if you are in any doubt I’m sure they would be happy to give you details of previous customers you could get in contact with if you really wanted that.

Whilst you are doing your research check out their food photos, that does sound obvious but anyone can easily find photos on the internet and post them on Social Media, some businesses do think it is perfectly acceptable to use Stock Photos rather than showcase their own food photos.

Ensure that your caterer is registered with their Local Council and that all staff have completed their Food Safety Level 2 course these are both a legal requirement and can be easily checked if you are unsure.

Ask your Wedding Caterer for all their Paperwork, this should include at the very least their Public Liability Insurance but they may also have Risk Assessments, Certifications and details around Food Allergies.

Make sure you get a contract with your Wedding Caterer and ensure you read their Terms and Conditions, check all the timings and fine detail in advance and a few times before your day just to make sure everything is correct and there is no misunderstanding about things such as timings which could really cause problems on your special day.

What Your Wedding Caterer will expect from You

Your Wedding Caterer will expect to have all the information they need for your booking, this will include the exact Location Venue and Postcode, the Number of Guests, the Food Serving Times, details about facilities on site and also contact numbers for before the day and on the day.

If your guests will be making choices from a menu this needs to be detailed and communicated to your Wedding Caterer so making a list would be prudent to keep on top of this. You should check when your Wedding Caterer needs to know the final information which may be some weeks ahead of your date.

They will need to know if any of your guests have Dietary Requirements so it is your responsibility to inform them of this, pay particular attention to anyone with specific Food Allergies that may need to be catered for separately to other guests.

Your Wedding Caterer should be informed if there are any changes to your day, your guest numbers or anything else that may impact their service. If you find out that you cannot supply electricity after telling them that you can make sure you communicate this to them and try not to leave it until the last minute to do so otherwise you might find on the day they cannot carry out their service.

Your Wedding Caterer will also be expecting for you to make payment them in a timely manner in line with their Terms and Conditions do not be surprised if you are chased for payments at certain times like any other business Wedding Caterers will have cut off times when they need to prepare and buy stock for example.

Should you Mention your Wedding Food on your Wedding Invitations

Wedding couples often wonder whether they need to mention their Wedding Food on their Wedding Invitations to their Wedding Guests and this really is personal choice, if you having a formal sit down meal and guests need to pre-order their food then this would be a good idea and a good way to find out if anyone has dietary requirements.

If you are planning on having a Food Van turn up that is a complete surprise during the Evening Celebrations maybe you could keep that detail off your Wedding invite!

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How To Build Your Wedding Guest List

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Building your Wedding Guest List doesn't need to be chore and there are a few things you need to take into account when putting your final numbers together.

If you have a Budget or there are number restrictions due to the Venues you are using then you need to have a target number, our guide will help you work out how to make decisions on who to invite.

How Do I Build My Wedding Guest List?

Your Starting Point When Making Your Wedding Guest List

There are a few starting points when making your Wedding Guest list, this might be the capacity of the venue that you choose or what your budget allows or both.

If you are lucky enough to have an open budget then you can invite everyone you know as money is not an issue.

Either way you should decide upon a target amount of Wedding Guests that you will have for the Ceremony, the Meal afterwards and the Evening party.

Chances are that the number you will have at your Evening Party will exceed the number of guests that you have during the day. You might want to choose only close family and friends for the ceremony and the meal afterwards and everyone else you want to invite will get an invitation to the Evening party.

The final numbers of your Wedding Guests will become your target numbers and these are the numbers you need to get to when you make your list.

When you are putting your target number together give some consideration to your timings and whether you will actually get enough time to get round to talk to everyone on the day.

You can always consider having a party on a separate day from the Wedding day if you really don’t wish to cut down on your numbers.

Your Dream Wedding Guest List

Once you have worked out your Target numbers you need to produce a list which you can start whittling down so put together your Dream Wedding Guest List if money were no object.

This wishlist should include all your Family, your extended family, Friends, Work Colleagues and other people you know, think about distant relations, people your parents might know and anyone else you might want to give an invitation to.

Establishing Rules For Getting To Your Target Wedding Guest List Numbers

Before launching headfirst into putting your Wedding Guest List together let’s get one thing straight here, you need to be headstrong in your choices and ignore any expectations there are from any family or friends about them being invited or others they know being invited.

This is your Wedding and your Wedding Guest List and so you have the final say on who comes, even if your parents are paying for part of the day it is important you make it clear to everyone involved that this is your day and you will invite who you want to invite.

Right now you have your Dream Wedding Guest List you need to put together some rules around how you will get to your target numbers.

• Consider how you will split your Guest Numbers between yourselves, if both of you have rather large families you might wish to split the list between the two of you with 50% from either side or if one of you have a larger family you could agree that a certain number of guests are from one side. If one of you have a small family you might decide to invite all of them and then the rest of the numbers will be split between the larger family side and mixed friends of the couple.

• Think of People you Enjoy the company of, this should be straight forward, there are individuals you like to spend your time with and others you could do without spending time with, invite the ones you like, those that make you laugh and those who you have fun with, they are the ones who will make your day even more special for you both

• Consider the likelihood of people actually turning up, your potential guests may have things going on in their lives that will prevent them from attending your special day, for example they might be working on the day of your Wedding, they could have children or elderly parents to look after or other commitments

• Think about where each guest is based, there is a strong likelihood that people living close by to your venues will want to come to your wedding, those who live far away may not want to make the journey or their finances may prevent them from doing so

• Some people may not turn up if you don’t invite their partners or children, this is a given for some people who will simply not turn up if all of them are not invited whether they have taken offence at not having everyone invited or they just can’t find a babysitter!

• Don’t invite “plus ones” for those you haven’t actually met, be strict on this point, even if your best best friend has a new boyfriend if you haven’t met them do you really want to waste that spot on your guest list

• Perhaps you might want to choose the “no ring no invite” rule and only invite those partners who are actually married

• You might want to only invite mutual friends rather than friends from each side

• You may wish to have a rule whereby you don’t invite any workmates of course your best friends might be your workmates and this could go against another rule

• Make a decision on whether you are going to invite friends of your parents, you may feel inclined to do so if you parents have made a contribution to your wedding budget but this decision is entirely up to you.

• Do not invite anyone last minute because they show an interest in your Wedding and you feel guilty you didn’t invite them!

Have a Backup Wedding Guest List

When you putting your Wedding Guest List together you need to keep in mind that you will have some guests who will decline your invitation and this will leave spaces that you can fill with other guests so it is vital you have a secret back list that you can go from which you can pick some more guest names.

It goes without saying that you need to keep this lit quiet and don’t let on to these guests that they were on the backup list to save any embarrassment you don’t want them to feel like they were not important enough to be invited in the first place.

How You Will Contact Your Wedding Guests

Wedding Invitations can be either sent physically or electronically if you wanted to save money.

There are a whole host of websites that offer Wedding Stationery services and you can pick up generic invites from any shop which you can fill in yourself.

One important thing to remember is to send out your invitations with plenty of time so that your guests have lots of time to get themselves organised, some couples choose to send out “save the dates” as soon as they have their date arranged and other wait until plans are in place until they contact their guests, it is thought you need to give at least 6 months advance notice of your wedding and in some cases this is even longer.

Ensure you inform overseas guests first as they will have to put things in place for their travel arrangements.

When you send out your invitations also make sure you add all the names of the guests you want to invite rather than leaving any blank spaces or address to a particular family name this will avoid any uncertainty with who has actually been invited.

Keeping Track Of Your Wedding Guestlist

When you are managing your Wedding Guestlist you should keep a manual written list or you could use an Excel Spreadsheet to help you, take note of all Wedding Guest’s details including contact telephone numbers and address and any dietary requirements and make sure you keep this updated with any changes where guests are accepting or declining their invitations, try to remember not to delete any information in case you make a mistake or need to refer back.

https://www.the-hungryplaice.uk/how-to-build-your-wedding-guest-list

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How To Have That Wow Factor At Your Wedding

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A Wow Factor doesn’t need to be expensive it could just be in a theme, decorations or just the couple themselves and here are some ideas on the areas where you can consider that wow factor for your Wedding.....

Bringing That Wow Factor To Your Special Day.....

Your wedding day will be the one of the best days of your life, some people will say that their special day was on par with the day they met their partner or gave birth to their children!

It will also be a day of dreams and big expense and these days we can have whatever we want for our Wedding day as long as our budget allows.

Gone are the days where there is just a ceremony followed by the reception and evening party, some weddings are held over a few days with weeks of parties leading up to the day itself and the celebrations on the day are wide and varied with many couples seeking something different for their day to make the wedding day more memorable providing a wow factor for their guests.

Here are some ideas of how you can get that Wow Factor at your Wedding....

Arrival/Departure of the Bride/Groom

The arrival and departure of the Bride and Groom are defining moments in the wedding day, this could be when they arrive for the ceremony, when they arrive at the Reception after they have got married or when they leave at the end of the evening.

Each of these moments are special and can be made even more so by using an alternative form of transport than a car.

You could choose a fancy car of course but what about your favourite sports car that could be hired for the day, a vintage London Bus or a stretch limousine.

There are other options like arriving on a horse, using a horse and carriage, a special truck, themed vehicle, or Helicopter and I’ve even read about a couple who arrived at their wedding in a Hot Air Balloon!

The Ring Bearer

The person who brings the ring to the Wedding is traditionally the Best Man or Woman but there are some alternatives to this such as asking a child or another member of the family.

I’m sure that most people have seen photos of dressed up pets at Weddings taking on the role of Ring Bearer these are normally Dogs but also include Cats, Rabbits and Horses.

Some people have looked for something different to get that wow factor at their wedding such as having Alpacas, Reindeers, Owls and Mini Horses as their ring bearers and these ideas are guaranteed to impress your guests!

The Bridal Wear

The Wedding dress will be the most special dress anyone will buy and this might the chance to show of their individuality, it is also a chance to get another wow factor into your day.

You could choose something themed to show off to your guests perhaps you want to be different and pick a colour other than white.

Some people choose to go big with their dresses and have large trains and flamboyant designs you could secretly add some lights to your dress to really stand out which will be great when the lights go down and you enjoy your first dance!

The Decorations

Your Wedding venue may give a spectacular view and you have a natural wow factor to give to your guests, you might want to theme your day to give it that X-factor.

There are so many ideas of the type of decorations that will give you that extravagant feel on your day there are flower walls, balloon arches, flowers and wood slices but what about lots of twinkling lights, Ice sculptures or a Margherita Fountain instead of the normal chocolate fountain to make your day stand out.

Entertainment

Entertainment at a Wedding is how you keep your guests happy during the celebrations and there are many points for the duration of the day when entertainment can be laid on so go wild with your ideas on how to impress your guests.

The standard Wedding entertainment includes a DJ and disco for the evening function but there are other times throughout the day where entertainment can be included.

Music doesn’t need to be just from a disco or with a DJ, hiring a band is a particular favourite and there are a wide range of bands around that can provide amazing sets but what about considering something a bit different like a Strong Quartet, Brass Band, a Harpist, Saxophonist or a Trombonist to entertain your guests after your ceremony.

There are lots of unusual ideas around for party entertainment like tattooist, caricaturist, artists, belly dancers, mechanical bulls, belly dancers, stilt walkers, led light suit dancers and cigar bars to name just a few!

Food and Drink

The food and drink you choose is an important part of the Wedding and it will be remembered by your guests long after if its bad or if it is spectacular! Being one of the items that cost a great deal in your budget there are many chances to get the wow factor in here.

You could offer a free bar which will always be welcomed but have you thought about special drinks that could be served like laying on a cocktail or sundae bar.

Grazing Tables and Food Stations are popular choices these can be filled with lots of colourful foods that everyone can enjoy including some personal favourites of the happy couple.

If you want something really different for your Wedding Food you might want to choose a Food Van that will impress your guests take a look at our Vintage Fish and Chip Vans that you can hire for your Wedding food, for a free quote click here

https://www.the-hungryplaice.uk/how-to-have-that-wow-factor-at-your-wedding

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Recent Changes to Marriage Certificates in England & Wales

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Recent changes to the Marriage Act in England and Wales are seeing big changes to the Traditional Weddings.

So what changes do Brides and Grooms now getting married need to be aware of?

Changes to the Marriage Certificate in England And Wales

The Marriage Certificate is a legal record which records the details of a Wedding taking place, this includes the date and place the Wedding was held, the names of individuals who got married, their occupations, the Wedding witnesses, the registrar that married the couple and historically the father’s names of the wedding couple.

These certificates are published by the General Registry Office and are made publicly available.

Photos of Wedding couples signing their Marriage Certificate have long been a tradition to Wedding in England and Wales, although legally “actually signing” the register could not be photographed and these photos were actually staged!

On the Wedding day the couple have been given the actual certificate to take away and they were able to then order copies of the certificate if they so wished.

Recently there have been changes to the process of the Marriage Certificate which overhauls laws that have date back some 200 years.

The changes are to the creation of an electronic register, the creation of a “marriage document” for church of England Weddings and a “wedding schedule” for civil ceremony and also entry of parents of the wedding couple on the register.

The “Wedding Document” or “Wedding Schedule” will be issued on the day of the Wedding and this will then be sent to the Register Office and the details taken and recorded on the electronic register after which an actual certificate is then issued to the couple.

The details on the documentation will also change to account for the names of the parents of the wedding couple.

As well as the Father’s details which have historically been included on the documentation, each couple can include up to four parents who may be their Natural/Adoptive/Step Mother, their Natural/Adoptive/Step Father or those who hold legal parental orders. These details will need to be considered prior to the Wedding day so that they can be included on the register as they cannot be added later to that date.

The changes are expected to provide a more robust and efficient service and are being brought in line with a more modern day culture.

https://www.the-hungryplaice.uk/recent-changes-to-marriage-certificates-in-england-wales

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Should I Employ A Wedding Planner For My Wedding?

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Hiring a Wedding Planner doesn’t need to be something that only rich people with huge Wedding Budgets can afford, a Wedding Planner may actually be a cost effective way to keep within your budget.

Let us help you decide if a Wedding Planner is for you by looking at the Advantages and Disadvantages.

What Are The Advantages & Disadvantages Of A Wedding Planner?

Advantages

There are a number of advantages in employing a Wedding Planner, they will help you manage your day and everything that goes with it leaving you able to enjoy the build up of your special day.

Professional Expertise

One of the biggest advantages of a Professional Wedding Planner is that they have the right expertise you require when arranging a Wedding.

Let’s be frank whether you are getting married for the first time or not you won’t have the experience of arranging a Wedding unless of course you are in the Event Planning Profession or thoroughly enjoy planning things!

A Wedding Planner can be worth their weight in gold, they may have a full time business and arrange Weddings all the time all year round, they will have the right organisational skills to get on with planning, they will know how to communicate with Suppliers and they will understand what needs to be done to get negotiations done whenever necessary.

If you are dealing with a larger Wedding Planning company there may even be a team of Wedding Planners working on your Wedding throughout the process meaning that you will always have someone available dealing with your special day.

Concentration on Wedding

As you will have an individual or team of individuals managing your Wedding they will concentrate on your day and will ensure they do all they can to carry out your wishes to the best of their ability. You will have a concentration and dedication of people behind you wanting to make your day as special as they can.

You could decide to ask a Wedding Planner to concentrate on a certain aspect of your Wedding day which will free up your time to focus on other areas, for example a Wedding Planner could deal solely with the Venue where you are holding the Reception and look after the Wedding Breakfast, Evening Buffet and Entertainment whilst you can concentrate on the earlier part of the day on the Ceremony, Transportation and Bridal Party.

Access to Suppliers/Venues

Wedding Planners work in the Wedding Industry and may have been doing so for a number of years and over that time they would have developed a relationships with others in the Industry and have a catalogue of Suppliers that they can call upon.

As the saying goes it’s not what you know it’s who you know and a Wedding Planner can be well placed and have access to Suppliers that you wouldn’t ordinarily know about or be able to find. This means you could be able to have those special touches on your day that you once thought would be beyond your means.

Wedding Planners would also be able to check out the credentials of all their suppliers on your behalf saving you time and effort and they will ensure you don’t end up contracting to anyone substandard as they will know exactly what to look for when contracting out. Finding the right suppliers is absolutely critical to ensure you don’t get let down and if you do they will be able to find alternatives for you.

Supplier Discounts

As Wedding Planners know suppliers in the Wedding Industry they may be able to get you special discounts on services for those suppliers they work with on a regular basis.

This could help your Wedding budgeting process in fact if the Wedding Planner is aware of the elements of your budget they will be able to provide supplier and services within your remit.

Readily Available

Wedding Planners are readily available if you look around and you should have a lot of choice when selecting your perfect choice.

Try completing a Google search to see who is highly rated and also try to see if you can find local people if you are having your ceremony close to your home.

You could even try asking your friends and family for recommendations to find a Wedding Planner, a good idea would be to try Social Media and ask on Forums and Groups to see who other people have used.

Make sure you take time to check out a Wedding Planner’s Credentials and Feedback you want to ensure that you are employing someone who can actually carry out what they say they can.

Avoid Stress

Ultimately a Wedding Planner will ease the burden of stress that planning a Wedding can bring, it is one of the most stressful times in anyone’s life but it doesn’t need to be with good organisation, planning and focus.

Disadvantages

As with anything there will always be disadvantages and so it is important to think about these when making your decision.

Hiring Costs

Hiring a Wedding Planner is not without cost, unless you get a good friend or family member to take on the role for you and they are happy to do it for free! There may be a fixed cost associated with employing a Wedding Planner or this may be a percentage of your Wedding Budget, it is essential that you understand what this is by asking for a quote and ensuring there are no hidden charges that you are unaware of. 

Be aware of what the payment terms are going to be whether you have to pay upfront, in instalments or once the Wedding Day is done, you will need to make sure you budget all this in any case.

Like any supplier you contract with make sure you read their contract terms before employing them and feel free to ask questions if there is anything that you are unsure about. There may be some contract tie ins that you did not anticipate like having to choose from a Preferred Supplier list or having to pay commissions on other suppliers to your Wedding Planner.

Loss of Control

An important point with a Wedding Planner is that you will have to relent control of the planning of your day to another person, that might not sit too easy with some people whereas others might be quite happy about that.

You should understand hoe the process works should you change your mind about something or if you are not happy about what has been planned, it is advised that you ask about every aspect the Wedding Planner is looking after so you don’t get any nasty surprises on your day that might upset you.

https://www.the-hungryplaice.uk/should-i-employ-a-wedding-planner-for-my-wedding

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Choosing Your Wedding Venue

https://www.the-hungryplaice.uk/choosing-your-wedding-venue

Choosing a Wedding Venue is by no means an easy task there are so many things to consider and it would be easy to get lost in all the details....

but don’t worry we have put together a guide to help you with making your decision so you can choose your perfect Wedding Venue!

What You Need To Think About When Choosing A Wedding Venue

Do your Number Crunching..

Your budget will without doubt be the single determining factor for selecting your Wedding Venue, it can be assumed that the Wedding Venue will take a large proportion of your Wedding Budget and you need to be clear on exactly what your budget is for this part of the day and how flexible you can be should you wish to stretch it for that special venue you want.

Your Wedding Venue Location

Once the tricky part of determining your budget has been carried out you can then start thinking about the details.

Firstly, think about the location of your Wedding Venue, do you want it to be held locally to where you live which is close to where your friends and family live or are you planning on having a Wedding venue in your hometown where you were brought up?

Of course there might need to be some compromise between yourselves if one of you wants it to be held in a certain place and this is at odds with where you partner wants it to be held.

There might be a particular place that holds a certain personal significance to one of you, perhaps the town where you first met or where you went on your first holiday together might be the place you want to hold your nuptials or you could simply host your special day at home in your garden if space allows.

Maybe you are looking abroad like holding your Wedding on a beach in a dream destination holiday or you want to choose a complete Wedding Package somewhere magical.

How Many Wedding Venues will you have

One point to consider is how many venues you will have, will there be somewhere for the actual ceremony and another place for the Wedding Celebrations or will the whole day be hosted in the same place.

Of course you can only get married at a venue that holds a Wedding License and premises that offer a full day service will have one but there will be a host of other places where a Licence has been granted in fact the laws in England and Wales regarding this will be changing in the future and there will be even more places where you can legally get married such as outdoors and perhaps in your garden where a registrar can attend.

Type of Venue

There are a whole host of different types of Wedding Venues available with many that you might not even think of!

Registry Office Wedding Venues

Registry Offices are located in most towns around the UK, this is a fairly cheaper option however there are often restrictions due to space and the number of guests allowed.

Religious Wedding Venues

Religious venues will cover a variety of religions and will include places like Churches, Chapels, Mosques, Synagogues and Temples.

Tipi/Teepee Tent and Marquee Wedding Venues

These are more modern Wedding Venues where either the structures are permanent or temporarily in place and these can of course be part of another type of Wedding venue. 

A structure like this might just have the Reception area inside with outdoor areas or toilets etc.

Country House Wedding Venues

Large Halls and Country Houses may already be hotels or be built specifically as Wedding Venues these can host all day events and should have all you need for your Wedding Day with indoor and outdoor facilities and may be able to accommodate the largest of Weddings.

Such venues will of course be rather costly due to their locations and amenities.

Village Hall Wedding Venues

A cheap, cheerful and often surprising good quality choice is a local Village Hall which might be just around the corner from your home, easy to get to and help to keep your budget to a minimum, you will probably be able to hire one for an extended amount of time to get your venue looking great.

Quirky and Unusual Wedding Venues

Lastly but by no means least there are the quirky and unusual Wedding Venues around that can provide something Different, Whimsical and Magical for your Wedding Day. 

You can get married at Gretna Green In Scotland (synonymous with Weddings for historical reasons), at Disney Land and in Las Vegas. 

Some people get married near Volcanoes, on beaches and even under water. If you cannot get abroad and splash out in such an extravagant way and you can be flexible on your location think about quirky places closer to home you could get married such as in a forest, at a campsite, a park, an old building such as an old factory, warehouse or barn conversion, on a boat, in a castle, at a theatre, a vineyard, a lodge or a farm….the list truly is endless!

https://www.the-hungryplaice.uk/choosing-your-wedding-venue

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Things To Consider When Booking Your Wedding Venue

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You are nearly there and close to choosing your Dream Wedding Venue!

When you have thought about all the above you will have a number of choices to look at and will have to make a decision about which to choose with some factors to bear in mind

Our 14 Point Guide To Booking Your Wedding Venue

1. What Venues are available for your dates

You might be fairly flexible on your dates particularly if you are booking a long way in advance or it might be that your Wedding Date needs to fit in with your Honeymoon or another date of interest.

In either case you might be limited in your choices of Wedding Venue depending on what dates are actually free for you.

2. Travel for your Wedding Guests

If you have only a few guests and most of these are local to your Wedding Venue this would not cause too much of an issue however if your Wedding Venue is located far away from where most of your guests live you will need to give some thought to how easy it will be for your guests to travel on your day.

Some guests will only come for the day and go home at some point in the afternoon or evening as in the case of elderly guests or those guests with children.

On the other hand there will be guests that are happy to travel and happy to stay overnight after the Wedding Day.

3. Logistics of getting between Wedding Venues

Think about how far each of your Wedding Venues are and of how the Bridal Party will travel between but also how your guests will too.

Make sure you correctly communicate this all to your guests providing exact postcodes, maps and directions wherever possible to help them.

There may be a fleet of cars or vehicles all guests could follow on the day which would make it more simple for those who are unsure about where to go.

If your budget allows you could be inclined to lay on transport for your guests so they don’t need to worry about getting between venues, this way of course you won’t have the worry of anyone getting lost or being held up and everyone should arrive around the same time.

4. Wedding Venue Capacity for guests

A big decider when choosing your Wedding Venue if the number of Wedding Guests you will be inviting and whether these can be accommodated at your chosen venue this should include both inside and outside area and keep in mind venues can be limited due to Health and Safety and Fire Risk concerns and so will have to act accordingly legally.

Large gatherings can usually take place at a Country Hotel but the number of guests that can have for the Wedding Ceremony could be less than the Wedding Reception which could make things tricky when deciding upon the Wedding Guest list.

5. What are the Wedding Venue Onsite Facilities

Have a look at all the onsite facilities and amenities at your chosen venue and will you have to spend more money to have everything you need.

If you are choosing something like a village hall chances are there will be no bar and this needs to be built into your budget as well as the staff to manage the bar and any waiters/waitresses.

Does your Wedding Venue have Catering Facilities and are all the Tables and Chairs available for use too.

6. Can you have Suppliers at your Wedding Venue

Some Wedding Venues can be fairly strict with who they allow onsite for Events and Weddings, they may have preferred supplier lists meaning that you don’t have the flexibility to choose your own Suppliers which could scupper your dream plans.

7. Have you accounted for the Weather

If you are holding a Summer Wedding you’ll need to think about sufficient outdoor space to allow guests to mingle around if it is hot.

Equally think about the inside space should the weather be bad and if there is enough space for all your guests.

There needs to be adequate space not only for the meals and entertainment but also consider children running around and where people can stand outside smoke and chat to others. The venue may provide outdoor heaters around patio and outdoor seating areas.

You should think about how warm it will be inside the venue for your guests on your Wedding Day, if the venue is old and large it might be cold inside even if it is a sunny day, there may be additional cost for hiring heaters and you need to consider the Health and Safety Aspects of doing so.

8. Is There Sufficient Parking

Parking is something that can easily be overlooked, if you pick a town centre venue then the chances are that parking may be a little tricky for some.

Ensure there are enough spaces for the number of guests you will have or there are alternatives to onsite parking if there aren’t enough spaces, check with your Wedding Venue if you are unsure about this and they can guide you. Give some thought to the weather for this point too, in the case of a Tipi Wedding which might be held in a field you won’t want for your guests to have to walk across a muddy field to get to the Wedding Reception.

9. Are There Hotels Nearby For Guests

Identifying places to stay near the Wedding Venue is a must for any guests that choose to stay over, you could do some research and provide this information for them so they can get booked up well in advance.

Some Wedding Venues will have available accommodation such as hotels or Glamping Yurts and Tents, they may even offer a deal if you choose to book all the rooms out for the weekend of your Wedding and your guests could benefit from this rather than booking elsewhere.

10. What Is included In The Price Quoted

Be sure to research your Wedding Venue and read all the terms and conditions so that you fully understand completely what is included in the cost of your Wedding Venue and there are no surprises.

Check out things like facilities, waiting staff, the bar, corkage, table and chair hire and cleaning deposits that might need to be paid.

11. Wedding Venue Layout

Have a good look at the Wedding Venue layout and think about the flow of your day to make sure it is suitable for your needs, are there enough areas for your guests to spend time in and do you have the right outdoor space for your day. You might be thinking about having drinks after your ceremony but don’t want everyone to move straight to the Wedding Reception area so is there somewhere that could accommodate your guests during this time.

12. How Are The Acoustics

A point often overlooked is how the venue shapes up in terms of acoustics, will your music choices be too loud or too quiet in your chosen venue and will you need to use microphones to make sure your guests can hear the speeches. Some Wedding Venues will already be aware of these issues so it is best to check with them to see what they think is best.

13. How Does The Wedding Venue Feel

Try not to book somewhere you have not physically seen or if you have to see if you can have a video call with the owners. Overall, how does the Wedding Venue feel when you are there and is there the right atmosphere you want for your Wedding Day.

Much like choosing a house to buy, your Wedding Venue should feel right for both of you.

14. How To Find Your Wedding Venue

There are several ways to find your perfect Wedding Venue as you would for other large spends in your life make time to research your options and read any reviews or feedback available.

Ask friends and family for recommendations on Wedding Venues they know and conduct Google Searches for the areas of interest you have decided upon. There are a number of Wedding Venue websites which list a range of Wedding Venues some of these will showcase venues that have paid to be listed or you might find a Wedding Blog offering an independent review of Venues. Check out the venues on Social Media, Instagram will be full of photos and videos of dream Wedding venues and there will be Facebook Groups where prospective couples will discuss their venue choices.

A more personal approach is to just get in the car and drive around areas you are considering holding your Wedding in, you might just come across that perfect place by simply driving past!

https://www.the-hungryplaice.uk/things-to-consider-when-booking-your-wedding-venue