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21 Wedding Secrets

WJ’s top tips for a high-style, low-budget wedding…

1. IT TAKES TWO
Keep in mind that the wedding is about two people and as difficult as it might be, your fiancé needs to have his input. Both of you should write down the five words that you’d use to describe your dream day and see what the similarities are. The words that you’ve used will give you a big clue to the style of day that will suit you both.

2. FILE YOUR IDEAS
Keep an ‘ideas and inspiration’ file that you can add to throughout the wedding planning. Once you’ve decided on your venue take some photographs of the rooms and pop them in the file too. This will help you when you’re putting together flowers and details for the reception, as you won’t have to rely solely on your memory of the layout and features of the room. Adding swatches of fabric is another good idea and comes in useful when you are deciding on colours for flowers.

3. THE WAITING GAME
When you see something new that you suddenly think you must have for the day, don’t order it immediately. Make yourself wait two weeks, and at the end of this time, if you still think it’s necessary, you know how you can use it and you have the money for it, then go ahead. Don’t let yourself get swept along in the excitement or you could find yourself over budget, surrounded by things you don’t really need.

4. KEEP IN CONTACT
Put together a list of contact details for all your suppliers and give each of them a copy. So if the cake maker needs to talk to the florist or the photographer to the chauffeur, they can without having to use you as a go-between.

5. VENUE
When you’re choosing a venue, try to visit the place about the same time of year as you would like your wedding as this will give you a real feel for how things will look on your big day. Take a look at the gardens, the light (for photographs) and make sure there’s shade and seating if you’re hoping to get outside

6. PRICE ATTACK
When you’re looking at guest numbers and food and drink prices, don’t rely on anyone not accepting your invitation to bring the cost within your budget. Make sure you can afford to cater for everyone you hope to invite and if a few people decline, you’ll have a bit of spare cash to use elsewhere.

7. NUMBER GAME
When you’re working on the guest list, don’t forget to include yourselves and the rest of the wedding party in your figures. It’s easy to miss people, which can make life very difficult if you are working to an absolute maximum limit for guest numbers.

8. INFORM YOUR GUESTS
Include a well written information sheet in your invitation providing guests with all the information they need on accommodation options, directions to the ceremony and reception venues, local facilities, car parking arrangements, taxi numbers, tourist attractions, your wedding list arrangements etc.. this will save you having to answer lots of questions in the future.

9. TABLE NAMES
There’s a big trend for giving each table a name rather than a number. The idea behind this is that it stops guests feeling affronted if they are sitting at table 24 when another relative is at table two. The truth is that it’s always obvious if the table is close to the top table or not, but table names can be great fun and are a good way of enhancing your wedding day theme.

10. CENTRE OF ATTENTION
A mix of low and tall table centres will provide more visual interest, particularly if you are having a more relaxed look. Ranks of identical arrangements suit a more formal style