Wedding Planning Advice and Tips
I remember the excitement, nerves and stress of planning my own wedding in 2018 and that any tips or advice was much appreciated! Anything to make it a little bit easier, so when it comes to your wedding, I like to be a really helpful photographer.
I love to be able to ease any worries or try my best to solve any problems for you. From bringing a bag full of things to have on hand on the big day in case anyone has a mini emergency (paracetamol, deodorant, sewing kit etc) to making sure we know each other a little better beforehand by having consultations before booking and including pre-wedding photoshoots. This way you'll see that I'm right for you, know how I work and it can help to take away any nerves about having your photos taken and I won't be a complete stranger to you!
I'll also be an ear to listen when wedding planning gets overwhelming for you or to give any advice in any way that I can. Even if it means asking other couples that are a part of Jackie Cuff Photography.
I decided to ask some past brides some questions about their experience of wedding planning to give future couples some great tips and advice in preparation for their own weddings! Take a look at the questions I asked and what they had to say...
- Was there anything you wish you knew about wedding planning beforehand?
- Was there anything you wish you'd done differently during the planning process or on your wedding day?
- What would be your advice or top tips for others planning their wedding?
Craig & Beth
- If you're going to set a budget, research the price of your venue before you view it. We set a budget of 5k for everything and blew it by 2k because we fell in love with it. (Worth every penny though!)
- I wish I'd enjoyed the planning more. It's hard to do whilst you're stressing over the little things but as soon as it was over, I missed it.
- The biggest thing I wished I'd have done was make a scrapbook for my memory box.
- Don't stress and spend money on unnecessary things that you think people will expect because they honestly won't! Spend more money on things that will last forever such as your photographer or rings. Two years later, I still love looking at my ring and wedding album.
- Whether you're having a small registry office wedding with two witnesses or a big flashy one, do it your way! Ignore what you think people will expect. It's your wedding day and they're just the guests!
Eva & Ieuan
- I wish I knew how much more work it is than expected, even for a small wedding.
- It's essential to have enough time for planning as unexpected things can pop up. Don't procrastinate!
- Expect it to end up bigger than planned with a larger guest list.
- Budget well as it costs more than you expect.
- Order your wedding cake for the right date. In other words, double check everything with suppliers. I ended up decorating Tesco cakes the day before!
- Don't take it too seriously; you're celebrating the love you have with your life partner and that's what counts!
Laura & Ashley
- When I got married, I had a young baby and wanted to keep the stress to a minimum whilst having the day we wanted. By choosing a well known and local venue I already had some reassurance that my wedding was in good hands. By choosing a venue with an experienced coordinator, I knew I didn’t have to do all the hard work myself.
- I was very relaxed about the day itself as we had regular check-ins and I did everything in advance where I could to alleviate the pressure nearer to the time.
- To be honest, the biggest thing for me was to worry about what was important and let the rest fall into place.
Kirsty & Sandy
- I wish I'd ordered things well in advance as my jacket didn't fit!
- Don't get carried away and spend a fortune, there's lots of bargains to be had on Facebook, Amazon and eBay.
- Don't be pressured into having too many guests as you won't be able to concentrate on what it's really about: you and your hubby!
- Obviously have Jackie as your photographer! (Thank you! I swear I didn't pay Kirsty to say this!)
Lucy & Ashley
- There's no such thing as planning for the perfect day. Things continuously changed up to the week before the wedding and that's ok! Not all changes are bad, they're just unexpected and part of the process.
- I wish I hadn't rushed into paying everything off so early. I got caught up in the idea that I was ticking off boxes every time I paid something off and then covid came! Vendors will give you a date to pay by, so stick to that and keep your money until it's due!
- Keep communicating, don't stress and overthink situations. Most people are happy to answer 100 questions for you, rather than have you feel anxious and worried!
- Don't make plans for other people, do it for you and your partner. You are who matters and it's your day.
- Trust your instincts with your dress, venue etc., you will know if it's right. If you have to second guess something, then you'll know it's not right for you!
Nicole & Daniel
- I wish I knew how many lists I was going to have to make and how much time you actually spend planning.
- Everything went according to plan other than the Covid restrictions. I was happy with what we planned and my vision came true.
- Don’t stress, take it a day at a time. Buy the little things as you’re planning, rather than trying to do everything at once and enjoy planning your wedding as stress free as possible.
- Give tasks to your groomsmen and/or bridesmaids to relieve you, plus it makes them feel involved with the planning of your special day too.
Jackie & Dan
- I wish I knew just how difficult the guest list was going to be. It can feel like you're trying to please everyone else when it's not really about them.
- Definitely confirm everything with your suppliers a week or so before the big day. Our supplier of cheese and strawberry towers had the wrong date in their system and were on their way to deliver it the day after our wedding!
- Write everything down, such as to do lists, ideas, keeping track of payments and your budget.
- Make sure to maintain good communication with your venue to avoid any mistakes.
- Most importantly if something small doesn't go according to plan. You won't care on the day because you'll be enjoying the best day of your life with your wonderful partner!
Hopefully all of these lovely words of wisdom will help you in your planning process and on your wedding day.
If you're looking for a friendly, laidback, caring and helpful wedding photographer then please get in touch!
I offer bright and colourful wedding photography covering South Wales, Gloucestershire, Bristol & Somerset.
