How To Start Planning A Wedding

So you're planning a wedding. Fantastic, because a wedding can be the best day of someone's life. It can also be the most stressful and expensive day, if expectations aren't met and things go wrong.

And not everything is going to be perfect. Trust me. For one thing there are people involved, and families and friends don't always do what we expect or want, and sometimes it can feel like everyone has forgotten that the wedding day is really only about the bride and groom.

Before you even get started on the detail of planning a wedding, I suggest you consider the broad approach you are going to take. Here are some questions to ask yourself...

1. Are you going to plan it all yourself?

2. Do you want to use a wedding planner to sort out the key bits like the venue and the food?

3. Do you want a wedding planner to organise a full blown bespoke wedding which goes right from the start with picking out a theme,right through to the end when they send out the thankyou cards whilst you're relaxing on your honeymoon?

First off, lets look at how much you want to spend. If your budget is less than £500, then you're off to the registry office and a fish and chip supper. And I've done it that way and I can tell you it's a wonderfully simple day. However, eight years down the line, it doesn't feel as though the occassion got what it deserved and so we're retaking our vows with a bit more fuss second time around.

If your budget is a bit more, and certainly if it's over £15,000, then you should consider either options 2 or 3, and this isn't just about reducing the aches and pains around planning. Planning a wedding with the services of a wedding planner can actually save you money. If you plump for the full bespoke wedding package with a planner, then it shouldn't cost you any more than if you decided to do it all yourself!

How does that work?

Having a seasoned professional planning a wedding for you gives you access to all of the discounts and special treatment they have earned by using their preferred and trusted suppliers. By passing these discounts onto you, the wedding planner effectively pays for their own service.

However, it's not just about the money because the real coup is that you're planning a wedding with a professional who already knows what can go wrong. Let me give you an example. If you're hunting for a venue you might gather together some glossy brochures and visit the venue to check it's what you want before you decide to book. How do you know they can deliver on the day; that the music will be good, that the starter won't be luke warm, or they are so disorganised that your seating plan is wrong?

Anyone can print a stunning brochure, your wedding planner will KNOW if the venue organisers can pull it all off for you.Plus, you get the services of an experienced professional to help you get it right, let you do the fun stuff whilst they do all the boring bits and keep it all flowing on the day. This means that bride and groom, family and friends get to have a rip-roaring time, whilst the wedding planner sorts out any hiccups and keeps everyone happy.

A good wedding planner will be working from 102 point checklist where point one is deciding the theme, style and colour; through to thanking the suppliers and guests on behalf of the bridge and groom.

Can you imagine how many actions are generated from a 102 point checklist? And you get this done for free. As the well known saying goes - 'seems like a no-brainer', if you're planning a wedding.


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Maria Kirk is an Wedding Planner In Kent and a member of the UK Alliance Of Wedding Planners. Visit Maria's website for more information about Kent Wedding Planners.