Total Guide to Weddings: What works... and what doesn't!

At the beginning of your engagement, I'm sure you were fizzing with ideas about themes, colour schemes and entertainment!

On looking into these ideas, sometimes the very annoying reality check hits with venue limitations, time, and of course, cost - due to this it's quite normal for a number of original ideas to be scaled down or knocked on the head altogether.

I have been involved in many weddings over the last few years, from the budget to lavish; intimate to expansive, and I've seen a lot of themes and ideas from the loony to incredible!  So I thought I’d give you some top tips on what I think really WORKS at a wedding, and where to spend your money...in my very humble opinion!

Music…and LOTS of it!

It’s obvious to all that a DJ or band is required for the evening reception, but please please don’t forget about music during the drinks reception and wedding breakfast.  Trust me, without it the atmosphere simply doesn’t get going! 

It doesn’t have to mean string quartets or saxophonists (although those are really nice), something as simple as a PA system and MP3 player will suffice!

Flowers

I have to say, flowers are my personal WOW factor!  I really think this is where money is to be spent. 

I’ve set up a great deal of weddings which initially look very sad – the moment the flowers arrive, WOW!  They quite simply make it! 

Invest in flowers and forget about favours, crystals and games!

Continuation of Theme

I seriously love couples who put a great deal of thought into the whole theme of the wedding and actually follow it through. 

Don’t “make do” at the end, keep going and make sure it all looks fabulous!  The little details really count, so get everything done in plenty of time to avoid the last minute “haven’t got time” rush.

Entertainment

This is a real bug bear of mine.  All too often there is a huge lull at some point during the wedding day, and it simply isn’t filled!

Fill it!  There are some truly fantastic entertainers in the vicinity, from magicians to caricaturists.  If you think they’re outside budget, supply just one drink for the drinks reception and follow it with a pay bar – this will save you enough cash to put towards it!

Entertainers are worth their weight in gold and will ensure that your wedding is remembered.

Feed and water…WELL!

There’s something about weddings that makes me starving and craving a glass of wine…and I’m not the only one!

It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive, just good quality, home-made and served at the right times.  Remember that weddings involve a long period of time and a lot of drinking – so get it soaked up with some super duper food ensuring the whole day goes marvellously and limit early drunkenness!

Follow this with…my love of Quirky Evening Food!

Let’s face it, we go to an evening reception not expecting much more than a boring buffet (sorry!), so if we’re just invited to the evening we may have a quick something before leaving – but to have a bit of thought put into our tummies is really fab! 

Some faves of mine are small portions of curry, cones of fish and chips and cheese towers with breads and accompaniments!  Not only are all these things super popular, but they add to the atmosphere…they can also come in at less than a standard buffet per head!

And lastly…The Personal Touch

Remember that your wedding day is all about the two of you!  So make it personal to the two of you, and allow the personal touch to make a statement.

The personal touch can be anything from a Bride and Groom quiz, hand-made favours with personal messages, a special cocktail served just because it’s your favourite…anything, but do it and make your wedding memorable as a result of it.
 

So, those are my thoughts on the matter, and I hope they’re helpful!  My thoughts on what really DOESN’T work will follow next time!

Although no two weddings are the same, as planners we’ve pretty much seen it all – and this is where we gain our expertise, it’s all about experience.

To find out more about how Love to Plan can help you “make it work”, have a browse over our website: www.lovetoplan.co.uk, or contact Natalie Lovett on: