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Diary of a Bridal Stylist #2 – Advice for planning your Wedding

So you’ve gotten engaged! Congratulations!   You’re about to experience a lot of emotions when it comes to planning a wedding. Some couples find the process an absolute breeze and others can find it quite stressful. The one thing to remember is at the end of the day, it is all about you and your partner saying “I do”. If you are planning your wedding solo because that works best for you - amazing! If you’re a couple who’s doing it 50/50 - fantastic! If you’ve already picked your two favourite floral arrangements and you’re “just asking for their opinion” - you’re clever and I appreciate this wholeheartedly. However you are planning your wedding, you’ll find a way that is best for you. We chat with brides all day long and during our time working in the industry, we’ve heard all the ways one can plan a wedding.   The following blog outlines our top tips so you can enjoy the journey of planning your wedding day.   As always - I hope you enjoy! xx Celeste (Melbourne Stylist)  

Karen Willis Holmes Pinterest board layout

RESOURCES 

Pinterest and Instagram are two of the most resourceful websites when it comes to wedding planning.
Within both, there are a plethora of images for bouquets, aisle layouts, table settings, invitation designs and so much more.

Our first piece of advice – SAVE, SAVE, SAVE. Start a Pinterest board, screenshot, or save the image directly to your phone or computer.
Use the images as a starting point but think about changing it to suit your style. When you’ve found vendors that you’re interested in, show them your inspiration and ask for their input. They can tailor their service to a mixture of your inspiration and your individual aesthetic.
Remember to get a number of quotes from different vendors to best decide what works best for your budget (if you have one).

Wedding planning evening pouring glass of wine

DATE NIGHT

Some people jump right into wedding planning, they want to get every detail sorted and organised as soon as possible. They’ll think about floral arrangements while they’re on their lunch break at work. Whereas other brides can’t stand the idea of seating arrangements.
Well, this tip is for both types of brides and couples!

 

Have a date night! Make a plan to sit down with your partner one night every week and hash out some wedding planning. Focus on particular aspects of the wedding so you don’t lose track. One week can be about your food another week can be about colours.
Grab a glass of your favourite drink, a plate of your favourite food and chill out.
Can’t decide between which invitations you want? Flip a coin or close your eyes and point to a picture on the table – make it fun!
You’re planning a wedding – this is a joyous time!

Wedding reception venue featuring an outside tent and long dressed tables with palm trees in background

WEATHER

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS have a backup plan.

If you’re having an outdoor wedding, discuss with your venue if they have an indoor area where your ceremony or reception can be moved to just in case of rain or even extreme heat. Communication with your venue should be a top priority in the lead up to your big day.

Consider investing in a marquee for cover, it’s a great alternative for any weather condition. Clear umbrellas look incredibly opulent and create fun wedding photos. Little handheld fans are a sweet way to show you’re thinking about guests if it’s going to be a hot day.

Overcast weather makes for an amazing wedding album as photographers love the light this gives and a hot day means people will be in non-restricting clothing (perfect for dancing!)

The weather is unpredictable but it should never dampen your wedding day.

List of wedding vendors for booking your wedding

SUPPLIERS

Vendors are your number one resource.
The wedding industry is very close and we all try to help one another as best we can. Don’t be afraid to ask for their input and opinion. This isn’t their first rodeo and they have an innate amount of advice for you.

Your venue can assist in bands or music arrangements. Your florist might know an incredible baker, and your hairdresser could know a makeup artist. And of course our team at KWH! This is our world and we’re here to help you as much as we can.

 

Remember once you’re happy with a vendor and have locked them in, stop looking! Unfollow everyone you don’t need to have in your feed, having other suppliers pop up will only confuse you (this goes for wedding dresses also)!

Real bride in Karen Willis Holmes sequin Darcy gown - couple kissing

GUESTS

The guest list can be one of the most time-consuming aspects of organising a wedding. However, it doesn’t need to be stressful. Here are our top tips on how to handle your guest list.

 

x Invite people who you have had contact with in the last 12 months. If you haven’t spoken to them in over a year – do they really need to be at your wedding?

x Allocate a number of guests your parents can invite (if they have to).

x Limit the ‘plus one’ option or don’t offer it all.

x Send your invites in two waves. The first – the people who can’t imagine not being there on your big day (send these around 4-6 months out).
You’ll know who can and can’t make it from here. That’s when you send the second wave – everyone else (send these a least 2 months out).

Don’t stress about wedding favours (aka bombineers), your guests will not mind if they don’t receive an extravagant gift. All they are looking for is a fun time – take time and invest in music and food. These are two aspects of a wedding you can never overlook or spend less on. Both can have your guests talking about your wedding for years to come.

Bride wears elegant Violet wedding dress with split in skirt, heels showing and pink bouquet

THE DRESS

Please don’t stress about finding your gown!
At KWH, we focus on the experience first and if we happen to find your gown during your appointment – even better! However, as long as you feel comfortable and are having fun, that’s our number one priority. You’re getting married, it’s a joyous time!
However, if there is one piece of advice you take away from this blog post – let it be this.

Limit the number of people at your bridal appointment.

Yes it is an exciting time and it’s so wonderful to be able to share that with people when you can, but one to four people seeing your dress is more than enough (especially right now with COVID-19 we are not allowing more than two guests anyway!) The only opinion that matters is yours. As long as YOU feel amazing and beautiful that is all that matters. Everyone else will follow suit.

Our unfollowing advice earlier goes for wedding designers too. Once you’ve said yes to a dress, unfollow other accounts and delete pictures!

Suppliers:

Pinterest – KAREN WILLIS HOLMES
Vendors Directory – The National Wedding Directory


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