WHAT SHOULD I BOOK FIRST?

We’d suggest booking the following suppliers first;

- Your planner! Of course we’d say this but the reality is that as part of their service most planners will source venues. They can check availability, arrange site visits, sense check whether the capacity and format works and finally review contracts – don’t underestimate the time this will save you.

- Your venue. Probably the most important supplier to book. Venues get really booked up so have a shortlist rather than one set venue, unless you’re prepared to consider off season or the following year.

- Photographer and videographer. If you have someone in mind, check in with them quickly. Most suppliers work solo so they have limited availability.

- Your make up artist. If you’re looking at a Saturday between May-September, book a make up artist quickly. The good ones get booked long in advance and if you have a large bridal party also needing hair and make up, they’ll need a team.

- Band – similar to the make up artists – the good ones get booked up quickly so if you have your heart set on someone, ensure they’re pencilled for you.

- Other suppliers such as your florist, caterer and production is generally a little more flexible as they tend to have larger teams and therefore more capacity.

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WHERE DO I EVEN START, IT'S OVERWHELMING?

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Wedding planning can be really overwhelming – there are SO many options out there and with the rise of social media you now have access to an unbelievable amount of images, options, ideas, concepts…it’s a lot. We’d suggest starting with the following;

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Enjoy your engagement. This bubble is honestly one of the absolute best. Enjoy it, drink all the champagne, revel in the love and just soak it all up. Before you jump into the planning, just enjoy being in love and thinking about the next chapter to come.

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Think about your budget. This dictates so much. Talk with parents and family who may be contributing and have that conversation sooner rather than later. Work out your available finances and your buffer. This is one of the hardest bits but we won’t start planning with a couple until we know this. A wedding is usually one of the biggest investments people make other than a house, so it needs to be properly considered.

Work out your priorities. Of course, you want everything to be amazing but take a moment to think about the areas you really want to focus on. For some that may be great food and drinks, for other entertainment or perhaps it's styling such as florals. Order your priorities as this helps later with budget and if you need to scale back in any areas you know where to start.

Work out your location – where in the world do you want to marry? Shortlisting or deciding on a location is key. Then you can start looking at venue options. Don’t worry about tradition either – for some it’s really important to get married near the bride’s family but you don’t have to do this just because tradition says so.

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Draw up your guest list. Knowing how many people you’re inviting is really key as otherwise you can’t really start looking at venues. You may have an A list, a B list and so on but start this task sooner rather than later.

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Think about your ceremony. This is important as if you're planning a church wedding you need to find a venue nearby, if it's a non-religious but official ceremony, you need a venue with a wedding license. If it's a blessing this gives you a lot of flexibility and you'll just need to consider when the official part will be happening.

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Consider your style. Sit down and think about what your style really is. Are you looking for a black tie party or perhaps it’s relaxed alfresco dining that feels more you. This doesn’t need to involve looking at hundreds of wedding images, more just thinking about what would make you feel comfortable, excited and what represents you the most as a couple.

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