ONE STEP AT A TIME

ONE STEP AT

a timeWe start the new year with a stress-free guide to planning your wedding

Congratulations – you’re engaged! Now what? Find out with our planning timeline compiled with the help of those who know it best, Kent’s incredible wedding suppliers.

IN FOR A PENNY IN FOR A POUND

Before you start surfing the internet for venues and suppliers, sit down together with a cuppa and discuss what you want your wedding day to be. Whatever you decide will have an impact on everything else you do from here on in. Think about your overall vision. Is rustic bliss your vibe, or are you more the modern chic kind of couple? Perhaps you want to keep it classic and traditional. You may even want to go completely your own way and host a festival-style wedding in a field with a temporary structure such as a marquee or tipi for cover. Then there’s the ceremony. What do you want the most important part of the day to look and feel like? Do you have your hearts set on saying “I do” al fresco, or were you hoping for autumn or winter nuptials and therefore comfy and cosy vows under cover? All of these aspects will guide you towards the style of venue you should be researching.

Crucial to this process is the budget and guest numbers, as one will very much dictate the other. You may want to invite 300 people, but are you willing and able to fund 300 wedding breakfasts? Be realistic about what you want to spend, settle on a budget and above all, stick to it. Work together to devise a preliminary guest list as this will guide you towards the size of venue you’ll be looking for. Jennifer Daniels at Powder Mill Productions says, “Make a wedding planning checklist. This will help you to stay on track and to budget.” And as Becky Rasmus from Waves Weddings and Events says, “If the whole idea of planning your wedding is giving you nightmares, hire a planner. We can help with so many different elements from ensuring you get the perfect venue, to budgeting, supplier selection and overall management. We can save you time, money and stress.”

Getty Images LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

When people ask us what to book first our answer is always: the venue. Without having your venue secured, you won’t have a date and without a date you won’t be able to book the rest of your suppliers. Hit the internet as soon as you’re ready to start planning and check out all of the incredible locations in this glorious county. From historical to quirky and everything in between, Kent has it all. Pop over to the Find a Service section over at www.yourkent.wedding as well as www.yourkent.wedding/venue-inspiration-headlines, both great places to start.

Bradbourne House © www.alanharbordweddingphotography.com

Touchays Event Caterers © https://pierragphotography.com

FINE TUNE THE THEME

With venue booked we recommend at this point you start to fine tune your vision in order to narrow down the suppliers to those specialists who can help. Jennifer at Powder Mill Productions explains, “Think about your guests’ experience from the moment they arrive, to the welcome drinks, seating, dining, speeches and evening entertainment. We specialise in creating a delightfully rustic feel for your wedding. Our wooden illuminated letters, candy cart, hessian-covered selfie frame, whisky barrels and authentic iron postboxes are all designed to work in harmony, creating that sought-after rustic effect.”

Powder Mill Productions www.raygoodwinphoto.co.uk

OH SNAP!

While you’re researching your dream team, we’d recommend putting your photographer towards the top of that list. These talented folk get booked up further ahead than you’d believe. So, when you find the one, don’t delay. Find someone whose work you adore and suits your style and get in touch. If you click with them and believe you’ll feel comfortable having them document your day, snap them up. Local wedding photographer Ray Goodwin says, “Choosing your photographer can be a confusing and expensive task, this is because a professional may offer album print, parents’ albums, or even prints in frames. My advice would be to go for a package to include an album it’ll probably work out better value in the long run.”

FIND YOUR SUPPLIERS

With the all-important wedding date in your diary and vision firmly in your mind, you can start assembling the rest of your W-day team. “Start early,” Becky from Waves Weddings and Events says. Good suppliers are often booked up one to two years in advance, if not longer, so if you have your heart set on someone or something specific, make sure you get into their diary in good time. Choose carefully, work with those you connect with and who really get your vision to ensure you get the day of your dreams.” While Natalie Skingley from Bradbourne House adds, “We recommend starting with your venue’s recommended supplier list, as they know the venue best.”

Another route is to look for a full-service company that allows you to book as much as you can in one place. Jennifer at Powder Mill Productions says, “This takes the stress out of the organisation and helps you concentrate on the nice things! We can provide everything from the bar, to entertainment and décor. You’ll even have your own bookings manager to guide you every step of the way.”

Whoever you decide to bring on board, make sure you’re booking quality. The last thing you want is to be let down on the most important day of your life. Check out the company’s reviews online. Great suppliers will be proud to share what other couples have said about them. Also, be sure of their credentials. Jennifer says, “Ensure your suppliers have public liability insurance, and for any catering check that they have the relevant hygiene or alcohol licenses in place. Powder Mill Productions will take care of any temporary event notices if you want to use our hire bar in a venue like a village hall or a marquee.”

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THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT

Childcare is also something you’ll need to think about early on. Carole Cassidy from Carousel Creche says, “If you have children attending the day or evening and know you’ll want childcare to keep them safe, happy and entertained, book the date and pay the deposit early on to avoid missing out. Someone else will always want the same date as you!

“Once you’ve narrowed your list down to a preferred supplier, meet with them and at least one of the staff members who’ll be attending on the day. It’s important that you bond with them and feel comfortable with the person who’ll be looking after your precious littlest guests. While you’re there ask for qualification, DBS and insurance certificates and find out what activities they’d provide throughout the day.”

Touchays Event Caterers © pierragphotography.com FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Another area that should be top of the agenda is the catering. Let’s face it who wouldn’t want to prioritise food? If you’ve taken the dry-hire route with a blank canvas venue and you’re pulling the whole shebang together yourself, this is doubly important. Clare Smith from Touchays Event Caterers says, “Organising a dry-hire wedding is a massive undertaking for anyone. Inevitably it comes with its challenges, especially when fitting it around a basic barn or field venue where you have to organise every element. So, why not book a caterer who goes beyond the kitchen and offers a full or partial wedding-planning service as we do? That way you won’t have anything to worry about on the big day.”

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READY, STEADY, SHOP!

Since wedding dresses often need to be ordered well in advance, it’s a good idea to start shopping early on as it could take time to settle on the one. Victoria Walton, owner of Victoria Elaine Bridal, has some words of wisdom on this front: “Look out for designer events. Boutiques can’t have every dress by a single designer in one shop. So, they often hold designer events to show off an entire collection for a week or two a year. If you know the designer you love, talk to your local stockist about their next event.

“Once you’ve made your appointment, consider who you want to bring. Trust us on this, you don’t want the entire hen party there! Select two to three people whose opinions are invaluable to you and that’s enough. If something catches your eye on the rail, try it on. Plenty of brides come in with a fixed idea of what they hope to find in a dress and go away with the complete opposite!”

Waves Weddings & Events © www.mirabellamarmalade.co.uk

ONE YEAR TO GO

Now’s the time to start tightening up that guest list and sending out savethe-dates. This might be a particularly good idea if your date falls during school holidays or a bank holiday for example, as your guests are likely to fill their diaries much sooner at these times. Natalie at Bradbourne House says, “Send your invites out in plenty of time. Make sure to check for special meal requests and dietary requirements.”

It’s time to say “yes to the dress.” Victoria Walton, owner of Victoria Elaine Bridal Boutique says, “Plan ahead! If you’re after a made-toorder or made-to-measure gown, try to have it ordered at least a year in advance. You need to take into account the time the gown takes to be made and shipped to the store, as well as alteration time.”

If you’re working with an event caterer rather than the venue’s in-house supplier, they’ll likely be devising a bespoke menu for you, so you’ll be thinking about the food a bit earlier in the process. Clare from Touchays recommends you think about the season as you work on this together. “We purposefully design menus to ensure couples are getting the best value for money, but even more importantly, that it highlights the bounty of each season as well as the uniqueness of the occasion,” she says.

THREE TO SIX MONTHS TO GO

“Book your wine and food tasting with your venue,” Natalie advises. “Make sure you’re happy with the dishes you’ve picked and take time to look at the presentation and wine pairing. This is your time to make any changes to suit.”

Be prepared for a busy schedule! “Remember to set aside time for fittings, collections, food tastings and final detail meetings. These appointments and meetings are often held in the week, as your suppliers will be busy on critical days, such as Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, as they’re setting up or delivering weddings,” Clare Smith from Touchays Event Caterers tells us.

One such meeting will be with the seamstress making your dress alterations. Victoria at Victoria Elaine Bridal says, “Don’t be afraid to make custom changes to your gown if something’s not quite right. Discuss the area that’s giving you cause for doubt with your stylist or seamstress. We often adapt necklines, add sleeves, change fabrics, or add more sparkle to dresses at the alteration stage to make it absolutely perfect.”

THREE TO ONE MONTH TO GO

You’re nearly there! “Gather all the final arrangements with plenty of time,” Natalie says. “This includes things like your final guest numbers, supplier insurances and seating plan. This will help to eliminate last-minute worry or stress.” Becky from Waves Weddings and Events says, “Plan for every eventuality and make sure you have a plan B in case of changes, particularly important with outdoor weddings when the weather is a key factor.”

During this time you’ll be finalising the details with your suppliers. Ray says, “It’s a good idea to work out approximate timings with your photographer. Things like the time of their arrival to the departure address, and when they’ll need to leave. Don’t forget, photos of the groom and ushers need to be taken and the photographer needs to get to the venue to park, set up equipment and prepare for the bride’s arrival. If you can, do a dry run from wherever you’re getting ready to the wedding venue on the same day of the week at the same time.”

FOUR WEEKS TO GO

“Relax, once everything is handed over to your events coordinator trust you’re in safe hands,” Natalie says. Ray agrees: “On the day, have a great time, let the professionals do the job they love and remember to turn your phone off!”

AFTER THE BIG DAY

The big day may be over, but there’s still plenty to look forward to such as putting your album together. Photographer Ray Goodwin says, “Upon completion of your bespoke wedding album, you’ll have a collection of beautiful images ranging from hair and make-up, portraits in lovely locations, friends and family, the one and only first kiss and a lifetime of memories presented in a stunning handmade album. It’s hard to visualise these products and the quality of the finished images, so I’d highly recommend a chat over a cuppa with your photographer, well away from a computer screen.”

CONTACT OUR EXPERTS Bradbourne House, https://bradbournehousekent.co.uk Carousel Creche, https://carouselcreche.co.uk Powder Mill Productions, https://powdermillproductions.co.uk Ray Goodwin Photography, www.raygoodwinphoto.co.uk Touchays Event Caterers, https://touchays.com Victoria Elaine Bridal, www.victoriaelainebridal.co.uk Waves Weddings & Events, www.wavesweddingsandevents.com

Bradbourne House © www.alanharbordweddingphotography.com

www.raygoodwinphoto.co.uk