PLANNING SOS

Local suppliers from all specialisms share words of wisdom to get your planning off on the right foot

THE VENUE

Kylie Christie, The Old Kent Barn www.theoldkentbarn.co.uk

We’re engaged! Now what? Start by researching venues. Many will have lots of information on their websites as well as pricing. Pick your favourites, then arrange a tour of each to learn more about how your day will run, what’s included and what ceremony choices you have. Check availability: be prepared that your exact date may not be free, so being flexible will help in the early stages. Starting your planning with these details secured will help you organise the rest of your day.

What’s the one question you get most commonly get asked and how do you respond? “What’s next after booking our venue?” A top tip is to start with the things you need, such as something to wear, rings, photography. Then the things you want – decorations, flowers, entertainment. This approach will help you prioritise your planning and budget. to food, music and entertainment. You’re planning a celebration of your marriage, so your family and friends will want you both to have the most special day and be there to help you celebrate and enjoy everything you’ve planned. Choosing things you both want will make your wedding personal to you both.

What’s your top planning tip when it comes to looking for and booking the venue? Ask lots of questions and don’t rush the process. It’s ok to take some time to check you’ve covered everything you need to know. Sometimes you’ll know instantly that you’ve found the perfect place for you, or you may want to really make sure you’ve explored all of your options before committing to the one.

When choosing your venue it’s really good to establish what is and isn’t included, what you can and can’t do, and who will be responsible for the running of your day. From setting everything up to ensuring the day runs smoothly and tidying everything away: these are key areas you’ll appreciate knowing are in hand. If these areas aren’t covered by your venue, consider enlisting a support team or an on-the-day wedding coordinator who will run the day for you, leaving family and friends free to enjoy the occasion and you present for all of the special moments.

THE FLOWERS

Tanya Henton, Stem by Stem www.stembystemflowers.co.uk

We’re engaged! Now what? Get the main things booked before you book a consultation with a florist. It helps to have these elements in place when you talk flowers as the venue will guide the style and placement of floral decorations; the dress will give an indication of the size, shape, style of the bridal bouquet; and the colour of the bridesmaids’ dresses and groomsmen’s attire generally reflect the palette for the wedding.

What’s the one question you get asked and how do you respond? “Are peonies in season when we get married?” Everyone loves a peony, but these are only available for a short time in early summer. In this case I’d suggest going for something similar with multiple petals such as garden roses, ranunculas or something voluminous such as hydrangeas or bloom chrysanthemums.

How can we make our big day totally us? Don’t be over-influenced by Instagram photo shoots as a lot of the ideas aren’t practical. For example, glass vases and candles placed on floors and stairs isn’t a good idea on health and safety grounds. And fluffy pampas grass in bouquets – do you want your groom to be covered in grass seeds as it falls to bits? Really think about what’s important to you. You want the day to reflect you and your personalities, so don’t feel you have to have a grey colour scheme if you love yellow and it makes you happy.

What’s your top planning tip when it comes to the flowers? Go seasonal and sustainable. Your florist will tell you what’s best for the time of year and don’t be afraid to use twigs, leaves and grasses to add extra texture and interest. Design your floral decorations so they can be taken away easily at the end of the evening or given to a local nursing home or hospice afterwards. Steve, Invicta Food Design www.invictafooddesign.com

We’re engaged! Now what? Start planning early and try not to rush. Having said that, if something feels right then be brave and take the plunge. If you plan on seeing five venues, but fall in love with the first there’s nothing wrong with being impulsive and making a choice on the spot. Allow yourself plenty of time, as lots of great venues and suppliers get booked up early – we’ve just started taking bookings for 2025. Look for suppliers that want to work with you, are flexible and give good guidance.

What’s the one question you get most commonly get asked and how do you respond? We’re often asked about the provenance of our ingredients. We can proudly say that all of our suppliers are Kent based and we buy locally where possible. TH Brown, our Higham-based vegetable supplier is particularly passionate about buying from local growers and cutting down on food miles.

How can we make our big day totally ‘us’? There are lots of traditions surrounding weddings, but you don’t have to follow them. A three-course meal can be swapped for a barbecue feast menu. The first dance can be changed to games followed by a family tug of war, and you can have a doughnut tower instead of a wedding cake. Be as creative as like and if you’ve chosen good suppliers they’ll bring your ideas to life.

What’s your top planning tip when it comes to the catering? Have canapés or bites for your arrival or drinks reception. Wedding breakfasts are usually later than lunchtime so they’ll keep people going. Be adventurous if you want to – it’s your wedding so if you don’t want to offer chicken to everyone that’s up to you. And finally, eat the seasons. Choose a menu that showcases local ingredients, it’ll taste delicious and is better for the environment.

THE DRESS

Hayley Freeman-Revell, Victoria Grace Bridal www.victoriagracebridal.co.uk

We’re engaged! Now what? Sit down with your partner and decide what kind of wedding you both want. Write a list of what’s important to you both so you can keep this in mind when you’re planning.

What’s the one question you get most commonly get asked and how do you respond? As a bridal shop it’s whether we cater for all shapes and sizes. The answer is yes! One of the most important and rewarding parts of what we do is getting to make every bride feel amazing.

How can we make our big day totally ‘us’? It’s so important to plan your wedding around the two of you. Communicate and plan your wedding together making sure it’s full of memories you can share.

What’s your top planning tip when it comes to the dress? When you start looking for your gown be sure to do your research. Look at designers and make a list of your favourites. Find shops in and around your area and speak to them, especially if you have any concerns or worries. And finally, don’t leave it too late! Make sure you give yourself enough time to order a gown and have alterations done without it being a rush. Enjoy every moment. THE MOVIE

Chris Wade, The Kent Video Company www.thekentvideocompany.com

We’re engaged! Now what? Video production can be a daunting prospect if you’re not used to being in front of the camera, but with our experience, we aim to streamline the process to make it as easy to understand as possible. It all starts with a conversation where we answer as many of your questions as possible during our initial meeting, as well as ask a number of our own.

What’s the one question you get most commonly get asked and how do you respond? We’re generally asked about various elements that our couples would like captured in their video. For example, you may want your lovely home featured at the very start or perhaps there’s a certain relative you’d like to make sure is included. We want to make sure your video is perfect, so the more ground we cover, the more we can tailor the requirements before the big day.

How can we make our big day totally ‘us’? We like to take the stealthy approach and ensure we’re not stepping on anyone’s toes during the capturing of your big day. We recognise that your day is all about you, so we aim to be as non-invasive as possible and allow you room to breathe. Our process takes us alongside the photographer throughout the day, so we’ll essentially be capturing moving versions of your photos. We then take this footage and deliver a beautiful, slow motion, cinematic highlight reel, along with your ceremony and speeches recorded and delivered separately, in full.

What’s your top planning tip when it comes to the wedding video? Have an informal meeting with your videographer at your venue prior to the wedding. You’ll be able to walk around together and scope out what’s happening when and where, as well as ask any further questions you might have. We love walking around the venues’ grounds filming some cinematic shots to weave into our couples’ videos.

Scan to view video

THE CEREMONY

Alex Hilder Celebrant www.alexhildercelebrant.co.uk

www.tashbustaphotography.com

We’re engaged! Now what? Remember to take some time with the deep stuff such as why it is that you’ve taken the plunge and decided to get married. What is it about your relationship that makes you want to share it with the world? There’s nowhere near the social pressure to get married that there once was, so spend some time understanding your ‘why.’ From here, the rest will flow easily: how you want to feel, how you want your guests to feel, where you’d like to be, what vibe you want to create, who you want involved... So, when you get to the next step of exploring the amazing range of talented suppliers that we have in Kent, it’ll make it much simpler to find the ones you really gel with.

What’s the one question you most commonly get asked and how do you respond? “What can we include in our ceremony and is there anything we can’t say?” To which the reply is always: “You can include anything and say anything you like!” Because the legal registration of your marriage takes place separately, there are no rules for your celebrant-led ceremony. You can say anything, do anything, and include anyone you like! You can even hold it anywhere – on a boat, in the woods, in a restaurant, village hall, back garden, at your licensed venue.

Having said that, ‘no rules’ can be an overwhelming place to be. So, I always work with my couples to get to the heart of things, discovering the elements that are key to them and even aspects they definitely wouldn’t want. Then, it’s like doing a jigsaw. With all of the pieces of the puzzle, we can build an entirely unique ceremony.

How can we make our big day totally ‘us’? Book a celebrant – its what we do. We’ll work together for several months in the lead up to your day getting to know each other. We can talk about spiritual beliefs – maybe you’re drawn to a nature-based spirituality or bringing together two different religious backgrounds; perhaps there’s a vague feeling of something or maybe it’s not part of your life at all. Then, there are the symbolic rituals, which you may choose to include such as the traditional exchanging rings or handfasting, or modern ones such as sand ceremonies or cocktail making. We can even create a totally bespoke one with symbolism to represent you.

What’s your top planing tip when it comes to the ceremony? Don’t let it be the boring bit! The ceremony is the heart of your whole day and the reason you’re all gathered together. Draw your family and friends into your special world, get them laughing and crying, and let it be a celebration of all that’s brought you to that moment. YOUR BIG-DAY BEST

Claire Aunger, Kent Professional Makeup and Therapies https://kentprofessionalmakeup.co.uk

We’re engaged! Now what? It’s key to find a make-up artist you feel comfortable with and who offers the style of make-up you’re after. Check to see if they also offer packages such as the Bride-to-Be Package that we have. These include facials, manicures, pedicures and so on, to prepare you for your big day.

Make sure you go meet your make-up artist for a trial as well, usually four to six months before the day, but don’t leave it that late to find an MUA as many get booked up years in advance.

What’s the one question you most commonly get asked and how do you respond? “Can you cover my blemishes/skin imperfections?” The answer is generally “yes,” however always remember: if you skin has raised bumps, such as spots or whiteheads, the surface may still appear slightly raised. I love and highly recommend Airbase Airbrush Makeup for the majority of my brides as it’s light weight yet builds great coverage.

How can we make our big day totally us? It’s important to speak with all of your suppliers ensuring you’re completely happy with what they’re offering. I always advise building some ‘us time’ into your special day, so you can have some space alone to absorb everything. Having a couples massage the day before can also be a great way to start the countdown to W-day.

What’s your top planning tip when it comes to big-day beauty? Start a facial routine that’s tailored to your specific skin requirements six to 12 months ahead. Speak to your makeup artist or beauty therapist to see if they can recommend products for you. My brides are recommended Eve Taylor Skincare as it’s professional yet affordable and gives great results.

Having a manicure and pedicure every four to six weeks will keep your skin and nails looking great and massages are a fab way to make you feel stress-free and relaxed.

Award Winning and Eco-Friendly Photographer

www.emilybrown.photography 07543 690569

Creating ceremonies full of heart, full of soul ...and definitely full of you!

I’m Alex Hilder, an Independent Celebrant, and I am so excited to guide you along the path to creating a wedding ceremony that truly reflects you both - your life story, love story, values and beliefs - making sure it becomes the beating heart of your day. t - 07784761846 e - alex@alexhildercelebrant.co.uk fb & insta - @alexhildercelebrant www.alexhildercelebrant.co.uk

Icingwizard Cakes Award Winning Wedding Cakes www.icingwizardcakes.co.uk | icingwizard_cakes@hotmail.co.uk |