THE TEN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW Your Big Day

Newly engaged but don’t know where to start?

The ten things you need to know - from an expert Wedding Planner

With the uplifting feeling that a fresh New Year brings, alongside the romantic buildup to Valentine’s Day, February is a popular time to finally ‘pop the big question’. Consequently, many formerly single couples will be on cloud nine following an exciting recent engagement. Being newly engaged is thrilling, with lots of anticipation for the big day ahead, but it can also be a bit overwhelming, with so much to plan, think of and save for.

Your wedding may be a concept you may have thought about from a young age – but no matter how confident you are in how you want your big day to look, it can be difficult to know how to bring your vision to life. How do you get started with wedding planning and in what order should things be booked?

Whether the wedding you desire is big or small, in winter or summer, traditional or modern, Galgorm’s resident wedding planner Donna Cunningham has all the tricks of the trade to help you get started with planning your dream day. Here she shares her ultimate wedding planning checklist to help you through the process step-by-step.

The Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist by Donna Cunningham, Wedding Planner, Galgorm Collection

First thing’s first, take it all in.

The news that you are getting married to your partner is exhilarating so it is vital that you both take time to enjoy this brilliant chapter of your life and celebrate your engagement. Whether that’s on your own with your spouse-to-be, or together with your friends and family, taking time to take it all in and mark this momentous occasion is paramount. Enjoy the first few weeks as a newly engaged couple before people start asking questions about dates and venues and you start to feel that ‘pres- sure’ to make decisions.

Consider your ideal wedding size.

When you are ready to start planning, the first thing to think about is numbers. Know how many guests you would ideally like to share your big day with, as this, in turn, will help you choose your venue. Historically, weddings would have had an average of 120-180 guests, however times have changed, and this is now considered a ‘big’ wedding. Since the pandemic, couples have more confidence in identifying what’s important to them, and in turn, cutting back on their guest numbers, so we more frequently see smaller, more intimate weddings of around 40-80 people, often in a bid to cut costs. At Galgorm, the minimum is 40 guests, but we can accommodate up to 300, so really it’s down to personal preference.

Choosing the right venue.

When considering potential venues for your big day, it’s important that the location reflects the bride and groom’s personalities. We find that some really love the relaxed and bohemian vibes of the Loft at The Rabbit, with its sharing menu, banqueting tables, and large statement marble dining tables decorate with foliage, candles and candleabras, or the sophisticated city style and contemporary French ambience of Parisien, set against the iconic and cosmopolitan backdrop of Belfast City Hall. Others prefer the opulent and formal atmosphere of Galgorm, located in ancient rolling woodlands and next to a spectacular waterfall which cascades next to a dramatic ballroom adorned with a crystal glass fringe ceiling that gives it that true feel of old-school Hollywood glamour. Or perhaps your vibe is the rustic, countryside feel of The Old Inn in Crawfordsburn, with a sense of romance that dates as far back as 1614 - even hosting world-famous author C.S. Lewis on his honeymoon in 1958. From experience, couples usually have an instant reaction to a venue that helps them decide what they like and dislike. As the saying goes, ‘when you know, you know.’

Keeping on top of wedding trends. Suppliers such as florists are good with keeping you up to date with what’s on trend. Social media is also great for wedding trends, especially Instagram. I see more and more couples coming to me with pictures they’ve found on Instagram as their inspiration rather than using traditional bridal magazines. If I had to give one piece of advice when considering wedding décor or trends – it’s that less is more. It works perfectly because it’s never going to date.

Spreadsheets, spreadsheets, spreadsheets!

A clear vision of budget is vital from the word ‘go’ as there will be small deposits straight away. You might be wondering, ‘where do I get my total budget figure from?’ My advice would be to ask your venue for a base price to build on top of. A lot of couples then get their parents involved, and they work out what they can afford together. Focus on the essentials first, and then see if you have enough for luxuries, but make sure you keep your spreadsheet up to date. That way it’s easier to see where exactly your money is going as you go along. There is so much you can do yourself too. With invitations for example, you can utilise online invitations and RSVPs rather than having to budget for print costs.

Bridal Party: Less is more? Or the more the merrier?

A smaller bridal party is definitely easier to manage, especially when considering timings on the big day. We usually allow for an hour and a half for photographs for a standard size bridal party of three bridesmaids. If you have a larger group though, we allocate an extra hour, so consider if you are happy to have this chunk of time taken out of your day. Making everything as enjoyable as possible and eliminating stress is crucial. That’s why people like Galgorm weddings - they have nothing to worry about as the wedding packages take care of everything from photography to catering and take a lot of the planning off your plate.

What to book first.

In priority order, it makes sense to book venue, photographer and band first because, after all, they can only do one wedding per day, and book up quickly. Other suppliers however, for example florists, can work on multiple weddings at once so can wait a little longer. Once you have booked your venue, you may wish to attend wedding shows to get some inspiration for your other vendors. We provide visitors to our wedding shows with a ‘tried and tested’ supplier list, even if they don’t book with us. Our Spring Wedding Showcase takes place at Galgorm on Sunday 12 March, and all our trusted suppliers will be on hand to offer expert advice to help make your wedding day vision become a reality.

Ready, set, plan.

Like all other wedding venues, Galgorm has bookings from as soon as 2023, to as far away as 2026. If you would like a short lead-in, or have a specific date in mind, you need to be quick with booking. Most couples book one to two years in advance, but some wait a little longer to give enough time to save or buy a house first. If you are choosing to get married at your venue, remember to organise a ceremony officiant at least a year in advance and gather all the required legal documents.

Remember the ultimate decision is yours. Everyone you speak to will have their own opinion but try not to let this influence you. Remember it is your day. Have as many people there as you want. Have a style that you want. And wear what you want.

Extend the celebrations.

My final piece of advice when planning your big day is to book to stay at your venue for a night or two after the wedding so you are not going back to reality straight away. You don’t have a huge amount of time together with your spouse on the day itself, so take another day to stay in that romantic bubble. For this reason, we have seen such an increase in Day 2 celebrations. Everyone enjoys it as it’s really relaxed and informal. Your wedding day goes by in a flash, but with a late bar, musician and a barbecue, the Day 2 is a cert to keep the party going as you head into married life!

Galgorm Collection is Northern Ireland’s premier group of wedding destination hotels, bars and restaurants. For further information phone +44 (0)28 2588 1001, email reservations@galgorm. com or visit:

Galgorm https://www.galgorm.com/

Facebook: facebook.com/Galgorm

Instagram: @galgormweddings

Twitter: @GalgormResort

The Rabbit https://www.rabbithotel.com/

Facebook: facebook.com/rabbithoteltemplepatrick

Instagram: @therabbit_hotel

Twitter: @therabbit_hotelThe Old Inn https://www.theoldinn.com/

Facebook: facebook.com/theoldinn

Instagram: @theoldinn1614

Twitter: @OldInn1614

Parisien https://www.cafeparisienbelfast.com/ Facebook: facebook.com/ParisienBelfast

Instagram: @parisienbelfast

Twitter: @_cafeparisien