Planning For Your Wedding Day 2023

As couples plan for their big day for 2023 now is the time to get into shape. and start organizing for what will be the best day of their lives. For the bride, you can’t start earlier enough.

You want to arrive at the alter looking vibrant with health and beauty, so what better excuse do you need to invest a little bit of time, money and energy in getting you there? Whether it is planning a few pampering trips to some spas or joining a gym, not only can you trim your figure, you’ll do wonders for your complexion and overall energy levels.

Shopping for the wedding dress is probably the part of the wedding plans you are looking forward to more than any other aspect.

The majority of bridal gowns bought in the UK are classed as ‘off the peg.’

You try on a sample of the gown in the shop; they take your measurements and order the most appropriate size for you which is then delivered to the shop for alterations to fit your exact shape and size.

Don’t panic, there may be a huge amount to do but here is a handy checklist with some of the main points to take into consideration in the build up to the big day!

12 months before…

Choose a wedding date

Decide on a budget

Make a list of guests and decide on numbers

Book your Church/ Ceremony location. Book your reception venue/ caterers. Choose your Bridesmaids, Ushers and Best Man. Start looking for The Dress!. Choose and book your photographer

8 months before…

Choose bridesmaids’ dresses

Book entertainment

Choose and order your wedding cake

Make an appointment with your chosen florist

6 months before...

Give Notice of Marriage

Purchase or hire menswear

Select your wedding rings

4 months before...

Send out your wedding invitations

Arrange fittings for the wedding dress and menswear

1 month before...

Arrange a final fitting of your wedding dress your bridesmaids, ushers and best man. Enjoy your hen and stag parties!

2 weeks before...

Confirm the date and time of the rehearsal to the relevant people

1 week before...

Arrange to collect your wedding dress, bridesmaids dresses and the menswear

Have all your beauty treatments

Drink plenty of water and have some early nights

Relax and enjoy this time –all your hard work is about to come to completion!

Church Versus Registry Office

Many women dream about their wedding day from childhood. Not only is it one of the biggest days of a person’s life, it is also likely to be the most romantic. Given the momentous nature of the allimportant wedding, it should therefore come as no surprise that a lot of thought goes into the planning involved.

And one of the most significant aspects of that is the wedding venue. While most people associate a wedding with a church and minister, tying the knot in registry offices has become increasingly popular over the years. Ultimately, however, the decision between church and registry office depends on the individuals in question.

A bride and groom-to-be could think about whether they want a traditional wedding versus modern.

There is nothing more traditional than donning a lavish white wedding dress and walking down a long aisle flanked by scores of family and friends to the tune of Here Comes the Bride. The tradition of having the father of the bride accompany his daughter and give her away at the altar is one that many dads dream about.

Having bridesmaids at the side of the wife-to-be is another comforting aspect of traditional weddings that is so engrained in our cultural identity. But such strict adherence to tradition is not everyone’s cup of tea — particularly those who are in no way religious.

Ultimately, marriage is a legal contract and what better way to seal that than by having a more official and straightforward ceremony in a registry office?

As opposed to having passages from the bible recited and old religious hymns sung by guests, registry office weddings can incorporate a more modern set up consisting of clear and concise vows - that are not necessarily devoid of romance — along with songs that again, are not strictly religious. At the bones of the comparison between church and registry office is just how lavish you want your wedding to be. For example, at a church there will be room for more guests, in which case a big and extravagant ceremony is a possibility, but in an official office, only a handful of people can be present. Brides feel more comfortable wearing a fabulous traditional wedding gown in a church, but in a registry office, a smart dress and jacket seems more apt. A church wedding undoubtedly provides men and women — regardless of their religion - with the ultimate fairytale setting that is often considered more romantic and magical. But, on the plus side of the registry office, it can be an awful lot cheaper. There is also less wedding planning and stress involved, meaning that the bride and groom can focus solely on each other and the reasons why they are tying the knot, instead of being distracted by the drama surrounding the spectacle that is their big day.

There is a lot to be said for couples who do not need to profess their love to the world by spending thousands of pounds on an over-the-top ceremony. Clearly all they need is each other.