TOP TIPS FOR STRESS FREE WEDDING PLANNING – LEEDS WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

 

Congratulations and welcome to the Stress Free Wedding Planning Club. Planning your big day can seem overwhelming at times, but these top tips are here to guide you to ensuring you have a stress free wedding from the moment you get engaged.

 

ORGANISATION IS KEY

Create yourself a wedding folder – whether that’s a digital thing or a fancy physical folder, but make sure you can stick all your important documents in there including your wedding insurance, booking forms, RSVPs, catering details and all the little notes you need. Use Pinterest and Instagram for decor ideas too… just don’t get too carried away!

THE OVERWHELM

When it comes to planning the wedding, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the little things. The best thing to do is focus on your main priorities (venue, food, photographer, outfits) and then once those bad boys are sorted, you can then focus on one thing at a time. It’s easy to get carried away once you start hunting down wedding ideas on Instagram and Pinterest, but remember that it’s just one day. No-one will die if you don’t have rustic wedding signs, cake toppers from etsy or the best looking seating plan in the world. Don’t forget to take a step back if it’s all getting too much and remember why you’re getting married in the first place.

HIRE A PLANNER

If it’s all getting far too much, get yourself a wedding planner. A good planner is worth their weight in gold. They know all the good suppliers, can sometimes get you discounts, and will take over as much or a little as you would like. They can do on the day co-ordination too so should anything go awry (such as the catering team running behind schedule, or the band turning up late) they will be the go-to team. After all, you should be enjoying the wedding, not worrying about problems.

SET YOUR BUDGET AND STICK TO IT

Inevitably, your budget will fly out of the window once you start planning the wedding. Who knew catering cost so much? Who knew you had to hire a generator and toilets? So set a realistic budget and stick to it rigidly. If that means you have to forgo the 14 piece string ensemble or the award winning florist, then so be it. You can blow most of your budget on the venue itself, so be prepared to juggle the finances – just don’t get into debt!

HIRE THE BEST

That old adage, you get what you pay for, is pretty much true when it comes to weddings. Great venues are expensive. Great food isn’t cheap. Amazing photographers do not cost £800 for a full day. What you will get in return for a decent investment, is their expertise, their experience, and the knowledge that you don’t have to worry about any of them.

A PROBLEM SHARED

Make sure you and your partner are on the same page when it comes to wedding planning. It’s no good if you have an idea for an outdoor woodland wedding if your other half dreams of a knees up in Italy with a midnight pool party. Go through each plan and each cost together. That way, there’s less room for arguments and no-one will feel left out.

BACK UP BACK UP

Have a back up plan… this is especially important for couples who really want an outdoor wedding. In the UK it rains quite a bit, so make sure that you’ve thought of everything. And when it comes to outfits, if you’re buying thin dainty little bridesmaid dresses in summer despite your wedding being in the depths of winter, remember to make sure your bridesmaids have something to keep them warm such as lovely shrugs, cardigans or faux fur wraps. And yep, don’t forget your umbrella!

DRESS TO IMPRESS

If you want the dress of your dreams, you need to buy in advance. Same with the guys. If you want a bespoke made to measure suit, you need to start thinking about the process up to a year in advance. Wedding gowns pretty much always require some alterations, so make sure you don’t leave it til the last minute if you want the perfect fit.

RSVP

Keep track of your RSVPs – there are always people who don’t remember to RSVP and you will have to chase them. Spreadsheets or  your favourite apps are the way to go to keep on track of who is and who isn’t attending your nuptials.

RELAX

Finally, the most important way to have a stress free wedding, is to remember to relax. It’s just one day. It doesn’t matter if you don’t get the vintage motor, the Jimmy Choos or wear diamond earrings. No-one will know if the flowers on the table aren’t the right shade of pink, or that your cousin was supposed to do a reading during the ceremony… Take a deep breath, smile and remember that soon you will be marrying your best friend and having the best party ever!

For more stress free wedding planning tips, why not book a consultation and we can talk about all your exciting wedding plans. Stress Free wedding photographer, Leeds photography by Shelly Mantovani at Toast of Leeds.  If you’re having a wedding in the future in Leeds or elsewhere in Yorkshire, get in touch by visiting my photography website at www.toastofleeds.co.uk or you can find me on Twitter, Facebook,  Instagram or Pinterest.  I photograph weddings across the UK in tipis, barns, country houses , iconic hotels, Industrial warehouses, town halls and cool city boozers . For more information and to check availability, contact me now.