Advice From the Married Side – Real Brides Advice From Their Wedding Day

This afternoon it’s time again to dish out a healthy dose of wedding planning advice in our monthly ‘Advice from the Married Side’ feature. I have so many amazing real weddings on the blog and for each one I feature I ask the couple a number of questions, one of these questions being advice for other couples. Sometimes the answers get lost amongst the pretty pictures, so each month I bring you a selection of these brides (and grooms) words of wisdom! I hope there will be something amongst these experiences that help you while planning your own wedding……….Happy Planning!

Photo by  Cotton Candy – Full wedding HERE

Getting Organised

• Having a theme throughout the wedding from the very beginning when you send out Save the Dates is really worth the time. A theme really gives everything more affect and meaning.
• Learn to delegate and use people for their skills, towards the end I started to feel slightly over-whelmed by doing everything myself and couldn’t have done it without support from everyone that chipped in to help.
• Make a spreadsheet of costs! And don’t decide on everything right at the start unless you’ve thought hard about it, things pop up you wouldn’t have thought about and lots of sitting down and brainstorming or just general chatting it through with each other will lessen this and save a bit of stress later on when you have no budget left.
• Keep it real and don’t get too carried away with the spending. You’ll be amazed at what you can do yourselves and it’s quite good fun too!

Photo by Tux and Tales – Full wedding HERE

General Advice

• I read loads of blogs on ‘real weddings’ to see what worked and didn’t work and to see what I really liked.
• Choose suppliers you feel entirely comfortable with and are on the same wavelength as, it really helps step back and trust them to do their jobs that you have chosen them for-choose wisely and follow your gut instinct!
• Invest in a good dance floor!
• Be true to who you are and the things you do/don’t like, don’t ever feel like you are in competition with other couples
• Don’t worry about the small details. All your guests want is alcohol, a dance floor and some good music really! And to see you both happy.
• I stuck with local and independent suppliers on the whole, this not only helps small businesses; it was also handy for popping to see them for last minute appointments.
• Not to drink too much alcohol so you can enjoy and remember everything. I stuck to Prosecco and made sure I had plenty of water
• most of all remember to enjoy it – don’t forget that the day should be about you and your partner

Photo by  Matt Parry Photography – Full wedding HERE

Planning

• give yourself time to plan- planning is half of the fun and if you can take your time it will be much less stressful
• Make sure both parties are fully involved in planning and decisions. Having Jock be a big part of it was great, not just in terms of sharing the load, but it made it truly OUR day – not just mine.
• When planning your wedding always remember why you’re getting married, and talk to each other about different things other than the wedding. Enjoy planning it, and let it be a representation of you both.
• Don’t try and do it in leas than six months, because it will most likely drive you to insanity and back
• Work together and try to enjoy the process of planning
• Just go with your gut instinct and don’t do things just because you think you have to, there are no rules.
• Accept that something will go wrong! Whether it is big or small, you need to remember that in the grand scheme of things, there will be some kind of solution, and realise that really all that matters is that you’re marrying the one person you couldn’t imagine being without, and really, all the rest is an added bonus!

Photo By Debs Ivelja – Full wedding HERE 

On The day

• As for the day itself, relax and make sure you take time to take a step back and take it all in!
• Be organised before the day but as soon as it comes to the day let it just flow and happen, nobody will know or care, and neither should you if the time plan is running 15 mins behind.
• Just enjoy every single moment because the day goes way too quick.
• rief your wedding party on the plan for the day, so they know what they need to help with. You will have the best day, no one will concern you with any queries on the day, so don’t worry about anything.
• Not to stress about the little things that you hadn’t had chance to do, on the day those things will seem insignificant!
• We took 15 minutes in the middle of the evening to escape to our hotel room and have a glass of champagne and catch up- it is surprising how little time you actually spend together on the day!
• Savour every second of the day. Everybody says that the day goes so quickly and it really does. Remember to enjoy the day and not worry too much about what everyone else is doing – everyone else will just be happy to see you having a good time.
• For the day itself – really try and get some time just the two of you, so many people had told us this but I didn’t really get it until after the day. It goes so fast, we had a couple of moments by chance and they are now very special memories

Photo by Claire Penn Photography – Full wedding HERE 

Making the Day Personal to You

• Be true to yourself. Remember a wedding day isn’t about how much money you spend or family politics, it’s about celebrating the love you have for each other. Keep to that true and you cannot go wrong
• Just keep in mind what is important for you as couple and don’t be swayed too far by other people’s opinions.
• Focus on what’s important to you, don’t get wrapped up thinking that you must do this, or do that. Do it your way and in a way that means you can both enjoy it.
• Don’t spend too long stressing or choosing the small stuff, keep the details personal to you

Photo by York Place Studios  – Full wedding HERE 

I hope you found these pieces of advice helpful. If you are already married is there anything you would like to add ? Was there anything in these words of wisdom that has resonated with you?

Is there something you would particularly like to ask me  for advice? any questions just email me [email protected]