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Wedding Top Tips
Tudor Barn • Oct 15, 2019
Tudor Barn Elthams Top 10 Wedding Tips
Cover all your wedding planning bases with these top 10 tips you will not want to be without!
1.
Get organised early
In a three-ring binder, compile all your correspondences with venue & suppliers. Make notes during meetings, and include photos from your favourite wedding Pintrest boards as giving a picture to a supplier can make it much easier for them to quote and they will know exactly what you want. Set up a special email address dedicated to your wedding that you and your partner can access to save either of you missing out on vital conversations (unless you have a surprise for one another of course!)
2. Don't be afraid to ask
Your wedding vendors should be your go-to experts during the wedding planning process. When visiting the venue for the first time have a list of questions for the sales team, then when you are walking around make notes - you don't want to agree to one of the biggest purchases of your life without asking all the right questions... there is no wrong questions! Your event manager will be on hand to guide you through the entire planning process, they will advise you on what works and give you ideas on things you may have never even considered. Your venue will work with a variety of suppliers who know the venue inside and out - make contact with them early as they will give you lots of ideas.
3. Take it one step at a time
Put together a wedding planning schedule and do things one by one in a dated order, so you don't take on too much too fast and end up with everything happening all at once. We all know planning a wedding can be overwhelming and even if you are very particular in how you want your day to go - ask for help! Whether it's simply getting everyone's contact details or calling suppliers to check on final touches ask for help. Don't hire any vendors before you've confirmed your date; don't design your cake before you've envisioned your flowers; and don't book a band before you've settled on a venue.
4. Book the registrars
Even before finalising your special venue contact the venues local registrars office just to confirm they have availability on the date and time which you want. Remember this is not included within the price of the venue. Allow between £400-£650 for your registrars fee.
5. Set a budget and stick to it
Your budget will be the deciding factor for many of your wedding-related decisions, so this should be one of the first things you tackle. If any family members will be contributing, chat with them about what they’re comfortable spending. If you’re footing the bill yourself, it’s time to take a hard look at your finances. Once you’ve got that magic number, stick to it! Sit down with your partner and prioritize, if music is the most important thing to you both then see where you would both be willing to spend less and compromise
6. Speak to newly weds
Did you just attend a wedding you really enjoyed? Talk to them! They probably have some expert tips and tricks for you. Sometimes friends and family are the best source and every wedding is unique so don't worry about asking for lots of detail - it's not like you are going to buy the same dress!
7. Read the contracts
Now this may sound boring but it is vital you read every single detail within your contract. Your suppliers will completely understand if you want to take some time and read through everything - don't just sign the dotted line through excitement as you may have missed out something very important. Make sure all the details are correct, and read through important things like payment and cancellation policies before signing. Don’t forget to double check that the date and event times are correct as the last thing you want is to book the wrong day!
8.
DIY
DIY can be cost-effective and can add some nice personal touches to your big day. Just don’t go overboard or you’ll end up with more work than you know what to do with. Feel free to go the DIY route with things that can be done well in advance, like favors, table numbers, etc. Get your wedding party involved I am sure they will have lots of fantastic ideas and you will soon find out who the creative one of the group is!
9. Final Touches
It's a month before your wedding and all of your suppliers are asking when they can drop off to the venue. Check with your venue to find out when suppliers can arrive for set up. The earlier, the better but some venues may have other events going on the same day. Get this information early and review with your suppliers so you aren't overwhelmed the week before your special day.
10. Take some time off
For the sake of your own sanity, make sure you schedule some time for you and your fiancé to be together and do anything but wedding plan. Trust me, you’ll need the break! Consider taking the week before the wedding off work, both to make sure last minute details are completed, and just to chill.
Tudor Barn Eltham
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Whether your wedding was postponed, altered or cancelled completely and moved to another year it has been very tough for couples. The last 18 months have been very difficult for anyone planning a wedding but we want to show you how you can get planning again and more importantly be excited about the entire process. If you have recently got engaged and you are beginning your wedding planning journey or ,maybe you have restarted your wedding planning as you have had to move your date, this blog will give you some great tips and advice on how you can get started. Wedding Insurance We recommend all couples take out wedding insurance but make sure you are reading all the fine print to ensure it covers issues such as COVID-19 as lots of insurers have taken this out of their policies. The "What ifs" Don't be afraid to ask your venue or suppliers what would happen in the worst case scenario, should another lockdown take place on the date of your wedding. Each supplier will have different contingency plans in place but it's always best to ask at the point of booking. Most suppliers have had an awful year and will be so excited to begin your wedding plans so always remember to look for local suppliers as they more than likely know the venue very well. Money Saving Tips Are you an avid baker? Do you know someone who would love to do your floristry or makeup? With millions of people being on furlough we know money has been stretched for so many couples, so why not consider doing a few bits yourself for the wedding. Not only are you saving money but it makes it extra special knowing a friend or family member has a very important role in the wedding which they more than likely wouldn't have had before. Weekday & Short Lead Weddings As wedding venues all over london have had to move hundreds of 2020 weddings to 2021 and beyond you may find key Saturday dates are already taken. If you haven't considered a weekday wedding or a short lead wedding they come with many benefits! You will find venues have discounted dates from October 2021 - March 2022 and midweek weddings are not only cheaper for venues but also suppliers tend to charge less on their off peak days. Take a look at our wedding sale page for more information on last minute deals. After spending so many months locked away your family and friends will be so excited to be able to celebrate with you in style. Don't be afraid to start planning your special day. Love is not cancelled x Photography @JamesMerrick Start planning your beautiful barn wedding in london today
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