The new year brings nervous newly engaged couples and couples who have been engaged for a while and the chime of the bells spurs them on to start planning. Whatever category you fall into, every couple asks the same first question- where do we start? There are tons of wedding pages on Facebook where couples ask this question every day and are instantly inundated with hundreds of replies from suppliers and other brides/grooms and it's very easy to become quickly overwhelmed. As a wedding supplier and 2024 bride, I'd like to share with you my own guidance for wedding planning. Please note this is only based on my own experiences and I'm not a wedding planning expert but it is a stressful process I can empathise with and if my experience helps a couple through their own process then I'm delighted.
First Steps
The first thing you need to do as a couple is discuss what sort of wedding you'd like and a realistic budget. If you have the budget to justify it and are planning a bigger wedding or an elopement you may want to consider looking at a professional wedding planner. These experts all offer various services from venue and supplier sourcing to full planning and coordination throughout your process. If you don't have that luxury though or want to plan what you can on your own...research and make lists.
There are so many options available, but I will cater this guidance to a couple who choose to have a wedding at home in Scotland.
Firstly, you need a date and a venue. Research what type of venue you'd like, in Scotland you have the luxury that you can literally marry anywhere with the land owner's permission and someone registered to marry you legally. From the wilds of nature to traditional castles, you can do it all in Scotland.
Start by making a list of what you'd like from your wedding, costs vary drastically so don't make the mistake of searching "what do weddings cost" as it absolutely won't help you, the sky is the limit with weddings and you need to be realistic. Start visiting venues you like the look of and ticking off your requirements. A venue that looks perfect on paper may not fit your vision in reality. Once you find your vibe, look at venues similar to your favourites. Keep in mind that peak time for weddings is May-September and weekend dates during these months will be the most expensive and will book up first. Midweek weddings are becoming increasingly popular and a July wedding in Scotland doesn't guarantee no rain.
If you have a set date in mind, a date that's important to you, keep in mind this will also limit your search.
Some budget friendly alternatives:
Twilight weddings- You have your wedding ceremony later in the evening and go straight into your reception and cut out the sit down meal and all day part of the wedding, thus cutting costs.
Alternative venues- Don't become disheartened looking at boujee hotels and fancy castles if your budget doesn't allow for it, suppliers like us are experts in making any setting look beautiful. Town halls, community centres, bowling/social clubs all make great alternatives and put your budget into making it look beautiful and putting on a good spread!
Venue Booked - What Next?
Once you're settled on your date and venue you'll need someone to marry you! There are registrars and celebrants. Registrars are generally council appointed and will be allocated to you when you register to marry within the council area you're marrying in (you'll find more info on the government website). Registrars generally focus more on the legalities and the formal process. If you would like a more personalised ceremony and someone to tell your story...you'll need a celebrant. They will tell your story exactly how you want it and some will add a humorous and more informal approach. Not every celebrant is registered to legally marry you, some will put your ceremony together for you and you'll still require a registrar to "legally marry" you. Celebrants who can legally marry you are generally attached to a registered body such as Humanist organisations. This is the most personal part of your wedding so it's not for me or anyone to tell you which option to choose, do your research and find what works best for you and who you connect with. All options have varying costs and you'll have your registration fee for you marriage licence as well.
Supplier Sourcing
When it comes to supplier sourcing, as with everything else, my best advice would be "You do you". Naturally, I'm going to tell you that your décor supplier is the next most important step but every couple prioritises their needs differently. For me as a bride, my next stage was my photographer & videographer. Aside from your celebrant, these are the single most important suppliers for your day in my opinion. Your photos and videos are your memories, they're all you have left once the big day is done and you can't underestimate how important that is. Trust me "it's the quickest day of your life" is not just a thing people say, it really is! It will go by so fast you won't remember certain elements until you see your photos and video and get to live it all over again. It's absolutely precious. There are so many different options for photo and video and it's not my area of expertise to guide you on this. I chose my own photographer, the wonderful Aberdeen based Dani Rose Photography, as I loved her more candid and natural approach and when we spoke I felt like we could be best friends (and we are actually still friends!) Find suppliers you vibe with as it makes for a great wedding day! I was a little more undecided on hiring a videographer. Like many people, I wasn't sure I'd be bothered about watching ourselves back or how often would we actually watch it. Someone told me they had watched their wedding video for the first time in about 15-20 years and seeing loved ones they'd since lost and hearing their voices was incredible and that sold it for me!
After photo and video, make lists of what else you'd like to include. What "on the day" suppliers you need- Hair, MUA, Décor, florist, cake, Entertainment, Transport etc and all your other suppliers- Stationary for invitations and save the dates, Dress, Suits, Accessories etc. Keep in mind a made to measure or new designer gown may take up to 6 months at peak times.
Use magazines such as Tie the Knot Scotland and Your Scottish Wedding and online directories for help with what suppliers you need, visit wedding exhibitions and PRIORITISE if you have to.
Wedding Décor- How To Choose?
For décor/venue styling, of course I'm biased towards it's importance. We play a huge role in your day and we generally go unseen as we're there to set up before anyone arrives and we're behind the scenes throughout. If you want a show stopping aisle or impactful centrepieces, we're the supplier that makes it happen. You may decide you want everything done with fresh florals, in which case you'll need a florist who also specialises in fresh floral venue décor. If you do opt for artificial though, how do you decide? For us personally, we work with our couples on a more one to one basis and we like to get to know you and you us so you have the peace of mind knowing you're in safe hands. Not every couple will like our style or feel they connect with us and that's absolutely fine, I always encourage couples to shop around and that applies to everything. Never feel pressured into booking a supplier but if you find ones you love and connect with, lock them in! We choose not to work with set packages as we find our clients and enquiries are all varied and require different things and we have bookings for a broad spectrum of venues so it's not a "one size fits all" option for us. We'll have consultations with you through the process and we'll style your day as you want it and to suit your venue. Even the most incredible venues can be enhanced with properly styled décor to suit the setting, we take an already beautiful scene and make it unique to your special day. We make your wedding truly yours.
What Shouldn't We Waste Money On?
This is another daily question I see asked on the wedding forums and there's no real answer to this. My opinion on this is that it's not for anyone else to tell you how to spend your budget or what to have and not to have at a wedding as everyone puts a different value on things. Did I have things at my wedding that may have been "unnecessary"? Yes I did. If I did it again would I leave them out? Probably not. It was what I wanted and that makes it perfect. If you're entering into your wedding planning process already regretting spending money then you're only setting yourself up for disappointment I'm afraid. Don't spend money you don't have on things that ultimately aren't important... but if you want them and you have the means to, you do it! Find what works for you both as a couple and go with that and most importantly, try to enjoy the process as it will all be over before you know it. You'll have to be prepared to make comprom
ises. Plenty couples are happy having a simplistic wedding ceremony and an intimate meal, others want the to hire a country manor in the middle of nowhere for a weekend long party and go all out. Both are just as beautiful and valuable in their own way, you make your own story and do what works for you.
Let us know in the comments if you found this insightful!
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