By Georgina Clatworthy

Planning a wedding is never an easy task even for the most organized bride, and whether you are have a large traditional wedding or something small and intimate, it pays to stay on top of your plans and keep control of your budget.  The following wedding planning tips should help you to achieve your perfect wedding day, overcome any problems and ensure all runs smoothly on the day!

Lists, lists and more lists!

Lists will become your new best friend! Every thing will revolve some kind of list whether it is for shopping or a planning checklist.  By writing lists for every element of your wedding day, large or small, you can make sure you leave nothing out.

Knowing what you want

It may sound obvious but this is one of the best tips I can give you.  So many brides do not know what they want and become side tracked by details they see in magazines or online.  Try to keep a clear focus on what your wedding day means to you both and how you want it to look.  Remember it should say everything about you as couple and not be a direct replica of the latest celebrity wedding!

Contingencies

Something will go wrong, it always does and whether it is a major or a minor crisis it is a good idea to have a contingency plan up your sleeve.  Pick out two suppliers/vendors/service providers for everything, from catering to flowers, just in case someone lets you down.  Pick out alternative choices for details such as wedding favors, flowers and entertainment too.

Check and double check

This is one of those tips that always seems to go unnoticed until it is too late! Double checking all your bookings, particularly in the final weeks leading up to the wedding is vitally important.  Don’t worry about annoying them with endless phone calls to check they have the right date, time or location etc, as long as you are satisfied that they will be there when required.

Go back through your wedding planning lists too and check that you have ticked off everything and that you have everything in place that should be in place at that point in your planning.  Try to do this at regular intervals, say every three months initially, moving to every week as you get closer to the day. 

Don’t leave it till the last minute

The most important of all wedding planning tips! Leave booking your photographer, catering or transport until the final week then you risk disaster.  Weddings can be planned and successfully pulled off in a relatively short space of time, but even then compromises have to be made on who is booked and for what.

 By Georgina Clatworthy

Here are our top tips for getting luxe for less:

1. Negotiate: When visiting wedding vendors such as venues, photographers & florists, be bold (or cheeky) & ask for a discount or some freebies.  You may be surprised at what you can get just by asking.  Remember the wedding industry is very competitive & in these difficult times vendors will negotiate with you to secure your booking.  For instance, if you want to book a hotel for your wedding, ask about getting a reduced rate if you book the accommodation for your guests there as well.
2. Simple is best: Avoid going overboard on the details & you will save dollars!  Consider which details are more important to you & those that you could happily compromise on.  One area is you flowers.  Choosing an elaborate shower bouquet will cost significantly more than a chic hand tied posy; choose buttonholes for the wedding party only & use flowers which are locally grown & in season, exotic blooms that have to flown in will cost you.
3. Perfect timing: The earlier you book the better.  Booking vendors well in advance of your wedding date means you are more likely to get a significant discount & a good chance of avoiding rate rises which may be applied for the following year.  Also consider the date of your wedding carefully.  Booking a date out of season (May – September) or on a weekday can cost you less than a date in the popular months & on popular days, such as Saturday or holidays such as Valentines.
4. Less guests is best: A popular trend this year is for small intimate weddings.  Consider that the more people you invite the more it will cost.  Trim your guest list down as much as possible to those people who are most important to you.  Also think about all those ‘plus ones’ who are likely to be people you have never met before – do you really want to pay for people you don’t know?
5. Ask a favor: Don’t forget about friends & family.  You maybe surprised at how much they can help you out.  Perhaps mom can make your wedding dress or your wedding cake.  Maybe one of your friends has a luxury car or a sports car that they would be willing to lend you for your wedding transport.  It doesn’t matter how little they contribute, it all adds up in the end!
6. Hit the sales: Stay one step ahead & hit the annual sales for things like stationery, accessories & wedding favors.  You may even find your wedding gifts for the wedding party.  Many stores will have sales throughout the year, but also remember the big sales in the New Year & end of season in the summer.  These are also a good opportunity for you to buy your wedding dress & bridesmaid dresses at a reduced price.

 By Georgina Clatworthy

Flowers are an integral part of a wedding & can account for a large portion of your budget.  Here is a shopping list for all your floral requirements for your wedding.

Ceremony Arrangements – If your venue isn’t already decorated with flower arrangements then you might want to look at adding some.  Typical arrangements for a religious service include:

• Large floral arrangements on stands for the entrance
• Large floral arrangements on stands for either side of the altar
• Door or archway garland
• Pew ends
• Altar arrangement

If you are having a civil ceremony either indoors or outdoors then here are some additional arrangements to consider:

• Arbor
• Gazebo
• Top of the aisle

Reception Flowers – You may want to think about transporting your flowers from your ceremony to your reception venue, although this is easier said than done!  Flowers for your reception include:

• Large standing arrangements
• Table centers
• Top table arrangements
• Floral garlands for decoration
• Cake table flowers
• Guestbook/gift table flowers

For these last two many brides choose to use their bridesmaids bouquets instead.

Buttonholes – Also known as boutonnières.  These are the small single flowers worn by the wedding party & any other guests on there lapels or in their buttonholes.  Usually they are a flower which is included in the bride’s bouquet along with a piece of foliage.  The design of these is entirely up to you, although the grooms buttonhole should match the bride’s bouquet.

Corsages - These are floral wristbands or pins given to female guests.

Bouquets - Work closely with your florist to design the perfect bouquet for you in accordance with your wedding style & your wedding dress.  Bouquets you will need to order include:

• Yours
• Bridesmaids bouquets, posy’s or pomanders
• Flower girls posy or pomander or basket

You might also want to order an additional bouquet for you to toss at the reception, particularly if you want to keep yours.

Additional Flowers – You might also want to order additional arrangements to give to your mother & mother-in-law as gifts.  You may want floral arrangements for your hair, your bridesmaids hair or a floral circlet for your flowergirl. You might also want small arrangements for your wedding car.  If you are hiring a car then they may add some flowers as part of the hire package, but if you are using a personal car then you may want to add some flowers to the back parcel shelf & maybe to the front of the car too.  Some brides like to decorate their wedding cakes with fresh flowers rather sugar ones.  Ask your florist to make up some small arrangements to go on top of the cake & to decorate each tier.

 By Georgina Clatworthy

Wedding planning is an overwhelming experience.  One minute you are high on emotion the next your are tearing your hair out because the caterers you so badly wanted are fully booked or that dream dress is not available anywhere.

Little wonder then that many brides will seek solace & advice from wedding planning books.  For some these books can become their wedding bibles! Never far from view, with marked pages, scribbled notes on sticky pads & lots of loose cuttings falling from every page.  For others they are nothing more than a reference in times of need, nevertheless, a valuable one at that.

The following is a list of the top 5 wedding planning books according to Amazon.

1. The Step-by-Step Guide to Planning Your Own Wedding by Linda Wright

Synopsis
A self-help wedding planner with countdown calendar, step-by-step action plans and a comprehensive checklist section.
 
2.  Wedding Planning for Dummies by Marcy Blum & Laura F. Kaiser

Synopsis

Wedding Planning For Dummies, 2^nd Edition demystifies and simplifies all the details that go into the Big Day, providing inspiration and innovative ideas to personalize your wedding celebration and, of course, make it fun for everyone-especially you! This one-stop guide is all you need to:

• Design a comprehensive schedule for a snag-free wedding day
• Keep track of expenses with a wedding budget
• Negotiate contracts and surf online for deals
• Get those pesky financial technicalities out of the way
• Plan a weekend wedding, a themed wedding, and other celebrations
• Select a suitable wedding party
• Plan for various customs and rites
• Get the decorative effect you want
• Throw a great reception with music, food, drink, and cake!
• Handle gifts, registries, rings, photos, and the honeymoon

Packed with tips for saving money and common kitsch you should avoid, this is the ultimate guide to satisfying everyone on the Big Day. You’ll discover the confidence you need to make the wedding of your dreams come true with Wedding Planning For Dummies, 2^nd Edition!

3. Planning Your Wedding: A Step-by-step Guide That Will Take You Right Through to the Big Day By Judith Verity

Synopsis

An up-to-date guide to wedding planning, providing advice on what’s traditional, what your options are, how to manage tricky social situations, how to plan the wedding your way, stay inside your budget and cut down on stress.

4. Planning a Wedding Reception at Home by Carol Godsmark

Synopsis

With this book you’ll be able to event manage the day yourself so that all the details are covered and everything runs smoothly with the minimum of stress. Alongside all the more general advice and tips you’ll find information on:  Preparing a budget and getting quotations for the marquee or village hall.  Choosing the menu, including a selection of sample menus. If you’re cooking yourself, how to prepare and shop for the chosen menus. Buying alcohol, planning the bar and finding staff to man it.  How to hire equipment and gauge quantities of plates, cutlery, serving dishes, and tablecloths. How to find good staff and instruct them on their duties. Organising the music and ensuring sufficient electrical power.  Planning the big tidy up afterwards!

5. Easy Wedding Planning Plus, 5th Edition: The Most Comprehensive and Easy to Use Wedding Planner by Elizabeth Lluch

Synopsis not available.

 By Georgina Clatworthy

With cost cutting become a come factor in many weddings these days, it will come as no surprise that many couples are turning to their friends to help them out with certain elements of their special day.  But is this a wise decision? & can you always rely on your friends not to let you down when it matters the most?

Imagine asking a close friend to take your wedding photographs for you.  Perhaps they had taken a photography course or just had a natural talent for it.  You feel confident that they will produce some amazing pictures for you & when they gladly accept you are pleased to have saved such a huge chunk of your wedding budget.  But on the day itself, they had left their camera at home by mistake or left it back in the hotel which is over an hours drive away there & back.  Then end result, you are let down & those amazing pictures never happen.

For many couples there will come a point during the wedding planning when reality begins to bite & they realize that their budget just won’t stretch as far as they like.  Well meaning friends will often try to come to the rescue & will offer their services for free or for a lower price that a professional will charge.  What they need to ask themselves is if they can rely on them to deliver & are they completely sure that they are upto the task.

If a friend offers to step into the breach in order to save you money, then here are a few questions you will need to ask yourselves before agreeing.

Are they reliable? How organized are they? Are they always late, do they keep to their word or do they come up with some excuse at the last minute?  You need to be completely sure that you can rely on them & that they will not leave you in the lurch at the last minute.

Communication?  Will they listen to what you want?  Will they follow your instructions & carry them out to the letter?  Will they keep you updated on how things are progressing?  An important aspect of a wedding is that is it done in accordance with the bride & grooms wishes.  It is their day after all & so they should have what they want.  Will your friend stay true to your wishes or do things their own way?

Can you trust them to make decisions without you? This may seem contrary to what is above, but there may well be occasions when they will have to make a decision without your input, in which case can you trust them to make the right one?

What if something goes wrong? Now mishaps can happen, they can happen to professionals just as easily as they can happen to you, but it what happens next that is the key question here.  Imagine trusting your friend to make your wedding cake, they have made occasion cakes before so you are confident with their abilities to produce something stunning for you.  But the goes horribly wrong, it’s burnt to a cinder or they dropped it on the way to the car!  What will you do should something go awry?  Whilst it is tempting to save money on the most expensive elements of your wedding day I would advise hiring a professional for the most important parts.

Are they worth the saving? Ask yourself if it is worth it? Will you actually save that much against the price of a professional? Asking your friends to do things for you could result more stress for you, so it really has to be a massive saving to make it worthwhile.

Could your friendship survive if something went wrong?  Hiring a close friend who then lets you down could result in a difficult relationship from that point on.  Ask yourself if you are willing to risk your friendship for the sake of a few wedding favors or if your think your friendship is string enough to survive?

It maybe inevitable that you will have to cut costs somewhere, but unless your friends are professionals in a certain field that will be of use to you, I would stay away from hiring them for something as important as your wedding.  Whilst you will probably increase your stress over whether of not they are doing the job to your requirements, they are probably fretting over doing it well enough to be of justice to your friendship.  My advice would be to hire professionals for the most important elements of your wedding & keep your friends in the ‘loop’ with the lesser parts such as wedidng favors, table centers & stationery.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Weddings do not have to be large, expensive & grand affairs, indeed in the current economic climate a smaller, less expensive wedding is becoming a more popular, if not necessary, choice amongst couples.

As you might imagine wedding planning for a small wedding is not difficult & should be a whole lot easier than planning for a larger wedding.  But as with all things wedding related, it is best to be prepared & seek plenty of advice to help you along.

If you are seeking a small, intimate wedding here are five easy tips to help you glide through it with ease & be refreshed, relaxed & stress free by the time the big day arrives.

• 1. Designate a Planner – Although you don’t need to hire a professional wedding planner to help with a small wedding (unless you are really short of time), it can be beneficial to ask someone close to you to act as a planner & who can help you keep track of all the arrangements, the budget & help with ideas & decision making. Think about asking your maid of honor, your mother or mother-in-law to help out.
• 2. The Guest List - A small wedding calls for a small guest list – naturally! So this can be a tricky quest – who do you invite? First consider the maximum number of people you can a) afford to invite & b) fit into the venue(s). Prioritize those people who are the most important to you & then make up the numbers with other people who are close to you. It can be an idea to create an A list & a B list, then if some from the A list can’t make it you can ask people from the B list to make up the numbers.
• 3. The Venue - For a small wedding you should choose a venue that is not too big but which will comfortably accommodate your guests. An enormous cathedral for instance would seem very empty with only fifty guests inside, whereas a small chapel would feel more intimate.
• 4. The Invitations - Your wedding invitations are the first glimpses your guests will have at the style of wedding you are inviting them too. So for a small wedding it is important to convey the point that you are having a small, intimate wedding. With a small number of guests you could easily make each invitation exclusive to each guest – as if you had personally written them.
• 5. The Reception - Finally you should think about your wedding reception venue. If your budget is tight then consider using your own home or garden or those of your parents or close family. A marquee set up in a garden or grounds of a park or estate can be a cost effective solution & will give you greater creative freedom over hiring a vast hall or ballroom. Really it will come down to personal choice but you should consider the points made in tip no.3 about the ceremony venue, that hiring a vast space would feel very empty with only a few guests inside. For a great atmosphere choose somewhere small & intimate, but which can comfortably accommodate you all.

A small, intimate wedding needn’t be difficult to plan & can provide you with a greater freedom of choice over a larger wedding.  A smaller wedding can open up ideas that may not have previously been possible for a large, formal wedding & so give you greater creative freedom, allowing you to plan the perfect wedding with a perfect atmosphere.  At the end of the day weddings are about sharing something special with friends & family & what better way is there to do this than with a small, intimate affair, surrounded by your loved ones?

 By Georgina Clatworthy

Weddings are a time for families to come together & for family feuds & differences to be resolved or at the very least put to one side for the day.  But often family issues are not that easily remedied, so what can you do.

Below is a typical family feud scenario & three options for you to consider when it comes to finding the perfect solution for all concerned.

The Dilemma:

My Fiancé’s family will not stop feauding!  My husband to be has not spoken with his brother for over 5 years & we were hoping that by inviting him & his wife to the wedding, their differences would be resolved.  He says he is thinking about it, but now my fiancé’s sister says that if he does come then she won’t!  How can we solve this for the benefit of everyone?

Option 1 – The soft option

You Play Peacekeeper

If possible talk to them individually, preferably face to face.  Ask what the issues are & if you can help them with them.  However, bear in mind that the more chance you give them to put forward their grievances, the more control they will have over your wedding.

There is also the risk of becoming too involved in other people’s problems & over stepping the boundaries. If you choose to sort out the rift yourself you must be realistic & expect difficulties; it can be impossible to get people to get along by a certain date or for a special occasion & can often be fraught with problems.

Option 2 – The Hard Line

You stick to your decision

The sister has made this feud theirs as well by some sense of misplaced loyalty to your fiancé.  In effect, by not backing down, they are un-inviting themselves.  You should also be asking why the brother is only thinking about coming, are they using the wedding as some sort of bargaining tool or is there another reason?  Be firm & point out to all concerned that you do not want your wedding day spoiled by ultimatums issued by other people.

Sadly, in this scenario there is unlikely to be a happy ending so it is best to focus on plans that will make the two of you happy.  This will avoid feelings of regret & sacrifice later on.  Accept that you are powerless to resolve this situation & you will be all set for a much happier wedding day

In other words, save the emotional energy for better things!

Option 3 – The Compromise

You keep them apart

Splitting them up may be the only way here.  Suggest the one comes to the ceremony & leaves after the wedding breakfast & the other comes to the evening party only.  It will help to reinforce the message that you love them both & that their feud is not going to over shadow your wedding.  This may even have the effect of making them both realize the position they are putting you in.

Talk to each of them & listen to what they say without passing any kind of judgment.  Try to get them to see things from your point of view but without including the person they are feuding with.  Letting them see that you are struggling to include everyone you love may make them reconsider their position & they may just work with you to find a compromise.

 By Georgina Clatworthy

If you have had enough of other people telling what you should be doing & what you should be having on your wedding day, then take this short quiz to find out how assertive you will need to be to get the wedding that YOU want!

1. Your parents want to pay for the wedding reception but you prefer that they don’t.  Do you:

A. Accept it graciously after all they have been waiting for this day since you were born. Secretly though you will try to keep the costs down.

B. Tell them that you would prefer to pay for it yourselves as you don’t want to have to explain how you are spending the budget.

C. Offer a compromise & ask them if they would rather pay for the flowers instead as they will be a fixed cost & will avoid any nasty surprises.

2. You want your bridesmaids to wear a particular style of dress & shoes but they don’t. Do you:

A. Allow yourself to be overruled after all it is 3 against 1! They are helping you out loads so you agree to let them choose the style of dress & shoes they want.

B. Put your foot & explain that as you are paying for the outfits you would prefer things your way.

C. Compromise – they choose the dresses & you choose the shoes.

3. You have chosen a posh buffet for your wedding breakfast but you mother-in-law questions your decision. Do you:

A. Alter your plans. If she doesn’t like it then other family members might feel the same way.  Besides you were concerned about long queues of people anyway.

B. Stick with it.  If she disagrees then it’s probably a good choice!  Teach her a lesson & book a second one the evening do as well!

C. Give in & agree to a sit down meal, but give each guest a selection of dishes to choose from for each course.

4. Your Vicar is not keen on your choices of modern songs for the ceremony.  Do you:

A. Bow to his demands & instead play your songs at the cocktail hour.

B. Put forward the view that these songs have particular meaning to you both & it’s not like they are inappropriate!

C. Compromise to playing just a couple of songs whilst you sign the register.

5. Your Fiancé’s choose of best man is someone whom you revile.  Do you:

A. Accept his choice – after all he isn’t telling you who your bridesmaids can be.

B. Explain your feelings & hope that he puts them before his friendship.

C. Make some innocent suggestions as to why he wouldn’t be suitable i.e. ‘can you trust him not to loose the wedding rings?’

6. You are being put under pressure to invite some people whom you have never met or even heard before today.  Do you:

A. Give in & invite them, it isn’t worth arguing over.

B. Put forward that you have other people who are more important to you to invite & who would miss out if you invited these other people.

C. Send them an evening invite, but post it at the last minute.  With any luck they won’t want to come anyway!

The Results

Mostly A’s… Your big heart could be to your downfall at times.  If keeping other people happy, keeps you happy then by all means continue.  But if you find yourself giving in to everyone’s demands just to keep them happy you will end up with a messy wedding that will please no-one, least of you.

Mostly B’s… Now you know exactly what you want but unfortunately all that determination can hurt the feelings of others.  Try to take the time to listen to other people’s suggestions – you never you might just like what you hear.

Mostly C’s… Top of the class – you are a master at wedding diplomacy.  Just be careful that you are not too subtle when turning down suggestions, some people need it spelling out to them.  Remember that if you stand firm with your decisions in the right way, you shouldn’t upset anyone.

 By Georgina Clatworthy

When you first begin, wedding planning can seem like mission impossible, especially if you want the big, traditional wedding.  So have you ever wondered how it is that some brides just seem to be ultra-organized, able to juggle a million & one tasks & still pull off the wedding of the year?

If you are still trying to find your way around a maze of venues, flowers & wedding favors then here are few secrets to help make your wedding a breeze from here on in. 

Sssshhh – don’t let on we told you though!

First Things First

From the moment you got engaged you have probably been desperate to get to the bridal store & find ‘the one’.  But just hold your horses – before you head off looking at dresses & sampling wedding cakes, there are four key decisions that have to be made first:

1. Budget: You can’t achieve anything without knowing how much you can spend.  Work out who is paying for the wedding & if it involves people other than yourselves, decide on who pays for what & how much they will contribute.
2. Guest List: Knowing how many people you are potentially going to be catering for is vital to choosing your wedding venues.  Keep in mind though that you may well have to trim down your first guest list & remember that for each additional guest, there is additional cost.
3. Date: Think about the time of year you would like to be married in.  Summer weddings are the most popular, because of the probability of fine weather, but autumn & winter weddings can be just as magical.  Try to avoid dates which may be more expensive such as Valentines Day or Mother’s Day, as venues will already be planning other events on these dates & you will probably find other items such as flowers, more expensive too.
4. Venue: Think about the type of ceremony you want – religious or civil.  If you marry in a church or register office try to find one that is less than 30 minutes from your reception venue to cut down on traveling costs.

Staying Calm & Focused

This is easier said than done, but there are a few handy tips that help.  Try to plan your time, from now until your wedding, in the most effective way.  Make out a list of jobs that have to be done each month & then each week as the day gets nearer.  Make sure you don’t miss anything out & so avoid any last minute panics.

It is vital to book your major suppliers early, as the best will be booked up quickly.  This includes you photographer, florist & entertainment.

Hiring a wedding planner can save you time & money.  They will also be able to bring fresh ideas to the table & can advise on the best courses of action in the run upto to the big day.  Wedding planners will have good contacts with vendors & suppliers & as such can negotiate discounts, deals or packages that would otherwise be unavailable to you.

Managing your budget is crucial to the success of your wedding.  If you over spend in one area then you must cut back in another.  Open up a separate bank account to hold you wedding budget so that it doesn’t get mixed up with your everyday living expenses & you will be able to keep track of what is spent where & when more effectively.

Weddings are all about families, so it is vital to maintain harmonious relationships with everyone who is close to you.  If they want to be involved in the preparations & the likelihood is they will, then find them something to do.  It could be making up the wedding favors, up dating the wedding website or managing the guest list.  If your parents are contributing financially to the wedding costs then you should allow them to invite some guests of their own too.

Spreadsheets will become your new best friend! Set some up to keep track of RSVP’s, the gift list & your expenses.  Also set one up with all of your guests names, addresses & contact details on to aid you with your thank you notes after the wedding.  It will also be useful should there be any last minute changes that you will need to inform them about.

Investigate your suppliers carefully.  Ask around friends & family for recommendations & carry out some investigative work online.  Get detailed quotes & a contract once you hire them.  Having everything in writing will help you later should something go wrong.

Considering what is important to you both will help you to prioritize those elements of your wedding & as a result help you get the most from your wedding budget.

Weddings can bring out the best & the worst in people & you will no doubt be no exception.  You are sure to disagree on some points with those close to you but it is important not to let emotion rule the day & be able to stay cool & calm.

By Georgina Clatworthy

When it comes to wedding planning is useful to have some idea of the style of wedding you want, particularly when it comes to organizing the wedding reception & all of those finishing touches such as the decorations, flowers, cake & wedding favors.

Here are a few tips to help you plan your way to that dream wedding reception:

Ground Rules

• Set a budget!
• When meeting with suppliers ask to see examples of their recent work
• Get detailed quotes
• Make sure your contracts are specific right down to the brand names of drinks you want served
• Expect to have pay around a 50% deposit up front
• Find local suppliers
• Call suppliers one to two weeks before to confirm bookings & details

Venue Checklist

• Is your chosen date available?
• Is it big enough for all your guests?
• How far is it from your ceremony venue?
• It is within your budget?
• Can they offer in-house catering with menus that appeal to you?
• Are there any other bookings on the same day?
• Can you move the furniture around?
• Is there accommodation available for you guests & if so can you get a discounted rate?
• Can you set up a marquee/live band/fireworks/candles?
• Can you have a later bar?
• Is the quoted price inclusive of taxes & services charges?

Wedding Cake

• Choose a simple white cake for a traditional wedding & fun cakes such as cupcakes for a more relaxed occasion
• Fruit cake is not to everyone’s taste so try to have different flavors on each tier
• Traditionally the cake is cut after the toasts & can be served as dessert or with coffee

Flowers

• Make sure your flowers reflect your wedding theme
• Be sure to follow your florist’s advice wherever possible
• Ceremony flowers will include yours & your bridesmaids bouquets, buttonholes, corsages & arrangements
• For your reception you will need table centers & larger displays

Catering

• Ask your caterer about mix & match options within their menus
• Ask what is included in the service. Some firms will supply table linens, crockery & cutlery, whilst others expect the venue to supply these
• Can they provide alcohol or would it be cheaper to buy in bulk from another source. Will they charge corkage fees if you provide your own drinks?

Entertainment

• Choose entertainment that will set the tone for your reception & evening party
• Try to cater to all tastes & avoid picking anything too extreme
• Live bands can encompass many styles of music but if you want continuous music then you will also need a DJ to fill in when the band take a break
• Consider other forms of entertainment such as magicians & jugglers
• Save money by supplying your own playlist in the form of a CD or iPod

Photography

• Check your photographers recent work either through their website or ask to see a portfolio
• Think carefully about the style of photographs you want. Reportage photos have a relaxed feel, whilst a traditional style features formal line-ups
• If you want particular shots taking write your photographer a detailed list
• Remember that a photographers fee will depend on how long you want them for, the number of shots, the album you choose plus any extra prints
• Your photographer will retain the copyright to your wedding photos so budget for re-prints