All posts by Catherine Starling

Our top 12 wedding planning tips

Our top 12 wedding planning tips

Top 12 wedding tips

12: When arranging the seating plan try not mix guests up, seat friends and family together, there is nothing better than seeing your guests chatting and enjoying themselves. Alternatively use quizzes or ice breakers to get everyone chatting if they do not know each other.

11: Don’t forget to include yourselves in the head count; you will be surprised by how many couples go two guests over.

10: Use excel spreadsheets for budget lists and guest lists, it helps keep track of numbers accurately.

9: Focus on booking your venue(s) first and once your date is agreed then your caterer and photographer.

8: Put together a rough seating plan and then make changes as your RSVP’s come in. Don’t wait until they are all received. This can be a work in progress and one of the most challenging aspects of planning your big day.

7: When attending wedding fairs don’t get overwhelmed; just enjoy the event and organise all literature once you get home.

6: Start your dress shopping early so there is plenty of time for alterations.

5: Choose your wedding attendants carefully, those who know you the best, who are calm, and good under pressure.

4: If you are having a civil ceremony you must register your notice to marry no later than 28 days prior to your big day. For more information go to: www.suffolk.gov.uk/births-deaths-and-ceremonies

3: Walk slowly down the aisle, take a breath, take a moment with whoever is walking with you, walk in time to your chosen music, pick guests out, keep your head up and smile, because you won’t get that moment back.

2: Leave yourself plenty of time for any DIY projects; time can fly by as your big day approaches.

1: lastly! I tell all my couples this…’It’s your day, so your way’, have what you want that reflects you as a couple.

Catherine xx

The Roles & Responsibilities of Mother & Father of the Bride

The Roles & Responsibilities of Mother & Father of the Bride

As a bride your mother and father can be a huge influence on the run up to your big day, with planning, advice, suppliers and budget.

As a wedding planner my advice is to involve them as much as they would like to be involved, it’s a big day for them as well.

Mother of the Bride:

  • Help compile the guest list
  • Look for potential wedding suppliers
  • Attending wedding fair or open days with the couple
  • Contribute to the wedding budget
  • Attend dress fittings and shopping excursions
  • Help with RSVP’s , table plan and gift list
  • Giving advice and help to her daughter with planning
  • Helping her daughter dress on the day
  • Standing in the receiving line
  • Sitting at the top table
  • Ensure gifts and cards are kept safe and taken home or stored safely

Father of the Bride:

  • Contribute to the wedding budget
  • Help to compile the guest list
  • Accompany his daughter to the ceremony
  • Walking his daughter down the aisle
  • Standing in the receiving line
  • Sitting at the top table
  • Giving a speech, thanking everyone for coming and giving a toast
  • Help clear up at the end of the reception if required

Being ‘given away’

Tradition has it that the father of the bride will accompany his daughter down the aisle giving her ‘away’ to her future husband.

Many brides are keeping with tradition however there are no rules and it’s totally up to you.

I have seen brides opt to walk with a brother(s), mum, children or even their future husband.

One tip who ever walks with you walk slowly, take a moment and try to remember it all, if you can. For some brides the walk is the most special moment of their day!

Catherine x

The Roles & Responsibilities of a Bestman & Usher

The Roles & Responsibilities of a Bestman & Usher

The roles and responsibilities of a Bestman and Usher

The important decision of choosing his right hand men is up to the groom, for the best man it tends to be a brother or very best friend and ushers close friends.

Ushers tend to be needed more for a church wedding however they defiantly have an important role for a larger civil ceremony.

The main duties for a best man:

  • Arranging a suitable stag do
  • Spending the night before with the groom, making sure he gets plenty of sleep and wakes up on time
  • Helping the groom dress on the morning
  • Standing next to the groom at the alter or ceremony table while he waits for his bride
  • Keeping the rings safe
  • Standing in the receiving line, if you are having one
  • Mingling with guests making sure everyone is OK
  • Giving a speech
  • Organising suits to be stored safety or returned to hire shop
  • Give a reading or be a witness, if required.

The main duties of an usher:

  • Help seat guests, particularly elderly members of the family
  • Organise seating left for the bride and right for the groom
  • Reserve seating for immediate family and wedding party
  • Mingle with guests before and after the ceremony
  • Hand out order of services
  • Organise transportation from ceremony to reception venue for guests
  • Help the photographer gather guests for photos
  • Keeping the dance floor going

A wedding is about teamwork, choose ushers that are chatty, friendly and who will mingle with guests making sure everyone is happy.

Your best man should be totally reliable, organised, a good time keeper, a confident public speaker and who you know will not let you down on your most important day.

Happy planning

Catherine x

 

The roles & Responsibilities of a Bridesmaid

The roles & Responsibilities of a Bridesmaid

The roles and responsibilities of a Bridesmaid!

A wedding is all about team work so getting the right people to support you within your wedding party is essential. In the coming months we will focus of the wedding party and their respective duties, this month the role of your Chef Bridesmaid and attendants.

Traditionally a Chief Bridesmaid or Maid /Matron of Honour is the bride’s older sister or very close friend. It’s a highly responsible role so choose the person who you feel will help with decision making, has similar ideas, good under pressure, confident and who knows you the best.

Main roles of a chef bridesmaid are as follows:

  • Supporting the bride at all times, decision making, ideas, giving advice, dealing with upsets etc
  • Help with favour making, stationery and finite details
  • Accompanying the Bride to dress fittings and shopping excursions
  • Organising a hen night
  • Looking after the other bridesmaids and attendants, making them aware of their duties, checking they have all their accessories and dresses/attire
  • Helping the bride to dress on the morning
  • Walking down the aisle directly behind or in front of the bride
  • Lifting, rearranging the train and veil at the alter
  • Holding her bouquet during the ceremony
  • Standing in the receiving line, if there is one
  • Sitting at the top table
  • Keeping the dancing going on the dance floor

Other attendants:

  • Bridesmaids – Assist the chef bridesmaid with her duties
  • Flower Girls – Scatter rose petals along the aisle for the bride to walk on
  • Page boy / Ring Bearer – Walk with the flower girl(s) holding a cushion or object bearing the wedding rings

There are no limits to the number of bridesmaids or attendants, have the number you are comfortable with. The more ‘entourage’ you have the more costly it is for attire and adds to the planning but it is a great way to delegate and have people around you to comfort and support you on your big day.

Happy Planning

Catherine x

Children at Weddings!

Children at Weddings!

As a wedding planner one topic that many couples ask advice over is in respect children attending their big day, how to advise guests their little ones are not invited and how to entertain those children that are.

If your decision is to have no children or perhaps family only, then below some possible options to add to your invitations or info packs to guests.

 “Due to limited spaces we respectfully request that children, other than babies under six months old, do not accompany their parents during the day celebration. However should you wish them to join us in the evening, they will be very welcome”.

 “It is with regret that we are unable to invite children other than close family”.

 “We are so sorry but due to numbers we cannot invite your ‘little ones’, we hope you can still make it”.

 “We have a wonderful ‘adult only’ day and evening planned; we cannot wait to share it with you”.

Note: Etiquette wise nursing mothers should have their baby included within their invitation.

Here are  some ideas on how to entertain children, and remember the most important thing is safety, if you are hiring someone to be responsible then you must check they have the correct certification and first aid training:

  • Clown/Children’s Entertainer
  • Crèche service
  • Children’s colouring/play table
  • Teddy bears picnic, ask each child to bring their favourite teddy, teddy has its own chair at the play table
  • Treasure hunt
  • Lawn games
  • Soft play area/Snug/Den

Seating wise, children should be sat with their parents or on a designated ‘children’s’ dinner table. For the latter we would advise hiring a Nanny or Nursery Nurse to oversee the table.

Whatever you plan to provide in the way of entertainment do let parents know in advance of your big day.

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We are now on Etsy: AngelicWeddingsUK

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