I’ve ALWAYS been interested in Weddings, it has always been a dream in the back of my mind to play some part in planning such a big day in a couple’s life. Weddings FASCINATE me… the colours, the flowers, the dresses, EVERYTHING! It’s all the little details that make a Wedding Day so special and I am obsessed with them!!

I especially love anything DIY, such an easy way to add that extra touch to your wedding day, and cheap too! It’s also a good bonding time for Bridal parties to sit and make things together whilst also making memories! (mainly of getting covered in PVA glue and damaging your manicure! But still lots of fun!) I spend my whole life reading Bridal Magazines (like Belle Bridal & BRIDES), watching Wedding Films and making boards on Pinterest!!! I eat, sleep and breathe Weddings!!

I have a Degree in Criminology and a Masters in Psychology so this is certainly not the route that I had planned! I started working at my current venue 8 years ago, as a student during the Summer and for Christmas, and the Wedding life took ahold! I worked my way up from Waitressing to Supervisor, we worked long hours but I loved every minute of it (maybe not every minute… we did sometimes work until 3am!). But seeing the guests enjoying this day that the Bride & Groom has designed for them, even having a dance with them now and again, it was all worth it! I was very grateful and a little shocked to be offered the position of Wedding Coordinator once I had finished my Masters (I think they saw how OBSESSED I was with weddings!), and I have been in my Senior position for almost 3 years now.

It means so much to me to be part of someone’s big day, my Brides really do make me feel as though I am part of the family/friendship group and I get to enjoy it all with them, It really is quite emotional watching them walk down the aisle! And also watching their vision of their day come to life (especially after spending so long planning together, sometimes we may have been planning together for over 2 years!)

I love the idea that every single person can have a completely different day that is all their own! I have seen many weddings and I can honestly say that no two were the same!

The registrars mention in their announcements as part of the ceremony that ‘this special group of people will most likely not share a day like this, with the same group of people, again’ and there is always a lovely moment when everyone looks around the room to smile at each other and there is such a lovely feeling of ‘togetherness’.

It’s such a weird thing to say but it is absolutely adorable when a Bride or Groom is nervous, it’s a really nice moment between Coordinator & Couple to take some time with them to give them a cuddle and a bit of a shake and tell them it’s all going to be fantastic and there is no need to stress, we are here to take the stress away! A big part of my job is reassuring Brides & Grooms when the Planning stress is getting a little bit too much, I always tell them to call me anytime, that is what I am here for!

When I work with a couple I want to get to know them and get a real feel for how they picture their day. I like to form a bond with them from an early stage so they feel comfortable with me, they feel that they can call me at any time and I will be here for them, as I find this can be quite reassuring for them which again makes the whole process a lot easier. We are going to spend of together, laughing and sometimes even crying so I feel like we get quite close with them throughout the process.

When planning I understand that each couple is completely different, some Grooms are very involved which is great fun, and some are happy to just say ‘yes dear’ and allow the Bride to take the lead. Some couples work very closely with their families and it is my aim to involve everyone in the process! I understand that some couples are highly organised which is fantastic, and some need a bit of extra help, which is also great because I LOVE a spreadsheet, so I’m happy to do all the work for them! For every couple that I work with the process is slightly different, I cater the planning to suit my Bride & Groom to make everything as easy and fun as possible!

When I’ve told people about what I do for a living in the past, they always say that this must be a dream job! And although it is certainly a very rewarding and fun job, it’s not always colour schemes and floral arrangements, let me tell you! Wedding Planning & Coordinating can certainly be stressful, people are counting on you to deliver the ‘biggest day of their lives’ and without a doubt they will be spending a lot of their hard-earned money on their big day! An average wedding in the UK in 2019 (according to ‘Hitched’) was £31,974! I’ve worked with couples whose budgets range from £1,000 to a whopping £60,000, it’s important to remember that whatever their spend, it’s a considerable amount of money to them, and therefore important to get it right!

This definitely puts a lot of pressure on you as their planner. It’s therefore important to be highly organised, ensuring that you don’t miss even the minor details, as they are usually what takes the day up a notch. The most important thing to remember is that wedding planning is stressful for couples, due to the big spend and also trying to keep all their family & friends happy, mainly because most couples have never had a wedding before, and therefore won’t have a clue what to do (especially young couples who haven’t attended many weddings as guests either). Therefore you must be their fountain of knowledge when it comes to weddings and be able to answer any question that they may have. You must also be their crutch, someone to lean on and take their stress away, or be understanding when they sometimes take their stress out on you! 

As a wedding planner, you wear many hats… coordinating, flower arranging, holding the brides dress while they pee! Quite often you become a bit of a family counsellor, especially when a select few people don’t get along and you must keep them apart, whilst reminding them who the day is really about! Mostly the hat I wear (or should I say Crown) is… Queen of Spreadsheets! If you want be involved with weddings, Microsoft Excel will become your new BFF!…between floor plans, guest lists, invoices, catering choices etc. so prepare to spend a lot of time in front of the computer (Top Tip: invest in some blue-light glasses for your poor eyes!).

Also it can be difficult as everyone has different tastes. As my friends will testify, I don’t do things in half measures… I go all out, full on, over the top (all day, every day!) However, I must always bear in mind that my couples taste may be more classic and minimalist… so I must tone down my over-enthusiasm accordingly!

So, yes… Wedding Planning can be stressful job at times… but someones gotta do it! 

Lucky for me… that someone is me! 

Love, Mrs T. x