My Monthly Round-Up of FREE Wedding Advice!

All the Wedding Planning Tips given out in April & May’s ‘Wine & Whine’ Wedding Wednesdays!

Okay… so this took me FOREVER to type up as I didn’t realise how much we’d actually covered over the last 2 months!

So here we go… a VERY VERY VERY long blog… full to the BRIM of two months worth of FREE WEDDING ADVICE!

I hope you find the answers you’re looking for!

Wednesday 7th April 2021

Q. What’s your opinion on different wine for the Top Table?

A. First of all… IT’S.YOUR.DAY. Do whatever makes you happy and stop worrying what everyone else will think! Second of all… Your other guests probably won’t even notice! (Poll: Have you ever noticed the wine on the top table, as a normal wedding guest? 6% = Yepp, 94% = Never even looked!) And third of all… It is a nice way to make your top table (your VIP’s) feel extra special without breaking the bank! (I don’t think anyone would begrudge you nice wine on your Wedding Day… and if they would… don’t invite the w(h)ine-y buggars! Haha, so CHEERS to that!).

Q. Should you keep your Wedding dress secret from everyone? Including Bridesmaids?

A. I would definitely say keep your dress secret from the majority of your guests… the only exceptions really should be your Mum/Bridal Party (i.e. the ones you took dress shopping with you!) It will entirely depend on your Bridal Party… for example… I had 8 Bridesmaids, so I dint show ALL of them my dress… just my MOH and my Mum. So it’s basically up to you and depends who you are closest with… I think it’s nice to keep it as a surprise for the rest of the Bridal Party so you can get some nice ‘Bridal Party – First Look’ Pics! It’s important to show at least one person in advance though… as you’ll need at least 1 person to be able to help you with your dress on the day… including:

• Getting you into the dress
• ‘Bustling’ your dress for the First Dance
• & potentially assisting you with toilet trips!

So they definitely should familiarise themselves with your dress in advance!

Q. Oh I have a really important one, I never picked a MOH because I couldn’t pick between two. But now I just want them both. Can I promote them from bridesmaids to MOH?

A. Yes Yes Yes!!! I’m sure your girls will be chuffed to bits to get a little promotion! I would definitely plan it as a kettle proposal surprise for them!… Maybe buy them a ‘Congratulations on your Promotion’ card, haha! I think they’ll definitely be over the moon that you’ve asked them! After all… it’s the best title they could have on the day! (Except from ‘Bride’ of course!). Tell them the reason you didn’t ask them straight away and just say the you love them both so much you couldn’t possibly decide, so you want them both by your side on the day! (Like Charlie’s Angels!)

Q. How far in advance should you do your Bridal Party Proposals? Have you got any inspiration?

A. Ooh… more Bridesmaid-y questions tonight! Yes, of course, Lovely… if you head to my Story Highlights I covered this in ‘Wine&Whine3’ and ‘Wine&Whine8’… but as I can see another similar question in my inbox… would you all like me to cover this in this weeks’ ‘Inspo Session’? (Poll: 100& = Yes Please!)

Q. Any ideas for unique Bridesmaid gifts? Struggling to find something different xx

A. Hi lovely, is this more for Bridesmaid Proposals or Gifts on the Day? Or both! I think Bridesmaid Gifts in general is definitely going to have to be the topic for this week’s ‘Inspo Session’ right?

Q. We can’t go abroad now for my Besties Hen… any UK Hen Recommendations/ideas? Xxx

A. UK Hen Party Destinations: Well I don’t know about everybody else… but my Top 2 (100%) would have to be:

• Liverpool
• Newcastle

Apart from those 2, these ones are the most commonly recommended places:

• Bath
• Birmingham
• Blackpool
• Bournemouth
• Brighton
• Bristol
• Cambridge
• Cardiff
• Chelsea
• Derby
• Edinburgh
• Essex
• Glasgow
• Harrogate
• Leeds
• Lincoln
• London
• Manchester
• Newquay
• Nottingham
• Oxford
• Portsmouth
• Reading
• Sheffield
• York

And I’ve just decided that I’m going to try and hunt down a really good Hen Party Company and ask them to do a Guest Blog about UK Hen’s for you ASAP! So on the hunt I go! Wish me luck! In the mean-time, if you did like the sound of Newcastle… follow my blogging bestie for all things Toon food/drink related to help you plan your trip @stephfoxtravel

Q. I’m feeling really overwhelmed with getting my head round decor for table and marquee…

A. Ahh yes… Marquees can be a massive undertaking to be fair, so please don’t stress… you’re definitely not the only one who will be feeling this way!… My No. 1 Tip for Marquee Wedding will ALWAYS be to book a Wedding Coordinator for on the day… so you don’t have to worry about all the last minute decorations that will need tp be put in place. (I know that sounds biased coming from a Wedding Coordinator, but I promise you it will be the best investment for your Wedding Day!) I have a huge blog post in my drafts about Marquee Weddings that I’m trying to get posted for you ASAP but I’m really mindful about missing anything out so I want to make sure that I get that one spot on for you! I would say if you’re feeling really overwhelmed at thus stage the best things to do would be… Books meetings (via Zoom if you don’t want to have to wait to meet them in person) with:

1. You Event Dresser/Florist – Event if they feel that’s it’s a bit far in advance, the them that you’re really struggling and could do with an ‘Inspo Session’ with them to get a starting point.
2. The Marquee Company – Ask them for images of previous weddings in their Marquee and find out what does/doesn’t work… do they have points to secure fairy lights… or maybe a floral chandelier? Find out now so you know exactly what is and isn’t possible!
3. A Wedding Consultant – i.e. someone like me! I’m here to help with anything that you feel is overwhelming you/getting in the way of you enjoying this process!… Book a consultation with me and we’ll spend some dedicated time helping you get your Wedding back on track!

Q. I’m so tall and don’t want to wear heels under my dress… any inspo?

A. Yes, of course, Lovely! Head to my Story Highlights… I’ve done a full shote inspo session here (inc. low heels and flats too!)

Q. Picking a Wedding Planner when you love all 3 you enquired

A. Well first of all… choose me! (No, I’m totally kidding!) Here’s a couple of tips on how to choose your Wedding Planner!…

1. How many Weddings have they planned / How many years in the industry?
   • This is a good first indicator as it will mean they most likely have an extensive suppliers list and tons of experience (and most likely more people working for them too!) However… as much as it’s a great starting point, don’t let this be the deciding factor… new businesses tend to have an overwhelming passion for their job and are more eager to please (which means they will probably undervalue their services in the beginning…meaning they will probably do more work for your money!)
2. What exactly is it that you expect of them?
   • Give them an idea of exactly what it is you’re looking for them to do and what you expect them to cover… Find out from the very start… and ask them if they think they’re the right person for the job… as simple as that! What you’re asking may be beyond their services or they may be the exact right person for the job… If you have more than one that you’re choosing between then consider it a job interview… if they want the job, they’ll work for it!
3. When it comes to cost:
   • It’s not just the overall price that you’re looking at… yes, they may be the cheaper option… but there may be a lot less included in their services! Find out what’s included in your Package (i.e. how many face-to-face or on-site meetings, the level of contact leading up to the day, the amount of hours expected to work on the day itself, all spreadsheets and suppliers dealt with?… What exactly are you getting for your money! Also MOST planners charge a % of your overall Wedding cost rather than an actual set figure so bear this in mind when budgeting… if your budget increases at any point… so does their fee!
4. Other questions to ask:
   • Do they have insurance?
   • Have they worked at your Venue before?
   • Do they have access to any discounted rates for certain suppliers?
   • How many weddings are they covering at the same time as yous (again stalled businesses will have less and therefore more time to spend on you!)
   • Will they assist with set up the day prior and clear down the day after?
   • Additional services available? (Some doe stationery or chair hire… always good to find out!)n
   • Payment Plan (deposit amount required and when is the remainder payable?)
   • Can you see some of their Reviews/previous wedding photos?
   • Cancellation Policy?

Wednesday 14th April 2021

Q. Suggestions for songs to enter the Wedding Breakfast to? (No idea what the official term is)

A. Of course, Lovely!… Grand Entrance Song Inspo coming up…

So… as a massive Disney fan myself… our entrance reception song was: ‘Be Our Guest’ from Beauty and the Beast. Rather than-re type lots of the same songs… here is a fantastic blog from the experts over @HitchedUK with lots of grand entrance song inspo for you

Q. I was wondering if you could please guide me. How much roughly do the Groom and Bride spend on gift/ wedding favours for their guests?

A. Favours don’t need to be expensive and will totally depend on your number of guests and budget! I would say anywhere from £0.50 to £5! I have a favour inspo highlight saved on my page for you lovely’s… You can find it here.

Q. What would be a good gift for the Groom to give the night before / morning of the wedding?

A. This is another inspo session that I’ve decided to do for you lovelies too!… Don’t worry I haven’t forgotten about the bridesmaid gift / proposal one… just had a crazy week! Groom gift inspo coming soon! 

Q. How soon would you send out save the dates?

A. Once you’ve booked your venue and set your date I would recommend sending your save the dates immediately. There is definitely an art sending your invites the right time… but once you’ve got your date set you can never send your save the dates too early. Get your wedding date in their diary ASAP!

Q. Not a question just to thank you Queen of weddings I am obsessed with you!

A. Ah stop… you know I cried everything! Thank you my lovely I honestly can’t tell you how much messages like this mean to me (can’t wait to see your wedding pics… what a stunning bride you will be!)

Q. How early is too early to start planning

A. I would definitely say it’s never too early to start planning… the sooner the better. A lot of venues may not have their rates available for the year you are after, if you’re planning really far an advance, but at least they’ll have the availability and might even be able to lock in their current prices for you before they go up again… it’s always worth an ask! Even if you can’t book your venue it’s worth buying a wedding planner book and starting to discuss ideas with your partner. A lot of suppliers I know are already fully booked for 2021 and 2022 so 2023 and 2024 is not far away as you may think when it comes to wedding planning!

Q. Could you skip save the dates and just go straight to invites even if the wedding is next year?

A. Yes you totally can skip save the dates if you want to BUT… as a lot of you will know I am a massive advocate of a save the date! They gives you so much more flexibility later down the line with your invites and get your date in the guests Diaries ASAP and they can be super cheap and easy to do. So although you don’t have to at all I would totally recommend them. I’ll add save the dates to my inspo list for you all.

Wednesday 21st April 2021

Q. Which items of jewellery should I remember for the big day? Any recommendations?

A. Of course lovely! I’ve made a little checklist for you here… feel free to screenshot. Also make sure to check out my previous wine and wine wedding Wednesday story highlights for more jewellery tips.

You obviously don’t need to wear all of these items… it would definitely look a bit much! Make sure to speak to your jewellery supplier and ask for pieces that compliment each other! Also remember that jewellery is probably the easiest way to include your something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue… if you’d like to stick with that tradition!

Q. Do you wear makeup to your dress trial?

A. Fab question… here’s some advice for your dress trial…

Wear similar makeup, you know what it’s like going shopping without your hair and makeup done… you can’t judge an outfit until you complete the look! Most salons will have a face net to keep the makeup off their dresses… it’s not very flattering but it’s very helpful! Same for your hair, it doesn’t need to be exactly the same style but if you’re wearing it up at least take a bulldog clip with you to pin it off your shoulders & neck! Take your shoes, or ones of a similar height. Wear sensible underwear, seamless nude ones are the best plus a strapless bra and any shapewear you plan on wearing. You could also take your jewellery with you if you’ve already purchased it / own it.

Q. Where did you get your ring sparkler liquid? Looks ace!

A. It’s fab isn’t it! So I have two different ones…

So I have this one from @UKConnoisseurs. The diamond dazzle stick… perfect for keeping in your handbag or taking on holiday / honeymoon for a quick clean on the go! I bought mine from Amazon.

I also have this one from @towntalkpolish for a perfectly and at home. I bought this one direct from their Instagram. 

I also get it cleaned every time I go shopping… I take it into the jewellers I bought it in for a professional install clean free dash make sure you take advantage of this! Mine is desperate to be sent away for its first proper white gold dip. I’ll be doing this as soon as their normal services resume! (I’ve now actually done this you can see a Reel on my Instagram of the results).

Q. Do I need wedding insurance? If so, any recommendations?

A. Yes yes yes! I would 100% recommend getting wedding insurance! I know a lot of my brides have been struggling to buy it lately due to the current circumstances. I would recommend @JohnLewis for wedding insurance… I got mine from there for my destination wedding… It covered absolutely everything and was only £60.00ish. Totally worth it for the Peace of Mind alone.

Q.Any ideas on where to place the veil? Thinking half up half down vibes.

A. Okay, so, I’m no hairdresser so definitely check with your stylist but for half up wedding hairstyles with veils, the veil should be attached to the bottom half of the style. Your hairstyle and veil should rest at the Crown of your head or just below it. Most brides opt to include a sparkly or floral hair comb, fresh Flowers or other decorative accessory at the top of the veil for added wow factor and also to cover any clips!

Wednesday 28th April 2021

Q. Location and outfit inspo for the pre wedding shoot? Getting married @ShottonGrange.

A. Ooh… gorgeous venue! 

Engagement shoot location inspo:

• Firstly, how about in the grounds at your wedding venue. It will give you and your photographer a practise run for all the best spots on the day! 
• A place that is special to you as a couple e.g.
• The place you got engaged 
• The place you met
• Your happy place 
• Local areas that are pretty… your hometown/ village may have some beautiful spots that you totally take for granted because you live there. Northumberland is home to so many beaches castles fields rivers and country houses… take your pick!

Engagement shoot outfit inspo: 

• Wear something you feel comfortable in! Don’t worry about it being super trendy or fashionable… you need to feel like you! 
• Choose neutral tones like pastels and cool toned colours. 
• You could choose to stick with the bridal vibe… and wear something white like a floaty summer dress. 
• Or choose a colour from your wedding colour scheme and carry it across into this outfit. 
• Compliment each others outfits with similar colours but don’t match them unless you really love the matchy-matchy vibe. 
• Accessories like a scarf work really well for added movement in photos! 
• Layers! So you can do multiple looks throughout the shoot.

Q. UK honeymoon slash mini moon ideas!

A. This blog post is being written by the wonderful @StephFoxTravel as we speak lovely I’ll send it to you as soon as it is up! (This is actually up now you can find it here:)

Q. Should speeches be before or after the meal? Or midway through?

A. Ooh, so I’ve already covered this one before lovely but I’ll pop it up on here for you so you don’t have to search back through for it.

So, the answer is it’s totally up to you! But here are some factors to help you decide.

Speeches before: 

Cons:

• Means your that your guests will have to wait for their meal so they may be hungry/impatient and therefore may not enjoy/ listen to the speeches as much. 

Pros:

• However, the people who will be doing the speeches will be able to enjoy their meal much more if they do them first. Remember these people are in your bridal party… your VIPs! 
• Also it gets rid of the awkward silence that no one thinks about when wedding planning. I have seen this awkward silence at many weddings before… it happens when the bride and groom are first announced into the reception room for their wedding breakfast… they walk over to their table whilst everyone is applauding, they sit, and then the guests it and then… silence. Whilst the guests all look around waiting for either the speeches or the meal to start. It’s easy to get around this if you want to have speeches afterwards, either have the Master of Ceremonies announced the meal immediately or make sure that your order of the day is in a prominent place to everyone knows the speeches will be after or make sure background music is played immediately once you are sat. It’s such a simple thing and most wedding coordinators at venues will be on top of it… but I’ve honestly seen this happen at so so many times and if you have relatively quiet guests… it can be so awkward. But the most simple way is to have speeches first.

Speeches after:

Cons: 

• Flip the pros for before. 

Pros:

• Your guests will be so much more involved and excited about the speeches if they have already eaten, mainly because they will have also drank a lot more too, but this definitely leads to bigger laughs louder applause and more fun! 

So just prioritise what’s important to you and there’s your answer! 

I would always recommend avoiding doing them midway through the meal… as it can be difficult to tell how long your speeches will last even if you’ve practised them… and this can make things really difficult for the chefs in the kitchen! They’re pros so if you really want to do it go ahead… but I would just be careful as you want your food to be the best it can be!

Q. Unique guest book inspo?

A. Ooh this is a fab one to cover in an inspo session! I’ll add it to the list for the next one. Firstly I’ll be covering bridesmaids gifts, grooms gifts. As these have been my top requested ones lately.

Q. How do I reign in the budget when we have paid loads of deposits?

A. Ooh OK!… so obviously you don’t want to cancel anyone because you would just lose the money, so I think the best way would be to choose smaller packages with each supplier, for example: 

• Go for less florals i.e. smaller bouquets, maybe scale back on an archway for the ceremony, less dramatic centrepieces. 
• Less hours of photography, you don’t need photos of drunk people at your evening reception, once your first dances during your photographer can head home… or maybe less time spent on getting ready shots in the morning! 

Basically, ask your suppliers what they can do to scale back each part of your budget, they’d rather help you cut it down a little bit than lose you completely!

Q. When and what order should beauty appointments be before the big day? Like tan, waxing, nails etc. 

A. Beauty appointments for your wedding day:

Please try these out in advance not for the first time just before your wedding day!

• Dermaplaning 1-2 weeks before. 
• Derma roller 1-2 weeks before. 
• Facial one week prior. 
• Hair cut / colour glossing treatment a few days to one week prior. 
• Lash extensions or tinting a few days to one week prior. 
• Waxing / threading a few days prior, give it time for redness to subside. 
• Manicure / pedicure 1-2 days prior, before your tan as you won’t be able to soak your hands or feet afterwards! 
• Professional tan 2 days prior, exfoliate before your appointment and on the day put talc in areas that may rub on your dress. 
• Teeth whitening can be done right up until the night prior but stop earlier if you get sensitive teeth.

Q. How to deal with guests who have extended Hen invitation to their friend now they want their friend to come to the wedding as they may feel left out at the hen when everyone is talking about said upcoming wedding. I’ve met them a handful of times… how to not be soft?

A. Oh my gosh, I actually can’t stand people putting brides and grooms under pressure like this! Are they going to pay for their meal / drinks / favours etc. plus all the rest! No! They can invite them to their own wedding day! Unfortunately honey it’s time for a bit of tough love from you… this person sounds like they won’t take no for an answer! Use the pandemic as an excuse… tell them that it’s made you re-evaluate everything and you really just want to be surrounded by people who are special to you. Or if they are happy to take the blame, use your partner as an excuse! My hubby was only too happy to say no to people… if they haven’t met them before why should they be at their wedding?… it’s their day to! You could say that your budget simply can’t accommodate them… or your venue can’t, if you’re near maximum numbers… how would they know? Or simply just tell them no… it’s your day you really don’t have to explain yourself or make an excuse! Tell them your wedding planner said no I’ll happily take the blame haha.

Q. I’m tempted to get Botox before the wedding but I’ve not had it done before. 

A. Ooh I must admit I don’t really know much about Botox lovely sorry! My advice would be to:

1. Do your research 

2. Consult a professional 

3. Don’t try anything new too close to your wedding! 

4. and remember… it’s an investment… Don’t go for the best / cheapest offer! If you are going to go for it then invest in yourself! It will be worth it.

Q. We’ve set our knew date and decided we’re just having immediate family. How do we tell our family and friends that we invited originally and how do I tell my bridesmaid that I’m not having any for the ceremony? Does this make me an awful bride?

A. First of all… well done for being brave and taking control of your wedding and doing what you to want to do… of course it doesn’t make you awful at all… it’s your day! Definitely a tough one though. There’s a fab blog @Brides that I’ve read about how to politely uninvite people to your wedding. 

I hope this helps give you plenty of ideas… i.e. Zoom, write them a little poem (same as the asking for money as gift)… But let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help!

Wednesday 5th May 2021

Q. What is a white gold treatment?

A. I’ve had this question a few times in my DM’s since I posted the story about my ring earlier this week. The treatment I referred to is a Rhodium plating process for your white gold rings to keep them white, otherwise the yellow gold tone starts to show through over time. I’ve had mine for 4 & 1/2 years now, it was £45.00 to get it sent away and it takes two to three weeks to come back. I believe they recommend getting it done every two years but I didn’t think I needed it until now… they said it was in really good condition because I look after it so well so just make sure to look after yours too… here’s the link to my blog with tips to keep your ring sparkling! 

Q. Did you have to ring and book this in? Mine needs the same treatment done!

A. No I just called in as I usually do to get an instore clean which is free and only takes 10 minutes but this time I needed the proper treatment done, so they booked me an appointment for about an hour later to get my details and get it sent off. Also you only pay when it comes back and it’s fully insured. Looking forward to seeing some before and after pics of your gorgeous ring!

Q. Any ideas on how to organise the morning of wedding – like hair and makeup?

A. Yes of course lovely! Feel free to screenshot this image… your MUA & hairdresser will be able to advise you on times etc. but here is a little idea to get you started. This is part of my wedding day coordination document if any of you are thinking of booking your own consultation. I would advise that, as the bride, you don’t go first or last!

Q. What time would you be ready by? Like what time ceremony would you recommend this for?

A. I would say to be ready an hour before your ceremony so you can get all your pics, have a glass of fizz with your girls and have a moment to yourself before THE big moment!

Q. How essential do you think of videographer is?

A. I am a massive fan of a wedding video… I can’t tell you how many times we’ve watched ours. It’s definitely one of the things that a lot of wives have told me that they regret not doing! So, if your budget can accommodate it, I would 100% recommend booking a videographer for your wedding day! I also think drone footage is amazing and I’ll show you why… here’s a little sneak peak of our wedding video 

A videographer is 100% worth your money… capturing your day in such a beautiful way. I can’t wait to show Aurora ours when she’s older… I used to play it for her as a newborn.

Also for anyone who would love a videographer but doesn’t have the budget… why not contact my girl over @wedditfilms. Get your guests to take their own videos as they normally would on their mobiles, send them the footage and they’ll edit it all for you creating you a gorgeous wedding video! I’m going to do this after Aurora’s christening.

Q. What’s your thoughts on 2 dresses, my daytime is a line and fairly big round the bottom, not dance proof?

A. Yes yes yes… be as extra as possible… you only get to do this once! Make the most of it… one of my brides once had three!

For those of you considering 2 dresses… why not go for a dress with an overskirt. For the perfect to look option.

Q. What’s the ideal amount of time between ceremony finishing and dinner starting?

A. Ooh OK… so this one will totally dependent on your venue and also how the guests move between the spaces, i.e. how long does it take to seat them, if you are having a receiving line, how far apart are the two spaces etc… But to give you a rough guideline…

Hope this helps… but I’d love to do a full consultation with any of you if you’d like a personalised timeline and plan! 

So first of all: 

• Insert time for moving from ceremony space to reception space here (This may only be 5 minutes if everything is all at one venue but could easily be half an hour or more if you are at different venues for each)
•  1/2 hour drinks reception. 
• Insert time for moving from drinks reception space to wedding breakfast space here (This will typically be 15 minutes if based at the same venue)
• Add 30 minutes here if you are also having a receiving line. 
• 30 minutes speeches (If you’re having them before the meal). 

Q. What type of entertainment has gone down the best? Before the dancing and during lol?

A. Depends where you are based lovely… but these guys honestly have me and the guests absolutely howling laughing everytime! @lukemagician & @BarrieJamesArt.

Q. I have just ordered a 7 * 5 guest book with 20 pages I have approximately 175 guests and having polaroids do you think I should order two just in case?

A. Yes, I would definitely say get 2!! So many people don’t sign the guest book so make sure you assign one of your bridesmaids to literally force everyone to sign it. And get two so that people can leave you beautiful long messages too, with wedding advice etc. 

Q. Is getting married supposed to be this stressful?

A. Okay, so I have two answers to this question and they’re both totally different… bear with me here:

First of all yes! Too many people are so precious about saying that they are enjoying every single second of their wedding planning because they think that they have to and this can have the effect of making others feel down about their own wedding because they are not enjoying it as much and feel like they should be! But let’s be honest… it’s a huge undertaking financially emotionally plus it’s totally time consuming so it’s not all going to be sunshine and roses! It can be very stressful and it’s okay to feel overwhelmed and stressed sometimes! It’s totally normal.

Second answer no! It shouldn’t be stressful! I know this is super confusing answer just go with me here… so, following on from everything I just said, when you do start to feel overwhelmed or stressed contact someone who can help you… please don’t let the stress overwhelm your wedding journey! My consultation packages are just £50 and your consultation can be used in any way you wish to help take away your wedding stress. Please reach out and ask me how I can help you with your wedding planning, I don’t bite!

Read my reviews and see how I’ve helped other couples to get back on track with their weddings.

Q. Just wanted to say a massive thank you for always answering any queries!

A. Oh, of course lovely, I love helping wherever I can… so kind of you to say! To every single one of you who have ever messaged me, first of all thank you for helping my page to grow and for trusting me with your wedding questions! And secondly, please send me photos of you on your wedding day… I know I haven’t met you and I don’t really know you that well but I am honestly so excited to see you in your gorgeous gown on the day you become a Mrs. Honestly I absolutely adore being part of your wedding journey in any way I can!

Wednesday 12th May 2021

Q. How would you line up group photos when we have four bridesmaids and three groomsmen?

Q. Worried about the pressure of finding ‘the one’ (dress)… how do you know? 

A. I don’t want to be the annoying person who says ‘you just know’ so… I won’t say it… butttt that is how I felt about mine. I also felt the same pressure, I honestly didn’t enjoy my experience of dress shopping. I booked far too many appointments feeling pressured to try every single bridal salon and I hated every dress I tried. The more shops I went to the more disheartened I got, it was so stressful. Until I found my dress and I just knew. My advice would be, don’t do what I did! Do your research on Pinterest and find out what styles of dress you like, or specific designers. Research bridal salons and find who stocks are those styles / designers. Don’t book too many appointments, if you do your research properly just one appointment could be more than enough! Don’t be afraid to travel to the salon you like! Don’t take too many people, too many opinions could spoil you finding the one as any comments from others could stop you from having your yes moment! Don’t put too much pressure on that moment… go off how you feel in that dress!

Q. What are you most looking forward to in weddings this year?

A. Oh my God, don’t make me choose! The flowers, the dresses, everyone finally being together! So many things I couldn’t possibly decide!

Q. How do you politely tell a maid she’s gained weight and you are concerned about the dresses.

A. Ohh… unfortunately this is one that I would stay well away from! Dresses can always be altered but friendships can’t always be salvaged. Try not to worry too much about it lovely, maybe ask her to try the dress on, you’ll either realise you have nothing to worry about or she will tell you that it doesn’t fit. Obviously as she’s your friend you don’t want her to feel upset so do whatever you can to make her feel comfortable in her dress you know she’ll look beautiful either way!

Q. My Fiance and I have different tastes of music… how do we find a balance? I want indie music with the band / singer and he wants dance DJ e.g. Anton powers.

My advice would be to contact an agency such as @amvlivemusic. They are the pros who can help you find those perfect artists and keep the balance right so that you can enjoy both styles of music!

Q. Ideas on how to commemorate passed away parent on the day please?

A. I am so sorry for your / your partners loss lovely. I think it’s beautiful that you want them to be part of your special day.

Ways to commemorate a loved one on your wedding day:

• A photo table with images of them, you together, them on their wedding day, your favourite photo etc. You could even print a little description of each one to allow your guests to ‘get to know them’. 
• A seat reserved for them at your ceremony. 
• Include them in your speeches. 
• Favours, their favourite flower as a seed packet, and miniature alcohol of their favourite tipple, cookies baked from their secret recipe, donation to a charity in their honour. 
• Wear something of theirs, a necklace, earrings, cufflinks or maybe a Locket tied around your bouquet. 
• Used their favourite flower in your bouquet. 
• A Moment of Remembrance during our service. 
• Light a candle for them during your ceremony. 
• Ask your celebrant to include them in their wording. 
• Include their favourite food on your menu, as an evening snack or maybe even as a canape. Did they have a sweet tooth what about a sweetie buffet of all their faves?

Q. what should I put in my morning of the wedding Bride bag. Needle and thread etc.

A. So, I have what I call a ‘Save the Day Kit! I’m actually working on a full list for you all soon, this will be available as a free download on my website. I want to make sure I don’t miss anything out! Out of interest, in the future if I created my own ‘Save the Day’ Kit, would anyone be interested in purchasing one?… Leave a comment for me in this blog below.

Wednesday 19th May 2021

Q. I need wedding stress relief.

A. Wedding planning can be so stressful! Allow me to help tell me what you’re most stressed about lovely?

Q. Sisters current problem, her wedding shoes are catching on the inside of her dress as they are glittery so not smooth, any tips? New shoes not an option!

A. OK so, this one is slightly difficult. The best person to speak to will be the person doing your dress alterations, as they may be able able to include a hoop, or remove netting at the front so that your shoes don’t catch. I’ve heard of lots of at home DIY quick fixes but I’ve never tried them myself so would hesitate to recommend them to anyone. For example, putting clear nail varnish on the crystals but your wedding shoes are so special and most likely expensive so I wouldn’t do this if I were you, but I suppose if you are really stuck it might may be a quick fix?

Q. What’s your opinion on toilet boxes?

A. I think yes do them! Absolutely anything you can add to make your guests experience better is great! Don’t spend too much on them as a lot of it might not get used… it’s more the thought that counts! Would you like a list of what to include in them? I will make sure to get this up in next week’s Wednesday session for you.

Wednesday 26th May 2021

Okay, let’s start by answering the question from last week: 

Q. Things to include in your Guest Bathroom Baskets for your Wedding Day:

A.

• Blister pads
• Plasters
• hand sanitizer
• tissues
• ibuprofen
• paracetamol
• floss picks
• breath mints
• gum
• hairspray
• hair ties
• bobby pins
• deodorant spray
• wipes
• sewing kit
• scissors
• earring backs
• safety pins
• eyelash glue
• nail glue
• super glue
• stain remover wipes / pen
• nail polish (clear) 
• comb
• tweezers
• lip balm
• hand lotion
• pads / tampons
• lint roller
• nail file
• shoe shine polish
• antacid
• baby powder
• first aid
• sunscreen
• perfume (top tip from one of my brides – visit Boots & Superdrug and ask for samples!)

Make them look super cute by adding personalised labels to plain bottles and jars! You can even do them in the colour scheme of your wedding!

Q. How do you stop the wedding stress and worry about budget?

A: Okay… money is always a major stress point. My main piece of advice would be… once you’ve carefully planned and realistically set your overall budget i.e. what you can afford in total on the wedding… break it down into sections, food/ dress/ entertainment etc. Then sit down with your partner and decide what is most important to you both. In short… what are you each not willing to compromise on? Is it your wedding dress, the venue, their favourite wedding band, the food? This way you will understand what each others priorities are and what you both are willing to spend that little extra bit on… allocate the money to these areas first so you know that the most important areas are covered… any additional elements of the day will be dependent on any money left over. This conversation will also most likely reveal what is less important to you, showing you which areas you can save on. 

Also… stop looking at things online that are unrealistic for your budget! If you spend too much time looking at wedding pages that share celebrity / influencers weddings then it’s just going to make you feel disheartened about your own wedding and want to push your budget beyond its reach. Let’s face it… we simply don’t have the same budget as they do! If they even have a budget at all! Don’t feel as if you are on your own with budget stress… even for my own wedding, no matter how many spreadsheets I made, we still felt stressed (budget wise) on a number of occasions! The pressure we put ourselves to make the day perfect doesn’t help! 

Why not log on to @HitchedUK and use their budget calculator… simply enter your overall budget and their calculator will help you work out the sections accordingly! It breaks down your overall budget into different sections. Simply edit your overall total to suit your budget and it will edit everything accordingly!

Q. Do you suggest I wait to get bridesmaid dresses until after I’ve got my own dress?

A. Yes I would! I would definitely start getting ideas together and possibly even going shopping with your girls and trying things on so you can see what works on them… but I would definitely wait to see what you’ll be wearing before deciding what the dresses next to you will look like.

Q. Best place for wedding invites?

A. Well suppliers will depend on where you are based… but I would 100% recommend @VictoriasPaperie, she did all of our wedding stationery and she was amazing. I have a full list of fantastic suppliers, which I give full access to during my consultations! But definitely checkout these lovelies… @GracefulLaceStationery and @ThePoshPaperCo.

Q. What do you get bridesmaids to pay for themselves?

A. This totally varies for everyone, I would say… if there is anything you are being strict about… whether that’s the dresses, the hair etc. then you should probably pay for it yourself. But if, for example, you are happy for them to wear ‘any silver shoes’ or something that you’re more relaxed about, then it would be okay to ask them to pay for themselves, as it’s then up to them if they choose to just wear their own or buy new… which they can set their own budget for. If you have the budget for it, then pay for everything! If you don’t have the budget for it… then first of all… have less bridesmaids in order to save money and spend more on the ones you have. Also be considerate of what you are asking them to spend. Treat your bridesmaids as you would like to be treated when it’s their turn! Also… you can double up on items like jewellery by also using it as their bridesmaid gift on the day!

And there we have it! A VERRRRY long Blog FULL TO THE BRIM of FREE WEDDING ADVICE!

You are welcome my Lovelies, happy to help!

Lots of Love,

Mrs T x