Want to know how much the average wedding costs this year? Introducing our UK Wedding Report 2023: our annual wedding industry study revealing year-on-year changes. This year, we surveyed almost 4,000 married and engaged couples, representing a mix of regions and demographics, to find out what couples like you are spending on. Time to start planning your own wedding budget…
Average Cost of a Wedding in the UK
2022 was the year of the Corona Comeback. The lifting of pandemic restrictions saw the highest wedding spend ever! Average wedding spend grew by 15% to an all-time high, rising by £2,500 year-on-year to £19,184 (£24,069 including the ring and honeymoon). It goes to show that couples are prioritising their marriage, and not letting the economic climate impact their wedding spending.
Average Wedding Costs by Supplier Category
Average wedding spend increased in almost every category between 2021 and 2022. The most significant increase was in venue cost (£7,944 average, an increase of 20% vs 2021). We’ve put together a wedding cost breakdown below! These are the average supplier costs for UK weddings:
Average cost of a wedding venue – £7,944
Average cost of catering – £5,103 (with an average of 88 guests)
Average cost of a photographer – £1,357
Average cost of a videographer – £1,354
Average cost of hair and makeup – £657
Average cost of a florist – £1,114
Average cost of a wedding cake – £376
Average cost of a wedding dress – £1,424
If you’re looking to save money on your suppliers, savvy wedding planning is a must! Our top tip is to enquire to several suppliers to do more price comparisons.
Total Wedding Costs by Region
Couples spent nearly £10K (or 50%) more to marry in London (£29,085) compared to the national average (£19,184). That’s even more than marrying outside the UK, where the average cost is £25,525. Yorkshire and the Humber is the region with the lowest cost (£16,103), making it the most budget-friendly option. So, if you’re looking to save money, the location of your wedding matters!
Weekend weddings are the most expensive, with Saturday weddings costing £20,141 on average. Tuesday is the least costly option (costing £16,804 on average). So, if you’re on a budget and looking for a cheaper alternative, consider a midweek wedding. This can make a huge difference!
Wedding costs tend to be higher in the from June through September, with June weddings costing the most (£21,287). Costs are lowest in the winter, with February being the cheapest month to get married (£15,826), which is ideal if you’re trying to save on your wedding spending.
It probably comes as no surprise that wedding spending is heavily influenced by the number of guests attending. The more guests you invite, the more your wedding will cost. Catering accounts for just over 1/5 of this. So, if you’re looking to cut costs, consider having fewer guests to feed!
We found that couples are most likely to splurge on their honeymoon, followed by the wedding dress, venue and photographer. With beach honeymoons remaining the most popular honeymoon style (47% of couples married in 2022 chose a beach honeymoon), this is hardly surprising. The honeymoon splurge is heavily linked to the post-pandemic wedding boom and the fact that travel is back on the map. 2/3 of couples married in 2022 planned a honeymoon abroad, which represents a significant jump from 2021, when only 1/4 planned to go abroad.
So, if you’re hoping to have a wedding in 2023, you’re looking at an average spend of £19,184, up £2,500 year-on-year. The average cost may be more or less depending on the region, day of the week, month of the year, and any optional splurges (for example, on a honeymoon overseas). For a more thorough category-by-category breakdown of the cost of UK wedding suppliers, check out our article on the ultimate wedding budget breakdown. And for a budget breakdown that’s tailored for you, look no further than Bridebook’s one-of-a-kind personalised wedding budget planner.
Wedding speeches are a crucial part of a wedding celebration, as they allow both the couple, family members, and friends to express their love, gratitude, and well-wishes for the newlyweds. However, giving a wedding speech can be nerve-wracking for many people, which is why having a few examples can be a great starting-point.
Here are some simple wedding speech examples that can help you deliver a heartfelt, memorable, and enjoyable wedding speech. Feel free to use them as a template to inspire your own writing.
And remember that these are just samples. Be sure to incorporate your own unique elements to personalise your speeches, which might mean having more gender-equal speeches compared to the traditional wedding speech line-up.
The groom’s speech and bride’s speech is a chance for the couple to thank their families, friends, and wedding party for their support and to share their love for each other. Here is a sample of a shared groom and bride speech:
“Good evening everyone, we are [bride’s name and groom’s name], the newlyweds. We want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for being here to celebrate this special day with us. Our families, friends, and wedding party have made this day truly unforgettable, and we are so grateful for your love and support.
We also want to thank our parents for their love and guidance, and for raising us to be the people we are today. We are honored to have both of our families come together to celebrate this special day with us.
And last but not least, we want to express our love for each other. [Groom’s name], you are my best friend, my soulmate, and my partner in life. I am so grateful to have you by my side, and I look forward to a lifetime of love, adventure, and happiness with you. [Bride’s name], you are beautiful, kind, and loving, and I feel so lucky to be able to call you my wife. I promise to always cherish and love you, no matter what life brings our way.
To our friends and family, thank you again for being here to share this special day with us. We are so grateful for your love and support, and we look forward to the memories we will create together.
Cheers to love, laughter, and happily ever after. Cheers to all of us!”
A father of the bride speech is one of the most traditional and emotional speeches of the wedding. The father of the bride has the opportunity to both reflect on the love and relationship he has with his daughter and to welcome her new spouse into the family. Here is a sample:
“Good evening, everyone. Today is a very special day for me, as I stand here to give away my beautiful daughter [bride’s name]. She has grown into an amazing young woman, and I am so proud of the person she has become. [Groom’s name], I couldn’t have asked for a better match for my daughter. You are kind, caring, and loving, and I am honored to welcome you into our family. [Bride’s name], [groom’s name], I wish you a lifetime of happiness, love, and adventure. To the newlyweds!”
The best man speech is a fun and light-hearted speech that is often filled with anecdotes and humor. The best man has the opportunity to pay tribute to the groom and to share some memorable moments from their friendship. Here is a sample:
“Good evening everyone, I am [your name], the best man, and the groom’s closest friend. I have known [groom’s name] for [number of years], and it has been an honour to stand by his side today as he marries the love of his life, [bride’s name]. [Groom’s name], you are one of the kindest, funniest, and most genuine people I know, and I am so grateful to have you as my friend. [Bride’s name], you bring out the best in [groom’s name], and I know you will have a lifetime of happiness together. To the newlyweds, congratulations and here’s to a lifetime of love and laughter!”
The maid of honour speech is usually given by the bride’s closest friend or sister and can be a combination of humour and sentimentality. Here is a sample:
“Good evening everyone, I am [your name], the maid of honour and [bride’s name]’s best friend. I have known [bride’s name] since we were [age], and I have never seen her as happy as she is today. [Groom’s name], you have brought so much joy into [bride’s name]’s life, and I am grateful to have you as my friend as well. To the newlyweds, may your love continue to grow stronger with each passing day. Congratulations and best wishes!”
A mother of the bride speech, while not always a traditional element in the order of wedding speeches, is becoming gaining increasing popularity in modern celebrations. This beautiful moment lets the mother share her heartfelt sentiments, commemorate her daughter’s journey, and extend a warm welcome to her daughter’s new spouse. Here’s a sample:
“Good evening everyone. Today holds great significance for me, as I stand before you to celebrate the union of my beloved daughter [bride’s name]. Watching her blossom into the remarkable woman she is today fills my heart with immense joy. [Groom’s name], from the moment you entered our lives, you’ve shown remarkable qualities of kindness, compassion, and love. Welcoming you into our family is an honour beyond words. [Bride’s name], [groom’s name], may your lives be filled with boundless joy, enduring love, and remarkable journeys together. To the newlyweds!”
These are just a few examples of the different types of wedding speeches you may give on a wedding day. No matter what type of speech you choose, the most important thing is to be yourself, speak from the heart, and let your love for the newlyweds shine through. Best of luck and have a wonderful time celebrating the love and happiness of the newlyweds.
And for even more wedding tips and tricks, sign up to Bridebook today. We’ve got plenty of articles to help you with your wedding planning and celebrations.
Choosing your wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in the run-up to your big day. They’ll make your memories last forever – so you’ll want to make sure you find the person who’s going to capture your day perfectly. But with so many photographers, styles and packages out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. That’s why we’ve called in the experts to give you their advice on finding your perfect match!
Where should couples look for wedding photographers?
“Sites like Bridebook, where you can find loads of photographers under one roof, are really helpful. But try Google or Pinterest too. Search for terms your dream photographer might be using, such as ‘light and airy wedding photographer in London’ and see who pops up.”
“Search Google for “wedding photographers” and you’ll be shown more than ninety million results… so that’s probably not much use! Post on Facebook and ask, “Anyone recommend a wedding photographer?” It’ll probably be the most popular post you’ve ever made! Again, this isn’t much use – there’ll be hundreds of photographers to choose from. Instead, use the wedding industry itself, such as wedding shows, venue recommendations and online wedding industry leaders like Bridebook.”
What can help couples make a decision between different wedding photographers?
“Look for a full day of wedding shots by your potential photographer. It’s easy to be impressed by one or two ‘wow shots’ – but if the rest of the day isn’t consistent, you may be disappointed. Always ask to see galleries of the full day, ideally with a wedding similar to yours: a winter wedding or a barn wedding, for example. Another major point to consider is their experience. Particularly if it’s a winter wedding or a rainy day, finding a photographer with experience and knowledge of darker locations is very beneficial. You shouldn’t have to miss out on anything because of the weather!”
“If you prefer to meet people in person, go to a big wedding fair. You can suss out a photographer’s vibe and check out physical copies of their work. They’re also a lot of fun!”
What should couples avoid when booking a wedding photographer?
“Try not to penny-pinch when it comes to your photography budget as you always get what you pay for. The average price of an experienced wedding photographer is £1500. If you can’t afford the photographer you like, ask what this includes. You could ask to have fewer hours or to have digital images only. This will likely bring the price down and you still get to have a professional, well experienced photographer.”
How can couples make sure they get every shot they want?
“A pre-wedding meeting is a must – approximately six to eight weeks before the wedding date. A good wedding photographer knows what the most important moments are, but this is your chance to mention anything you’re particularly after. There’s no way to specify every single image you’d like throughout the day, but most photographers love getting a list of family photos you’d like to have (including specific pairings of people).”
“Preparation! Don’t wait until the wedding day – or worse, afterwards! – to realise there was a key shot missed. Do your research and work with your photographer to create a group photo list and a list of any must-have shots. If there’s a special ring tied to the bouquet, tell your photographer! And ask your photographer if there’s enough time for all your requests – you don’t want to be rushing on your wedding day.”
“We encourage our clients to create a Pinterest board of wedding photos they love. This way, we can see what style of image resonates with our couples and what’s important to them.”
How can camera-shy couples feel more comfortable being photographed?
“Have a pre-wedding shoot. On top of receiving a great set of images, a pre-wedding shoot is a great way to build trust and friendship between the couple and the photographer. The couple gets to experience what it’s like to be photographed together and become more comfortable being photographed. In turn, the photographer is also able to see the couple’s personalities and how they react to the camera. I really can’t recommend a pre-wedding shoot enough.”
“The engagement shoot is a great opportunity to get to know your photographer – which makes getting your photo taken far easier if you’re at all camera shy! – and it’s also a good time to walk about the venue together and discuss ideas.”
Do you have any other top tips for couples looking for a wedding photographer?
“Consider two photographers. Having a second shooter is getting more and more common in wedding photography. It’s takes a considerable amount of effort to photograph an entire wedding solo, so you might want to ask your favoured photographer if they can offer a second photographer too. The price of an additional photographer at your wedding will have a great return on investment as it allows your main photographer to really focus on quality while the second shooter can concentrate on grabbing candid shots.”
“Book the style of photography you want – not what’s trendy, what the photographer wants, what all your friends used or what your dad or auntie think you should have. If you want something less traditional, with more colour and fun, go for it! At the end of the day, it’s your wedding – and a day you don’t get to repeat. Don’t have any regrets!”
Getting engaged is one of the most exciting moments of your life, tears of joy won’t stop streaming, and you can’t stop gazing at your newly bejeweled finger. But once this initial excitement begins to wear off, a sudden rush of “what now!?” begins to kick in. Don’t worry – Bridebook are here to help.
Wedding planning can be daunting even at the best of times, and the current government restrictions to curb the spread of Coronavirus may have you feeling you can’t get started with your planning. At Bridebook, we’d like to help you navigate this stressful time by discussing 8 things that you CAN do right now to ensure the smoothest wedding planning experience.
1.Designate a wedding planning day
It is time to get organised! Making decisions early is the best way to ensure the smoothest wedding planning process. Dedicating one day a week can be the perfect way to ensure that tasks get ticked off and other priorities (like Netflixin’ your favourite show!) do not get in the way.
Knowing where to begin with planning your big day can be overwhelming. Our personalised Wedding Planning Checklist is here to help guide you through the entire planning process. Based on your wedding date, your bespoke Checklist will let you know when to complete each task including pricing guides and suggestions along the way.
2.Reflection
It’s important to sit down with your partner and think about what you both want from your wedding. Will it be a small and intimate occasion or an extravagant party with hundreds of guests? Make sure you reflect and think hard about what is most important to the both of you, as a couple.
Start researching and looking for inspiration. You can then add any picture or ideas, from perfect playlists, to funny speech ideas to your Bridebook Scrapbook.
3.Budget
Once you have reflected on the kind of wedding you both want, you need to decide how much you are willing and able to spend. Let Bridebook do the hard work for you! With data from over 500,000 weddings, our super powerful Wedding Budget Tool helps you keep track right from the beginning. Simply enter your total budget and we will tell you how much you should spend on every expense from start to finish.
4.Guest List
Making decisions on your guest list can be a complicated process, from deciding who to invite, to keeping note of guest information along the way.
Bridebook’s Wedding Guest List Tool allows you to easily keep track of your invites, RSVPs and total attending guests. Your Guest List is split into two – one for you and one for your partner – but you can also create as many custom lists as you like! For example, ‘work friends’ or ‘childhood friends’. Your Guest List is ready to help you track all the nitty gritty details: you can track plus ones, dietary requirements, addresses and more.
5.Booking Your Venue
Finding the perfect wedding venue is one of the most important tasks on your checklist, and one which may seem near impossible in the midst of a global pandemic. However, thanks to the power of technology and innovative wedding venue teams, this is completely possible!
Bridebook has thousands of exceptional wedding venues with many of them offering virtual tours and show rounds. Get comfortable, open a bottle of wine and explore the delights of stunning venues across the country from your very own living room. When you enquire with venues, make sure to ask if they can offer a virtual show round – some are even using Facetime! We’d also advise you to keep an eye out for venues listing 360 tours.
6.Booking Suppliers
Again, this is something super fun which you can enjoy within the comfort of your own home. Keep reaching out to suppliers, as many are offering virtual services such as delivering tasting samples or pre-recorded videos – whilst unconventional, this can absolutely become a fun night-in with your partner.
Invite your friends and family to a Zoom call where you watch a number of wedding bands until you find your perfect match. How about ordering in some sample cake boxes for taste testing with your partner? Or even get creative and create your ideal wedding make-up, by following different tutorials available online.
7.The Little Things
Make the most of these dark cold months by getting on top of all the small tasks which will make your wedding wonderful. There are so many little things that you will need for your big day and now is the time to start a list. This might be thinking about gifts for your bridesmaids and page boys or wedding favours for guests. You could even get into some DIY and make some crafts yourself such as name cards, signs or photo boards for the day itself.
8.Enjoy your Engagement!
Weddings are incredibly special. It is important to enjoy this experience, together. Take some well deserved time off before you are rushed back to the speed of ‘normality’. Go for long walks, cook some delicious food, read a few books and most of all embrace having the love of your life by your side!
Looking for some more wedding planning tips? Check out our other wedding articles below.
Virtual tours are so simple! And you can view them right from Bridebook. You can do as many virtual tours as it takes to visit one venue in person. This means you can take a look around a few more to find the one that’s perfect for you.
No need to agree on a shortlist of five venues that you’ll visit in one weekend. Check out 10 in one afternoon. All from the comfort of your sofa!
Wrapped up warm with a big mug of hot chocolate. Now that’s how we like to plan weddings. ☕
2. Save money
Weddings can be expensive. So it’s fantastic when you find the little shortcuts that save you some money. Check out our article on saving tips here.
Well, virtual tours can be a money saver too! Try virtual tours and save the money you would have spent on petrol or public transport. Then you can splash out on those little extras on your special day, guilt free. Sounds like a win-win to us!
3. Get excited
We know things are tough at the moment. Like, really tough. And sometimes, we just need to think ahead and get excited about what life will be like once this pandemic is over.
A bit of escapism is good for everyone and what better way than planning the best party of your life! Get your partner, grab a glass of wine and block out an evening. It’s time for fantasising about your dream venue. 🏰
For more day-to-day escapism, follow us on Instagram, where it’s positive vibes only from us.
4. Get ahead
Lockdowns have been hard. But when this is all over, people are going to be in serious need of a party.
We’re going to have more weddings than ever before. People have been postponing their big day for over a year now and some of the most popular dates are filling up fast.
By taking a virtual tour, you can feel more confident about putting down a deposit to secure a date. A lot of venues are being more flexible with deposits in the current circumstances, so do ask and see what they can do for you!
By securing your date, you can put your feet up and rest easy, while others scramble to get their preferred date once the unlocking starts.
5. Get inspired
Doing a virtual tour can help you picture your own wedding more easily. Often, this can generate ideas for couples about how they want their day to run and what else they might need to plan.
Looking at the lawn area might inspire you to have a cocktail hour before dinner to make the most of the location. Or perhaps that old school dancefloor might just tip the balance in favour of that DJ you’d been checking out.
Planning a wedding is hard. There are just so many options! Doing a virtual venue tour is the perfect way to picture you and your partner on your big day.
Haven’t found your dream wedding venue yet? Browse some incredible wedding venues all over the country:
Bridebook are excited to announce the launch of our partnership with Searcys, which is in residence at some of UK’s most iconic venues including Blenheim Palace, The Pump Room in Bath, The Gherkin, St Pancras International and many more.
Rodney Payne, Searcys Regional Director comments, “Searcys started out as a weddings and events caterer back in 1847, and we are proud to have been serving our customers with finesse and personality since then. We are honoured to have been trusted with over 340 weddings over the past three years, including hosting micro-weddings during an incredibly challenging 2020. We look forward to welcoming our beautiful couples back into our iconic venues, when safe to do so. Our team is delighted to offer them additional support through the incredible tools from Bridebook – to plan, budget and organise their special day without a glitch.”
As a business we are aware that the last 12 months have been exceptionally difficult for the industry, therefore it has been incredible to see brands like Searcys innovate and adapt to offer solutions to recently engaged couples. During the start of our partnership with Searcys they have adapted to offer beautifully designed micro weddings at their venues, as well as recipes and useful tips for couples staying in to mark occasions through their ‘Staying in with Searcys’. Their most recent exclusive offer for our couples was free cases of Champagne for all future confirmed bookings.
2020 has been a challenging time for couples planning their weddings and with the holidays coming up, Bridebook has proudly partnered with a range of different companies to offer some amazing deals and discounts to our couples.
Check out all the great deals and discounts below…
1. e-there – 25% off self-stream packages
We know that planning your wedding this year has been harder than ever, especially when it comes to knowing how many loved ones will be able to join you.
So we’ve teamed up with award-winning streaming platform, E-There. Enabling you to live stream and record your special day, you can share your happiest memories with those who matter most, no matter what.
We’ve teamed up with our friends at Virgin Wines to offer our couples a generous HALF PRICE saving on 12 luxurious wines from around the world.
Boasting silky-smooth Gran Reserva, crisp and refreshing Sauvignon Blanc, fruit-filled Malbec and more, these wines are normally worth up to £11.99 a bottle, but are yours for just £5.49 each – complete with free express delivery direct to your door!
This offer also acts as the perfect introduction to Virgin Wines’ WineBank service, which allows you to earn 20% interest on the money you save, giving you big discounts on the wines you want… and all with free express delivery as standard.
12 Bottle Luxury Selection – Just £65.88 (was £131.88) – Plus free express delivery
Terms and conditions: Also available as an all-red or all-white wine selection. New customers only. UK Delivery only. You must be 18 years of age or over to buy alcohol. Full terms and conditions.
3. Stillwhite – 10% Discount to selling your wedding dress
Is your wedding dress collecting dust in the back of your closet? Then it might be time to give it another life!
Stillwhite are the world’s largest online wedding dress marketplace, and they’re helping brides to sell their wedding dresses.
There are no ongoing fees, and there’s zero commission on the sale. Simply pay a one-time listing fee (£17 Standard or £27 Premium) to list your dress until it’s sold. Our Bridebook brides get a 10% discount on their one-time listing fee!
Are you yet to find your dream wedding dress? Well Stillwhite can help here too, they’re helping future brides to buy their special dress at a fraction of the retail price.
By choosing Stillwhite, not only are you saving money but you’re also doing your part for the planet by opting for sustainable, second-hand fashion!
Papier are one of UK’s largest stationery retailers and offer incredible and unique wedding stationery packages, perfect for you!
Papier collaborate with amazing artists, illustrators and calligraphers to bring you unique wedding stationery collections that you won’t find anywhere else.
If you got married recently and are still considering changing your name, we’d love to introduce you to our friends over at NameSwitch. They make the whole process super quick and smooth, and have some amazing packages available.
We’ve got you covered with these 10% off discount codes:
We have also partnered with some incredible companies, offering some amazing services that we know you’ll love just as much as us. Below are some of our favourite partners…
Marriage Gift List – Unlimited Choice Wedding Gift List Service
We know how exciting but stressful organising a wedding can be, so Marriage Gift List are here to offer a helping hand and make things that little bit easier. They are the perfect wedding gift list, giving you easy access to pick and choose gifts from any online store.
The choice is yours and it’s free to use! At Marriage Gift List, you get exactly what you ask for, at the price that you find, and with no additional fees.
Patchwork is a global platform that lets friends contribute cash, time and skills towards a group gift or event. For engaged couples, Patchwork offer 2 incredible services:
1. Wedding Gift Registry
Patchwork allows couples to create an alternative wedding gift registry, allowing your guests to collectively fund and chip in towards that one amazing gift you really want. Whether it’s a weekend in Paris, or a beautiful piece of art, with Patchwork wedding guests come together to fund one big gift – piece by piece.
Patchwork allows couples to show wedding guests their dream honeymoon as a collection of images. So family and friends can choose exactly which part of the trip to treat them to – £200 for a night in a stunning hotel, £50 for dinner or £10 for cocktails on the beach.
Organising a wedding can be both exciting and stressful, so Marriage Gift List are here to make things that little bit easier by offering a helping hand. They give you easy access to pick and choose gifts from any online store.
The choice is yours and it’s free to use! At Marriage Gift List, you are getting exactly what you ask for, at the price that you find, with no additional fees.
How does it work?
Register – Sign up for free to start your personalised gift list.
Create your gift list – Add gifts from any online store you’d like to create your dream wedding gift list.
Share with guests – Share your unique gift list link with your guests
Receive your gifts – Have your gifts delivered or receive them on your big day!
Below are 2 quick tutorial videos to show you how simple and easy it is to use Marriage Gift List, ensuring the whole experience is stress-free for both you and your guests..
When Cameron Runcie, Marriage Gift List’s founder was planning his wedding with his partner, they tried multiple gift lists, but there wasn’t one that could offer the flexibility to pick exactly what they wanted at a fair price.
Some gift lists forced guests to pay up to twice as much, and others just didn’t have the gifts that they wanted.
So they built Marriage Gift List, where you are getting exactly what you ask for at the price that you find, with no additional fees.”
So how does Marriage Gift List make money?
Marriage Gift List earn commissions on purchases made via their website links and these commission payments help them increase the functionality of the website and keep it free to use for couples and guests.
Marriage Gift List are a unique wedding gift list, offering unlimited choice of any gift from any online retailer for free!
“The gift list innovators, Patchwork removes the stigma of asking for cash.” ELLE.
Who are Patchwork?
Patchwork is a global platform that lets friends contribute cash, time and skills towards a group gift or event. You can use Patchwork to organise all sorts of celebratory occasions from weddings and baby showers to surprise birthday parties.
You can use the platform to collectively fund all kinds of unique gifts and experiences, from honeymoons to handbags, campervans to cookery classes and bikes to beehives.
Common ways to use the Patchwork platform:
As a Wedding Gift Registry:
Patchwork allows couples to create an alternative wedding gift registry to allow your guests to collectively fund and chip in towards that one gift you really want. Whether it’s a piece of art or a weekend in Paris, with Patchwork wedding guests come together to fund one big gift – piece by piece.
Patchwork enables couples to show wedding guests their dream honeymoon as a collection of images. So friends and family can choose which part of the trip to treat them to – £200 for a night in a hotel, £50 for dinner or £5 for beers on the beach.
Patchwork is used by thousands of couples planning DIY weddings:
The organiser sets up a Patchwork to show all the things they need help to fund, make or do (from buying beer to making cakes, doing the decorations or promising to DJ)
Then everyone chooses whether to contribute cash, time or skills to help make it happen.
Why use Patchwork?
With customisable templates and gorgeous image gallery, it’s easy to set up your Patchwork gift page and the Pinterest-style layout and mobile friendly shopping experience makes it easy and fun for friends to contribute too.
100,000 people (and counting) already love and trust Patchwork. Here’s why:
Your friends can give you money (or contribute their time, or their skills) and feel great about doing it.
We don’t try to sell you anything. You can spend the money you receive when, where and how you like.
You can collect funds in any currency from friends and family wherever they are in the world.
Why Patchwork is so unique?
Fund, make, do
Patchwork is the only gift list in the world that lets people register not just things they want friends and family to fund but also things people can make and do.
For example, a couple using Patchwork as a honeymoon fund can ask friends and family to treat them to a night in an Airbnb for £100 or pay for a coconut on the beach for £1. But they can also ask people to make them a travel playlist as a present, lend them a rucksack, teach them some Spanish or drive them to the airport.
Collect gift money direct
Patchwork is independent of all retailers and so it’s entirely flexible. Patchwork also doesn’t hold customer funds. Instead the creator of a patchwork receives cash gifts (in their chosen currency) directly via PayPal or Stripe so they can pay for gift items or experiences when, where and how they like.
After weeks of being inside, forced apart from our nearest and dearest, weddings seem like a lifetime away. And yet, the day will come when life will be full of loved ones, laughter and celebration once more. We can expect some significant effects on weddings to come later this year and into 2021.
The 2021 wedding season will not be without its challenges. With 64% of 2020 weddings expected to be pushed-back, 2021 is set to be a busy one. Couples will have to make quick decisions on dates, to get first dibs on the date they want. Guests can expect many more clashes, and midweek weddings than ever, making things a little more challenging. On the bright side, we’ll have a way to use up all of those saved holiday days…
Post-coronavirus, we can expect that weddings will be bigger, bolder, and even more full of meaning. Everyone is longing for the days of confetti, cake, and bubbly, and we have the scoop on the trends you can expect to see post-lockdown.
Digital Guests:
One thing that has come from this period of change and online socialising is the normalisation of online meeting services, such as zoom. Travel restrictions may persist for some time, and we expect two-thirds of weddings post-lockdown to have at least some guests attending virtually. For elderly relatives, as well as friends and family living in far-flung destinations, digital access will be a great way for them to still be able to attend these special moments, even if just remotely.
Courageous Fashion Choices:
After what feels like months of wearing the same pair of leggings and jumpers, everyone will be jumping at the chance to dress up and look their best. We can expect adventurous guest fashion, with brighter, more fashion-forward dresses and bolder jewellery choices.
It won’t just be guests making bold statements; we are seeing a 50% increase in the popularity of statement veils (probably thanks to Mrs. Bieber). We can expect to see many more brides making this trend their own, embroidering their veils with meaningful quotes or even initials. Alongside an increase in statement veils, we are also seeing a rise in catwalk-inspired statement sleeves and pearl-embellished dresses, seen at the likes of Dior and Chanel.
Classic Blue was announced as the Pantone colour of the year, so expect a great revival in the something blue, something borrowed tradition, featuring this beautiful shade. Think blue in newly trending hair barrettes, jewelry and even the bases of high heels!
Post-credit-crunch, boho brides were on the rise, and this trend is set to explode once more. Many 2021 brides will be going for the ethereal look, with wearable florals, and bridal crowns taking center stage.
Creative Wedding Decor:
If you thought wedding creativity had reached its peak, just you wait. With more time than ever to d think about wedding details, we can expect a move away from some more traditional elements to more creative and modern takes on decor. Some creative couples will be changing up the traditional seating charts, instead painting table lists on flower-filled glass boxes. Floral hoops have also been growing in popularity, with growing in popularity by 80% this year, alongside hanging floral decorations and flower-filled aisles.
Post quarantine, there will be a revival of the Do-it-yourself Bride and Groom. Around three-quarters of weddings will include some DIY elements, as couples cut costs where they can (and have more time on their hands!), with DIY-couples saving a combined £20million. We are looking forward to personalised table settings, wedding favours, and decor, such as photo displays.
Wedding Food Trends:
With so many couples caring more than ever about sustainability and the environment, it is no wonder that there has been a shift to a focus on menu seasonality, as well as plastic and waste reduction. With many couples aiming to create as little environmental impact as possible, the increase in zero-plastic and reduced-waste weddings could save more than 15,000 tonnes of wedding waste from ending up in landfills (that’s 100 blue whales!). From invitations made of recycled paper, vegan menus and leftover composting, we can safely assume that the sustainable wedding trend is here to stay and will explode in 2021. We imagine many couples will be donating leftover flowers to local hospitals and hospices, which hopefully will be a trend that will stick.
As for the sweet stuff, we predict a shift away from the traditional and pricy wedding cakes that often remain uneaten, to more exciting offerings. Unique grab and go dessert displays, such as doughnut walls will come into their own (there are almost 100,000 posts under the hashtag #donutwall on Instagram!).
Weddings are all about individuality and celebrating who the couple truly is. We are expecting food and drink that pay homage to the backgrounds of the couple, whether that is custom messages in fortune cookies or cocktails made with a type of Slovakian cherry liquor. More and more couples will be selecting super-personal menus, such as family favourite desserts, or cocktails named after people and places that mean something to the couple and their families.
Party Central:
After the storm of COVID, when weddings begin again, they are set to go on till the early hours. Where there is partying, there is midnight feasting. Guests can expect to be sustained with anything from sweet treat grazing tables, to late-night pasta pots to keep them dancing the night away.
Missing happy hour has become a national tragedy, and it’s coming back in a big way – think serve-yourself prosecco taps, experimental cocktails, and boozy popsicles like frozen rose, mimosas, and mojitos making their way onto a dancefloor near you.
It’s only natural that with happy hour, comes confidence in dance ability. Learning a Tiktok dance became a quarantine right of passage, and newly married couples will be eager to show off their new fancy footwork. Be prepared for some seriously questionable, but hilarious first dances.
Registry Remix:
Many couples feel that this period has put things into perspective, as well as made many questioning what gifts they can live without. Cutlery and crystal bowls are a nice memento, but lots of couples are forgoing the regular registry list, asking for experiences, not things. More will be asking for starter funds for a new home, a pet, or for their honeymoons. Charity registries will also become the norm, with more and more couples wanting to donate to a cause they feel passionate about.
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We love weddings. Like, really love them. (Can you tell?) But even we have to admit that they can be pretty wasteful affairs. Planning a sustainable wedding might sound daunting, but we promise it’s not as tricky as you might expect – so have a think about whether or not you can find a place for something green (and something borrowed!) alongside your something blue. Here are our top tips to get you started.
Resell your wedding dress or suit
Of all the items of clothing you own, we bet that whatever you wear on your wedding day will have the most sentimental value. But if you can bear to part with it, consider selling it on or handing it down to someone else. It’s an easy way to make a little cash back while reducing your wedding’s impact.
Want 10% off when you sell your wedding dress? Head over to Stillwhite, the world’s largest second-hand wedding dress marketplace.
Opt for online invitations
Your wedding stationery is one aspect of your wedding you just can’t cut. At the end of the day, your guests need to know where to go! But there are loads of eco-friendly alternatives that don’t end up with piles of wasted paper. For example, there’s no reason that e-invites can’t be just as gorgeous as traditional stationery! Why not email your guests a link to a personalised video of you and your other half or set up an awesome wedding website?
Choose a venue close to home
Having an eco-friendly wedding doesn’t necessarily mean getting married on a farm or in a field! Travel can be one of the most significant contributors to a wedding’s carbon footprint so if you want to go green, try to pick a venue that’s within easy reach of you and your guests. You might want to think about choosing somewhere that’s accessible by public transport too.
Organise a wedding coach for your guests
If lots of your guests are coming to your venue from the same place, you could organise a wedding coach to take them all there and back in one go. It’s an easy way to make sure everyone turns up on time too!
Set up carpooling
Encourage your guests to travel together where possible and help them sort out carpooling arrangements. Ask your guests to let you know if they’ll have a free spot in their car when they RSVP, then match them up with another guest in need of a lift. It’ll likely save your guests a little on fuel costs too!
Buy any clothing second-hand
Remember, it’s not just you and your other half who will be buying an outfit for the wedding. Everyone in the wedding party from the best man to the flower girl will most likely be wearing something special. A great way to be a little greener – and to save a few pennies! – is to opt for pre-loved items from a vintage boutique or charity shop. Another alternative is to explore hiring any dresses or suits needed for the wedding party. After all, they’ll probably only wear them once!
Avoid single-use items
Like your wedding invitations, little details like place cards and table numbers can quickly end up meaning mountains of paper, card and plastic left over after your big day. One easy option is to look for recyclable or biodegradable materials when choosing your designs. If you have a little more cash to spare, another idea we love is doubling up your place cards with your wedding favours so that your guests have a keepsake to take away with them, rather than something to be thrown away.
But our favourite idea? Edible place cards. Order cookies with your guests’ names written on them in icing. We can guarantee there’ll be nothing left at the end of your big day!
Make conscious jewellery choices
We know, we know – it’s hardly the most romantic thing to think about, but it’s important to be conscious of the impact your wedding and engagement rings can have on the planet and its people. Diamonds and other gems are often sourced unsustainably and unethically, as are many precious metals. To avoid participating in a potentially problematic trade, make sure to look for conflict-free materials, investigate vintage or recycled options or look into lab-grown options.
Celebrate by candlelight
Your electricity bill might be the last thing on your mind on your wedding day – and rightly so, in our opinion! – but considering energy-saving strategies is an easy way to make your big day a little more sustainable. Try turning off unnecessary lights and lighting your venue with candles instead. On top of being eco-friendly, it’ll create a gorgeous, romantic atmosphere! Just make sure you check that your venue’s happy with open flames.
Use sustainable makeup
Why not switch out some of your products for cruelty-free, zero-waste or locally produced alternatives? We’d never recommend trying something new for the first time on your wedding day so this is definitely one you’ll want to plan ahead. If you’re having your makeup done professionally, ask your makeup artist whether they use any sustainable products or quiz any makeup-loving friends on their cruelty-free recommendations.
Stay seasonal
Flowers play a big role in almost every wedding and aren’t something we’d ever recommend skipping out on! But they can have an undeniable impact on your wedding’s carbon footprint, whether that’s because of how they’re disposed of or how they’re imported. Our top tip is to prioritise flowers that are a) local and b) seasonal where possible. It’s a often fab way to save some pennies too as your flowers have less far to travel.
Go veggie (or vegan!)
Whether you go completely vegan or just opt to reduce the number of meat dishes on offer, exploring eco-friendly options for your catering is an easy way to go green. And don’t worry – it’s not 2003! Going veggie doesn’t mean limiting yourself to mediocre mushroom risottos and sad stuffed peppers. Nowadays, there are loads of caterers offering fabulous vegan and veggie options. If you do still want to serve meat, try to prioritise local and organic produce where possible to decrease your wedding’s environmental impact.
Avoid flower foam
An easy eco win is to check if your florist uses flower foam in their designs. This foam is much like single-use plastic and can be harmful to humans and animals through prolonged contact, especially if it seeps into water supplies. Our advice would be to avoid flower foam where possible and look for eco-friendly alternatives.
Buy biodegradable
Buying decorations made out of biodegradable materials is an easy way to lower the environmental impact of your wedding. This is especially important when it comes to wedding staples like confetti, as well as balloons and lanterns.
Confetti is one of the biggest offenders when it comes to the environmental impact of weddings. Fortunately, there’s loads of biodegradable options out there, as well as more traditional eco-friendly options like rose petals or rice. For extra green points, you could even gather flowers from your own garden (or a friend’s) and dry the petals yourself.
And, as much as we love them, balloons and lanterns are potentially very harmful to the environment if not disposed of correctly. If you do want a lantern display, be careful to look for biodegradable materials and be careful of where you release them.
Hire what you can
Not only are wedding decorations often un-environmental, they’re also expensive! Why not hire your decorations? You can be sure they’ll be reused time and time again while also saving some cash yourself. Plus, hiring your decorations often means being able to afford higher quality pieces, adding a little luxury to your day!
Go for gifts that keep giving!
While we always love a wedding favour, they’re not at all a necessity! Being invited to your wedding is gift enough for your guests! So why not think about making a charity donation with the money you save? If you really do want to buy favours, you could explore options that let your guests make a positive impact on the environment themselves. For example, you might gift them with a packet of seeds to grow their own flowers.
There you have it – some amazing green wedding ideas for a gorgeous, environmentally-friendly wedding!
We have been told that love happens gradually, that falling in love is like listening to the tune of a lullaby or a slow song, tender and beautiful. We have been told that love is supposed to be there all along while you blindly engage in different pursuits.
But one day, you realize that you have been hit by love, the sudden urge to make somebody yours. The tune to your favourite song, the shade of your t-shirt, the colour of their skin; everything matches with the hues of your heart that cannot stop falling for them.
Love is bliss, and expressing it is heaven. Therefore, we bring you some romantic love quotes to let your partner know how deeply in head over heels you are smitten with them.
Beautiful Love quotes
“One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love.” -Sophocles.
“For small creatures such as we the vastness is bearable only through love.” – Carl Sagan.
“If I had a flower for every time I thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever.” – Alfred Tennyson.
“You know when you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” – Dr. Seuss.
“Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” – Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land.
“But the heart’s not like a box that gets filled up. It expands in size the more you love.” –’Her,’ the movie.
“There is no remedy for love, but to love more.” – Thoreau.
“There’s only one thing that cuts through all our realities, and that’s love—the bridge between all our differences.” – The L Word.
“Some love stories aren’t epic novels. Some are short stories, but that doesn’t make them any less filled with love.” – Sex and the City.
“All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love.” – Leo Tolstoy, War, and Peace.
“Give in to love, or live in fear.” – Rent.
“Because through love, we feel the intensity of our connection to everything and everyone. And at the core, we are all the same. We’re all one.” – Loving Annabelle.
Funny Love Quotes
“I love being married. It’s so great to find one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.” -Rita Rudner.
“Love is the same as like, except you feel sexier.” – Judith Viorst.
“Marriage is our last, best chance to grow up.” – Joseph Barth.
“Love is a two-way street constantly under construction.” – Carroll Bryant.
“Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra, and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come.” – Matt Groening, The Big Book of Hell.
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” – Charles M. Schulz.
“I love being married. It’s so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.” – Rita Rudner.
“Love is something sent from heaven to worry the hell out of you.” – Dolly Parton.
“I just happened to be nowhere near your neighborhood.” – Singles.
“I’m afraid once your heart is involved, it all comes out in moron.” – Gilmore Girls.
“Falling in love is not at all the most stupid thing that people do, but gravitation cannot be held responsible for it.” – Albert Einstein.
“Real love amounts to withholding the truth, even when you’re offered the perfect opportunity to hurt someone’s feelings.” – David Sedaris.
Cute Love Quotes
“Love is a friendship set to music.” – Joseph Campbell.
“Love is a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” – Aristotle.
“I think I’d miss you even if we never met.” – The Wedding Date.
“When you’re a kid, you assume your parents are soulmates. My kids are going to be right about that.” – The Office.
“So excuse me forgetting but these things, I do you see, I’ve forgotten if they’re green or they’re blue. Anyway, the thing is, what I really mean yours are the sweetest eyes I’ve ever seen.” – Elton John, “Your Song.”
“Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold.”– Zelda Fitzgerald.
“Two people in love, alone, isolated from the world, that’s beautiful.” – Milan Kundera.
“True love stories never have endings.” – Richard Bach.
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched—they must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller.
“Deep within us — no matter who we are — there lives a feeling of wanting to be lovable, of wanting to be the kind of person that others like to be with. And the greatest thing we can do is to let people know that they are loved and capable of loving.” – Fred Rogers
“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” – Nat King Cole, “Nature Boy” lyrics.
Quotes About Marriage
“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.”- Mignon McLaughlin.
“The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along.” – Rumi
“To be fully seen by somebody, then, and be loved anyhow – this is a human offering that can border on miraculous.”– Elizabeth Gilbert, Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage.
“If I get married, I want to be very married.” – Audrey Hepburn.
“I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate than when I fall asleep your eyes close.” – Pablo Neruda, 100 Love Sonnets.
“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.”– Maya Angelou.
“I am nothing special, of this, I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts, and I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me, and my name will soon be forgotten, but I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough.”– Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook.
“If I had a flower for every time I thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever.”– Alfred Tennyson.
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”– Lao Tzu.
“We’re all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness – and call it love – true love.”– Robert Fulghum, True Love.
Love Quotes from Literature
“Each time you happen to me all over again.” – The Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton
“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be.” Rabbi Ben Ezra – Robert Browning.
“I’ve never had a moment’s doubt. I love you. I believe in you completely; you are my dearest one. My reason for Life.” Atonement – Ian McEwan
“Who, being loved, is poor?” —Oscar Wilde, A Woman of No Importance
“Perhaps, after all, the romance did not come into one’s life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one’s side like an old friend through quiet ways; perhaps it revealed itself in seeming prose until some sudden shaft of illumination flung athwart its pages betrayed the rhythm and the music, perhaps… perhaps… love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship, as a golden-hearted rose slipping from its green sheath.” — Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea.
“To love or have loved, that is enough. Ask nothing further. There is no other pearl to be found in the dark folds of life.” —Victor Hugo, Les Misérables.
“When you love something, it loves you back in whatever way it has to love.” —John Knowles, A Separate Peace.
“A love story is not about those who lose their heart but about those who find that sullen inhabitant who, when it is stumbled upon, means the body can fool no one, can fool nothing— not the wisdom of sleep or the habit of social graces. It is a consuming of oneself and the past.” —Michael Ondaatje, The English Patient.
“We love the things we love for what they are.” —Robert Frost, Hyla Brook.
“The way her body existed only where he touched her. The rest of her was smoke.” —Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things.
“In love, there are two things—bodies and words.” —Joyce Carol Oates.
“I have learned not to worry about love; but to honor its coming with all my heart.” —Alice Walker.
“All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love.” —Leo Tolstoy, War, and Peace.
The best thing that we can do in life is love. Love should come to humans as easy as breathing. Therefore, with these famous love quotes, let your partner know how much you mean to them. Which is your favourite quote on love?
Many of you might be thinking of hiring a wedding planner to plan your wedding and get your wedding venue decorated. But Wait! There’s another fantastic way in which you can get a stylish wedding touch on your own.
Yes, you’ve read it correctly, you can do it on your own, and that’s why we’re here with the best DIY wedding decoration ideas that will truly amaze your guests.
So, if you both fall under the umbrella of budget-friendly or décor-savvy couples who want to tackle the decoration process independently, then prepare to be the best temporary wedding planner your wedding ceremony will ever see!
From Bride & Groom Bucket List to Photo Family Tree, the 16 best DIY Wedding Ideas mentioned below will genuinely embrace your wedding ceremony’s beauty.
1. Use Bridebook’s Free Wedding Planning App
Become your own wedding planner with the Bridebook app. Search for wedding venues, and all the wedding suppliers you need like caterers, photographers, florists and so much more!
So what are you waiting for? Sign up and download the free Bridebook Wedding Planning App now!
2. Bride & Groom Bucket List
Similar to the guestbook, another popular and unique idea is the Bride & Groom Bucket List. It is super fun and also relatively easy to create. In this list, you can add all the things that you and your partner can do together to strengthen your love and bond.
This will be a fun and creative idea for you and your partner and will surely give you some fantastic ideas for activities to do during your wedding.
3. Ribbon Tied Chairs
Another unique way to add style to your wedding is by making the chairs look more impressive – tie beautiful ribbons around the back of the chairs.
Chair décor is one of the most overlooked details at the wedding, and the right embellishments or the wedding chair décor ideas will genuinely create a dramatic look for your special day.
4. Blackboard Wedding Program
While planning a wedding, it is vital to have a program so that the guests can have an idea of what will be happening in the entire wedding ceremony. For this, you can be creative enough by using a blackboard or a chalkboard to chalk out the complete wedding program.
5. Paper Lanterns
Paper lanterns are beautiful enough that they will truly embrace your wedding décor.
The paper made lanterns will spark the inspiration to create your own one of a kind environment for your wedding day without breaking the bank. Paper lanterns are easy to make, which will combine lighting with table décor.
6.Self Portrait Guest Book
Ditch the photo guest book and just ask your artistic guests and relatives to draw self-portraits. You can allow space to your guests to fill it in with their amazing artwork and signatures, and the coloured Sharpies add to the fun.
7.Hanging Flowers
The hanging flowers or the flower chandeliers work amazingly to add beauty to your wedding. Wedding trends may come and go, but the trend of hanging flowers will remain the same.
Hanging flowers of different colors or the flower chandeliers will surely give your wedding a garden-fresh feel that your guests will truly love.
8. Pineapple Vase Centrepieces
With so many ideas of centrepieces, you can ditch all of them and give a try to the most trendy Pineapple Vase Centrepiece.
Hallowed pineapples will make a perfect and eye-catching Whimsical Pineapple vase that will truly capture your guests’ interest. The Pineapple Vase Centrepieces will look the best with the tropical flower blends.
9. Custom Balloons
The colorful custom balloons will liven up your wedding event and will surely give a fantastic look to your wedding.
The various sizes, shapes, and colors of custom balloons are available easily online. You can get customized according to your need with cute pictures or cheeky slogans.
10. Bow Tie Napkins
Bow Tie Napkins are truly loved by all, and they give a cute and unique touch to the wedding décor ideas.
Instead of placing the napkins generally on the table, you can create a bow-tie shape of the napkins that will embrace the beauty of the table and will indeed prove to be a great tablescape at your wedding.
11. Flower Walls
Floral Floral on the wall, they are the prettiest of them all! Flowers are a crucial part of the wedding, and right from the dainty wedding elements to the boisterous decorations, the presence of flowers embraces the entire wedding look.
A plethora of colorful flowers bunched together into a wall will look surreal and will take your wedding pictures to the next level.
12. Giant Paper Flowers
The giant paper flowers look amazing when they are part of a backdrop installation. Make a lot of giant paper flowers of different colors, and then combine all of them to be a part of the backdrop installation. This will give an eye-popping look to your wedding decoration.
13.Woodland Floral Centrepieces
As said earlier that flowers are an essential part without which the wedding décor is incomplete. So here we are with another flower décor idea that involves Woodland Inspired Floral Centrepieces.
If you plan a rustic themed wedding, you can ditch the flower vases and display flowers in old tree logs that will give a unique touch of earthy vibes to your wedding.
14. Blanket Wedding Aisle
Your grand entrance right down the aisle is one of the most unique and special moments during your wedding.
There are amazing aisle runners out there, but you can be creative enough by using colourful blankets as an innovative alternative to aisle runners. It will surely fit perfectly in any of the wedding themes.
15. Customised Lawn Games
To add some kind of fun and spark to your wedding, you can arrange some customised lawn games for your guests to keep your guests engaged. With the best wedding lawn games, you can keep guests of all ages entertained at an outdoor wedding.
So, if you have a large lawn to work with, then it may be fun to set up multiple games so that everyone who wants to play can get a chance.
16. Photo Family Tree
Last but not least, a photo family tree is a great way to enhance the look of your wedding décor.
For this, you just need pictures of your family and your couple’s photos, some decoration elements like ribbons, lights, and maybe even a tree. And then you can decorate the tree and hang the pictures on it with ribbon. This will look pretty amazing.
So, how did you find these fantastic DIY Wedding Decoration Ideas? Aren’t they amazing? These DIY wedding ideas are budget-friendly, and they will let you create a whole new stylish look at your wedding without costing you much.
So what are you waiting for? Just grab the required items that you will need and start preparing for creating an excellent DIY wedding decoration.
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Proposing to your partner might seem an easy task, but sometimes you’re not sure exactly how to get down on one knee. Proposing to your partner is a special moment that neither of you will ever forget..
To make this memorable moment extra unique, we are here with 15 romantic marriage proposal ideas that will make your partner fall in love with you again.
1. Re-create your first date proposal
Do you remember the place where you both met for the first time? A restaurant, a bar, or a movie?
All you need to do is recreate your first date, this will bring up all the lovely memories back. You both can have a conversation about all the happy and beautiful memories of your relationship. Then you can get down on your knee with a ring in your hand and romantically propose to your partner.
2. Summit proposal
Just imagine proposing to your partner on the top of the mountain with a stunning all-round view. Isn’t it amazing?
Plan a trip to your favourite mountainous destination with your partner and plan a proposal. If you and your partner love the joy of conquering the summit, then make that moment worth remembering and even more memorable by proposing to them there in your unique way.
3. Hot air balloon proposal
As “Love is in the Air” then why not propose to your partner in a romantic hot air balloon ride.
This engagement idea is becoming ever so popular, and for a good reason. Just book a hot air balloon ride to make the moment of proposing that much more romantic and beautiful. This will be a proposal neither of you will ever forget – just make sure your partner is not too afraid of heights.
4. Friends and family proposal
If you and your partner are close to both your family and friends, then why not include them in your life’s special moment?
Proposing to your life partner with all your friends and family members will be a great way to include your loved ones in your happy moment. This will make you and your partner feel extra special, and will be an engagement your friends and family will not stop talking about.
5. Pets and kids proposal
As you are planning for a romantic proposal and have pets or kids in your house, why shouldn’t they be a part of this beautiful moment?
How cute will it look to see a proposing message like “Will You Marry Me?” around a dog’s collar? Or a child holding a board with another romantic proposal message. Your partner will surely love this. And you can make this moment an extra special one by going down on your knee with a ring and proposing to them.
6. Holiday proposal
Are you and your partner fond travellers? If yes, then you should take your partner on holiday to a romantic destination and make that moment worth remembering.
Plan a trip to a destination that you both wanted to visit together, or one that’s extra special to you both, and don’t forget to carry the ring with you. You can then plan various ways of proposing to them like going for a candlelight dinner, a walk on the beach, or watching a sunrise or sunset.
7. Scavenger hunt proposal
You can bring joy and excitement while proposing to your partner by playing a treasure or scavenger hunt game – talk about a unique engagement proposal idea.
Just hide the clues of your proposal message in and around the house and ask your partner to find the clues. After finding all the clues, they will be ending up forming a complete proposal message, creating a charming and memorable moment.
8. Skywriting proposal
One of the most surprising ways to propose your partner is the skywriting proposal, which can make them feel amazed.
All you need to do is to hire a skywriter and ask them to write your proposal message with a plane in the clouds, an unforgettable moment for both of you.
9. Camping proposal
Proposing to your partner in a tent under the night sky will leave a surreal and fantastic memory.
Pitch up a tent under the night sky and spend quality time with your partner by sharing some of your favourite memories, watching the stars, or anything romantic to help set the mood. Then when the moment is right, pull out the ring and propose.
10. Favourite movie proposal
Are you and your partner both movie lovers? If yes, then why not choose the movie engagement idea?
Plan a movie date with your partner to watch you or your partner’s favourite romantic movie and don’t forget to carry a ring with you. While watching the movie together, wait for a romantic scene to come, then you can take out the ring and propose. This will surely surprise them and make your movie date a perfect one.
11. Favourite love song proposal
One loving way of proposing to your partner is to propose with a song playing in the background.
You can plan out a date with them, then you can play their favourite love song in the background or if you have a great voice, why not serenade your partner? Then when the time is right, go down on your knees with a ring in your hand and propose.
12. Foodie proposal
Are you or your partner food lovers? If yes, then a foodie proposal is perfect for you both.
First choose their favourite food; then you can write down your proposal message on a paper or card and then place it in their food. If you’re an excellent cook, why not make it even more special and cook the meal yourself? Example: proposal message on the icing of a chocolate cake or a note inside a fortune cookie.
13. Boat Proposal
One of the most romantic engagement ideas is proposing to your partner out on the water.
Go for a boat ride with your partner and plan to propose to them there as it will be the most romantic, intimate, and perfect place to ask them for marriage. This boat ride will surely be memorable for both of you.
14. Crossword puzzle proposal
Proposing to your partner with a crossword puzzle is one of the most unique, surprising and fun marriage proposal ideas.
You need to contact any of the puzzles editors to form a crossword puzzle that delivers a proposal message to your partner. Or else you can create your own crossword puzzle online for proposing.
15. Skydiving proposal
Last but not least, a skydiving proposal is one of the most memorable engagement ideas ever.
With nature as your perfect setting, this idea is one they will surely remember for the rest of their life. Ready the question that’s largely printed on the destination so that they notice it the second you reach the ground. What’s even better? Go with printing a large banner so that they can notice it while both of you are in the air together.
This was all about the best 15 romantic marriage proposal ideas that will add more love and memories in your love life. You can choose any of these ways of proposing to your partner and making that extra special moment an unforgettable one.
Here are some more wedding article we know you’ll love:
If you’re too excited about planning your wedding and can’t wait, then why not have a browse at some of the most beautiful and unique wedding venues in the UK:
We all love date night: It’s the getting ready in anticipation, looking up restaurant reviews, arguing over what film to see, and who’s booking the seats.
We know that you might be missing these special nights out, but in the age of social distancing it’s time to get a little bit more creative with your date nights at home.
There really is no better time than the present to shake things up and even save yourselves some serious dollar in the process. Lucky for you, we’ve come up with some quarantine-approved, stay-at-home date nights that you and your partner can try out. You are most welcome.
1. For the Cant-Sit-Still Couple
Have you been talking about taking those salsa lessons or tango classes for ages, but never managed to do it for fear of falling in the middle of a rumba? Well, now’s the perfect time to learn with zero fear of embarrassment. DanceDojo has free salsa lessons with video tutorials on salsa steps, turns, and combinations. This could be the perfect time to perfect that fancy footwork for the first dance at your wedding!
2. For the Aspiring Mixologists
Who said you can’t have an at-home happy hour? There’s no need to go to the shops for this one, why not see who can come up with the best cocktail from items you already have in the fridge. If winging it isn’t your style (or you don’t want to waste any precious liquor), the make me a cocktail website will tell you what classic cocktails you can make with what you already have.
3. For the Comfortable Couple:
No judgment from us if you don’t feel like changing out of your cosiest clothes (who can blame you). But why not make movie night a little more special, and camp out in your living room. Setting up a blanket fort will automatically make you feel like mischievous children, in the best possible way. Just grab some pillows, some extra blankets and you’ve got yourself a cozy hideaway. Bonus points for whoever brings the fairy lights and extra snacks.
4. For the Theatre-lovers:
For those of you missing out on theatre trips, Filmed on stage is bringing the theatre to you. Access hundreds of plays and musicals, from Comedies to Shakespeare, at your fingertips. You can even watch that sold-out National Theatre play you’ve been trying to get tickets to for months. Feel free to crack open an interval ice cream (and it won’t cost you £6!).
5. For the Jetsetters:
We know you might have had trips cancelled, but rather than setting your screensaver to that picturesque beach, why not have an around the world evening-in? Curb your wanderlust by bringing Tokyo to your living room by watching Lost in Translation, ordering sushi and singing out-of-tune karaoke. Or head to the Italian Riviera by watching a classic Italian film (Il Paradiso is our pick), making a delicious bolognese and drinking a bottle (or two) together.
6. For the Cultural Couple:
One of the perks of 2000 museums and galleries being online at Google Arts & Culture is that finally, they’re open 24 hours! So why not find your way to the Musée d’Orsay in Paris (without thousands of people blocking your view), or head to the Guggenheim in New York. Alongside art collections, there are tours of famous sites and landmarks such as the Taj Mahal, the Colosseum and the Bolshoi Theatre. Now is a better time than any to learn your Monet from your Manet and your Dalí from your Degas.
7. For Romantic Reminiscing:
We could all do with a little extra romance right now, so go back to the beginning of your relationship, when the words social distancing had never been uttered. Light some candles, look through your old photos together and go through the New York Times’ 36 questions to make you fall in love. We promise you will laugh, cry and remember things you had completely forgotten about each other. Take this time to slow down and be present with the person you love most.
When the time comes to sit down and properly start planning your wedding, one of the very first questions you’ll face is ‘what day of the week shall we get married?’ Your first instinct will likely be on a weekend – but, you’ll have to compete with thousands of couples who’ll have exactly the same thought process.
But, is a weekend the best time to have your wedding? What about midweek? And which month, or even season, would make for the best choice?
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, but there may be a one-day-fits-budget answer that could make your decision a little easier.
In this post, we’re going to dive into the busy world of how to choose which day you should get married. We’ll explore the considerations to keep at the forefront of your mind, the most popular dates and days to have a wedding, and why a midweek wedding might just be the best decision you make.
What are the most popular dates to get married on?
As discovered in our 2023 UK Wedding Report, the top 10 most popular dates to get married are:
19th August
26th August
9th September
16th September
23rd September
12th August
8th July
2nd September
20th May
7th October
As you can see, most of these dates are during the summer months, which is when you might expect the weather to behave itself – although this is in the UK after all, where nothing is guaranteed when it comes to the weather.
However, there is something that each of these dates has in common, which we’ll come on to next.
What’s the most popular day of the week to get married on?
The most popular day of the week to get married is Saturday. Because of this, everything from venues and caterers to photographers and transport generally has higher rates on a Saturday than any other day of the week.
However, for the first time, less than half (48%) of weddings in 2023 took place on a Saturday, according to our 2024 Wedding Report. This is a continuation of the trend in recent years away from Saturday weddings.
Why is Saturday the most popular day of the week to get married on?
The most obvious reason why Saturday is still the most popular day couples choose for their wedding is because it’s when most of your guests will be free from work and school commitments. Around two-thirds of employees don’t work weekends, which means the majority of your guests won’t have to book annual leave to come to your big day. Plus, they’re more likely to let their hair down and enjoy themselves if they don’t have to get up early for work the next day – this goes double for any guests who may have travelled a long way to be there.
The cheapest day to get married on is a Tuesday, with the average Tuesday wedding costing £16,273, compared to the overall average of £20,775. This is also over £6,000 cheaper than the average Saturday wedding, which costs £22,290.
Despite being the cheapest, Tuesday is actually the least popular day to get married, with only 4% of couples tying the knot on the second day of the week.
Just like how Saturdays are the most popular day for a wedding because most of your guests are off work and school, Tuesdays are the least popular in part because the reverse of this is true. Unless they work shifts, your guests are likely to be at work or school on a Tuesday, and because it’s not on either side of the weekend like a Friday or Monday, guests might not be so keen to take a day’s annual leave. Then there’s the additional travel time for guests who don’t live close by, which might mean another day or two of holiday.
In 2023, just 7% of weddings took place during the first three months of the year. As the weather got warmer so did couples’ love for a wedding, with a fifth having their big day in April, May or June. Then another 41% had summer or early autumn weddings in July, August or September, and the final quarter tied the knot in October, November or December.
From this, it’s obvious that couples prefer to get married during the warmer spring, summer and autumn months, with more than two-thirds of all weddings taking place between April and September. Because of this, these months will be among the most expensive within which to get married. That said, autumn weddings are rising in popularity, with October especially now being sought-after (16% of weddings in 2023 took place in October).
What do superstitions say about the best and worst months for a wedding?
If you believe in superstitions, there are some to consider before choosing your date, because some think that certain months are luckier to get married in than others.
When it comes to bad luck, there’s a rhyme that states, ‘Marry in May and you’ll rue the day’ which dates back to Pagan fertility rituals. Among its most famous believers was Queen Victoria, who supposedly banned her children from getting married in May. Clearly, not many modern couples believe this superstition, with May currently being the fourth most popular month for weddings.
If you’re seeking some good luck, here are some of our favourites to bear in mind:
Marry when the year is new and he’ll be loving, kind and true.
Marry in April when you can, and joy for maiden and for man.
Marry in September’s shrine, your living will be rich and fine.
What’s the luckiest day of the week for a wedding?
Now that you know some of the superstitions surrounding months, what about the days of the week? Well, there are Gaelic superstitions that state:
Marry on Monday for wealth,
Tuesday for health,
Wednesday the best day of all,
Thursday for crosses,
Friday for losses,
and Saturday no day at all.
You may not be a big believer in superstitions, but even if you’re not, it can’t hurt to err on the side of caution, right? Besides, would a Tuesday wedding in September be so bad? It would certainly be cheaper, if nothing else.
Should you get married on an important date, like Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve?
Christmas Day is the most popular day to get engaged on, followed by Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. But, what if you want to get married on a date like this and have a shared celebration with your friends and family?
The first thing to be aware of is that not all of the guests you invite will want to give up a special date, so don’t be surprised if you get a few Xs on your RSVPs. Travel and accommodation can also be tricky, not to mention expensive during holiday periods.
It can also be extremely expensive for you if you choose to have a Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve wedding. Staff may be paid double or triple rates, and this is already a popular date in the hospitality industry anyway, which means it might be difficult securing your chosen venue.
If you’re keen to have a wedding that falls on a holiday date, then there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this. But, just be prepared to pay a little more for the privilege.
What else should you bear in mind when booking your wedding date?
While it will usually be cheaper to get married between October and March, we get that this might not always be an option. You might be tied to school holidays, weekends or other specific times of the year, which means you have a limited choice for when to book your wedding.
If this is you, then we recommend booking your venue as far in advance as possible to ensure you secure your chosen date. And when we say far in advance, we mean it – popular venues at busy times of the year can book up several years into the future, so get in there as soon as you can and throw down your deposit.
If you’re still not sure about a midweek wedding, here are eight reasons why you should consider getting married on a school night.
1. You can get married sooner
As we already highlighted, Saturday is a popular day to get married. That means the most popular venues are booked up for weekend dates years in advance. It might also mean that you or your guests have already committed to attending someone else’s wedding on almost every Saturday this summer or next summer.
So if you want to get married in your dream venue and you want your best friend to make it, you might be looking at two or three years until the dates (and the stars) align for you to have a weekend wedding at your number one choice of venue.
But, if you book your wedding on a weekday, you’ll have far fewer availability worries to think about. No need for this to turn into a five-year engagement. Being more flexible with your date opens up a much wider variety of options, meaning you’re more likely to get your dream venue and avoid clashes with other weddings.
2. You can secure the best suppliers (and pay less)
Not only do venues get booked up early on weekends, but so do all your other suppliers. You’re much more likely to get your dream team with a weekday wedding. Many suppliers will also lower their prices during the week so you might even be able to push the boat out and get a truly top-notchphotographer, caterer or florist that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford. With a weekday wedding, you’re much more likely to get exactly what you want and have a far smaller bill at the end of it.
3. You’ll save yourself from stress
Planning a wedding can sometimes be stressful – especially when things don’t go to plan, such as your favourite photographer or caterer becoming unavailable because another couple snapped them up. Because far fewer couples get married midweek, you’ll have less competition, which means you’ll save yourself from stressful planning-related scheduling conflicts.
4. You can have your loved ones there
Despite all the perks that can come with a weekday wedding, one concern that many couples have is that their loved ones won’t be able to make it. While this is a possibility, we’d always expect those most important to you to do everything they can to be there for your big day. After all, it’s only one day of holiday (or two if they have to travel).
That said, you should think about your guest list when making this decision. If you’re planning a weekday wedding and your parents are teachers, for example, you’ll want to prioritise school holidays to make sure they can make it. But at the end of the day, your nearest and dearest will want to show up for you – and a weekday wedding won’t stop them.
5. You can keep things intimate
If you don’t want a blowout bash, a weekday wedding can be a great opportunity for a more relaxed and intimate affair. Without the fuss that can come with a huge weekend do, you can just have your nearest and dearest around you and get to spend more time talking to the people you care about the most. If you know there are people you’ll have to invite but don’t really want to, a weekday wedding is also a cheeky way to make it less likely they’ll show up.
6. You can save your guests some money
While you might think a weekday wedding would make it harder for guests to attend, it can actually solve a lot of problems for them. By holding your wedding on a weekday, it means better availability for travel and cheaper accommodation for your guests.
7. You can keep the party going
Another benefit of a weekday wedding is you can spread the celebration out and extend the fun, particularly if you host your wedding on a Monday, Friday or around a bank holiday. After all, you only get married once – make the most of it. Organise a cocktail party the night before or a relaxed brunch the morning after.
You could even go old school and decide to jet off on your honeymoon straight after the wedding. Travelling midweek can mean huge savings on flights and accommodation, leaving you with more cash to splash elsewhere.
8. You’ll support local businesses
Because so few wedding vendors provide their services to midweek weddings, they may find themselves with empty calendars between Mondays and Thursdays. By planning something for the start of the week, you’re doing your part to support smaller local businesses.
Plan your dream wedding with Bridebook
Here at Bridebook, we have everything you need to plan your perfect wedding, whether midweek or not. Sign up today and start planning your big day!
While we all continue to do our bit for the NHS by staying indoors, a lot of us are finding ourselves with a lot of spare time on our hands and with spirits that need some lifting.
If you’re recently engaged, now is the perfect time to start getting excited about planning for your big day.
Here at Bridebook, we know that it may seem a little daunting to plan your wedding from your living room, but with this expert guide, you’ll be getting started soon.
Getting started
Knowing where to start can be the trickiest part of planning a wedding, but with our handy wedding checklist, it couldn’t be easier. Simply start by working your way through the individual tasks and you’ll be rolling in no time!
Invite your partner to collaborate with you so that you can start assigning tasks to each other. At Bridebook, we strongly believe that wedding planning should be a joint effort, so get them involved if they aren’t already!
Feel free to start browsing for inspiration at this stage too. The hashtags #wedding and #weddinginspo on Pinterest and Instagram are particularly #stunning.
Agreeing your budget
It’s good to sit down with your partner and talk about what you both want from your wedding: a small and intimate affair with close friends and family or a lavish party with hundreds of guests?
Once you’ve worked out what you both want, you need to decide how much you are willing to spend for your big day. With that in mind, let Bridebook do the hard work for you! With data from the 500,000 weddings we’ve helped to plan, we’ll help crunch those numbers. Just enter your total budget and we’ll tell you how much you should be spending on each item, from your venue to your cake.
Booking your Venue
Booking your venue is often the most exciting part of the wedding planning process, but it might seem a bit tricky to do from your sofa. But don’t fret! There are now loads of ways that you can use modern technology to get a feel for your venue without the need to visit.
Use Bridebook’s search tool to browse through thousands of venues that meet your specific needs and quickly narrow down by shortlisting your favourites. Look through our extensive picture galleries and read the reviews from our previous couples to start getting a feel for the place.
Next, get brochures from your favourites and reach out to see what remote viewings they can offer. Lots of venues are now offering virtual tours or videos that can help you get a better picture of your perfect wedding: all from the comfort of your own home.
Booking your suppliers
Again, Bridebook’s search tool comes in handy here, allowing you to look through all of our wedding suppliers in your preferred area and explore their photos and reviews.
Your venue can also be a great help here too. They will often have a list of preferred suppliers for their venue, which can help you narrow down your choices. This way you can be sure that the supplier knows the space well and that the venue trusts them to do a great job.
Managing your guests
Deciding who to invite to your big day can be a challenge for any couple, but with Bridebook’s guestlist tool, it’ll be a breeze.
Add all of your potential guests (or import them straight from your contacts to make it even simpler!), then choose if they are coming for the day, evening, or on the waitlist for now.
Then use our Guest Info Collector to gather their email and physical addresses, so that you can send them their save the dates and keep them updated throughout the planning process.
Start building your gift list
Getting married is not just about throwing a party, it’s also about the rest of your life too and a gift list can be a great part of helping you prepare for that.
Start thinking about what you want from your gift list: a gift registry, a honeymoon fund, or perhaps asking your loved ones to contribute to a charitable cause that’s close to your heart.
Then, start adding your dream gifts, knowing that they’ll be with you sooner than you think!
Enjoy it
Weddings are very special. There is no better reason on earth to throw an epic party than two people falling in love. And the world is certainly going to need some incredible parties soon… and you are going to be at the very centre of them.
Make sure to take stock and enjoy planning this amazing event with your loved one, your friends and your family (virtually) by your side.
Hamish Shephard, CEO of Bridebook and owner of Hedsor House shares his Covid-19 advice for couples with weddings in March, April & May 2020.
Dear couples,
With the news from the government solidifying the ‘stay at home’ message, I know that you are concerned about what this means for your weddings in the coming days, weeks, and months.
Below we have outlined our advice based on the information that we currently have, based on feedback from couples, venues, other industry profiles, insurance companies, legal advice, and government recommendations. Of course, there will be nuances, and this will not apply to every single couple. Nonetheless, we hope that it is helpful for a large number of couples planning weddings in the coming months.
We know that the situation is far from ideal, but remember that one day it will be over, and you WILL get married to your partner in a wedding filled with love. However, at this time, we all need to be realistic, understanding and flexible.
Remember, also, that your venue and suppliers are going through an extremely stressful time too, trying to protect their livelihoods, while ensuring they do what is right for their couples. It is a time for all of us to come together and be understanding of a very difficult situation for everyone.
If your wedding date is in the next few months (March – May):
Our strong recommendation is that you should work with your venue and suppliers to postpone your wedding as soon as possible. This is the right decision on the basis of public health, your financial interest, and for the overall success of your wedding. If your wedding is scheduled any time between now and the end of May, your wedding will certainly be affected and may not be able to go ahead at all. Making postponement arrangements now with your venue will put you in the best position to find a date that works for you, and keep most of the plans and financial commitments that you already have in place. Priority no.1 is to talk through your options with your wedding insurer, if you have cover.
We next suggest you speak to your venue to discuss alternative date options, and then discuss with your partner and key guests which dates work best for everyone. Keep an open mind with off-peak seasons and non-Saturday wedding dates, as they will undoubtedly become desirable for the many couples rescheduling their weddings. Venues typically have greater availability in Autumn and Winter, and the industry as a whole already sees a trend for couples booking Thursday, Friday and Sunday weddings. These dates are going to be the solutions for many couples, and you should start considering them now.
It is important to recognise that your venue is likely having an extremely stressful time too. They are likely a small team, dealing with a huge amount of change and many very anxious customers. They will be doing their best handling these unprecedented challenges, which significantly threaten their livelihoods, so work with them and give them your support. They likely need support at this very tough time as much as you do.
If you are still considering going ahead with your wedding, please remember that the risk of losing your deposit or other financial commitments will be greater if you don’t make plans to rearrange your wedding date. Given that the government have now stopped public gatherings, your wedding will likely need to be cancelled or affected in a drastic way and it is not always clear who will be financially responsible for these cancellations. Since these are unprecedented times and there are so many unknowns, we suggest acting now rather than waiting with fingers crossed. There is a very real possibility that your wedding will not be able to go ahead as planned, and the costs may not be covered by your or the venue’s insurance policy.
If your wedding is planned for the Summer (Jun-Aug):
While your wedding may not be in immediate jeopardy, it has the potential to be disrupted, especially if you have overseas or elderly/vulnerable guests. Making a contingency plan now will give you the greatest opportunity to control the outcome and costs, and find a wedding date that works for you without the ongoing stress and anxiety of a potential cancellation or disruption. We recommend starting to have conversations with your partner now about alternatives that will work for you including the possibility of postponing your wedding or contingency plans if some guests are unable to attend. You don’t need to make any immediate decisions right now, but you should be having the relevant conversations. Remember to be patient with your venues and suppliers, as they are having to shuffle weddings that are supposed to take place in the coming weeks too.
If your wedding is in September 2020 or beyond:
Our advice at the moment is to keep monitoring the situation closely. Keep an eye on the latest information and consider thinking about basic contingency plans, should you need them. At the moment, we are hopeful that September weddings and beyond will go ahead as planned, but of course we need to monitor the situation closely.
Once again, I want to express my utmost sympathy with all of you going through this incredibly tough situation. Now is the time for you and your partner to stick together closer than ever and Bridebook will be there to support you too. Remember, this will be over and your big day will come.
Best wishes and keep safe,
Hamish
Here at Bridebook, we believe strongly in the power of community during times like these, so we have set up a Facebook group for anyone involved in planning a wedding. Join here for some practical tips from our team of experts, as well as friendly support from others in a similar situation.
At Bridebook, our mission is to make it easier for everyone to plan their weddings. However, if you are getting married in the coming weeks and months, we understand that you have concerns about how the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic could affect your wedding day. We’d like to help you navigate this tough time by providing a wedding-specific checklist to help you manage your wedding plans and any adjustments that you may need to make.
We also believe strongly in the power of community during times like these, so we have set up a Facebook group for anyone involved in planning a wedding. Join here for some practical tips from our team of experts, as well as friendly support from others in a similar situation.
1. Keep your loved ones safe
First and foremost, your number one priority should always be keeping you and your guests safe, especially those who are at a high risk (elderly people and those with underlying health conditions). As weddings are often a gathering of generations including parents and grandparents, try to be understanding if your loved ones are not able to attend your wedding. There’s no doubt that you and your guests will be frustrated, but remember that it is possible to celebrate your wedding from afar.
It also goes without saying that you should look to official sources (government, WHO, etc.) for specific guidance on what measures you and your wedding guests should take regarding gatherings, travel and social distancing. These recommendations are changing regularly and may affect your wedding in different ways, so it’s important to stay up-to-date with official sources.
Bridebook tip: Continue to check the government and other official sources to keep up to date with what guidance is in place.
Bridebook tip: Start thinking about ways to allow guests to participate in your wedding from afar. Consider live-streaming or recording some of your event if you are in a situation where the wedding can go ahead, but not everyone can attend. Ask if your venue has these capabilities or look at other DIY options, such as Facebook Live, Skype, or Zoom.
2. Talk to your wedding venue and suppliers
The wedding industry is facing a very difficult and stressful time ahead to maintain their businesses. We know that they are hugely sympathetic to you all. Industry professionals care passionately about making couples’ days special and go to extraordinary lengths to do so. They are now facing a whole new challenge to balance this, while considering the short, mid and long term impacts on their business and livelihoods.
While the government only has suggested guidelines in place rather than official closure, you may find that there is little they can do that’s outside of what is covered in the contract. Your best bet is to ask them what their policy is at the moment, but be appreciative of the fact that they have no more information than you and will likely be responding on a day-by-day basis, depending on what new information is provided.
Bridebook tip: Check in with your venue and suppliers, but be understanding that they are just as concerned as you about the situation. They’ll likely have different policies in place so you’ll need to understand how your specific providers are managing these challenging circumstances.
3. Check your wedding insurance
If you have wedding insurance, check what you are covered for and under what circumstances. We understand that coverage varies across different insurance providers, so you’ll need to understand specifically what your policy entails regarding cancellations and postponements. Once you get in touch with your policy provider, share the details with your venue and suppliers where possible.
Bridebook tip: Ask the following questions to your insurance provider where relevant:
a) If we ourselves have to self isolate, will you cover our wedding being postponed?
b) One of our parents/grandparents could fall into a category that is forced to self isolate (age, health conditions). If this scenario were to arise, would we be covered to postpone our wedding?
c) Our Best Man / Maid of Honour lives overseas and is banned from travelling – will a postponement be covered?
d) We have planned for 140 guests. Would you cover a postponement if the government officially limits gatherings to under 100, 50 or 10?
e) What is your policy based on the government’s current advice? If the wedding is formally banned under any future government ruling, will you cover the cost of postponement?
f) If the wedding is unable to go ahead but I am offered an alternative date which would usually be cheaper (e.g. off peak), will you cover the cost differential?
4. Understand the travel guidelines for guests and your honeymoon
Living, as we do, in a globally connected world, many weddings have guests from all over the world. Check to see if guests from other countries can make it, but plan with the expectation that they may not be able to travel. This may affect your guest transport and accommodation providers, so you should familiarise yourself with their policies if guests are unable to attend. Be aware that travel restrictions are changing daily, which may mean some people do not feel comfortable travelling at the moment.
Similarly, your honeymoon may be affected by travel restrictions. You should check what travel restrictions are in place for your honeymoon destination, whether it is within the UK or abroad. Check with your honeymoon transport and accommodation providers to see what policies are in place in the event of a cancellation or postponement. Additionally, if you have purchased travel insurance you should contact your policy providers to understand your coverage.
Bridebook tip: Check the FCO pages about travel guidelines here.
5. Discuss contingency plans with your partner
With the situation changing on a daily basis, you may need to make contingency plans for your wedding. While there may still be some unknowns, it is good to have a think about the different scenarios and what you would do in each case. Talk to your partner and see what they feel about these plans too.
Remember that the purpose of getting married is to bring your and your partner together, and during this time you’ll need to make decisions together and rely on each other for support. Your wedding plans may get interrupted and altered which will be very frustrating, but you’ll get through these challenges together.
Bridebook tip: Discuss potential plans with your partner, so that you know what is important to both of you. Start with the following 4 questions:
a) If necessary, would you want to get legally married at the earliest opportunity but postpone the party? Or would you rather postpone both?
b) Who would need to be able to attend for you to be happy for the wedding to go ahead?
c) If we need to postpone the wedding, what would you rather do? Postpone for a short time (and use an off-peak season or weekday) or push back further to keep the plans as similar as possible?
d) What should we do about the honeymoon? Would you prefer to postpone it or change location (if possible)?
Bridebook tip: Prepare for potential changes to the event itself. Start by asking yourself these three questions:
a) What would we do if we need to reduce numbers to meet future government guidelines? How would we go about it? Use the Bridebook guest info collector in the guest list tool to collect email addresses. Just add five guests to the list and the feature will pop up.
b) How can we still make those not present part of the celebration? Can we arrange for someone to live-stream or record the ceremony?
c) What if a supplier has to pull out at the last minute? Do we have relatives or friends who can capture photos or videos for you, bake a cake, or create an amazing playlist? What really matters for the day?
6. Update your guests
Whatever tools you are using to communicate to your guests (wedding website, email, paper), keep them informed about any changes in wedding plans that may affect them. Also, let them know how best to contact you if their RSVP status changes.
Bridebook tip: Communicate with your guests as early as possible, and let them know how to communicate with you.
7. Join our Bridebook community group on Facebook
We know that this is a stressful time for everyone planning a wedding at the moment, so we have created a Facebook group for all couples to join. We hope we can all help each other with practical tips, as well as find and connect with other people in similar situations. You are not alone!
Bridebook tip: Join the Facebook group today and find some comfort and support in these tough times.
Finally
We hope that you found this article useful and we look forward to seeing you in the Facebook group, so that we can offer more support in the coming weeks.
Stay strong, keep safe, and know that this will all be over at some point. In the meantime, we hope that Bridebook can be a source of support for you.
Finally, give us a follow on Instagram if you would like some funny/cute/inspirational distraction from the news.
You’re engaged, congratulations! You’re about to embark on one of the most amazing journeys of your life – and you’ve got your soulmate by your side. You’re on this rollercoaster together, and we promise it’s going to be full of love, surprises and celebration. So enjoy the ride!
As the realisation of what’s to come sets in, you might be wondering what happens next. Where do you start? Who do you tell first? How do you tell them? When should you start planning your wedding? How do you start?
Because there are so many things to do, things can get overwhelming quite quickly. But don’t worry, we’re here to guide you in the right direction and help make the next couple of weeks a lot easier, with a checklist for making sure you have everything covered.
So, in this post, we’re going to outline a step-by-step guide for everything you should do after you get engaged, from the order you should tell your family and friends to when the right time is to start making those bookings.
Now that you’re engaged, it’s time to start planning your dream wedding, but where to start? In this video, Bridebook founder (and qualified wedding planner!) Hamish Shephard breaks down your wedding organisation into 5 easy steps so you can plan stress-free and kickstart your wedding to-do list.
Our 20-step guide for what you should do after getting engaged
When you get engaged, everything is so exciting and feels like it goes so fast that it can be easy to get carried away. Did you do this? Did you do that? Before you know it, you’re not sure what you’ve done and what’s left to do. That’s where we come in. Below are 20 steps you can follow to make sure you remember everything after getting engaged.
It can be tempting to run to see your parents or pick up the phone and start yelling about your brand-new engagement. But before you do that, think about if you want to do something a little more creative, or figure out a way to get both of your families together in one room and blow them all away with the news.
Once you’ve figured out how you’re going to do it, you can get to the exciting part. You’re engaged to the love of your life – and it’s time to let everyone know! Just be prepared for lots of squeals, some hugs and maybe even a few tears – happy ones, of course.
Have you ever worn anything so precious… or expensive? So thoughtful, so sentimental, so valuable… Get your ring insured. ASAP. The average cost of an engagement ring is £1,978, which is an amount that very few can afford to lose. It’s unlikely that anything will happen to it, but you never know. Then you can stop worrying and start showing it off. And trust us, you’re going to want to show off that amazing new ring a lot.
4. Tell wider friends and family, starting with the A team
After telling your immediate family, it’s time to start sharing the news with your mates and colleagues. We bet some of the first people you tell will end up being key players in your wedding party. They might be your maid of honour or your best man, if you have one. Make an event of it and ask them to be by your side at your wedding over a drink or a meal out. Then start thinking about who else you want involved. Our number one piece of advice is to choose the people you love – not the people you feel obligated to have. Don’t worry about upsetting anyone – it’s your special day. You should be surrounded by your favourite people in the world.
With such a beautiful new ring to show off, you may want to do this sooner, but it’s especially important to make sure your nails are on point before you have your engagement photos done or you share the news on social media. There are going to be lots of close-ups of your ring finger, so having clean, shaped and polished nails will help those photos pop. Trust us.
It’s not for everyone, and it’s a little old-fashioned by today’s standards, but you might want to follow tradition by announcing your engagement in the local (or even national) newspaper. It’ll make your parents’ and grandparents’ days, as historically, engagement announcements included lots of details about the couple’s backgrounds, families and so on. Nowadays, though, it’s up to you what you include. If nothing else, it’ll make for a brilliant keepsake.
Now comes the time to scream your news from the 21st-century equivalent of the rooftops. If there was ever a time to share something on social media, it’s now. Whether you post a cute engagement selfie with your partner to your Instagram, update your Facebook relationship status or even make a cheeky TikTok, savour this moment and watch the likes roll in.
From the moment you got engaged, you no doubt mentally went into planning mode, thinking about venues, catering, wedding rings, the song you’ll have your first dance to… but, as hard as it might be, don’t feel the need to rush straight into it. Take a step back, breathe and enjoy the moment. Why not take a little trip away, just the two of you, and enjoy some time as an engaged couple? You’re about to embark on a busy year or more of hectic wedding planning, and taking time to enjoy your engagement is definitely worth it.
It’s party time! Get a date in the diary to celebrate with everyone that matters. Just remember that anyone who’s invited to your engagement party is likely to expect an invitation to the wedding too… But that’s only according to tradition, which of course can be ignored. So, if you want a blow-out bash, go for it. Plus, if you anticipate having to fill your guest list with second cousins at your parents’ request, now’s the time to leave them off the list and party on down with your nearest and dearest.
We’re sure you’ll want to remember this period in your lives forever so make sure to document it with an engagement photoshoot. It’s a great opportunity to get to know your photographer and get used to being in front of the camera. Think of it as a test run before your wedding – so get your smiles ready and be prepared for the jaw ache.
Unless your partner got your ring size spot on, you may need to get your engagement ring resized so it fits nice and snug. You may choose to get it done much sooner if it’s particularly loose, but it’s a balancing act between wanting to wear it to show it off, having it for the engagement photos and announcements, and making sure it doesn’t slip off and get lost forever.
Depending on the jewellers you go to, it might take up to four weeks to get your ring resized. But, if you’re willing to pay a little more, you could get it done in as little as a couple of days.
By now you’ve probably had plenty of thoughts about what you want from your wedding. So, start researching and making notes about what the perfect wedding is for you.
Here at Bridebook, we have a wide selection of tools and resources to help you plan your big day. From our budget planning tool to our easy-to-use app, we have everything you might need throughout your entire planning journey. Plus, we have loads of exclusive discounts from thousands of popular vendors that you won’t find anywhere else.
One of the best ways to get excited is by visiting wedding shows and fairs around the country. It offers you the opportunity to meet vendors, get some ideas and see what’s out there so you can get inspired and start making some decisions. One of our favourite shows is The National Wedding Show, but there are dozens throughout the year up and down the UK. Make sure you also check out local shows, which are a great way to meet vendors close to you.
You’ll likely have a ton of ideas bouncing around inside your head, which will all come together to form your ideal wedding. Don’t forget, your partner will also be doing the same. Remember to communicate all the time, so share your ideas, worries, thoughts, concerns, excitements and everything else. If you’re always open and honest with each other you’ll nail every step of your busy planning process.
This step and the step afterwards may be interchangeable, so it’s whatever works for you. Think about whether you want a big wedding where you might invite more than 100 guests, or would be happier with an intimate ceremony that’s not quite as grandiose. You may want to put together a rough guest list (which you can do right here on Bridebook) and then think about your budget, or it might be easier to do it the other way around. Whatever works for you. But, now’s the time to think about whether you really want your second cousin once removed to be there, or if you’d rather keep things a little smaller and more affordable.
In the UK, the average cost of a wedding is £19,184, which is enough for you to put on one heck of a party. But, that doesn’t mean your wedding will cost that much – depending on your guest list, venue, catering, attire and more, it could be much lower. Or even much higher.
The best way to work out how much your perfect wedding might cost is by using a budget calculator, which allows you to input all of your wedding-related costs to show you how much they’re likely to set you back. If it’s below what you were hoping for, great! If it’s higher, you can start thinking of some alternate choices or where you can make a few savings.
17. Work out what to do if you don’t have the budget you need
Once you’ve worked out your budget you’re in a position to see how it aligns with your finances. But what if it doesn’t, does that mean the wedding’s off? Absolutely not! One option is to make changes to your plans – for example, a registry office wedding is the cheapest you can have. Another option is to save money across the entire wedding – read our ultimate guide to saving money on your wedding for more information.
Another option is to ask your family for a little extra support. Only one-third of couples pay for their wedding themselves, which means two-thirds get help from family. There are unofficial rules about who traditionally pays for what, but you’ll no doubt be grateful for help in whatever way your family can.
Before you make any proper decisions about your wedding date, start by figuring out what’s going to work for your nearest and dearest. Are there any other weddings happening that year? Does anyone have a big holiday booked? You don’t want to commit to a date, only to find out your best friend can’t make it. If you already know where you want to get married, think about when it’ll look its best. Will it really shine in summer or is it the perfect location for a winter wedding?
Choosing the right date for your wedding can also be a huge money-saver. If you want to get married on a Saturday, like half of all couples did last year, it’ll cost you way more than if you were to get married midweek.
There are more than likely a fair few people in your life who have planned a wedding, so ask them for advice on how they went about it. Ask them for recommended vendors, what they loved, what they wished they’d done differently… use them, their experience and their knowledge and make some notes. Also, getting referred to a specific vendor, like a DJ or wedding car hire company, is a great way to secure a cheeky discount.
Here at Bridebook, we also have plenty of expert guides, tips, tricks and real-life stories to help answer your questions, calm your concerns and help you throughout your planning journey.
20. Consider whether or not you want to hire a wedding planner
Before you make any bookings or get a quote from a single vendor, think about whether or not it would be beneficial for you to hire a wedding planner. Generally, a wedding planner will cost about 10% of your overall budget, but they can save you a lot of time, money and stress by doing a lot of the negotiating and legwork for you. But, to get the best value for money, you should hire a planner at the very start of your planning process. Decide if this is something you’d like to do early on, as tempting as it might be to dive right in and start securing bookings.
So… what comes next?
So, these are the first 20 steps you should take after getting engaged. After that, you might want to take another step back and enjoy a few weeks as an engaged couple. Or, more likely, the excitement of your future wedding will be too much to resist, and you’ll want to get stuck right in with the planning.
Enjoy what comes next – it’s going to be long, exciting and rewarding, and most likely a little expensive as well. But, you’ll have a wonderful wedding day at the end of it.
Start planning your wedding with Bridebook
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