Update: The Times has reported that the government will (finally!) lift the 30-person limit on weddings, even if the easing of other lockdown restrictions is delayed beyond June 21.
We will be keeping you all up to date if there are any changes to the rollout of weddings, so you’ll never miss the latest news. Download the Bridebook app today so that you are first to hear of any changes to policy that may affect your wedding.
Whilst restrictions are set to end on the 21st of June, weddings are still likely to be a little different for the next couple of years. The “new normal” will probably still affect a few things at your wedding. And while there may be no major fixed rules, we want to give you some tips on how to navigate through the early days after restrictions end.
Below are our top tips for planning a post-COVID wedding.
1. Keep up to date with latest government restrictions
Firstly, make sure that you know the particular COVID rules in your given area. Remember that there are often slight differences in policy between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Keep up to date with everything here.
Also, while the government has said that there won’t be different rules for different regions, this policy may change. Particularly, if pockets of the countries see mini-outbreaks. Again, make sure you know the rules for your wedding location and your hometown. This way you won’t get caught out with any last-minute changes.
2. Make contingency plans for guests coming from abroad
One thing that definitely won’t be back to normal straightaway on 21st June is international travel. With new variants and differing vaccination rates, some restrictions on travel are sure to remain for a while.
As a result, we recommend making some contingency plans for any guests who are planning to come from abroad. Keep up to date with which countries are on which lists (red, amber, green). This will ensure you know which guests may need to quarantine and who may need to order tests for early release from quarantine.
Travel rules are likely to remain in flux for some time yet, so do think about how you will mitigate this. Will you still go ahead with some live streaming options? A lot of venues now have this capability so do ask ahead of time. Similarly, we have seen some couples use computer tablets at tables for guests who are abroad and can’t make it to the ceremony.
Have a chat with your partner and work out what will work for you and your day.
3. Check your honeymoon destination
Since travel restrictions are likely to continue, you will also need to keep an eye on the rules for your honeymoon destination. Again, keep up to date with the latest for your particular country at the government-specific site.
Know what the quarantine rules are so that you can book the required time off and make sure you have your tests done well in advance.
Remember to do the same if you are having your hen do or stag do abroad, particularly if your bridesmaids or groomsmen aren’t quite as on-the-ball as you.
4. Keep your guests feeling safe
Even when restrictions end, some guests may still be nervous. It has been a really tough 18 months and some people want to take things a bit more cautiously than others. And that’s fine.
Make sure you know which of your guests might need a little more reassurance in advance. You can then provide badges for people who want to signal to others that they would like to keep their distance a bit more.
You could seat them nearer to open doors or windows to get more ventilation. Simply increasing the number of sanitisation stations around the venue can put some people at ease.
Similarly, if you are a bit nervous about having your wedding straight after restrictions end, let your guests know what you expect from them. This way there won’t be any surprises on the day.
5. Talk to your venue about their safety measures
The staff at wedding venues want you and your guests to feel as safe as possible on your big day.
Many venues now have protocols for making a venue more COVID-secure. This can include greater distancing at tables, one-way systems around the property, and increased ventilation. As we mentioned above, many also have the ability to livestream parts of the event.
Chat to your venue to let them know what things you need on your particular day and they are likely to be very accommodating.
6. Download the Bridebook app
The Bridebook app is where you can get the latest and most up to date news for weddings. If things change, this is where you’ll find out first.
Update your date and let us know where you’ve booked your venue. Then we can provide you with the most relevant information for your specific wedding date and location.
7. Have fun!
Restrictions are due to end on 21st June, so there should be no major rules at your wedding outside of travel restrictions. Instead, it will be up to you to find the right balance for you and your guests. But remember, it has been an incredibly tough 18 months and one that we know people can’t wait to put behind them. People have never been in bigger need of a great party. Your wedding will be a celebration that will live long in the memory. So be safe, but enjoy it! You deserve the best day of your life.
While we know how frustrating some of the rules and guidelines are, the rule book has been torn up, so you’ve effectively got carte blanche! If you want to choose an outlandish theme or a controversial setting for your wedding, go for it.
Gone is the pressure to make it the classic wedding you always thought you might have. Everything about getting married right now is different, so embrace that and make it your own.
Personalise it with loads of photos of your relationship, write special vows, or ditch the typical wedding cake for a deluxe box of Krispy Kremes. Do whatever will make you happy.
2. Treat yourself
Use the savings you would have spent on guests to splurge on things that you’ll remember forever.
Whether it’s a 10 course blow-out meal or a beautiful piece of jewellery, treat yourselves with the money you are saving.
3. Bring pets
Pets don’t count in your 15 guests, so go crazy and bring all of your four-legged friends to the service.
Be creative with it and find ways to incorporate them, from your dog bringing your rings to goldfish bowls as the centerpiece.
Do make sure to check with your venue that this is OK with them first though!
4. Find ways to incorporate your virtual guests
Sadly, there will be people who won’t be able to attend your wedding. Whether it’s friends and family abroad, vulnerable people shielding, or people who just don’t make your 15 VIPs.
Find ways to include those who can’t attend. iPads at the dinner table can be great to allow people to join via Zoom, while many venues are offering live streaming for the service itself. Look at incorporating family heirlooms to make it more personal. Use your Grandparents’ tableware to serve the meal or decorate the table with framed photos.
5. Prepare for a bigger party when this is all over
We know how gutting it is for these restrictions to have come in just as you were planning to make do with a 30-person wedding.
But remember, there’s no reason you can’t have a big blowout party once all this is over. People are going to be looking to celebrate and party with their nearest and dearest. So why not think about how your ceremany could be the social event of the year in 2021?!
Here are some more wedding article we know you’d love:
You have found the one whom your soul loves, and it is time for the next chapter of your story to begin!
The wedding bells bring along nervousness and euphoria, which keep adding to the album of memories. Marriage being one pious milestone the couple achieves for spending the eternity together. From kneeling with a ring to choosing the theme, from picking the right shoes to finally walking down the aisle, everything contributes to achieving your fairytale wedding.
So, to help you strike off one of the most crucial parts of your wedding checklist, we bring to you 20 amazing wedding food ideas that take care of your guests’ hunger pangs.
1. Pie Station
Everything will be alright; all you need is a pie! To amp up, your wedding menu must have a super cute pie station. A bonus tip is worth checking if your caterer can heat the pies for you. Serve slices from large pies or small pie pop-tarts, and everything will be okay if the dessert is this tasty!
2. Sushi Bar
If you and your partner are a big sushi fan, then a Sushi Bar will truly add some fun to your wedding! Serve your guests with some sushi and wine, and they will all relish the fine dine.
3. Tacos & Nachos Station
Nothing can ever go wrong with Tacos & Nachos. So set up a spicy corner to ensure your guests don’t just cry listening to your wedding vows.
4. French Fry Cones
On your wedding day, keep your friends close and your French Fries closer! These drool-worthy snack time companions can reasonably accompany your guests while you exchange rings.
5. Pizza Pies
Fill your wedding with positivity and pizza pies. We are sure that your guests will fall in love with this gourmet snack with the first bite. Crunchy and flavourful crust loaded with extra cheese will leave you wanting more!
6. Pizza Bar
No matter what happens, pizza will always be there for you, thick and thin, in the crust we trust. So set up a Pizza Bar at your wedding and trust the game that follows!
7. Oyster Bar
Let’s bring the oceans to your feet with delicious oyster loaded bar tables. A tremendous little oyster station always tops the charts when it comes to fantastic wedding food ideas.
8. Waffle Bites
We hope that you and your partner go along like waffles and coffee. Setting up a small waffle corner to help your single guests find themselves people with similar tastes catalyzes falling in love at a wedding. It will make a great love story, and you and your partner will be dawned as the matchmakers.
9. Spanish Paella
Spanish Paella is theperfect menu option to add to your wedding day. Don’t be surprised if all you end up doing is passing the Sangria and Paella because this one does garner all the attention!
10. Ice Cream Bar
The only thing that can make your wedding day better is an Ice Cream Bar. After all, ice cream is always a good idea. Choco-chip, vanilla, blueberry, cookies and cream, buttered pecans are our top picks amongst the never-ending options.
11. Candy Floss Station
Reminisce your childhood with your partner with these sugar-laden candies. Also, pastel pinks will amplify your decor. Set up an enchanted Candy Floss Station and make your dream wedding come true because dreams taste like candy floss!
12. Doughnut Wall
The key ingredients to any successful wedding are rings, be it diamonds or doughnuts! These Doughnut walls will fortify a strong bond for your marriage and leave the guests busy helping themselves. Doughnuts are incredibly delicious with their signature bakery taste and texture.
13. Fried Asparagus
Even if you don’t care for asparagus, you will love these super crunchy and crispy Fried Asparagus. It’s cheesy, it’s crunchy, and goes well with all kinds of dinners.
14. Popcorn Station
Life is salty, but love is sweet. Your guests will help themselves with this tasty treat! Thank the popcorns for popping to celebrate your W-Day. Keep the love popping with some salty and some caramelized popcorns.
15. Churro Bites
Your guests are the cinnamon to your Churro wedding. Satiate your taste buds with these delectable options to add to your menu because these will brighten moods and enliven the evening. Get these handy bites to control your hunger pangs.
16. Bubble Tea
No cup is going to be your last with a Bubble Tea station nearby. Be ready for your wedding parTEA with some delicious cups of bubble tea. Besides, chocolate cookies can complement your high-tea party really well.
17. Chocolate-covered Bacon
Chocolate-covered bacon might win the award for the most heavenly dish on the platter as you can accumulate all the best flavours in just one plate. Having a corner for chocolate-covered bacon is definitely a win-win situation for the wedding to leave a long-lasting impression on the attendees.
18. Cake Pops
Are you stressed about your wedding? Well, stressed is desserts spelled backward, and what’s better than sharing a cake pop with your better half. Sugarcoat everything with a cake corner. After all, a piece of cake is happiness with icing on top.
19. Watermelon Pops
With all these fantastic wedding food ideas listed above, you might as well include some watermelon pops for an extremely relaxed wedding. All that standing and the last minute preparations need you to sit down and relax with some watermelon pops.
20. Omelette Bar
What’s better than cracking a joke to entertain your guests? Crack an egg, whisk it with your favourite ingredients into an omelette and top it off with your chosen seasonings! It will absolutely be a delight for your taste buds and your guests’.
Nothing brings together people like good food, and lasting impressions are given way through the palate. Spice up your wedding day with some fantastic flavors that will melt in your mouth and the wafting aroma to keep the stomachs of the guests rumbling.
These food options are our top picks to help you plan your perfect wedding. So make sure to use these wedding buffet ideas to add gorgeous looking and way tastier food options to capture enough limelight in your wedding album!
Looking for some more amazing wedding ideas? Check out some of our other articles:
Whether you’re newly engaged or only a few weeks from your big day, we’re sure you’re imagining what your big day will look like. And that means thinking about decorations! Now, there are thousands of wedding decoration ideas to choose from that transform your venue into a real show-stopper. Here’s fifteen of our favourites to get you started.
1. Fairylights
Everyone loves fairylights – and for good reason! They’re an easy way to add a little atmosphere to your big day. Your venue will look even more enchanting, lit up with twinkling fairylights in jam jars or along the walls. You could even string them through trees to create an enchanted forest feel.
2. Floral Arches
Whether you go for a more rustic arch that’s full of greenery and wildflowers or an elaborate floral sculpture which is overflowing with fresh blossoms, flower arches make for a fantastic focal point at your wedding ceremony or reception. In our opinion, more is more when it comes to flowers!
3. Chair Decorations
It’s easy to overlook but we promise, giving a little thought to how you’ll decorate your chairs makes a big difference to the overall look and feel of your ceremony. As they say, the devil’s in the details! Whether you’re stuck with ugly plastic seating or you’ve brought in some gorgeous antique chairs, adding ribbons, fabric or flowers is a great way to take your wedding decorations to the next level.
4. Photo Walls
While you and your partner are at the centre of your wedding, it’s also about your two families coming together. Pay tribute to your loved ones with a gallery wall displaying photographs of your nearest and dearest. You could even give your guests polaroid cameras and add to the wall during your reception!
5. Candles
Candles are a classic way to add a little atmosphere to any wedding ceremony or reception, no matter what your chosen style or theme. The options are endless, from tealights and votives to pillar and taper candles. Whether you use them as table centerpieces or dot them around your venue, your guests will be enchanted. And if you choose fragranced candles, they’ll even add a signature scent to your wedding!
6. Mirror Decals
Why not put a twist on traditional wedding signs by opting for mirror decals instead? They’re fast becoming one of the most popular wedding decoration trends, with gorgeous calligraphy popping up on ornate framed mirrors across the country. And everyone loves a mirror selfie – so they make for great photo ops too!
7. Chalkboards
Take a leaf out of your favourite coffee shop’s book and add a chalkboard to your wedding venue. Chalkboards are a super easy, DIY wedding decoration idea – and they’re functional too! You can use them to welcome your guests, direct them to their seats or display your menu.
8. Giant Letters
These have been popping up at weddings more and more over the last few years – and they’re definitely here to stay! Whether you keep things simple with you and your partner’s initials or spell out a special message, giant letters are a fab way to personalise your big day. If you’re going for a more modern wedding, tarnished metal and exposed bulbs will give your decorations an industrial feel, while those of you having rustic barn weddings might want to consider distressed wood instead. You can even position the letters so that they define different areas – for example, separating the dance floor from a quieter area.
9. Table Lamps
An easy way to add atmosphere to any room? Turn off the overhead lights. Opting for the soft, diffused light of table lamps instead will instantly take your wedding venue to the next level. We especially love table lamps for intimate weddings – their warm glow creates a gorgeously cosy feel.
10. Bespoke Table Plans
Yes, they’re a necessity – but that doesn’t mean your table plan has to be strictly functional! After all, all your guests will stop and look at it – so get creative and make it part of your wedding decorations. If you’ve opted for bespoke wedding stationery, why not see if your designer will make you a table plan that ties in with it? Or roll your sleeves up and get DIYing!
11. Ceiling Drapes
Instantly transform any venue with ceiling drapes. Whatever your wedding colours, you’ll be able to find a fabric to match. For a formal wedding, you might want to go for an elegant brilliant white, while soft linens are perfect for a more relaxed, rustic vibe. Or opt for brightly coloured fabrics to create a joyful atmosphere and lift your guests’ spirits!
12. Flower Walls
Flowers are a must at any wedding – so why not take things one step further with a whole flower wall? Focus on flowers that tie in with your wedding colours to keep things cohesive and create a fab focal point for your venue. Your guests will be completely wowed by the extravagant display – and it’s a fantastic spot for photographs too!
13. Signage
We’re sure you’ll need at least one sign at your wedding (even if it’s just for the loos!) so why not spend a little time making them decorations that tie in with your wedding theme? You’ll need a few practical signs to let people know where to go – try mixing in some extra signs printed with cute sayings and funny expressions to keep things fun!
14. Neon Signs
A quick scroll through Instagram is proof enough that neon signs are here to stay! Whether you dot lots of smaller ones around your venue or place one statement piece in a key location, there are countless ways to incorporate neon signs into your wedding decorations.
15. Coloured Glassware
To take your tablescapes to the next level, consider coloured glassware. You can find coloured glassware to suit all wedding styles and themes, from glamourous vintage pieces to sleek modern designs.You could even choose glassware in your wedding colours to tie everything together.
There you go – fifteen fabulous wedding decoration ideas to transform your wedding venue. So what are you waiting for? Hit the shops or get DIYing and make your wedding venue a showstopper!
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.
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.
More often than not, one of the very first questions wedding venues and suppliers will be asked by couples is “how much do your wedding services cost”.
Price transparency has been a highly fractious debate within the wedding industry for as long as we can remember, and for years wedding suppliers have battled this ‘opening question’ by couples – discussing frustrations and seeking advice on pricing strategy from like-minded suppliers, and in some instances even attempting to persuade couples that price is not the most important factor.
Except that often – at this early supplier shortlisting stage – it actually is one, if not THE of the most important factor for couples; particularly for 2017/2018 weddings.
If the price is right, you’re through to the next round!
Of course, as creators, artists, planners and wedding venue hosts the last thing we want to do is reduce our services to numbers and subject our passions to bidding wars.
But as human beings, with special reference to millennial couples, we know that the process for any decision making procedure relies on completing intense research, cementing boundaries and budgets, and setting priorities.
And owing to an abundance of online wedding checklists, budgets and advice blogs (not to mention the thousands of venues and suppliers couples now have to choose from) brides and grooms are likely to want to understand within which pricing perimeters you’re operating before they fall in love with you – only to realise they can’t afford you. Saving both them and you time.
The pricing positives
Let’s look at the positives of getting the “how much is an average wedding photographer/cake/venue [insert as appropriate]” question out of the way, upfront.
When you’re transparent with your pricing, you’re unlikely to experience time-wasters asking you for all the important things that prospects need to know, only to decide that they believe they can find your services for cheaper elsewhere.
You know that couples who get in touch with you are doing so because they’re genuinely considering hiring your wedding venue or engaging your supplier services to help them create their perfect wedding and that they can afford you.
However, as we all know, wedding plans evolve and develop as couples decide they’d like to “add drones” to their wedding photographer hire package, for example.
In this instance, it’s essential that wedding suppliers include a “from” price, and ideally a “to” price so that you’re being completely transparent with the spectrum of costs your clients are dealing with. This avoids any surprises for soon-to-be newlyweds later down the line and saves you the stress of having to have that awkward conversation.
Setting your price parameters
When it comes to answering pricing questions and setting your ‘average price’ parameters on directories such as Bridebook, it’s essential that you think about the true value of your services and never just attempt to compete on price.
A number of hours you put into your work should be a key factor, however, remember that couples are also investing in your expertise, your personality, your skill and your support. The key to setting a successful pricing strategy is to position your business as the most knowledgeable, dedicated, and high-quality option.
Don’t undervalue yourself. You must walk away from your documented ‘guide price’ happy, and know that by the time couples have read about your wedding services, your price will become less important to them.
If you’re interested in understanding more about average wedding supplier costs in the run-up to peak wedding season, view The UK Wedding Report 2017.
Update your pricing information and stay relevant by logging in and editing your Business Account HERE. Once updated, you will instantly increase your profile searchability and are able to connect with our community of 40,000 couples open and honestly.
Want more tips and tricks? Like the Bridebook Business Facebook Page and receive weekly updates from industry experts and thought leaders across the UK.
It’s lurking on the horizon…peak wedding season 2018. And whilst we can’t really complain about being busy, we also are.
Fortunately we’ve rustled up three essential survival tips to help you face wedding season 2018 head on. We’re ready for you…
Savvy wedding suppliers know that the best time to build their business is during the quieter months, and that the most surefire way to guarantee optimum efficiency during the peak wedding season is to plan well ahead of time.
Well wave goodbye to spring and brace yourselves folks; the wedding season is upon us!
Whether you’re ready and raring to get started or are a little apprehensive about how well prepared you are for the marital mayhem that lies ahead, we’ve got three essential survival tips to help you make sure that wedding season 2018 is your best yet.
1.Get your house in order
Don’t panic! There’s still time to take stock and make sure you’re organised and prepared for peak wedding season.
Tick these 5 quick wins off your to-do list…
Address those niggly admin tasks that you’re always tempted to leave until the last minute. Stop putting them off…
Dust off your equipment and check that all of your wedding supplies are still suitable and in good condition.
Conduct a quick stock count to make sure you’ve enough of everything to easily meet demand (with contingency built in too of course).
Is your website up to date?
It’s easy to let things slip in quieter periods but actually maintaining your online presence all year round is essential, as although most weddings may take place between now and October, the wedding supplier ‘window shopping period’ for couples happens all year round.
And if you’ve been a little quiet on social media, it’s time to start a conversation and get your followers excited for wedding season 2018/2019.
Did you know that leaving your website stagnant and not updating it with new awards and wedding portfolio pictures can seriously affect your rankings in search results?
Google rates your site based on relevance and freshness, and an easy way to keep things fresh is to start a blog on your website and / or regularly update your portfolio with photographs and editorial coverage of weddings you’ve catered for. Try not to save all your updates and bulk upload them to your website. Drip feeding fresh content onto your site is always best.
Do you have an online presence elsewhere?
It’s also essential that you keep your online profile consistent across all platforms.
Your professional image could suffer if you’re telling a different story about your product or services in different corners of the web.
2. Check your resources
As you’re gearing up for the get go, conduct a quick SWOT analysis of your team and identify where any strengths and weaknesses lie in your team’s skill sets. If necessary, provide training. Otherwise, make sure every member of your team understands the valuable role they play in delivering the best possible service and ensuring this year’s wedding season is one to remember.
Your people are your best brand assets and advocates so ensuring that they are confident, organised and fully informed of their duties will reflect well on your brand when they’re working at your events.
Try and coach your team to a level of efficiency and mastery that enables you to delegate some of the ‘doing’ to them, therefore freeing up more of your time during the busy wedding season. You can then dedicate your efforts on building your business, winning bookings, being present at events and developing your brand.
You could consider outsourcing certain tasks and responsibilities without adding the pressure of a full time overhead. Look into using virtual assistants or freelance / part time receptionists, bookkeepers and marketers. If you think your time is better spent on managing and developing your craft, enlist the help of administrative support to help you keep on top of the day to day necessities. A freelance junior marketer or admin assistant could keep your website, social media channels and online profiles up to date.
3. Prepare a plan
Use your bookings calendar to work backwards from each wedding you’re booked for and ensure you’ve plenty of time to complete all the tasks you need before each of your client’s big days. You should go into the wedding season with a clear idea of what is needed and by when to avoid any last minute panicking.
Don’t allow your schedule to get out of hand and make sure you build in some time to actually run your business and complete necessary tasks like emails, calls and website and social media updates. You should also schedule in weekly or monthly business performance recaps if possible to ensure everything is on track and that your wedding business is running as smoothly as possible.
And lastly but by no means least. be sure to book in some ‘me time’ to help you recharge your batteries. If you don’t give yourself the down time you deserve, you won’t perform to the best of your abilities and you could risk burning out.
You’re ready to take the wedding season 2018 by storm
Peak wedding season is a really exciting time to be a wedding supplier and you deserve to enjoy it too.
The key to sailing through the season and having your best year yet lies in the preparations you make today. Remember, those who fail to plan, plan to fail.
We plan to sail.
Want more tips and tricks as to how to grow and market your wedding business? Like the Bridebook Business Facebook Page and receive weekly updates from industry experts and thought leaders across the UK.
Keep your Bridebook profile up to date and relevant by logging in and editing your Business Account HERE. Once updated, you will instantly increase your profile searchability and are able to connect with our community of 40,000 couples. In short, spend a little time adding photos, videos, and information you love about your business now, and benefit later!
It’s fair to say that technology and digital innovation has already changed pretty much every industry in some way, and the wedding industry is no exception.
Sure, we can blame ‘the rise of online’ for the outlandish requests we receive as wedding suppliers (I’d like a unicorn, please) or we can accept the challenges and opportunities it presents for us to develop our business, offer something new and drive the UK wedding industry to the next level.
Millennial couples today are presented with an abundance of choice when it comes to perusing wedding venues, photographers and themes (to name a few), and limitless information sharing between couples and wedding suppliers online opens us all up to the latest (and often most outlandish) trends that people are indulging in all around the world.
For couples, the pressure to achieve wedding perfection has intensified as a result of what is shared online because they can see what others have achieved on their big day and naturally, these ‘budget-less’ wedding ideals affect their own wedding expectations.
We seem to exist in a world of ‘wedding extremes’ more than ever before.
On the one hand, we have ‘the spenders’ who’re looking to compete with celebrity-esque wedding ideals. They want the great wall of white flowers showcased at Kim Kardashian’s wedding and the hair and makeup modelled by Michelle Keegan on her big day. On the other hand, we have ‘the savers’ who are rebelling against the idea that you have to spend a year’s’ salary to achieve your dream wedding. These guys aim to create a super modest, stripped back and trendy, low-key day.
It’s fair to say that the wedding industry is a great example of an industry in transition, spurred on by digital advancements and our natural, human responses to them as soon-to-be brides and grooms, and as suppliers too.
Many wedding venues and suppliers are embracing this change and are responding favourably to how the digital revolution has influenced how brides find inspiration, how couples find a venue, and how local wedding suppliers connect and communicate with each other and with newly (and even soon-to-be) engaged couples.
Here are 4 key areas of the wedding industry that we’ve identified as ‘in transition’ and which we think deserve our attention as wedding suppliers of tomorrow.
1.Are Couples expecting more because of social media?
In the experience of one of our very own ‘Bridebook’ bride-to-be’s, a discrepancy exists between what couples want from their wedding day based on what they find on social media, and what they can actually get from UK venues and suppliers.
This particular bride to be has been frantically saving pins and posts, and requesting decorations, tableware and dresses from UK wedding suppliers when to her dismay, she discovered that those products only existed in the US at present!
Increased social engagement from across the pond and the use of idea board tools (such as Pinterest) means that UK suppliers face increased pressure to stay innovative on a global level, and it helps to have an eye for trends that seem to be taking off before you’re even asked to cater to them.
Wedding suppliers have to get better at keeping up to date with wedding innovations and quicker at realising change and being able to deliver what couples of 2017 and beyond demand.
It is essential that suppliers are ‘present’ online in terms of advertising their services and monitoring trends. Social media is here to stay and we predict that it will only become more impactful for the wedding industry. Wedding venues in particular (but all suppliers in general) should invest in expert photography and post high-quality images to showcase their products or services online and to help garner greater interest from inspiration seekers.
Image pinning platform Pinterest commissioned a study in February 2017 which found that over 40 million people still “turn to Pinterest for guidance across the wedding planner journey” every year. This Pinterest study also states that 81% of engaged Pinners start planning their wedding on Pinterest before they’re even engaged.
This is proof that focusing your efforts on the ‘engagement’ stage of the client attraction funnel is key, and that if you grab the attention of people in this early ‘ideation’ stage you’re much more likely to convert them into bookings later on in the wedding planning process.
Being noticeable on Pinterest and Instagram, in particular, is proven to sell products in the longer term and garner attention from couples in the inspiration stage.
For further guidance on social growth, visit Bridebook Business Live on YouTube to find out how Bridebook.co.uk grew to 350,000 social media followers in just 12 months!
2.Innovative wedding venues
When our very own Bridebook Bride was planning her wedding, she drove for 35 hours around France to visit 11 venues within 5 days. But what if the venues she’d planned to visit had offered a detailed online look at their building and grounds? She would have been able to spend more quality time looking around a couple of shortlisted wedding venues and with greater intent to place a booking.
Websites with better quality galleries and a larger selection of images of their wedding venue will, of course, impress more couples than those which cannot offer a high quality first and second look during the decision-making stage.
In 2017 and beyond, it is essential that couples can peruse your venue easily, in a detailed fashion and from the comfort of their own home. Couples today will shortlist venues to view and make booking decisions based on what can be discovered and viewed online.
Over the next few years, more and more venue finder tools will exist online and if you fail to secure a presence you’ll fail to be discovered by couples and will, therefore, fail to receive bookings. Featuring your wedding venue on Bridebook is free and can help you get discovered and increase your business leads.
Beyond this, super savvy wedding venues like Brookfield Barn in West Sussex have begun to offer immersive online experiences that enable couples to take 3D virtual reality tours of their venue – helping both in the decision making process and in helping couples to organise their wedding online post-booking.
Imagine how much of a selling point it is for busy couples to be able to show their florist exactly where they’d like certain flowers positioned, digitally, saving all parties concerned a trip to the venue, and preventing wedding venue staff from having to take the time to accompany individuals around their building and grounds. This kind of digital-experiential wedding planning signals the future for the global wedding industry, not just the UK.
3. Live streaming
Many couples are also choosing to live stream their wedding day using tools such as Periscope and Facebook Live – enabling them to share footage of their big day in real time with those who couldn’t make it.
Wedding venues, in particular, should make the most of this trend and ensure that they have a social presence online; advertising the appropriate #hashtag or @handle to enable couples to tag them in live wedding day footage.
This is one of the quickest and easiest ways in which venues can add valuable media footage to their portfolio. It works as free advertising for the wedding venue in question; showing other engaged couples what a wedding at their venue could look like in reality.
4.The latest in wedding photography and videography
Gone are the days of digital cameras on dinner tables. Now the vast majority of couples will engage a professional photographer to capture their entire wedding day at an average cost of around £1,211.
Couples are placing greater importance on capturing their big day in style and are investing more time (and often money) in selecting the right wedding photographer AND videographer.
Do you specialise in both photography and videography?
If you specialise in one or the other, you may want to consider expanding, partnering with another supplier or upskilling to include both as an option in your product portfolio. Videography is fast becoming a wedding standard of the future, and if couples can select one supplier that offers both services at an improved package price, you’ll stand out in the online crowd.
Something you can also expect to be asked more frequently in 2017 and beyond is whether you provide the option to shoot using a drone. Yes, wedding drones! They’re really ‘taking off’ as a photography must-have in the weddings of tomorrow because couples are increasingly keen on having aerial videos and photos of all of their guests with their venue in the background.
In the world of ‘image capturing,’ it is also worth considering the fact that wedding guests will also be acting as amateur photographers on your client’s big day, and organising digital photographs can be an arduous job for happy couples to face.
You could take your business one step further and depending on your budget and resource, consider offering photo montage services or even developing your own app similar to WedPics, that enables your client’s guests to upload all of their photos in one place. Offering automated ways for your clients to collect, organise and publish their pictures will put your business at a huge advantage in the wedding industry of tomorrow.
Are we in the midst of a Wedding Industry Revolution?
Absolutely, and it’s such an exciting time to exist in the UK wedding industry.
As with all businesses in all industries, those who fail to innovate and keep a finger on the pulse where the latest trends are concerned will struggle to compete for bookings over the coming years.
Be aware of what changes are happening around you because, in the fast-paced world of online, today’s news is tomorrow’s lesson.
Want more tips and tricks as to how to grow and market your wedding business? Like the Bridebook Business Facebook Page and receive weekly updates from industry experts and thought leaders across the UK.
Keep your Bridebook profile up to date and relevant by logging in and editing your Business Account HERE. Once updated, you will instantly increase your profile searchability and are able to connect with our community of 40,000 couples. In short, spend a little time adding photos, videos, and information you love about your business now, and benefit later!
