Looking for some expert wedding planning advice from a real wedding professional? We spoke to Jack Quenby, a wedding DJ and host from Leicestershire, managing director of Jackstar Weddings. His team was proud to be recognised as one of the East Midlands’ best wedding DJs at the 2023 Wedding Industry Awards. Jack has also appeared on the BBC’s Ultimate Wedding Planner as one of eight aspiring contestants.
Jack’s top 5 wedding planning tips
1. Start early
Too often couples will get engaged and think there’s no rush to getting started with the planning. Even if you’re thinking about getting married in a couple of years, this isn’t very long in the wedding industry. The best suppliers and venues get booked up early and the sooner you start budgeting and putting plans in place the better chance you have of getting all the things you’re dreaming of.
2. Create a detailed timeline
Being organised ahead of the day is the best way to avoid stress and burn out. Work back from the big day and plan in when certain elements need to be finalised. When it comes to the day itself it really pays to have a strong timeline in place and to make sure your wedding team (bridesmaids and groomsmen) know who needs to do what and when. This will take some of the pressure off you on the day but will help to keep things on track if the timeline starts to slip.
3. Use the best suppliers
It goes without saying you should opt for the most experienced suppliers you can afford. Without a doubt your choice of suppliers will have the biggest impact on the day. Not only with how much you can relax, feeling confident in their abilities, but also how well your guests are looked after. If you don’t have a wedding planner the next best thing is an experienced wedding host who can help keep things on track and make sure you can enjoy every moment with your guests.
4. Think about your guests’ experience
Building on the last two points, when you’re putting together your timeline and selecting your suppliers think about the impact on the guests. I often hear from engaged couples who have been bored guests at weddings and hate the idea of that happening on their day. For each step in your timeline think about where the guests will be, what they’ll be doing and who will be there to look after them.
5. Take time for yourselves and don’t stress
So often this gets overlooked. Of course it’s your day and it’s all about you, but being the centre of attention for the whole day can be quite exhausting! It’s a great idea to plan in a few breaks where you and your partner can take five, recharge and savour those amazing feelings. If you’ve followed the previous tips hopefully you’ll be able to avoid getting too stressed on the day even if things don’t go exactly as planned. If you have everything organised and looked after by an experienced team there’s nothing you can’t overcome.
Plan your dream wedding on Bridebook
There you have the best wedding planning tips and tricks from someone who’s been there and done that. For more expert advice and inspiration, be sure to sign up to Bridebook today. We’ve got everything you need to make your wedding planning journey as joyful and stress-free as possible.
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