Top 5 tips to designing a truly inspired wedding day

There are many exciting opportunities we come across throughout our lives that have potential to be life changing, but there’s nothing quite like planning your wedding day!

Let’s face it, nine times out of ten, as much as your other half says he wants to be involved, the majority of the planning tends to get left to us women, and I’ve heard many women talk about how wonderfully creative they found the whole process, especially when they’ve really tried to capture the true essence of themselves, their fiancé, and their relationship.

However, for some, this can be quite a difficult thing to achieve, so here are my top 5 tips when designing a truly inspired wedding day…

1. Try not to get caught up in ‘wedding madness’

Sadly, as many times as I’ve seen women flourish and express themselves beautifully in their wedding preparations, for every one of these woman I’ve seen 10 others than turn to what is commonly known as ‘Bridezilla!’ Of course, it’s the biggest day of your life, something you’ve dreamed of for years and years, and you have the whole family throwing in their opinions and ideas so it’s totally understandable that it turns into a stress for some people. However, I find the best way to deal with all of this is….deep breath in, and……..relax! The more you relax, the easier you will find the organisational aspect, and the more you will enjoy the whole process.

2. Don’t forget who you are

My favourite weddings are where you see the true essence of both the bride and groom. By this, I mean, they don’t get too caught up in the ‘stereotypical wedding must haves’, and everything they choose, from the cake to the music, truly represents who they are. For example, why have classical music in your wedding ceremony if you and your husband don’t ever listen to that style at home… sure, it’s beautiful, and, for want of a better word, ‘weddingsy’ (?), but is it you? Wouldn’t you be better off walking down the aisle to one of your favourite ever tunes that brings a tear to your eye, or a smile to your face, every time you listen to it? Your guests (and more importantly your husband) will be able to connect with you more, and suddenly your ceremony is transformed into your ceremony rather than the one you may think you should have.

3. It’s all about the people

One element of wedding planning that does seem to scare people is using suppliers. I suppose for the average person, this is the only time in their lives when they are trusting in probably 5 or 6 different people or companies all at once! Not good for the control freaks among us….

I think choosing your suppliers is all about the quality of people you are dealing with. Some may choose their band/florist/caterers/venue based on price (ie either they go for the cheapest they can find because they want to save money, or the most expensive they can find because they ‘must be the best’), but personally I think it’s all about finding people that you connect with and trust. Running a wedding involves a lot of team work, often with people who have probably never met or worked together before – i.e your venue may not have met your band, and your florist may have never worked with your photographer before. Sadly, I often find, working in a band, we find ourselves being constantly challenged by the venue, who obviously just don’t want the hassle of a band, and it makes life notoriously difficult! I believe that magic comes from atmosphere, and the most magical weddings are the events where your suppliers are working as a team, and helping each other do the best job they can. This is why finding the right people is so important… So, when calling or meeting suppliers, I’d look out for a smiling face or a friendly glint in someone’s eye, rather than the price tag.

4. Go with the flow, and trust the one’s in the know

When your wedding day arrives, its time to let the ‘control freak within’ leave the building! You really don’t want to be stressing on your big day… I think your memories from your wedding should be of staring into your new husbands eyes lovingly, having all your favourite people in the same room at the same time, and of course being the centre of attention all day…. Not stressing, worrying or fretting about every single detail. Remember that your suppliers do this for a living, and know exactly how to make things work. You can trust them that your day will run smoothly.

5. If anything does go wrong, remember that everything happens for a reason

You may or may not believe this, but when planning your wedding it’s the best philosophy to have. Things may not always go to plan – timings may run late, your ever-so-clumsy-cousin may spill champagne down her bridesmaids dress, and let’s face it – at least one of the family members will be obscenely drunk and pass out next to the plant in the hotel hallway…. But all these things are memories, and make your wedding YOUR wedding. Try not to stress about anything – this is your big day, and it will turn out perfectly no matter what!

Best of luck, and happy planning

Love & Hugs

Sera