HELP IS AT HAND I’m feeling overwhelmed by the planning process. What are your top tips for creating a stress-free wedding? It’s not an easy task planning a wedding, and can be overwhelming at times, but the main thing to remember is to always put you both first. Don’t let other people dictate your day, as it’s your wedding and should be what you want and dreamed of. We recommend the following to have a stress-free planning experience: Budget – set your budget as soon as you start planning as this will help you keep on track when considering venues and suppliers. It will also help you from overspending and getting stressed about money. Guest list – we know you want your nearest and dearest to celebrate with you, so set your guest list to who you want and don’t be influenced by other people. Your wedding package – make sure you know what is included in your venue package and if there are any hidden costs. Some charge extra for things such as chair covers, sashes and music systems. Your wedding team – make sure you utilise your wedding team at your venue. Ask for advice or help for any little or big thing. For example, here at Craig Y Nos Castle, we offer planning tips and also recommended suppliers. Your venue – do not be afraid to visit your venue as many times as you need to plan decorations, show your bridesmaids or your photographer. Sometimes visiting the venue can help you envision your day and help with the planning. The wedding team at Craig Y Nos Castle www.craigynoscastleweddings.com BOOGIE ALL NIGHT We’re looking for a DJ for our upcoming wedding but are feeling overwhelmed by the number of choices available. What should we do to help narrow down our decision? Before booking a supplier, consider the following: Reviews – these will illustrate past clients’ opinions. Don’t stop at one, read a few for each DJ, as each client will have had a different experience. Website – a website is a virtual shop window and will help you get a feel for how professional the DJ is and what they offer. There may be pictures of past events or the opportunity to see what their equipment will look like, and how it will suit your venue. PAT and PLI – boring, but essential. PAT is an electrical test that is undertaken on equipment, for most DJs this will be annual. Some venues will insist on PAT-tested equipment, and PLI policies. PLI is Public Liability Insurance. Any DJ who does not have this is either too new to the business to know or doesn’t take customer care seriously. Social media – this is another opportunity to find out more about your potential DJ. Pictures, videos and posts all show the personality of the DJ or the company. Specialist or generalist? Some DJs specialise in weddings, but this doesn’t mean that they don’t provide a wide range of music. If you decide you want a club DJ or a rock specialist, it’s worth checking if your DJ can diversify if the club set isn’t working for your party. Meeting and communicating – if you wish to have input on the music, it will be essential to have clear communication. Meeting in person or virtually will enable you to get to know each other and share your ideas. Services offered – some DJs offer an all-day service in addition to an evening disco. This means you can have one person to work with to organise the soundtrack to your day instead of many. Some DJs have added on services such as room accessories, uplighting, photo booths or a selfie wizard, which again simplifies your working channels rather than having a long list of people to communicate with. June Gould (DJ June Cecilia) www.sgdjweddings.com A TENDER MOMENT Are black and white images still popular, and should we have them? Black and white wedding images are absolutely still popular! They are classic, romantic and timeless. Black and white images create a certain mood, and I don’t think this style of photography will ever be outdated, as it has a vintage, elegant feel to it. I love a high contrast black and white image to document those emotional moments. Colour images are obviously more vibrant, however black and white images move the focus onto people’s faces and their emotions. By taking away the colour, it gives the viewer the chance to recognise some of the finer elements in the photograph. Amy Maynard www.aj-photography.org www.aj-photography.org www.1visionphotography.com 62
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