be sure of their credentials by making sure they have all of the required certifications when it comes to public liability insurance and hygiene, for example, for companies in the tent, entertainment or catering worlds. Visiting wedding shows is a great way to go, to meet the county’s finest in person and talk through your ideas. You’ll get a great idea of who gets your vision, see some of their work in the flesh, and get a feel for whether you gel. ONE YEAR TO GO Now’s the time to start tightening up that guest list and sending out savethe-dates. This might be a particularly good idea if your date falls during school holidays or a bank holiday for example, as your guests are likely to fill their diaries much sooner at these times. THREE TO SIX MONTHS TO GO You’ll be entering your busiest, but potentially most exciting period now! Book your food and wine tasting with your venue, decide on your dishes and make sure you’re 100 per cent happy with your choices. Sure, you want to provide something for everyone, but make sure you choose something the two of you love, after all, it’s your day. Set aside some time in the diary for dress and suit fittings, as well as final detail meetings with suppliers such as your photographer and florist. Your dream team will be mega-busy bringing couples’ big days to life at the weekends, so bear in mind these may need to take place during the week. Set aside some holiday days, just in case. THREE MONTHS TO ONE MONTH TO GO You’re nearly there! Pull all the final arrangements together including final guest numbers after RSVPs for your caterer and fine-tuning the seating plan. If any element of your big day will be hosted outside, make sure you’ve liaised with all the relevant suppliers, particularly your venue team to prepare a plan-B. We all know how unpredictable the British weather can be, so the more prepared you are, the less worry you’ll have, safe in the knowledge you’ll have an amazing day come rain or shine. You’ll also be finalising last details with the remainder of your suppliers, so try to work out approximate timings for the day. Your photographer in particular will need to know this, so they’re confident about where you need them and when in order that they don’t miss a beat for your wedding album or video. Your transport provider too, if you have one, will need to know departure and arrival times so they can plan for traffic. Remember, lists and spreadsheets are your friend! Keep one going from day one so you can keep track of what final payments are due when, as well as supplier details for easy access. You can also draw up plans of who’s taking care of what on the day as well as what needs to be taken to the venue. FOUR WEEKS TO GO And... relax! Everything should be taken care of – the professionals will have it all in hand. All you need to do is take some calming breaths and enjoy this exciting period as you count down to W-day! Why not take a relaxing spa break, or have you hen and stag dos at this time? Delta Hotels by Marriott York Marius Muresan on Unsplash Jeremy Wong Weddings on Unsplash FLOWERS 49 PLANNING SOS
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0NTE=