Your London Wedding - September/October 2020 (Issue 73)

HOT TOPIC Our experts solve your wedding dilemmas YOUR IDEAL SETTING What questions should I ask before booking my wedding venue? The first question I would ask is what hire options are available, so you can find out how the venue can work best for you. Venues often offer a whole range of options, for example, we can host all-day weddings on Saturdays or you could opt for a weekday evening. Next up, find out about the suppliers your venue works with. Venues trade on reputation and word-of-mouth, so tend to only work with suppliers that they trust. This means you get the benefit of pre-vetted companies so you can spend less time researching. A great final question to ask, especially if your venue is outdoors, is if you can get legally married at the venue as well as holding your reception there. A lot of people don’t realise that you can’t get married outside. At Chelsea Physic Garden, you can be legally wed in our gallery space and enjoy a humanist ceremony al fresco, before beginning your unforgettable party. With all your guests in one place, you can have more time together to enjoy your special day. Megan Taylor | Chelsea Physic Garden | www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk PLANNED TO PERFECTION With juggling work and home- schooling, I’m struggling to plan our 2021 wedding. My friend suggested hiring a planner, but I’m worried about losing control – what can I expect? Most professional wedding planners will offer a level of flexibility, meaning you can choose the amount of involvement and control you wish to have. We specialise in full wedding planning and wedding day management. This entails supporting you with everything from the venue search, supplier selection, design and appointment scheduling before executing it all on the day. You could also opt for wedding management, which is where we come in six weeks prior to your wedding, talk through the plans you have in place, give advice and make suggestions to close any gaps. We then take over the management of your suppliers and create a schedule for the day that everyone works to. We can be there every step of the way, helping you to enjoy the lead up and the day itself. Chenai Bukutu | ByChenai Events www.bychenai.com www.olliverphotography.com www.jennifermccordphoto.com 86