BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY I’ve seen several posts online about making sure a venue has insurance and checking if a corkage fee is included, but we’re really confused about what this means. Can you help explain and is there anything else we need to be aware of when looking for a venue? Before booking your wedding venue, we advise making sure they have up-to-date insurance, but it is also a wise decision to invest in your own wedding insurance once the contracts are signed. It offers peace of mind against unforeseen circumstances like vendor cancellations or extreme weather, allowing you to focus on celebrating without financial setbacks. A corkage fee is when a couple pays the venue so that they can bring their own drinks on-site. We don’t offer a corkage fee at Hensol Castle; however, we do provide a comprehensive selection of drinks to accommodate your guests and your fairytale wedding celebrations. The team at Hensol Castle www.hensolcastle.com WE LOVE TO BOOGIE We want to hire a DJ for our upcoming wedding, but we’re on a tight budget. Do you have any suggestions for how we can save money? The first thing we suggest is to consider the importance of music in creating the atmosphere and memories of your special day. If it is a small wedding, the obvious answer is to go DIY. Hire or borrow some speakers, create a playlist on your iPod, plug it in and off you go. Cost effective? Very! However, there are limitations that can significantly impact the overall enjoyment of your wedding. The first thing you should do is check with your venue to see if they have their own DJ included in your wedding package. They will be someone the venue trusts to provide a good service and it may not cost you anything extra! However, we would always recommend having a chat with them, as you also need to be comfortable that their personality and style align with yours. Find someone local or who regularly works at your chosen venue. At the end of the day, a DJ is running a business and if they have a long distance to travel, this may increase their quote. Always ask if there are any travel fees. Lastly, add additional services. If you’re looking for extras such as photo booths and dancefloors, a DJ that can also provide these will offer you excellent discounts and you can often save yourself between £100-200 compared to booking via separate suppliers. There are DJs for pretty much every budget. Generally, the higherpriced options will have more experience, professional equipment that complies with safety regulations and be fully insured. Check out their reviews and social media and give them a call! We don’t bite and good suppliers will always be happy to have a video chat or meet for a coffee to get to know you so that your expectations are met. The team at Revelry Disco www.revelrydisco.co.uk HOLD ME CLOSE Lots of photographers offer an engagement shoot, but we’re camera shy and don’t know if it’s for us. What are the benefits? First and foremost, being camera shy is the biggest reason why you should have an engagement shoot. It’s a chance to meet your photographer and work with them on a day that is free of time constraints, stress, and, of course, family watching your every move. It’s the ideal opportunity to talk with your photographer, get to know each other better, tell them about your concerns and work together to find a way you can feel comfortable in front of the camera. Engagement shoots will usually take place at a location of your choice, though your photographer may have suggestions. You may even want to use your wedding venue; this has the added advantage of giving you a chance to communicate to your photographer your favourite parts of the venue and what you really want captured. Your photographer will have poses they commonly use that fit their style, so this is an opportunity to practice those and find out if any feel uncomfortable or embarrassing. Try to keep an open mind though; you hired your photographer for their style and experience after all. Other benefits of an engagement shoot include using the photos for your invites, wedding website/socials, or even your venue decorations. If you have a pet who means the world to you but can’t be with you on the day, you could bring them along to the shoot; just check with your photographer first, of course! The number one thing to do is communicate with your photographer. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions; a good photographer will be more than happy to answer, and you may find that you start to get a little excited. Engagement shoots bring a little bit of the magic of your wedding forward, so enjoy it and have fun! Once the shoot is done, you will feel so much more ready and prepared for the big day and you will wonder why you ever worried. Huw and Dale www.huwanddale.co.uk www.huwanddale.co.uk www.facebook.com/adrianthomasphotography 54
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