I’ve made it to the other side and thought I’d share my two cents on what made the day great in my eyes.

Overall I was thrilled with it all and my fear of clock watching / being anxious about timings of the day didn’t happen at all.

1. None of the small stuff matters

My dress snagged getting it on, it was filthy before even going down the aisle. I could not tell you in anyway what the flowers in the ceremony looked like - none of it mattered. I loved the ceremony and it FLEW. I wish i could of had an extra 30mins somehow

1. Spend on the guest experience parts

We got a singer for the ceremony who started before we entered, a singer at the reception who started before we arrived. I myself barely heard either but my guests all loved it

Photobooth was a late booking for me but 100% worth it and was used so much.

1. An on the day planner is worth every penny

We had a very relaxed wedding with only a handful of suppliers yet she was worth every penny. She took over all contact a week before so our band feeling ill the days before all went though her and I didn’t know a thing - she had back ups lined up ready too. During the night she dropped food and drinks into our hands then dissapeared back into the background.

1. You don’t have to do all the things

All the cliches are true about how fast the day goes and IMO there is no need to over pack the day. Think about what you enjoy the most and don’t be pressured into all the trends

We went for a long cocktail hour with plenty of snacks to maximise mingling time and did a 10min photo window so we were never really missing anything with our guests

Hi! I’m just looking for some advice or opinions on this conundrum I’ve got myself into, I am driving myself insane thinking about it!

My fiancé and I have been engaged for 3 years, but every time I’ve thought of wedding planning and having all our family and friends there I panic. All I want is to get married, I hate planning events and also, we don’t have the money for a traditional wedding!

Recently, we’ve decided to book a short ceremony at the registry office, followed by dinner and drinks in a bar with some more friends. It would all be very relaxed, with just my sister, my fiancés brother and 4 more friends. We both feel really happy about this idea and finally excited to get married. My fiancé is also totally on board with this idea, it’s just me who’s conflicted.

Our issue is on the decision to not have my Dad and stepmum, or my fiancés mum and gran there. I am close to my Dad, he’s been a brilliant Dad but he lives abroad now and isn’t the best at keeping in touch. He can also be very traditional and a little judgemental at times. My fiancés mum and gran are very opinionated and can be very negative and I don’t want that on my wedding day. I know it’ll probably cause issues with them if they aren’t invited. I spoke to my Dad, and he’s said that all he wants is for me to be happy and for us to get married.

I’m worried that it’s wrong for us to not invite our parents to our wedding or that it’s going to break my Dads heart despite what he says. I feel so torn between what I know I want and the desire to not hurt anyone, I don’t want my Dad to think that he isn’t invited because I don’t love him! I’m a people pleaser at heart but I just want to do exactly what I want for one day but finding it so hard. I can’t even put into words exactly why I don’t want our parents there, I just feel like it will bring stress and some awkwardness to the day which I don’t want.

I was wondering what you would do in my situation? Has anyone felt the same as me? Help!

My partner and I have found a beautiful venue that we are just about to book for our wedding. We found it weeks ago and fell in love with it, did a site visit and were over the moon.

This venue has its limitations, which is to be expected because it’s the only stunning venue that is actually within our budget. There are speakers built-in around the room which we tested and found to be a decent noise level (not quiet, but not so loud you have to raise your voice to speak to eachother), however no amplified music can be played in the space (DJ, musicians etc). It is also a smaller room as there are only 35 people coming (the room holds 42 max.) however we will have access to the lawns outside provided the weather is good (it’s in peak summer, so fingers crossed!)

We’ve created some visuals on how the space will look if we are only in the one room (ie if it rains), and we are now happy with how everything looks now we’ve adjusted the floor plan to make more room.

My question is now, are speakers enough?

Our day is going to be more relaxed than your usual wedding. We will get married in the Orangery at 4 pm, then have a one hour drinks reception in the bar next door, and then come back into the Orangery after they flip it for the buffet. We will then stay in that room for the rest of the night with our playlist playing on the speakers. There will be one speech from my dad and my fiance‘s best man, but that’s it.

Originally we loved this idea because it was basically like our engagement party all over again, but all over social media all I’m seeing are these extravagant parties and part of me is starting to worry that my wedding won’t be fun. I know what makes a wedding fun is the audience, and I am very blessed to have a very fun group of friends that will be joining us on the day, but I don’t know if we’re doing enough to make it fun and memorable.

I’ve asked the venue if we’re allowed a saxman as I think this could be a really good workaround, having our playlist play through the speakers while everyone is eating and having a saxman come out later to liven it up. This would work very well if we were allowed outside, as he could go across the lawns, but there are rooms above the venue, so i imagine he’d have to stay inside, where there isn’t really any space to dance with all the tables.

As there’s no DJ, it’s also just dimmable lighting. We can bring uplighters, though I’m not sure if that’ll fit the vibe (it’s a grand old architecture room).

What do you guys suggest, or am I overthinking this as it’s finally all getting real now we’re about to sign the contract?

I can’t and never will be able to warrant a large sum of money on our wedding, as our future will always take priority, however I want to see what I can do (without changing the space) to make this fun for a bunch of 20 something year olds.

Any ideas are welcome 🤍

We are getting married in August 2028 and are wondering when we should begin sending out save the dates.

2028 seems to be quite a popular year amongst people we know to either be getting married or be invited to weddings, and we want to make sure all of our loved ones can make it. Should we send out save the dates right away, or is it recommended to wait a while?

Hi

I love the idea of having a fuller skirt dress for the ceremony and a slimmer dress for the rest of the day.

However, I hate the look of the detachable skirts that clip onto the back on the dress. I’m looking for a fully removable skirt that goes all the way round the waist that creates the illusion of a fuller dress. Does anyone know any designers or shops that do these in the UK?

I loved this dress at wed2be, and I'm hoping it will still be there when I go back to buy. It ticked all the boxes for me. Simple, not glittery or embroidered, fit really nice, and it has pockets 🙏🏾 only thing I don't like is the off the shoulder straps. The lady said it was easy for a seamstress to change, I'm just having trouble picturing it. I've tried googling to see when people change off the shoulder to straps, but could only find before and afters of the opposite where people change it TO off the shoulder.

Does it seem like this will be possible without looking weird? Do I need to keep looking for a dress I like that isn't off the shoulder?

I'm not usually a dress kinda gal so have no clue what I'm doing here. I figure I can send this picture to seamstresses in my area and ask if it's an adjustment they feel they could make, but I just wish I could find any pics online of this kind of change to give me some confidence it'll look how I'd like.

I'd hate to buy an £800 dress and spend hundreds on a seamstress and then not like it 😅

I am contemplating an autumn wedding (early October 2028) in Scotland and I am hesitating because of the weather?

I have never been to an autumn wedding but I don't want people in coats all day covering their outfits. It might seem childish but it would ruin the aesthetics of the videos/photos.

Those who have had/been to autumn weddings, what was it like?

I don't think there is a cloak room in the church so for the ceremony at least people would have their jackets with them. I don't want to look back at wedding videos and each time the camera pans across it is a bunch of jacket on chairs or being worn or laying around. Or a bunch of space heaters

My mum is a florist so she will be doing the arrangements for our wedding! However she doesn’t live in the UK, so she’s asked me where she can go to source wholesale flowers (as she wants to avoid going to a florist to buy at retail prices). We are based in London. Does anyone here know where we can go to find these?

I’m a UK wedding florist and have on average 50-60 weddings a year. What I’m wondering is when wedding season is over and Christmas is done, what do other wedding florists do in January and February? I know there are admin jobs to do and emails, but I found myself twiddling my thumbs and bored at the start of the year. I also feel like I could be doing something else to earn money during the down town, I do freelance for a florist shop now and then but florist shops aren’t that busy in jan and feb and isn’t a demand for it so I doubt I’d be able to get any work from freelancing in jan and feb.

I’m wondering what others do in their down time? I appreciate it’s a time to recover and relax too but I’m okay after 1-2 weeks off, after that I just get fed up of not doing anything.

Thanks for reading!

NORFOLK BRIDES | LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK ON WEDDING DECOR HIRE BUSINESS CONCEPT 

I've been thinking about starting a side hustle renting my wedding decor out and just looking to see if there's much of a market for it.

The idea is to offer beautiful, coordinated décor that couples can hire for their wedding, without having to buy everything themselves, store it afterwards or worry about what to do with it once the celebrations are over.

Items would include brass candlestick holders and LED candles, vintage-style painted book boxes, bud vases, decorative lanterns, olive-green chiffon table runners/chair sashes, mini pumpkins, ornate frames and a glass card box.

I'm still at the research stage, and I'd really appreciate honest feedback from anyone planning a wedding or who has recently got married!

1. How would you prefer to hire your décor?

Would you prefer:

• Set packages based on guest numbers — for example, £50 for up to 40 guests or £100 for up to 80 guests, with a predetermined selection of items.
• Individual item hire — choosing exactly what you want, with each item priced separately (e.g. £2 per brass candlestick holder, £1 per LED candle), subject to a minimum order value.
• A combination of both — ready-made packages, with the option to add or swap individual items.

What would make you most likely to book?

2. How important would delivery be?

I'd potentially offer delivery to your venue or home for an additional fee, but I'm particularly interested in whether you'd value a collection service after the wedding.

For example, you could simply pack everything back into the supplied boxes, and I'd collect it from your venue or home at an agreed time, so you wouldn't have to transport it back yourself while you're enjoying the post-wedding celebrations!

Would you:

• Prefer to collect and return everything yourself to save money?
• Pay extra for delivery before the wedding?
• Pay extra for collection after the wedding?
• Pay extra for both delivery and collection?

If you'd pay for delivery or collection, roughly how much would feel reasonable?

3. How far in advance would you want your décor?

Eg. for a Saturday wedding, would you want to be able to collect:

• Collection/delivery on Thursday.
• Friday morning.
• Friday afternoon or evening.
• Saturday morning.

Would having the items the day before be important for setting up the venue, or would you be happy receiving them closer to the wedding? Would your answer change depending on whether you're setting up yourselves or using a stylist/ the venue setting up?

4. What's the biggest benefit of hiring décor rather than buying it?

Which of these would matter most to you?

• Saving money compared with buying everything new.
• Getting better-quality or more distinctive décor than I'd otherwise buy.
• Not having to store everything before or after the wedding.
• Not having to sell, donate or dispose of everything afterwards.
• Convenience, particularly delivery and collection.
• Being able to create a coordinated look without buying lots of separate items.
• Sustainability and reusing items rather than buying new.

Or is there another benefit that would make a difference to you?

5. What would you expect to pay?

For a coordinated collection of table décor, including candlesticks, LED candles, bud vases and decorative accessories, what would you consider reasonable?

Obviously, the price you'd expect to pay depends on how many tables or guests the package covers, but any rough ideas as to your expectations would be appreciated. Also, would you be happy to pay a refundable security deposit to cover damages and how much would you consider reasonable?

6. What would put you off hiring wedding décor?

For example, would it be the price, the deposit, the risk of damaging something, having to collect and return it, uncertainty about what would be included, or something else?

Thank you so much for helping! Honest opinions are genuinely appreciated.

Hi everyone! We are currently torn between two wedding venues and could really use your help deciding.

We absolutely love Sandy Cove for its dramatic coastal views, the convenience of having hotel rooms on-site, and the fantastic bridal suite. The extra amenities (like the pool) are a huge bonus, and it feels like a venue that would handle any kind of weather brilliantly.

However, we have a few hesitations:

• Rigid Policies: Their T&Cs feel quite strict. For instance, they won't store our wedding cake the night before, even if we book an "exclusive use" hire where we are all staying on-site the day prior.
• The Atmosphere / Tour: During our viewing, the host didn't really try to "sell" the venue or show much enthusiasm. We completely understand that hosting weddings is routine for them, but since it’s such a meaningful day for us, the lack of excitement made the tour feel a bit like a chore.

We are considering both their exclusive use hire and standard day hire options.

If you’ve married at, attended, or viewed Sandy Cove, we’d love to hear your honest thoughts!

• What were your major pros and cons?
• Did the staff and coordination feel different on the actual day compared to the initial tour?
• Is there anything you would do differently if you had to book again?

Any insights, tips, or experiences you can share would mean the world to us—thank you so much!

P.S. Our other top contender is Trevenna in Cornwall, which I'll be posting about separately!

Can anyone recommend a Midlands-based photographer please? We need one for roughly 10 hours to cover the bride getting ready and the cemetery at the church then the reception. All 3 venues are within 10 mins of each other so minimal travel.
Also, budget-wise, what sort of cost are we looking at?

Hello!

Getting married in London next year (Sept). We have a band (close friends) for a few songs and we were initially going to just play a playlist over our venues PA. I'm really into my music and have a very exact idea of what songs I want played.

We're getting a bit nervous about that as an option because if something goes wrong with the playlist or when people inevitably want to make requests, someone will have to spend their time half manning it and that won't be fun.

So we're thinking we'll get a DJ, but (not to sound like a control freak, I swear this is the only thing I'm controlling about 😂😂) I literally only want them to play songs from and in the order of my own playlist, with a bit of space for a few requests.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

I don't know if music style is relevant but it's very eclectic like 90s to early 2000s pop, current pop girlies, Brit pop, mid 2000s indie bands, bit of pop punk lmao.

Hi everyone! As mentioned in my previous post, we are torn between two venues and would love your advice. Our second top contender is Trevenna in Cornwall.

What we absolutely love about Trevenna is how completely stress-free it feels. They make the planning process feel so easy and taken care of, and the team has been genuinely amazing every time we’ve visited. They really gave us the confidence that we’d be in great hands on the big day. Plus, it’s much closer to home for us than our alternative (Sandy Cove in Ilfracombe).

That said, we do have a few trade-offs to weigh up:

• Accommodation & Perks: Fewer guests can stay on-site compared to Sandy Cove, and there aren’t additional leisure amenities like a pool.
• The Views & Weather: While the surrounding countryside is lovely, the views aren't quite as dramatic or phenomenal as the coastal backdrop at Sandy Cove. However, if the weather turns out to be rubbish, we feel Trevenna’s cozy layout might actually make for a much nicer indoor venue!

If you’ve married at, attended, or toured Trevenna, we’d love to hear your experiences!

• What were your main pros and cons?
• How did you and your guests find the on-site accommodation and overall setup?
• How was your experience with the staff and food on the actual wedding day?

Any honest feedback, photos, or tips would be so helpful to us—thank you!

Hi all! I need some advice please!

I’m getting married next year in London, I am autistic and have extremely light sensitive eyes. Ive decided I don’t want the typical bright wedding hall Asian wedding with all the lights and flowers but I want a dark evening type wedding lit up with warm lights instead with medieval and slightly gothic vibes! A church would be perfect.

except I’m Muslim 😂 so this is where I’m stuck. any advice? are there any alternatives?

(I’m not rich either so cannot do a castle lol )

Thank youuuu xx