Wedding planning advice: booked your venue? What next…
When you read my recent blogs you’ll see its been all about wedding planning advice. What to do before you plan, picking your wedding venue, and then I threw in my round up of 2019 best of photographs
If you read bridal magazines, and blogs, they have a plethora of advice on what to do next. Most say once your venue is booked book your photographer. Why?
Like many suppliers and venues they can only do one wedding a day. Most photographers due to the hours of editing and prepping cameras beforehand, means they cannot do weddings every day either. So once their allocation of weddings for a month is up that’s it. With our own diary we are fortunate to be booked up a long time in advance, but that doesn’t mean to say fate means your date is booked.
Every year certain dates are more popular than others (20th June this year – I’ve had over 30 enquiries for that one date!!). Some of my lovely couples actually get in touch before they confirm a date with their venue to ensure I’m available. Hannah, who got married at Houchins did just that. She had met me at her friends wedding and wanted to make sure I would be free. In 2020 I have another couple of brides who’ve done the same, and that always feels extra special.
BUT it is your wedding so actually what you do next is up to you. I met a lovely couple I’m photographing soon, who had booked their cake at the same time as their venue. Not surprising as HoneyBee Wedding Cake company have very busy diaries.
So what should you do next after booking your wedding venue? We’d love you to get in touch with us first but the real answer is whatever you want!
Wedding Planner advice – Recommended Suppliers
Here are some of the amazing suppliers we recommend you chat to because they are so excellent at what they do…
Florists
I recommend these three ladies who are based in Essex…
The Flower Mill – who created beautiful flowers for Hayleigh and Ben’s Braxted Park wedding and do the floristry for almost all of the weddings I have photographed at Blake Hall
Little Tin Shed – I love spending time with Suzannes team at Little Tin Shed. They created the stunning flowers for Nicola and Daniels Hedingham Castle wedding, as well as lots of others we have been lucky enough to work at. I am a huge fan of their Christmas wreath workshop which I go to every year!
Stock Florist created these beautiful flowers for Kerri and Lea’s Braxted Park outdoor wedding, flowers that stand out in a garden are always extra special
And in Kent
The flowersmiths created beautiful floral moments for Grace and Charlies Netttlestead Place wedding
Dresses
Bespoke Wardrobe – have been fortunate enough to spend lots of time with Mary in her beautiful boutique. They make the experience of buying your dress stunning. Lots of my brides have bought wedding dresses from her including Camilla and Ben’s Gaynes Park wedding, Beth and Adam’s Granary Estates wedding and Lannen and Jason’s Gaynes Park wedding.
Rock the Frock – if you want something beautiful and unique, you will love fashion forward Rock the Frock. My brides Karen – who married Chris at South Farm and Lizzie and Matt’s Houchins wedding are both from Rock the Frock
Stylists
Venue stylist creates visions for most Gaynes Park weddings, adding the final touches that make you go WOW, like Camilla and Ben who had an amazing floral chandelier
Hire Love styled Grace and Charlies wedding, adding so many amazing touches, from the morroccan chill out area, to carpeting the aisle and vintage desks. Creating a unique and very cool space
Stationary
I must admit I don’t always get told where stationary is from, and naturally I don’t always see invitations. But I fell in love with Eliza May Prints at Beth and Adam’s Granary Estates wedding.
Cakes
Now I don’t actually eat cake (joys of being gluten free) but I can definitely appreciate a stunning cake. One of my recent couples booked their cake before anything else. No a wonder when they met HoneyBee wedding cake company, they have created cakes for Lannen and Jason’s Gaynes Park wedding, as well as Camilla and Ben’s Gaynes Park wedding. She also creates beautiful designs for Bespoke Wardrobe boutique.
A few of my beautiful past brides run cake making companies too. Samantha at Dotty Cakes made her own wedding cake too, so I love that she is now making them for future wedding couples. And Polly runs the very cool the Shhh Baker – making lots of birthday cakes but some very trendy wedding cakes too
Wedding Planners
Whilst not all couples have a wedding planner, they can be your saviour. We have been lucky enough to work with Louise Perry weddings a few times, particularly on our destination weddings. In the last two years we have travelled to Mauritius twice with these amazing girls – have a look at Sheila and Vinoys Mauritian wedding and Hindu beach wedding. This year we are a lot closer to home with two beautiful marquee weddings and we can’t wait!
Hair and Makeup
I get asked a lot for hair and makeup and there are LOTS of amazing artists out there (I’m always in awe of their work). The following have been highly recommended by past brides…
If I have worked with you bu I haven’t included you in my wedding planning advice list above get in touch, Id love to add more to my lists, or even better get your bride that we worked together with to get in touch with me, I love a good recommendation!