Congratulations if you’ve just gotten engaged!! Its such a special time but it can be a crazy time and one which can be quite daunting for a lot of couples. Try not to over complicate things, make a list of whats most important to you and base everything else around that. Some weddings are organised over a 2/3 year time frame, some in just 6 months or less even! The big thing to remember is that its your day so do it your way!!
So your engaged , what happens now?
First & foremost… Set up a Pinterest account!!! No wedding is complete without 50million different wedding boards with pins of dresses, flowers, table settings, favours etc etc all of which are most likely way out of budget but they are dreamy to look at so get pinning!! 😅❤️
Speaking of budget… This is something you need to set from the off. Be realistic, how much can you really afford to save each month? Remember you still have to eat, pay bills etc so don’t overstretch yourselves.
Think about whether you’d like a Church or Civil ceremony. Civil ceremonies are definitely on the increase and people say they love how personal they can be. That being said, we are so lucky to have some of the most beautiful churches on our little island so it really comes down to personal preference.
Time to set your date! Do you like the idea of a summer wedding or have you always dreamt of being a Christmas bride/groom? Being in Ireland, a summer wedding doesn’t always guarantee you good weather so don’t let that sway your choice, regardless of what date you do choose, your day is gona be epic!!
Start venue shopping!! We are absolutely spoiled for choice with some of the most incredible venues dotted all across the country. Would you like a big lavish hotel, smaller intimate country house or is a garden marquee more your style? Either way, you have endless options to choose from so have fun browsing!
Put some thought into who you’d like to have by your side when you say I do! Brothers, sisters, best friends, cousins… it doesnt matter who they are, if your close to them and you know theyll be a great source of support then pop the question and ask them to be part of your bridal party!
Photo credit – Darren Byrne Photography and FIlm
Lock in those suppliers!
Once your date is set & venue booked start doing some research into different suppliers. Bands and photographers tend to be the main things booked first with hair, makeup, music etc coming in next but to be honest, its never too early to book any of your suppliers.
Some of my favourite Key suppliers are:
Band/Dj – Men in Black – www.meninblack.ie
Photo – Darren Byrne Photography and Film – www.dbphotos.ie
Video – Doyenne Films – www.doyennefilms.com
Ceremony music – Jacinta McIntyre /Laura Colgan
Florist Magic Moment Styling – www.magicmoment.ie
Photobooth/Dancefloor/Candycarts – Carolyns Sweets – www.carolynssweets.ie
Room decor – Aisle Love you – www.aisleloveyou.ie
Dresses – Mk Bridal – www.mkbridal.ie
Accessories – ByKyna – www.bykyna.ie
Now for the fun part!! Dress shopping!! 👗 Make a list of 3 or 4 bridal boutiques that you’d like to visit and make appts (covid permitting of course 😕) Once there you might find yourself gravitating towards a certain style but take advice from the boutique assistant, they’re well trained and might have a dress hidden away that’s absolutely perfect for you. I find having an open mind going shopping is the best way 👌
After the wedding is over its nice to have a Honeymoon to look forward to but depending on where you pick this can be expensive. Its a good idea to book this early on in the planning stage and that way you’ll have loads of time to pay it off 😊 Now is a good time to check that your passport dates: this is crucial for your honeymoon!!
Don’t forget the legal/religious parts of getting married. The marriage registration deadline is 3 months before the wedding so best to get this done ASAP. Likewise pre marriage places fill up pretty quick so no harm getting this done early too.
Time to dress the bridesmaids, the Groom and groomsmen!! There are so many different styles and colours of dresses to choose from for your bridesmaids but I think the most important part is to make sure the dresses suit all the ladies. No-one wants to feel uncomfortable and sometimes mixing & matching dress styles within certain colours works really well. Suits can be any colour these days too, grey, navy, maroon, check… The list is endless and guys are looking more and more dapper nowadays.
Finer details
Make note of what transport might be needed on the day. If you plan on hiring wedding cars get that booked. If your on a budget, why not ask family & friends with nice cars if they’d be willing to lend their wheels for a couple of hours.
Get the party started!! Stag and hen parties aren’t necessary but there’s nothing more fun than a get together with friends and family before the big day. These wont organise themselves though so delegate this to a bridal party member that you trust!! Try have these a couple of months before the big day, that way if anyone loses an eyebrow itl’l have time to grow back 😉
Choose and order your invitations and stationary. Handmade/DIY are a lovely option too but it can be extremely time consuming so keep this is mind. Start collecting guests addresses for the invites if your planning on posting them. Now is also a good time to look at prayers and readings etc for your ceremony booklets.
Once your dress arrives in store they’ll contact you when its time to start fittings. Most boutiques will have an in house seamstress but if yours doesn’t offer an alterations service you will have to organize this yourself. Make sure you use a seamstress who specializes in wedding dresses. Ask the boutique who they recommend. Attending your first fitting is a good time to try on veils, jewellery and shoes with the dress and see what works best with it. Most boutiques stock a small range of accessories but if you don’t find what your looking for, dont stress, there are lots of high street options too. Scheduling your hair & makeup trial for the same day as one of your dress fittings is a super way to check if everything compliments each other.
When purchasing your wedding rings it can be nice to use the same jewellers you bought your engagement ring from Most jewellers will offer a discount for returning couples.
Final Numbers and seating plans are probably the most stressful part of planning!! Most guests will send back RSVPs on time but be prepared to chase the last few for an answer!! Once you know whos attending you can then get started on your seating plan!! It can be relatively straightforward but do put some thought into it before finalising it. You don’t want any drama at your wedding so keep possible troublesome guests apart…if you can! 😂
And Finally…
The week of your wedding will be spent running around doing so many little jobs that cant be done before hand…
Contact all wedding suppliers and make sure everyone is organized for the day.
Give your emergency contact number to all suppliers.
Organize wedding rehearsal a night a two before the wedding, this is a nice opportunity to get family together.
Collect your wedding dress & try it on one last time to make sure everything is perfect.
Compile a list of family members and photos you want taken on the day and give it to your photographer.
You and your bridesmaids deserve to relax and get pampered so book in to have your nails/tan done…time to unwind!
Collect the Grooms suits, make sure all groomsmen attend final fitting and if you’ve bought the suits best to try them on one last time!
Organise outstanding payments for all suppliers, place in separate envelopes with their names on it and give it to someone you trust to hand out on the day.
I know it may seem really hard but do try and get some sleep the night before. Your wedding day is a big day and you want to be on top form!
Once the day is here – ENJOY ❤️❤️
