Gaynes Park is a very special place for a wedding and our couples are just as special. To help you as you plan your own big day, some of our newlyweds have kindly taken the time to share their top wedding planning tips. Read on for their words of wedding wisdom…
Planning your wedding
Every wedding has to be planned and whether you’re keeping it simple or going all out, there are some planning basics that everyone needs to get to grips with sooner rather than later. Our fabulous real couples explain how they organised their wedding at Gaynes Park.
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“A spreadsheet is a really good way of tracking costs throughout the planning process. To get ideas of budgets, speak to recently married friends or research articles in magazines and online. We worked out how much we needed to save each month at the outset so we were always within our budget.” – Amanda & Steve
“Our parents and our married friends were really helpful and they advised us, suggesting the things that it would be worth spending money on. We booked our venue first, that was a priority. We found our suppliers online and used lots of the recommended suppliers from Gaynes Park. We even found our photographer, Iliaria Petrucci, on the Gaynes Park Instagram feed!” – Danielle & Charley
Practical wedding planning ideas
There’s always a lot to do as your big day gets closer. Keeping a track of exactly what needs to be done will definitely help you feel in control and don’t forget to delegate where you can. You’ll be surprised just how much people want to help you prepare:
“Before the day, allocate jobs to the appropriate people and plan your timings and logistics. This will make the day run much more smoothly and it will allow you to truly relax.” – Lucy & Aaron
Take a look through your to-do list and work out which jobs don’t need your personal attention – these are the ones to delegate. Make sure that you give your helpers clear instructions and don’t forget to say a big thank you for their help!
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Lots of couples DIY for their wedding and there’s a good reason for this:
“Weddings can definitely be expensive so if there’s anything you can do yourself, do it!” – Gemma & Danny
DIY can be a lot of fun, just make sure that you leave yourself plenty of time for any projects that you’re taking on. No one wants to be awake all night finishing favours or table plans! Get people involved, make an occasion of your DIY and don’t forget to appreciate all your hard work:
“Try to enjoy the entire planning process as much as the day itself – it’s an excuse to do lots of nice things with your family and friends that you wouldn’t ordinarily do. Make sure that you take time throughout the day to really appreciate everything. It’s honestly the best of your life so enjoy every second!” – Lucy & Aaron
Final thoughts
It’s easy, when you’re in the throes of wedding planning, to focus on the to-do list, the logistics and the budget spreadsheet rather than on the day itself. Our newlyweds have some final thoughts for you so that you make the most of every moment and create memories that you’ll love for a lifetime:
“Remember to look at your partner as you walk down the aisle. The best part of the day for me was waiting at the start of the aisle and seeing Danny look at me, and then as I walked down the aisle and arrived next to him it was just beautiful.” – Gemma, Gemma & Danny
“Our top tip would be to not get hung up on any small details because people just don’t notice! The most important thing is to just enjoy yourself because you won’t ever be able to do this again.” –Sophie & Beth
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Lastly, we’ll leave you with these lovely words from Emily:
“Make it personal. People don’t care about how much you’ve spent or how glitzy the day is. They care about how much you want them to share in the biggest day of your life.” – Emily & Tom.
For more advice and practical planning tips, talk to the team here at Gaynes Park. We’re by your side right throughout the planning process and if there’s anything we can help with, from supplier recommendations to ideas for your day, just get in touch.
