Things to do 6 months before your wedding - Fabulous Functions UK

Wedding Planning Timeline: 6 months+

July 12, 2022July 12, 2022Leave a comment

A note about DIY – Wedding Planning Timeline: 6 months

We’re at the 6 months wedding planning timeline stage. This post is about what you need to do during the period from 6 months before the wedding – up to the day itself.

Now is the time to get going if you’re planning any DIY aspects: invitations, table centres, cake or favours. Whether you’re thinking about bubbles or the traditional sugared almonds – it’s time to plan now.

You’ll need practice time as well as production time. So get cracking!

Wedding DIY- The groom 3D printed a different animal for the table names. — The groom printed a set of animals to use as table names

Download a checklist of venue walkthrough questions here below:

Venue Walkthrough QuestionsDownload

1. Order or get making your wedding invitations. Not forgetting all the other wedding stationery including: orders of service, place cards and thank you cards.
2. Meet with your wedding cake designer to confirm your order, the design and the flavours. If you are DIY-ing your cake then you will want to do a test run.
3. Buy your wedding shoes and accessories.

You’ll need your shoes in time for the first dress fitting. And your tiara and veil in time for your make-up and hair trial run.

Book your hair and make up artist and have your trial run ready for your wedding day — Make up and hair by **Holly Anderson**

4. Book your make-up artist and hairdresser. Speak to several to find one you feel comfortable with.
5. Buy: bridesmaid’s dresses, suits for the for groom, best man, ushers and flower girls and page boys. Or hire them!
6. Book the honeymoon suite.

Wedding Planning Timeline - an open diary with a pen laid on it.

3 Months+ on the wedding planning timeline

Get your wedding dress altered If you need to. Then try not to lose or gain weight!
Kick off a regular facial routine for a glowing wedding day complexion.
Buy the rings. Check that when they arrive they’re the right size and that your wedding ring sits comfortably alongside your engagement ring if like most of us, you are going to wear them together.

At the 6+ months wedding planning timeline point, send out the invitations. It’s tradition to send them out 6-12 weeks prior to the wedding. But if you prefer – do it sooner.

See our complete wedding planning timeline for what to include on your invitations.

Meet with your venue stylist to confirm your decor choices ?

You can add any last minute additions to your venue decor and your stylist will have time to source them for your wedding.

Don’t think you have to buy everything. An excellent alternative to buying is hiring. Hiring saves all manner headaches.

Do check out our For Hire section or the Treasure Trove section for some fabulous accessories.

We also offer a bespoke service for any accessories you must have but cannot find.

Get a gift list
Now is the time to set up your gift list. Make your list available to your guests and have it on your wedding website if you have one.

Also:

Choose readings and music for the ceremony
Buy gifts for the best man, ushers and bridesmaids. If you’re presenting bouquets to the mothers of the bride and groom order them from your florist so they can plan their orders.
Arrange any necessary vaccinations for your honeymoon.
Start planning your hen and stag parties – A job for the Maid of Honor and Bestman!

1 Month to go

Arrange a final wedding dress fitting
Double check all arrangements are in place with all your suppliers. Be sure to speak to them and get written confirmation of dates, places and times.
Finalise your seating plan – and make your seating/table planner
Arrange your wedding rehearsal
Chase up on guests who’ve not RSVPd
Arrange a date to collect any hired suits – making a note of their return by dates. A job for the best man surely?
Write the speeches. From the heart – then practice, practice and practice some more.

1 week before – almost there!

Have your hair trimmed and/or coloured. This is NOT the time to experiment with a new colour or drastic changes of hair style.
Have your wedding rehearsal
Pack for your honeymoon
Wear in your wedding shoes. Don’t go to Tesco in them but wear them around the house to get used to them.
Put together a wedding emergency kit – put your chief bridesmaid in charge of it. Things to include: A compact mirror and powder, lipstick, tissues, stain spot remover.
Order your foreign currency for your honeymoon

Last minute plans

Make any other last-minute arrangements now. It might rain – this is Britain after all. Make sure there’s lots of brollies.
Have any planned beauty treatments now – Get your eyebrows shaped, fake tan done all in good time.
If you haven’t yet, find your something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’.
Designate someone to look after the contact list of your suppliers. And then …
… FORGET ABOUT IT

The day before the great day itself

Have an RnR day if you can. Surround yourself with people who are going to take care of you and help you enjoy the special moments. Spend the day with friends or family and don’t do anything more exhausting than a manicure.

Try to get an early night – After all – you’re getting married in the morning!

And finally …

Keep in mind that this day is the beginning of your marriage.

So if anything goes wrong on the day – best laid plans etc. – focus on your marriage rather than your wedding. That’s the important part – that’s what will make it a day to remember!

Find Fabulous Functions

We hope you’ve found this useful.

If Fabulous Functions UK can help you with any aspect of your wedding or you are looking for that must have accessory and cannot find it any where, give us a call on 07511 842 451

We’ll be happy to help.

Access to your venue is even more impofrtnat when your have limited mobility - Ensure disabled access for you and your guests- Fabulous Functions UK

Wedding Venues and Disabled Access

October 29, 2021July 15, 2022Leave a comment

Wedding Venues and Disabled Access
Here are some important questions to ask/points to consider when you’re searching for a venue to host your wedding or other celebrations. Whatever the occasion, if you have guests with any sort of limited mobility then this subject is one you’ll need to consider.

Wedding Venues and Disabled Access - person in a wheelchair

9 questions to ask about disabled access

What follows is some suggested questions to ask about wedding venues and disabled access either when making the first contact with the venue or during a venue show round.

1. Is the disabled access through the front access or a side entrance. If you are the bride and groom and are offered a side entrance, ask yourself if this is the right venue for you?

2. What are the dimension of the doors?

Ask for the measurements of the doors as wheelchairs are not all the same sizes. Some power chairs are larger than manual wheelchairs.

3. Are the car park and walkways paved or gravelled?

Wheelchairs are already heavy. Then add the weight of the person and you’re going to need a superman to manoeuvre over gravel.

4. Is there a lift to access the upper floors if need be? If you have accommodations on site and they are on the upper floors how will you reach them?

5. Ask about ramps at the venue and if you can take your guests with limited mobility on a visit with you to test out the access arrangements.

6. Think about buying a second-hand wheelchair and customising it for your wedding day. You can respray it or re-upholster it.

7. Is the bathroom big enough to accommodate a wheelchair and attendants?

8. Does the venue have non slip floors in in the reception areas, bathrooms etc?

9. Are support rails in place?

You might find this website useful. It gives details of a number of wedding venues and disabled access across the country.

Moving away from weddings for a moment and on to accessible UK event venues in general, this website from Age UK is worth visiting. As they point out:

‘The UK is replete with many wonderful music and event venues that are enjoyed throughout the year. This country is certainly very lucky in this regard as we have plenty of choices no matter where we live, especially in the cities. The even better news is that there a good number of venues across Great Britain where people can enjoy music, talks, workshops, and myriad other events, that have also made a great effort to implement accessible facilities.

Attitude is Everything, who have made wonderful strides to improve deaf and disabled people’s access to live music, know a thing or two about what it takes to make a venue accessible …

… From big arenas to small local venues, there certainly are a number of truly terrific locations to be proud of. With this in mind, please read on for a selection of some of the very best accessible event venues in the UK. Hopefully, you will be able to visit some yourself in the near future.

Wedding planning timelines

If you found this blog about wedding venues and disabled access useful, you may also want to visit our wedding planning timeline blog. It’s full of useful tips and advice on the tasks you need to do and when during your wedding planning journey. See also, our Wedding Planning timeline 18 Months +

Follow us on social media to keep up to date with our happening and to see even more of our decor. Follow the links to Instagram , Facebook and Pinterest and see the latest additions to our accessory hire range as well as the fab venue transformations that we produce for our lovely couples.

10 Things to thing about when planning your wedding

Wedding Planning Timeline 12-18 months+

May 11, 2020July 18, 2022Leave a comment

The top 10 things to do at this stage in the wedding planning timeline

In the post under this link here we have an article on the whole wedding planning timeline. But it is a rather long post. So we’ve decided to break it down into two separate posts, with less of the detail, to make it a wee bit more manageable.

So this post is concerned with the wedding planning jobs you need to tackle in the 12-18 month period before the wedding.

For a downloadable and printable list of venue walkthrough questions click below.

Venue Walkthrough QuestionsDownload

1. Set the date – Have an idea of your preferred date

Decide on the sort of wedding you want. Are you looking for a winter wedding, a full blown summer do or do you have a date significant to both of you?
Knowing this will help you to choose your venue as they will have a different look and feel depending on the time of year.

There are ways to give yourselves more options. Consider booking a mid-week wedding instead of the usual Saturday.
The suppliers you really want could have more availability for weekday weddings. Registrars and Celebrants may also have more availability for midweek ceremonies.

Wedding Planning Timeline 12-18 months+ - a wall planner

2. Set a realistic budget

No wedding is worth going into debt for. Decide on your priorities, items or services that are important to you. And add in a bit extra for a contingency – because you never know.

3. Draw up the guest list or lists

Gold backed acrylic table plan- Fabulous Functions UK

Knowing your numbers will help you with your venue search. Shortlist the venues that will cater for your numbers. This reduces the leg work and help to avoid the stress of viewing venues too big or too small for your wedding party.

4. Book your venue (s) – as soon as you can

Rose gold chiffon vertical drops serve to decorate the chiavari chairs in the Assembly Rooms of the Kings Head Hotel in Cirencester. The backdrop was created with a white voile draped panel and green foliage for the top border decoration. Styling by Fabulous Functions UK

After you have fixed your budget, this is the first item on your wedding planning timeline that needs your attention.
A good place to start are the wedding directories like the White Wed Directory. You will find a good selection of venues and usually listed under regions.
You can also find venues listed by categories ie. Quirky Venues, City Venues, Country House Venues.

It’s almost impossible to plan anything else or book your suppliers until this one is sorted out.

Do see the full post for more detail.

5. Send out save the date cards

You could sign up to a wedding website to send out save the date notices to your guests. This is a fab way to safeguard your environment while generating less paper waste.

6. Are you willing and able to do the planning yourself? Decide now!

You can do it yourself of course. Or you can decide to call on the worth-its-weight-in-gold expertise of a wedding planner/venue decorator. In which case, Fabulous Functions UK is here to help!

7. Select your wedding party: bridesmaids, ushers, best man etc.

They want to enjoy then journey with you knowing they are a part of your fabulous tribe.

8. Book your photographer and/or videographer

Photographers and videographers often get booked up to 18 months before a wedding. If you find one you love, confirm your date with them to avoid disappointment.

9. Meet your minister/registrar/celebrants

And be prepared with everything you want to ask about your ceremony.

10. Book your DJ/Band/dancing girls/chamber quartet – or whatever it might happen to be – and don’t forget the catering either!

It’s never too early to secure your favourite suppliers. Ask for recommendations. Other suppliers will know who are the best in the business. Those who will give you fabulous service and attention to detail.

So that’s the big top ten planning decisions to make in the 12-18 month period from the engagement ring to the wedding ring.

Your journey along your wedding planning timeline is well underway.
Time for a breather and a cup of coffee !

Other things to think about are:

Booking your cars/bus/horse or whatever mode of transport you want.
Finding a florist
Book a toastmaster or master of ceremonies
Take out wedding insurance and ….
… THE DRESS – If you haven’t already – start now!

If you’re going to have a couture bridal gown made then you must start now. To buy a designer dress allow 6-8 months. For off the peg or second-hand then 6-8 weeks should be sufficient for necessary alterations.
Do check the availability of a good seamstress as there are peak times when they are rushed off off their feet with alterations.

Now follow this link for what to do in the period 6 months to the big day.

Wedding Planning Timeline- things to do 12 to 18 months before your wedding day- Fabulous Functions UK

When Plans for a Destination Wedding gets-a rethink due to the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic from Fabulous Functions UK

When Wedding Plans Must Change

May 6, 2020July 18, 2022Leave a comment

Here’s the story of one couples dream of a destination wedding and how their plans may change due to the effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Wedding plans get changed for all sorts of reasons. Some changes are forced upon us and we have to make the best of them.

Here we tell how one couple are coping with enforced changes to their dream of a destination wedding.

Lauren and Phil’s Wedding Plans – and when wedding plans must change

Cliff top views of Ponta da Piedade in Portugal a gorgeous locations for a destination wedding

It was a beautiful day as we stood absorbing the stunning cliff top views at Ponta da Piedade in Portugal when Phil popped the question! After a heart stopping moment of taking his words in – I said ‘Yes’.

She said 'Yes' to his proposal at Ponta da Piedade in Portugal

After much discussion we decided to start our wedding planning and the idea of a destination wedding took shape. We wanted to recreate this scene from our engagement location for our wedding ceremony but the location had to accommodate our family and friends without the risk of falling over the edge and into the sea.

Our original plan

We’d planned to travel to Portugal, view venues and wedding planners and start to make decisions about what we wanted for our wedding at the start of April 2020.

The plan, in my head, was to finalise our colour scheme and look at creating & sending out the Save The Dates by the end of April/ May.

But my original wedding timeline is now ALL over the place!

We had planned a wedding reception at the Vale del Rei Hotel. Chilled out atmosphere, good food and time to relax with family and friends.

Portugal/ COVID-19

Having a wedding in Portugal was going to be about confirming our commitment to each other in the first instance. With celebrations with our family and friends, the guarantee of glorious weather, the views, the chilled-out atmosphere and the fabulous food and drink.

Our destination wedding was to incorporate the wedding and a large family holiday.

Also, cost was a big factor. We’ve got a budget of €10,000. At the time that meant we could afford to go over budget slightly with the good exchange rates. However, with COVID-19 this could and probably will, all change.

We’ve been in talks with two different wedding planners in Portugal. One has held our potential dates at the ceremony and reception venues up to 15th May. Other than that, we’ve got nothing booked so our wedding plans are currently on hold! But we’ve been assured that we can still organise a wedding for June 2021.

Backup plans

Blog, how the current situation of the Covid-19 has changed her wedding plans. When plans for a Destination Wedding must change-Fabulous Functions UK

I did, course, have a backup plan in case Portugal wasn’t possible. One that encapsulates the theme (beautiful view, outside ceremony, with a focus on food/ drinks) of our Portuguese venue but in the UK.

The Sandy Cove Hotel is beautiful – but much more expensive! And with so many weddings being rescheduled, most dates are booked up already. We wouldn’t be able to get married on the date we originally wanted and we’d probably have to get married on a Friday. And that would mean further expense.

How am I feeling?

The main thing for me, is the HUGE AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTY!!!

Will I be able to travel after all of this is over?
Can I afford a wedding abroad after this is over?
Will we be able to view the venues in Portugal?
What if the venues aren’t how I imagined?
Should I book it all now anyway
Will everywhere be booked up by the time I start booking?
What if my suppliers go bust by the time this is over?
Can we organise a wedding & a post-wedding party in the time given?
Will anyone want to go abroad for a wedding after this?

Portugal has beautiful views overlooking to the ocean and really great food. So Phil and I wanted to go for venues with the same kind of feel. The ceremony venue has exactly that with great views of the ocean. And the reception venue contains the best food – or so we’ve been told.

For me, a few things will influence whether we will go with the UK alternative:

The Suites Alba Hotel has stunning sea views and the perfect location destination wedding

If, by August 2020, we’re nowhere near Covid-19 ending for both the UK and Portugal.
The view of the economy and the outcomes (i.e. the recession and the exchange rates) – in other words, if we can afford a UK or Portugal wedding.
Our guests view of the wedding abroad, their safety and if they’d still be able to travel.

I’ve looked into the backup wedding and their available dates for next summer and we’ve found a potential date that we both like. But, a destination wedding remains our main preference. Yet, until we know more we’re not confident in making a decision.

The one thing we know is that we want to get married and build our future together. And Covid-19 won’t stop us doing that!

Destination Wedding plans may change due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Blog by a couple thinking about their plans and how it might change- Fabulous Functions UK

If you enjoyed reading this blog then check out our blog with helpful tips on the questions to ask and things to think about during your wedding venue search. Venue Walk Through Questions

Now you’ve got that sparkler on the 3rd finger of your left hand you’ll want to keep it in tip-top condition. So, here’s some top tips for your ring care: Fabulous Functions UK

Caring For Your Engagement Ring

December 31, 2019August 18, 2022Leave a comment

You’re engaged! Congratulations. Your significant other has popped the question. He – or she – has proposed. You’ve said yes and you’re now sporting a gorgeous ring. One that you’ll want to show off to all the world – and why not? This post is full of useful information on caring for your engagement ring.

Caring for your engagement ring- ideas on how to keep your engagement ring in perfect condition-Fabulous Functions UK — **A square cut diamond engagement ring from the designer Holly Robinson of Holly Robinson Jewelley**

Showing off your ring

We’re in a digital world, so that doyenne of the jewellery world, Beaverbrooks, has a useful article about how to take the perfect engagement ring selfie.

Caring for your ring

Now you’ve got that sparkler on the 3^rd finger of your left hand you’ll want to keep it in tip-top condition.

So, here’s some top tips for caring for your engagement Ring

Insurance

It’s easy to think that insurance is unnecessary and that we never use it so why bother? Yet, should your sparkler get lost, damaged or stolen, then having an insurance policy will help to soften the blow and finance the replacement or repair of your ring.

In some cases the excess on your policy can be more that the cost of your ring repair, so it may be worth visiting your jeweller first and getting their advice on whether to claim on your insurance for the repair cost.

Resist removing your ring in public

Advice for caring for your engagement ring - Don't take it off in public places as you risk losing or forgetting it. Read the blog from Fabulous Functions UK

I’m always terrified of forgetting my rings on the side of a sink or losing them down the drain while washing my hands in a public bathroom. So I never take them off when I wash my hands in public places.

Keeping your rings clean

In our day-to-day activities our rings gather residue from soaps, creams, body oils etc. But a periodic steam clean will remove these residues and return your rings to their former sparkly glory.

Protect your rings from harsh chemicals

Stones such as emeralds and sapphires are porous and harsh chemicals can damage their lustre. Thus, whatever rock you have, wearing gloves when using any chemical products is advisable to protect your ring.

Wear and tear on your ring

Diamonds are one of the hardest natural elements. BUT a cut and polished diamond can get chipped, so do avoid subjecting your diamond to undue stress and hard knocks.

Do try and avoid wearing your ring in the gym, you can accidentally knock it during your training session – the ring band or shank can get cracked leading to a visit to your jeweller.

Do try and avoid wearing your ring in the gym, you can accidentally knock it during your training session - the ring band or shank can be cracked, leading to a visit to your jeweller.

Health check for your jewellery

The prongs on your rings can become loose with time, so we recommend a regular checkup at your jeweller. This will save you the pain of losing your precious stone.

Advice for caring for your engagement ring- Give your ring a regular checkup to ensure the claws are not loose. Loose claws can cause your stones to fall out.

Ring envy – don’t have it!

Every girl has an idea of what her dream ring will be like. Once you have your sparkler on your finger, don’t compare your ring to others. Therein madness lie. And anyway, whether it costs £5 or £5000, your ring is a symbol of your love. As such it’s precious and priceless and no one else’s ring can surpass it.

Learn how to care for your beautiful rose gold and diamond engagement ring. Every girl has an idea of what her dream ring will be like. Once you have your sparkler on your finger, don’t compare your ring to others. Therein madness lie. And anyway, whether it costs £5 or £5000, your ring is a symbol of your love. As such it’s precious and priceless and no one else’s ring can surpass it. — **A beautiful rose gold and diamond engagement ring from Holly Robinson Jewellery**

This blog from Goldsmiths has lots of tips on caring for your jewellery – in general – not only caring for your engagement ring.

And finally …

… Once more congratulations on your engagement. It’s a wonderful and exciting time. Now, enjoy planning your wedding and your own special journey to the alter.

This blog about the wedding planning timeline might be useful to you. And of course, we’re help too!

Call us on: 00 44 7511 842 45 or drop an email to: hello@fabulousfunctionsuk.com

Now you are wearing the sparkler from the love of your life, here are some tips on how to take care of your engagement ring. Visit the blog at https://www.fabulousfunctionsuk.com/caring-for-your-engagement-ring/
to read more

Wedding planning time line - What to do and when for planning your wedding - Fabulous Function UK

A Wedding Planning Timeline

December 6, 2019August 18, 2022Leave a comment

A Wedding Planning Timeline.
You’re engaged. Congratulations! Enjoy the celebrations because, if you intend to marry within a year or two you’ll need to start plotting and planning now. But fear not! For we have a super helpful wedding planning timeline to help you along, based on an 18-month planning schedule.

Follow this link to Confetti.co.uk for a downloadable wedding planning checklist.

Venue Walkthrough checklist: we have our own downloadable and printable list of venue walkthrough questions. Follow the link below:

Venue Walkthrough QuestionsDownload

Location, Location, Location

We see a lot of couples looking at a wedding date in 18 months to 2 years time. Because of this, many venues get booked well in advance. So, if you’re set on a particular location, it’s worth chatting to the venue early to avoid disappointment.

What to do and when to do it on the wedding planning timeline

12 – 18 months+

1. Set the date. A bit important is this one.

You need to set a date at least 12 months from when you announce your engagement. This way you have a chance of getting your choice of venues and suppliers at good prices.

If you’re on a mission to save money consider booking a mid-week wedding instead of the usual Saturday. This is also a cost-effective way to do the legal stuff if you’re planning an alternative ceremony of some sort – humanist for example.

Wedding Planning Timeline - a calendar with a date marked with a red square — A wedding planning timeline

2. Decide now if you’re willing and able to do all the planning yourself

You can do it yourself of course. Or you can decide to call on the worth-its-weight-in-gold expertise of a wedding planner. In which case, Fabulous Functions UK is here to help!

3. Send out save the date cards

Because you don’t want your guests to have booked their skiing/sun/city break when you plan to make your vows.

4. Set your budget

The key points here are:

Be realistic – no wedding is worth going into debt for
Add in a bit extra for a contingency – because you never know

5. Draw up the guest list or lists

You’ll need oodles of ompromise and communication here. Do your best to keep it equal and appease both families.

You might find it easier to have a separate evening guest list for work colleagues and family that are close – but not close enough.

6. Book your venue (s)

The sooner you do this the better. It’s almost impossible to plan anything else until this one is sorted out. You’ll need to:

* Book a venue for your ceremony – church, registry office or licensed civil wedding venue.

*Find and book a venue for your reception, your wedding breakfast, disco or whatever after-dinner entertainment you have in mind.

Things to think about are:

1. Seating capacity
2. Room hire costs
3. Catering options
4. Indoor and outdoor settings for photographs

It’s possible to save wads of cash by having your wedding out of season. Plenty of venues have wonderful winter offers.

7. Select your wedding party: bridesmaids, ushers, best man etc.

Decide on the role each one is going to play in your wedding planning. Good communications is essential to avoid misunderstandings and upsets during the months ahead.

8. Book your photographer and/or videographer

Our pointers here are:

1. Look for someone who offers you the style of photos you want – traditional, contemporary, reportage or a mix.
2. Meet them in person
3. Ask to see their portfolio and a complete wedding album.

Fabulous Functions UK know several photographers, so if you’d like us to point you in someone’s direction we’d be happy to. Simply give us call.

9. Meet your minister/registrar/celebrants

Go armed with all your questions about the ceremony. They’ll help you find suitable readings and music if you want them too.

10. Book your DJ/Band/dancing girls/chamber quartet – or whatever it might happen to be

Whatever after dinner entertainment you have in mind now is the time to get them booked up.

Book caterers if you need them

It might be that your reception venue isn’t doing your catering. In which case, you’ll need to think about hiring outside caterers. If your budget is super tight then party platters from your supermarket are an option to consider.

Book your cars/bus/horse or whatever mode of transport you want

Assuming your wedding breakfast is going to be somewhere other than the church you’ll need transportation for the wedding party.

Rather than several individual cars a vintage double decker bus would be great fun – and photogenic. Tickets please!

Book your florist

You’ll need to think about how many flowers you want and where you’d like them. For the budget conscious silk flowers are worthy of your consideration. There’s many other factors in their favour too. Read about the benefits of silk flowers and foliage in our blog.

Book a toastmaster or master of ceremonies

Worth thinking about. They’re worth their weight in their gold to make sure everything goes to plan and people are where they should be when they should be.

Book your honeymoon

Book it in your maiden name with your existing passport. Then change all your documents to your new married name when you get back.

Take out wedding insurance

It doesn’t need to cost much and might save you a packet if you’re suddenly let down by a supplier. There’s no price on peace of mind.

11. The dress

If you haven’t already – start now! If you’re going to have a couture bridal gown made then you must start now. To buy a designer dress allow 6-8 months. For off the peg or second-hand then 6-8 weeks should be sufficient for necessary alterations.

6+ Months

A note about DIY

Now is the time to get going if you’re planning any DIY aspects: invitations, table centres, cake or favours. You’ll need practice time as well as production time. So get cracking!

1. Order or get making your wedding invitations. Not forgetting all the other wedding stationery including: orders of service, place cards and thank you cards.
2. Order the wedding cake. Or cupcakes or ‘cheese cake’, or have your wedding cake home-made.
3. Buy your wedding shoes and accessories

You’ll need your shoes in time for the first dress fitting. And your tiara and veil in time for your make-up and hair trial run.

4. Book your make-up artist and hairdresser. Speak to several to find one you feel comfortable with.
5. Buy: bridesmaid’s dresses, suits for the for groom, best man, ushers and flower girls and page boys. Or hire them!
6. Book the honeymoon suite.

3 Months+

Get your wedding dress altered If you need to. Then try not to lose or gain weight!
Kick off a regular facial routine for a glowing wedding day complexion.
Buy the rings. Check that when they arrive they’re the right size and that your wedding ring sits comfortably alongside your engagement ring if like most of us, you are going to wear them together.

Send out the invitations

It’s tradition to send them out 6-12 weeks prior to the wedding. But if you prefer – do it sooner. Information to include on them:

Overnight accommodation
Transport
Parking
Dress code if applicable. Include reply cards to make sure you get RSVPs and ask your guests for dietary information.
Order venue décor and table decorations

Buy or hire?

An alternative to buying is hiring.

Do check out our For Hire section or the Treasure Trove section for some fabulous accessories. We also offer a bespoke service for any accessories you must have but cannot find.

Now is the time to set up your gift list. Make your list available to your guests and have it on your wedding website if you have one.

Also:

Choose readings and music for the ceremony
Buy gifts for the best man, ushers and bridesmaids. If you’re presenting bouquets to the mothers of the bride and groom order them from your florist so they can plan their orders.
Arrange any necessary vaccinations for your honeymoon.
Start planning your hen and stag parties – A job for the Maid of Honor and Bestman!