With some of the finer wedding details in place, now is the time to step back and see the bigger picture, after all, wedding planning isn’t just the big day itself. With this in mind, it’s a great opportunity to organise the hen and stag dos, overnight accommodation, and the all important honeymoon.
Now is the time to plan what the groom and groomsmen will wear. A good place to start is to decide whether you will be buying off the peg, hiring a suit, or arranging a tailor-made piece that’s bespoke for your special day.
Another decision to make is whether your other half will be accompanying you? Bear in mind that the wedding dress is often left as a surprise until the special day, therefore, a benefit of the bride accompanying the groom to the tailors is to ensure that your outfits can complement one another. No one wants to see clashing outfits!
As you’re in the swing of shopping, now is the time to choose your wedding ring or band. This is a fantastic opportunity for a ‘date day’ shopping trip. By looking at jewellers online you get to view a large selection, however, it’s then best to go and see the ring in person to firstly check your ring size, but also to be sure you like the way the ring sits and looks on your hand, after all you’ll be wearing it forever.
Whilst you and your fiancé are busy planning your wedding day, now is the time for your bridesmaids and groomsmen to plan your hen or stag do…if you’re giving them the reins to do so!
Whether it be a hen party or a stag do, there are a few things you may wish to have a say in such as the date/s, guest list, location, and budget. If you have a maid of honour and best man, it is typically these close friends that lead the planning; hopefully with your best interests at heart! Don’t be afraid to put some ground rules in place – for both parties. The last thing you want is for the groom to turn up with no eyebrows a few days before the wedding.
Whilst your wedding party is planning your hen/stag, now is the time for planning your honeymoon getaway. Whether it be a local weekend break or a trip halfway around the world, a honeymoon holiday is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy yourself as a married couple, reflect on your special day and recover from the all excitement and planning!
You may decide to postpone the honeymoon to a later time, perhaps taking a ‘mini-moon’ in the interim to avoid the swift return to work or day-to-day grind. Some couples of course use the time to move into a new home or take the kids for a holiday – circumstances and honeymoon destinations vary dramatically these days so do what suits you as a couple.
Just in case there is to be a trip across national borders it is always worth making sure that your passports are up to date before the planning begins!
Your wedding venue will likely have a honeymoon suite for you on your wedding night, which would of course, be ideal. If however, your venue does not include accommodation, use this time to find a romantic stay, close by, for your first night together as a married couple. Don’t forget to pre-arrange transport to your accommodation for the end of the night!
A key aspect of wedding planning is discussing your order of service with your chosen vicar or registrar. Depending on the service you have chosen, rules and regulations will vary, discuss these in advance so there aren’t any unexpected surprises. Your choice of ceremony time will vary due to the type of service, the day of the week and the location you have booked, so keep this in mind when speaking with them.
Once you have your ceremony time locked in place, this will help to plan the timings throughout the day and ensure everything runs smoothly. Your venue should also be able to advise on this.
You may wish to personalise your ceremony by having a member of your wedding party perform a song or special reading during your ceremony. Be mindful if you have chosen to have a civil ceremony, that your chosen readings and music can not include religious references.
Traditionally wedding gift lists were store-based, such as a large department store, and therefore covered a wide selection of items, and often a range of budgets to suit guests. The listed gifts would be practical items to help the newlyweds kit out their new home and begin life as a married couple. However, over time the number of couples living together before marriage has risen and so household based gifts are not needed, if this is the case, you may decide to go for an alternative wedding gift list, such as a financial contribution to your honeymoon – this could be arranged through a travel agency or simply by providing your bank details.
