Wedding Planning Panic

I know that I did this and a lot of the brides that I speak to also have their moments!! It is natural – you get one shot to get it right and there is a lot of stress involved from money worries, guest lists to the search for the perfect dress. It’s not like we can quit work for a year to plan it, nor stop all of our normal daily routine.  It all has to be squeezed in around our busy schedules.

So what are the most common worries for any bride?

·        The feeling that you’ve bitten off more than you can chew.  The first part of wedding planning is the hardest.  You may have an idea of the venue but don’t know the date yet, or have seen the perfect dress but don’t have the funds yet. Take a deep breath.  You will get there.  Buy a wedding magazine; sit down with a notebook and pen and some scissors and glue.  Get a cup of tea and sit and relax.  As you flick through the magazine circle any ideas you like.  There will always be a page in the mag that is dedicated to budgeting and planning the big day.  You mind find it a little rigid.   I think a great idea is to do your own.  Take the information from the wedding magazine planner and list all of the things on it that you want to have.  Split that in to the most expensive things like the photographer, venue etc.  The things that take a long time to arrange (these will be similar to the first list).  Then separate out all the things like invites that need doing by a specific date.  Split them out so that you plan and book one thing each month to allow for spreading the cost.  This way you are also spreading out the stressfulness and the fun over a longer period of time.

·        There is also a bit of fear that you may be too organised, that you should be spending lots of time looking for that special dress.  Not necessarily – it really is true that when you try on the one then you know.  This may take several trips to the shops or it may be love at first sight.  Everyone is different.  Don’t feel pressured to follow the herd!

·        You might not have any idea how you want your wedding to be styled.  Don’t panic.  Just concentrate on getting the dress and venue sorted and the rest will follow.  Think of what your favourite flowers are and what season you are marrying in.  Speak to a florist about whether you can get your favourites at that time of year.  Your florist will be able to give you ideas on the colours available and then you can use this information to choose bridesmaid dresses and other details.  Don’t feel that you need to have a ‘theme’.  It doesn’t have to be all ‘shabby chic’ or all one colour.  It’s your wedding – do it your way.  Choose what you like – that’s your style.

·        Once you find your wedding dress stop looking! You have the one; don’t cause yourself more angst by looking for anything better.

·        Choose your bridesmaids well and then delegate them the task of the Hen-do organising.

·        Join a wedding forum for brides getting married in the same year as you for support and hints and tips.

Creating your own floral arrangements

I've been a bit slack recently on my blog writing.  Life takes over.  From now on I am making a dedicated effort to blog more frequently.  I desperately want to keep up to date with all the new wedding trends and also keep our ideas fresh and new.  This takes so much time and is all consuming.  It is still Summer 2015 but we need to start thinking about what colours and trends will be in vogue in Summer 2016.  I tend to go more off of what is in the clothes shops now to get an idea what might carry forward into weddings next year.  The colours that I've seen the most of and have a penchant for our Navy and Coral.  I seem to have a half a wardrobe full of Coral coloured clothes.  

I'm loving pinterest for getting inspiration and for sharing ideas.  I am a complete addict!

With regard to flowers for the wedding day I've noticed that a lot of the styles are a lot looser and natural in form nowadays.  This got me thinking about whether those budding florists out there could possibly create their own floral displays.  We used a magnificent florist for our own wedding but I've always wished that I had done them myself.  Not because they weren't brilliant, the flowers at my wedding were everything that I wanted and more!, but because I was obsessed with trying to get our day to be as personal to us as possible.

So if you want to create your own floral displays then the first step would be to use a tool like pinterest to make a mood board of ideas and how to videos.

Next you need to be visiting car boot sales, flea markets, all your relatives for vessels to put your flowers in on your big day.  I love the idea of loads of mismatched crystal vases and small jam jars of loose posies of flowers.

 If you plan far enough ahead then you could even grow a lot from seed yourself.  Sweet peas are a stunning addition to a wedding bouquet and they are relatively easy to grow.  

Then you would be to visit the local flower market.  The biggest and the best being Covent Garden.  Speak to the wholesalers and tell them what you are doing, buy British and make sure you ask for advice on how to get the best from the flowers.  Always keep them in a bucket of water for a day before trying to arrange them so that they have soaked up as much water as they can.  If you are using oasis make sure you also soak this in water over night so that your flowers aren't wilting during the wedding breakfast.

You'll need a helping hand or two and plenty of workspace to get creating.  Make sure you have purchased plenty of foliage.  You'll notice that without foliage the flowers don't look quite right.  Raid your friends and families gardens for any interested greenery such as ferns, eucalyptus and grasses.

Have a little practise and see how you go. I don't think this is really about saving money but about putting a bit more of your own personality into your big day. How to create your own wedding bouquet

I also wanted to share with you a link to a fab blog on budget weddings.  This is actually our own wedding and some of my ideas.  The Budget Bride

The Key To Success

The Key to a Successful Marriage - A new type of guest book from Love Letters.

I went for a walk on the beach this morning and stumbled across a lovely piece of driftwood. I've had some rusty keys in my craft cupboard for a while now just because I loved them. I feel they have a real romantic look about them. So I have spent the rest of the morning putting the two together to creat a fabulous unique guest book. The idea is your guests write their names on the bag of the tag and their key to a successful marriage on the back, then attach them to the sign. Much nicer than a book and you can display it on your wall in your new marital home. Please email us at Lovelettersdirect@rocketmail.com for enquiries.

 

 

Shell and Brooch Bouquets

Here is my new project.  A shell and Brooch bouquet.  This is the first one I have made and I am in love with it.  I am hoping that some lovely bride will also fall in love with it and buy it for her wedding.  I want to make more of these.  I can match to a colour scheme and can also make button holes, table centres to match.  It was lots of fun to make.  Enjoy.

Coral Mood Board

I have a current fascination with all things Coral in colour.  I have a stunning Coral rosebush in the garden and I am constantly picking its blooms to bring into the house.  I am wearing Coral more and more and find myself drawn to Coral jewellery.  I am dreaming about Coral colour schemed weddings and would dearly love to pain some Coral Love Letters.  If there is anyone out there having a Coral colour scheme at their wedding please get in touch with Love Letters - I will give you a healthy discount for helping to satisfy my need for all things Coral.

Here's some ideas quickly gathered together for a wedding in Coral.  Some really good high street affordability going on here.

Another stunning blog with all things Coral

Take a look at my Pinterest Board http://www.pinterest.com/loveletters1/coral-mood-board/ for exactly where to get each piece from

World Cup Widows Offer................Free Hand painted sign or letters

WORLD CUP SPECIAL OFFER

A special offer for all football widows! Order in June and get FREE letters or signs

Offer 1: Order a MR & MRS + Surname and get your initials letters or a bespoke sign FREE!
Offer 2: Order 2 signs and get one FREE!

Limited availability so don't delay, order today!
Lovelettersdirect.weebly.com

Email Lovelettersdirect@rocketmail.com 

 

Table Planning

I don't want to go in to the hassle and stress of choosing who to invite, who not to invite or where to sit the invited! That is the bit of stress that you have to endure.  Trust me though it will all be worth it and those who don't get an invite will understand and those that do will not mind where they sit and even if they do they will be gracious and not say anything! Everyone is on their best behaviour at a wedding!

I want to explore some ideas for laying out your table plan so as to really make a statement and set the theme for your wedding reception.  Here are some of my ideas.

Firstly you can get some beautiful ones made up by professional wedding stationery companies.  One of my favourites is Knots & Kisses They currently have a great offer for orders made before the end of July 2014.

Knots & Kisses

I really like the idea of using old vintage keys and tying luggage tags to each one with guest names on them. Ask Love Letters to create a sign for you to say 'Tell us your key to success'.  Each guest then writes their advice on the rear and pops the key back into your vintage suitcase.

Here's another beautiful blog that details the use of keys in for weddings Inspired by this

Esty.com

 My next make is going to be a vintage suitcase combined with some old keys, ribbon, dusky pink ribbon, luggage tags and a lovely reclaimed wood sign all handpainted by moi......

watch this space