Maximise your Wedding Budget

Friday, 22 May 2015 00:00

Image from thelittlefavorboxcompany.com

It is a common misconception that, if you tell your wedding planner your overall budget she will try to spend every last penny. The truth however is that in matters of budget we are here to help. One of the ways we do this best is by showing you how to maximise the parts of your wedding which are most important to you and spend less on the parts which matter less. In this blog we look at three key areas which are often important to couples and how you can spend less on others to balance your overall wedding spend.

 

Entertainment 

If you and your friends are party people then what you really want is an amazing celebration with incredible music, lots of dancing and a night to remember. For this a wedding planner really can be key as she will have lots of knowledge and experience of the bands and entertainment available in the area. This means she can not only suggest the best one to suit your budget and ideas but advise on logistical matters too. If you want to party into the night with a great band but some of the venues you like have a “no loud music after midnight” policy then it is vital to know that before you book. In other areas such as catering a planner can suggest ways to minimise the spend on food and drink eg: omitting the sorbet or having a beer, wine and soft drinks only bar.

 

Photography

If you and your loved one want outstanding photos of your day which will last a lifetime there are some incredible photographers out there. Once again it is a good idea to ask your planner about this though as she will know the styles and travel costs of the photographers as well as their prices and any discounts the offer for off season weddings or packages. Your planner can also ensure that the timeline for your day maximises the photographer you’ve paid the money to hire. If you want lots of group photos then you could opt for a longer cocktail time and a simpler/cheaper menu or a DJ instead of a band. This means an overall saving and a chance to get the shots you want.

 

Catering

Food glorious food! - for some the wedding day meal is the most vital area of the day and they want it to be perfect. If you are foodies then don’t leave the food to chance. As your planner about booking a tasting a few months before your wedding to try a selection of dishes and make notes about them too. Send your planner the feedback and make sure the menu is organised and costed out in good time for your wedding. If it’s an important issue it’s far better to have it done in advance than be making last minute tweaks. Save on centres by asking if the caterers will do something simple eg lemons in a vase instead of a more costly floral centre. Ask the photographer if he or she can do a shorter or half day to save on costs there and ask friends to take over for the evening!

If you take time to communicate your priorities to your planner you may be surprised how much you can save and how much fun you can have with your budget too!

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To Instagram or not to Instagram...

Friday, 20 February 2015 00:00

Image from etsy.com

As smart phones, selfies, social media and the internet continue to dominate our lives one of the big issues set to dominate weddings, this year and next, is wedding photos. If you are planning to marry in Spain or anywhere else this year there are some serious issues to consider surrounding your wedding photos therefore even if you don't own a camera. The chances are, that pretty much every guest you invite (even older family members) has a smartphone with a camera which can access the internet. Before you know it images of you and your beloved can be all over social media and you have little control over their portrayal. Some brides report images of them in their dresses on social networks before they’ve even walked down the aisle, leaving them feeling out of control about the way their day is being portrayed….

So what can you do to make sure your wedding day photos stay special and that you use the new technology to your advantage? Here we give you the best ways to stay savvy with your images…

1) Ask nicely. The old fashioned but simple way to retain some say over your wedding photos is to simply ask guests prior to the wedding to send photos to you before sharing. You don’t have to sound mean about this, but simply request that wedding photos are sent to you so you can not only see them before they go viral but also so you can add them to the photos of the day that you have. Friends and family may have taken some fun and fantastic shots and these can be a great addition to the more professional photos from your photographer.

2) Recommend sites/software. Many of your friends and family may use internet sites such as Instagram (an online photo-sharing and social networking service). If they do you, pre-empt the image free for all by setting up a new profile on Instagram solely for your wedding and a hashtag for it which you send to all guests... A dedicated hashtag will ensure all of your wedding images appear in the one place and are easy to find and let guests know they are welcome to take photos and share them this way.

3) Photo booth /props. Many photographers offer a professional photo booth service as an added extra. If you don’t want a full photo booth however we also offer a Photo booth props service including a picture frame, wigs, silly glasses and other props. These can be used by guests to take photos with their cameras or phones making it a fantastic and inexpensive way to get some fun photos of friends and family to add to the wedding day story!

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