With Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations all done and dusted, you’re probably wondering what to do with yourself. But if you’re engaged, January can be a great time to crack on with wedding planning. It’s the off-season, so most of your suppliers should have more time to respond to emails and book in consultations. Plus, it’ll give you something positive to look forward to (as we all know how tough the January blues can be). 

I’m sure lots of you are at different stages of your planning, so I’ve put together some handy tips for couples at each stage.

WEDDING PLANNING TIPS IF YOU’RE NEWLY ENGAGED

If you’ve just got engaged, congratulations!! This is so exciting. I hope you’re enjoying your newly engaged bubble and aren’t feeling too overwhelmed just yet. 

It’s obviously very early days for you, but here are a few things you can start to do, just to get the ball rolling:

START PLANNING YOUR GUEST LIST

This doesn’t have to be exact, but working out your guest numbers is a great starting point, as it’ll help narrow down your venue search. 

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WORK OUT YOUR BUDGET

Discussing your wedding budget early on is very important because at the end of the day, it’ll dictate exactly what you can and can’t have and it’s vital to figure that out early on, rather than get yourself into any financial trouble. 

Set up a wedding-specific savings account and work out a plan to both put aside a set amount each month.

If you’re lucky enough to have help from family, make sure you have an idea of how much they’re gifting you, just so you can factor that into your budget too.

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DISCUSS TYPES OF VENUES

Start looking at venues online as soon as possible. If you’re new to the world of weddings, you’ll probably find it quite overwhelming as there are so many different types to consider (barn, manor house, garden, tipi, woodland, farmhouse, castle, to name a few). And then there’s also the option of having a destination wedding, the possibilities are pretty much endless!

DISCUSS YOUR PRIORITIES

Now’s the perfect time to discuss the things that are important to you when it comes to your wedding. 

Do you want a big celebration with hundreds of guests, or do you want a more intimate affair with just a few of your loved ones? Do you want a religious ceremony, or something more symbolic and non-traditional?

This is also where the budget conversation ties in, because you can start to think about where most of your budget will go. If photography and videography are a top priority, then you’ll know to allocate a big chunk of your budget for those. Perhaps you’re really into your music, so it’s important to have talented musicians there to perform on the day. 

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BOOK SOME VENUE VIEWINGS

Once you’ve narrowed down your venue search online, get some in-person viewings booked in. Choosing your wedding venue is very similar to house hunting in that you just get ‘that’ feeling when you’re there and you ‘just know’ it’s the right one. 

Not only will you get to look around but you’ll get to meet the staff and get a feel for how they run the place. They’ll be able to answer all of your questions, so make sure you come prepared. 

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CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING PARTY

If you’re having a wedding party (bridesmaids/bridesmates, groomsmen, ushers, maid/man of honour, best man/woman etc…), now’s the time to start thinking about who you’d like to include and how you might like to ask them.

It might be really simple but I know for most people, it’s quite a tough decision and it’s hard not to worry about hurting people’s feelings if you don’t ask them. 

There are lots of fun ways you can ask someone to be part of your wedding party (cards, gifts, proposal boxes etc..), take a look on sites like Etsy and find something that works best for you!

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BOOK A WEDDING PLANNER

Now, not everyone will want or need a wedding planner but if you have the budget and have a particularly busy lifestyle, a good wedding planner is worth their weight in gold and will certainly take the stress off you as a couple. Planners can usually be taken on at any stage of the process but if you’re going to have one, it makes sense to have them from the get go, so they can really get to know you and your wedding.

WEDDING PLANNING TIPS FOR COUPLES GETTING MARRIED THIS YEAR

If your wedding is this year - how exciting! It must feel so surreal to be able to say that you’re getting married within the next 12 months.

Now, I’m sure most of the major things will be done by now and some of this list might not apply to you (depending on how soon you’re getting married), but here are some things you can be getting on with, if you haven’t already:

BOOK YOUR MENU TASTING

Food is arguably one of the most important elements of a wedding, so it’s important you get it right. Your venue or caterer should offer you a menu tasting session at least a few months prior to your wedding, so you can choose what you’re going to offer your guests on the day.

Talk to your venue/caterer to ask how it works. Some venues have specific menu tasting evenings that you can attend, while others offer private tastings to suit you.

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SEND YOUR INVITATIONS OR CHASE UP RSVPS

If you’re getting married earlier on in the year, you’ll be wanting to start collating and chasing those RSVPs (if you haven’t already). Make sure to check with your venue to find out when they need to have your final numbers, so you can ensure to have them ready in time.

If you’re getting married from May onwards, you should definitely think about ordering your invitations if you haven’t already. I always recommend sending your invitations out between 3-6 months before your day and most stationers have lead times that can range from 4-10 weeks (depending on design and special finishes etc..), so you definitely don’t want to leave it too late to get booked in.

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GIVE NOTICE OF MARRIAGE

For any legal wedding ceremony in the UK (regardless of what sort of venue it’s being held at) you need to give notice of marriage. 

Legally, you have to give at least 28 days notice, so it’s better to get it done sooner rather than later. You should do this at your local registry office. Once you’ve given notice, you’ll have to get married within 12 months, so make sure not to do this too early on in your planning!

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BOOK YOUR CAKE TASTING

It’s usually recommended to do your cake tasting between 6-12 months before your day, so you may already have this covered, but if not, make sure to get that booked in. Check with your cake maker if you’re unsure of when to book in or how it works.

START PLANNING YOUR ON THE DAY STATIONERY, STYLING & FLORALS

If you’re at the stage where you’re starting to get your RSVPs back, you can start to plan any on the day stationery you might be needing. On the day stationery covers anything from your seating plan, place cards and menus to signage and order of service booklets. Every stationer will be different but I like to book design slots for day stationery 8 weeks before the wedding, just so we have plenty of time to perfect those all important details. 

Now’s also a great time to figure out exactly how you’d like your wedding breakfast and reception area to look in terms of styling and florals, so make sure to get that confirmed with your florist and stylist (if you’re having one).

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BOOK YOUR FINAL SUPPLIERS

If you’ve got any last minute suppliers to book, get them booked now! As I mentioned earlier, most suppliers will have more time for admin at this time of year, so it’s the perfect time to reach out. And a lot of suppliers book up for peak dates pretty quickly, so the sooner you get in touch, the better.

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ORDER WEDDING PARTY OUTFITS

Depending on how soon your wedding is, you should be starting to think about ordering your wedding party outfits. It’s highly likely that dresses in particular will need to be adjusted to fit perfectly, so make sure to leave enough time to get that done too.

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BOOK YOUR HAIR & MAKEUP TRIAL

If you’re having professional hair and makeup for your day, it’s important to get your trial booked in, so you can get the perfect look nailed in advance. Speak to your hair and makeup artists to get an idea of when the best time for this is (as everyone works differently) but around 2-4 months before the wedding is usually the average.

WEDDING PLANNING TIPS FOR COUPLES GETTING MARRIED NEXT YEAR

If your wedding is next year, you’ll have your dream venue all booked and will probably have all of the things from my ‘newly engaged’ list ticked off. But you’re not quite close enough to your date to start anything on the ‘getting married this year’ list. So here are a few things you can be getting on with in the meantime:

CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING COLOURS, AESTHETIC OR THEME

This is where things start to get fun! Get yourself on Pinterest and feast your eyes on all of the gorgeous wedding inspiration available. Make a note of colours and styles that catch your eye and start from there. If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, look to the seasons for inspiration. Feel free to take a look at my Pinterest for a big dose of wedding inspo.

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START BOOKING YOUR KEY SUPPLIERS

As you’ll already have your venue booked, you can now start booking those all important suppliers. I always recommend booking your photographer first, as they’ll be the ones with the most limited availability. If you’re a bit stuck on where to look for suppliers and how to find the right ones for you, check out my handy blog post.

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SEND YOUR SAVE THE DATES

If you’re doing save the dates, I usually recommend sending them around a year before your wedding, but sooner is fine too. 

If you’d rather save your stationery budget for your invitations and on the day items, perhaps opt for a digital save the date instead, or skip them altogether. Save the dates are perfect for destination weddings, or if you have a lot of guests overseas that will need to travel, but they’re certainly not necessary otherwise (as much as I do love them!).

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BOOK SOME OUTFIT FITTINGS

Whatever you’re wearing for the big day, whether it be a dress, a suit or something in between, you’ll need to start the shopping process around at least a year before (particularly for dresses or if you’re having something bespoke made). This probably seems very early, but with all the various fittings and adjustments etc.. it can end up being quite a lengthy process. Plus, some shops will charge rush fees if you leave it too late to order, so bear that in mind too. 

Now, my lists are by no means extensive (I could have gone on forever probably), but hopefully that’ll give you some food for thought when it comes to the next steps of your wedding planning.

Credits:

All photography: Natalie Stevenson Photography

Hair & Makeup: Jen Hawkins Hair & Makeup

Flowers: Flourish and Grace / Queen & Eden / Kate Wren Flowers

Venues: Château Bouffémont/ Hunton Park Hotel

Models: Zara & Harry