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 Congham Hall Wedding Planner – Top Ten Tips
Church or Civil Ceremony
Deciding on your church may not be as easy as it seems. Getting married in the parish in which you live is quite straight forward. However, if you have moved away from home and wish to return to get married in your village church, you might need to apply for a special licence. You should contact your vicar regarding this.
You might want to consider holding your wedding ceremony and reception all in one place. If you decide on a civil ceremony, then remember that it is the couple’s responsibility to contact the local registry office and confirm availability of the registrars to conduct the ceremony, either at the registry office or at an approved premise.
Budget
Before you start looking for a location for your ceremony and/or reception, it is a good idea to set yourselves a budget and stick to it as costs can soon escalate. It pays to shop around as prices can vary quite considerably. If you’re on a tight budget, you could consider a reception for only your families immediately after the wedding and then invite friends to the evening reception.
Some venues can offer complimentary items, such as printing menus, place name cards, table plans along with flowers, which could save you a small fortune, or give you that extra bit of money to spend on something else!
Location, location, location
Start by contacting your possible venues for their wedding brochure. First impressions do count and the brochure should give you a good indication of the standard of the venue. You should arrange to look around venues that you are not already familiar with by making an appointment with the venue’s own wedding co-ordinator. Do not just arrive at the chosen venues and expect to be able to see someone, particularly at hotels where other functions may be taking place. Even though you might be planning a summer wedding with an outdoor reception, you also need to consider that the British weather can be inclement, so when viewing the venue you need to consider the alternative options available to you.
Setting the Date
Unless you have a specific date in mind, you might want to find your venue first. Establishments that offer exclusive use, such as hotels, generally ask for a minimum two-night stay to include a Saturday. Weddings need not always be on a Saturday; many couples now consider other days and weekday weddings are becoming more popular. You do not necessarily need to plan a year or two in advance. Once the venue is booked and confirmed, you probably will not need to contact the venue until much nearer the time. Most venues are generally happy to hold a provisional date to give you time to see other venues and make a decision. However, should they receive another enquiry for the same date in the meantime, they will almost certainly contact you for a decision either way. At this stage, you should expect to pay a non-refundable deposit and sign terms and conditions of booking.
If you are not tied to a specific date, then a wedding can be arranged in a matter of weeks and sometimes be a lot less stressful!
Smile please!
Arrange to meet with possible photographers. Compare prices and packages and understand fully what is included in your package. All photographers are different; some will provide you with every photograph taken, whilst others only allow you a set amount. Make sure you feel at ease with your photographer as you must feel comfortable and confident with them on the day. Find out how long the photographs will take on the day as your venue will need to know this to assist with timings. Ask your venue’s wedding co-ordinator for recommendations if you are unsure.
Flowers
Using seasonal flowers would be cheaper than exotic or out of season flowers.
Consider using foliage from friends’ and families’ gardens if you are making your own arrangements. Some venues, such as Congham Hall here in Norfolk, can co-ordinate flowers to match your colour scheme, using flowers from their gardens at no extra charge. Again, ask your venues wedding co-ordinator for recommendations of local florists if you are unsure.
Above image is copyright of Chris Taylor Photography 2009
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