Weddings by Annabel - Wedding Planner, Event Manager & Business Consultant

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HELP - Plan Past the Postponement Blues

Wedding Planning can still happen in lockdown. Fact.

If you have had to postpone your date, move your venue, sort your suppliers all over again, its now ok to do some fun planning too.

I have tried to help my clients with some ideas on what you can crack on with even in this weird era. I hope this helps anyone feeling the postponement blues!

Image - Carly & Ben @ Greenhill, Lucy G Photography

Playlists - Picked your first dance? Chosen the walk in / signing the register / exit ceremony music? Whats playing in the background while the guests enter the ceremony room or while eating? Want a dance with a parent too? Rehearsed a routine online with your Best Man?

This is a great time to get that list perfected!! Allocate some time to testing these lists and see how they make you feel. Close your eyes and envisage the venue, the guests, the moment when that tune will be played. What volume works best? Want to crank up the excitement with props, fancy dress or confetti explosions perhaps? Get creative and remember this is all to help with atmosphere so decide how you would like that you feel.

Wedding Website - I love a wedding website! Such an easy way of sharing info and simple to update as plans progress. There are some wonderful free options out there too which you can style to suit you. Check out my recommended suppliers list for ones I like. The website is like the front door to your event. It should be a balance of personal and informative content. Take this time to write it, plot it and publish it.

I still think guests should get a lovely posted invite as this shows care and many people like to display it. Its a stunning start to the build up for each guests, building the excitement! The good thing is that it doesnt need to be a book anymore! Beautiful, styled and personal but not a ream of paper which is not cost effective or environmentally kind or just required. The style of this can be thought through now too..!

PINTERESTING! The rabbit hole that is Pinterest can be utilised wonderfully now! Be careful not to add to much to each board but you can spend time honing the options you have selected. I advise that each board, of which there should be no more than six, should have no more than four images. Their job is to show suppliers what you have in mind and to keep your purchases or bookings aligned. They should be looked at before buying elements to make sure they all match.

I have a love hate relationship with this website. I love that it can make the description of your day be visualized and new ideas for your day be generated. Being a creative type, I adore having a selection of fab pics to glance over so I get a really good feel for the concept and styling.

The hate comes from having too many options. I know clients who have gone mad and chosen too many so the design is muddled and hard to follow, never mind create! I also hate that some pics are styled shoots so not a realistic view. So some shots are only a tiny snippet because its not from a real event. Its been put together for marketing and to showcase products. If you expand the concept it may well blow your budget out the window! Think realistic for your style, budget and venue. A Californian beach shot wont work on the West Coast of Cumbria….sorry.

Image - Rebecca & Justin @ Silverholme, Pixies in the Cellar Photography

Dance - No, you dont need to get full on 'Strictly' with a top notch routine but you can find your groove to your first dance tune! Strut around the living room / garden with music loud. Live the dream and ensure you both nail your moves before the big moment! Remember that the first dance doesnt have to be an utter tear fest. It can be uplifting, joyous or even daft! What reflects your relationship and will make you want to dance together? Also, if you dont want to be alone for ages up there, dont. Have a minute then get others to join you. My way of wedding planning is - do want YOU want! Celebrate YOUR way!

Once upon a time I got married too! This is a glance at our welcome board!

Craft - Hands up, I am a crafter. I dont always love it but when I know the outcome will be appreciated and has a purpose I get face deep in it! Are there parts of your wedding that you want to make yourself? Have you got a plan of whats needed? Then why wait? Common elements done at home include the place settings, table names, favour labels or Bridesmaids gifts. If you dont have the materials, start a list of what you need. If you arent the DIY type, have you sourced those that can help? There are some glorious creative types out there so now do your research! Lists of my fave's are on my website too.

So, has that given you some tasks to do? Going to get on with one of them right now? I hope so! Planning should be filled with joy not stress!

If you are still feeling the pressure, then….

Happy planning, stay safe and sane, A x