Frome Times Special Feature- Weddings

A right royal knees up!

NEXT week the world will come to a standstill as everyone stops to watch Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tie the knot in the wedding of the year.

The royal wedding that has captured the imagination of the nation takes place next Saturday 19th May, at St George’s Chapel, within the grounds of Windsor Castle.

Broadcast live into millions of homes around the globe, the world will finally find out what Meghan will be wearing as she walks down the aisle, which celebrities have been invited and who will be singing at the reception – will it be Adele, Ed Sheeran or the Spice Girls?!

As we watch Harry and Meghan get hitched, some of us might be planning weddings of our and will take inspiration from the regal affair. Others might get swept up in the romance of it all and pop the question to that special someone, or decide to renew their vows.  And if a wedding isn’t on the horizon, perhaps you are preparing to celebrate a special anniversary or party for friends and family.

Whether it be a wedding or a special occasion of another kind, planning an event can feel like a daunting task and unlike Harry and Meghan, we don’t all have access to party planners and a super-sized royal budget.

To lend a helping hand and to take some of the stresses away, Frome Times has pulled  together some top tips for planning your event.

Work out your budget

First things first, decide how much you want, or have, to spend on your event.  Even without the royals’ budget, you can still plan a magical day, but be clear on which facets of the day are most important to you and where you could trim your budget to spend more on those areas that you do not want to compromise on.

Plan where, how and when

Are you planning a religious or civil ceremony? Do you have a special church or hotel in mind and must it be near to family members or a location central for travelling guests to get to? Is your dream for a grand stylish location with five star food and service, or does your personality suit a more informal, ‘friends and family’ gathering, perhaps with a barbecue or buffet?

The location and following wedding reception/party are the first priorities to book – but bear in mind that popular venues often book up to a year in advance.  When this is sorted, you have your date and time for the wedding – then let everyone know, so they can save the date.

Keep it local

Small local businesses often provide a more personal level of customer service, taking the time to build relationships and truly understand your vision of what your perfect day means to you.

There are a wealth of local businesses in the area that can help make your special day one to remember. You can find everything from fairytale transport to striking and creative flowers for bouquets, venue or table flowers, buttonholes and perhaps bouquets to say ‘thank you’, along with the all-important wedding rings for the bride and groom, and special stationery for invitations, order of service and place names.

Plan your look for the day

Every bride wants to look like a princess on her special day (even if you are not marrying Prince Harry!) and local specialist seamstresses can come up with ideas and help you plan the bride’s dress, bridesmaids’ dresses, and perhaps a specially-made outfit for mothers of the bridal party or guests, with coordinated hats.

Not to be left out, the groom and bestman’s suits and perhaps other male members of the wedding party can also be chosen locally – so no fear of last minute dashes to collect items chosen.

Plan your look for the day

Meghan Markle will certainly have a team of hair stylists and beauticians to ensure she looks beautiful from top to toe.  You can put together your own ‘team beautiful’ locally, getting to know who will style you on the day and practising how you will look for hair, make-up and beauty treatments.  Special packages are often available for the bride and bridal party.

Choosing gifts

From wedding presents chosen by guests, to special momentos for bridesmaids, the best man or someone you wish to thank for their help, it is a lovely touch to buy a gift from a local shop, perhaps even hand-crafted.

Capture the moments

In years to come, you will want to look back and remember the excitement of your special day.  As in your other wedding day choices, your photographer is an important one as you need to plan in advance what kind of images you want captured and where and when. Again, choosing someone local will allow you to build up a rapport so that everyone is comfortable on the day.

Relax and enjoy the day

Try not to rush around doing everything yourself and try to delegate where you can.  Local wedding specialists are just that – specialists – and they can help take the strain out of making plans and decision-making. They will help make your day special.