wedding planner

Top Reasons to Hire A Wedding Planner

I’ve had the pleasure of being a wedding planner for over 15 years. I adore what I do and have been lucky enough to work the so many truly wonderful couples over the years as well as picking up some really special awards for my work along the way.

But no matter who I’ve worked with, be it an international couple wanting to get married in Ireland, to a big traditional family wedding in a country house, to a special blessing on a cliff top, to celebrities like Brian O’Driscoll and Amy Huberman, the one thing they all share is love and wanting to have their big day to be just as they dreamt it to be.

And that’s where a wedding planner like me comes in!

Think of me as a fairy godmother, who flies in and waves her magic wand to make your dreams come true. A good wedding planner can assist with as much or as little of your day as you wish and simply take all the stress out of your planning, leaving you to just show up and enjoy the best day of your life.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly if you wish to chat about any aspect of your wedding planning and décor, but for now here’s four top reasons why you should hire a wedding planner.

 

Less Stress More Fun

Planning your wedding, should not be stressful!  It should be full of excitement and be enjoyable. However, it is common for couples to get overwhelmed during their wedding planning and it’s not hard to understand why. A wedding is a huge event in their lives, it’s going to be something they will have dreamt about for ages, so naturally they’ll want it to go off without a hitch. That said, most couples have full time jobs and busy lives and wedding planning can be something they just do not have time for, or they feel it’s getting too much to take on themselves. If that happens, my advice is to stop. Take a breath, call me and let me take care of all the stressful parts of the planning so you can concentrate on enjoying the run up to the day

 

 

Brainstorming

Another really important aspect of talking with a wedding planner is for ideas! We’re busting with inspiration! We’re fonts of creativity and are packed with helpful ideas. We know all the latest wedding trends that are in vogue and how to bring them to life. We’ve got years of hands on experience and can help you come up with some superb suggestions you hadn’t even considered, to make your wedding day look stunning.

 

Budget and Logistics

A wedding planner can both help you keep to your budget and can bring ideas to life! It can be all very well to have lofty ideas for how you want your wedding to look, but it can be hard to make it happen. A good wedding planner has the logistical knowhow and contacts to make your wish list a reality, while at the same time negotiating better rates with suppliers without a ballooning budget.

 

Totally Customisable

There are plenty of myths floating around about wedding planners. One of them is that couples can lose control or have to hand over every aspect to a wedding planner. Not true. In fact, my services are completely customisable. I can assist with as much or as little of your wedding plans as you wish. I can even help with on-the-day co-ordination too. The bottom line is, it’s always your day and I’m here to help bring your vision to life.

 

 

Magenta and Lemon

Picking a colour or theme for your wedding day can be daunting at the start. You’ve got to work out something that will appeal to both parties and also something you can carry through from your ceremony to reception. Indeed you can even start with your save the dates and invitations.

Often, couples decide to go with classic colour combinations because they are reliable and they will look stunning no matter what the venue or season. And there is a lot to be said for sticking with something universally chic.

That said, if you’re willing to have a little fun and dip your toe into the colour wheel a little more, then consider a vivid combination like magenta and yellow.

Not for the faint of heart, this super vibrant colour palette is ideal for those who adore vivid colours and while it’s ideal for high summer, it’s also a combination you can call on to inject some brightness into a autumn or winter wedding too.

With all of that in mind, here’s some visual inspiration for you to get the ideas flowing. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly if you wish to chat about any aspect of your wedding planning and décor.

 

Bouquet

With most brides going for a white or ivory dress, the contrast of a brightly coloured bouquet will look simply stunning. You don’t have to go with exclusively magenta and yellow blooms. Consider popping in some greenery and shades of both colours.

 

On the table

Play around with different colour table cloths. Go for the full on bright of a magenta table cloth and accent it with yellow, or try something like a yellow and white chevron table runner and magenta napkins. Got for vivid and bold floral centrepieces and inject some citrus colour with lemons interspersed. Play around with shades of pink and yellow to so you have a spectrum of colours on display

 

Around the room

The mantra of this colour scheme is go bold or go home, so don’t be afraid to embrace it. Think of having some giant balloons, pom poms suspended on string. Have some backdrops made of ribbon or hang up some magenta and lemon Chinese lanterns. One of the most dramatic things you can do is get some draping in the shades of magenta and yellow as this will really give the venue an atmospheric feel. Accent with cushions, throws and soft furnishings to complete the look.

Cake

Finally don’t forget the cake. Again you can just go for pops of colour here on your cake, such as a white or naked cake with magenta and lemon style flowers or details. Or go full on with Ombré buttercream going from magenta to yellow or vice versa. Or why not have a sweet table set up in the colours of magenta and yellow of guests to help themselves.

 

Images via Pinterest

Tips to Keep the Morning of the Wedding Calm

The morning of your wedding day is a special time, as it’s the last few hours you’ll spend as an unmarried person. That said, it can also be a chaotic and nervy time, leaving the bride-to-be stressed and overwhelmed. 

Between makeup and hair people coming and going, getting your finished look the way you want it, flowers being dropped off, not to mention anxieties about the dress fitting properly, not spilling anything on it, ensuring the bridesmaids/flower girls have all their accessories, making sure everyone is where they are supposed to be, walking down the aisle and a million and one other possible problems and issues, it’s easy to see how brides can get flustered.

And that is not what you want on the morning of the wedding. It should ideally be a calm and enjoyable few hours spent with your close family and bridesmaids.

Thankfully, over my years of putting weddings together, I know how to ensure the bride stays stress free. Here are my top tips on how to keep things relaxed and ordered.  

In the meantime, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly if you wish to chat about any aspect of your wedding planning and décor.

 

Get to Bed Early

This is easier said than done, because you’ll most likely be too excited to sleep! That said, do try and get a good night’s sleep and avoid drinking too much as you’ll want to feel rested and fresh the next day.

                                                       

Lay Out Accessories the Night Before

Before you get your head down take some time to lay everything out in terms of your dress, the accessories, shoes and anything else you’ll need for the morning. You don’t want to be panicking looking for something in the morning as this can make you stressed. And don’t forget to do the same with any bridesmaids/flower girl’s attire too.

 

 

 

Have a Timeline

It’s a good idea to have a timeline for the morning, in terms of hair and makeup people coming and the order in which the bridal party will be getting ready. Start at the end with a time you would ideally like to be ready to go and work backwards from that. Factor in extra or contingency time in case there are delays, which can happen for any number of reasons. You’re always best off having time in hand to play with, rather than be dashing and arriving at the church flustered.

 

Eat Something

Nerves can put you off your food, but weddings are a marathon not a sprint, so be sure to have a little something in your tummy to sustain you. Even if it’s just a croissant try and eat something small it will make all the difference.

 

 

Make the Room an Oasis of Calm

Whether it be some relaxing music, or lighting candles, or spraying some aromatherapy scents, keep the room where you’re getting ready a calm place. Also take a few moments for yourself to take everything in, as it’s probably the only time you’ll have all day with just you.

 

Finally, Have Fun!

Don’t forget to enjoy the morning, as it really is a special time. Smile, laugh, enjoy being pampered, have a few moments with your parents, pop open the bubbly and have a glass to steady the nerves, but just be sure not to over indulge as you don’t want it going to your head.

 

 

 

The First Look Pros and Cons

Last week we chatted about the rise of the Escort Card and this week we’re looking at another wedding trend that’s come from the other side of the pond, namely the ‘First Look.’ For any bride or groom who are active on social media, and sites such as Pinterest, they’ll no doubt have seen lots of talk of this new phenomenon. But what is a ‘first look? Simply put, it involves the bride and groom sharing a quiet moment and seeing each other before the ceremony with a ‘reveal’ set up which is generally caught on camera.

It can be a lovely idea to consider and has plenty of positives, but of course, there are many reasons why couples would prefer to stick to the traditional route of seeing each other for the first time at the top of the aisle. Whichever you choose to do, it will be a special moment, but make sure you decide on an option for the right reasons and what you both want, rather than just following a trend.

If you’d like to chat about any aspect of your wedding planning, then please get in touch.

 

The Pros of the ‘First Look.’

There’s plenty of reasons why the ‘first look’ has become a super popular phenomenon in the United States and has spread to this side of the Atlantic. Here’s just a few to consider.

Break The Mould – The ‘first look’ gives you an opportunity to break with convention, which for many brides and grooms is exactly what they are looking for and if following the same old traditional route is not your thing, then a ‘first look’ is perfect. It can really help to give your day an extra special and unique dimension to it.
Photos – One major plus is the photos. You will have a huge amount of control as to how you want to set up the reveal. Just Google a ‘first look’ and you’ll be bombarded with a horde of creative ways to do your ‘first look,’ everything from standing on different sides of a door, to a tree, to blindfolds to even using a bunch of balloons! The sky is the limit on it and it’s perfect for those who love to be super creative. It may also free up some time post-ceremony as you’ll already have lots of photos in the can
Nerves – Finally nerves can play a huge part in your wedding day and walking down the aisle can be one of the scariest parts. So if you don’t want your nerves to overcome you, opting for a ‘first look’ is one definite way to ensure you’ll be calm and relaxed for the aisle. Also you’ll have the private moment between both you as a couple, minus the guests.

 

The Cons of the ‘First Look.’
The ‘first look’ may have its pluses, but for many couples, the traditional route is still the more preferred option. Here’s some of the reasons why a ‘first look’ may not be for you.

Anti-climax – Going for the ‘first look’ can mean you end up losing the magic of waking down the aisle and seeing each other for the first time. The whole aisle part can just end up being a bit of an anti-climax, when really it’s something you’ve been both looking forward to as a couple for many months and sometimes even years.
Staged – While the ‘first look’ is supposed to capture the reactions of both parties when they see each other for the first time, it can sometimes feel a bit staged, with the photographers and possibly videographers lenses on you as you wait to capture this ‘private moment.’ Of course they will also have their lenses ready if you decide to wait until you walk down the aisle, but in truth with the gaze of the guests and everything else going on, a good photographer wont even catch your eye as he or she quietly takes position and captures the natural reactions of you, your husband or wife to be and the guests.
Tradition – Finally, there is the old notion of tradition. Tradition is not necessarily a bad thing and there’s no sense in breaking with it just to follow a trend if you’re not 100% happy. If you’ve dreamt of walking down the aisle and seeing your partner for the first time, then why not just stick with it and enjoy the special moment.