Wedding Planning Tips for the Laid Back Couple

Laid back, stress free and full of fun with family and friends - sounds like the perfect wedding day doesn’t it? More and more couples are ditching the traditional wedding and opting for relaxed and informal weddings, a microwedding or elopement an instead. I’ve compiled a list of 5 tips to planning a laid back wedding that everyone will be talking about for years to come.

Location is Key

One of the most important factors to planning a relaxed wedding day is the venue. It’s one of the first things most couples consider when wedding planning and it sets the tone for the whole day, so it’s important to know what you’re looking for.

Are you planning to hire out one of the best wedding venues in Surrey? Maybe you’d rather stick to a smaller venue such as this wedding I shot at a venue called Blake Hall in Essex. Its completely up to you whether you decide to invite lots of people or whether you want to plan on having a small wedding with only a few family and friends. If you’re reading this blog then you’re probably planning a more relaxed event; i’ve listed a few low key wedding venue ideas below that you might consider:

• Airbnb wedding

• Woodland wedding

• Barn wedding

• A tipi or a marquee wedding

• A wedding at home or an intimate garden wedding

• Farm wedding

• Beach wedding

If you need more inspiration, I’ve written a whole blog post about some of the best wedding venues to consider in Surrey and Hampshire here!

The guestlist

We’ve all got certain people we feel obliged to invite to events when in reality you haven’t spoken to them in years. This can add unnecessary stress to your wedding day rather than the laid back vibe you’re after. If you don’t really care about chatting to that friend you haven’t spoken to in 5 years or your great great aunt Gertrude - don’t invite them.

Remember your day is about you and the people you choose to spend it with. If you’d rather have a more intimate wedding with only your nearest and dearest then make that a priority. Your wedding day will fly by and I’m sure you’d rather not spend it making small talk with people you don’t normally choose to spend your time with. Relax, have fun and spend the day with people you love and care about. Keeping your guestlist short can have the added bonus of keeping down costs too!

The Food

If you’d rather avoid the headache of creating a formal seating plan, or you’re a shy couple worried about all eyes being on you at the top table, then why not consider alternative dining options. Wedding catering food trucks are becoming more and more popular amongst couples when planning a wedding. No stressful seating arrangements, just a few food vans full of whatever cuisine you fancy! You could even provide home cooked food options if this is something you want to do. This option works especially well for outdoor weddings and allows you and your wedding guests to mingle freely with whoever you want!

Go Unplugged

Imagine walking down the aisle and looking up to see all of your wonderful guests happy and excited to see you - but they’re watching you through their phone camera. It kind of ruins the moment doesn’t it? Many couples are deciding to ban phones and photos during their wedding ceremony. There’s nothing worse than looking back at your wedding photos and seeing people with their phones, or having to experience flashes from photos as you’re walking down the aisle. By preventing guests from using their phones during your ceremony you’re also ensuring that nobody is posting your personal wedding photos on their social media before you’ve had the chance to experience them yourself.

The Photographer

This leads us nicely to choosing your wedding photographer. Knowing how to choose the right wedding photographer can be tricky. Just like how you don’t want your guests shoving a phone camera in your face, you probably don’t really want that from your photographer either. There’s nothing worse than having your wedding photographer showing up with a huge camera lens and interrupting a personal moment with family and friends, or forcing you into uncomfortable poses that really don’t feel like you. To avoid this, it’s important to do your research to ensure you’re hiring the best wedding photographer for you. I’ve written a blog post all about how to choose the right wedding photographer here.

If you’re after an unobtrusive and relaxed photographer who focuses on capturing the natural and candid moments of your wedding day then feel free to get in touch. I cover all areas of Surrey and Hampshire but frequently travel all over the Uk too!

How to Coordinate the Perfect Wedding

Your step by step guide to help you plan your wedding day.

Congratulations on your engagement! I’m sure you’ve spread the word, perhaps enjoyed an engagement celebration party and now you’re wondering where to go from here. Wedding planning can often be overwhelming, especially if it’s something you’ve never done before.

Whether you’re planning a small, intimate and low key wedding, sometimes referred to as a micro wedding, or a larger occasion, I’ve created this handy guide to ensure all weddings remain laid back and enjoyable! I’ve compiled a list of 10 steps to plan a stress free wedding day.

Most weddings are planned around 12 to 18 months in advance, however if your engagement and wedding plans are a bit more spontaneous and you’re having a last minute wedding, don’t panic! This guide compiles all of the steps to planning your day from choosing the best wedding venue to how to choose the right wedding photographer for you.

Step 1: Your wedding budget

The average couple spends a whopping £30,000 on their wedding, so you want to make sure your money is spreading as equally as you can. However every couple is different and you might be planning on spending a lot less or a lot more than this depending on what you’ve got in mind.

The first thing you should do is decide what you can both afford to spend. Will you be getting any financial help towards the wedding cost? Are you planning to budget for a microwedding or a large scale wedding? What are you both comfortable spending and what can you afford to save over the next few months? Would you rather prioritise having the right wedding photographer to capture the special moments from your day, or maybe you’re planning to hire out one of the best wedding venues in Surrey! These are all questions you should ask yourselves to help you set a budget for your wedding day.

Make sure you’re both on the same page and have your budget decided before start to plan your wedding.

Step 2: Look for inspiration

Colour schemes, wedding invitations, wedding pictures styles, and of course the wedding dress; these are all things that might be popping into your head from the moment you become engaged to be married. It’s often difficult to know where to start when it comes to ideas and inspiration for your wedding. Pinterest is a great tool for this! Simply search for what you’re looking for and add different images to boards until you have an idea of what you might want for your big day. If you’re in need of some inspiration to start, I have loads of wedding inspiration on my Pinterest that might help.

Step 3: Choose a theme for your wedding

Wondering how to choose a wedding theme? Refer back to your Pinterest boards and look at which colours you’ve saved the most. Maybe you’ve saved lots of similar colour themes or you’re seeing a pattern in the kind of decor you’d like. If you’re having an autumnal wedding then maybe you’ll opt for burnt oranges and deep reds, or vibrant colours if you’re planning a wedding for the summer. Your theme can be whatever you want it to be!

Step 4: The venue

Now this is where things get exciting. Your wedding venue can make or break your day so you want to choose it wisely. You wouldn’t want to book a huge hotel if you’re planning a small intimate wedding, or a low key wedding if you’re having a large crowd. 

Once you’ve decided on the type of venue that suits you best, book a few tours so you can view them in real life. Remember that your wedding venue will determine your wedding date and the number of guests you can host so make sure this is one of your top priorities to book early on in your planning process. If you need some inspiration for some of the best wedding venues in Surrey then check out my blog post here!

Step 5: The wedding guest list

Are you planning a micro wedding and can only host a small number of wedding guests? Or maybe you’re planning a traditional full scale wedding with hundreds of people. Map out all of the names of the people you want to invite on a spreadsheet with the maximum number of guests set by your venue in mind. It’s best to list everyone you could possibly think of that you might like to invite. Remember you can always remove people later if you’ve written down too many names.

Step 6: Insurance and the legal stuff

This step might be easy to gloss over because it sounds pretty boring in comparison to everything else you need to think of when creating a plan for your wedding. But having the right wedding protector plan is so important when getting married. Weddings can be expensive, so you want to make sure you’re relaxed on your wedding day knowing you’re covered in case anything were to go wrong.

While we’re on the topic of the boring stuff, don’t forget to get your marriage licence sorted too!

Step 7: The wedding party

You’ve listed who you want to share your special day with and now it’s time to think about your wedding party. Some people have this planned out from the start but for some it can be a tricky decision. If you haven’t already decided, have a think about the people closest to you who you can trust to be your maid of honour and your bridesmaids. Equally, do you want any page boys or flower girls? Who will your best man be?

Make sure to have a good think about this because you want your day to be as relaxed as possible, and these are the people who will be helping you to achieve that.

Step 8: Wedding suppliers

Most venues will be able to provide you with a list of suppliers, from the best florists and photographers (feel free to check out my portfolio here) to caterers and musicians. Alternatively a quick google search will show you wedding vendors in your local area. If you’re looking for natural wedding photography then specify this, or if you’re after a specific musician, mention this too. Get in touch with any that take your fancy and compare quotes and their styles to make sure you and your partner choose the right suppliers. There’s nothing worse than not feeling relaxed on your wedding day so it’s important to book the right fit for you. Note that many suppliers such as wedding photographers often need a minimum of 6 months to a year's notice if you want to ensure you can secure your date in their calendar when you plan your wedding. However feel free to get in touch regardless as we often have gaps to fill in our calendars.

Step 9: Wedding outfits

By this point you’ll be well and truly into the wedding planning process. When it comes to finding the perfect wedding outfit for you and your partner, and suitable bridesmaids dresses for the bridal party, make sure to allow plenty of time to find the right wedding attire and accommodate for any alterations before the wedding day.

Step 10: Send your save the dates and wedding invitations

With most things being easily accessible online, many couples are using personal websites to include all of the information for their big day. This is often an easier and less expensive option than traditional paper invitations. One popular and free website that many couples turn to is withjoy.com.

However there’s a possibility that not all of your guests have easy access and understanding of the internet, which is one reason a lot of couples still choose to send a few (or all) of their invites through the post. This is something to take into account if you decide to go down the digital route when you plan your wedding.

Additional things to plan for:

We’ve covered the majority of big ticks on your to do list when you plan your wedding so you can sit back and relax knowing you’ve got most things covered. However there’s a few more ideas to consider below when planning your perfect wedding day:

• Honeymoon, stag do’s and hen do’s

• Create a table Plan

• Gift list

If you’re interested in docu style photography, often referred to as candid wedding photos, or documentary style photography; feel free to check out my portfolio. I’d love to have the opportunity to shoot your big day!