How to Get Married On a Budget

You hear so many stories these days of people spending thousands and thousands of pounds, even blowing their life savings to achieve their dream of a ‘perfect’ wedding. But the good news is that you don’t have to spend huge amounts of money to have a wedding day you’ll always remember. After all, the day is about celebrating what you have rather than showing off by spending more than you can afford.

If you’re really serious about working to a low budget, then here are some handy hints to bear in mind:

Location: Find a reception venue that is flexible about letting you use your own caterers as many venues will charge unreasonable prices to provide their own food. Also, if possible you should find a place in an area not known for its expensive weddings. And whilst it may not be ideal, bear in mind that many places will charge a lot less for a weekday wedding.

Suppliers: If you need to get married in a place not known for its low prices, for example central London, then make sure you shop around when it comes to suppliers for items such as flowers or decorations. In London wedding flowers can cost a lot of money but they certainly don’t need to be through the roof if you speak to somebody who knows the best discount suppliers and can get you the best deal.

If you are getting married outside London, the wedding flowers will obviously be cheaper so even if you live in the city you could perhaps look at getting married slightly further out if you want to cut costs even further.

Guest list: The first rule here is to remember that you just can’t please everyone. Guest lists are notorious for getting out of hand – it’s the old ‘I invited that group of people so I have to invite those too or they’ll be offended’ situation. You really only need to invite the people who mean a lot to you. Some of the loveliest weddings are the small and intimate ones. How many weddings have you been invited to when you hardly know the bride and groom? Cutting the guest list will dramatically reduce your food and drink costs.

 Food: Do you have a good friend who cooks, or are you a whizz in the kitchen yourself? Either hiring a friend to be your caterer or preparing the food yourself beforehand are the most low-cost options aside from having no food at all – which wouldn’t make for a great day! Hiring professional wedding caterers can really eat into your budget, as it were.

Music: The great thing about the hi-tech world we live in today is that you don’t need to hire a DJ to ensure the music runs smoothly throughout your wedding reception. In fact, it can feel much more personal to you if you create your own playlist on your ipod or MP3 player and just plug it in to the venue’s sound system.  Just make sure before you hire the reception venue that you are able to do this.

Why it Pays to Hire a Wedding Planner.

They say that your wedding should be one of the happiest days of your life.  But if the run-up is fraught with the stress of planning and all the pitfalls that can come with this, you may find that when it gets to your big day you wish you had never embarked upon the whole business.

It shouldn’t be this way, and it needn’t be if you hire a competent wedding planner to advise you and coordinate every aspect of your day. Here are just some of the reasons why hiring a wedding planner can help preserve your sanity!

Organisation: Planning a wedding gives you a lot to think about – flowers, catering, guest list, venue – and sometimes it can seem endless. A wedding planner is well-skilled at coordinating all these different factors and can act as the single ‘go-to’ person for all the different suppliers and service providers you are using. You just have to tell them what you want and then they can do the rest. It’s what you’re paying them to do, after all.

Saving money: It may sound strange considering that you do of course need to pay for the services of a wedding planner, but in addition to the stress-saving benefits they bring, you may find they can even slash your outgoings in the long run. This is because the best planners will have a comprehensive list of contacts and will be able to use them to negotiate on price – particularly important if you live in high-cost areas such as London.
Essential items such as wedding flowers in London can cost a fortune if you don’t know the best places to go.

Saving time: If you choose to go it alone, tasks such as researching suppliers can take up hours and hours of your time. This is particularly true if you live in a big city where there are a huge number of companies offering their services, (like the above-mentioned example of London wedding flowers). You may also find it takes time to come up with the ideal design concept, for example, but wedding planners are experienced in such things and in fact can offer guidance on every aspect of your big day.

Coping with a crisis: It doesn’t matter how much you plan, sometimes things just go wrong. Perhaps your caterers will be held up, or perhaps – horrors! – the bakery sends the wrong cake. The last thing you want to do on your wedding day is go through the stress of trying to rectify these mistakes. Your wedding planner will be that little bit more removed from the situation and, what’s more, will be experienced in dealing with such crises. Think of them as a handy insurance policy.

Essential Tips For Choosing Your Wedding Flowers

Planning your wedding is an exciting time naturally, but it can also be stressful. If you’re planning a wedding in the UK’s capital city, then you’ll need a top London florist to take care of your wedding flowers for you.

Google “wedding flowers London” and you will get around 145,000 results. Wading through all that lot is enough to give anyone a headache, so here are some top tips to bear in mind when you’re deciding on what flowers you want for your big day:

Size matters! Your chosen florist will be able to advise you on the best shape and size of bridal bouquet to suit your figure and of course, to complement that stunning dress or gown.

Although most flowers can be imported all year round, from Holland for example, many more people are becoming eco-conscious and opting for seasonal British varieties, which also helps keep costs down.

You could also consider real rose petals for confetti – the organic choice to man-made confetti. Artificially-coloured confetti has been known to ruin bridal gowns, so a natural alternative is preferable.

Think about using contrasting colours for the bridesmaids’ posies, rather than having them match their dresses precisely. Choosing contrasting colours can really set off your wedding photographs and make a great talking point.

Looking for a gift for your mum, or mum-in-law? Hand-tied flower bouquets always go down a treat and you can personalise them to suit the individual.
Your florist will be able to advise you on table centre arrangements, but generally speaking a reception venue with high ceilings will require taller arrangements for maximum impact. However, on smaller tables you won’t want to obstruct your guests’ view, so more compact arrangements will be appropriate.

Flowers also make charming wedding favours, so consider dressing individual flowers at each place setting.

How about using scented flowers like lavender, lily of the valley, or tuberose to bring an air of romance to your flower arrangements. You will find for years after the event that a particular scent will evoke memories of your special day.

Consider the overall theme of your wedding: do you favour traditional or contemporary? Whether you have a particular wedding theme in mind or not, prior to your planning consultation with your florist, it is helpful to gather some ideas from magazines that will help the florist define your taste. There are a growing number of dedicated wedding magazines available on the market that will provide inspiration here. Mood boards and scrapbooks are great also for capturing your thoughts.

The right lighting at a venue can really set off your floral arrangements. Candles can create a romantic ambiance, but not every reception venue permits them, so do check ahead before ordering.

Choosing the right florist for you can make a huge difference to the success of your wedding day.

It’s vital you establish a good rapport with your florist as he or she will be responsible for translating your ideas into stunning flower arrangements and bouquets that will set the tone for the entire occasion. Don’t be rushed into making a quick decision. Expect to interview between 3-5 florists from your short-list before making a final decision.

How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Flowers for Your Big Day

How soon should you start planning your wedding flowers?
Sooner than you think. The ideal time is 12-18 months before the day of your wedding.

Why so early?


Because if you want your chosen florist to create your dream arrangement for the biggest date on your calendar, then they will need plenty of notice. The majority of florists are only able to cater for one wedding per weekend, and you don’t want to end up disappointed.

As the bride, all eyes will be upon you. Your wedding flowers will provide the ‘wow factor’ that will set the tone for the entire occasion, from complementing your wedding gown perfectly, to providing the right ambience at the reception. In addition, wedding flowers often provide the focal point for your professional photographs.

Just as you will inevitably spend hours choosing the right dress and venue for possibly the most important day of your life, so it’s vital to devote plenty of time to making sure your wedding flower arrangements are simply stunning too.

This is where the services of a professional floral design team can prove invaluable. And here’s how you can help them do a first class job for you:
Once you have decided on your budget, it’s a good idea to use a mood board or scrapbook to capture your ‘wedding flowers’ thoughts. Ideas can be gleaned from weddings magazines, the Internet, friends and family.

When you visit your wedding venue, take along a camera or camcorder so you can keep in mind the colour scheme. Also it would be helpful to show your chosen florist an image of your dress and one of your bridesmaids’ dresses if possible. If you don’t have a photograph, a sketch will suffice. Fabric swatches are also helpful.

Check out florists near to your wedding venue and make a shortlist of several to interview. When you phone to make an appointment the first thing you should ask if whether they are free on your chosen day. Also confirm that the consultation will be free.

If you are planning to have flowers for your hair, it is useful to take along a picture of your proposed hairstyle. It’s also a good idea to have a trial run through with your hairdresser before the big day, so any refinements can be put in place.

When you arrive at your consultation be mindful of your first impressions. Is the florist’s shop clean and orderly? Are the staff friendly? Is the person you are meeting the same person who will be responsible for creating your wedding flowers? If not, when can you meet that person?

What to ask your shortlisted florists:

- Having seen my ideas, colours and themes, what types of flowers would you suggest?
- Does my budget work for you? If not, can you offer any alternatives without me having to compromise on style?
- Do you have any examples of work that you have done that is similar in style to the flowers that I have chosen?
- Would you be willing to visit my wedding venue with me to see how the wedding flowers might work in the space?
- What are the hottest trends in wedding flowers at the moment? Can you recommend anything that might suit my wedding?
- Is there anything I’ve forgotten to ask?
- Would you like to ask me anything?

The earlier you start planning your wedding flowers the better, in London - you could contact desmond Talbot they are wedding flowers london designers.. Knowing you have your first choice florist on your team means you can relax and enjoy your wedding day, safe in the knowledge they will do everything within their power to make your wedding day a magical experience for you, your partner and your guests.