CELEBRATING GLASGOW AND ITS SCOTTISH-ASIAN HERITAGE

CELEBRATING GLASGOW AND ITS SCOTTISH-ASIAN HERITAGE

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

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I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

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He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌

CELEBRATING GLASGOW AND ITS SCOTTISH-ASIAN HERITAGE

Following my last two styled photoshoots CLICK HERE & CLICK HERE, a new collaboration of award-winning Scottish wedding suppliers has come together to shake things up with a culturally diverse styled photoshoot celebrating the much-loved and celebrated industrial past of Glasgow in August 2022.

 

This project was born from a desire to showcase an exciting and vibrant amalgamation of Scottish and Asian heritage in the UK wedding scene.

 

How amazing is the vibrancy of this set, right? If you love it just as much as we do, give us 💛 in the comments.

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌

PLANNING

Derek Dunlop Photography and I have been working on this project since Spring this year and since then we’ve invited a portfolio of the best in the industry to elevate our vision.

 

At the last opportunity, I also pulled out my handfasting cord and we shot a few scenes featuring a Humanist Ceremony too.

 

Massive thanks go to my husband George from Edinburgh Wedding Directory for stepping in on the day to help us with the setup and the dressing of the kilts.

 

Which Behind The Scenes photo is your favourite 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6? Comment with the image number to let us know.

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I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

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He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌

PHOTOGRAPHY

Derek Dunlop Photography is a talented and charismatic photographer who specialises in wedding, editorial and personal branding photography.

 

Derek launched in 2018 and his photography featured in many printed and online publications including cover page photography. It was thanks to Derek’s connection that we connected with our models.

 

What’s the most important to you in wedding photography? Let us know in the comments below.

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He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌

VENUE

In order to set the scene, the newest and hottest city wedding venue in Glasgow was selected – Haberdashery Glasgow fully developed and directed by friend duo Afton Ferguson & Nikki Fairfull. The venue was once a ladies’ tailor which operated for over 50 years in Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street.

 

The scene was set and we moved around the venue as we tried to best capture each of the looks – from the beginning we wanted to work with a rustic venue and Haberdashery thanks to Dawn Stafford from Your Scottish Wedding magazine recommendation was the choice!

 

DM me “VENUE” if you’re unsure of your venue vision and would like some help venue hunting.

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌

HAIR & MAKEUP

For hair and makeup, we were inspired by beautifully matching makeup and free flowing or pinned up hair styles. It was very important for us to ensure that hair and makeup connected closely with the looks presented.

 

We think that the fabulous team of two Sadias: makeup artist – Sadia Rashid and hair stylist – Sadia Chaudhry are absolute perfectionists and created the most amazing finishes.

 

The design of the looks has also been enhanced with henna application from incredibly talented Terij Kaur.

 

Sadia Rashid – Makeup Artist commented: “I am still in awe from the shoot we did – I was really impressed with everyone’s work and organisation, everyone gave their best. I can’t wait for us to reveal the final look!”

 

What’s your preferred look free-flowing hair or pinned up do? Let us know in the comments below.

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌

DRESSES

The looks have been inspired by Asia’s rich reds and vibrant blues, sage greens and dusky greys, complemented with matching jewellery, individually designed hair styling and makeup to highlight each individual design.

 

Dresses have been supplied by Glasgow’s Anjali’s Boutique and made an outstanding impact on fulfilling our vision.

 

Which dress is your favourite? Comment 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 in the comments below to vote for your favourite look.

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I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌

KILTS

Following my consultation with Anjali, I connected with the team at 8 Yards to tie the dresses with perfectly matching or balancing kilts.

 

The team jumped at the opportunity and decided to showcase some of their most contemporary collections and WOW how well they matched what we had planned already.

 

The fresh and exciting finishing touches in shoes, waistcoats, sporrans or even kilt hose really elevated the final looks.

 

Are you a kilt or suit enthusiast? Let us know in the comments below.

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He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌

STYLING

The venue has been dressed in matching tones, highlighting the industrial richness of the space. The styling of tables, arches and ceremony was carefully curated by multi-award-winning Heather Spurling McGowan from Make Believe Events who once dined personally with George Clooney for her work in the wedding industry.

 

Would you want to see Heather in action? Make sure to follow her at Make Believe Events.

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌

FLORISTRY

Sustainable and paper-based floristry including two bouquets, two buttonholes and two arch arrangements was designed especially for this photoshoot by Shona Rogerson from Papercut Posies.

 

How important is sustainability in your wedding planning? DM me “SUSTAINABILITY” if you’d like to get some ideas on some sustainable wedding solutions.

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌

MODELS

We’ve also been very lucky to work with two social media influencers and models – Ehab Ali & Taylor McTaggart who perfectly fitted in with the vibe that we had set out for this styled photoshoot.

 

Taylor McTaggart – Model & Social Media Influencer: “It was an absolute pleasure working with everyone and I hope to work with everyone again soon!”

 

Give us 💛 in the comments if you agree they’ve done a brilliant job best showcasing our vision!

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Have you felt inspired by this blog and would like us to focus on something else in the future - DM me with your ideas and visions today and we’ll add them to our focus list for 2023.
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If you’ve found this styled photoshoot useful? Give this blog a share to spread the word and give us more reasons to create more inspirational content for your upcoming wedding!

The Wedding Guru Oskar

WhatsApp: +44 (0) 7766012164

Email: oskar@theweddingguruoskar.co.uk

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/theweddingguru_oskar

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/TheWeddingGuruOskar

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@theweddingguru_oskar

CLEVER ABOUT WEDDING BUDGET with BBC Radio Scotland

CLEVER ABOUT WEDDING BUDGET with BBC Radio Scotland

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌

Recently, I’ve been talking “Clever About Cash” with BBC Scotland hosts Eileen Adamson & Kim McAllister!

Interestingly, I am often being asked why couples might consider a Wedding Planner when undertaking one of the first and biggest financial projects of their life involving many moving elements and opinions.

Apart from the obvious benefits of having an expert full of first-hand knowledge and experience at your disposal, we’re also often called ‘budget warriors’ and if you choose to work with a wedding planner, we will not only ensure you stay within your budget, but also ensure your £££ work that little bit harder for you.

Additionally, considering the network of industry connections, we have the ability to negotiate preferential rates for your benefit, which often means you recover some or even all of your costs and have your ‘best wedding friend’ by your side every step of the way.

Would you consider a Wedding Planner to help you manage your wedding budget? Let me know in the comments below.

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌

If we haven’t met before – My name is Oskar and I’m The Wedding Guru Oskar. ⁠
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I’ve been involved in the wedding industry since 2009!⁠
After 13+ years in the industry, I have run, delivered and planned over 600 weddings in my career and received 5 industry awards for excellence in my work.⁠
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Nowadays, I plan weddings in Scotland - the UK, conduct legally binding Humanist ceremonies, consult and coach wedding businesses internationally and in my spare time, I blog about all things weddings and feature as an industry speaker.⁠
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Most recently, I also partner with my husband George behind Edinburgh Wedding Directory - simply because we’re married to the job too! :)⁠
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So if you’d like to find out more, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter to keep up to date with my latest news and tips.

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I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

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He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌

Ahead of my interview for the BBC, I made sure to prepare a few notes on how you can be clever about your wedding spend and here are a few of them you might want to consider before you start your budget planning.⁠
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Firstly, are you set on a date, or would you consider flexibility - if this was to have a big impact on your venue hire cost? Expectedly, we’re experiencing high volumes of weddings in 2022, but this also means that you’re more likely than ever before to get invites for out-of-summer season or even mid-week dates and this can have a significant impact on wedding cost, so maybe it pays to be flexible – see what I did there?⁠
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Did you know that if you were to consider a winter date, that isn’t Christmas or New Year and falls mid-week, you might save more than half of venue cost in comparison with a Saturday in July – how attractive does that sound, let me know in the comments?

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He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌

Weddings are becoming a lot more intimate celebrations – so would you consider downsizing your party? With an average wedding seat costing upwards of £200, would you be willing to treat everyone on your guest list to a meal of this cost otherwise? ⁠
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If it’s your family who are contributing to the cost of the wedding and calling some shots on the guestlist, you might want to be considerate of their involvement too, yet if you’re feeling frustrated or decision-making becoming too hijacked – relate to their feelings and express why you would prefer to make some of the decisions yourself.⁠
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Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌

You also don’t want to fall a victim to additional costs – it’s great if you can pull off a beautiful DIY wedding, but consider all elements carefully and if you’re new to the concept, ask for advice from the experts or somebody who has planned a fully DIY wedding before (but focus on facts – rather than opinions) as you don’t want to fall into a trap of additional hire costs, licenses, facilities such as running water, catering, sufficient electricity facilities, WCs, staging, delivery charges, fire safety, VAT, etc.⁠
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How worried are you about additional costs when planning for a wedding? Let me know in the comments below.

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

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He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌

Ensure you understand each offer and can easily compare them, especially when it comes to the venue and catering (statistically the biggest price items in your budget) – dry hire and all-inclusive offers can have a big impact on your wedding budget. This is especially true if you’re hiring a venue on exclusive use basis – you will need to be mindful that exclusive-use venues carry a higher cost to run, so if price-tag is important to you, you might want to consider hotels and all-inclusive packages.⁠
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Would you know how to compare all venue offers? Message me in the Chat Box today and I can send you a link to one of my templates.

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I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

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He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌

If you’ve gotten engaged around the summer holidays or the festive break – look out for the upcoming wedding fairs, exhibitions, and open days. Don’t undervalue the benefits of these events – not only can you brainstorm so many different ideas and options in one place and on the same day, price check and compare. You can also take your entourage on a creative wedding day out with you, which is lots of fun in itself! Most importantly, you can save yourself a lot on special deals, offers and discounts that are carefully prepared by exhibiting suppliers, especially for this occasion! ⁠
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Are you booked to attend any upcoming promotional wedding events? Give me “YES” in the comments below.

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He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌

If you’re lucky to have a dedicated team of venue experts, make the most of their connections – just like us wedding planners, we all establish relationships which can benefit you with specially negotiated rates to feature on the venue’s or planner’s recommended suppliers list and you’ll have the peace of mind that the supplier knows the venue well and you can trust they’ll deliver quality service!⁠
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Would you like to receive “My Recommended Suppliers List”? Chat Box message me today!

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌

Catering can also have a big impact on your wedding spend – so would you consider alternative and creative catering or set menu option? Worry not, whatever option you go for all your guests with dietary requirements must be catered in accordance with the latest legislation, for as long as your caterer is notified in advance. You might have also noticed already that there are often additional charges for choice menus, additionally three-course plated dining might not fit your celebration – would you consider a variety of artisan caterers, vans and grazing stations? If you consider your options carefully, your per guest spend might decrease accordingly – something worth considering and discussing with your venue as they might have their own safety policies in place.

Which would you go for? Comment below:
A. Plated set (one option) menu
B. Plated choice menu
C. Alternative => BBQ / Buffet / Grazing station

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌

According to Forbes pre-loved wedding dress searches online have increased by 103% since March of this year and this is where a lot of your savings could happen too, but be careful before purchasing, because you do not want to spend as much in alterations as you’ve saved by purchasing a second-hand dress. This trend is also becoming a lot more popular amongst celebrities - Princess Beatrice wore a vintage dress on loan from the Queen’s collection for her wedding in 2020 and Carrie Symonds opted for a dress from My Wardrobe HQ where you can rent dresses from as little at £25 – now, how’s that for a saving? And how sustainable is this slow-fashion too?⁠
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Give me ❤️ if you love the idea of pre-loved wedding fashion in the comments below.

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I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌

Finally, my favourite topic – wedding floristry! There’s so much you can do about your choice of wedding flowers that can impact your pocket! Firstly, seasonal flowers are always a lot more effective, and you get more for your money, so be careful before you hit those Pinterest boards full of Spring flowers for your Autumn wedding! Secondly, silk flowers have exploded here in the UK and they are better quality than ever before. Not only that – you can avoid unwanted allergies at your wedding and be more suitable by hiring, and this is likely to save you a few pennies too. Or simply be creative – some artificial to provide a structure, with fresh flowers filling it up to add value, now that’s an impressive use of your budget!⁠
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Which is your personal favourite? Comment below:⁠
A. Fresh flowers⁠
B. Silk flowers⁠
C. Mixed fresh and silk for the impact

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He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌

All in all, my biggest piece of advice is that booking things sooner rather than later could also be a solution for avoiding the current price increases. And please be careful – if what you’re looking for seems too cheap to be true, it probably is! Ensure you work with recommended and reputable suppliers only, check them out online, their reviews and track record and use a credit card for payments where possible for additional safety cover.⁠
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Did you find my advice videos useful? Give this blog a share to spread the word and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel. 

The Wedding Guru Oskar

WhatsApp: +44 (0) 7766012164

Email: oskar@theweddingguruoskar.co.uk

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/theweddingguru_oskar

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/TheWeddingGuruOskar

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@theweddingguru_oskar

HOW TO AVOID WW3 WHEN CONSIDERING FAMILY POLITICS AT YOUR WEDDING?

HOW TO AVOID WW3 WHEN CONSIDERING FAMILY POLITICS AT YOUR WEDDING?

10 MOST COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌

Recently, I have been asked by Claire Muir – Feature Writer at Your Scottish Wedding to answer some of the most commonly asked questions by couples when it comes to managing family politics while wedding planning. 

In today’s blog, you’ll learn the best ways to navigate your way around some of the most challenging situations while wedding planning. My recommendations in this blog are solutions based on over 600 weddings I have planned, run and delivered in the past 13+ years. 

If you want to find out more, you’ll need to keep on scrolling…

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌

If we haven’t met before - I’m Oskar and I’ve been involved in the wedding industry since 2009!

After 13+ years in the industry, I have run, delivered and planned over 600 weddings in my career and received 5 industry awards for excellence in my work.

Nowadays, I plan weddings in Scotland, the UK, conduct legally-binding Humanist ceremonies, consult and coach wedding businesses internationally and in my spare time, I blog about all things weddings and feature as an industry speaker.

Most recently, I also partner with my husband George behind Edinburgh Wedding Directory - simply because we’re married to the job too! :)

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I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

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He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌

1.     Paying for the wedding – how do I navigate this when my parents are apart e.g. I’m not close to my dad but he’s still paying, and my mum isn’t happy about it?

• Not delving too much into the psychology of human relationships, some people simply show their appreciation and love through gifts and this could be what’s happening here.

• Secondly, weddings aren’t cheap - let’s be honest about it and if Dad wants to make this generous gesture and the couple is willing to accept it and appreciate it, then why not!

• My advice here would be not to bicker with Mum, but rather arrange for a heart-to-heart conversation and explain your motivations and reasons. Open up and allow your Mum in on your plan and explain what her support would mean to you, if that doesn’t work, put her in your shoes - how did it make her feel when she planned her wedding and others were pushing ideas, traditions and guilt on her - very quickly you should see the change of tone and all she will care about is that you’re happy and your day is just perfect for you.

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He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

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I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌

2.     Stationery – what are the options for wording invitations if it’s a non-traditional family situation to avoid unwanted attendees?

• Addressing each and every individual invitation directly to the invited person is one of the options

• Arranging a seating plan in a way that conflicting members of the family don’t come into contact unnecessarily, same applies to ceremony seating - this might need to be arranged and sign posted on the allocated seats - ideally for everyone so that you’re not singling anyone out and upsetting them

• Using electronic RSVP services which limit responses to one per submission and personalised links is another way of avoiding unwanted attendees or plus ones you can’t have or want to have at your wedding

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌

3.     Stepmother issues

• I love my mum and my stepmother but they don’t see eye-to-eye. Is it possible to include both in the dress shopping process?

  • Why not arrange two dress shopping trips and make a day out of it to treat them both - the last thing you want is for their conflict or mood to affect your experience

• I have a rather flamboyant stepmother and I’m worried about her upstaging my lovely mum’s outfit on the big day. How can I get around this without offending?

  • Why don’t you take them shopping and outline what design and colour theme you’re hoping for - the more expectations you can outline to them, the fewer chances of upsetting them or feeling disappointed yourself you will have

  • If shopping together or on two separate trips is not an option - why don’t you make suggestions to them both or ask them what they have considered wearing and give them your honest feedback of how it ties in the overall design of your special day

• The morning prep – I’m closer with my stepmother but feel I should have my mum get ready with me. What’s the answer?

  • No matter what - you do not want to remember your wedding for the things you haven’t done and feel disappointed or guilty. Why don’t you allocate roles for both Mums that you know they can fulfil together or separately and you know they would feel appreciated and make your experience more enjoyable

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

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I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌

4.     The ceremony

• Who walks in and out with whom?

  • You don’t need to stick to tradition if you don’t feel like it’s you!

  • There are so many elements to ceremonies, especially in Scotland where you can get married as and where you want to so that you can involve all or just some of your family members in many symbolic elements, so choose wisely what you believe they can best contribute to.

  • Would Dad be more comfortable with setting up drinking from quaich, Mum walk you down the aisle, Stepmom doing a reading, Stepdad handing over the rings - really the choice and creativity is yours to have here

• Our family split means there are effectively three sides… But only two sides in the room to sit on! How do we arrange seating to keep it conflict-free?

  • Why not have two aisles? My husband and I had our Mums walking us down the aisle simultaneously, but I’ve had the Groom walking in with his Mum and the Bride walking in with her Dad before - honestly, you don’t need to be traditional :)

  • Alternatively, you can allocate seats for the first few rows so that you know they won’t cause issues

• My dad will be attending the wedding but I don’t want him to walk me down the aisle. How do I break it to him, and who should I choose instead? Or could I walk alone?

  • I think what you need to do first is make a decision about how the processional entrance will look like and who, if anyone at all will be walking with you down the aisle

  • Then, when you’ve made that choice, explain your motivations behind this choice to your Dad

  • Over the years, I’ve had Grooms awaiting their Brides at the bottom of the aisle to walk in together, I’ve had Brides walking down alone with an entourage ahead of them, and I’ve also had both parents walking the Bride or the couple’s children walking with their Mum - don’t feel pressured into this decision as it is an emotional element of the ceremony and you want to feel like you’re getting the right support for you

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I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

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He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌

5.     Photographs – how best can we keep things under control during the formal photos whilst still getting the family shots I’ve dreamed of?

• Do your homework and prepare a detailed shoot list and allocate responsible people to help you organise them on the day - remember, this is not the photographer’s job as they will not know your family and the politics!

• If you want to keep conflicting families separated - choose different locations for each group you want photos taken with

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He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

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I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

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He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌

6.     Table plans – how do I make it work?!

• Not just the issue of mum and dad potentially both being on the top table, what about their partners?

  • Having them host tables at the front of the top table can be fun especially if they all get on

  • If there is a clear conflict - you might want to ask both sides about their expectations and how your plan would make them feel - it’s all about compromise here

• What if one has a partner and the other doesn’t?

  • Consult the other side on how the seating of the partner would make them feel

  • Having them at opposite ends of the table could also be a solution

• And what about family members invested in this conflict – how can I keep the regular tables fight-free?

  • This comes down to the art of arranging the tables in your room

  • It will take quite a bit of moving and shaking things up to ensure it works and while you’re keeping the wedding war-zone-free, you’re not upsetting anyone by putting them in the back end corner

  • Do it visually - ask venue for a sample table plan, use colour coded post-it tabs and group guests by colours and then start placing tabs around the tables on the sample floor plan to see how it flows - having it visually in front of you, can make it a lot easier - do you remember Monica’s flags table plan from Friends? This is a simplified version :)

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

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I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌

7.     Speeches with split families – what’s the etiquette and to what extent does it depend on my personal preference? Is it more important to go with what I want – or to not offend those who are potentially funding the wedding?

• If you’ve got certain family members involved in financing the wedding, be conscious and mindful of their involvement, you don’t want to upset them

• Traditionally, it’s three speeches of up to 8 minutes each - Father of Bride, Groom, Best Man

• Speaking from experience - the fewer speeches, the better - so that’s something that might help you in justifying your decision, you do not want your speeches to go on for longer than 30 minutes in total

• Some people are more comfortable with public speaking, so there’s no point in forcing your shy Dad to do a speech just because. Your Dad might be more comfortable with walking you down the aisle and Stepdad with a speech

• Alternatively, if the parents’ situation is too complicated - why not ask your sibling to do ‘the family’ part?

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We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

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I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌

8.     Any words of wisdom and advice that I can give to my warring family members as a ‘gentle warning’ to behave themselves ahead of the big day? Or should I be laying the law more seriously?

• If you strongly foresee things easily getting out of hand at the wedding, you might want to consider hiring security to help you handle the situation and make your family aware of it

• If taking such serious measures isn’t on the cards - ensure to allocate ‘conflict mediators’ in advance so that you’re not being pulled into uncomfortable situations on your wedding day

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I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌

9.     What about me – any advice on staying calm when I’m conscious that World War 3 could break out at any minute?

• The more planning, open and honest conversations and precautionary measures you can put in place in advance of the wedding the better

• Having a solid plan will make you feel more prepared and aware, and therefore worry and stress about it all less

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He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌 I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌

10.     How to communicate a children-free wedding?

• Let your guests know from the get-go – on your Save the Dates so that your guests can make arrangements

• Be clear and consistent if only family children are coming

• Explain budget or space limitations

• If for any reason you receive an RSVP with children on it, don’t react on emotion, relax and phone them, over the phone conversations will deflate the emotions

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I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022

💌

We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022

💌

I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022

💌

He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020

💌

I found Oskar quite close to our wedding date, My only wish is that I found him sooner to help me plan more of the wedding - Lucy & Aresh, April 2022 💌 We miss chatting to Oskar, he was and is a ray of sunshine ☀️ - Louisa & Bradley, March 2022 💌 I was dreading the seating plan, Oskar stepped in and spent an afternoon with is till it was done, going over and above as we’d only asked him to do on the day co-ordination. - Katy & Allan, February 2022 💌 He was with us every step of the way, through all the crazy changing restrictions and even a last-minute 'lift and shift' of more than a week! - Donna and Mark, December 2020 💌

Have you found this wedding planning blog useful? If you have why not check out more of my wedding planning blogs today => https://theweddingguruoskar.co.uk/wedding-planner/read-me-blog and check out my Instagram and Facebook for the latest trends and news regularly.

 

The Wedding Guru Oskar

WhatsApp: +44 (0) 7766012164

Email: oskar@theweddingguruoskar.co.uk

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/theweddingguru_oskar

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/TheWeddingGuruOskar

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXf4LcWlwmmb-wyl1IFD9zg

HOW TO STAY SANE WHILE WEDDING PLANNING?

HOW TO STAY SANE WHILE WEDDING PLANNING?

Recently, I have been tasked by the wonderful Beth from Tie the Knot Scotland Magazine to join her on stage of The Scottish Wedding Show in Glasgow on 19th and 20th February which attracted a whopping 9,719 attendees over the two days and answer some of the trickier wedding planning questions in an interview.

In today’s blog, I share with you the questions posed to me during the interview and the answers I have given to help you navigate your way around the challenges of wedding planning especially when family politics, traditions and the topic of money comes into play.

Want to find out more? You’ll need to check out the below paragraphs.

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Blog by OSKAR GILCHRIST-GRODNICKI

If we haven’t met before - I’m Oskar and I’ve been involved in the wedding industry since 2009!

After 13+ years in the industry, I have run, delivered and planned over 600 weddings in my career and received 5 industry awards for excellence in my work.

Nowadays, I plan weddings in Scotland, UK, conduct legally-binding Humanist ceremonies, consult and coach wedding businesses internationally and in my spare time, I blog about all things weddings and feature as an industry speaker.

Most recently, I also partner with my husband George behind Edinburgh Wedding Directory - simply because we’re married to the job too! :)

Hit the chatbox option if you would like to talk some more today!

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1.         How to ask for wedding finance support from your family?

You don’t want to seem rude or ungrateful, so do your research, set a budget and then ask parents if they would be willing to contribute to it.

Not sure how to set a budget - chatbox messages me today! I have some templates for you!

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2.         How to involve your family in wedding planning and avoid misunderstandings? Including allocating roles in bridal party etc. and how to avoid disappointment e.g. if a would-be ‘bridesmaid’ doesn’t end up getting asked to be one?

Sit down and decide how many members of the wedding party you would ideally like to have, not just aspiration but realistic budget for outfits, hair and makeup, cars, accommodation, etc.

Additionally, having too many people involved can also carry its challenges – it is definitely something to be mindful of.

If you foresee some of the guests getting disappointed for not being given the Bridesmaid title, Best Man, etc. consider involving them in other parts of the day that won’t have as much impact on your plan such as ushering to ceremony seats, ceremony symbolic gestures, readings, reading out cards as part of the speeches, doing MC-ing duties for speeches, announcements and cake cutting/first dance.

Secondly, don’t assume everyone has the same ideas or expectations. Again, do your research, set a vision, mood-boards, budgets and outline what you’re hoping for in your wedding plan. Then communicate your vision, plans and choices to those who want to help you and assign specific roles if you want to avoid disappointment.

Would you have handled this otherwise, let us know in the comments below.

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3.         How to communicate children-free wedding?

Let your guests know from the get-go including Save the Dates, so that your guests can make alternative arrangements early.

Don’t beat about the bush and be consistent if only family children are coming,

If budget, space or limited changing facilities come into play, be honest about these, your guests will appreciate knowing this in advance.

Nevertheless, if for any reason you still receive an RSVP with children on it, don’t act on emotion, relax and phone them, over the phone conversations will deflate the emotions.

What’s your opinion children at weddings or not? Let me know in the comments below.

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 4.         How to request cash instead of presents?

Using cash registry website can help you with that and be specific why you’re asking for cash and how you’re going to use it - honeymoon, house deposit, house improvements, etc.

Example: “The most important thing to us is that you are able to celebrate with us on our wedding day. However, if you wish to give a gift, we will gratefully accept a small contribution towards our honeymoon.”

Example: “We are extremely lucky to have love, laughter and house full of furniture, so if you'd like to help us celebrate with a gift, we've set up a honeymoon fund at…”

Now that’s a hot topic - how would you approach it? Chatbox message me today if you’re still not sure how to go about it!

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 5.         How to tell someone who expected an invitation that they are not invited i.e. plus one’s?

My advice is not to put it off and thank them for reaching out and offer them honestly – whether that’s budget constraint, venue size, keeping the wedding to absolute minimum as funding the wedding yourselves – they’ll appreciate your honesty and appreciate your instant response.

On the other hand, if it’s a distant family member, speak to your parents, they might be able to help defuse the situation.

Will you be inviting plus one’s? Let us know in the comments below.

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 6.         How to approach doing the wedding seating plan? E.g. family politics/divorced relatives at play etc.

Do it visually and don’t leave it off!

Statistically, your numbers will only drop by a maximum of 10% (give or take) from your initial guest list to RSVPs, so why would you hold off until the last minute when you’ll have so much more to work out and confirm in the final months before the wedding?

Ask your venue for samples of table layout in the room and have these printed on large paper or simply use A4 sheet per table in that same layout.

Colour coordinated tabs will help you to organise your guests into groups - top table / immediate family / distant family / friends / colleagues, etc. and play about with it, there are no wrong answers!

Having it laid out visually in front of you, will make it real and a lot easier to navigate as you can always peel and move the tabs as necessary.

Are you going to wait with your table planning until RSVPs - knowing how much planning goes into it? Give me Y for Yes and N for No in the comments.

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 7.         How to avoid clashing over traditions with family?

Always relate back to their experience of wedding planning! Ask them how it made them feel when traditions were being forced on them while wedding planning! You’ll see the change instantly!

On the other hand, if your family are contributing to the wedding, remember to be empathetic and open to compromise, yet remind them politely that this is your wedding and why you believe so strongly about something.

Have you ever felt pressured to follow traditions? Chatbox messages me today if you need help navigating this sensitive subject.

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8.         How to avoid others influencing your decision?

Set boundaries from the beginning and explain your expectations and why it is so important to you!

 

Again, don’t act on emotion and be sympathetic, for example: “I’ve dreamed of this day my entire life and there are certain things I really want to do myself.”

 

Another example: “I appreciate everything you are doing, and what would really be helpful is if you took care of this thing. The rest is something that I want to do.”

Would you now assign specific and defined roles to your wedding party to avoid disappointment? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

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 9.         How to compromise with your significant other half on the big decisions?

Ensure you take time to research your expectations before you start making decisions and lay them out to one another.

Creating a common wedding email address will help you to ensure you both have got the access to it and can be involved in all conversations.

If you start feeling heated about something, step back from it and review later. Don’t ever make rushed decision on an emotion! Setting “wedmin” days/times when all you do is concentrate on wedding decision making, will help you be more focused and less frantic, therefore distracted.

Finally, why not celebrate big decisions with a drink you both enjoy – wouldn’t that be lovely? Wedding planning has its challenges, so why not treat each other in the process for the challenges you overcome together!

Have you had any other ideas on how to come to an agreement when wedding planning? Let us know in the comments.

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Have you found this wedding planning blog post useful?

Let us know your thoughts about this blog post in the comment below and if you’ve found this blog post helpful - share it far and wide as it is not always easy wedding planning and other wedding planning couples might find some comfort in the topics I raised here.

If you would rather watch the recording of the interview - check out the link below.

On the main stage of The Scottish Wedding Show

HOW TO STAY SANE WHILE WEDDING PLANNING

Wanting to DISCOVER more? Book a 15 minutes FREE consultation today!

Proudly Celebrating Love, By Tasha Monaghan Leung at Fuze Ceremonies

Proudly Celebrating Love, By Tasha Monaghan Leung at Fuze Ceremonies

A Lesbian, A Bisexual, and A Kickass Wedding

You know that feeling when you find someone who truly accepts you for who you, and you know that there is no one else you would rather spend the rest of your days with?  Everything has fallen into place, and you can’t wait to plan your future together - it’s just magic isn’t it?  Love is one of the most precious things you can experience and getting married should be one of the happiest times in your life.

However, when myself and my partner, Lauren, got engaged back in 2012, there was a slight snag…we weren’t legally allowed to get married… isn’t that wild??  So… we bought a lovely house in the meantime and patiently waited until Scotland legalised same-sex marriage in December 2014 (now part of the 31 countries in the world who do so today).

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And the “fun” of wedding planning begins…

Fantastic news - time to plan the wedding!  We were so excited to get started.  Although we were officially recognised in the eyes of law, we soon realised that perhaps the wedding industry wasn’t quite ready for us… Going to a wedding show particularly sticks out in my mind.  Lauren and I walked up to various suppliers, as you do, hand in hand, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. 

“Who’s the lucky man?”, “Which one of you is the bride?”, “Oh, is this your bridesmaid?”, “Tell me about your hubby-to-be!”

GROAN!!  We were literally holding hands, both engagement rings glittering in the light!  All the signs were there, henny!  What should have been an enjoyable experience left us utterly bummed out and frustrated.  Having lived almost our entire lives as out and proud, it felt like we were being shoved back into the closet, forced to relive a hellish nightmare of coming out repeatedly, suddenly anxiety-ridden that we would be angrily rejected, a la homophobic American bakery.  It was not an enjoyable day.

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The most exciting part was about to truly begin

Luckily, we had some stand-out, amazing experiences to balance this out - seeing many, many live bands (a great excuse for a night out!), tasting delicious cakes, and making genuine friends with our photographers.  We married in 2016, on the stunning grounds of Mar Hall – where we got engaged – and our wedding co-ordinator and the staff were more than happy to make our dreams come true.  Our celebrant from Fuze Ceremonies listened carefully to our story and delivered a beautiful and touching ceremony.  We proudly declared our love for each other, joined by our closest family and friends.  As you can see, we were beaming with joy.

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And the memories we will cherish for the rest of our lives

I can quite honestly say, it was the best day of my life, and if I could relive it, I would in a heartbeat!  I would, however, say my vows first – I was so overcome with emotion after hearing Lauren’s vows, I ugly-cried two sentences into my own!  Seriously, she had to calm me down.  We laughed at how I’d set everyone else off too, ha ha.  Our guests told us how much they loved our ceremony and how personal it was, some even said it was the best wedding they’d ever been to! (Apart from their own, of course!)

(Photo credit: The Gibsons Photographers)

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Why I Became a Wedding Celebrant

Eventually coming down from the high of the big day, I reflected on the entire experience.  I wanted every betrothed couple to feel as amazing as me and Lauren felt on our wedding day… and I wanted absolutely no one to feel the way we did at that wedding show. 

Now, I LOVE a wedding, and Mahatma Gandhi was swimming around in my head, whispering, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”  What a wonderful thing to be able to do… what if I were to combine my freakish organisational skills, my creative flair and speaking skills (I worked in training at the time) with the ability to play a part in people’s most special day?  How lovely to be a welcoming and understanding face for LGBT+ couples and help them proudly celebrate their love – to be exactly the kind of celebrant I would have loved to have. 

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A celebrant who truly understands LGBT+ community first-hand…

Now please don’t get me wrong, our celebrant was lovely and did a fantastic job.  But Lauren and I would have loved the option of having a celebrant who knew first-hand what we were feeling and had personally walked down similar paths in life.  I feel that it’s important to have a choice of celebrants that reflects the diversity of all the engaged couples out there.

Due to the trajectory of my career at the time, I put this idea on the backburner.  But such is life, redundancy pulled it back into the spotlight, and this time it had my full attention.  I trained with the UKCAPSA (UK Celebrant & Professional Skills Academy – an extension of Fuze Ceremonies) and got my SQA Qualification which gave me the skills and knowledge needed to create and deliver truly bespoke ceremonies.

I absolutely adore getting to know my couples’ love stories, and being able to retell them to their nearest and dearest is an absolute pleasure and an honour.  It just brings be such joy to feel the love radiating around the room!  Here’s Dani & James Jasper who were the very first couple I married in Clashnessie.  There wasn’t a dry eye in the…beach!

(Photo Credit: Craig Johnson Photography)

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How to Choose Your Celebrant

You wouldn’t necessarily book the first venue or wedding outfit you saw, so why would you do so with your celebrant?  One of the great things about Fuze Ceremonies is that we have lots of celebrants to choose from, and we all have different personalities and something special to offer, so you’re bound to find the perfect one for your day.

It’s important that you find a celebrant who you get on with and is on the same wavelength as you – after all, they will play such a big part in your wedding day, they will be intertwined with your memories.  Have a browse through celebrants’ bios and social media, which is a great way to see what they’re all about (these days it’s much easier to tell if they are LGBT+ friendly – phew!).  Check if they are available on your wedding day, as celebrants get booked years in advance, so it’s best to check to avoid disappointment…it’s never too early too book!

Make a shortlist of celebrants you are interested in and contact each one to have a chat with them.  They will be more than happy to explain what they can do for you and answer any of your questions.  Think about who you would like to stand at the end of the aisle with you, and then secure your booking with them!  Easy peasy 😊

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Create a Ceremony That’s True to You

When you close your eyes and imagine your wedding day, what do you see?  Maybe a deeply romantic and dramatic affair?  Perhaps a pared-back, easy going day?  Or even a loud, funny, lively celebration?  The beauty of a Humanist Ceremony is that your celebrant works directly with you to achieve exactly the kind of ceremony you want. 

There are no rules, apart from making your declaration and signing the marriage schedule – you can do whatever you want!  You could live your forest fantasy and get married in the woods (think of the pictures!).  You could have your furry (trustworthy) babies as ringbearers.  You could even walk down the aisle to RuPaul’s ‘Sissy that Walk’ if you wanted to!  The possibilities are endless.  But if you don’t have a clear vision in your head, do not fret, as your celebrant will give you plenty of suggestions on how to make your ceremony meaningful and memorable, like symbolic gestures and readings, which can be a great way to involve the thespians in your guestlist.

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Freedom from Tradition - Flexibility to Create Your Own Rules

One of the things I love about an LGBT+ wedding is that you can easily toss ‘traditions’ out the window and create your own rules!  In fact, I think everyone should if they want to!  For example, instead of defining your wedding party by gender, choosing only bridesmaids or groomsmen (and snubbing your favourite people in the process), why not have ‘mates of honour’?  The only requirement is, they have to be awesome.

Who comes down the aisle?  Well, both of you if you’d like!  You could make separate entrances, accompanied by whoever is deemed worthy of the privilege, go it alone (why you all gagging so?) or you could walk in together, like the power couple you are.

Please do not feel like you have to do what people ‘expect’ you to do – this is YOUR wedding day, so don’t dim your shine to make anyone else feel comfortable (friendly advice - if anyone makes you feel like you should, maybe they shouldn’t attend!).  Celebrate your love proudly, unapologetically, and make it a day to remember for all the right reasons.  Relax, and enjoy every second of it.