12 Things Wedding Planners Can Do For You

Working with a diverse portfolio of clients from around the world including Myanmar, Peru, USA, Germany and Australia this year allowed me to create unique and personalised wedding visions for my wedding planning couples. Although some of these plans have now moved to 2021 and 2022, my wedding planning service is all about producing tailored joyful and inspirational celebrations.

 If you’re considering getting help with your wedding planning and you’re unsure whether to get professional support, in the next few paragraphs I will be revealing to you the 12 Things a Professional Wedding Planner could do for you, so stayed tuned in…

1.      SAVING TIME

If project planning isn’t one of your strengths, a Wedding Planner can save you between 200-300 hours of wedding planning.

 Very often the misconception about Wedding Planners is that we’re an extravagant expense, where in fact by using a Professional Wedding Planner you get your time back to concentrate on the things you enjoy the most – have I mentioned that we can take a lot of the stress away with our service too?

 How much value do you put on your spare time? Can you afford giving up 200-300 hours for wedding planning? Let me know in the comment box below.

2.      CREATING A PLAN

Wedding Planning involves juggling both smaller and bigger projects as part of the overall wedding plan.

Wedding Planners create personalised timelines for your wedding and ensure everything happens seamlessly. All the while arranging all those necessary appointments, fittings and consultations on your behalf and keeping your wedmin on track. That way you enjoy the fun part only.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to have all those appointments organised for you and taken care of? Give me ❤️ in the comment box below if you agree.

3.      CREATING AND MANAGING A BUDGET

It is often part of our service to create a realistic wedding budget and ensuring it is met – having worked in the wedding industry for years and with hundreds of vendors and suppliers, we understand the market that we’re in daily and we can easily navigate through estimates for you.

We can also easily understand what it takes to turn your dream wedding day vision into reality, while providing your accurate guidance.

Do you know how many couples stick to their wedding budget? Up to 20% of couples struggle to keep their wedding budget on track. Does this surprise you? Give me a YES or NO in the comment box below.

4.      SAVING MONEY AND MAXIMISING YOUR BUDGET

Reverting to the previous point about wedding budgets, we can truly maximise your budget and save where you might not have anticipated. This is where we can guide you and make recommendations in allocating resources based on your priorities.

Imagine sourcing your decorations for your ceremony and a separate set for your reception – is this the best way to use your resources? Maybe it is, but it is our job to understand your budget and help you make clever decisions on what’s truly important to you.

Are you maximising your budget and making the best decisions?

5.      SOURCING YOUR VENUE

Having worked for clusters of venues in my career including city center hotels, mansion houses, country estates and marquee venues, in addition to having a vast network of venue contacts from my time working for an international wedding venue directory in Scotland, I can easily identify venues that are best suited to your requirements.

Additionally, there are so many ways in which you can maximise your wedding budget when considering wedding venues. I’ve recently saved one of my couples the cost of my part-wedding planning package by choosing their venue based on their set criteria, while having my support along their exciting wedding planning journey.

What is / was the most important aspect to you when considering wedding venues? Let me know in the comment box below.

6.      SOURCING AND NEGOTIATING WITH SUPPLIERS

Wedding Planners have got a very unique ability to source and negotiate with vendors and suppliers based on the fact that we’re well connected and work with suppliers we know will provide you with the best products and services.

You could almost say that booking suppliers through your Wedding Planner gives you a guarantee of quality, as we don’t easily give our personal recommendations. Because of this loyal relationship with our industry partners we’ve got the bargaining power for you.

Can you believe that a Wedding Planner can save you on average up to 20% of your wedding budget spend using trade deals? Give me 🌟 in the comments below if you’d be happy with this saving?

7.      LIAISING WITH ALL SUPPLIERS AND VENUE ON YOUR BEHALF

When you choose to work on your wedding plans with a Professional Wedding Planner, we will liaise with your venue and suppliers on the smallest of details by becoming your one and only point of contact for the entire wedding planning journey and be the main person who takes care of all wedmin for you.

Doesn’t that sound amazing? Give me YES in the comment box below if you’d love to have wedmin all taken care of for you.

8.      CONDUCTING THE BACKGROUND RESEARCH

Your Wedding Planner could be your ‘fixer’ and as previously mentioned we draw from an extensive network of connections and years of experience and research.

The chances are that when we recommend a supplier or venue to you, we’ve worked with them before on a wedding or a project, and if we haven’t, they always come with the highest recommendation from those partners we already work with. Either way, we ensure we vet all suppliers before making our recommendations and provide you with our own set of pointers and observations, making decision making a lot easier.

How much time on average does it take to plan your wedding including all the research?

A.     100 hours?

B.     200-300 hours?

C.      500 hours?

Let me know in the comment box below.

9.      HELPING YOU STYLE

Many couples often have a few ideas aided by our experience we put these ideas into a cohesive and stylish vision for your special day.

Working with the best of the best in the industry we come up with moodboards that will perfectly highlight your personal and unique aspirations for your desired wedding day.

Would it be easier for you to have your wedding vision drawn out for you?

10.      ORGANISING YOUR GUESTLIST

Guestlist management is often part of the full wedding planning package and this is the element which probably takes the most of your wedding planning admin time.

As wedding planners we can take care of all your RSVPs, organizing them cohesively into tables with all requirements clearly noted.

Additionally, we can be that one point of contact that can take the stress of responding to all FAQs on your behalf and updating your wedding day website.

Anyone who finds this part most challenging give me YES in the comment box below.

11.      RUNNING THE SHOW

With On The Day Coordination Package we can ensure that all those months of wedding planning come together – call us Master of Ceremonies, Conductors or On the Day Coordinators, our job is make sure that the entire focus is on the two of you and that we make it happen for you.

This includes managing suppliers, setup, organising the flow of the day, handling any on-the-day emergencies all the while soothing nerves and providing a helping hand.

This service is particularly popular with our full and part wedding planning packages or with couples booking dry hire venues or venues.

Would it not be amazing to have a professional making your dream wedding vision happen behind the scenes for you? Let me know your thoughts in the comment box below.

12.      GIVING YOU SUPPORT AND ADVICE WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST

Finally, the most important element of working with a wedding planner is relying on a person who is available at a time that works for you, for us this is not a regular 9-5 job, this is passion and this is commitment to you and your guests.

We are there to advocate for you, while offering sound and objective advice, and we never get bored talking about weddings… has this given you a better idea on the benefits of working with a Professional Wedding Planner for your most important day?

Feel free to share your worries, concerns or questions in the comment box below or privately email them to me. I’d love to help with things small and big – I’d love to make things easier for you!

Your ceremony reading recommendations by The Wedding Guru Oskar

YOUR CEREMONY READING RECOMMENDATIONS

by The Wedding Guru Oskar

Before we get started with my ceremony readings recommendations, I wanted to let you know about my weekly Facebook Lives Interviews with my expert guest speakers on Thursdays at 6pm.

If you’ve missed my previous sessions - you can access them all on my YouTube channel by clicking on the image above.

All my Facebook Live Interviews are streamed live on Thursdays at 6pm on my Facebook Page and in my Facebook Group - follow the links to subscribe.

As it stands, in majority of cases, only small marriage registrations and ceremonies are permitted at the moment and there’s quite a few couples I’ve been working with recently on their intimate ceremony arrangements.

This is why, I thought to share with you some of my ceremony reading recommendation in the following paragraphs.

Have you picked your ceremony readings already? Or have you got a favourite reading in mind?

Feel free to share your ideas in the comments below to help other couples with inspiration.

The first recommendation that I would like to propose is a reading from Stephen Curtis Chapman – “I will be here”.

What do you think about this reading option?

Let me know in the comments below.

The second recommendation that I would like to share with you is “Maybe” by an Unknown author.

It is a lovely tale about how varied ways love can be found.

Have you found your favourite reading yet? Comment YES in the comment box below.

In this paragraph, I would like to bring to you a reading from Jim Reeves – “I love you because”.

It’s almost an ode to the reasons why we love - it can help you voice your gratitude for the one you love in your ceremony.

Have you considered this type of reading for your ceremony?

Are you a fan of books, films and music/song lyrics?

Well… I’m not sure if you knew already, but you can also incorporate them into your ceremonies.

How about “Les Miserable” by Victor Hugo?

I find this reading having so much depth to why we love – what do you think?

You might have also noticed that I am sucker for an inspirational quote and if you can’t decide on a full reading, why not research your favourite quotes on love?

When I was younger, I used to hold a journal of my favourite quote which still sit proudly in my Mum’s book cabinets.

One quote from this journal remains my favourite to this day and it is from AA Milne – “Winnie the Pooh”.

Don’t you just love it?

Another reading I would like to propose to you is “Love” by Roy Croft.

It is such a beautiful reading – don’t you think?

It almost an ode of gratitude to the one we love – it could make a beautiful start or end to the wedding ceremony in my opinion – what do you think?

Finally, I would like to go down the memory lane to my own wedding in 2018 and this is a yet another proof that you don’t need to stick to poetry if it doesn’t feel right for your special day.

We’ve decided to start our ceremony with an extract from “Nightmare before Christmas” – it just felt like us and made the perfect entrance to the vows we were about to exchange.

What do you think of this choice? If you would like some help with the choice of readings for your ceremony, speak to your celebrant or wedding planner – we’ve got plenty suggestions at the ready for you!

Lastly, I would also like to share one more piece for your reading list – “Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns.

Our wedding overall was rich in our two cultures and infused into all areas of our wedding day. This is why the reading from Robert Burn felt right again and allowed us to pay respects to the Scottish heritage of our friends and family.

Once again, this piece has a very ode like feeling to it, don’t you think?

If there’s any other readings you’ve used or like to recommend to the couples following my page – pop them in the comments below or send me a message in the forms below.

Effective ways to plan your wedding guest list - by The Wedding Guru Oskar!

EFFECTIVE WAYS TO PLAN YOUR WEDDING GUEST LIST

In response to one of the most recent requests on how to plan your guest list, I decided to come up with my own outlook on how you can best tackle this daunting for many task.

In the following paragraphs I am sharing with you my top tips on planning a guest list.

As always, feel free to share your own opinions in the comments below as we all might have different and just as useful approaches.

START EARLY

For those of you that already know me and follow me for a while – you might be right – it’s to START it EARLY!

I don’t believe any of you would want to start wedding planning without knowing who your wedding guests are.

Additionally, having this list started before you’ve even approached any suppliers or venues can become very useful for many reasons including budgeting, venue and supplier’s suitability, catering etc., etc.

The reality is with most things in wedding planning that the more work you do early, the easier things will get closer to your wedding day and ultimately, knowing your guest list inside out, will help you design your wedding day better.

Have you started your wedding planning with a guest list first?

THE SPLIT

The next thing I would focus on in planning your guest list is to divvy up the split between yourselves and your family, especially if your parents or family are supporting your wedding efforts financially.

It might also be important to discuss this element early, so that you understand the scale of your wedding, set the expectations of numbers each person can invite and only consider those venues, suppliers and caterers that can accommodate for your numbers.

I’ve been there! Many families want to invite all those important to them guests, however, the reality of budgets, venue capacities and catering can be a lot different, this is why, it is important to ensure you’ve all agreed on your split early on, in order to avoid disappointment further down the line.

Do you find conversations with the family about your wedding a little overwhelming? I’ve been there too! Everyone has their opinion, right? But, is everyone right? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

LIST A & LIST B

My next tip for managing your guest list is to have two wedding guests lists… and you might think – why do I need two guest lists? Allow me to explain the logic behind this for you…

LIST A will include all those guests that are a must at your wedding, and therefore you might want to send those invitations early.

LIST B on the other hand, is for those guests that you might really want to invite to the wedding, but due to budget constraints or venue capacity limitation you physically cannot. This is also why, you might want to send your LIST A invitations early, so that should you receive any declined RSVPs from this list, you might want to start inviting your guests in the order of importance from your LIST B without upsetting anyone.

What do you think of this idea? Let me know in the comments below.

POLITE RESPONSE

 This next tip might come in very handy as you are meeting people who you haven’t invited to your wedding and they have “expected” an invitation.

This might come up in conversations as you attend other family, work or friend’s events in the lead up to your special day – after all, everyone will know you’re getting married.

It is important to have a polite response why you’ve been unable to invite them, and you don’t want to upset them.

Should they challenge you with this question, make them feel like you really wanted to invite them, but you simply couldn’t. Making them feel like you were cutting them out, might not go down as well…

How about: “We really wanted to celebrate with absolutely everyone – wouldn’t that be fun? It is because of our venue limitations; we’ve had to keep things smaller than we initially wanted and we’ve just fallen in love with the place!”

Would you have any other suggestions? Share them in the comments below.

CHILDREN

 Including or not including children to your wedding is always a hot topic and I can understand why you might be having this dilemma.

The reality is that you don’t have to have children at your wedding, but you must make this decision very early on and make it crystal clear if you’ve decided not to have children at your wedding.

Some couples advise of this in Save the Date cards, meaning that families can make early arrangements for childcare and this does not come to them as a surprise if your invitations are only sent out a few months before your wedding date.

If you decide to invite children to attend your wedding, your next task will be to figure out how you’re going to keep them amazed, entertained and occupied – simply catering for them will not do the trick I’m afraid!

EVENING GUESTS

Guest list planning might also involve considering evening reception guests for some couples.

Once again, this will very much depend on your budgets and venue capacities, so you might want to make this decision quite early on.

Most of the time those invitations are reserved for your work collages or plus ones if you’re limited in capacity for your daytime celebrations.

Would you consider inviting evening guests to your wedding? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

TABLE PLANNING

The next step you would like to make in planning your guest list is to arrange it into tables.

To help you with that, you might want to ask for a sample room layout from your venue, so that you know where the tables go and in what order you want to seat your guests from your top table – if you are having one.

There are many table planning services out there, including My Scotland Wedding who can help you with that, easily and effectively.

The reasons behind doing it earlier rather than at the point of RSVPs deadline is that within the last month prior to your wedding, you’ll have many confirmations to make and your pre-organised table plan which will only need small adjustments at that point, will be one less thing you’ll need to worry about.

Statistically, your numbers will only change by up to 10% at the point of your RSVPs, so it makes sense to get yourself organised early.

More importantly, I’ve heard many couples saying that table planning is a time-consuming task and you don’t want to leave it to the last minute. It’s not about physically adding guests to tables (because that’d be easy) and more about making sure that your tables work in terms of capacity, table dynamics, family politics, etc.

Would you rather plan your tables early, or would you choose to wait until you get your RSVPs? Let me know in the comments below.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

When planning your guest list you will also need to consider your guests dietary and special requirements.

The reason why I haven’t only used dietary requirements is that your guests might have other requirements that it is important to 1) acknowledge and 2) accommodate for within your venue or setup.

All caterers nowadays can cater for all dietary requirements, so don’t worry about communicating those to them and they will ensure you guests are well looked after.

RSVP SUBMISSIONS

My next tip on planning for your guest list relates mostly to online RSVP software, although can also relate to paper RSVPs too.

There are many RSVP management software providers out there these days, however, what is often forgotten about (and I’ve seen this many times), they are not always set to one response per submission, meaning that you might end up with a one submission for the entire family and then you’re left which checking who that “vegetarian guest” is in this and many other submissions… make sure you check the setting in advance of sending out the link to your guests.

This can also apply to paper RSVPs and the best way to avoid this happening, is to send out individually named RSVPs. This also reinstates exactly who has been invited to the wedding – remember the tip about not inviting children or not, this could work as a reminder.

Have you heard of multiple RSVP submissions per form before? Let me know in the comments below.

MENU

Another thing you might want to consider adding to your guest list plan is to send out your menu or the link to it in your invitation.

This will avoid guests changing their mind on the day of the wedding if you have opted for a set menu and will allow them to select the alternative option suitable for dietary requirements – this makes things a lot more organised in advance of your special day.

Additionally, this is particularly important if you’re planning for a choice menu – again one submission per form is critical here too!

Would you add anything else to your invitations to ensure everyone is catered and accommodated for? Let me know in the comments below.

DEADLINE

Setting a deadline for your invitations for 2-1 months before your wedding, will give you more time to organise them clearly.

This deadline will also give you the time for chasing late responses and organising your table plan before you need to focus on the final confirmations for your wedding in the last few weeks before the big date.

Would you agree with this deadline?

UPDATES

Your next step after receiving your RSVPs would be to update your tables plan.

If you have been organised as previously advised in my latest posts, you should have your guests provisionally added to tables already.

This should mean small alterations rather than starting from scratch and from a long large list of guests and taking into consideration all other aspects of good table planning.

If you would like to find out more about how to manage your wedding planning time more effectively, follow this link for my FREE 3 step guide.

CHANGES

Finally, if you have followed my guest list planning tips lately, you will already know that I like a no-hassle approach for my couples and therefore my last tip for you is not to discuss or share your final table plan with anyone in the lead up to your big day!

This will prevent from last minute headaches caused by guests “politely requesting” to be seated elsewhere because of XYZ reasons.

These last-minute changes are the last thing you need when you’re finalising everything else for your special day and you’ve already worked so hard in making sure you’ve considered everyone by this point.

Now, it’s time for you to enjoy your special day and see your guests having a great time! You’ve done a cracking job! Well done! Now, go and enjoy it all!

Bridal Preparation Advice by The Wedding Guru Oskar

BRIDAL PREPARATION ADVICE BY THE WEDDING GURU OSKAR

Many Brides often wonder how the morning of their wedding could look like and although it might often seem like an organised chaos, there’s a few things you can consider in preparation to your special day.

Over the next few paragraphs, I will be bringing to you a list of things that will make this process easier and more relaxed, so that you can enjoy this moment of pampering before your all-important marriage ceremony.

Is there any part of the morning of the wedding you’re most concerned about or looking forward to?

Let me know your thoughts on this subject in the comments below – the more the merrier and many Brides might find your personal opinion useful!

LIST OF JOBS

My number one advice is to create a list of jobs which you can delegate to your Maid of Honour, Bridesmaids, your Groom-to-be, Best Man, Ushers, Parents, etc.

You won’t be able to do it all by yourself and you don’t have to! There’s a reason why you’ve selected these important people to give you a helping hand on the most important day of your life!

Trust me, they’ll also love having the responsibility and being involved.

It might also be a good idea to have these lists printed for them and given out on the morning of the wedding.

GOOD NIGHT SLEEP

This applies to Brides or Grooms, having stag dos or hen dos on the night prior to your wedding is definitely not a good idea, nor is it staying up late, and although you might have a lot going through your head, try and relax and put your head to rest at a reasonable time.

Your wedding day goes fast but it is also a long day with most preparations starting around 8am.

There are many solutions that might help you relax on the night prior to your wedding such as essential oils, relaxing music or ambient lighting.

Have you got any suggestions on how best to relax before your sleep? Remember sharing is caring and all advice can be found helpful!

BREAKFAST

Don’t underestimate a good base and start to your day!

This is particularly important and although you might not feel like eating much, make sure you have what you enjoy for breakfast and that is also fairly filling, as your first meal after that will be your Wedding Breakfast, normally served around 5pm.

You simply don’t want to be feeling faintly, hungry or dehydrated on the day of your wedding, so please make sure you take this part seriously!

If you’re planning to nibble on things throughout the day – it might be useful to purchase the same lipstick your make up artist will be using on the morning of your wedding, for touch ups.

THE SPACE

It is very important to consider the space you’ll be getting ready in too!

Does it have plenty daylight? Does it have easy access to the bathroom? Is it large enough for your group? Is it equipped with enough of and correct furnishings for hair and make up?

If you’ve decided to get ready at your venue – has it got a dedicated room which is setup for this purpose?

Have you decided if you’ll be getting ready at home or at your venue?

TIMINGS

It is imperative to get your timings right, because you do not want to feel rushed on the morning of your wedding. You want to create as much of a relaxing atmosphere as possible, right?

Good idea is to put your hair and make up teams in touch with each other and listen to their advice – they’ll know exactly how much time will be needed to make sure you’ve also got some spare time for breaks and any emergencies.

There are also businesses out there that provide a full service in one place for you – if you’re not sure of how to “marry” the two together, you might want to consider that option too.

DRESSES

It is advisable to keep your dresses out of the bags and hang as high as possible to let the fabric breath.

If your dresses need to be transported on the morning of your wedding, you might need to place them in a steamy shower room to get rid of the creases from transport.

On the other hand, if you will need to arrange for steaming service for the morning of your wedding, make sure you arrange this well in advance as a lot of dry-cleaning businesses will be closed at the weekends.

Additionally, you might want to keep your dress as far away from any make up and bring in a specialist to help you get in your dress when you’re ready. Remember, your Bridesmaids might have never done this before and they will also be wearing make up already.

Is there anything else you’d add to the care necessary to look after your wedding dress on the morning of your wedding? Comment below!

GATEKEEPER & PEACEMAKERS

Having a dedicated person or a Wedding Planner on the morning of your wedding can save you many unnecessary conversations or “helpful” visits. The less people helping, the better too!

Nobody will question if your Mum or Wedding Planner opens the doors and says you’re busy with the photographer 😊

A few years ago, when I was assisting a Bride, all was going to plan until the zip on one of the bridesmaid dresses broke off completely! The only option was to sew her in. I took on this challenge, having stocked my pockets with a sewing kit. My skills must have been rather good as the thread wasn’t visible and lasted well until the night. The bride and I still giggle over this.

MARRIAGE SCHEDULE

I’ve seen this forgotten about so many times especially when the ceremony is held at a venue.

Somebody must be made responsible to bring your marriage schedule on the morning of your wedding to the venue.

Without it, legal marriage cannot take place, and this is another reason why delegating jobs in advance is so important.

Would you add anything else to my list of preparations to the morning of your wedding day?

Finally, ENJOY IT!

It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to have this experience!

If you’ve taken care of all previously mentioned steps, you should have a fabulous morning, filled with heartfelt words, beautiful emotions, improvised toasts and plenty chat, giggles, fizz and nibbles.

As mentioned previously, the day goes within a blink of an eye, so take the time to capture mental snapshots of it all.

Now, go on, put that gorgeous dress on and meet your guests and most importantly, nervously awaiting your arrival other half!

Useful things to be aware of when planning for a wedding in Scotland!

Useful things to be aware of when planning for a wedding in Scotland!

Scottish weddings in particular, might be slightly different to other traditions you might be aware of, especially when you’re planning a destination wedding in Scotland – this might also be useful for our English friends beyond Hadrian’s wall who plan to get married in Scotland.

Wedding Day Schedule

Unlike in some other parts of the world, it is considered unlucky in Scotland for the couple to see one another before the official wedding ceremony so if you’re used to first look photos, this might come to you as a surprise that here, we start with separately taken preparations photos and official couple photos post-ceremony. This is why, traditionally ceremonies in Scotland start between 12 noon and 2pm, although a professional wedding planner can tailor a wedding day schedule specifically to your desired outcomes.

Ceremonies

You might be surprised that neither civil nor religious ceremonies are the most popular forms of legal marriage registration here… that’s right! Scotland, unlike England (although we’re all in the UK) is one of those very few places in the world where Humanist and Independent ceremonies take over the traditional forms of legal marriage registration, the reason for that is that couples have a lot more freedom and can personalise their ceremony a lot more when choosing a Humanist or Independent Celebrant to conduct their legal ceremony. And, it is the celebrant that carries the license, that is why in Scotland you can marry at the top of a hill, outdoors, indoors or in a family backyard – how could you not love this level of flexibility and freedom, right?

Gratuity

It is not as popularly considered at weddings as it is in other parts of the world and if you do decide to offer gratuity to your suppliers or venue in the UK, it is considered a very generous thank you gesture for an excellent service you’ve received. Remember that in the UK, minimum wages and unit prices are regulated that is why some services or products might seem more expensive than in other parts of the world.

Wedding world language

WOW, this is indeed a very exciting topic! For us in the UK, phrases such as Wedding Breakfast, Drinks Reception, Canapes, etc. are so obvious nowadays, however, they might not be as obvious for those couples who are starting to learn about our traditions, so let me bring to you a few of those phrases and their alternatives:

Wedding Breakfast - named as this for it is the first meal for a married couple, it is in fact - a Wedding Meal

Drinks Reception – otherwise known as the Cocktail Hour, this one take place post-ceremony when guests are entertained with canapes and drinks, giving the couple time for professional photography and venue the time to turn things round or complete the final setup touches

Buttonhole – otherwise known as Boutonniere, often floral decorative piece worn by men on their left lapel

Canapes – also known as Hors d’oeuvres, often taster sized savory or sweet refreshments served during the Drinks Reception

Starter / Main Course – might be also referred to as Appetisers / Entree

Chief Bridesmaid – often referred to as Maid (single) or Matron (married) of Honor, the most important person in Bride’s line of Wedding Party, normally assisting the Bride and standing right beside her during the ceremony

Open Bar – term a lot more popular in the Americas, as alcohol sales in the UK are a lot more restricted and regulated with venue licenses, minimum unit pricing and alcohol measures. In the UK, this might be referred to as an Account Bar, where couple pre-pays or pre-orders additional drinks for the guests to enjoy through the wedding day in accordance with the above-mentioned regulations

Additional charges

Some venues and vendors in the UK might charge an additional security deposit which is to cover any damages, normally refundable, but it is important you are aware of this so you’re not surprised last minute that you’ve got to have this amount put aside in addition to your final payments

Additionally, some venues and vendors might or might not include taxes such as VAT in their quotes – so make sure you always ask the question as standard VAT in the UK is 20%, which again could affect your wedding budget especially if this relates to venue hire or catering

Seasonality

In the UK, we’re both, blessed and coursed by the weather conditions, but you would always want to have a bad weather Plan B in place, no matter if your wedding takes place in June, July or December, January – I in fact got married in January and had a lot nicer day for my wedding then that of the first two weeks of June this year.

Additionally, you might want to consider the benefits of daylight – once again we’re blessed with it in the summer and cursed with it in the winter. Because of the far north location of Scotland (similar to that of Norway) we can enjoy up to 18 hours of sun in the summer months and as little as 6 hours of sun light in the middle of the winter, so this is particularly important when considering venues and locations for your wedding photography – also important to consider this in your wedding day schedule.

Things NOT to miss for your wedding ceremony!

Did you like the post-lockdown trends I have explored for you in my last blog?

I have now decided to focus on something more practical and share with you my advice about the most important element of your wedding - your ceremony.⁠

There'd be no wedding without it, so I'd like to give it some much deserved attention in the coming days, so stay tuned in and watch out for my tips rolling in day by day for you.⁠

LOCATION

Firstly, let's focus on the location...⁠

You might think that this is a personal choice and an obvious element to consider first, but why?⁠

Venue ceremony licences believe it or not vary across the UK and for instance, in England your desired and dreamt about venue might not be licensed to host your legal ceremony.⁠

Some venues might also charge you an additional ceremony fee and in some cases holding ceremony and reception in the same or different venue might offer you some benefits, such as an option to re-purpose your decorations or reallocate your budget towards other elements of your wedding.⁠

Finally, if you're dreaming of an outdoors ceremony - have you considered what your contingency is on a wet day?⁠ Have you given much in-depth thought to your ceremony location?⁠

CEREMONY OFFICIANT

Ceremony officiant is another area of your wedding ceremony you will need to focus on.⁠

Dependent on your wedding destination you might be able to consider an independent or religious ceremony which are legally binding, however, there are destination in which you might need to do marriage registration separate from your religious or independent ceremony.⁠

Moreover, civil ceremonies are traditionally a lot shorter and less personalised, so you might need to think if this option is for you. Normally, you will also not get to choose your civil Registrar and will only meet him/her on the day of your wedding.⁠

If you choose to have an independent, humanist or religious ceremony, you'll have a lot more choice and say in the format of your ceremony, however, you must remember that their availability might be limited so I highly recommend aligning your plans with their availability and booking them as one of the first ones.⁠

Did you expect to have to give so much consideration to your ceremony?⁠

MARRIAGE LEGALITIES AND REQUIREMENTS

Legal parts of your ceremony are particularly important if you're planning for a destination wedding.⁠

There might be certain local regulations that you will need to fulfil in order to carry out a legally binding ceremony registration, so it is worth contacting your designated Registration Office at your destination to find out more details.⁠

Some couples choose to obtain legal registration on their home ground before travelling for their symbolic ceremony at a foreign destination to avoid any legal complications.⁠

Remember that no matter the destination or location of your ceremony, you will be required to give notice of your intend to marry, this notice period vary dependent on local laws and regulations.⁠

All in all, you want to ensure that you do everything required of you to have a legally binding marriage.⁠

How do you feel about the rules and regulations on marriage? Let me know in the comments below.⁠

CEREMONY MUSIC

Ceremony music is incredibly important to consider early on, especially if you'd like your ceremony to be accompanied by a live music from a harpist, string quarter, pianist, Piper... you name it - they get booked up years in advance too.⁠

Music at ceremonies is often used to fill those important gaps, such as marriage schedule signing, group photographs or simply accompanying hymns or readings.⁠

This is why you might want to consider what music pieces you'd like for your ceremony, when they are to be played and how they will be played, from the beginning of your wedding planning journey.⁠

If you're choosing pre-recorded music for your ceremony, ensure you've got the appropriate equipment for this and that you've got a reliable person briefed on how to work your device and your playlists.⁠

Have you given much through to your ceremony music? Let me know in the comments below.⁠

CEREMONY READINGS

What are your thoughts on readings and hymns at wedding ceremonies?⁠

With humanist ceremonies becoming the most popular in Scotland, personalised readings and hymns are highly encouraged.⁠

Couples aren't only limited to a small selection of readings at it happens with civil or religious ceremonies, they can in fact pick and choose their preferred items for this.⁠

Two years ago at our wedding, we've incorporated "A Red, Red Rose" by the Scottish poet Robert Burn.⁠

What poem or reading comes to your mind first when thinking of your wedding ceremony? Have you got any favourites?⁠

CEREMONY SCRIPT AND VOWS

Ceremony script and wedding vows writing has become a lot more popular in recent years and with more independent and humanist ceremonies taking place around the world, you can now not only personalise your vows, but also write your entire ceremony script with the help of your celebrant - something that Tim Maguire - Humanist Celebrant shared with you on a few occasions now in my online wedding fayres and instagram take overs.⁠

Would you like your ceremony script and vows to be personal and written by you and about you?⁠

This is definitely something you could now consider in humanist and independent ceremonies.⁠

CEREMONY DECORATING

Ceremony decorating is another topic I wanted to touch upon with you, especially from a logistical stand point.⁠

Some venues might offer early setup and some might not be able to do so. This is why it is important to ensure you check your venues' setup capabilities in advance of committing to logistically challenging setup arrangements.⁠

Additionally, it is important to check with your venue about any other limitations such as height, wall decorating, fixtures etc. to avoid disappointment.⁠

Finally, you can definitely see you wedding budget stretch further if you decide to re-purpose your ceremony decorations - you will also need to consider the logistics of that. Will your venue be able to do so or will you need your florist to stay longer for the turnaround?⁠

CEREMONY SEATING AND PROCESSION ORDER

Have you considered your ceremony seating and processional arrangements?⁠

Will you be offering your guests formal or informal seating and if it is formal who will be responsible to ensure this happens correctly?⁠

The same questions relates to Bridal processions:⁠

- will you be going in first or last?⁠

- will your Bridesmaids be entering with ushers or alone?⁠

- will your Mum be seated by Best Man?⁠

- will you be having flower girls and page boys?⁠

- what will be the order of procession?⁠

Have you given much thought to this and did you know there was so much choice? Let me know in the comments below.⁠

TRANSPORTATION

I often ask couples how their guests are arriving to the ceremony, because, there's so much to consider for it.⁠

If your ceremony and reception take place across two different venues - how will your guests move between them?⁠ .

If your venue is in the city centre, the question falls on distance from the nearest airport, train station and supply of car parking spaces.⁠

You would also want to ensure that your guests don't arrive to the venue too early or two late and vice versa that you don't arrive to the venue too early or too late.⁠

I remember once in my career having Bride and her entourage 30 minutes in advance of the ceremony - I sent them on "a city sightseeing tour" until all the guests were seated 😁⁠

Finally, always consider your travel arrangements, timings and distance if you're arriving to the venue in a car from a longer distance on the day of your wedding.⁠

WEDDING GIFTS AND CARDS

One element of the ceremony is often forgotten about by wedding couples - gifts and cards.⁠

Although wedding lists are particularly popular for weddings these days, your guests might still decide to bring along a symbolic congratulations card or a personalised gift along to the wedding.⁠

The question is - what happens with these? Who will look after them and how will they be safely stored?⁠

I highly recommend a safe deposit space or facility and to allocate one responsible Usher or wedding party member to help you look after these on the day of your wedding.⁠

How did you find my ceremony tips in this blog post? Have you found them useful? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below or simply comment YES!

Creative ideas for your lockdown wedding anniversary!

I have recently talked about what you could do if your wedding got postponed and since then one of my former couples approached me asking what I recommend they do for their anniversary, as their plans also got cancelled and they still want to celebrate, but before I go into more details…

Have you heard about my brand new FREE guide - “3 Mistakes to Avoid while Wedding Planning - Expert Advice for Busy Couples”?

CLICK the button below to download your FREE copy today:

I thought the subject of creative ideas for lockdown wedding anniversaries could be interesting for many reasons to you too and this is why I wanted share them with you, so I am starting with something I might also do during this quarantine with my hubby - create a wedding memorabilia scrapbook!⁠

I got married over two years ago now and I still have boxes from our wedding in cupboards. I think it happens to us all, whether we go on honeymoon right away or not, when we return to work, we all get busy and these little memories wait for some free time to arrange them all.⁠

There's simply no better time than now to go through it all and create these beautiful scrapbooks, photo albums, picture frames and other things we've been planning to organise for so long!⁠

Imagine how romantic it would be to read out your vows once again to one another on your wedding anniversary 😍⁠

What do you think of this ideas? I always wonder how many couples would remember or save the wording of their ceremony vows.

Who doesn't like a nice spa treatment?⁠

I think we all know the answer to this question! So, why not treat one another with an at-home spa treatment! Brilliant idea, right?⁠

How many of you will give this idea a LIKE?⁠

I think that this - 1) gives couples an opportunity to spend time pampering one another and who doesn't like that? and 2) a brilliant opportunity to unwind and relax.⁠

Why not pop open that bottle of bubbly you've been saving for a special occasion?⁠

⁠
Or maybe you've not had that signature cocktail from your wedding day since your special day? Treat yourself!⁠

There's no rule against raising a glass and toast to spending the rest of your lives together again!⁠

Simply, celebrate in style your at-home anniversary this year!⁠

Finally, how about dressing up in your wedding outfits once again and in the comfort of your own house, dance your first dance once more?⁠

How romantic would that be, right?⁠

Most importantly, would you still remember all the steps?⁠

Hit the LIKE button if you liked my ideas on how you could celebrate your anniversary during the current lockdown.⁠

Fell free to also share your ideas, photos and stories in the comments below - I LOVE A LOVE STORY!⁠

P.S. If you would like to learn brand new ideas daily, simply follow me on Instagram today - @theweddingguru_oskar

THANK YOU for attending our Online Wedding Fayre!

A massive thank you to all of you that have attended our ONLINE WEDDING FAYRE yesterday lunch time!

We had a great day filled with a line up of award winning wedding experts sharing their wedding tips and hints in Facebook Lives, giving couples the opportunity to ask questions and interact with our speakers just like you would have at a wedding exhibition.

If you have missed this one-off event, worry not!

THERE'S STILL TIME FOR YOU TO JOIN OUR GROUP AND WATCH ALL THE VIDEO ON #REPEAT

Are you still planning for wedding day photography, ceremony scripts, what to consider when buying your wedding dress or how to impress your guests with breath-taking florals and your first dance?

The feedback below speaks for itself so weather you're feeling confident with your wedding plans or not, you'll want to grab a pen and notebook as these experts share some of their biggest secrets in these video sessions.

Should you have any questions, comment #REPEAT + your  question and our experts will come back to you with the answer.

With warmest regards,
Oskar.

With Oskar, you know you're in the most capable hands! He's professional, warm, super organised and diligent - nothing was too much trouble for him and he knows the wedding industry inside out!

Michelle, The Bride

Is your wedding affected by Coronavirus??? Worry not! I CAN HELP!

Are you worried your destination wedding could be impacted by Coronavirus?

It is expected that weddings that involve international travel will be affected first. Additionally, shipments of wedding items such as outfits, welcome bags, favours and memorabilia might be also affected.

No matter the challenge, there’s always a solution, so don’t let the panic set in! I want to keep this blog post positive by proposing some value solutions for your consideration.

Is your wedding to be in the affected area?

There are two solutions here really, postpone your date or consider hosting your wedding in your home country. For those clients of mine who choose to bring their wedding back to the UK or Scotland, I can secure locally sourced and recommended suppliers to ensure you’re covered under all circumstances.

Are you unable to move your wedding?

In case of any cancellations, understand all policies involved and if you’re booking travel, ensure you opt in for flexible cancellation terms. It is also highly recommended to obtain fully comprehensive travel insurance for all of your travels during the Coronavirus outbreak.

If your guests will also be travelling to your wedding, plan for smaller numbers, just in case, to avoid disappointment.

Are you beginning to shop for a wedding dress or awaiting its shipment?

I highly recommend working with your local dress designers or even consider purchasing your dress off-the-rack if your wedding is only under three months away. This is to avoid disappointment, and ensure that you don’t set your heart on a dress that may not be ready on time. You can always ask for local alterations to ensure you love your selected dress.

The same applies to any accessories you might have ordered or considered to order from China – under the current circumstances you might want to consider shopping locally or be creative with what’s available in the shops just now.

Are you only a few weeks away from your special day? Worry not!

It’s OK to plan for everything to go on as it is, but remember to stay informed and ensure you seek regular updates from your vendors.

It is also highly beneficial to keep your wedding website updated for your guests, so you can avoid numerous questions from your family and friends.

You might also consider streaming the most important parts of your wedding to your elderly and vulnerable guests.

Are you just starting to plan your wedding?

Plan ahead – you will have learnt that these are my favourite words! Don’t leave the big decision to the last minute, but most of all don’t panic! Weddings are normally planned for at least one to two years in advance, so if you’re making your plans for a wedding in 2021 or even further away, you shouldn’t worry. Make sure you check your cancellation policies and don’t underappreciate the value of wedding insurance!

If your destination wedding is being impacted by Coronavirus and you don’t know how to combat your challenges – I can help you! If you were to consider to move your wedding back home, I can take care of all the important arrangements including sourcing locally recommend suppliers to ensure we can bring your dream wedding vision to life in the UK!

Venue Wedding Coordinator vs. Independent Wedding Planner

Over the past three weeks I was asked to present my Guide to Effective Wedding Planning talk at wedding open days, wedding fair and wedding showcases throughout Scotland.

At the end of these presentations, I was often asked by couples: "What is a Wedding Planner?" and "How does your role differ from their Venue Coordinator?"⁠⠀
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In few pointers below, I would like to bring to you the differences between my past venue roles and my current independent wedding planning role.⁠

I want to reassure you upfront that Venue Coordinators and Wedding Planners complement themselves in their efforts and can truly work together on creating the most magical day for you and your guests!

Firstly, let’s begin with a little bit about my background. I've been a Venue Coordinator for many years and at times I used to look after over 100 weddings each year across up to three venues.⁠⠀

Let's put this into perspective, many Venue Coordinators do an amazing job, win national awards for their excellent work and provide the best service possible, just like I did! Nevertheless, I'm sure a lot of you will agree that over 100 weddings each year is a lot!⁠⠀

My aim as an Independent Wedding Planner is to focus on 10 very special wedding celebrations per year and truly provide a top class service to each and every one of my couples! That's less than one wedding per month - can you see the benefits to that?⁠⠀

Another interesting factual difference is wedding suppliers relationship.⁠⠀

As a Venue Coordinator, I booked suppliers included in our packages such as Piper, Toastmaster, Linen Company, however, for all other requests I would have had my Recommended Suppliers List for couples to approach separately.⁠⠀

Now, that I work with couples directly, I can take care of all admin related to booking your wedding suppliers. Not only will I negotiate your rates (preferential trade rates, often in turn covering my fee), but I can also liaise and book those suppliers for you, without the need for you to worry about anything - removing the stress factor completely!⁠⠀

This is the area couples feel most overwhelmed by majority of the time, with managing multiple contacts and communication streams at the same time and ensuing everyone is all on the same page.⁠⠀

How do you feel about managing your time, multiple contacts and all relevant information effectively? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.⁠⠀

My final thought on the subject of Venue Coordinators vs. Independent Wedding Planners is the convenience and availability factor.⁠⠀

It was always difficult for me to detach myself from the most important day for my wedding couples, on my days off and holidays.⁠⠀

This was very clear when returning to the office from my days off or holidays and my inbox and voicemail were bursting.⁠⠀

It is a difficult balance for Venue Coordinators working when wedding couples are at work, and off duty when their couples plan their weddings.⁠⠀

I find this as the biggest advantage now that I can be available for my wedding couples at the most convenient times for them, online or at the most suitable appointment location to them, being unrestricted by venue walls.⁠⠀

All in all, Venue Wedding Coordinator and Independent Wedding Planner roles vary and at the same time complement one another very much! Irrespective of the roles, it is everyone’s passion in this industry to provide the best dream wedding experience possible to all happy couples.

Let me know in the comments below how helpful you’ve found this blog and feel free to book my FREE 15 Minutes Discovery Call to discuss how I could help you make your dream wedding vision a perfect reality!

Travelling Central Europe in search of traditional wedding customs.

After travelling over 3,000 miles across Central Europe, I thought I would share with you my most interesting discoveries relating to various cultural wedding customs.

I started my journey from Edinburgh on Tuesday 14th January heading to the beautiful capital city of Prague in Czech Republic.

I have been to Prague in my early teens with my Granny, but I’ve always dreamt of going back and this dream has finally come true.

Following my visit, I thought to share with you all the wedding traditions I’ve learnt about:

Wreath of Rosemary

Bridesmaids create a wreath made with rosemary on the night prior to the wedding for the Bride to either wear or hold during her wedding ceremony, this is in hope for wisdom, love and happiness. Rosemary sprigs are also given out to wedding guests as favours to encourage happiness and fertility.

Rope gate

Another popular tradition in Czech weddings is for the couple to be stopped right outside of the ceremony venue with a rope decorated with flowers and empty bottles by the friends of the Groom. It is his responsibility to pay his way for the sins of his adolescence, permitting entry to the wedding venue.

Smashing plates

This one is a responsibility of a venue coordinator to smash a plate right in front of the wedding couple as they arrive for their wedding breakfast. It is the couple’s job to clean it all up in front of their guests, giving them the opportunity to prove the harmony in their relationship, and willingness to work as a team in the face of all obstacles.

Love of Beer

Beer in Czech Republic can often be found cheaper than a bottle of mineral water – this is yet another reason why weddings in Czech Republic are so popular.

Eating soup jointly

Could you imagine enjoying your soup jointly, using one soup spoon? This tradition prevails even today, showing that married couples must always work out difficulties together and go halves in everyday life.

Disappearance of the Bride

When the wedding is at its peak, the Bride is carried out by the Groom’s friends. The Groom must find her as soon as possible, if he doesn’t achieve that within a given timeframe, he’s got to yet again pay his way to be re-joined with his newlywed Bride. This symbolises disconnection of the bride from her parents and the start of a new life with her brand-new husband.

After five days of enjoying many amazing Czech attractions and their world-class beers, I headed from Praha Hlavni Nadrazi (Prague – Central Train Station) to Wroclaw Glowny, Poland on a four hour inter-state train journey through the mountains.

I travelled north to my home town of Legnica, in the south west of Poland. Whilst visiting family and wedding professional friends in Poland, I remembered a few polish wedding traditions, some of which featured at my own wedding two years ago.

Majority of weddings in churches

Polish people in majority are Catholic, which means that most wedding ceremonies will take place at a church, followed by a reception at a banqueting hall or venue. The Polish Government signed an agreement with the Catholic Church, meaning that all Catholic wedding ceremonies are legally binding.

Love of Vodka

Poland is very well known for its vodka, which is very reasonably priced, which is why so many wedding traditions involve vodka!

Firstly, the wedding couple are greeted with one shot of water and one shot of vodka upon their arrival to the Wedding Breakfast. Whoever selects the vodka is expected to be the boss in the relationship. The Couple then proceed to throw the shot glass over their left shoulder, symbolising the start to their new married life together, leaving the past behind.

Finally, vodka is provided on all tables for guests to enjoy along with a selection of mixers and replenished throughout the night, ensuring the guests have the best celebrations.

Bread and salt

Another tradition dedicated to the arrival of the couple to their Wedding Breakfast is the provision of a ‘wedding bread’ and salt. Both sets of parents are responsible to greet the couple with a specially decorated, and baked for the occasion, loaf of bread and salt. The Couple tear off a piece of bread and consume it with a pinch of salt. The bread symbolises no hunger and the salt flavour in the marriage.

Long celebrations

Can you imagine your wedding celebrations lasting two, three days or sometimes even a week? In Poland, this is quite standard. Most weddings last a minimum of two days, with main celebrations and the ceremony on day one and a full meal with all family and friends before the guest departure on the second day. In the highlands of Poland, however, weddings will last up to a week and each day will involve a different activity for the wedding celebrations.

Midnight Games – pol. Oczepiny

Since all weddings in Poland last into the wee hours of the following morning, sometimes as late as 7am, all guests gather round the dance floor at midnight to take part in the Midnight Games  (pol. Oczepiny). These games are normally organised by their ceremony witnesses and can involve both physical activities as well as quiz style games. This is a fun way to break the night and involve both the wedding couple and their guests in ice breaker activities.

After over a week of travelling, visiting family and enjoying some plentiful Central European food, I am now back to my beloved home in Scotland, to see you all soon at the upcoming open days and wedding showcases in Edinburgh.

If you have liked this blog, hit LIKE below and let me know which of these Central European traditions you liked the most.

Wishing you all a fantastic February!