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

💌

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 💌

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

💌

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 💌

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

💌

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!

ＭＹ ＣＯＵＰＬＥＳ' ＴＯＰ ＷＥＤＤＩＮＧ ＶＥＮＵＥ ＣＨＯＩＣＥＳ ＩＮ ＳＣＯＴＬＡＮＤ

ＭＹ　ＣＯＵＰＬＥＳ’　ＴＯＰ　ＷＥＤＤＩＮＧ　ＶＥＮＵＥ　ＣＨＯＩＣＥＳ　ＩＮ　ＳＣＯＴＬＡＮＤ

Very often I am being asked for recommendations of venues and it’s always a tough one as it really depends on what you’re looking for and what your priorities are! One thing is certain, all venues I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the years know their stuff and pride themselves on executing weddings very well! They get it that this is going to be one of the most important days of your life, if not the most important day!

Now, instead of asking me for recommendations and as I appreciate many of you will be looking for your dream wedding venues in January and February, I thought to showcase to you the venues my couples most popularly choose for their special day.

Have you got your favourite venue? Tag it in the comments below.

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HOPETOUN HOUSE

Hopetoun is a place of outstanding natural beauty, which has Scotland’s finest stately home at its heart. Situated on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Hopetoun is a welcoming and thriving 6,500-acre community with a great deal to offer all year round.

Hopetoun House was purpose-built in 1699 to bring families and friends together in celebration and has been a family home for over 300 years. The Hope family still live in the house and invite you to enjoy their home for your special day, with the offer of exclusive use of the Stables and Ballroom.

So why not celebrate in one of Scotland’s most iconic ballrooms, adorned with priceless tapestries and magnificent crystal chandeliers.

Ideal wedding venue for beautiful celebration from 80 to 200 guests!

Want to find out more? Follow Hopetoun House today!

https://www.facebook.com/HopetounHouse

https://www.instagram.com/hopetounhouse

weddings@hopetoun.co.uk

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DUNDAS CASTLE

Secluded in the peaceful countryside of its own 400-acre estate, yet only 8 miles from Edinburgh, Dundas Castle offers all the comforts and high standards associated with the best of hotels. The difference is – when you choose Dundas for your special event, it belongs solely to you and your guests for the duration of your stay. No other guests, no distractions.

From the medieval to the elegant, the great outdoors to the intimate indoors, there are many locations to choose from for your unique ceremony.

Continue the celebrations with a delicious wedding breakfast followed by dancing the night away. Whether you are looking for an intimate setting or a larger location, there are several options available.

With 17 charming bedrooms within the Castle, they can accommodate up to 37 adult guests and have additional beds for children.

Ideal wedding venue for beautiful celebration up to 200 guests!

Want to find out more? Follow Dundas Castle today!

https://www.facebook.com/DundasCastleScotland

http://instagram.com/dundascastle

weddings@dundascastle.co.uk

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RESTORATION YARD

Restoration Yard is a unique wedding venue set at the heart of the stunning Dalkeith Country Park. Set in a wonderfully re-imagined 18th-century stables and courtyard, Restoration Yard is the perfect space to hold your dream wedding.

The venue is located just outside Edinburgh in Midlothian. Their 1,000-acre park spans through both Midlothian and East Lothian, perfectly situated for your guests to travel with plenty of accommodation options around the venue.

Perhaps you’d like an outdoor wedding ceremony in their historic Orangery? Or to dance the night away in their restaurant, The Kitchen? The choice is yours.

Ideal wedding venue for a beautiful celebration for up to 90 guests!

Want to find out more? Follow Restoration Yard today!

https://www.facebook.com/RestorationYard/

https://www.instagram.com/restorationyard

events@restorationyard.com

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BROXMOUTH COURTYARD 

Once home to the Duke of Roxburgh, Broxmouth has welcomed some very well-known visitors over the years from Queen Victoria and Oliver Cromwell, to more recently Gary Barlow. This rustic, yet luxury Courtyard dating back to 1841 is currently being restored to its former beauty, in order to host some of the most excellent banquets and weddings from 2022.

Whether you’re planning an intimate ceremony or a lavish reception, Broxmouth Courtyard is the perfect venue to make your wedding day truly remarkable. With its magnificent gardens, woodland and lake, Broxmouth Courtyard offers an abundance of choices for your dream outdoor ceremony.

The Broxmouth Menu offers a plethora of luxury cuisines for you to design your own bespoke menu. And the Honeymoon suite for the wedding couple, overlooking the loch, together with a private hot tub is also included so you feel really indulged on the morning of the wedding.

At Broxmouth, the team understands that no two weddings are the same, the venue is unique as it offers you the opportunity to create the wedding of your dreams.

A newly restored beautiful venue for 100 to 200 guests!

Want to find out more? Follow Broxmouth Park today!

https://www.facebook.com/broxmouth/

https://www.instagram.com/broxmouthcourtyard

events@broxmouth.com

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THE RHYND

Built well over a century ago, the Rhynd has been owned by the Foster family since the early 1950s, and up until the late 1990s, the space was a working farm. The café used to be a grain store while the event space was a cattle shed.

It is now beautifully restored with limitless potential for each couple to make it truly their own! They have kept as much of it as original as possible, so you don't need to do much if you don't want to!

The venue is super flexible with suppliers and drink/food service, there is nothing they cannot accommodate.

In addition to that, The Rhynd Farmhouse is a beautifully restored house that sleeps nine guests and is located only twenty metres away from the function spaces.

Completely your own wedding venue for up to 140 guests.

Want to find out more? Follow The Rhynd today!

https://www.facebook.com/TheRhynd/

https://www.instagram.com/therhynd/

lisa@craigiefarm.co.uk

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KINKELL BYRE

Kinkell Byre, stunningly located on the coast just outside St Andrews, allows you to create your perfect event. The venue offers you exclusive hire of a converted barn, which is full of character and rustic charm. There is plenty of room inside and outside with spectacular sea views.

Kinkell Byre gives you the chance to build your own event with as much freedom as possible. The venue is a blank canvas retaining many original features. Their experienced team will give you as much or as little help and advice as you want. This allows you to really put your personal touch on your truly unique event.

The venue also offers optional hire of tables, chairs, and Chesterfield sofas directly from Kinkell Byre. Or if you love the venue but don’t want the blank canvas option, they can organise a full wedding package on request. 

Kinkell Byre is made up of separate areas which allows each part of your day to have its own space, which can all be set up in advance. There is no need for room re-setting, which helps create a relaxed flow to your day.

The average wedding here at Kinkell Byre is between 100-120 people, however, the space is extremely flexible and has hosted weddings from 60 people to 450 people.

Want to find out more? Follow The Kinkell Byre today!

https://www.facebook.com/kinkellbyre/

https://www.instagram.com/kinkell_byre

info@kinkell.com

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THE OLD DR BELL’S BATHS

The Old Dr Bell’s Baths offer all-inclusive packages that are equipped and designed to remove all the stress from wedding planning!

The packages include high-quality decoration, flowing fizz and exquisite food provided by their incredible in-house catering team, the most refined touches on your event are taken care of.

The venue has one aim – to provide their couples with a perfect wedding day experience. And they achieve this by relying on their expert team!

A fabulous one-stop shop for up to 100 wedding guests!

Want to find out more? Follow The Old Dr Bell’s Baths today!

https://www.facebook.com/theolddrbellsbaths/

https://www.instagram.com/theolddrbells

events@theolddrbellsbaths.com

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THE BONHAM

With beautiful event spaces full of character and luxurious decor, The Bonham is a truly luxurious venue for an unforgettable wedding day.

The team is pleased to be able to host wedding ceremonies and receptions in the Dean Suite. You can also enjoy access to the private Drumsheugh Gardens, which provide the perfect setting for your photographs.

At the Bonham, they know that it’s the little details that make your big day special and your dedicated Wedding Coordinators will be on hand to help and support you during the preparations and on your big day.

Ideal venue for a more intimate wedding hosting up to 40 guests.

Want to find out more? Follow The Bonham today!

https://www.facebook.com/thebonham/

https://www.instagram.com/bonhamhotel/

events@thebonham.com

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Intercontinental Edinburgh The George

What’s in your heart for the wedding day of your dreams? A traditional Scottish occasion or maybe something more contemporary? An elaborate and traditional gathering in the majestic King’s Hall or perhaps an elegant, smaller celebration in the Forth View Suite? InterContinental Edinburgh The George can make your dream a reality. With their team of event specialists to help set the scene and plan your big day to perfection, you can be sure of a truly stunning and memorable time for you, your partner and all of your guests.

The Historic King’s Hall lends a classic scene for larger weddings celebrations including the ceremony and evening reception, where 18th-century décor with original features creates a sense of history and drama for everyone. 

The Rooftop terrace with panoramic views of the city and the Firth of Forth is unique and perfect for smaller weddings or bridal prep. Moreover, access to private manicured gardens offer a beautiful backdrop for your wedding photographs and videos.

An historic and grand New Town venue for up to 200 guests!

Want to find out more? Follow Intercontinental Edinburgh The George today!

https://www.facebook.com/IntercontinentalEdinburgh/

https://www.instagram.com/intercontinentaledinburgh

EdinburghTheGeorgeConference@ihg.com

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Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh

Set in a stunning city centre location, in the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town, The Royal College of Physicians on Queen Street is a prestigious place to host your dream wedding and celebrate in style.

With a stunning choice of the New Library, Cullen Suite and the Great Hall, RCPE offers a variety of options for your ceremony and reception. The tradition and atmosphere are felt through Georgian architecture, traditional bookcases and grand pillars.

Providing a panel of well tested and professional suppliers, the Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh team will work closely with your choice of caterers to create a truly magical event.

This truly spectacular venue can hold weddings from 40 to 150.

Want to find out more? Follow Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh today!

https://www.facebook.com/rcpevenue/

https://www.instagram.com/rcpevenue

venue@rcpe.ac.uk

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Doubletree by Hilton Edinburgh City Centre

This historic building is home to a renovated and contemporary wedding venue, including the penthouse with a roof terrace. Venue’s dedicated wedding coordinators will take care of every detail and make sure that you have an easy planning process.

Whether it be a grand-scale celebration or an intimate family wedding, Doubletree by Hilton Edinburgh City Centre can offer a stunning venue for your special day at the heart of Edinburgh. With a team of experienced and dedicated event planners, their personalised approach will help create the wedding of your dreams.    

From a red-carpet arrival to a beautifully decorated wedding breakfast, the team will work closely with you and recommend local suppliers to ensure that every single detail is exactly as you have imagined it. Whether you would like to say “I do” with Edinburgh Castle perfectly framed behind you in the Penthouse or dreaming of a blank canvas ideal to be tailored for your dream day in their Orchardfield Suite, Doubletree by Hilton can cater to all your needs.

For an unforgettable wedding day, you can either book their all-inclusive Wedded Bliss package or their bespoke wedding option which is as unique as you are.

This contemporary venue with Edinburgh Castle views can accommodate up to 130 guests.

Want to find out more? Follow Doubletree By Hilton today!

https://www.facebook.com/SKYbarEdinburgh

https://www.instagram.com/skybar_edinburgh

weddings@doubletreeedinburghcity.co.uk

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WEDDERLIE HOUSE

This beautiful, newly renovated venue filled with peacocks and pheasants will charm you upon your first visit! Wedderlie House is an exclusive use venue, accommodating only one wedding or event at a time. This means the whole estate is yours to enjoy.

The 50-acre estate which is set around a central courtyard with atmospheric festoon lighting, the grounds that are laid out to beautiful lawns, a walled rose garden, grassy paddocks and native woodland, provide a wealth of beautiful spots for an outdoor ceremony, ensuring no two weddings will be the same.

 Two carefully restored historic barns, with exposed beams and original sandstone walls, provide the perfect blank canvas for an indoor ceremony or a more intimate wedding breakfast.

Their elegant marquee in the garden adjacent to the Stables for your wedding breakfast, with an enclosed garden is also included in your hire.

 This magical venue in the Scottish Borders can host venues for up to 140 guests!

Want to find out more? Follow Wedderlie House today!

https://www.facebook.com/wedderliehouse/

https://www.instagram.com/wedderliehouse/

kamile@wedderliehouse.com

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HARBOUR CHAPEL

This beautifully restored Historic Wesleyan Chapel is the oldest in Scotland and dates back to 1764. John Wesley preached in the chapel on 21 occasions and in 1770 he wrote:

“In the evening I preached at the new house at Dunbar, the cheerfullest in all the Kingdom”

This spectacular former church and elegant reception bar create an exquisite destination in which to celebrate your love.

Imagine getting married and then celebrating in an atmospheric and historic space lit by magnificent stained-glass windows originating from St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.

Complimented by oak pulpit and balcony, as well as small outdoor garden and one minute walk to the historic Victoria Harbour with castle remains, an outdoor amphitheatre and stunning panoramic views – you’ve got it all on their door step!

Ideal wedding venue for beautiful celebration from 70 to 120 guests!

Want to find out more? Follow Harbour Chapel today!

 https://www.facebook.com/theharbourchapel/

https://www.instagram.com/theharbourchapel/

info@harbourchapel.com

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SONAS HOTEL COLLECTION

What can be more romantic than getting married on the Isle of Skye in the Highlands of Scotland?

Sonas Hotel Collection offers a choice of three luxury, yet intimate and boutique wedding venues - Skeabost, Duisdale and Toravaig, each with their own individual personality but all with the same warm island hospitality and a passion for sharing local produce!

Surrounded by private gardens, water and hill views, those full of historic character wedding venues are a natural oasis of peace in which to celebrate your love!

Proudly holders of 2 AA Rosette winning restaurants and Wedding Venue of the Year with Scottish Hotel Awards on many occasions, Sonas Hotel Collection offer a unique opportunity to celebrate your weddings from 20 to 100 guests and you can do so on exclusive use basis!

Would you like to Find your Happy Ever After on the Isle of Skye? Follow Skye Weddings today!

https://www.facebook.com/IsleofSkyeWeddings

https://www.instagram.com/skyewedding/

weddings@sonashotelcollection.com

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WHAT’S YOUR CHOICE?

Over the past few weeks, we’ve taken a look at the most popular venues my couple clients choose for their special day, but what are the venues you’re considering?

What’s important to you?

What’ informs your decision and what are your motivations?

Let’s take a minute to share your notes and help other couples make their important decision - share your opinions and tips in the comments below.

*All images used have been credited back to their authors with click-through links.

PLANNING YOUR WEDDING DAY TIMELINE

Wedding day timeline blog

*by George Gilchrist-Grodnicki

Planning Your Wedding Day Timelines

I am asked quite often “when should we start with our ceremony?”

The easiest way to work out your wedding day timeline is to start from the end of the evening and work your way back. This is something that naturally causes many couples worry especially as this is the very first time you’ll be planning such large event, but it needn’t be this hard! Start with a rough timeline, then as you fill in more details your timeline becomes more solid. An adequate timeline will ensure you feel in control of your day, and able to relax and enjoy yourself, while providing all those involved accurate timings, because timings are key to the success of every wedding, right? 

Give me ❤️ in the comment below if you think having an air-tight timeline for your wedding will ensure its success!

End of the evening

As the timings of your day are worked out from the end of your night, the big question is how long is your entertainment booked for? Speak to your venue to find out when the room hire ends. This gives you carriages time, and from there, after speaking to your entertainment, you can plan when your entertainment starts. Don’t forget to include any extra entertainment i.e. small acts who are also to perform in the evening. For example, at our wedding, the venue licence was until 1 AM, and our entertainment was a DJ, who was booked for three hours, preceded by a live ceilidh/covers band played for three hours. This meant our evening entertainment started at 7 PM.

How long do you think an average entertainment runs for?

A.    6 hours

B.    5 hours

C.    4 hours

Let us know in the comment boxes below

Comfort break

Now that you know when your entertainment starts, you can start to plan the end of the meal. Do you want a comfort break? Is there turnaround time? Do you intend taking photographs after the meal? Are there any small entertainment acts booked for this time, such a Signing Waiters? Your venue will advise you of any turnaround times, so make sure to ask about this.

Average band setup time and sound check will take around 60 minutes too, so if your band can’t get in to setup during the meal, comfort break might be advisable. Secondly, who wants to be throwing shapes on the dance floor right after a three-course meal?

If you need help understanding this part of your special day and how much time is good, too little or too much, chatbox message us today.

Speeches

Next comes the speeches, by allocating maximum of 10 minutes per speaker, you avoid boredom in the room! Ideally, you wouldn’t want to have your speeches for longer than 30 minutes, if you do, speak to your venue, caterer or planner to see about the best times to split them up – the last thing you want is your speeches overrunning if you decided to host them before the meal and having your guests seating hungry for hours.

Traditionally, which by any means is not a norm, speeches are structured in the following format: Father of the Bride goes first, Groom goes second and Best Man presents the closing speech.

You might want to decided if you’re having your speeches before the meal or after and this will very much depend on the public speaking confidence of your speakers and whether you feel your guests should be fed first or after the speeches.

At our wedding had four speeches, including ourselves, which meant our speech times ran into an hour [scary face emoji] (we spoke too long, due to translations into Polish) which meant our speeches started at 5:30 PM.

Are you feeling a little unsure about your speeches and don’t know how to best go about them? Why not book one of our one-off consultations today to help you put a plan together?

Drinks reception

The drinks reception is an excellent opportunity for guests to mingle, family to catch up, and photos to be taken with the happy couple! Some couples may choose to have entertainment booked for this time, or even couples’ photos to be taken. Speak to your suppliers to understand how long your entertainment or photographer will take, as this will give you the start time for your drink’s reception (otherwise known as cocktail hour).

When we got married, we arranged for a magician who entertained our guests, canapes were served, all while we had family portraits taken and disappeared for our wedding day photoshoot for 1 hour.

This allowed our venue enough time to turn the ballroom round and gave our guests a little mingle and catch up time. Our drinks reception started at 1:30 PM.

Are you planning to head away for your photoshoot? Chatbox message us today if you want to better understand the timings you might need to consider in order to ensure you’re not running late on the day.

Wedding ceremony

Wedding ceremonies vary dependent on the ceremony style chosen.

On average Civil ceremonies may take between 15 to 25 minutes, religious ceremonies may last around 45 minutes, and humanist ceremonies between 30 to 45 minutes dependent on the ceremony script, reading and the symbolic gestures chosen.

Our wedding ceremony was conducted by a humanist celebrant, we had three symbolic gestures and parts of our ceremony script was translated into Polish. This meant our wedding ceremony lasted 30 minutes, starting at 1 PM.

Let me know in the comments below what style of ceremony you have chosen.

Preparation time

Finally, this leads on to preparation time, therefore speaking to your hair and makeup artists will help you understand how long each of them needs.

Hair styling may take 30 to 60 minutes depending on the style and hair structure, while makeup can also take 30 to 60 minutes.

Speak to your photographer and other suppliers to understand their timelines for the delivery of their services.

Consider things like, when your flowers arrive; is the photographer taking preparation photos or group photos when you’re ready and dressed; what time is your Dad arriving, etc.

This enables you to build a timeline and ensure you’re prepared in plenty of time.

At our wedding, we each had four groomsmaids, and mother’s hair and makeup. We got up at 6 AM to spend some time together before the chaos of the wedding day began!

Have you considered how much time hair and makeup may take? Chatbox message us today if you need some estimates and recommendations for the best in business!

Full day timeline

What did you think of the breakdown of your wedding day? Did you know you’d need to consider your timings from the end of the night?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and feel free to use the template below to help you plan your special day!

Evening Entertainment – length of service? (you’d need to check with your entertainment supplier)

Would there be any comfort break after the meal? 30/60 minutes?

Speeches – if 3 x 10 minutes speeches, that’s 30 minutes

Wedding Breakfast – three course is 2 hours

Drinks Reception between 1h30mins to 2 hours (you’d need to check with your photographer)

Wedding Ceremony between 30 minutes to 45 minutes (you’d need to check with your celebrant, officiant or registrar)

Guest arrival from 30/60 minutes prior to ceremony time

PLANNING YOUR WEDDING BUDGET - Realistic estimates that will help you stay within the budget!

PLANNING YOUR WEDDING BUDGET

- realistic estimates that will help you stay within the budget -

Due to some popular demand, I want to talk about the important things to you!

Working out your wedding budget is super important and one of the early activities you should put the time aside for to ensure you plan realistically and that you don’t overspend where you don’t want to or need to.

It is very easy to get caught up in the excitement of wedding planning and go overboard before you realise it - I’ve been there just before our wedding in 2018, which is why I now work out a budget with my couples first. This is when we identify your must have’s, wants, desires and priorities. Similarly to mood boards, you’ll very quickly identify what’s important to you and where there is the flexibility to downsize or upgrade.

According to Hitched UK, the average UK wedding is £32,000 including the honeymoon, but statistics vary starting from £20,000. Don’t worry if this is not what you had in mind, but do remain realistic that a wedding could easily cost you a deposit for your first house or a new car.

Would you need help identifying and understanding your budget, message me in the chatbox today – this could be your one-off consultation that will save you a lot of headaches further down the line.

How to assess your budget? 

Have an honest conversation together and identify your savings, how much you could contribute to the wedding before your day comes and if there are any other prospective contributors.

The last thing you want is anxiety about where the money comes from to fund your special day.

Once you’ve figured it out, you can start breaking things down into each individual item on your wedding list – you might wonder… how will I know the expected price to pay?

Want to find out more – check out the full blog below.

What can I expect to pay for…?

FLORIST

Flowers such as bouquets and centerpieces are such a personal taste and therefore it is difficult to put an average price tag on these beautiful decorations, however, I can help you with a range of pricing for your estimate. Most prices will vary dependent on the season and therefore the price of the flowers at the market.

Decent-sized bridal bouquets in Edinburgh, Scotland will cost you in the region of £100-125, bridesmaid’s bouquets around £85 a piece, buttonholes and corsages will be around £15 each.

When it comes to centerpieces this is where the real differences happen and this can be influenced by the size of your arrangements, smaller low arrangements will start from £150 each, but the more opulent and sizable arrangements you would like to have, the more you will pay, on average many of my couples work with a budget of £300 to £500 per centerpiece.

Another trick that might help you maximise your wedding budget when it comes to florals is considering seasonal flowers, flowers out of season can be up to 4/5 times as expensive and therefore downsize your arrangement.

Additionally, you might want to consider artificial hire filled in with fresh floral accents – artificial florals nowadays offer higher quality than ever before and almost natural look to build your structure, accented with fresh florals, they can make a truly impressive arrangement and they are a lot more durable when transported or setup outside even in windy conditions.

Are my floral estimates in the region of what you’ve considered for your wedding? Let me know in the comments below.

VENUE HIRE

The biggest element of your wedding budget will be wedding venue-related expenses, and these can vary dramatically.

Hotels and venues with all-inclusive packages might offer more competitive hire rates based on set minimum numbers. On the other hand, exclusive use or dry hire venues might offer you more flexibility and the ability to do your wedding your way!

Venue hires can start from £2,000 for all-inclusive package venues or mid-week hires, to £10,000+ for peak dates and multiple days hires at exclusive-use estates and dry hire venues.

Always check that you understand exactly what they include, because some venues will only offer bare walls and the rest is for you to arrange – so look out for A) accommodation inclusions, B) equipment provisions such as tables, chairs, linens, cutlery, crockery and glassware, C) VAT inclusions and D) additional things you might need to hire such as PA system for your music, staging, lighting, heating, power, toilets, catering units, etc.

Did you know that there’s such a vast choice of options available for you? Chatbox message me today if you’d like a bit of help navigating your way around venue hires, I can also negotiate special rates for you too.

CATERING

This is another area of your wedding that will consume a big part of your budget – quite literally consume, did you see what I’ve done there? 😊

All-inclusive venue package will take care of it all for you, however, you might want to consider upgrades if food is important to you and your guests’ experience – menu tastings are brilliant for that!

External catering can provide you with more flexibility on the format of the dining choices available – anything from buffets, plated or family-style service or even BBQs.

Food catering will range from £100 per person to £150+ per person – it will very much depend on the style of catering, the number of courses, the choice of options on the day, and so on.

On the other hand, you’ll also need to consider your beverages too!

Once again all-inclusive packages will look after the main parts of your wedding from the drinks reception to your meal, after that, you will be offered a bar facility paid for by guests or something called an Account bar where you can provide some or all drinks to your guests on the account.

With dry hire venues, you might need to arrange for a bar service to cover service on the day, glassware, ice, setup and derig – some catering companies will offer this as an extra to their catering, so that you’re not having to source another service separately. Dry hire beverage fees may vary from per spend or per volume corkage to flat service fee – as an average, you’ll be looking at £1,500.00 to £3,000.00

Were you aware of these options and charges to consider for your special day? Give me ❤️ in the comments below if this has helped you to understand your wedding budget better.

WEDDING CAKE

Wedding cakes are also such a personal taste – these days you can have three-dimensional character cakes, naked cakes, statement cakes, cake swings, upside-down cakes, tower cakes, you name it- there’s probably somebody out there who has done it before or would love a challenge.

The average spends I am familiar with working with my couples ranges from £500 to £1,500 and you’ll have plenty of flavour choices available serving an average of 100 guests.

If you would like to go for a much more personalised choice, you will be offered upgrades and extras to supplement your vision.

What cakes have you considered for your special day? Let me know in the comment boxes below.

LIVE MUSIC

A very important element of your wedding day, but don’t just focus on your evening entertainment, remember to consider your ceremony music, background music for drinks reception and meal.

Music makes such an integral part of your special day and it can truly make or break the atmosphere of your wedding.

String quartets are very popular to accompany ceremonies and drinks receptions and can offer their services from £650 to £1,000, but if live music isn’t your priority ensure you check your venue for PA system and if you could connect a device to supply some music for these parts of your day.

Nighttime entertainment again is down to each individual preference, some couples will choose Ceilidh only bands, some will select Ceilidh + covers band, others will book a DJ.

Bands start from £1,500 and DJs start from £500 – if you’re going for mix of music such as Ceilidh and covers or band and DJ or DJ + saxophone player – prices will automatically reflect these additional extras. As an average you’re looking at £1,500 to £3,500 for your evening entertainment.

What choice of evening music are you going for? Let me know in the comments below.

CEREMONY

This can vary between belief bodies, independents, and legal fees.

As of January 2023 in Edinburgh, Scotland, your legal fees include – M10 form (Lodging marriage notices) is £90 per couple and marriage certificate is £10 per certificate.

In addition to that you’ll need to pay your ceremony room hire fee and celebrant, registrar or religious officiant fees – these can vary from £450 to £700 per ceremony.

Without these your ceremony will not be legally binding; therefore you need to ensure you cover all fees and remember venues don’t cover legal fees.

If you need help with organizing your ceremony paperwork, go ahead and book one of my one-off consultations today and we can get it all organised for you and have it checked ready to be submitted.

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY / VIDEOGRAPHY

I would almost want to say that wedding photography is the second most important element of your event after the ceremony as photography will remain the biggest tangible memory of your special day and you want to make sure it is captured perfectly.

Therefore, price tag for photography and videography reflects the detailed work it requires – it is the hours of preparing, shooting on the day and then weeks of editing.

Wedding photography can vary from £1,500 to £3,000 on average – this will also depend on the demand, peak/off-peak dates and travel.

Wedding videography can vary from £2,000 to £10,000 on average – this very much relates to the production required for your desired video and if international travel is required, this might also add to the overall cost of production.

Would you need some advice on recommended suppliers? Why not download one of “my resources” available on my website?

HAIR AND MAKEUP

This is an important element of the wedding where all the girls in the wedding party get to relax and unwind ahead of the big day. Don’t sorry boys, you’ll get looked after too!

For wedding trials, you can expect to pay in the region of £85 for hair and £85 for makeup.

For on the day hair and make-up you can be looking at anywhere from £85-100 per service for the Bride and in the region of £75-90 per service for Bridesmaids and Mums. Some bridal salons will charge an additional venue fee if they’ve got to leave the studio to carry out your hair and makeup – this fee can vary from £80-£120.

Have you considered your on-the-day hair and makeup arrangements – how many you’ll need it for? Will you do it at the venue or in the studio? Chatbox message me today if you need a bit of support with this.

HONEYMOON

According to Hitched UK, the average destination honeymoon for UK couples costs nearly £5,000 and although some couple opt in for mini-moon first with an average of £1,100 – you might need to identify your preference on the matter.

Some couples try to finance their wedding entirely from their saving, earnings and family support, while asking guests for contributions towards their dream honeymoon – would you consider that option? Give me Y for yes or N for no in the comment boxes below.

WEDDING RINGS

Weddings traditionally can’t happen without a wedding band, although traditionally, it was the Bridegroom that offer a wedding ring to his Bride, these days you will likely both exchange your rings during a wedding ceremony, but how much do you think you’ll spend on your bands?

The average UK couple invests around £2,500 into their wedding rings – have you considered your options yet?

Why not chat box message me today for a referral to my recommended jewelers to offer you the best deals possible?

WEDDING OUTFITS

So, you’ve always dreamt of this perfect white gown, or maybe not! There will be some considerable amount of time you might want to spend on considering just the perfect fit and feel for your wedding dress.

The same will apply to gent’s outfits, no matter if its suits, kilts or tuxedo, you should consider colours, fits and all the accessories that come with it.

Average UK wedding dress will cost you between £1,000 to £3,000 and bridesmaid’s dresses will range from £100 to £500 each.

Finally, Gents outfits can very, because if you’re hiring you’ll be considering outfits in the region of £125 per hire per outfit, however, tailor-made outfits will start from £500 to £2,000 on average per outfit, this applies to both kilts and tailor-made suits.

Have you booked your dress shopping appointments or kilt fittings? Not sure where to start? Chatbox message me today to take care of it all for you.

COST SAVING

When you’ve assessed your budget and you realise it is a little steep, you might want to reassess a couple of things:

-        Consider your guests numbers again – venue and catering will be your higher cost, the more guests you invite, the higher overall cost of the wedding will become – think about it, average wedding guest costs you in the region of £100-£200 per person

-        Consider your date – could you move to off-peak dates to benefit from special venue deals or move your wedding back by a year, how much could you save in that extra year?

Would you need more help assessing your wedding budget? Why not book one of my one-off consultation? I can help you make sense of your wedding spending, and often ensure money savings!

MOST FORGOTTEN COSTS

There are a few hidden or often forgotten costs you might want to be aware of before you end up clearing your bank balance.

-        VAT exclusions - make sure that you check all quotes for VAT exclusions, you don’t want to be surprised with additional 8%-26% bill before your wedding day

-        Delivery, service and corkage charges – once again, worth checking before you get surprised with these at the final invoice

-        Additional equipment and facility hires, such as cake stand, table and chairs or even toilets or the correct power supply if you’re getting married at a location with none of these things provided already

-        Wedding insurance is often forgotten about and it can be lifesaving! You want to ensure you’re protected just like you are with your car or house!

-        Stationary – not only invitations, but save the dates, on-the-day place cards, table plan and post-wedding thank you cards + stamps

-        Wedding day gifts for bridesmaids, groomsmen, Mums, Dads or other loved ones

-        Wedding outfit alterations or second trials – all these little things quickly add up

How did you find my estimates advice? Has it helped you plan and prioritise your wedding budget elements accordingly? Give me ❤️ in the comment boxes below if you’ve found it useful!

MEET MY INTERVIEW TOP-SECRET GUEST SPEAKER

MEET MY INTERVIEW TOP-SECRET GUEST SPEAKER

Have you missed my LIVE interview on 14th January? Nothing is lost! Why not watch it on #repeat?

Feel free to share your comments or questions in the comment boxes below and don’t forget to give us ❤️

SIX RED FLAGS WHEN BOOKING A SUPPLIER by Monica Cutler

SIX RED FLAGS WHEN BOOKING A SUPPLIER by Monica Cutler

Lately, I have been observing quite a few engagements popping up on social media and since it’s this exciting time of the year, I thought to share something I believe to be incredibly important to know for newly engaged couples.

Following my Facebook Live interview with Monica Cutler – I remembered that she’s worked with industry experts on a guide for wedding planning couples and came up with “Six red flags when booking a supplier” which she’s agreed for me to share with you.

If you would like to find out what to look out for when booking wedding suppliers, you’ll need to check out the next six paragraphs.

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ONLY OFFERING PAYPAL PAYMENT AS FRIENDS AND FAMILY

PayPal buyer protection is not as iron-clad as it used to be. If you send a supplier money using the f&f feature you will not be covered.

 Excuses to look out for: "It will take X days to clear. If you want it before a certain date you would be better off paying f&f."

Remember that Credit Card payments may give you additional protection – would you normally pay using credit card for wedding services? Chatbox message me if you’d like to find out more.

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NO WRITTEN CONTRACT

Even if it's a friend, family member or someone you've known for years. Getting an agreement down in writing saves so much trouble and shows empathy for your future self. Get a contract and ensure there's a copy for supplier and couple.

A contract doesn't have to be complicated or full of jargon, but it should include the service you're paying for, exact payment terms, and a refund and cancellation policy. 

Have you received a contract for all your wedding services? Chatbox message me if this is something, you’d need help with.

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STOLEN IMAGES

Reverse search images to check if they're from other companies.

Most wedding professionals are comfortable using some stock imagery as fillers on their site but would never claim them as their own product. This is completely different to one wedding supplier stealing images from another and claiming them as their own.

Would you be able to identify this? Let me know in the comment boxes below.

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ONLY ONE METHOD OF CONTACT

There are many successful wedding businesses who only operate on social media, without a website.

But you should have multiple contact details, such as an email address, mobile number, postal

address. If you can only get in touch via Facebook messenger back away. If they don't have a physical postal address ask them why. This address should match any accounts you pay. 

Is this something you have given thought to before? Let me know your thoughts in the comment boxes below.

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MULTIPLE NEGATIVE AND SPECIFIC REVIEWS

If there are a small number of poor reviews ask your supplier about them. It could have been a challenging circumstance where they might have a completely sensible response to.  

If they did upset a client ask how they used the experience to move forward. No

business gets it perfect 100% of the time so always compare with their positive reviews and check the dates for their most recent customers. 

Do you normally check supplier reviews before booking? Give me YES in the comment boxes below if you do.

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CHEAP PRICING

If it looks too good to be true it probably is!

If their price is way below market value they could be brand new or not as legitimate as you would like. 

If they are a newer business make sure you talk about their level of expertise and what they are capable of delivering. If you pay for a Mini don't expect a Rolls Royce. 

Would you opt-in for a cheaper option based purely on pricing? Chatbox message me today if this is something you’d like help with in order to understand what you can expect to be paying for a specific service.

STYLED PHOTOSHOOT - Autumnal Intimate Wedding Experience

STYLED PHOTOSHOOT:

Autumnal Intimate Wedding Experience

I’ve got a very exciting project to share with you, which I’ve been working on in the background with some amazing industry partners lately.

It was following an informal coffee with Geebz Photography that an idea was born. We’ve identified that many couples who were due to get married in 2020 and early 2021 still want to go ahead with their plans on a smaller scale but often don’t know where to start when they had initially planned for a large gathering. Therefore, we’ve put our heads together to bring to you the idea of a perfect romantic elopement or micro-wedding which we believe will blow your socks off! We’re sure you’ll be impressed at how personalised and beautiful intimate celebrations can be, so stay tuned and learn more about our project below.

STYLING

We were inspired by the natural tranquility of the autumnal and scenic Scottish countryside. From the beginning, we were keen to have our photoshoot in an iconic Scottish location that would allow us to capture the intimacy of an elopement or micro-wedding perfectly and I think we managed to achieve that and a lot more!

Lynsay Borthwick Weddings and Events beautifully dressed an arch for the ceremony with leafy fern, pondweed and autumnal florals. Setting the scene with atmospheric pillar candles, earthy moss and wood-inspired finishing touches – arranging the perfect stage for a romantic ceremony.

Lynsay has been involved in the wedding industry for nearly two years and what a breath of fresh air she brings with her. Her creative flair and enthusiasm allowed us to capture our photoshoot perfectly against a stunning backdrop, don’t you think?

FLORISTRY

The romantic atmosphere was perfectly finished with a stunning creation of a bridal bouquet and a buttonhole from Kathrin at White House Flowers. They were both blooming with peach avalanche and black bacarra roses, asparagus fern, orange euphorbia, vintage lisianthus and eucalyptus gunni.

The colours were truly eye-catching, and perfect for our autumnal wedding theme, for the very first time, I could smell the beautiful scents of roses and botanicals used for this rich, yet natural looking bouquet – Kathrin simply never fails to impress me!

Having worked with Kathrin on many weddings over the years now, I would highly recommend her to all those couples who look for something truly special – she’ll not disappoint!

LOCATION

From the very beginning we were keen to make the most of the Scottish scenery surrounding the stunning estate of Glencorse and we were so lucky to shoot the majority of our project inside this privately owned ‘Glencorse Old Kirk’ dating back to 17th century.

Sarah Chambers who owns the estate and is pictured here, looks after all the wedding planning couples in the lead up to the wedding, as well as on the day of delivery. She greeted us so warmly and kindly with a welcome smile and prepared for us refreshments – a true testimonial to a truly personalised and caring service this unique venue provides.

If you’re still undecided and looking for you dream venue that radiates the true Scottish spirit in every way possible – you should contact Sarah today at sarah@glencorsehouse.com

An interesting fact to mention about this stunning location is that the chapel used for our photoshoot was also used in the filming of the “Outlander” Wedding in episode 7 of the 1st season!

Can you imagine a better location for your truly Scottish elopement?

CEREMONY

All current restrictions were taken into consideration when planning for this gorgeous photoshoot including working with the best of the best in the industry.

Mo Ackroyd (pictured) from Fuze Ceremonies helped us with the ceremony plan for the project. Mo is up-to-date with all the latest regulations and was able to instruct us on appropriate distancing for all the photography.

She’s also come up with some fantastic symbolic gestures including drinking from the quaich, hand fasting and the official exchange of rings. Humanist ceremonies definitely make weddings more personable and memorable, no matter their size.

Having worked with Mo for many years now and very often on weddings and showcases together, I know for a fact that she is loved by all her wedding couples. She emanates caring approach with all of her couples and out-of-the-box approach to performing ceremonies that is personalised, yet fun – I continue to recommend her to all my couples too!

OUTFITS – THE DRESS

Thanks to Jade from Crystal Bows Bridal Boutique and Kyle from 8 Yards, we were able to dress our models, including Geebz Photography and I, in attire perfectly fitting for the occasion.

Don’t you just love that full-length cathedral veil over the stunning Victoria Kay dress full of lace and delicate embroidery? Our model Lynsay looked absolutely stunning in it! Can’t you spot that she played as a double act?

Crystal Bows once again didn’t disappoint – one message from me to Jade was enough for her to say: “Yes to the dress” at our photoshoot 😊 Lynsday and I were invited for a dress fitting and the dress Jade picked for us was just stunning, don’t you think? It’s the personalised touches that make a difference and even the assistant at the shop – Liz also supplied us with a gorgeous feather balero from her daughter’s wedding! There is a reason why Crystal Bows are one of the most loved Bridal Boutiques in Scotland!

OUTFITS – THE KILT

Joel on the other hand was perfectly matched to the autumnal feeling, perfectly matching the season. For the photoshoot he wore the Hebridean Kilt range exclusive to 8 Yards in modern tartan with no specific clan affiliation and matching tie. It was complemented by a colour coordinated tweed waistcoat and jacket in addition to copper-coloured brogues and sporran.

A lot of men these days like to opt in for something a little more modern, fashionable and matching to the rest of the celebrations and with the latest range from 8 Yards – you can clearly do that! 8 Yards can provide you with a full range from matching flashies to the same tartant face masks – how cool is that? You can get kitted out from top to toe in one place and they also offer a great range of hire and ex-hire outfits too.

Don’t you think our couple looked perfectly dressed for the occasion and the theme?

PHOTOGRAPHY

Geebz Photography is very close to my heart. For this reason Gerlof photographed my wedding to George, I know the lengths he will go to for the perfect shot! He is an outstanding photographer.

He doesn’t just shoot, he is a magician who transforms photography into a fun activity and creates a vibrant and exciting aura around him.

I’ve observed Gerlof’s master photography on many occasions. Every photo tells a story, every photo captures the moment perfectly! Its almost as if his elopement weddings were big and elaborate parties– not a micro wedding at all!

Additionally, Gerlof introduced us to Beate from BBPicture who accompanied his efforts and captured so many outstanding moments in the photoshoot – it was great observing the two working together!

After the photoshoot everyone messaged me how relaxed they felt around him. He was coming up with off-the-cuff jokes, orchestrating a  perfectly photoshoot-fitting playlist, we didn’t even realise how quickly the time passed us.

PLANNING

I have said this many times, that I am very lucky to work with the best in the wedding industry and I am very glad that Geebz Photography and I met for that informal coffee chat – our photoshoot was organised within a short 9 days and everyone truly pulled all the stops to make it happen and make it the best possible!

It was great fun putting briefings together, sharing ideas, scheduling things in and bouncing ideas off each other. The hard work clearly paid off and everything came together creating this very special piece of work. It brings me great joy to announce to you that if you’re looking for that perfect elopement or micro-wedding and don’t know where to start, I have got it all covered for you. With the best portfolio of partners, years of experience and four wedding industry awards! If you would like to find out more, why not get in touch today for an informal chat? Who knows, we may turn your vision into a yet another stunning Outlander-worthy wedding scene!

Massive thanks to all photoshoot partners - without your enthusiasm, vision and determination this fantastic project wouldn’t have been possible!

📷@geebz_photography

👰@lbweddingsandevents

💐@whitehouseflower

📌@glencourse_house

💕@mo.ackroydscottishcelebrant

👗@crystalbowsbridalboutique

🤵@eightyards

📷@bbpicture_photography

📋@theweddingguru_oskar

HOW TO BEST CUT DOWN YOUR GUEST LIST

I have recently been asked my opinion by Tie the Knot Scotland on how wedding couples can cut down on their numbers to ensure their celebrations meet the latest Scottish restrictions.

You can check out the full article on the subject in the link above and my full response in the next few paragraphs.

P.S. If you are also looking for a collaboration on a wedding-related project or a piece of editorial, contact me today at oskar@theweddingguruoskar.co.uk

P.P.S. If you’re a wedding planning couple looking for help or advice on how to best manage your wedding, book your informal 15 minutes consultation today.

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Where should couples start with slimming down their guest list to fit Covid restrictions?

A lot of couples often come to me with a wedding guest list to rival a royal wedding!

During these times my advice is to prepare List A & List B irrespective of Covid.

LIST A should include all those guests that are a must at your wedding.

LIST B on the other hand, is for those guests that you might really want to invite to the wedding, but due to restrictions and limitation you physically cannot.

Additionally, if you planned for children to attend your wedding or more distant relatives, you might want to delay these invitations to ensure you can have the allowed number including those MOST important guests. Under the circumstances, they will understand, and it also means you can have a second party- the big reception when they are permitted again. Why not consider this and make it your commitment to remove those guests in order to meet the current regulations? 

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What are the restrictions and who do/don’t they include?

The current restrictions are broken down into Levels in accordance with the latest Scottish Governmental Guidelines on Covid lockdown. Here are some details for you to consider:

Wedding Ceremonies and Receptions should only take place at a venue, where Covid regulations and guidance are complied with. This includes hotels, restaurants and purpose-built event venues in indoor or outdoor spaces.

Exclusive use venues and outdoor marquees can still be used as long as the premises are managed by venue staff and not the couples or their guests.

Venues otherwise closed for day-to-day operation due to Level 4 restrictions can still provide the wedding ceremony service.

Wedding ceremonies can only take place in private dwelling where one or both parties are unable to leave their home, for instance due to terminal illness and the numbers attending such ceremony must be kept to a bare minimum. Those ceremonies also must observe and comply with Covid rules and protection.

Guests attending the ceremony do not have to be the same guests who get to attend your reception and this is another way of how to best manage your numbers if you don’t want to upset anyone. The following numbers apply to the levelled approach to weddings by the Scottish Government:

Level 0 = up to 50 guests ceremony and reception

Level 1-3 = up to 20 guests ceremony and reception

Level 4 = 20 guests ceremony ONLY

*These numbers include children, photographer and all your suppliers present on the day, except your ceremony officiant

Guests can travel between levels and from England as well as internationally (following relevant international travel restrictions such as 14 days quarantine upon arrival) for wedding purposes.

Face coverings must be worn at all times by guests during the wedding ceremony, only the ceremony officiant and the couples can take their face coverings off during the official ceremony while observing social distancing rules.

Music is now permitted for ceremony purposes only and speeches can only be performed through an amplified PA system. Music is still currently not permitted in the receptions.

Finally, alcohol can be served at receptions only within levels 0-3 and levels 2-3 must observe 10pm curfew.

Source: My Scotland Wedding

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How can brides and grooms decide who should make the cut? Should they change their bridesmaid/groomsmen line-up for example? Should it be based on who’s closest to them, or who’s most at risk, health-wise? Or maybe on who lives furthest away? What strategy should they adopt?

In my opinion the relationship, vulnerability to Covid and travel should be taken into consideration when reducing your wedding day guest list in line with the current regulations. If I was to be in wedding planning couple’s shoes now, I would identify who from my guest list is the closest to me and who I ‘must have’ at my wedding.

I would then identify those guests that are vulnerable to Covid because of their relative age or underlying health conditions – why not organise a virtually streamed ceremony viewing for them?

Finally, I would want to understand who is potentially facing travel restrictions and quarantines if travelling internationally, would the quarantine mean them missing the celebration?

I get it, it’s super tough to have to do this and I can’t even begin to imagine what couples must be going through right now, but at the same time, I don’t think anyone would want to put their family and friends at risk.

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If vulnerable guests are non-negotiables for the couple (like parents, for example), what can they do to minimise risk and accommodate them? Should an element of the day be kept to immediate family, to be as safe as possible?

I’m not sure I would risk vulnerable guests, but a socially distanced ceremony kept to a bare minimum would be an option. Additionally, thanks to today’s technology, those guests at risk and staying home can still join in through live streamed events.

I had the pleasure of organising this for a couple, their guests dressed up in the safety of their own homes, did readings during the ceremony, and afterwards they got 15 minutes to speak to the couple once the ceremony completed. The entire ceremony stream was recorded and then shared with the family. How do you like this solution for keeping everyone safe?

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How and when should they deliver the news to people who won’t be able to come in a sensitive and tactful way? In what ways can they soften the blow: i.e. you’ll host a live stream, you’re planning on having a bigger reception later when restrictions allow etc?

I think that under the current circumstances and ever-changing environment, couples shouldn’t put too much pressure on themselves on when to communicate these changes to their guests. I planned a wedding that needed to change things three days before their special day and I helped them make it happen.

It is probably easier to get everyone in front of a screen at the same time to announce this change to everyone at the same time, so nobody feels singled out – it also allows for all guest questions to be answered during this one live stream.

Alternatives can be suggested such as live streaming of ceremony as mentioned above, or if the couples are planning for a reception when these are possible, why not share this news with the guests – that’d be a lovely silver lining for them too.

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Image: Daria Makiela Photography (https://wedding-artwork.co.uk/)

If someone is really important to the couple but absolutely cannot attend (like a grandparent maybe) what can the couple do to make them feel included over and above a live stream?

If this very important person cannot attend in person and online, why not call them and ask them to read a poem during the ceremony. I am currently working with a Bride who asked her family and friends from abroad to post buttons to her, so that she can sew them to her dress and know that they are there with them in spirit – I think this is such a wonderful idea, don’t you think?

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What if restrictions change during the planning process? Should you make lists for various scenarios? Is it acceptable to re-invite guests when the outlook changes again? What’s the etiquette?

This is me coming back to my List A & List B scenario – if you’ve still got time to make those changes and you can manage these, why not invite your List B guests – trust me they won’t mind, everyone understands that this is not your choice to be constantly chopping and changing things, you’ve simply been given no other choice. Why not arrange for a live stream call again and break it to them- even raise a glass to them, in joy they can now join you – that would make them feel so special.

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Any other tips and advice?

My biggest tip is, DON’T feel pressured or guilty – it’s none of your doing and I’m sure everyone that you mean so much to understands why you’re having to make these unprecedented choices. Be transparent and open and speak to your guests openly, they’ll be by your side no matter what!

Wishing all current wedding planning couples, the patience and persistence during this challenging time! May your special day be the most wonderful because of the fact that you get to marry your biggest friend and soulmate, no matter the circumstances!

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!

PLANNING AN OUTDOOR WEDDING

BLOG POST SPONSORED BY SAINSBURY’S BANK*

PLANNING AN OUTDOOR WEDDING

With the current restrictions, we’ve seen increasing numbers of couples opting to say ‘I do’ in an outdoor wedding ceremony. Whether you’re dreaming of a micro wedding with your closest loved ones around you or planning a grand event, we share some useful tips for planning an alfresco ceremony to remember.

Check out this Guide to Planning an Outdoor Wedding by Sainsbury’s Bank Blog.

THE LEGAL BITS

First up, check the legalities and official rules for the country you are marrying in. If you’re getting married in Scotland, you can get married anywhere you choose. If your wedding is to be held in Wales or England, you need to have the ceremony in a fixed, permanent structure such as verandah, beach hut or bandstand. Some couples choose to hold an outdoor ceremony and legalise the marriage the next day. Chat with your wedding planner, celebrant or local authority if you’re unsure.

SEASONAL BACKDROPS

The beauty of an outdoor wedding is that you can embrace what nature has to offer and opt for a wedding inspired by the season it will be held in. Think of a gorgeous autumnal wedding with impressive colours and folliage creating a stunning backdrop to your ceremony (hello gorgeous wedding photos); or if you’re a sun-seeker, a summer wedding on the beach could be a perfect choice.

If you’re opting for a wedding in the warmer months, think about providing your guests with parasols, paper fans and cold refreshments to keep them comfortable in the heat.

Let’s not forget the beauty of a wedding in winter or early spring. Think warm faux fur cover-ups and sunlight highlighting a crisp icy backdrop - just stunning. Keep your guests cosy with blankets, outdoor heaters and, of course, a yummy hot chocolate station with hot toddy options for the adults.

BRING THE OUTDOORS, IN!

Love the idea of hosting your wedding outdoors, but not sure about the practicalities? Why not have the best of both worlds and hire an open-air tipi or marquee? This will allow you to make use of both the outside and inside space, and create an outdoorsy vibe with all the extra comforts. Use natural foliage and plants to decorate the inside of the tent for a rustic feel, and make sure your centerpieces are brimming with natural textures. Consider incorporating pinecones and ivy for a touch of greenery that won't wilt in the wee hours. The best part is there are no rules. You can stick to simple decor or be as creative as you like!

ARE THOSE WEDDING BELLS RINGING?

From grand weddings on the grounds of luxury country houses to intimate woodland weddings with a few special guests, at The Wedding Guru - Oskar, we’ve planned them all. Let us help you make your dreams a reality with our bespoke planning services.

HOW TO PLAN A LAST MINUTE WEDDING - 7 step guide by The Wedding Guru Oskar

HOW TO PLAN A LAST MINUTE WEDDING

Lately the majority of my wedding enquiries are based on short timelines and micro weddings, which is completely understandable under the current regulations.

This is why I have decided to give you some quick wins on how to plan your last-minute weddings effectively.

Check out my full blog below as I reveal to you my 7 steps guide.

If you’re currently considering a micro wedding that you would like to take place within the next 2-3 months and don’t know where to start, contact me today. I’m sure we can come up with a great plan together.

LEGALITIES

In my opinion your number one objective for a last-minute wedding should be your paperwork.

You want to make sure that you have all the required paperwork completed within the allocated timeline for your destination – in Scotland you need to lodge your notices with the intention of marriage, otherwise known as M10 form, no later than 29 days prior to your intended date of marriage.

This only applies if you want to make sure your wedding ceremony is legally binding – for symbolic ceremonies, this will be down to the availability of your desired celebrant.

How are you all finding the legalities and paperwork related to filing for a legally binding ceremony? Let me know in the comments below.

IDENTIFY WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU

When you’re planning for a wedding with a limited timeline, it is important for you to decide on the MUST HAVEs and things that you can forgo which won’t upset your overall vision.

The reason why this is so important is that you as much as you would want to consider everything for the most important day of your life, you don’t want to left disappointed or frustrated if it doesn’t happen due to the limited timescale.

Take one evening together and work out what’s important to you – I can promise you, this will ensure that even when planning last minute you can enjoy the process just as much.

Would you agree with this advice? Give me YES in the comments below if you do!

BUDGET

Now, that you’ve identified what’s important to you, set your budget – how much can you spend on this wedding celebration and how much are you prepared to invest into it?

You’ll need to consider your venue, legal fees (if you’re wanting a legally binding ceremony), any transport, outfits, photographer, flowers, accommodation, accessories and the list might go on and on…

What I am trying to say is that no matter the timeline or size of you wedding, you will still need to consider a lot of integral parts of this very special occasion and you don’t want to feel like you need to always compromise because of the limited timescale – setting a budget will help you achieve what you’ve planned for.

What budget would you estimate for an elopement or micro-wedding?

A – up to £1,000.00

B - £1,000 to £5,000.00

C - £5,000+

VENUE

Choosing a venue for a last-minute wedding might have its disadvantages such as availability, but also benefits such as ‘late availability deals’ which will help you to maximise the budget you have set.

Availability is of course important, so would you consider off-peak dates such as Fridays, Sundays or even Thursdays?

Is it a unique reception hall that you want for your wedding or would you rather hold your ceremony at the Registrar’s Office and host your meal in a private room at a hotel or restaurant?

Remember that no matter what you decide on – charges might apply for the hire of your venues even if it is just a Registrar’s Office.

What venues would you consider for a last minute or micro-wedding? Share your ideas in the comment box below.

SUPPLIERS

This one is an interesting matter – because normally, you would see many suppliers fully booked for years in advance.

Nowadays, you might find a lot more flexibility, however, if you’re struggling to find available suppliers – check out online wedding directories and place your enquiries through these sites with as much detail as possible - remember you don’t want to be wasting your time on follow up email asking for more details!

On the other hand, if  time is precious for you and you would like to focus on other things that matter to you more, delegate this task to someone else - Wedding Planners like myself can organise a list of availability, negotiate rates and put together proposals for you within a few hours.

Would you consider sourcing suppliers though a Professional Wedding Planner? Give me YES in the comments below if you would due to limited timeline.

INVITATIONS

This one I think shouldn’t come as a surprise – designing, printing and then posting hard copy invitations might not be an option if you’ve got limited time to organise your wedding. Additionally, you wouldn’t want to wait for RSVPs in the post either – your time is precious here!

Why not use one of the web-based services widely available to send your invitations and collect your RSVPs automatically?

You can still have a say in how they will look like and what they will read, but this method simply ensures you can shorten the process and send your invitations in a matter of minutes to your entire guest list.

Have you heard of PaperlessPost.com? It gives you the first 50 online invites free and helps you collect your RSVPs. Check it out today!

DELEGATE

If you can, delegate some of the tasks so that other can help you. People like your Bridemaids, parents, siblings and friends.

You don’t want to feel overwhelmed and all those that are there to support you will be more than happy to contribute their time too.

Additionally, while looking for venues, you might want to consider those that already include or are willing to include all those important MUST HAVEs – all-inclusive packages are a great solution for your last minute wedding, so take advantage of this!

 If you would like to discuss your elopement or micro-wedding with me, enquire with me today.

Useful things to consider when planning for a wedding in the Autumn!

In this blog, I decided to focus on Autumn weddings and the things you might find useful when planning for a wedding in this colourful season.

In the next few paragraphs, I would like to bring to you some of my ideas and suggestions which can add to the magical feel of this beautiful wedding season.

Are there any Brides following an Autumn theme for their wedding? Let me know in the comments where you find your inspiration for your gorgeous celebration.

COLOURS

Autumn is a beautiful, mystical and very vibrant season for weddings, especially when we consider its colours.

From late September to November we are spoilt for rich and colourful notes to the natural outdoors as well as seasonal accents to our indoors celebrations.

Why not take advantage of these vibrant colours in your décor, flowers and even outfit accents – there’s an abundance of choice for you to pick from.

Are you infusing seasonal colours in your wedding design?

WEATHER

Many couples worry about the weather conditions in the Autumn, well you’d be surprised! I’ve got brilliant news to share with you on this!

Although the temperatures drop slightly, statistically according to Met Office - Autumn in Scotland is one of the driest seasons of the year from mid-September to November, there’s less rainfall than between July and August – does that statistic surprise you?

You might want to prepare yourself for more wind on occasions though and have a contingency Plan B should things turn to the worse on the morning of your wedding if you’ve planned for outdoor elements.

Remember, autumn photos look absolutely stunning too – so plan to make the most of this opportunity!

OUTDOORS CEREMONIES

Another element of weddings that can be absolutely stunning is outdoor ceremonies if you do them correctly.

A)     DON’T plan for an hour+ long ceremony outdoors in the Autumn and although it might be dry and fairly warm, it might also be windy, so you don’t want to be keeping your guests outside for too long unnecessarily

B)     Always have a Plan B for wet weather contingency

C)     Make the most of what nature gives you in this beautiful and colourful season

D)     You might want to consider providing little blankets, rugs or shawls for your wedding guests on the ceremony chairs outdoors

Would you consider an outdoor wedding ceremony in the Autumn?

COUNTRY VENUES

Venue consideration can also add to the design of your beautiful Autumn themed wedding – many Castles, Mansion Houses and private estates are surrounded by beautiful country grounds, woodlands and parklands.

Imagine all those impressive and mature trees beaming with colours creating the stunning backdrop to your ceremony, drinks receptions and photos – you can let nature do the work of design for you 😊

If you’re going for a rustic look, you can’t pick a better season for a country estate wedding.

AUTUMN DEALS

Summer months are statistically and historically the most popular for weddings, although I’m not sure why if the forecast in the UK isn’t as promising in the summer as it might be at overseas destinations.

This means that some vendors and venues might be offering special seasonal deals and Autumn might allow you to maximise your wedding budget.

If you aren’t set on a fixed date or haven’t made a decision yet, why not ask your desired suppliers and venues about seasonal deals?

How are you finding my Autumnal wedding suggestions so far? Is there any you’ve found particularly handy?

FLOWERS

Interestingly, I come across this quite a lot lately… Couples often set their heart on certain flowers or certain #Pinterest looks and then there comes the disappointment of finding out that the flowers or the look they want to go for cannot be replicated in the season they chose for their wedding.

Some out of season flowers you want might be still sourced out of season, however, these might come with a hefty price tag for being so limited!

Therefore, I highly recommend for you to discuss seasonal flowers with your florist before looking things up online, to avoid disappointment or opt-in for artificial flowers altogether.

Interestingly, there are some very beautiful and in keeping with the colourful theme of autumn flowers for you to choose from – here’s just a short list of some of the choices you have: alstromeria, gerbera, iris, orchid polymin, chrysanthemum, sunflower, delphinium, freesia and many more.

Is it a surprise for you to know that you might not be able to replicate all floral looks all year round?

MENU

It doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone that with days becoming darker quicker in Autumn, colder, we may feel cosier on the inside with some seasonally tailored wedding menus.

Autumn is an incredible season for food and can tickle many taste buds.

In the Autumn your guests are likely to enjoy a delicious hearty meal and a full-bodied glass of red wine or cranberry vodka – what do you think of this combination?

Autumn food is all about variety, rich colours and flavours on your plate.

Imagine quail with figs and walnuts, wild mushroom and truffle arancini, venison loin in a red currant jus or spiced parsnip and red onion shepherds pie – I’m getting hungry myself!

Additionally, autumnal desserts are to die for with choices such as blackberry crumble with vanilla custard, dark chocolate orange tart or an apple pavlova 😊

Anyone hungry at the thought of these dishes?

DRESS FOR THE WEATHER

It would be very optimistic for me not to touch upon the subject to dressing for the season.

If you’re considering a country estate, a farmhouse or a barn for your wedding in the Autumn, you might want to keep those gorgeous heels safe until you are in your Wedding Breakfast and Reception venue.

You might also want to equip yourself with a pair of bridal wellies for your outdoors ceremonies and photography, and although you might come across a dry day, underfoot conditions might be very different from morning frost and wet ground.

Additionally, advice especially important for our Brides, why not rock a nice chic jacket accessory to your wedding dress, which will definitely come in handy for your outdoors photos.

What other elements of the Autumn wedding wardrobe have you considered? Let us know in the comments below.

LIGHTING

Finally, there is another element you might want to think about when planning for a wedding in Autumn and this one is a very romantic element in my opinion – it’s lighting!

With days getting darker quicker, you’ll have a lot more opportunities to work with romantic and atmospheric mood lighting to set the perfect scene for your wedding breakfast and especially your evening reception.

Additionally, later in autumn, you might want to consider some fairy light, outdoor photos with sparklers or even early evening firework displays to give a clear start to your evening reception.

Imagine performing your first dance in the backdrop of fireworks or cake cutting while all your guests hold flashing sparklers in their hands – this of course is our good weather plan for the outdoors.

Are there any other elements you would consider for your autumn wedding? Let us know in the comments below.

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.