London Wedding Planner

Over the next few months I’ll be featuring some exciting guest posts from experts within the wedding industry. The aim of these posts is provide you with ideas and specialist information to help with the planning of your wedding. First up, we talked to Pam who runs online wedding directory, Weddings in Surrey .

1. How is your online directory different from other wedding planning sites?

Weddings in Surrey is a dynamic site that is kept fresh and vibrant, and attracts new visitors every day. It specifically targets couples who live or are planning weddings in Surrey and the surrounding areas. Couples who are planning theirwedding in Surrey can find everything they need in one place, and we have included wedding planning tools for download. Civil wedding venues and bridal wear are also categorised by towns, making it even easier for couples to find exactly what they want, in the town they want.

2. What piece of advice would you give to brides who have just become engaged and are about to start planning their wedding?

Plan, plan, plan. Seriously though, couples should sit down together and make a list of their priorities – what things they must absolutely have at their wedding, what things they absolutely hate, and lastly the “don’t mind if we do or don’t mind if we don’t”. Once a couple really start getting into the planning stage, they can refer to this list when making decisions. This way, you can avoid the headaches and potential areas for disagreements.

Secondly, set a budget. Add a 10% contingency for the ‘must haves’ and stick to it. Lastly, do consider using a wedding planner . It can take up to 200 hours to plan a wedding, and if the couple lead busy lives it takes away some of the stress, and they also have a wealth of experience and ideas at their fingertips.

3. What would you say are the most important things for a bride and groom to consider when looking for wedding suppliers?

Anybody can set themselves up as a wedding supplier, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that they are a viable business. Look for suppliers who can show they have a sustainable business and get references from couples who have used them for their weddings. Look to see if they have a website. Is it professionally designed? Does it have multiple pages? Is there a gallery of their products in a wedding setting? Also consider contacting a wedding planner who can recommend and source reliable suppliers.

4. What wedding styles/themes have been popular this season, and what trends do you see being popular for 2010?

This season outdoor weddings have become very popular with venues setting up licensed gazebos in gardens. Also rich colours such as hot pinks and orange splashes as a colour theme. Vintage wedding chic has been big this year, with Hollywood glamour fashion and monochromatic black and white scheming. A growing trend is the attention to detail – unusual favours, wedding signs, elaborate table plans and flower decorations using mirrors and sprinkles. We’ve also seen a big increase in keyword searches for “secondhand once worn bridalwear”.

For 2010, I believe brides will still be budget conscious but also more aware of the environment. Eco friendly products such as organic wine, recycled paper for wedding invitations and so on. Flowers will follow the eco theme by using landscape designs of forestry such as tree bark, heathers and herbs. Lots of wedding dresses will have different shoulder strap details. Strapless wedding dresses are still out there, but some beautiful gowns with straps have been designed for next season, and veils are back in fashion for the famous. Single vibrant colour palettes rather than multi-toning will be popular, like sunshine yellow for Spring. Lastly, favours that have personal meaning to the couple, plus sky lanterns that are set alight and launched into the night sky.

Thank you, Pam, for your insight and advice. If you’re planning a wedding in Surrey, be sure to check out the Weddings in Surrey directory for a comprehensive list of venues and suppliers.

Photo Credits:
Venue: Wotton House
Signs: Frolic

You might also find interesting:

• Ask the Expert – Samantha Jones Photography
• Wedding Planning Advice – Organising Your Time
• Real Wedding – Bita and Seun, Surrey
• Ask the Expert – Kelly Spence