Planning a Wedding in 6 Months

It is something of a misconception that you need years to plan a wedding, even though we know when we speak to our brides that a great many have had their wedding planned in their own heads for a lot longer, even before the husband to be came in to the equation in many cases! However, the time spent decision making, which is basically what organising a wedding comes down to, can easily but cut to 6 months if you’re prepared to be slightly flexible and keep on top of things. We are currently working with lots of couples, some getting married this summer and some looking as far ahead as 2022. We thought we’d come up with a few tips for those of you thinking a wedding in late 2018 might be a lovely option.

 

  We have a fantastic “last minute” offer on at the
moment – click here to find out more 

 

• Firstly, let everyone you want to be a key part of your big day know! You don’t want to be caught up in the planning and set the date to find out that a chosen bridesmaid or key family member isn’t going to be able to make it.

 

• Set your budget, or at least have an idea of what your upper limits are. Here at Talhenbont we work with couples and offer them expert advice and relevant contacts that may limit costs in certain areas.

 

• Think about the style and theme of your wedding. Are you thinking of a relaxed affair for close friends and family, or a much bigger do? You may want a casual dining experience for you wedding breakfast, such as a buffet or street food or a formal four course sit down meal for 100 plus guests. Our expert event caterers Cheeky Chilli Catering will work with you to create a bespoke dining experience for your whole wedding party. The style of wedding will also dictate your floristry choices and our preferred florists, the award winning SpringBank, can work within your budget to dress the hall to perfection.

 

• If you are opting for a church wedding, contact the local vicar to arrange to have your Banns read. This can take a few months and so it’s worth considering early on. You need to register to marry with your local register office.

 

 

• The look and style of your wedding should always be at the forefront of your mind when planning your wedding. It is your “go to” when you need to make decisions quickly and are feeling slightly pressured. Take a moment to think about the look you’re trying to achieve and try not to stray too far away from this.

 

• There are a few key factors that influence the other. Your wedding date, time, venue and potentially your photographer or videographer are all dependent on availability. Once you’ve set your budget and style, make some key calls to ensure that they are available. This is where a degree of flexibility may need to come in to play as you’re dealing with moving targets.

 

• Look at mid-week wedding options. There is a far greater chance of securing all the suppliers that you have in mind if you can be flexible. At Talhenbont we offer some great mid-week packages that also help to keep the costs down. Six months from now takes you to the month of September. This is considered peak time for most venues, however in the months that follow, the cost of venue hire comes down.

 

• When you begin to plan with 6 months to play with, you will need to shop for a dress quite quickly. If you’re going down the traditional wedding dress route, many designers and suppliers indicate eight months plus to fit the dress. Often things can be done a lot more quickly than this. You can go for custom made, however, as great option is so look at sample sales, or go for something off the peg. This also means that you will get money off the original dress price.

 

• Begin to think about what your bridesmaids are going to wear!

 

• The “paperwork” sometimes takes a bit of time. A great way to get the word out that you’re getting married is to send a video, create a social media group of a Paperless Post invite. Not only is it quick, easy and cheaper, it also makes the date stick in people’s minds. When sending this out it’s nice to go with a theme that gives a hint of the look and feel of the day itself. At this point you should also thing about your wedding invites themselves. Begin to pull together the wording for not only the invites, but your “wedding particulars” to be included. This should include basic information about the wedding, local accommodation (if you’re not staying at Talhenbont) dress code, taxi numbers and any other important things your guests might want to know. Don’t forget to include your wedding gift list and who you’ve registered with.

 

 

• When thinking of your paperwork, look in to the order of service and if you’re having readings during the ceremony, pick out some that are relevant to you and your partner. It’s also a good time to think about your music choices.

 

• Think about your wedding rentals such as formalwear for the groomsmen, wedding cars and booking a band or DJ.

 

• You will need to decide on your menu and here at Talhenbont, Kim from Cheeky Chilli will invite you along to the hall for a tasting. You can also meet with Liberty Wines to arrange the ever-important drinks package for your guests. We can also put you in touch with some fabulous local supplies such as Hayley’s Piped Dreams to discuss your wedding cake.

 

• Once you’ve chosen your stationary, get a date in your diary to send the invites out. Most couples post them out 2 months in advance of the wedding. This is where putting together an Excel file of all those invited is hugely beneficial. They can be checked off and their dietary requirements noted down for the caterers.

 

• Don’t forget to buy your rings and make sure that you have all of the relevant accessories sourced including your veil, shoes, men’s ties cufflinks etc. It’s also worth thinking about whether you’re going to give your key players a little thankyou present on the day.

 

• If you are going to go away, it’s time to book your honeymoon.

 

 

• In the weeks running up to the big day, make sure you keep a track of RSVPs and track down and of those who are still missing so that you can give your final head count to the caterer.

 

• Take some time out to enjoy some treatments and make sure that you are booked in and happy with your hair and make up choices. Try to find time to sit down and have a make up trial.

 

• Once you’ve got these things organised, you deserve to enjoy every minute of your big day. Should you require assistance in any or all these areas, we are an experienced team at Talhenbont and work with many industry experts. We can help you every step of the way to make the whole planning experience an enjoyable one.

 

We hope that this list of things to think about makes the whole planning process slightly easier. If you think that getting married sooner rather than later is something you’d consider, then take a look at a fantastic “last minute” offer we currently have available by clicking here.