Now lets just be honest, lockdown is not easy and is definitely not what you needed to contend with when planning one of the happiest days of your life. It probably feels like this pandemic has sucked all of the fun and enjoyment out of your wedding planning and any plans you had to look forward to. So that’s why it’s crucial we put a stop to this now and help you get back to your love of all things weddings! I hope that my list of all things wedding planning gets you back on track to planning a day like no other.
Now where to start?
It can seem like you’ve lost your train of thought, or can’t remember where you got up to on your list of plans and that’s absolutely normal, especially after you’ve taken a break from planning. So I’ve broken down a guide of easy and quick ways in which you can start to gather a wide range of imagery/inspiration/supplier information/top tips & more to help you through the next steps in your planning.
Instagram is a great place to get to know different suppliers from all over the world. So, no matter where you are planning your big day from, it is the perfect tool for getting to know an array of venues, photographers, make-up artists and more!
Instagram is one of the best platforms for industry professionals to showcase not only their work, but personality and experience too. Making it an ideal place for getting to know your suppliers before you go ahead and hire them.
Start by taking some time to look over their profile, stories and any past work or styled shoots they’ve been a part of. Make sure to look over their captions and comments too. It’s also a good idea to click the link to their website. This will give you more information on the company, their services and pricing.
Also don’t be shy! Make sure to follow them, like and comment on their posts and join in their lives. The more you interact with them, the quicker you will get to know if you like their style and the work they produce. Have a look at who they follow and the people they work with. There may be an opportunity for them to recommend other suppliers too. Helping you to build on the style and feel of your wedding by having suppliers with a similar aesthetic.
Use Instagram as a resource for building a picture of who they are. Don’t forget, you spend a lot of time with each of your suppliers, so it’s important you like them just as much as you like their work.
Facebook is a great tool when planning your big day. It’s an easy way to interact with suppliers, speak to other couples and to ask for recommendations.
One of the greatest advantages Facebook has over Instagram, is that it allows groups and forums. The perfect place for you to liaise with industry professionals and ask all of your burning questions from the comfort of your sofa. There are loads of these groups and forums on Facebook created by suppliers, bloggers and industry professionals, purely to help you when planning your big day. You want to find groups which aren’t just full of suppliers looking to sell to you.
So here’s the list of my favorite groups, forums and pages. Think of these as an unlimited amount of advice all in one place. A little gem of a resource if you ask me.
Weddings and Brides 2020, 2021 & 2022
Now where to start with Pinterest, this is one of the quickest sources of visual inspiration out there. Providing you with a wealth of imagery. Covering all aspects of weddings from table settings, colour palettes, wedding dress inspiration, lawn games and so much more. If you can think it, believe me it will have a whole host examples to show you.
You can create an infinite amount of boards where you can store all of the images you find. Another great way to start to narrow down your likes and dislikes early in your wedding planning. This is definitely an app I recommend you installing as soon as you get engaged.
Top Tip
Share your boards with suppliers. This helps them to visualise and translate the ideas in your head.
Create a board containing your favourite 10 images. This way it makes it easier for them to picture the aesthetic you want to achieve for your day.
Magazines
Now I love having a magazine to flick through. For me there really is nothing better than having a glossy magazine or file packed with cutouts sitting on your coffee table full of inspiration. However, if you collect loads (like I do) then be mindful that not everything will relate to you and your day. Instead why not look for local wedding magazines which feature topics and suppliers closer to your chosen wedding location.
There is no denying, magazines are a great way to start your planning process and provide a great source of initial research.
Blog Posts
You will find an abundance of blog posts online and one of my favorite topics has to be styled shoots. They are a brilliant way to draw inspiration for your big day. Providing an insight into different types of venues, how they can be styled, as well as tips on how to translate the latest wedding trends.
You will find an array of styled shoots on websites such as Brides Up North, Unveiled Magazine, Love My Dress and Rock My Wedding. Make sure to look out for the details of who created them. You can then go on to research these suppliers, finding out more about how they could help bring your day to life.
You can then even go back onto Pinterest and start creating boards based on the styled shoots you loved.
Podcasts
This has to be one of the easiest ways to gain invaluable tips and tricks for planning your day. Topics might be chosen by couples, be focused around a popular question or based on a new trend. The beauty is, you don’t have to listen to each podcast in order. You can pick and choose which topics or discussions relate most to you. With a typical podcast being 30 minutes – 1 hour & 30 minutes long, they are the perfect way to get some wedding planning in during your commute to work or lunch break.
Shedding light on topics you probably don’t want to, or don’t know how to, discuss with your family and friends. Providing real life examples, tips and tricks to help you tackle some of the most stressful planning decisions.
If you’re keen to get listening then here are my all time favorite planning podcasts. Once you’ve listed to one you won’t be able to stop.
Top Tip
Find one you can relate to. There is no point listening to someone advising how to plan a destination wedding when you are getting married in your back garden in Yorkshire.
Also, If you can’t stand the speaker’s voice then you are hardly going to want to listen to them for an hour, just something to bare in mind.
Happy Planning
I really do hope my little guide to wedding planning has given you the nudge needed to get back into your excited planning place. Unfortunately, I can’t answer the most pressing question and explain exactly when we will be back to throwing amazing weddings. However, I can promise it will happen and it will be worth the wait.
Useful Links
Don’t forget if you’re ever struggling with the next steps in your planning or just want someone to talk through your ideas with, I’m always happy to help.
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