Real Tips from Real Couples 

If you are in the planning stages of your own wedding then you may be panicking that you have missed something or you might just need that little bit of reassurance that everything will be okay.

Asking for words of advice and tips from people that have already planned their own wedding can be really helpful and can sometimes help you to re-focus.

For those of you that know me will know that I love to help out where I can, so I decided to write to some of my couples to ask them what their top wedding planning tips would be, so here they are...

First up is Jen & Frankie who had their wedding ceremony at Bournemouth Town Hall, followed by a few drinks and photos on Bournemouth Beach, then back to an Airbnb for a chilled out garden wedding party.

“Set your priorities on what you’re willing to spend money on. We wanted a memorable party, where people would talk for months to come about how good the food was and how sore their heads were the next day!

We prioritised 3 things: caterers, drink and your wonderful team!

We budgeted for these things early on and made sure we saved on other areas like invitations, flowers and decorations”.

Next up is Bonnie & Dave who had a fabulous tipi wedding on top of a hill...the views were breathtaking!

“I think from us it would be to keep it simple, don't try to do too much, don't make it too complicated as it can sometimes look too fussy.

Accept help from friends and family especially in the days just before, that was part of all the fun, moving stuff, putting things up, dancing around to playlists all with a beer in hand added to the memories!

The knowledge that everyone was helping because they wanted to make it special for us made it all the better and full of love!!

You couldn't ask for a more DIY wedding than Sammy & Caines..a truly beautiful marquee wedding at Sopley Lake.

When Sammy replied with such a huge selection of wedding planning tips for before, on the day and after your wedding day it was so hard to choose just one for this blog.

"If there is the option to speak to people who have used the same venue as you before, then DO! They have been there, done it and gained valuable experience. This is how we discovered a silent disco could get around the live noise curfew of 11pm!"

Obviously I couldn't let Sammy and Caine's other tips go to waste so I decided to turn them into a blog all of their own. You can read them all by clicking on this link... www.tasha-mae.co.uk/diy-wedding-tips

Liz and Nick got married abroad so they organised a DIY garden wedding party for when they returned home to celebrate their marriage with their friends and family.

With Liz’s passion for cooking she wanted to prepare all the food herself but since doing this these are their words of advice....

“We’ve had a think about this & the thing that sticks in our mind is how exhausted & stressed I was the days before & even on the day as I was doing our own catering - so we would say don’t underestimate the stress & pressure of trying to do your own catering even if you’ve got a flair for cooking ...

Not just one tip but three brilliant tips from Erin & Krzysiek, who had a stunning riverside wedding at Gins Barn ( New Forest Escapes ) in the New Forest.

“Trust, trust, trust ALL your suppliers - for a DIY wedding there is a temptation (if you're a control freak like me) to want to do absolutely everything yourself, down to the last detail. Trust the suppliers you have hired - they know what they're doing and they will become your best friends by the end of it!”

“Don't stress if things don't run to the tight schedule you will likely have drawn up - you will have more fun if you just relax. No one will mind if the speeches run over, or the food doesn't come out bang on time. The band will start playing!! It will be noticeable if you don't relax and your guests will have a blast no matter what”.

“At the start of your wedding planning, come up with three things you won't compromise on - they will be your priorities. You cannot prioritise every single detail of the wedding so decide what is the most important to you - is it food? Is it the band? Photography etc? DIY weddings are expensive so be prepared to prioritise!”

DIY weddings are great fun to organise especially because it means you can do exactly what you want with no restrictions (unless your budget stops you of course!). Em & Ed’s stunning DIY garden wedding is ‘wedding proof’ of this.

“In terms of a top tip it is hard to think of just one, so ours would probably be...

Talk to other people who have done it themselves and get their advice!

I would also say give yourself enough time to get set up a couple of days before so you're not tearing your hair out.

Have a good soundtrack playing in the toilets...we had Bryan Adams!

Oh, and enjoy not having to set an end time - get that music playing and the dancing going all night!”

Frances and Oli had a beautiful traditional church wedding followed by a fabulous DIY wedding reception at The Cosy Club in Bournemouth.

“I wanted my bridesmaids to feel as special and glamorous as I did. Make-up trials are such a fun thing to do together as you get to feel totally pampered and pretty with your bridesmaids. At mine my mum made cakes and I bought Prosecco and it was jolly good fun. Your girlfriends will love bringing cakes and scones and then to wash them down with booze...who wouldn’t? Don’t forget to ask your bridesmaids how they want their hair and makeup as it’s important they have as much input as possible. Afterall, it’s their day as well so it’s lovely for them to feel and look beautiful too”.

When I wrote to Frances and Oli to ask what their top wedding planning tip might be, Frances sent me several. To read all of Frances' wedding tips you can click on this link... www.tasha-mae.co.uk/a-real-brides-top-wedding-tips.

A big thank you to all of my couples that sent me their top tips to share with you all.

When I first read through these tips it became clear that there is a real mix of ideas, feelings and emotions that go alongside wedding planning. From budgeting, to prioritising, make-up and even what music to play in the toilets, the most important tip that stood out to me was...

It may sound the most obvious but it is definitely one of the most important!

No doubt friends and family will offer their help which is really lovely in the planning stages. However, come the actual day you don’t want them running around making sure your suppliers are okay, checking things are in the right place, that your guests have a drink and having to clock-watch for timings.

If you need help ensuring your wedding day runs smoothly then don’t worry, I can help you by co-ordinating your special day. Any little jobs that need doing my team and I will do, so you have no excuse but to relax and have fun.

I am here to help you so please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions.