If you are at the beginning of your wedding planning journey you are probably getting lots of advice thrown at you, great Aunt Nancy telling you what it was like in her day or Uncle Bob expressing what to avoid but listening to words of wisdom from real Bride’s who have just been through their planning journey can not only save you time and prevent you from making mistakes but it could also save you money.

Wedding planning tips from the experts

Five recent brides give us their personal account on wedding planning and offer their words of wisdom on planning your dream wedding day.

Organise the research

I had 20 pinterest boards, everytime I sat down to begin thinking about my wedding my mind was racing at a million miles an hour. I had pinned just about every wedding day style possible, every wedding hair option, wedding favour DIY tips, groom tie colours, wedding cake designs and just about everything wedding related!

It took me 2 weeks to go through and delete un-relevant pins until finally I had a few boards which represented my wedding style. Don’t go overboard on inspiration it makes it too confusing. – Charlotte

Think don’t rush!

We had set the date, booked our venue and I was in a boutique trying on wedding dresses when the assistant told me to allow 6-8 months once ordered. I was getting married in just over 8 months, so I tried on 5 and made a choice whilst my mind kept repeating I was going to be stuck without a wedding dress. I cried all night thinking I had made a stupid rushed decision, I called the boutique the next morning and they were so lovely.

They had a new collection the following week and I calmly chose my dream dress. Being stressed and overwhelmed clouds your judgement, take your time and your wedding planning will all come together. – Eloise

I chose our wedding cake at a wedding fair with my bridesmaids, my husband hated the taste and we had to change the choice, after that he never let me forget this was OUR wedding not my wedding! – Mia

Consider your options clearly

Seeing the price tag of some wedding venues can scare you, however once you look into the service these venues provide it can be well worth the price tag. For example we looked at a venue that was considerably cheaper than the barn we chose, although after working out the cost to decorate the bare venue and catering costs, there wasn’t a lot of difference in the price. Our chosen wedding barn needed hardly any input from ourselves as it looked amazing on its own. Therefore saving hidden costs and stress. – Gina

Be realsitic

I was too scared to ask prices of a wedding venue, I turned up for a viewing with my Mum & Gran. My Gran fell in love with the venue, even chose where she would sit on my big day then I turned bright red when the co-ordinator gave me the brochure with pricing in, I wish I had just asked! – Mia

There is no point in viewing venues that can’t cater for your number of guests, don’t waste your time. – Gina

Perfection is impossible, happiness is key

Don’t get too caught up in worrying about all the little things for example expensive wedding favours. – Gina

One of my guests decided to invite her grandchildren along with their young children to my wedding as she wanted them there. We hadn’t spoke to them for years and our numbers were spiralling out of control but not only that our wedding was a no child celebration. It caused such a feud that 10 people refused our invite. Keeping everyone happy is impossible, keep in mind the meaning of your wedding. – Charlotte

The only ones who need to make the final decisions on your wedding planning journey are you and your fiancée no matter how strong willed the other voices may be. – Emilee

Don’t compete

My best friend got engaged 2 months after me and initially we were both in the excited bride-to-be bubble celebrating together but then the comparisons began. Our wedding styles differed and we both chose exactly what we wanted but I know both of our partners got fed up with the phrase but they are having/doing this… Don’t get caught up in other peoples wedding planning and make the day your own. – Emilee

Everyone’s vision of their wedding is completely different, what means the most to one person could have very little relevance to the next. This became very apparent to me when my friend was having difficulty getting her guest list down to 175 when mine was comfortably at 24. – Mia

The important thing to remember when planning your wedding is that you and your partner choose what is right for you. Whether that is here in the U.K or abroad, if it is your dream, then go for it! Gina

Hidden considerations

One thing we didn’t consider when booking our destination wedding was exchange rates. We fell in love with our wedding photographers style and stretched our budget slightly, we paid a deposit to secure her. When we came to pay her the remaining balance nearly a year later the exchange rate had changed and not in our favour which meant we had to pay more. I wish we had paid in full upon booking. – Emilee

Whether you want a church or civil service be sure to check what documentation you need. Get organised and check what hidden costs there may be. For example some churches charge for heating if it’s a winter wedding and don’t forget to pay the organist. – Gina

Wedding planning doesn’t always go smoothly, there will probably be bumps along the way but ultimately the time and effort you put in will be rewarded with the wedding day you have always envisioned.

For more help with your planning journey read the 8 things to consider before planning your wedding and our wedding planning checklist.