Norfolk Wedding Directory

Here are just a few top tips for anyone planning a wedding or civil ceremony. If you have got a great piece of advice you would like to share with others then and we will put it on our forthcoming advice board.

Top 5 tips
1) Always remember what the day is all about as it is easy to get caught up in the spectacular of the day and forget that the main thing is that you get married.
2) Set out a realistic budget from the outset and stick to it; all the extra fivers here and there soon add up Download our Wedding Budget Checklist.
3) If you are planning to accept help from family and friends then be very clear about what you need them to do and when they need to be done by.
4) Where possible have a contingency plan in mind in case things go wrong. If, for example, the person doing your hair or make-up is ill on the day, who would be able to step in to help.
5) Try and have everything organised a week before the wedding to give you a few days to enjoy the build up to the day and to get any last minute beauty treatments booked in.

General advice
Below are some things you may want to consider while making the arrangements for your big day:

Wedding/reception venue
Before choosing a venue write your guest list and have in mind the number of people you must have at your wedding and then the number of people you would ideally like to have. This should help prevent you from falling in love with a venue that is just too small.

If possible try and have a meal at your favoured venue before signing contracts, as if the level of service and quality of food is poor for two people, the chances are it won’t be any better for an entire wedding party.

Flowers
If you have more than a year to plan for your wedding then check out which flowers are in season during the same month of the wedding. This will not only start you thinking about colour schemes for the wedding, but will hopefully prevent the stress and cost involved in trying to order flowers that are out of season.

If you have a florist doing your wedding flowers, ask to see some photos of arrangements they have already done. If they can only show you magazine cuttings of arrangements they could do then it is difficult to judge the quality of their work.

If you are having a church wedding and would like flowers inside the church, ask the vicar if there are any other weddings likely to take place on the same day. If there are other weddings scheduled, then you may be able to split the cost of the church flowers with the other couples, although this could mean you have to compromise on colours.

Photography
If you are using a professional photographer then ask to see their portfolio of work as this will not only give you an indication of the quality of their work, but may also give you some ideas of styles and groupings for your own photos. Also make sure you know from the start who will own the copyright for your photos as increasingly couples are having to pay an additional sum to own the copyright.

If you are using a family members or friend to take your photos then be quite clear about the groupings you want for each photo and ask someone reliable (and preferably someone who knows the majority of the wedding guests) to assist with getting the right people in each photo. This can save valuable time on the day and will be one less thing you have to think about.

Wedding cake
Choosing a wedding cake can be daunting as every year new designs come along to tempt the happy couple. Regardless of who makes your wedding cake, it is important to find out how it will be transported and stored (this is especially important for cakes with fresh cream or with a chocolate coating) and who will be responsible for assembling and positioning the cake at the venue.

If you are planning to save the top layer of the cake then make sure you inform the venue and ask them to make a note of it in your file before the day. To be sure the top layer won’t be cut then you may want to ask a trustworthy member of the family or friend to remind the venue staff once you have cut the cake.

The dress
The best thing to do is try on as many dresses as possible as early as possible. Custom made dresses can take a few months to come through, so leave yourself enough time for alterations. Although you may have a clear idea of the type of dress you want, try to keep an open mind if a shop assistant has other styles in mind as they will have a good idea of which dresses will suit your shape and colouring.

Check to see if alterations are included in the cost of your gown as this can add a significant amount to the overall cost of the dress.

Formal hire
It can be difficult to find a suit that everyone likes, so don’t be afraid of having the groom in a different style to the others. It is getting increasingly common to see the groom in a different suit so that he too stands out in a crowd.

If your best man, ushers and page boys don’t all live in the same area as you then try and find a suit that is stocked in their locations where they will be able to get fitted and order the suit. If you do this then try and get all the suits delivered to your local branch as this will save any potential mishaps with suits being left behind.

Wedding Budget
When you first decide to get married it can be difficult to think of everything you need to organise, book and pay for. To give you some guidance we have created a budget template that can be downloaded by clicking on the PDF below:
Download our Wedding Budget Checklist
(Or simply click the right mouse button and choose 'Save Link As').

Your input counts
If there is something you think should be included on the advice page or in the wedding budget checklist then