Should you hire a wedding co-ordinator or stylist? These four couples did…
IMAGE | Photos by Zöe
From organising the full day to focusing only on styling your venue, you can hire a wedding co-ordinator or stylist to do as much or as little as you need.
We speak to four couples whose planners served different purposes…
TRANSATLANTIC PLANS
IMAGES | The Gibsons
Canadian couple Katie and Luke Thompson may live in British Columbia, but when they decided they wanted a destination wedding Scotland was their obvious choice.
“I’m a dual citizen with the UK and had the opportunity to travel in Scotland in my early twenties and fell in love with everything about it – the culture, history, food, and most of all the absolutely lovely people,” says Katie.
The couple returned for a holiday in 2016 and when they got engaged the following March they knew they wanted to tie the knot in The Fairmont St Andrews, where they’d stayed.
While deciding on their venue was easy, Katie and Luke quickly realised they needed local guidance to help them plan from afar, so booked Timeless White Wedding Planning.
The couple had regular Skype calls with Emma, the director of Timeless White, to discuss all the details.
“She also provided guidance and recommendations on timings, Scottish traditions, vendor choices, décor elements, wedding etiquette and so much more,” recalls Katie.
“It resulted in us having the smoothest and most perfect wedding day that was well beyond our wildest dreams.”
Looking back, Katie says it was “beyond useful” to have a wedding co-ordinator.
“I cannot imagine planning a wedding from abroad without having a wedding planner like Emma to support,” she says.
THE FULL PACKAGE
IMAGES | Story of Love – Wedding Photography by Natalie Martin
When Melissa and Andrew got engaged they knew they wanted a timeless Italian theme for their marquee reception, but weren’t sure how to pull it off.
After seeing examples of Get Knotted’s props and furniture, they invited Katie from the company to the family farm where the wedding would be held and it became apparent she could help with so much more than décor.
“She listened to all my ideas and gave us some incredible suggestions to help tie everything in, but they were always practical and within our budget,” Melissa explains.
“The scope of our wedding was becoming quite large – 168 guests – and we were having our marquee at our own venue, so we needed to have someone who had done this before.”
The couple were based in Australia so Get Knotted took on an organisational role, as well as co-ordinating the look.
Get Knotted liaised with suppliers, organised deliveries and produced a timeline.
And then there were the flowers: “Katie and her team designed and produced the most spectacular flowers for the day.
On top of everything the Get Knotted team ran the order of events on the actual wedding day and organised the following day’s clear up.
“Words cannot describe how happy we were with our day and it is down to how well Katie and her team did,” smiles Melissa.
STYLE GOALS
IMAGES | Photos by Zöe
For her wedding to Greig at The Byre at Inchyra, Sarah had several styling ideas but decided to hire in professionals to make her décor dreams come true.
“I contacted Lemonbox Studios within the first few months of planning,” she says.
“I’d seen their work online and on Instagram and just fell in love with their creativity.”
Sarah and Greig didn’t have a theme per se but they were keen to move away from the muted tones seen so often in rustic, barn-style venues.
“The best advice we were given from Lemonbox was to show our personalities through the venue so our guests knew they were at Sarah and Greig’s wedding,” says the bride.
“Colour and clashing prints was my first idea, due to my personal clothing style.
Greig’s love of cycling was also incorporated into the design with the bicycle wheels for the ceremony focal point.”
“The ceiling drapes, seating plan, table décor, signage, hanging lamps and even the rearrangement of the ceremony room into a chill-out area was all Lemonbox,” says Sarah.
“You just need to take one look at how creative these girls are to know why we hired them! Although I had a vision of what I wanted to do with the venue there’s just no way I could have put everything together the way these girls did.
“They are worth their weight in gold!”
WEDDING FAIRY GODMOTHER
IMAGES | Photos by Zöe
TABLE NAMES, TABLE PLAN AND MENU CALLIGRAPHY | Alleycat Designs UK
You can be as organised as you like in the run-up to your wedding, but let’s face it: no one wants to be checking off lists during their big day.
Some couples, therefore, hire an on-the-day wedding co-ordinator to take all the admin off their shoulders.
That’s exactly what Sara and Paul did for their wedding at Errol Park, asking Laura from Devine Bride to assist in the smooth running of the day.
“I was extremely organised and about nine months before the wedding started to create a running order and list of little jobs that would need to be done as the day progressed,” explains Sara.
We thought about delegating to different bridesmaids, best men and ushers but also really wanted our bridal party to just relax and enjoy the day (and were slightly concerned if they would manage once the prosecco kicked in!)”
Co-ordinator Laura stepped in and became the main point of contact for all the couple’s suppliers in the lead up to the day.
Then on the day she was in charge of all Sara’s little jobs, ensuring everything ran to time.
She ushered guests between the different areas, orchestrated a big confetti shoot, set up the cake and pimp your prosecco tables, lit candles, MC-ed the entire day, played the ceremony and meal music and made sure Sara and Paul were never without a drink.
The couple say hiring Laura for on-the-day co-ordination was invaluable.
“Hiring a co-ordinator was without a doubt one of our best wedding purchases.”
THINKING OF HIRING A WEDDING CO-ORDINATOR OR STYLIST?
CHECK OUT OUR DIRECTORY FOR SUPPLIERS
Scottish Wedding Directory’s ultimate Christmas gift guide 2018
Gifts for your groom-to-be, pressies your mum will love and even a couple of goodies for man’s best friend; here’s our top wedding party picks for Christmas 2018.
BEST FOR… BRIDES
BUY | Neom Organics Precious Moment one-wick candle (£32)
We’re massive fans of Neom Organics at SWD, so we were excited to hear about the new Christmas candle, Precious Moment. It smells divine, and would be the perfect candle to scent a winter wedding morning.
BUY | Boux Avenue cami and shorts set (£30)
A gorgeous silky set that the bride-to-be can wear on her wedding morning (or night!), this set won’t break the bank.
BUY | Last Christmas as a Miss sweater (£29)
Forget the usual Christmas jumper; this one is perfect for a soon-to-be Mrs! Available in black, grey and this gorgeous berry colour.
BUY | Personalised bride teacup and saucer (£16)
This teacup is so adorable, and a lovely keepsake for the bride to use on her wedding morning (and every morning thereafter, obviously!)
BUY | Normal People by Sally Rooney (£12.99)
Editor Natasha says: Sally Rooney’s Normal People is the best book I’ve read this year (and was just named Waterstones Book of the Year).
BEST FOR… GROOMS
BUY | Jo Malone Huntsman collection Whisky & Cedarwood cologne (£120)
Editor Natasha says: Jo Malone’s Huntsman collection is a new range specifically for men. My boyfriend wears the Whisky & Cedarwood cologne and is complimented on it every time we go out.
BUY | Clinique Great Skin for Him gift set (£40)
His skincare regime starts when yours does, so make it easy with this cover-all gift set from Clinique, which comes with a handy wash bag.
BUY | Jack Daniel’s single barrel select – engraved (from £50)
Engrave this suave-looking bottle of JD for your groom-to-be. If not for Christmas, it’s a great idea as a wedding morning gift for his hip flask.
BEST FOR… DADS
BUY | Aramis Classic gift set (£24.50)
This classic cologne gift set is the lowest price it’s ever been, so get in there quick. Your dad will love this scent!
BUY | Whisky Snippers wood chips (£12.50)
This cool gift means that your dad can infuse his own whisky with these real whisky barrel chips in time for your wedding day!
BUY | Personalised signature handwriting bangle (£85)
Expect a few tears when you give your dad this sterling silver bracelet, which can be inscribed with your own handwriting. So sweet and special.
BUY | Hotel Chocolat Beer and Chocolate Hamper (£27.50)
Beer brewed with cocoa pulp, paired with delicious chocolate. What’s not to love?
BEST FOR… BRIDESMAIDS
BUY | Mac Shiny Pretty Things Lip Kit (£65)
For the lipstick lover in your life, Mac’s Shiny Pretty Things Lip Kit is a dream. It’s the kind of set you’d never buy for yourself but would love to receive as a gift.
BUY | Devine Bride Glasgow-themed tote bag (£14)
Scottish wedding co-ordinator (and former SWD blogger) Devine Bride has just designed the cutest range of tote bags.
The Glasgow one is our fave and ideal for bridesmaids considering wedding fair season is around the corner.
BUY | Personalised script bridesmaid notebook (£25)
Take note! This luxury foil-printed notebook is perfect for jotting down appointments and wedding fairs… oh, and hen do ideas!
BEST FOR… MUMS
BUY | Neom Organics Perfect Peace Christmas three-wick Christmas candle (£45)
Digital editor Steph says: This candle is practically a Christmas tradition in my house; I can’t imagine Christmas without it! As soon as my tree goes up, I light it.
BUY | The Icons Cracker by Molton Brown (£20)
We look forward to receiving Molton Brown shower gels every year – how cute is this Icons cracker, filled with four of the brand’s best-sellers?
BUY | Eden Mill Candy Cane Christmas gin (£32.50)
We’re kind of obsessed with Eden Mill, and this festive Candy Cane Christmas gin is ticking all of our boxes. Your mum will love a tipple or two on Christmas day.
BEST FOR… PETS
BUY | Barbour Luxury Tartan Dog Bed (from £59)
Treat your little furry animal to a posh, luxurious Barbour checked bed. He’ll sleep like a king!
BUY | Velvet dog bow tie (£16.50)
Perfect for Christmas parties (and your wedding day, if you’re including your doggie), this luxe velvet bow tie just adds a touch of class to your pooch.
Having a Christmas wedding in 2019/2020? Take a look at our simple ways you can add sparkle to your Christmas wedding!
Devine Bride: The hottest honeymoon destinations in 2018
Stuck for honeymoon inspo for your 2018 getaway? Looking for somewhere a little bit different from the norm?
Blogger and wedding tasker Laura Devine has some more unusual recommendations for this year and next, because they’re due some big changes in the next few years, so go while you still can!
Mo’orea, French Polynesia
Mo’orea, French Polynesia: think the Maldives, but much more exclusive. Only an hour away by plane from celeb fave Bora Bora, it has all the charm of Bora Bora, but with a (slightly) cheaper price tag.
It’s a honeymoon hotspot because it’s often PR’d as ˜The heart of French Polynesia’, as the island itself looks like a heart shape from above “ an iconic photo when you arrive by plane.
However, that’s not to say it’s super busy; the island works hard to keep it’s resorts intimate and exclusive, and offers various tiers of accommodation, from overwater bungalows to beach huts, to apartments.
Unfortunately due to global warming, this gorgeous island with pristine beaches and stunning overwater bungalows is likely to be underwater in years to come.
GO FOR: the weather, the exclusivity, and lots of activities and amazing animals!
TOP TIP: you don’t need a visa (yet, i.e. pre-Brexit), since this paradise island in the South Pacific is technically classed as part of France.
THE DOWNSIDE: it takes forever to travel! We had to take three planes to get there from London.
Read more about my visit to Mo’orea, French Polynesia
Cuba, Caribbean
When you step off the plane in Cuba, it feels like another world. You’ve likely seen all the photos: the vintage cars, the 1950s speakeasy, the colourful streets. Cuba was the land that time forgot.
The country has lived under a trade embargo from the United States since the late 1950s and relied heavily thereafter on trade from the Soviet Union. However, since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the country has endured a tough economic time, and the result is that Cuba looks like it has been frozen in time.
You’d be offered ˜Tukola’ in a bar instead of ˜Coca-Cola’, and mostly everything else would be homegrown local produce. However, it’s all change now since the US ˜restored diplomatic relations’ in 2015.
Slowly things like McDonalds and other chain stores are popping up across Havana¦ and the cool and colourful vintage cars are vanishing. So, go now, while you have the chance to see it in all of it’s unique, colourful and culturally rich glory.
GO FOR: the weather, the culture, rum, vintage cars, cigars, and live music on every corner.
TOP TIP: we got a great deal through Virgin Holidays, so try there first and shop around for the best deals.
WATCH OUT FOR: you can only buy currency once actually in Cuba. The country has dual currency, but as a tourist, you can only use one, Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC), whereas locals use the Cuban Peso (CUP).
Check out the deets from my time in gorgeous Cuba
San Sebasti¡n, Spain
San Sebasti¡n is a little hidden gem on the north-west coast of Spain in the Basque country, nestled in between two glorious and pristine half-moon sandy bays.
Now, I’m not talking Costa Brava or Costa del Sol vibes; this is a side to Spain I have never experienced before.
This is where the Royals and Grace Kelly used to holiday “ and it’s easy to see why as it is just the most stunning little town, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were somewhere much more exotic.
The food also happens to be as awesome as the views; San Sebasti¡n has more Michelin stars per capita than anywhere else in the world, but you could also easily dine out happily on pintxos (Basque tapas) every night and go home with a full stomach and a full wallet.
Another reason to visit¦ there are no Brits! (Or hardly any, anyway.) Although it’s not hard to get there, there’s no direct flights from the UK, which means San Sebasti¡n remains fully Spanish and free from beer guzzling stag dos, all day breakfasts, and PR girls on the beach.
But go now before Brexit hits: who knows what will happen to euro transfers after that.
GO FOR: sun, sea, sand and brilliant food only a hop skip and a jump away!
TOP TIP: be sure to check out txakoli; like a Basque version of prosecco, but lighter. So good!!
THE DOWNSIDE: there’s no direct flights from the UK, but it’s easy enough to get there by transferring from either Bordeaux in France or Bilbao in Spain as it’s super close to the border.
Check out some more about my travels to foodie heaven San Sebasti¡n
Happy honeymooning, wherever you end up!
You can find me over at devinebride.co.uk and on Instagram as @devinebride.
You can also say hello via laura@devinebride.co.uk “ I’d love to hear from you!
My consultations are free and I will be as involved as you want me to be through your planning process. I can plan your full wedding, style it, be your coordinator, or I can simply take on the odd jobs you don’t want to do or don’t have time to do.
About the author, Laura Devine of Devine Bride
Laura is a wedding tasker and runs the multi award-winning wedding blog Devine Bride.
Laura offers pick and mix wedding planning, from stationery to styling, hire a bridesmaid to help on the day, and from wedding planning to wedding websites. Her honest and practical blog covers hen parties to honeymoons and everything in between.
Laura won Best Rising Star at the Wedding Blog Awards 2016, Wedding of the Year 2016 with Your London Wedding Magazine, was highly commended in the Wedding and Events category at the UK Blog Awards 2017, and is a finalist at both the UK Blog Awards 2018 and The British Wedding Awards 2018.
Laura is Glasgow born and bred but now splits her time between Scotland and London, where she lives, works and plays. She is a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art and the London College of Fashion.
In her words, “Weddings are important because they celebrate life and possibility, and ultimately, it’s all about making people happy “ and I love that.”
Are you looking for more wedding inspo?
Click here to visit Laura’s blog, Devine Bride
Devine Bride: Top trends from Meghan + Harry’s wedding
In her last blog for Scottish Wedding Directory (sob!), Laura Devine dissects the Wedding of the Year, Meghan + Harry’s 19th May nuptials, and pulls out the trends you’ll be seeing in 2018/19!
It’s only been a few weeks, but, undoubtedly, the royal wedding will influence trends for years to come. Brides and suppliers alike are already trying to emulate Meghan’s style, match the pantone of her nails, and recreate some of the flavours from her wedding breakfast.
I’ve spotted a few trends emerging already, that will easily transcend even the most diverse wedding styles¦
~ DECONSTRUCTED CAKES ~
IMAGE | Getty Images
Instead of a traditional, high tiered wedding cake, Meghan opted for a simple and short two-tier cake, with two more tiers placed separately at stepped heights.
The way the four tiers of three separate cakes were displayed mimicked that of a traditional tall tiered wedding cake, but I rather liked the way it was ˜deconstructed’ “ much more modern, much easier to cut, and much easier to serve!
I also love the idea that, unlike Harry and Meghan, this would also allow you to go a bit more mix and match with your cake tiers.
You could have a few flavours, styles, textures, or colour combinations, even made by different family members, but some simple styling with some fresh flowers could bring it all together.
~ DIY FLOWERS ~
Vogue UK reported that Harry hand picked many of the flowers in Meghan’s bouquet from their private gardens at Kensington Palace; said to include Forget-Me-Nots as a touching tribute to his mum, Princess Diana (Forget-Me-Nots were her favourite flowers).
Such a lovely sentiment and so much more personal than the florist using their own stock! I love this idea and I am increasingly seeing more of my London brides going for more wild and rustic bouquets that are home grown by family members.
For those that are less ambitious, try out some simple centrepieces using single stem vases or bottles first.
~ MAKING AN ENTRANCE ~
IMAGE | Getty Images
Meghan chose to walk most of the way down the aisle at St George’s Chapel by herself “ and why not?
On one hand I completely disagree with the sentiment of a father ˜giving away’ the bride, thus indicating the father is passing over ownership to the husband, but on the other hand it is a nice tradition and a lovely moment to share with your dad.
However, in today’s modern world, with equally modern and diverse families, the social and family politics of weddings only adds stress to the day. Since the royal wedding, I have already had two separate requests from brides to be who wish to ˜make an entrance’ by themselves on the day, and would like some help coordinating this¦ and why shouldn’t you take full advantage of the spotlight on one of the most wonderful and important days of your life?
Keep an eye out on my Instagram (@devinebride) to see how those ones play out!
Will you be taking any inspo from Harry Meghan’s wedding? I’d love to hear what you’ve got planned!
You can find me over at devinebride.co.uk and on Instagram as @devinebride.
You can also say hello via laura@devinebride.co.uk “ I’d love to hear from you!
My consultations are free and I will be as involved as you want me to be through your planning process. I can plan your full wedding, style it, be your coordinator, or I can simply take on the odd jobs you don’t want to do or don’t have time to do.
About the author, Laura Devine of Devine Bride
Laura is a wedding tasker and runs the multi award-winning wedding blog Devine Bride.
Laura offers pick and mix wedding planning, from stationery to styling, hire a bridesmaid to help on the day, and from wedding planning to wedding websites. Her honest and practical blog covers hen parties to honeymoons and everything in between.
Laura won Best Rising Star at the Wedding Blog Awards 2016, Wedding of the Year 2016 with Your London Wedding Magazine, was highly commended in the Wedding and Events category at the UK Blog Awards 2017, and is a finalist at both the UK Blog Awards 2018 and The British Wedding Awards 2018.
Laura is Glasgow born and bred but now splits her time between Scotland and London, where she lives, works and plays. She is a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art and the London College of Fashion.
In her words, “Weddings are important because they celebrate life and possibility, and ultimately, it’s all about making people happy “ and I love that.”
Are you looking for more wedding inspo?
Click here to visit Laura’s blog, Devine Bride
Devine Bride: Be savvy with seasonal savings at your wedding
Budget-bust by being smart with seasonal choices on food and flowers for your big day, says blogger and wedding tasker Laura Devine.
IMAGE | Cotton Candy Weddings
Once you’ve found your wedding venue and picked a date for the day, the next step for super-efficient wedding planning (and wedding spending) is to look at what’s in season on the month you have chosen to get married.
This is a simple step that is often missed in the planning process, but could save you a lot of time, hassle, and money!
IN SEASON
I was in a quandary for my own wedding flowers; my florist couldn’t guarantee she could definitely get peonies in April and, even if she could, they would be double the price because they’d need to be specially sourced. This had never even occurred to me before!
So, I did my research and switched the peonies out for anemones instead, with some ranunculus to add volume, which saved me a whole lot of worrying and a bit of money too.
Looking back, anemones fitted much better with the whole vibe of my wedding anyway!
PLAN AHEAD
If time is on your side, it’s best to do your seasonality shopping exactly a year from when you are getting married, so you can see for yourself what’s in season, how it looks, and play around a bit with what’s on offer.
With the right knowledge and seasonality in your mindset, you’ll have the confidence to make smart decisions throughout your whole planning journey “ not to mention, you’ll be doing your bit for the environment too by using what’s plentiful at the time.
Here’s a few pointers of what’s in season when, to get you started¦
~ S P R I N G ~
IMAGES | Chloe Lee Photography
· Food: rhubarb, lemons, blood oranges, passion fruit, mussels, oysters, crab, lobster.
· Flowers: anemones, ranunculus, sweet peas, tulips, calla lilies, sweet William, hyacinths.
· Décor + styling: daffodils, blossom trees, pastel colours, florals, chocolate eggs, umbrellas.
~ S U M M E R ~
IMAGE | Eva Photography
IMAGES | Chloe Lee Photography
· Food: strawberries, raspberries, peaches, pineapples, lamb, scallops.
· Flowers: peonies, hydrangeas, stocks, sunflowers, freesias, daisies, delphiniums.
· Décor + styling: Pimms, pineapples, watermelon, hay bales, picnic baskets, fans, citronella.
~ A U T U M N ~
IMAGES | Chloe Lee Photography
· Food: pumpkins, apples, turkey, duck, venison, fennel, chestnuts, tomatoes.
· Flowers: chrysanthemums, dahlia’s, delphiniums, hyacinth, gerbera.
· Décor + styling: pumpkins, apples, toffee apples, sparklers, dried leaves, cosy blankets.
~ W I N T E R ~
IMAGE | Chloe Lee Photography
· Food: pumpkins, figs, tangerines, clementines, cranberries, turkey, duck, fennel, gingerbread.
· Flowers: anemones, amaryllis, forget me nots, jasmine, ranunculus, calla lilies, hyacinths.
· Décor + styling: baubles, pine cones, pine trees, candy canes, winter berries, holly, fairy lights.
If you need any wedding planning help, or even just any pointers of where to start with your own plans, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!
You can find me over at devinebride.co.uk and on Instagram as @devinebride.
You can also say hello via laura@devinebride.co.uk “ I’d love to hear from you!
My consultations are free and I will be as involved as you want me to be through your planning process. I can plan your full wedding, style it, be your coordinator, or I can simply take on the odd jobs you don’t want to do or don’t have time to do.
Best of luck with your planning!
About the author, Laura Devine of Devine Bride
Laura is a wedding tasker and runs the multi award-winning wedding blog Devine Bride.
Laura offers pick and mix wedding planning, from stationery to styling, hire a bridesmaid to help on the day, and from wedding planning to wedding websites. Her honest and practical blog covers hen parties to honeymoons and everything in between.
Laura won Best Rising Star at the Wedding Blog Awards 2016, Wedding of the Year 2016 with Your London Wedding Magazine, was highly commended in the Wedding and Events category at the UK Blog Awards 2017, and is a finalist at both the UK Blog Awards 2018 and The British Wedding Awards 2018.
Laura is Glasgow born and bred but now splits her time between Scotland and London, where she lives, works and plays. She is a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art and the London College of Fashion.
In her words, “Weddings are important because they celebrate life and possibility, and ultimately, it’s all about making people happy “ and I love that.”
Are you looking for more wedding inspo?
Click here to visit Laura’s blog, Devine Bride
Devine Bride: Newly engaged? Start here!
Blogger and wedding professional Laura Devine tells us her top tips for easing yourself into planning the wedding of your dreams!
Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, especially if you’re not the planning type! What works for someone else might not necessarily work for you; there are no set rules of how a wedding should be or should be planned. Spreadsheets are great, but if you don’t already use them in your day job they can often be more of a hindrance “ one wrong cell and you may as well not bother budgeting at all!
I’m a wedding planner, but I’ve been through the planning process myself as a bride, and as a bridesmaid three times, so I know the ups and downs and the stresses “ as well as a lot of the tricks.
Start with my first steps to easy wedding planning to help you on your way, no spreadsheets required!
IMAGE | Devine Bride
SET UP A SEPERATE WEDDING EMAIL ADDRESS
Do. This. First. Even before you set up any new Pinterest boards!
I thought I was pretty organised during my planning journey (naturally!), but some of my eager enquiry emails were sent from my own personal email in the beginning, when I was a little over excited about being engaged.
This led to a lot of wasted time further down the line trying to piece conversations and quotes together. To make matters worse, I also found a few quotes buried in my work emails after we got married!
Setting up a wedding email from the get-go just makes life a whole lot easier in the long run. Use (only) this email for anything wedding related, from your enquiries and contracts, to guest’s RSVPs.
Go that one step further and set up an email signature, and even an out of office message about your wedding/honeymoon dates “ this keeps everyone organised and will help suppliers sympathise should there be any late or missed payments nearer to the big day.
TOP TIP: Set it up on your partner’s phone for them! This helps your other half feel/be (delete as appropriate!) more involved.
Shared access and complete transparency is a must if you are planning a wedding to spend the rest of your lives together. If you are both working on separate areas (my husband sourced the music and the photographer, and I did everything else!) it also means you can both keep tabs on what’s going on, and makes keeping track of costs a lot easier.
Folders, flags and an organised ˜sent’ items are helpful too, but optional.
IMAGE | Amanda Karen Photography
HAVE WHATSAPP GROUPS FOR WEDDING CHAT
In a similar theory to a separate wedding email account, set up separate Whatsapp groups purely for wedding related matters.
The first chat should be with only your other half. It’s great as a reference tool, and it’s nice to have a little bit of separation between your wedding and your normal/love life! Nothing kills romance quicker than, ˜oh, did you remember to pay the caterer?!’.
Do the same with your chief bridesmaid. A bridesmaid and/or wedding party group is also super handy, but don’t get overwhelmed! This just helps even to send generic updates, so you don’t have to copy the whole thing again to your dad, then your ushers, then your niece who’s doing a reading, or if you’re running late or need a helping hand at some point.
IMAGE | Amanda Karen Photography
SUBSCRIBE TO FEEDLY
I always advise my brides to use blogs for their initial inspiration. It’s an easy and accessible way for instant inspo that’s constantly being updated and is constantly evolving (SWD is my fav, obviously!).
The major benefit over magazines is that there is such a variety of great content out there at your fingertips “ for free. However, with so many out there, this can also be, yet again, quite overwhelming.
Feedly is a free subscription service that lets you create your own news feed from all your favourite websites. It’s like your own personalised newspaper.
Described as, ˜A single place to easily read all the news you rely on to think, learn, and keep ahead.
Feedly lets you organize all your favourite publications, podcasts and YouTube channels into collections and receive updates when new stories and videos are published’.
You can use it for anything, but it works particularly well for wedding blogs. It means you can ditch the email alert blog subscriptions (doesn’t everyone long for a cleaner, less cluttered inbox?) and still never miss a post from all your favs “ just remember to add Devine Bride to your feed as well as SWD!
IMAGE | Amanda Karen Photography
BUY PRETTY PLANNING STATIONERY
You need to have the right tools in place to do a great job!
Make it exciting with some beauts stationery “ to make you want to make lists, make you want to fill up the pages, and help you get the job underway.
Hippenings and Kate Spade do great organisers and pretty stationery bits, apt for any level of wedding planning (these make great gifts too, so get some hints dropped in time for Valentine’s), but Wilko’s also do nice budget versions too that won’t break the bank to have a bit of fun with.
IMAGE | Devine Bride
MAKE IT FUN!
Make planning together fun; add some treats to the mix. This is a simple trick I learned as an Ops Manager in London when I was trying to get my management team in a room to talk about budgeting.
If you are in on a Friday night trying to nail the numbers with your other half, pick up some treats from M&S on the way home.
If you are negotiating writing your vows together, add a bottle of prosecco to celebrate. It helps, trust me!
Get your creative juices flowing with whatever works for you, but remember to make it fun.
That’s just for starters, but if you need any wedding planning help, or even just any pointers of where to start, please don’t hesitate to get in touch! You can find me over at www.devinebride.co.uk and on Instagram as @devinebride. You can also say hello via laura@devinebride.co.uk “ I’d love to hear from you!
My consultations are free and I will be as involved as you want me to be through your planning process. I can plan your full wedding, style it, be your coordinator, or I can simply take on the odd jobs you don’t want to do or don’t have time to do.
Congrats on your engagement and here’s to an exciting 2018!
About the author, Laura Devine of Devine Bride
Laura is a wedding tasker and runs the multi award-winning wedding blog Devine Bride.
Laura offers pick and mix wedding planning, from stationery to styling, hire a bridesmaid to help on the day, and from wedding planning to wedding websites. Her honest and practical blog covers hen parties to honeymoons and everything in between.
Laura won Best Rising Star at the Wedding Blog Awards 2016, Wedding of the Year 2016 with Your London Wedding Magazine, and was highly commended in the Wedding and Events category at the UK Blog Awards 2017.
Laura is Glasgow born and bred but now splits her time between Scotland and London, where she lives, works and plays. She is a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art and the London College of Fashion.
In her words, “Weddings are important because they celebrate life and possibility, and ultimately, it’s all about making people happy “ and I love that.”
Are you looking for more wedding inspo?
Click here to visit Laura’s blog, Devine Bride
Jenny Packham unveils 2019 bridal collection at The Ritz, London
Blogger and wedding tasker Laura Devine was lucky enough to bag a place at the very exclusive Jenny Packham collection preview to mark the start of London Bridal Week!
The 2019 collection from bridalwear heavyweight Jenny was inspired by a beautiful F.S. Fitzgerald quote…
“Men and girls came and went
Like moths among the whisperings
And the champagne and the stars.”
The Jenny Packham collection is inspired by a glamorous, twilight society, their heady abandon and insouciant elegance fuelled by the hazy romance of a balmy summer’s evening.
Take a look at the gorgeous gowns (including some trousers/jumpsuits too) below…
‘Lucille’
‘Dahlia’
‘Julia’
‘May’
‘Primrose’
‘Sylvia’
‘Violet’
‘Thistle’
‘Lolabelle’
‘Lois’
‘Alba’
‘Whisper’
‘Elina’
‘Juniper’
‘Flori + Fleur’
‘Angelica’
‘Sweet Pea’
‘Bluebell’
‘Moonflower + Meadow’
‘Jasmine’
‘Lei’
‘Nadia’
‘Amber + Ally’
‘Aster’
‘Rosa’
‘Millie’
‘Indigo + Acacia’
‘Acacia + Crystal’
‘Forget Me Not’
‘Forget Me Not’
Read more of Laura’s thoughts on the Jenny Packham 2019 collection preview over on her blog, Devine Bride.
Devine Bride: Worried no one will dance at your wedding?
Make sure your guests dance the night away with these helpful tricks and tips from wedding tasker and blogger Laura Devine.
IMAGE | willpatrickweddings.com
The main reason why people get stressed planning their wedding is because, at the root of it all, they just want their guests to have a good time.
You want your wedding to be the best, most interesting, most fun, relaxed, dancefloor-filled party there has ever been “ the last thing you want is for anyone to be bored, right?
You can spend all the money in the world on a brilliant band, but if your guests just aren’t up for it, what else can you do to help get everyone on the dancefloor?
Well, I have a few suggestions, which are tried and tested!
IMAGE | willpatrickweddings.com
~ C A F F E I N E H I T ~
It’s standard in most wedding breakfast packages to have a tea and coffee course after your main meal, usually with dessert.
If you have the budget, try scaling up your coffee course to include, tea, coffee, and espresso martinis¦guaranteed to bring your guests back to life after dinner!
I’m not a massive coffee drinker, but I would never turn down an espresso martini! (I attended a wedding in America a few years ago and the couple served espresso martinis at their ˜cocktail hour’ after dinner, and it went down a storm!)
If you don’t have a lot of budget to play with, how about swapping your dessert course for espresso martinis, and serving your wedding cake as dessert?
A cool cocktail could also work as a wedding favour “ no crafts or shipping costs required. And what an elegant and fabulous way to toast the end of your wedding breakfast, and the start of your reception and new married life. ˜Thank you for sharing our first meal as Mr & Mrs, now let’s get the party started!’.
IMAGE | Devine Bride
~ G O P O P ~
A budget friendly but super cute treat¦just add sugar! You can get loads of fun e-number-packed toppings and sprinkles in your local supermarket, be sure to look under the ice cream aisle as well as the popcorn section.
You can also buy the cute vintage style popcorn cartons super cheap on Amazon to make a cool display with. Make it a bit of a feature by asking your venue to set up a popcorn station for you and ask guests to help themselves before the speeches begin!
IMAGE | Devine Bride + cottoncandyweddings.co.uk
~ S U G A R R U S H ~
Two words: sugar high. Depending on your wedding style and venue, there are various ways you could lace your wedding with sherbet or popping candy for an energy injecting sugar high.
Perhaps you could ask your venue to put on a personalised cocktail behind the bar for you, with a sugary rim of sherbet as the finishing touch.
This could be something as simple as a vodka and elderflower spritz, but make it your own.
Another option would be to have some sherbet or popping candy sprinkled on your dessert, which actually works perfectly with ice cream or caramel. Yum!
IMAGE | willpatrickweddings.com
~ B I G K I D S ~
We’ve all seen sweetie tables at weddings, and they don’t show any sign of going anywhere. Why? Because guests love them!
You can easily make your own spread of your faves, just make sure to include lots of fizzy and sugary ones to give guests the required buzz for the dancefloor. The more colourful = the more sugary = the better!
My mum nearly went a step too far at my wedding, by making whisky flavoured tablet for our sweetie table, except she forgot to tell anyone she’d put nearly a full bottle of whisky in each slab! It’s no wonder the kids were all going bananas, but we hadn’t a clue why at the time.
IMAGE | Devine Bride + cottoncandyweddings.co.uk
~ M A I D S O N D U T Y ~
It’s the duty of your ˜maids to be by your side throughout your wedding journey and your wedding day.
If worst comes to worst, ensure that you have a secret pact with them to keep an eye on the dancefloor, and to help fill it as necessary.
At my own wedding, I actually put this on the bridesmaids and best mens’ to-do lists that I issued to them the day before the wedding!
IMAGE | willpatrickweddings.com
Ultimately, a wedding is a long day, for anyone, so if you can provide your guests with a little pick me up for later on, then you’re on to a winning dancefloor.
That’s just for starters, but if you need any wedding planning help, or even just any pointers of where to start, please don’t hesitate to get in touch! You can find me over at www.devinebride.co.uk and on Instagram as @devinebride. You can also say hello via laura@devinebride.co.uk “ I’d love to hear from you!
My consultations are free and I will be as involved as you want me to be through your planning process. I can plan your full wedding, style it, be your coordinator, or I can simply take on the odd jobs you don’t want to do or don’t have time to do.
About the author, Laura Devine of Devine Bride
Laura is a wedding tasker and runs the multi award-winning wedding blog Devine Bride.
Laura offers pick and mix wedding planning, from stationery to styling, hire a bridesmaid to help on the day, and from wedding planning to wedding websites. Her honest and practical blog covers hen parties to honeymoons and everything in between.
Laura won Best Rising Star at the Wedding Blog Awards 2016, Wedding of the Year 2016 with Your London Wedding Magazine, and was highly commended in the Wedding and Events category at the UK Blog Awards 2017.
Laura is Glasgow born and bred but now splits her time between Scotland and London, where she lives, works and plays. She is a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art and the London College of Fashion.
In her words, “Weddings are important because they celebrate life and possibility, and ultimately, it’s all about making people happy “ and I love that.”
Are you looking for more wedding inspo?
Click here to visit Laura’s blog, Devine Bride
Devine Bride: My must-follow wedding-related Instagram account recommendations
Time for an Instagram spring clean? We asked blogger and wedding tasker Laura Devine to share her favourite wedding-related Instagram accounts with you!
You can easily get bombarded with inspo from Instagram when you’re engaged.
Give your Insta a spring clean but keep your feed fresh with some of my fav wedding inspo account to see you through until your vows.
As a wedding planner, I need to stay ahead of the trends and these Instagram accounts never disappoint; from décor to flowers, venues to balloons, and snacks to smoothies¦
1 \\ @wedhead_london
What wedding décor dreams are made of! Anastasia, founder of Wedhead, is at the helm of their Instagram and curates it ˜just so’, with the most gorgeous pics of their furniture rentals and prop hire in situ.
Oh, and they deliver to Scotland!
2 // @bespokebride
Inspo on all things crafty and colourful! Ideal hen do, bridal shower, and party prep inspo too.
Lots of fun bits and bobs to get your creative juices flowing. Plus, they’ve also just launched some super cute bridal and hen party tees, that include slogans like, ˜Married AF’, ˜Bride Squad’, and ˜Bridal Babe’.
3 // @rockmywedding
My number one go-to for real wedding inspo. The most beautifully curated weddings, from all around the UK and beyond, on one Instagram feed.
They go for a kind of rustic but elegant charm… and one of my own weddings (this one) will be featured on the RMW feed in August!
4// alphafoodie
Need a kick start on healthy eating? Samira of Alpha Foodie is your new hero!
A gloriously colourful food-fest-feed of amazing fruits, smoothies, snacks, and just some generally great food. Most looks too good to eat, mind you; Insta-worthy for sure.
5// @sugarandcharm
Self-professed ˜charming entertaining ideas: desserts, parties, flowers, cocktails’, direct from Los Angeles¦ It’s all IDEAL for weddings!
Her flower and cocktail combos make me want to jump on a plane and get married again in Malibu.
6// @bridaleditor
A purely-fashion bridal blog, powered by the ex-fashion editor of Wedding Magazine now doing her own thing.
It’s all things pink and dreamy with a fashion focus on the hottest new bridalwear in London.
You’re welcome.
7// @100layercake
Like an American version of Rock My Wedding (see above) but with a good amount of wedding DIY and American flair thrown in.
8// @partywithlenzo
A labyrinth of party and décor inspo (with a heavy swing towards weddings) at your fingertips!
I love all their balloon décor “ their colours, shapes, and arches are always on point.
9// @peggyporschenofficial
The cutest and arguably the most Instagramable, and Instagrammed, café in London, nestled in one of the London bridal districts between Kensington and Victoria.
It helps that they go all out with their window displays, regularly having massive (real) flower arches across their entrance, which leads into a gorgeous entirely pink café “ and they serve the cutest tea and cake combos.
Save this one up your sleeve for the next time you’re in London “ it would be the perfect pit stop if you’re on a hen do, too.
10// @bubblegumballoons
Their balloon installations for weddings are something else, but I love seeing all the cool wedding venues they supply to around the UK too.
It’s an easy access décor + location inspo account for a wedding planner like myself.
11// @britandco
Need something non-wedding-ing to break things up a bit? Brit + Co is a US media company that inspires, educates and entertains women with a creative spirit.
Lots of funny memes, gifs, and just some general non-cheesy motivational girl power content.
They do a lot for good causes too, including women’s rights.
~
If you need any wedding planning help, or even just any pointers of where to start with your own plans, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!
You can find me over at devinebride.co.uk and on Instagram as @devinebride.
You can also say hello via laura@devinebride.co.uk “ I’d love to hear from you!
My consultations are free and I will be as involved as you want me to be through your planning process. I can plan your full wedding, style it, be your coordinator, or I can simply take on the odd jobs you don’t want to do or don’t have time to do.
Best of luck with your planning!
About the author, Laura Devine of Devine Bride
Laura is a wedding tasker and runs the multi award-winning wedding blog Devine Bride.
Laura offers pick and mix wedding planning, from stationery to styling, hire a bridesmaid to help on the day, and from wedding planning to wedding websites. Her honest and practical blog covers hen parties to honeymoons and everything in between.
Laura won Best Rising Star at the Wedding Blog Awards 2016, Wedding of the Year 2016 with Your London Wedding Magazine, was highly commended in the Wedding and Events category at the UK Blog Awards 2017, and is a finalist at both the UK Blog Awards 2018 and The British Wedding Awards 2018.
Laura is Glasgow born and bred but now splits her time between Scotland and London, where she lives, works and plays. She is a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art and the London College of Fashion.
In her words, “Weddings are important because they celebrate life and possibility, and ultimately, it’s all about making people happy “ and I love that.”
Are you looking for more wedding inspo?
Click here to visit Laura’s blog, Devine Bride
Devine Bride: Making winter wedding decor easy!
Forget fanciful ice sculptures and snow machines; winter wedding decor can be budget-friendly and easy to achieve if you do your research, says wedding tasker and blogger Laura Devine.
IMAGE | Devine Bride
It can be easy for your wedding budget to spiral out of control with little extra details as your wedding approaches; lots of little things can soon become big money, and before you know it you’ve blown a couple of hundred pounds on favours alone.
It all mounts up, so I’ve put together a list of a few easy yet stylish winter wedding decor additions you can find in your local super market, or even forage for!
PUMPKINS
IMAGE | Jo Photo Online
Perhaps the most obvious thing that springs to mind for October and November weddings, but pumpkins can last well past Halloween or Bonfire Night and can make lovely focal points for December weddings, too.
Keep it classy and pick up some from your local supermarket in lighter and greener shades for a more wintery vibe, or better yet, spray paint some really big ones to use as entrance décor or styled centrepieces.
Pumpkins are in season until around late December in the UK, but you may have to travel to a larger superstore to get a good selection beyond Halloween. The smaller edible ones will be more readily available in December, and those ones are much more interesting colours and shapes.
For extra winter wedding brownie points, serve some pumpkin pie as dessert or have some pumpkin spiced lattes on reserve for after dinner.
CINNAMON STICKS
IMAGE | White Loft Studio
These are great to scatter inside lanterns, in tea cups, around centrepieces and make lovely flavoursome additions to hot drinks like mulled wine and mulled cider.
Readily available in supermarkets, you don’t need many to emit a lovely evocative Christmassy smell, creating an instant cosy winter atmosphere.
WINTER FRUITS
IMAGE | Kelsey Combe
Think figs, tangerines, clementines, cranberries, and any other dark berries. These work wonderfully across cake and cheese spreads.
Use generously and lavishly scattered on cakes and cheese boards, or else piled up in tall vases as décor.
The mixture of rich and vibrant colours does the talking.
PINE CONES
IMAGE | Style Me Pretty
A trip to the park is all that’s needed for this one! If you are short on décor time, these look amazing scattered “ anywhere!
Up and down tables, around fireplaces, strategically positioned on mantel pieces, in baskets, and also stacked up in bell jars.
These also look super cool in candle holders, so use in place of candles if your venue doesn’t allow naked flames.
Pine cones are also great to bulk out floral or wreath arrangements if you have any large spaces to fill.
JEWEL-TONED WILD BERRIES
IMAGE | Elizabeth Messina
Unlike the edible berries in the fruit section above, think wild and foraged. The white ones you see in the woods, the red ones on holly, and also mistletoe (which you can usually find growing near apple trees in the UK).
Mix in with pine or fir tree sprigs in arrangements out of reach so little curious hands can’t get to them. Assorted drapes also look great hanging downwards as pew ends or tied to the alter.
Florist’s twine is discreet and super easy to use if you are doing some wedding DIY here, and you can get a roll really cheap on Amazon.
Use hessian to hide the twine underneath once you’ve set your arrangement in place or to tie it all together. Hessian is quite thick and course so it works great with more harsh winter branches.
My (very) general rule of thumb is that, in summer; less is more, but in winter, more is more! So go mad and don’t be afraid of ˜scatter décor’ in winter!
I hope these ideas gave you some thrifty inspo for your winter wedding, check out my blog for more wedspo and more winter wedding ideas coming soon.
Good luck with the rest of your planning, and if you need any help or any more ideas please don’t hesitate to drop me a line. I’m @devinebride on Instagram and Twitter, or feel free to say hello via laura@devinebride.co.uk too! See you next year!
About the author, Laura Devine of Devine Bride
Laura is a wedding tasker and runs the multi award-winning wedding blog Devine Bride. Laura offers pick and mix wedding planning, from stationery to styling, hire a bridesmaid to help on the day, and from wedding planning to wedding websites. Her honest and practical blog covers hen parties to honeymoons and everything in between.
Laura won Best Rising Star at the Wedding Blog Awards 2016, Wedding of the Year 2016 with Your London Wedding Magazine, and was highly commended in the Wedding and Events category at the UK Blog Awards 2017.
Laura is Glasgow born and bred but now splits her time between Scotland and London, where she lives, works and plays. She is a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art and the London College of Fashion.
In her words, “Weddings are important because they celebrate life and possibility, and ultimately, it’s all about making people happy “ and I love that.”
Are you looking for more wedding inspo?
Click here to visit Laura’s blog, Devine Bride