Newly Engaged? Where to start…

It’s finally happened… Your engaged! This is one of the most exciting times of your life, you want it to be perfect, to remember it forever and you will… Here is our guide on where to start!

The Excitement

All of us are guilty for it… You’ve just got engaged and you feel like you’re about to burst with happiness, the butterflies kick in, everything seems ridiculously exciting and you can’t wait to share it with your family and friends. Whether you’re the kind of person who jumps onto social media to share that beloved ‘We’re Engaged!’ post or you call close friends and family screaming down the phone with joy… WE ALL DO IT! The constant pinning on Pinterest begins, you can’t help but get inspired by the imaginative weddings that are beaming on your computer screen, you have stacks of wedding magazines ready to read in the corner and you still have no idea where to start …

Deciding the wedding size and style

You need to start thinking about what kind of wedding you want, whether it be a location wedding or something a little closer to home, there is a wide variety of options. Take in to consideration the size of wedding you are wanting, big or intimate? At Abbey House Hotel & Gardens we always recommend to start a rough guest list with the people you both defiantly want there. Start with your day guests then move onto the night guests – you can always adapt later on. By choosing a style such as modern, vintage or something totally unique it can help us indicate the path you are wanting to take and help us cater for it.

Set a wedding  budget

You need to discuss what you both want to include in the wedding… have a budget for everything before you start on the venue hunt! Think about what you are going to and can afford to spend.

Ask potentially difficult questions now to family members that might be helping out, this will all be essential and will have a major effect on the sort of day they can expect to realistically achieve.

There are other separate costs you should think about outside the venue; Church/ ceremony costs, wedding dress, bridesmaids, groom, groomsmen and the accommodation are just a couple.

If you are on a limited budget be ready and expect to be looking at midweek or earlier/later times of the year. There are some amazing deals to be done if you are ready and willing to accept off peak periods. Positive thinking now about these options will enhance your experience of booking the venue, rather than feeling second best, budget needn’t be an issue to have a perfectly lovely day.

Don’t try and outdo other weddings you’ve been to; you will end up with a mish-mash of ideas that won’t necessarily gel together on the day. Start a scrapbook/Pinterest ASAP, for all of the ideas you want and talk them through with your coordinator. Once you have decided on your theme, stick to it for the best possible outcome.

Consider what you want from your venue and what you are expecting from them. Abbey House, whilst offering inclusive packages, is a very versatile venue which will go out of the way to ensure couples are able to achieve what is in their minds eye.

Ensure that once you have chosen your venue you have a breakdown of costs. How much will an extra guest be? Are children discounted? If my guest list diminishes will I still be charged? How much for evening guests? How much are upgrades? DON’T sign on the dotted line until you are sure that you will be delivered what you have asked for and know what every aspect costs.

So, start a budget planner at the beginning, not half way through once you’ve committed yourself. Know what you have to spend and don’t be talked into spending what you don’t have.

Book the Wedding Venue

Booking a venue very much depends on your budget also. If you are looking for a peak date such as a Summer bank holiday, about 24 months, if not longer. This is where versatility in a package is essential, you need to know that you can change major aspects when you actually come to plan in 18months time!

On more of a budget? Weddings can be booked just 9 months in advance, which is great if you have a local guest list! We have turned a wedding around in 21 days very successfully but would recommend a minimum of 6 weeks.

Once your wedding is booked at Abbey House you receive a welcome letter and access to your own wedding manager application. Even though you won’t plan specifically with your coordinator until 6 months prior, you still get to plan at home with the full back up of the Abbey House team and ideal partners on www.exclusiveweddingplanners.com.