'The most romantic time of year is here!' The Christmas period draws us closer to the people we care about in our lives and it also creates some romantic and very special memories that may include popping the question. A big congratulations to those of you who have recently got engaged. This is a very exciting time for you all! As we also all know, Christmas is one of the busiest times of year, with a jam-packed social calendar of parties, friends and family. It may seem daunting but do not stress! We are here to help you along the path of engagement and help you answer the ‘what’s next?’ questions. Set a date. Or thereabouts! At this point it is very hard to set an exact date but narrow it down to a few specific dates or season. The time of year is very important. Traditionally wedding season falls from May through to October and you will find that venue hire rates reflect this. If you are on a tight budget, looking at dates either side of these months may help you with your decision. If it is sun you are looking for, or even just a dry day, you may be safer sticking with a date within wedding season. Some of you may be looking at a particular decor or theme for the wedding. Think of what time of year would suit these best, whether it's Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter. Use some tools and surf the internet for inspiration; this may also help to pick a time of year. Here at Knightor we have four acres of vineyards, orchards, arbour and pond which provides the perfect location for your spring/summer wedding. We also have our historic barns for a dramatic setting for those cosy Autumnal weddings where those early evenings are captured within the stone walls. You may also want to consider other factors such as not clashing with other important dates so always include your nearest and dearest when narrowing it down. On the other hand, you may want to consider some symbolic dates, such as the date of the day you met or a year from your engagement date. The guestlist. Now it’s time to decide who to invite to your wedding day. For some of you this will be an easy task but for others, not so clean cut. If you have an enormous family or too many friends you may find your guestlist racking up those numbers. Do not fret! We have a little tip to help you finalise your list. Why not try putting together three different lists: 1. The dream list This list excludes budget and costings so throw that to the side (for now) We give you permission to add on everyone you desire, so think big! 2. Realistic list Now it gets a little harder, we ask you to split the 1st into three sections: Day guests, evening guests and reserve list guests. Your reserve list will come in handy when you start looking at venues as this will depend on budget and space available. 3. Intimate list Some of you may be looking to keep the wedding day small and intimate or just low cost then this list is for you! You have to keep your wits about you when putting together this list. Do not allow too many outside influences and make sure the guestlist reflect both you and your partner. A small tip for all lists - Don’t forget to think about plus ones and children at the wedding (day or evening only). The wedding venue. When it comes to finding the perfect wedding venue you want to make sure it is ticking all the boxes. The last thing you want to do is book a venue which is missing one of your key elements! We have all been secretly planning this for years so it easy to get a little over excited when searching for your dream venue. Be prepared with these simple steps and you will be sure to find the one! Budget. I know it’s very tempting but before you press that search button make sure you set your budget. This is very important as this will reduce the risk of falling in love with a venue that is just a little too much over your budget. If you would like to know more about Knightor's venue hire rates and whats included, send our Wedding Coordinator, Jess, an email at [email protected] Plan some time where you and your partner can sit down and discuss what your day will involve and how much each part will cost. Now go and get those viewings booked in! Location. Is the venue local? If it isn’t you will have to think about accessibility for your guests and whether or not there is affordable accommodation nearby. Take a look at Knightor's onsite accommodation and places to stay nearby. You may have booked your ceremony at a different venue to the reception so think about the distance from each and whether or not your guests be able to easily get from one to the other. And remember, supplying transport will add a little more to your budget! Your guests are important to you and an important factor of your day so making travel and access as easy as possible will make the day a great experience for all involved. Capacity. You have already put together your guestlist and have an idea of your maximum and minimum numbers. Now it's as simple as does the venue work for you? The brochure says it can sit up to 120 guests but do you feel the space is big enough? Is there a lovely flow for the guests throughout the day? These are all questions you should be asking and if the answer is yes then this one could be a potential venue! Special extras. If your venue has ticked all of the above you can now start looking at the finer details. Maybe you have something out of the ordinary planned, a carpet of candles down the aisle or even the idea of roasting marshmallows over fire pits. If you want to add that a little wow factor to your Knightor wedding ask Jess or Anna, our wedding coordinators for more ideas. It’s these little details that create a wedding that is really personal to you and partner and memories that guests will treasure so make sure you are asking the right questions. Be prepared and write a list of questions you would like to ask - we all do it! Venue search tip - Always check the venue has its own in house wedding coordinator this will help with taking the stress off you. Once the venue is booked you have reached a milestone in your wedding planning. The rest should slowly fall into place. Enjoy the rest of your planning! Comments are closed.
|