Congratulations you’re engaged!! – What’s next?

Every girl dreams of their wedding day from a young age, no doubt some of you practised with your sisters, cousins and friends for this very experience -  walking up a hallway (your aisle!) complete with a tea towel as a veil, someone hummed or sang ‘here comes the bride’ and you drew pictures of your dress. Now all these years later, your dream is fast becoming reality.

For me, I have the perfect job. Every day I help future Brides (and Grooms) create the day they have dreamed about all their lives, although the sketched childhood dresses might not be exactly what you have in mind and the tea towel may not be the best accessory for your bespoke wedding dress – the dream is still the same. To say ‘I do’ in front of your closest friends and family and celebrate the love you share with your significant other the best possible way, a day filled with tasty food, great wine and bad dancing!!

The next few weeks are among the busiest of your wedding planning, you are about to enter into a world you may have only had a brief glimpse of, asking questions you really aren’t too sure why you are asking, but google told you too (public liability anyone?). Who knew there were so many shades of pink and why on earth is the Groom so obsessed with naming the tables after football teams? At this stage there more questions than answers, ideas are flying around and everyone has something to add. Even Granny has mentioned the Child of Prague and something about a magic handkerchief…

However before all this the very first thing you should do is celebrate! This is a momentous occasion in both your lives and your family’s lives. You have always known you loved each other, but now, you are showing the world and quite literally ‘putting a ring on it’. Your families are becoming one, their sister is now your sister and your brother, their brother. Whatever your idea of celebrating is, be it a family dinner or a party with all your family and friends, relish in this feeling of love and happiness. Enjoy every minute of the congratulations, hugs and kisses because this your time, your day – your way.

Once the celebrating has abated, slightly! It is time to start the planning and pick apart those childhood dreams to see what remains true to today. First things first….
Talk -
Sit down and have a chat with your Fiancé as too what you both want, be it an intimate gathering with close family and friends or a larger reception with everyone you know, compile a guest list so you know what size venue you are looking for. This will help immensely. If you have a guest list of 300 you need a venue that will be able to cater for this size, similarly if you are keeping your wedding more intimate you want to ensure your venue and ballroom will give a homely and private feel. Will it be a church wedding or a civil ceremony?  How many Bridesmaids and Groomsmen are we having? What must we have and what can we do without.
Budget -
Set a budget! I can’t stress enough how this is the most important element to your planning. Setting a budget will help with each step you take towards your wedding date, be it the venue, band, photographer or dress you need to decide on where you want to spend the largest portions of your budget on, what you simply cannot do with out and what is an unnecessary extra.  I mean, of course Meghan Markle had two dresses and a horse drawn carriage but is this something you really can’t do without?
Date -
Finally choose a time of the year or month you would like to exchange your vows in. Each season has its own character and brings its own themes and ideas, be it a white winter wedding with hot whiskeys on arrival, a bright spring day with refreshing cocktails, a hot summers day equipped with an ice cream cart or a fresh autumn wedding with soup to welcome your guests with – no matter what date you pick, there are different ideas and trends to make your day perfect. There is no magic day you must choose, each season brings its own pro’s and con’s, after all remember where we live – each season is as unpredictable as the next. Don’t hinge your date on something that might not happen!
That’s all for now, next time - we’ll talk about the venue!

Love Sally X

‘Once in a while, in the middle of an ordinary life – love gives us a fairy tale’

P.S If you have any wedding questions, you can reach me on sbrogan@loughreahotelandspa.com