‘Planning’ and ‘wedding’ are two words often followed by a little sigh & when put together can feel like a mini marathon to be completed. There are many ways to simplify & thoroughly enjoy the whole process & here at Middle Coombe Farm there is a relaxed and joyous environment, surrounded by nature, in which to realise your wedding dreams.
Simply put- we have 400 acres of heavenly space, woodlands, fresh air & our own private Devon valley. Feeling relaxed? Hold that thought…this is the key to the ultimate happy wedding planning.
In our little run of Simplicity & Sustainability blogs we are going to show you just how good the planning process can be, when to start, when to stop (as it’s just as important to avoid over-organising) & how to love it all along the way. A little ‘ten commandments’ if you will…..
- Be happy. You are in love.
- Work out your budget (& stick to it). This equals maximum happiness.
- Work out your priorities & what makes you both happy. How do you want to celebrate your union?
- It is good to put together your ideal guest list as this will focus you both right at the outset & ties in completely with your budgeting. The days of inviting a guest ‘plus one’ are over. It is perfectly alright to be polite but remember this is your wedding & the start of your fabulous new life together. Have the people around you that are your life-source & make you happy. ‘Plus ones’ come & go & you’re paying for them. See,- no guilt. Simple.
- Do your research/ask questions. Never worry about asking questions. If you have a dream & are unsure about how to realise it, ask.
- Use your time efficiently. This is a wonderful add-on to your busy life. Live it & spreadsheet it…no seriously. If you only have an hour of wedding planning time-stick to it & focus…you’ll get much more done this way.
- Don’t revisit things you have already dealt with. When you have dealt with a ‘thing’ and are happy…leave the ‘thing’. A classic way to tire yourselves is to revisit & revisit plans that you have already fixed & confirmed. It is fine to ‘check’ -we all do it, but have confidence in yourselves & your choices. All your friends & family will have ideas they want to throw at you because they care & want the best for you…lovely…but stick to your guns (& your spreadsheet;). You are in charge.
- Simplify, simplify, simplify. A classic topic= table dressing. Jam jars with natural/seasonal flowers look amazing. You can order buckets of flowers from a local award-winning flower farm, for example, & are welcome to use any greenery from our woodlands. Remember your guests need to be comfortable for the wedding feast & need room for their place settings…less really is more -otherwise your caterer can’t get the food on the table for the decorations…(yes…this has happened).
- Favours. Again, keep it simple & effective if you want to do them. One of my personal favourites was an exquisite little hand-made pack of paper tissues with a decorative block-printed brown paper sleeve with the date of the couples wedding on it & ‘For Happy Tears’ printed on the front. Each guest was given a little pack to take with them to the oak tree ceremony site for the speeches. Perfect.
- Music. It’s the soundtrack to your lives together and you can choose whether you have a band, a D.J, your own playlists…or have a band & then hook up your computer with your playlists. This is the party to your big day. We insist you dance your little socks off.
Take a look at this wonderful visual of how Lucy & Oli got it just right for them. All photographs by kind permission of Lucy & Oli & Oxiphotography.co.uk.
