Planning a wedding is super exciting but it can also be on the stressful side. Between endless pins you don’t quite know what to do with, the prospect of the first dance in front of everyone you know, and speaking in front of them too, there can be a lot of tasks on your plate. But if you’re a born worrier and need an extra hand with all the planning, your family and friends, maids and groomsmen will no doubt gladly pitch in wherever they can, or if you’re after the professional touch, there are plenty of excellent trained wedding professionals who can meet stress head on and will help juggle all those tasks with you. From first dance lessons and speech experts to stylists and planners, here are 6 wedding professional’s services you might like to consider on the lead up to your Big Day…
1. Hire a Planner Extraordinaire
Photo from real wedding by Michelle Prunty Photography
If organising and planning aren’t your strengths, you may like to enlist the help of a wedding planner to help keep you sane. Some couples want the wedding planner to take care of absolutely everything; others just want a hand dealing with and booking suppliers. The great thing about a wedding planner is that they have a book full of wedding contacts and may even be able to get you discounts, they can deal with any dilemmas with a cool and calm head, and they’ll help you keep on top of absolutely everything from budget to bookings. If you’re pondering booking a wedding planner, be sure to take a peek at the Essential Questions to Ask Your Wedding Planner here.
Wedding Planners & Coordinators
Frog Prince Weddings & Events | MBZ International – Wedding Planner | Pauline Belton Wedding Planner | Finesse Weddings | The Wedding Festival | To Have and to Hold – Wedding Planner | Audrey’s Wedding Events | Coordination Made Easy | Help Plan My Wedding – Ireland & Abroad | Sharon Mc Meel | Perfect Details
2. Take Up Some Dance Lessons
Photo from Kate & Alan’s real wedding by Michelle Prunty Photography
The first dance – three words that have the power to turn normally coordinated couples into toe-stompers. It can be incredibly nerve-wracking showcasing your moves in front of family and friends but you can also use it as an opportunity to learn a new skill and have some time with your partner that doesn’t involve talking budgets or decor. Lots of couples opt for dance lessons for a variety of reasons whether you want help mastering some steps, are dreading being in the spotlight and want to build your confidence or your apartment is on the small size and even with the couch pushed back, you can’t break out a twirl let alone a waltz. There are several Irish companies that offer one-to-one classes where yourself and the hubby or wife-to-be have a nice big space to get acquainted with some steps and someone to give you some guidance. They offer everything from one-hour sessions to more intensive lessons over several hours or weeks where you can learn a few basic steps or a full-on choreographed routine. Irish companies offering dance lessons include Love Dance, Viva School of Dance, Michelle Alonzi.
3. Get Help with Pin Worthy Decor
Photo courtesy of Vintage Affair – Wedding Props, Styling & Flowers | Photo by Table Plan Designs
If you’re planning a wedding, you’ll more than likely spend your fair share of time on Pinterest. It’s a treasure trove of inspiration – there’s ridiculous amounts of gorgeous images BUT it can also be a total ‘mare as you’ve all these amazing ideas but haven’t a clue how to make them happen. Whether you want to hire a few bits and bobs or you’re looking for a more hands on approach and want someone to do the styling for you, there are people that that can make your Pinterest vision a reality. From marquees to floral walls, red carpets to letter lights, and chair covers to vintage china hire, decor and event stylists will work with you whether you need help sourcing props or you’re after someone to do the styling for you.
Or if you want to go all out with your table plan, Irish company Table Plan Designs are the pros when it comes to creating something truly unique and special whether it’s footie or superhero themed table plan you’re after. They’ve a seriously impressive gallery full of ideas with everything from classic and elegant plans with beautiful ribbon and diamante details (they were the creatives behind Lisa Cannon’s chic table plan and celeb makeup artist Tara O’Farrell’s stunning table plan which you have a peek at above) to rustic plans complete with pine cones and fun music inspired table plans with cute record details. Find out more about their service here!
View Decor & Event Styling suppliers in Ireland!
4. Ensure You’ve Stress Free Speeches
Photo by Tomasz Kornas
Wedding speeches are a big part of Irish weddings but for the poor unfortunates giving, they can be a total nightmare. Whether it’s what to say or the thought of standing up there in front of family and friends, it can be incredibly daunting and stressful. If you’re worried about the nerves getting the better of you or need some one-on-one guidance, Irish company Great Speech coach people to improve and enhance their public speaking skills. They give one-to-one coaching, can help you control your nerves, organise rehearsals in the wedding venue and can even help with the content and structure of the speech if you need a bit of direction. Find out about their service here.
Another beautiful option is to create a poem in honour of this special occasion whether you’re looking to recite one as a lovely alternative to a speech (ideal for everyone from the bride or groom to parents and the bridal party) or want to give a gift of one to your parents or soon to be hubby or wife. If you’re not keen to put pen to paper yourself, Poems To Go can come to the rescue and create a unique and totally personalised poem just for you based on details you give them. Just one minute long, they’re ideal for anyone looking to share some beautifully scripted heartfelt sentiments with loved ones (and they’re short and sweet are perfect for anyone feeling particularly nervous about public speaking). Poems To Go can also put together beautiful speeches and toasts that rang from 3-5 minutes and will provide you with some handy speaking tips as well! Find out more about their services here.
5. Give the Parents a Night Off
Photo from Alex & Neil’s real wedding by Schillings Photography
If you want to give the guests with kids a night off and keep the kids entertained to boot, a childminder is the way to go! There are several companies that specialise in childcare at weddings – Fun ‘n Frills are a super popular service that provide Supervised Portable Activity Areas for children at weddings – they set up in the ballroom so they can see you and vice versa and have tons of games to keep the little ones entertained. FUNtastic Childcare Events also gets rave reviews, have heaps of childcare experience and come with goody bags in tow to keep the kids entertained. Or if you’re after an awesome activity to keep them busy during the speeches, there are some brilliant clowns and magicians you can hire for a few hours to kill some time and keep them laughing such as Magic Carl and his adorable sidekick Mr Fluffy the rabbit.
6. Look After Your Gúna
Photo from Ross & Amy’s real wedding by DKPHOTO
It can be hard to picture how your dress will look on the Big Day even when your dress arrives in to the store – that’s because in most cases the alternations folk need to work their magic with a few tweaks so it fits perfectly! They can work miracles and the dress you try on pre-alterations will be in some cases completely different to the one that’s been tailored to your exact shape. Seamstresses are also amazing if you’re having wedding dress regrets or are worried about one element of your dress – check out alteration services here including McMahons Dry Cleaners & Alterations, Fitzpatricks Veils of Ireland and Millicent Bride.
If the Big Day has been and gone and it’s time to do something with your precious dress, you’ve several options from cleaning specialists (see lots of great Irish suppliers below) who will have your gorgeous gown looking sparkly and new to pretty storage boxes where you can tuck it away safely away. Or if you’re looking to give your dress a new home, Memories -The Bridal Boutique (there’s a branch in both Dublin and Cork) specialise in pre-loved wedding dresses and is defo worth contacting to find out about their ‘Sell Your Dress’ service. Our partner Facebook Group HIGM also have a Preloved Wedding Stuff page where you can buy and sell preloved wedding dresses, accessories and décor. They have over 7,600 members so it’s well worth joining if you’re looking for some bargain buys or want to sell on some of your own wedding bits and pieces. Check out all your post-dress options here!
Dry Cleaning & Storage Box Specialists:
DryClean.ie | Exclusive Bridal Gown Cleaning | McMahons Dry Cleaners | Keady’s Dry Cleaners & Launderette | Parisienne Bridalwear Cleaning – Wedding Dress Cleaning and Storage Boxes
Main photo courtesy of Vintage Affair – Wedding Props, Styling & Flowers
