Planning a wedding can be tough work so sometimes it can be nice to get some words of wisdom from couples who’ve walked the aisle before you! Our recent newlyweds over on our HIGM Facebook group shared the best investments and the biggest regrets from their Big Day. Here’s what they had to say…
The Best Bits…
1. Invest in your menu… enhance your arrival reception and have entertainment on arrival and you will have no regrets! Good food, good friends, good band and each other = happy days!
2. We had music for the arrivals reception, our band and DJ, then music for the residents bar. Our guests had a great day and are still telling us how it was the best wedding they’ve been at.
3. Good food and lots of it and good music is what you need for a good day. It’s what people remember. The small bits are the things you get tied up on but on the day you won’t care.
Photo from Alex & Neil’s real wedding by Lyndyloo in Spain
4. Baskets in the loos, deodorant and wipes and flip flops are always appreciated. Lots of food and lots of dancing.
5. I got some of each tier of my cake sent to my room so I wouldn’t miss out on it… I’d recommend saying this to your hotel.
6. We kept our day very simple and I have to say I’ve no regrets for our little extras. We did small bathroom baskets and they were used. I’m so glad we did photo booth at arrivals as everyone was up on the dance floor that night and our band was amazing. Our food/evening food was brill. We had finger food the next day in the hotel and it worked out really well that we cut half our cake because we used the rest the next day too. The things we spent big money on were things we personally loved – our cars, doves at church and videographer and photographer. Don’t sweat the small stuff!
7. Genuinely no regrets. My philosophy was keep it simple but do the simple bits really well.
Photo by This Modern Romance via Style Me Pretty
8. Little things like extra wine, food in the residents bar and boxes for the bathrooms were all noticed!
9. The flipflops, selfie sticks and Tayto sandwiches were the best thing ever – we also had a few props from Dealz and funny glasses. Everyone used the selfie sticks!
10. I had no regrets and if I could do it again, I wouldn’t change a thing. My main priority was to make sure my guests had enough food and entertainment. I got a burger van outside the church as well as the food in the hotel, I had music at the drinks reception, a singing chef and a band and DJ… was well worth every penny.
11. I’m so glad we focused on what was important to us rather than what we thought everyone else wanted (though I think the DIY bathroom hampers and candy table were appreciated). Really happy we did a second day (in our case 1st day) because you really don’t get a chance to visit with people who travelled in to see you when you only have the wedding day. We knew we wouldn’t have late night dancers (just not that kind of crowd – more the sitting and chatting type) so very happy didn’t go over budget on band or all the entertainment extras (some family members had never met or hadn’t seen each other in 30 years! They just wanted to reconnect!).
12. I will say I am 100000% glad I did it all on a budget and have no debts or bills after the big day. I’m totally glad I kept it small and didn’t invite people we barely talk too.
13. Music and food is key, we had a three piece band for arrival reception, singing chef and a great wedding band, people were on their feet from the start, it was brilliant. I went to Dealz and bought selfie sticks and left one on each table, they went down a treat too. Oh and flip flops were great!
The Regrets…
14. Our guest list! Some people I wouldn’t have bothered inviting and a couple of members of the bridal party!
15. I wish I never invited some guests in the first place… They didn’t turn up without so much as a text!
16. Balloons that didn’t get blown up for the reception area.
17. It is impossible to predict who will let you down with regards to the guest list but the two people I worried would cause drama on our day did so I probably should have go with my gut. I was so glad we spent the extra money with regards to the package, you get lots more extras when you do the best package. Assign groomsman to pay the band etc. This took a lot from the day for me running back and forth. Being in comfy shoes is important and assign someone so that you have a drink in your hand all night because you can’t get to the bar. And of course enjoy it!
Photo from Nikola & Gary’s real wedding by Zi Fernandes Photography
18. My biggest regret was not getting to talk to everyone! Would like to have done it in slow motion!
19. I would have assigned someone to video the ceremony, I assumed people would record bits and NO ONE did.
20. Not giving the photographer a list of have-to-get photos, they did a great job and I love the photos they got but I didn’t think on the day to get a good one of just me and certain family members.
21. Mass booklets… the majority of them were left behind. Do a scroll or a tri-fold, only one page – condense it all. (Tip: here are some suppliers who offer a variety of options.)
And finally some more tips…
Assign someone to organise people on the morning and organise time slots – shower, hair, make-up, photos, car arrival. This needs to be someone you can rely on as it stops you worrying what your wedding party are doing when you are getting ready.
Make sure the groom gets photos taken on the morning too!
Trust your suppliers, they do this more often than you, they know what they are doing. There’s a reason why you picked them.
If you’re unsure of anything happening at your venue, ask them, remember, again they do this every week. Nothing you are doing is new to them, they’ve seen it all before and may be able to help (for free if you ask them nicely).
Take time out to spend time with people who made a big effort to be there.
Learn your first dance, pull a few moves, remember everyone want to see this, and it looks good in video and photos.
Make a list of the family/friends photos you want taken on the day – pass them around to the people who you want in them, it’s very frustrating organising photos and one person is missing as they’re outside with the lads, if people know they have to be somewhere, they’ll be there.
Organise a delivered cooked breakfast for the wedding morning, remember eating is not cheating and you’re not going to be skinnier by not having breakfast one morning.
Take it easy with the drinks until after the photos (mainly wedding party, bridesmaids), and the bride and groom until after your first dance, have a drink yes, but don’t be hammered.