10 Top Tips for Brides
10 Top Tips for Brides
Getting married is a very exciting experience but can also be very daunting too!
So, to help make for a stress-free run up to your big day, we’ve put a few top tips together…
1 – The very first task is deciding how many guests you want to invite as this determines the budget and size of the wedding venue. Are you looking for a lavish celebration with all your friends, workmates and family or is something small and intimate more your style?
2 - Focus on finding the best wedding dress silhouette for you. Don’t get pressured into deciding on a dress that you are not completely convinced about. Try on as many dresses as necessary and choose a style that flatters your shape. When choosing a dress think of a timeless gown instead of a moment’s trendy one. Of course, it has to look stunning but be wary of choosing a gown that might get uncomfortable after a couple of hours!
3 – Don’t put your wedding shoes on for the first time on your wedding day – you could find they’re pinching your feet before you’ve even said ‘I do’! Wear them around the house a few times so they get broken in a little and mould to your feet.
4 – If you’re getting your make-up and hair done for the day, make sure you have a trial run first. Avoid having your make-up done in a way that’s not your style! Choose light, natural shades which won’t look too harsh against a white or ivory wedding gown
5 – When selecting the menu for your wedding breakfast, go for a choice that you and your partner really love. Everyone’s tastes in food are extremely varied, and if you try to keep everyone happy, you’ll end up going round in circles!
6 – Make sure you have a meeting with your photographer well before the wedding to make sure you get all the shots you want and who is to be included in each session. Also, have a contingency plan if the heavens open…
7 – Have a couple of big golfing brollies to hand (a job for the best man or ushers) to shield you and your groom from wet weather or hot sunshine.
8 – Get the best man, or someone you trust to be on hand to coordinate the set up of the wedding reception venue on the day and delivery of floral displays, the cake, balloons and decorations and chair covers. Alternatively leave this to a well organised wedding coordinator.
9 – Take the week of before your wedding. The last thing you want is to feel rushed off your feet and tired before your big day. Book in a pamper session with a relaxing massage to chill you out!
10 – And, finally, enjoy every minute of your day - don’t let little things upset you. It should be a day that you and your future husband will remember and treasure for the rest of your lives!
Our 10 Top Tips for Organising Your Perfect Party in Great Yarmouth
When that special occasion draws near whether it’s a wedding anniversary, engagement party, retirement ‘do’ or marking a milestone birthday it’s great to celebrate the occasion with family and friends.
It can be a daunting task arranging a party and you’ll want to get everything spot on to make it a memorable occasion for you and your guests.
With this in mind we’ve put together a list of 10 top tips to help with your planning:
- Book your Venue
It’s never too early to start planning for you party and the first thing to do is book a suitable venue. Here are a few points to consider beforehand:
- Make sure the venue can accommodates all the guest you wish to invite
- Cost of room hire
- Is there car parking?
- How accessible is the venue for guests with mobility difficulties
- Check out the bar prices
- Take a look at the catering options and prices
- Is there an event coordinator to oversee your party arrangements?
- Meeting with Events Coordinator
Once you’ve established the right venue for your celebrations, arrange a meeting with the events coordinator and make your requirements clear. Get a written confirmation of what has been agreed and costs. You may want to set a date for another get together closer to the event.
- Catering – Food & Drink
Have a clear idea of the budget you intend to spend and consider a menu option which will go down well will the majority of your guests. Hot and cold buffets are always popular and covers a variety of food to suit most people. It’s also worth checking if any of your guests have special dietary requirements once you have the final guest list.
You may want to consider ordering bottles of wine or celebratory Cava of Prosecco if you’re planning a toast – Ask to see a wine list to check out what is available and the cost.
- Entertainment and Music
If you’re planning on partying the night away, you will either want a disco or possibly a live band or singers. It’s important to secure any entertainment as soon as possible as the reputable ones tend to get booked up well in advance. If you’re not sure where to find your entertainers, it’s worth checking to see if the venue have any they can recommend. Make sure any musicians or DJ’s have their equipment PAT tested as this is likely to be a mandatory requirement of the venue.
- Children
If there are likely to be children attending make sure they are catered for separately for food and maybe organise a room set up nearby with a children’s entertainer to keep them happy and occupied. This will also make the evening more relaxed for their parents!
- Photos
Think about whether you’re happy taking any photographs yourself and between guests or if you would prefer not to have the worry and get a professional photographer in. Again, they will need to be booked well in advance and the venue may be able to recommend one to you.
Alternatively, consider hiring a photo booth for the event – Great fun for everyone and some packages come with a photographer too!
- Theme
Decide if you want your party to follow a particular theme – Popular ones are ‘Great Gatsby’, a glamorous Hollywood theme, Vintage 40’s, Hawaiian and James Bond but the list is endless! Apart from giving guests costume ideas you’ll want to find table and room decorations to fit with your chosen theme. Check with the venue if you are able to get in early to set this in place.
- Invitations
Send these out around 4 – 6 weeks before you event. Make it clear when you want recipients to RSPV (usually as least 2 weeks before your party) and give a mobile number or email address to make it easy for guests to reply. As well as the obvious info, you’ll need to advise them of the dress code or theme.
- Final Preparations
Meet again with the events coordinator of your party venue about 10 days before and check that all the plans are in place and ready to go. Chase up any invitation replies still outstanding so that you can confirm numbers for the catering. If you plan to enjoy a glass of wine (or two) make sure you order transport to take you home
- Enjoy!
Your big day has finally arrived and hopefully, if you have followed these steps and invested a bit of time in planning everything, your party will flow seamlessly and you’ll be able to relax, celebrate and enjoy every minute!
Cool and Quirky Weddings
Gone are the days when all weddings tended to follow a traditional route…the stereotypical white dress, morning suits and a formal sit down three course wedding breakfast.
Although this, for some, is still the perfect way to celebrate their big day, many brides and grooms today are looking to buck the trend a little and create a wedding day that reflects their own personality and tastes…
Now, with so many venues being licensed for marriage ceremonies, there is array of quirky places available for you to tie the knot in the UK including, aquariums, space museums, underground caves, temples, submarines, haunted castles, subterranean lakes and iconic landmarks!
Fish ‘n’ chips and bangers and mash are fast becoming a favourite alternative dish to serve at the wedding reception and the iconic wedding cake often a far cry from the tiered fruit cake.
Here at the Royal Assembly Rooms in Gt Yarmouth we like to think we can offer something in- between quirky and traditional.
With so many venues only offering set wedding packages, we recognise that no two couples will want the same and, therefore, go to great lengths to ensure we create a bespoke package unique to them.
Being just a stone’s throw from Gt Yarmouth’s golden sands we reckon a seaside theme would be
fabulous! Just picture this…
Seating made to look like stripy deck chairs, buckets and spades and sandcastle flags as table centre pieces, name places lodged in shells…the ideas are endless!
And to eat, good old fish ‘n’ chips with a ‘99’ ice-cream in a cone to follow!
Whilst couples may steer clear of turning up in swimwear and speedos, how about the ditching shoes for a comfy pair of flip flops?
So, if you’re looking for your perfect wedding venue in Gt. Yarmouth, we’d love to listen to your ideas and put together a day that you’ll remember for a lifetime!