Autumn Wedding Month On Pink and White Wedding Days

Well, it's been a while since we last blogged but don't worry because we're back now.

Keep an eye on this page over the coming weeks because we're running the theme of "Autumn Weddings" alongside our sister site Pink Wedding Days.

We'll be looking at everything from planning and practice to the execution of the perfect autumn wedding. We'll be looking at themes, flowers, budgets and styles as well as how to deal with the unpredictability of the British weather.

We'd love to hear from you. Did you have an autumn wedding? If so, then what attracted you to the season? 

We'll also be covering wedding fayres, events and promotions across the UK. 

In the meantime, you'll find we're a little more active over at Pink Wedding Days. Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook to keep in touch :)

9 Months Until You're Married

Countdown..Geddit?

In our last post, we looked at the things to consider 12 months from your big day. Well, here's the next installment. 

Remember, this isn't a prescription for the perfect wedding; everyone will have different timings and priorities, but use it as a guide. Neither is it exhaustive, you may find your own list is much shorter or much longer, and you'll probably find a degree of overlap between the 9 and 6 month marks, but that's fine. 

• Now's the time to start booking things. It's hugely important that if you don't already have a venue that you start looking now. Once that's done, you can start looking at adding in the other elements.
  
  
• Start thinking of:
  
  booking the DJ or live band, photographer, caterer, toastmaster (if required), cake maker, wedding transport and any additional vendors or services. Remember, there's competition for dates between couples getting married so the sooner you book the better. 
  
• You'll probably already have an idea about the dresses and suits, but around now is the time to make the purchase as this gives plenty of time for alterations.
  
  
• It's also an idea to write up the guest list and start thinking about who is coming. No need to send the invitations out yet, but having an idea of numbers will give you a better understanding of budgeting, and venue space.
  
  
• You're probably going to be thinking about registering your intent to marry. We've already covered that and you can find information on how to do it here.
  
  
• Begin planning the wedding decor and theme. The sooner you do this the less chance you'll have a miss-matched or confused room dressing. Having time to pick-and-choose your theme will give you more scope to experiment and more chance to shop around for the best deal.
  
  
• You might like to start thinking of the fun stuff, too: the honeymoon and hen and stag nights.

Are you 9 months from your big day? How are you planning to organise everything? Get in touch via our contact form or through our twitter page; we'd love to hear from you.

12 Months Until You're Married...

Over the course of the next few posts, we're going to be looking at a timeline of wedding planning. It goes without saying that this can be a very stressful time: the planning, preparing and the paying for. It's important to start as soon as you're able to. We're breaking down a timetable from 12 months right down to the day before. Don't feel like you have to stick to a list, but sometimes being aware of timings can help you to prioritize, and then organise, without running into trouble later on.

• Firstly, you need to set out a budget and promise to stick to it. With the average cost of a wedding now at around £17,000, it's all too easy to overspend. Nobody is saying that you can't have nice things, just be sure that you don't end up broke because you couldn't say no to the bells and whistles.

• Decide what type of visual theme you'll have: traditional? religious? outdoor? themed? If you're not sure, then bridal magazines, Pintrest and websites can be a huge help. Having even the most general of ideas will provide a range of options that can be whittled down and, at the very least, tell you what you don't want.

• Compile a mock guest list to have a rough idea of numbers. This will help when you start choosing venues; there's no point having a guest list of 100 if there's only space for half that. 

• Most importantly at this stage is finding a venue and booking it. The sooner you have that part done, the easier everything else should be. Of course, it's not a race but when you find your perfect venue, secure it on the date you want before someone else does.

• Once the venue is booked, send out the save-the-date cards. Business cards are perfect for this as they're cheap, effective and easy to hand out. Protecting your date should ensure that you don't have any nasty surprises once the invites go out. This also takes the pressure of having to get the invitations out months in advance.

• Start thinking about the bridesmaids, the ushers and the best man. The sooner you decide on who to pick, the more people you'll have to help you out.
  
  Of course, these are just guidelines. Some people will be incredibly organised and some will prefer to leave things closer to the date: whatever works for you is fine.

Just know that the day will be here sooner than you think. 

Image by perfectska04, GNOME icon artists [GPL (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

How to Make Small Talk at a Wedding

We've all been there, haven't we? 

You're at a wedding and there's either no plus-one, or you don't have anyone to take.

So, you turn up and smile.

Perhaps you already know a few people and can have a conversation and a joke with them. 

It isn't so bad, is it? 

There you all are, laughing away as you read the place settings only to find out that they're all together and you? You're...

Aw, hell. 

You don't know a single person on this table. 

Oh, but THANK THE STARS because there's wine!

Alcohol can be an amazing conversation facilitator, but I'm not proposing that we all develop a drinking problem.

 I'm just saying that it can help but that doesn't mean that it's the answer.  At some weddings alcohol is the only answer.  

So, in the pursuit of finding a better way to communicate during awkward social functions we're presenting 8 tips to see you through the reception. 

1. Above absolutely all else, make sure that you introduce yourself. If you're sitting down last, then make eye contact with at least two people and sweep the table with a glance as you take your seat. Say hello to everyone and tell them your name. If you're not introduced, and just take your seat quietly, it will be so much harder to break into a conversation. People will find it easier to ignore you because they don't know you.
   
   
2. Discuss any shared experiences you've all had during the day. Even if it's just an off-the-cuff comment to the guest beside you. Something along the lines of "Didn't the bride look lovely" or "What a lovely ceremony" are perfectly acceptable. The important thing is signalling to everyone around the table that you're there and open to conversation.
   
   
3. When people reply to your questions, it's important to listen to the reply and draw them out further. This is how you keep a conversation going. Most people enjoy talking about themselves and if you lead them, they will fill in any awkward silences. When someone asks you a question, you can also return it to them: if they asked how you know the bride, then, when you've replied, ask them the same thing. It isn't about stringing out meaningless conversation all day, but about establishing an early rapport that will come in handy later.
   
   
4. If you're short on topics, then talk about the weather. We're blessed in the UK by this conversational centerpiece. Okay, it's not groundbreaking, but it'll do in an emergency prolonged silence.
   
   
5. Don't be tempted to use your phone during dead moments. We're probably all guilty of this, but it's a real barrier to getting back into a conversation. Keep your head up, smile and try to find an opening in the conversation.
   
   
6. There's the possibility that nobody will be speaking at all. That's fine, there's no need to force small-talk out through gritted teeth. As long as you've been polite and introduced yourself, you're conscience is clean. Receptions are, fortunately, bloated out with speeches, announcements and food. Use these moments to break up the boredom and then make a dash to the more social circles once the evening starts.
   
   
7. Don't panic if you've forgotten someone's name as they'll probably have forgotten yours, too. If you can't remember, then ask them. If you forget after that, ask another member of the party.
   
   
8. Steer clear of political or religious conversations. Particularly, where alcohol is involved. If someone on your table is becoming a problem then try ''mislaying'' the table wine. If they continue being loud, drunk or unsociable, then don't go to the bride or groom but to another member of the bridal party. Try approaching the best man or one of the bridesmaids for help. The key thing is not to get drawn into their potential scene.

The expectation of walking into the unfamiliar will be worse than the reality. That isn't just true of wedding receptions, that's life. Once you've said hello and taken your seat, you'll probably find you'll react perfectly naturally to the situation anyway. Just remember: don't get drunk, don't be rude, don't ignore people, stay off the phone and listen when others speak to you. Avoid awkward topics and above all else: make sure you've been introduced.

If you have any wedding reception horror stories, we'd love to hear them. 

How to Register a Venue for a Marriage

So, you're getting married and you've found the perfect venue.

Hopefully, it's a venue that's already licensed to hold a marriage ceremony. If it isn't, then there is a way that you can obtain a license via your local council.

The process is relatively straightforward, but you will need to adhere to a few rules:

• You'll need to contact the local council (local to the venue that is) and ask them for a grant of approval.
  
  
• You'll need to tell them the rooms that you're intending to use within the building by sending them a plan.
  
  
• The council will then decide whether or not the venue is formal enough to deserve a licence.
  
• They'll also want to be sure that the venue will be available for other weddings, too.
  
  
• Make sure that the venue has the appropriate standard of fire, health and safety certification.
  
  
• One person should be made responsible for ensuring the above is followed through and their details will need to be given to the council.
  
  
• The venue will also need to be approved by the local registrar authority
  
  
• If approved, there can be no food or alcoholic drinks sold or consumed in the room for at least one hour prior and post-ceremony.
  
  
• Civil marriage ceremonies are prohibited from using religious music or readings.
  
  
• You'll be required to pay a fee to council and this is payable whether the venue is approved or not.
  
  

The .gov website has a rather detail document of all the rules and regulations that govern whether a venue will be approved or not. You can find it here

If the venue that you have your heart set on isn't available, then try not to worry too much. Easier said that done, but there really is a huge amount of venues that could be perfect. The wedding industry is huge and everyone is competing with everyone else: someone will be able to help. If you need some inspiration, then please check out our online wedding directory here. We can help same-sex couples, too. Click here if you're looking for a pink-friendly venue.

(Photo Credit George Burgess [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)