YOUR WEDDING
IS SPECIAL

But not as special as you are.

ENGAGED; Now What?

The moment you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived.

Before anything, I want to congratulate you on this tremendous milestone, as nothing is quite like it.

It may take some time to adjust to that shiny ring on your finger, but every time you gaze at it, your heart will flutter with anticipation for the upcoming wedding.

I will guide you through the wedding planning process. You should know that this journey may feel incredibly stressful at times, but the final result is worth it! So, prepare and start planning the wedding you’ve always dreamed about.

Consider me your new wedding FRIEND with benefits

Tailored Weddings, Lifelong Memories

Once all the emotions have settled, it’s time to gear yourself up for the wedding planning. Now, for some couples, this may seem like a straightforward process. After all, you’ve been anticipating this moment for the longest time, so it’s only natural to have your Pinterest boards full of inspiration!

But, once it’s time for the real deal, the reality may not be as simple as imagined, leaving you completely stupefied. In some cases, you might not even know what the first step is!

Before you start spiralling, let me assure you that nearly all couples go through this.

Jewish Wedding Confetti at Northbrook Park

UNLOCK YOUR DREAM

THIS IS WHY WE’VE PUT TOGETHER

THIS AMAZING GUIDE

Crafting More Than Just Photographs—Creating Timeless Art

Wedding planning is an unknown territory for many, and even if you believe you’re fully ready, some things might pop up and overwhelm you. You’ve landed in the perfect place to gather all the necessary information!

“Thank you so much for your amazing skills on Saturday.

WE HAD THE BEST DAYS OF OUR LIVES!

You were so charming, enthusiastic, and in the moment. And you certainly helped me regain my cool on a couple of occasions!!”

Anna & Geoff

“We couldn’t have asked for a better wedding photographer!

He made us (and our friends/family) feel at ease, all of the photos were very natural in the way they were shot, and the outcome was stunning!”

Anna & Dimitrios

PLANNING THE WEDDING

Closest Friends & Family

Let’s start with the basics – announcing your engagement to your closest relatives. Firstly, take all the time you need to enjoy your proposal fully. As you know, special occasions like these usually happen once in a lifetime. After you’ve taken it all in, think about how you want to announce it to your immediate family and relatives.

Fortunately, the digital age has made this incredibly easy. You only have to get on your phone and make a video call. You don’t even need to say anything! Just flash that beautiful engagement ring, telling everything you need to say!

Considering your grandparents and older relatives may not be so digitally competent, you might want to stop by their place and tell them the big news.

Alternatively, if you want to make your announcement memorable (and if you can keep a secret for that long), you can plan a surprise dinner and turn your engagement into a spectacle. You can go above and beyond with your ideas about how you will tell your family, so don’t hesitate to let your creativity shine.

Your proposal is one of the most significant milestones in your life, and not sharing it with the world, especially your closest friends, would be the biggest shame. Again, we have to thank the rise of social media for making this part incredibly easy.

Post the news on your preferred social profiles, and be prepared for a flood of well wishes! Also, you might need to write over a thousand ‘thank you’s’, so it’s best to have the phrase copied and ready to be sent.

The Wedding Date

It’s finally time to go full-on planning mode! The first item on the checklist is setting the wedding date. This is considerably the easier of tasks, but you still have to do some thinking. For one, consider the season you’ll want to get married in.

Summer is typically the first choice for many couples as it allows for your celebration to be held outdoors, and most guests will have room in their schedules.

However, as this is the most desired time to get married, venue and vendor prices are at their peak, so expect to pay a hefty sum for your dream wedding, especially if you have extravagance in mind.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly solution, you can always consider the different seasons since they all carry a certain magic.

Spring and autumn, for example, create the most magnificent backdrops, so your wedding photographs are bound to be magnificent.

Finally, winter is commonly brushed off, but it’s also worth considering.

Think about it – you practically have a winter wonderland set up for you and its cosy atmosphere. Since weddings are not as frequent during this time, you can have the celebration you’ve always envisioned at half the expected price!

The Perfect Wedding Venue

Next on the list is finding the most suitable wedding venues for you. As you can imagine, you have thousands of choices, so it’s only natural if you don’t know where to begin.

Therefore, the following tips will surely help you with your decision.

Before researching wedding venues, you must have three things ready – the budget, guest list, and your celebration’s theme. Once you go through directories, you’ll see many options available, so only go with what speaks to your heart.

However, I advise you to be extra careful during your research.

For instance, you may find a venue that fits your theme and is within your budget, but it may seem a bit big for your wedding party. You may be tempted to go for it almost instantly; however, you’ll most likely end up with a half-filled grand ballroom, making your celebration less lively than it seems.

With that in mind, always double-think your choices and determine if they suit you. If they don’t hold ground, go back to square one.

This process may get tedious after a while, but trust me – it’s the only way to get the ultimate wedding venue.

Wedding Insurance

When planning a wedding, few people consider everything that can go wrong because we tend to idealise the event.

Wedding insurance protects you from financial losses due to illnesses, cancellations, or other unforeseen circumstances.

Even if you’re the biggest optimist, I highly recommend it as it brings peace of mind if something goes awry.

Additionally, it’s wise to ask your vendors about their plan B’s when things don’t turn out how they should.

Pre-Wedding Events

Once you tell the world you’re about to get married, the excitement will practically drown you – in the best way! Of course, this moment is best experienced when shared with your closest people, meaning it’s the perfect time to organise your pre-wedding events.

For many, bachelor and bachelorette parties are a standard, but those are taken care of by your chosen wedding party, so you’ll have nothing to worry about. You’ll need to show up and have the most epic time! What you need to plan, however, is your engagement party.

Many couples are misled into thinking engagement parties should be extra formal and fancy. Naturally, if this is the vibe you’re going for, you can choose to be as sophisticated and luxurious as you desire. But you can do so if you picture something more casual and laid-back, like a beach matinee or a high-roller casino night. To put it briefly, it’s your engagement party, so your rules!

Additionally, Indian weddings are known to have many pre-celebration events, which can make you feel somewhat tired even before the actual wedding planning takes place.

Well, I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to do everything by the book, no matter how much people like your family tell you otherwise.

These events are reserved just for you to celebrate your joyous occasion, so at no point should you feel stressed out. Just have the time of your life and get ready to plan the most memorable wedding. You better buckle up, though – the journey can get rather bumpy!

The Guest List

I should warn you that this is where things might start to get a bit tricky. Even if it’s your wedding, you’re expected to please everyone.

In other words, your family will (surely) ask you to invite relatives you’ve not seen in ages as it’s polite. While the sentiment may be true, this may not be something you want, ultimately leaving you stressed out and confused about what to do.

Taking a breather and focusing on your priorities is important in such times.

Firstly, consider whether you desire a small celebration with your closest ones or something genuinely grand and epic.

Consider this your starting point, and once you have your mind made up, start curating the guest list.

As mentioned, you may be influenced to change your decisions once you’ve done this, but you must maintain your stance. Don’t do it if you don’t want to invite someone, be it a family member or a friend!

There are so many ways to commemorate your wedding after the celebration.

Also, don’t be too surprised if you come up with countless guest list drafts. It’s all part of the journey!

wedding photographer surrey sikh groom having turban fitted

Suppliers

After finding the perfect wedding venue, find suppliers to complete your celebration.

This may sound pretty simple, but it might be the most challenging part of the planning process. But I promise you – once you’re done with this, the rest of the journey is smooth sailing!

You already have an idea of your dream wedding, so you start looking for vendors to bring it to life.

However, you’ll be flooded with choices once you start your research. In fact, in some cases, you won’t even know whether you need certain vendors.

When this happens, think about which suppliers you need.

Photographers, cake designers, and florists are standard, so consider your celebration incomplete without them.

Additionally, take all the time you need with the photographer you’re going for.

You’ll want to capture your happiest moments, so you need someone who will see eye-to-eye with your vision.

Furthermore, many couples are generally indecisive about whether they need to hire a wedding planner. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all for this, so it all depends on your capabilities and how much you’re willing to take care of the planning. Put another way, you won’t need a planner if you can organise everything from the venue selection to the grand exit. Otherwise, it might be wise to start looking for one as soon as possible so all of the work is taken off your back.

Lastly, be sure to look into reviews and ask for referrals. Your views and personalities may clash even if a specific vendor has the perfect portfolio. By reading experiences from previous couples, you’ll know exactly what you’re going into.

wedding photographer surrey eight moorgate the first dance

Stationery

You only have one final stop left for the most unforgettable celebration—the stationery. This will be relatively easy, considering you have all the work set up for you.

Typically, you’ll need designs for the invitations, save-the-dates, table numbers, and menus. The only thing you’ll have to be careful of is that they follow the wedding theme – you don’t want anything looking out of place! Then, find the vendor to print them out for you for a suitable price and send them out! And don’t forget to lay them all out for your photographer – you won’t believe the grand story a detail says!

Once you have all these points covered, you’re well on your way to having a wedding like the one you’ve always pictured!

As mentioned, things can get pretty tumultuous sometimes, so take a break whenever needed and don’t succumb to the stress. Just ride the waves and enjoy it! In the end, it will be all worth it!