Honest Planner , livre ebook

Troubador Publishing Ltd - Susanna Richardson

Découvre YouScribe en t'inscrivant gratuitement

Je m'inscris

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

167 pages

English

Vous pourrez modifier la taille du texte de cet ouvrage

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

A propos
Informations
Extrait

Description

An easy to read, straight to the point, cheeky and slightly sweary guide to planning a wedding. Written by experienced wedding planner, Susanna Richardson, this book cuts through the fluff and is about guidance, like your best friend giving you tips over a bottle of wine (or whiskey!)

Sujets

Weddings

Informations

Publié par	Troubador Publishing Ltd
Date de parution	25 mai 2019
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781838599645
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0500€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

THE HONEST PLANNER
The cheeky, sweary and lighthearted guide to how not to lose your shit whilst you plan the best day of your life!
ENGAGED AF!
Contents
BUDGET SCHMUDGIT!
WHERE, WHEN AND WHAT
GUESTS AND INVITATIONS
THE BRIDE TRIBE
THE GROOM’S SQUAD
THE DRESS AND SHOPPING
GETTING INTO SHAPE
GROOM SHOPPING
BEAUTY
CHOOSING SUPPLIERS
THE DESIGN AND STRUCTURE
DEALING WITH EVERYTHING
THE WEDDING DAY
LAWYER SPEAK
THE AFTERZILLA
ME
“Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous, go the whole hog. Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it’s unbelievable.”
Matilda - Roald Dahl
I started planning weddings many years ago and whilst in some ways it’s the best job in the world it’s also one of the most stressful ways to make a living.
I become a bride many times a year and share the dreams, the nightmares and the overwhelming urge to scream, that every single bride and groom has!
Planning a wedding is hard. Planning a wedding is stressful and yes it does bring out the best and the worst in the people around you. It’s not for the faint hearted and the roller-coaster of emotions might turn you into a ‘zilla along the way. I am sure my language turns more blue with every passing season and the need for hard liquor is upped by July.
However, a wedding really is the best day of your life and they are so wonderful. I adore each and every one of my couples and the bond created is very special. Helping to bring someone's dreams to reality is a real honour and one not taken lightly.
My approach with clients has always been brutally honest, no B.S., just how it is - and that's exactly what I want to give you in this book. It’s about what you can expect during the months or years of this incredible journey of love and discovery.
There are plenty of books for the fluff and the pretty but this is about guidance. Like your best friend giving you tips over a bottle of wine (or Whisky!).
Love
SAME SEX COUPLES
It’s all just love and pretty shit.
I’ve written this book with a voice aimed at a bride. That’s because I had to choose a voice and “they” and “you” seemed massively impersonal. Also 90% of my weddings are bride and groom so it’s the dialogue I use the most.
However, that doesn’t mean this book isn’t for you. Simply substitute bride for groom or groom for bride and you have your own planner.
Weddings are weddings, it doesn’t matter what sexual orientation you have. It’s all the same. You like the same things, you’ll still have to feed your guests, Guests will still be assholes and you’ll still have a meltdown about your outfit.
At the end of the day it’s all just love and pretty shit!
MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY
Be a bad-ass from the start.
So the shiny diamond is on the finger and you are full to the brim of love and happiness. Now is the time to start as you mean to go on, so create a united front and fix in place the key decisions (when? where? and what?). It’s always best that you and your intended sit down and write out a list of what you both want before you start letting others join in.
It’s nice to involve people in the planning but it’s best not to show any hint of weakness. The earlier you start asking for opinions, the more you seem to get and when those noses are poking right up in your business, it's hard to push them out. Believe me when I say that everyone you speak to will have an opinion and whilst I’m not saying you should shut people out, it’s just good for you to have your mind set before everyone tries to change it.
The words “you cannot please everyone” should ring in your ears constantly. This needs to become your mantra, otherwise you will be driven insane by guilt when the emotional blackmail starts. Every couple makes decisions which other people don't like and quite frankly what they think about it is none of your business, so don't give them any airtime. Confusion and second guessing are the two sure-fire ways to start getting stressed and you don’t need that in your life whilst you are residing in the blissful love bubble.
ALL HAIL THE NON CONFORMIST
“Don’t be like everyone else darling”
Coco Chanel
I realised from a young age that I am not like other people. I had an overwhelming urge to be me and wasn’t hugely afraid of the consequences.
However I did it quietly, subtly. I didn’t need to shout about it or be the non conformist who shows off how non conformist they are. Fast forward to today and that is pretty much how I plan weddings for my clients. I get to know the things which make them tick, the subtle differences which make them unique, the things they love and the things they do. I don’t follow formats or etiquette, I create days which work for them and involve those they love. I get inside their heads and pull their dreams out. It’s kind of my superpower.
That’s what couples need to do. You need to be unapologetically you . Sure, you want happy guests and I’m all for that, but what makes the difference between a good wedding and a great one is the subtle touches which make you unique as a couple. Everyone who attends is there because they love you and they know you so you have to incorporate that.
THE WHEN
Choosing a date
Chances are, if you’ve been with someone for a while then you’ve probably talked about the type of wedding you want. This then likely dictates the time of year you will choose. So this is really about you deciding on a date that suits the wedding you want. For some it’s a glorious summer wedding and for others it’s the dark cosiness of a wonderful winter soiree. Neither is better than the other, it’s simply about your tastes and wants.
If you already have your heart set on a venue then you need to check what they have available, because boy do they get booked up in advance! I’ve seen many a heart broken because a couple simply can’t have the venue they’ve always dreamed of. I’m a big believer in “everything happens for a reason” so it just means there is somewhere even more wonderful waiting to host your special day.
There is no one date which will work for everyone. I am also of the opinion that if guests really want to attend then they will make it work if given enough notice. We all have commitments and plans in place but most things are moveable for a really important event.
I always recommend that you make this decision on your own and try not to involve others. Of course though, there will be people you can’t marry without, so ask them for a list of dates which don’t work for them. Do not ask for their opinion on which dates you should go for as this just opens up an opinionated dialogue.
You may have friends who are getting married, so if you share some of the same guests it’s good to speak to them and see if they have any plans. I wouldn’t hold off on booking a date if they simply say “Oh we are looking at June” as then it’s fair game and first come first hitched!
THE WHERE AND WHAT
These go together because your choice of location really does dictate how you can get married.
If you want a Church wedding, then it’s nearly always, only possible locally, which then dictates that your wedding reception has to be nearby. Long journeys after a ceremony just really break up the day. Try and keep this to under an hour at the very most.
If a civil ceremony at a venue is your choice, then the world is your Oyster and you can pretty much go anywhere in the UK. It’s so important to really try and narrow down your choices as soon as possible, so have a really good look around and keep a short list of places you love. Consider things like maximum numbers, hotel rooms available, local area, transport links and style of the venue. Families and friends are often so spread out that there are always people who will have to travel a long way. Whilst you should consider this, don’t let it sway you too much.
Before you book anywhere you must check that the local registrar is available to marry you. Yes, people really do forget to do this and don’t be pressured by a venue to book without having this confirmed. The registrars cover a wide area and many venues so you can’t just assume your date and time will be available.
It’s good to look at some wild card venues as well. So many of my couples choose a venue they would never have dreamed of looking at, so keep an open mind. One thing I always do when looking at new venues is to google for “real weddings”. These will often be on photographers websites and it’s a great way to get a proper idea of what a wedding looks like at that venue.
The options should be yours, and yours alone. Creating a wedding which suits you 100%!
BUDGET SCHMUDGIT!
Love is Free! Everything else I want is really expensive.
Let’s face it, who even likes the word “budget”? It even has that sort of forced puff of air at the beginning, an exasperated sigh of a word.
Budgets of any type are boring and quite frankly, pretty shit! I was quite disgusted recently to find out that instead of a company jet, my budget only allowed for a company van. I mean, who needs that negativity in their life?
However, it’s so important to set a budget as it avoids you looking at things that are well out of reach. Talking of which, 75% of the weddings posted on Instagram are out of reach for anyone who isn’t a Kardashian. Lush flower walls and stairways with garlands are for the Coutts bankers of the World. In good news, money does not an amazing wedding make. It’s about you, the couple and your personalities. You can inject awesomeness in to any day without breaking the bank and without getting your school crafting skills out of the closet.
So sit down and plan out what you can afford. What’s reasonable and who, if anyone, will be contributing. Download a good online budget planner and be totally realistic about which elements are more important. It’s never the same for everyone, you may be more bothered about a great band than a couture gown, or you may be an utter foodie and totally disinterest