How to start planning your wedding
Congratulations on your engagement! Planning a wedding is very exciting but it can feel a little daunting to know where to begin so here are a few things to think about along the way to make the planning process as smooth as possible and create the day you have dreamed of.
You have probably spent the last couple of weeks telling your close friends and family about your engagement, talking about your ideas for the big day and enjoying their excitement for you. Before you can start looking at venues, you will need to consider how many guests you will want to invite as this will affect which venues you will look at.
Start by making a list of people you want to invite. When planning our wedding, my wife and I used our contact list and social media accounts to make sure we didn’t miss anyone by accident!
When thinking about numbers and keeping to a budget, think carefully about the following: are you going to invite children or will you have a child free wedding? Have you seen or spoken to the person in the past year? If not, should they be invited? Sometimes parents want to invite their friends or distant relatives, so try to discuss this early in your planning process. Are you willing to spend money on their meal?
According to Bridebook, the average cost of a wedding in the UK in 2025 was £26,583. Most of your budget will go on the venue and catering. Think carefully about what time of year as well as what day of the week you want to get married, as this will impact how much it costs.
Typically, most couples plan a wedding over 12-18 months. Make sure you sit down and consider how much you can afford and how much you can save in the time you have. If other people are going to help you, discuss this early and talk about any specifics they may want to help pay for.
There are some stunning venues around Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds and many of them hold open days to ask all the question you could possibly want to. This will determine the location and date of your wedding. I remember going to our wedding venue not knowing what questions to ask, so here are some ideas:
What are their minimum and maximum guest numbers?
Do they charge for corkage?
Are there any restrictions you should be aware of?
Do you have to use their caterers?
Once the venue and date are organised you can send out save the dates!
The next step is to start choosing your main suppliers - this is potentially where I come in… I’d love to hear about your plans and work with you to ensure I capture the pure joy of your special day. To find out more information please contact me using the form on the website.