insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 18 - August 2016 | Page 72

WEDDINGS Wedding planning countdown: 5 top tips for the final weeks An experienced wedding and event planner based in Kent, but who works throughout Sussex, Surrey and London too, Joanne, AKA The Wedding Dolls, knows how to plan a wedding with personality. Her unique mix of creative, inspirational and down-to-earth advice will have you planning a big day that’s totally about you, and that saves you time, money and lots of unnecessary nail biting. We asked Joanne for her top five tips for the final weeks leading up to your wedding. 1 What to do and when 2 Include in your preparations a list of everything you need to do in the week before the wedding, the day before the wedding and on the morning of the wedding itself. List out all the jobs and put the name of who is going to do them next to each one. Be logical and realistic about what you can achieve in the time available. Don’t expect your bridesmaids or best man to be able to do lots of running around the morning of the wedding – they’ll be busy enough getting themselves ready and getting to the church too! 3 Planning Timetable Make sure you have a timed plan of your day. Include every hour from set up right through to the last dance. Email it to all of your suppliers. The more they all know the easier it will be for them to set up on the day and get themselves prepared. It will help the day run smoother if everyone knows when everything is happening. 4 In and Out Make sure you know what time you can access your venue and let your suppliers know. Some venues will let you deliver items the day before, but don’t just assume that you can. They may well have another wedding on, or just don’t have the storage space. Also, check when you need to remove all of your items, so you can work this into your plan as well. It’s a good idea to nominate someone to deliver and collect, and make a list of everything that should be dropped off and picked up just to make sure nothing is forgotten. Mobile Mission Make sure you have a list of all your suppliers along with their mobile phone numbers on the day itself. Give this to one of your ushers to look after just incase there are any last minute changes and you need to get hold of them. If you can, give your suppliers a mobile contact number for the big day itself – again this can be one of the ushers if you don’t have a Wedding Doll on hand! “The more preparation you can do in the lead up to the big day the better,” adds Joanne. “Getting your plans down on paper will make it easier to see what needs to be done and when. If you feel that you won't be able to relax on the day handling everything yourself, you can hire The Wedding Dolls to make sure all the jobs get done and that the day runs smoothly from start to finish. Perfect for couples having a reception in a marquee, at home, or hiring a venue that doesn't have an on-site wedding coordinator such as a country barn or a village hall, our wedding day management service costs from £625 for 12 hours and includes a pre-wedding meeting. Happy planning!” 72 5 Photography Timings Make sure you give your photographer a list of all the shots you want taken on the big day. Listen to their advice about how many shots you can have and when is best to take them. It will help if you can have an usher on hand to round up family just before they are needed – it will make things feel less rushed and certainly less stressful. The Wedding Dolls 07872 160911 [email protected] www.theweddingdolls.co.uk @theweddingdolls