Wedding Inspiration

Top wedding preparation tips from real couples

When you’re planning a wedding, there’s a lot to think about and the build up to your big day can be all-consuming.

We believe that the best advice comes from our fabulous newlyweds, who know exactly what you’re going through and are full of brilliant advice. We’ve rounded up their top wedding preparation tips to help you plan and get you through your wedding day in style.

Let’s start with the build-up to the big day. There’s a lot to do and it’s important to stay on top of everything as you plan. Here are our favourite wedding planning tips from Upwaltham Barns real brides.

Ask friends and family for help

If you want to make planning easier and share the burden a little, our couples recommend asking for help from friends and family. However, it’s worth considering just how involved you want them to be too. Try to be specific with the tasks you’d like help with so that you don’t end up with too many unwanted opinions which can make wedding planning more stressful.
 

Our couples say:

“Definitely don’t be afraid to ask for some help, although it can be hard to relinquish control, and I can’t believe I’m saying this now (lots of people said it to me!) but don’t sweat the small stuff too much. Care and put the effort in but no-one notices tiny things and it’s really not worth the stress.”

Raye & Robin

“We had friends and family helping us with the planning of the wedding so that it didn’t stress us out or put too much pressure on us. We had help with the planning and the DIY so we’d always make a fun night of it and enjoy ourselves.”

Angela & Sean

“Try to avoid involving too many people when you’re planning your guest list. Do it alone and then discuss your choices with your family. We tried to involve people from the outset and came out with an initial list of almost 300!”

Laura & Ravi

Allow plenty of time

Giving yourself plenty of time is super important, especially if you have a very specific idea of the kind of wedding you want. Allow time to make decisions that are important to you and try to book suppliers as early as possible to secure the support you really need. Nobody wants to feel as though their decisions are being rushed, or that all of the best suppliers are already booked up.
 

Our couples say:

“Don’t make rushed decisions. Some of the best things that we included were the third or fourth idea that came to us after initially thinking about something for weeks. Planning and taking your time is the best way to make sure that your day is exactly how you want it to be.”

Kym & Alex 

“Start looking for your dress early. I had no idea that it can take several months for your dress to arrive if you’re ordering through a boutique. Also, use Pinterest! It’s an incredibly useful tool for finding and collecting ideas and remember that you can make your boards secret so no one realises how obsessed you are!”

Emma & Bret

Be budget savvy

Your wedding budget can be your biggest source of stress if it isn’t managed efficiently. Keep a spreadsheet of up to date costs so that there are no surprises, and to ensure that you can see where your money is being spent.
 

Our couples say:

“Go online to get the best deals possible. I would recommend trawling the internet for bargains and every time I found something I loved, I’d Google until I got the best possible price.”

Lisa & Mark

“Keep a note of what you spend and add a contingency to your budget just in case. We included a 10% contingency and this worked really well.”

Kirsty & Gary

Stick to what makes you happy

Wedding planning tends to come with a side of opinions – whether you’ve asked for them or not! Trust the opinions of your suppliers and most importantly, stay true to yourselves.
 

Our couples say:

“When it comes to ANYTHING about YOUR wedding, go with what you feel comfortable with. It’s your day and although politics and opinions can’t always be avoided, you should stick to what YOU want.”

Hannah & Lauren

“Work with a venue that hosts weddings all the time – they’ll fill you with confidence before the day.”

Jenny & Luke

Be present on the day

When your wedding day finally arrives, you’ll want to make the most of every minute. Make a point of being present and try to take everything in – don’t let the day pass you by.
 

Our couples say:

“My Dad reminded me to walk slowly down the aisle. I was so grateful as you forget how fast you walk and it really made us slow down and take it all in. It was like slow-mo and I got to see all our guests’ faces as we walked toward the altar.”

Rachel & Patrick

“Take time for each other on the day itself. We tried to stick to each other’s sides until after the wedding breakfast.”

Chloe & Tom

“Remember to take some time out during the day to be alone with each other, even if it’s just for 10 minutes. It makes a huge difference.”

Danielle & Matthew

“During the day, stop and take everything in. We were told this by several people and are so glad we listened to their advice. We honestly feel we have better memories from the day because we kept purposely taking the time to soak up the whole occasion.”

Kym & Alex

Let go of everything on the day

The day that your wedding day arrives is also the day when you STOP planning and let go of the details. Don’t stress, don’t worry and make the most of every moment.
 

Our couples say:

“Don’t stress about anything too much! I know it’s your special day and you want everything to be perfect but when it comes down to it, all that matters is that you get married to the person you want to spend the rest of your life with and that the people you love are there to support you.”

Hannah & Lauren

“Don’t worry too much about timings on the day. I found myself checking whether we were running to time and I do wish I’d just forgotten about time and left it to the team at Upwaltham to make sure everything happened when it was meant to – that’s what they’re there for and they were fantastic, always one step ahead!”

Katy & Adam

Prepare and plan the perfect wedding at Upwaltham Barns

The incredible advice from our real couples can be summarised as follows: plan well and accept help where you can, set boundaries and budgets, stay true to yourselves and don’t forget to let go and enjoy the day when it arrives.
 

Our final couple says:

“Ultimately, remember that when all of your favourite people are all together, looking amazing, with your favourite music playing and loads of booze and yummy food to enjoy, it WILL be the best day of your life, it really will. I promise!”

Raye & Robin
 
If you’d like to find out more about hosting your wedding at Upwaltham Barns then we’d be happy to help. Contact us today for more information.