Essential Steps to Kickstart Your Wedding Planning Journey

You’re engaged, congratulations!

Now, where do you go from here?

It can be a little daunting to begin figuring out what to do and when to do it. I’m here to help, as is the rest of the internet, just be careful not to go too far down the rabbit hole!

Here is a quick run through of a few things to get you started from the ceremony side.

1. GET ON THE SAME PAGE.

This isn't to say you have every single detail decided on between you asap, but it’s a good idea at the beginning to sit down and have a chat about what you envision for your day.

Not just guest numbers and budget, also about what kind of day you want your wedding to be. The style and tone of the day that best reflects you as a couple. Your venue and chosen wedding officiant will help determine that.

Formal or relaxed, somewhere in between the two works as well. Do you want a ceremony that is non-secular or incorporates religious elements ? Have you thought of any family or cultural elements you want to include or pay homage to?It’s good to have an idea of these, it will help guide you toward the officiant who can best help you make your dream day happen.

2.GET STARTED ON YOUR PAPERWORK

Once you have a date set it is a good idea to get started and get the admin side of things out of the way and sorted. This applies if you are having a legally binding wedding ceremony. (Which I can provide)

You begin with booking a Marriage Notification Appointment

This needs to happen a minimum of three months ahead of your intended wedding day. Book as far ahead as you can, waiting times can vary by office and County.

The main things you will need to know going into this appointment is the date, location and the name of your Solemniser. There is also a few things you both will need to bring with you on the day of your appointment, click here for more information.

If you have booked me as your Solemniser, when completing the Capture of Data Form, mark 'religious/secular' for FuturFaith Ceremonies, of which I am a registered member.

Once you have your ‘Green Folder’ containing your paperwork, keep it in a safe place as you will need it on the big day! (Choose someone trustworthy to bring it to the ceremony, without it there you cannot be legally married!)

3. CHOOSING YOUR OFFICIANT

When it comes to choosing your Celebrant/Solemniser it is important that you find someone that ticks all the boxes for you. If you want to become legally married at the ceremony, you need to book a Registered Solemniser who can do this and is able to sign your Marriage Registration Form during your ceremony. You can find a full list of these on The Register of Solemnisers. 

If the legal singing isn’t going to be a part of your day, all Wedding Celebrants can work with you to build a wonderful and memorable ceremony, just find one you click with!

Think also about the type of ceremony you want to have, this is a big factor in who you choose. Depending on who your Celebrant or Solemniser is registered with, there may be certain parameters they work with regarding the content for your ceremony.

Part of the magic of being registered through FuturFaith is that I am in the lucky position of being able to provide couples with a blank page onto which we can work together to create a ceremony that is unique to you.

I believe it is the way to best reflect your characters, beliefs, cultural backgrounds and traditions. As a member of the Futurfaith family, I take great pride in welcoming people of all backgrounds and beliefs, faiths, mixed faiths, semi-faith and/or no faith. It is most definitely your day, your way.

4. THINK ABOUT CONTENT

Deciding on a theme or tone first will help you to when it comes to deciding on these as well as many other elements. There are enhancements like hand-fasting, unity candles, memory boxes and lots of other options, some of which I have written about on a separate post. Including family members in parts of the ceremony can make it more memorable for all involved.

If there is religious elements you want to include, we will work together to seamlessly incorporate these with the other elements you choose to include.

 I’m always open to ideas and requests that are special to you, we’ll work together to form a cohesive and perfect day for you both.

Want your furry friend as your ring-bearer? I’m happy to hide treats in my pocket. Just a suggestion.

It’s all about making it special to you.

5.STEP BACK ……………………AND BREATHE!

There is a lot to consider when planning a wedding, no matter the size. It’s best to get the big jobs done early and keep on top of things.

By keeping a jobs list or schedule you can go back to you’ll keep things in line, but stepping back is just as important. You want to enjoy not just the day itself, but the preparation and run up ahead of it as well.

No wedding is stress free but its meant to be enjoyed, not dreaded. Take time away to keep the balance. Life outside the planning bubble keeps moving as well, make sure not to miss out on anything!