Wedding Planning Top Tips

Abbi Wilkes • 12 October 2023

Things to think about when planning a wedding:

We know that when planning a wedding there are a million and one things to think about, we thought we would try to help by suggesting some of them that we think are important. These are in no particular order and feel free to completely ignore some/all of them.

Budget

Every couple will have a different budget. One of the most important things to do is talk about it from the very beginning. One may be dreaming of a fairytale wedding with white horses and castles, the other may be thinking of a drink down the local. Both are fine if that is what both people want. Talk about what you can afford to save toward the wedding and if family will make a contribution. Set a realistic goal and work towards it. Look at prices on websites, visit wedding fayres so that you have an idea of what you need.

Venue/date

If you have your heart set on a particular venue then we would always advise you to book early. Wedding venues can be booked 2/3 years in advance. Can you be flexible on your date or is it set in stone? A little flexibility could make all the difference, could you marry in the week or does it have to be a Saturday?

DJ/entertainment

We feel this can make or break a party. Consider whether you want just a DJ or do you want another form of entertainment too. There are lots of options such as live bands and magicians. If you decide on a live band bear in mind that they will usually play 2 sets of 45/60 minutes each. This will not fill your whole evening. A good DJ will play for 5 hours and will happily accommodate a live band within this. If you decide on a DJ check them out first. A reputable company will have a website with reviews. Call them up and speak to them, ask about insurance and PAT testing. Most venues will want to see their documents regarding those. Almost everyone has a friend of a friend that can play music but be cautious, if they are ill on the day or forget and book a holiday, you are stuck. Good, popular DJ's get booked well in advance, if someone can do it for £50 next week it probably shows that they are not that busy. It really is a case of you get what you pay for, a good DJ will probably cost from £300 upwards depending on time of year and day of the week.

Guests

Are you having a small intimate wedding or the biggest party ever seen. Do you just want family and close friends or are you inviting Uncle Freds next door neighbours dog. Remember, each guest will affect the cost of your wedding. Do you really need to invite the Great Aunt that you haven’t seen for 20 years? What about children, are you allowing them or is it a grown up only wedding. The choice is yours, don’t let anyone tell you that you have to do something, it is your day.

Food

A 3 course sit down meal, a hog roast, a barbeque or a buffet, again, the choice is yours. The time of the wedding can make a difference to what food you have. If it is an earlier wedding then you can have time for 2 meals, maybe a sit down and then a buffet in the evening. If it is a later wedding you may have time for 1 meal. Remember to check with guests any allergies/dietary requirements and make your venue aware of these before the big day.

Photographer

Are you having one? Almost everyone has a camera on their phone, some guests may have good quality cameras. An official photographer will capture lots of moments the guests don’t see, the bride getting ready, the groom getting nervous and all the preparations that go on beforehand. They will also take the couple away from the guests and take some very special photos of the big day.

Hair/make up

On the big day it is much nicer if someone else is worrying about the hair and make up. You can hire a professional or if you have a trusted friend/family member they can do it. A professional is obviously just that, they will have all the equipment they need and will have done wedding hair/make up lots of times. A friend/family member will keep things very personal to you and this can add to the friendly feel of the day

We hope that you may find some of these points helpful. We understand that there is a lot to think of and sometimes reading something can trigger another thought or idea. However you choose to mark your wedding day we hope that you have exactly the day you want.

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by George Bartlett • 27 March 2020

THERE ARE SO MANY PHOTO BOOTH COMPANIES AVAILABLE TO BOOK FROM, THAT IT CAN ALL FEEL LIKE A BIT OF A MINEFIELD WHEN TRYING TO DECIDE WHO TO BOOK WITH. ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE BEST VALUE FOR MONEY, THE BEST QUALITY AND THE LOOK THAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE? WE’VE PUT TOGETHER SOME IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE BOOKING YOUR PHOTO BOOTH. READ REVIEWS It goes without saying that reviews and testimonials are usually a good indicator of a companies reputation. You wouldn’t book your caterer without reading reviews; even though booking a photo booth isn’t top priority reading reviews is just as important. Check to see what customers have said online, Facebook is always a great starting point. And if you want even more reassurance, why not get in touch with a previous customer. Any reputable company will have links on their website to third party companies who vailidate their reviews, please follow these link to make sure that they are legitimate, some of the main third party companies are Facebook, Google, Trust Pilot or Best of. QUALITY IS KING The way we see it, a photo booth is sometimes the only opportunity your guests get to take away physical photos from your wedding or event. The photos that they can stick straight into a frame or on their fridge to remind themselves every day of the fun they had. Don’t be afraid to ask to see printed samples from photo booth companies. It’s the best way to get an idea of their quality, and know exactly what you’re paying for. And check out their online photo galleries and social media too. LOOKS ARE EVERYTHING There are so many different types of photo booth available to hire, so before you start looking think about what you want them to look like. Are you going for a more vintage look, a sleek contemporary feel, a or a traditional box photo booth? There really is a photo booth for everyone. There are 4 main types of photo booth available. Inflatable Photo Booths-a unique take on a traditional photo booth, these bring something different to your event. 8ft x 8ft and fully enclosed to enable larger groups (up to 10) to have a picture together, and with LED lights to enable us to change the colour of the booth to match your colour scheme or theme. Suitable for all events and perfect for larger venues. Magic Mirror Photo Booths-an ever popular addition to smaller parties or venues, Magic Mirro booths fit perfectly in a corner or smaller area whislt still bringin a touch of class with the mirror style design. Suitable for all events and perfect for smaller gatherings. Party Photo Booths-a traditional square or oval shaped hard shell booth with a modern and sleek design fit approx. 3 people inside comfortably and fully enclosed to capture the perfect picture. Suitable for all events and perfect for medium sized gatherings. Open Air Photo Booths-much like the Magic Mirror booth but with your choice of backdrop for guests to pose in front of and a choice of 'station' (heart shaped, white tower etc) these booths are again a popular choice for those with less available space. Mor unique than a Magic Mirror, these are possibly our most customisable booths. Suitable for all evetns and perfect for smaller venues. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR When it comes to photo booths, you get what you pay for is the phrase that comes to mind, and it isn’t the case that cheaper is better. What you don’t want is a company that promised you the earth, to arrive with a camera on a tripod. It happens. Photobooth’s are not made equal, and if one company is more expensive than another, then there’s a very good reason why that is. The better the technology, quality, and features usually means a higher price point. Don’t forget that personalisation should be taken into consideration when looking at prices too. If you want a photo booth that can customise everything to fit your event or wedding style, then expect to pay more than a company that offers exactly the same thing each time. MAKE IT YOURS! Talking of personalisation, the best photo booth companies really can match your experience to you. Whether that’s matching your printouts to your wedding invites or ensuring your brand is front and centre. You can have props personalised to you, backdrops created for you and photo galleries branded. If you want to make it unique you can! ALL THOSE LITTLE EXTRAS There are photo booth companies out there that are a bit like flying with a budget airline. On first appearances the price seems to be amazing, but then they start to add on all those little extras. Want to print more than one photo each time? That’s an extra £50. Need a guestbook, another £50. How about customising your print out and even set up and breakdown. Turns out that they’re not included either, so by the time you’ve finished it’s almost double the original price. Establish exactly what each company offers, and check for those hidden extras such as travel costs, price for additional prints and guestbooks. Here at J.A.B.S Event Hire we are completely transparent with our packages. Expect unlimited prints every time, guestbook, full customisation, a USB, Email Option and a web link to your pictures, so you are share your photos with your guests. We hope these tips help you to choose a photo booth that is a perfect fit for you! We’re always here to help talk through our packages. Contact us today.

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