After a year of uncertainty, we are finally getting our postponed weddings planned in for 2021, 2022 and beyond. It has been a stressful time for all concerned and we are just looking forward to the special days we have planned for when our lovely couples can finally say ‘I do’.
Before we get into the nitty-gritty and deep dive into all the things you should be thinking about before you even get started on booking your dream wedding venue, let us, first of all, say congratulations on your recent engagement.
You have exciting times ahead, planning engagement parties, stag and hen weekends, picking out the perfect suits and saying yes to the dress! Let’s be honest, planning a wedding is one of the most stressful and manic times of your life, you will have hundreds of things to book, remember and arrange. With this in mind, we have put together a handy little checklist so you can keep on top of the upcoming tasks and make sure you don’t miss a single thing.
Deciding on when you will get married will impact pretty much all of your other decisions. Booking a wedding venue in the North East is increasingly tricky due to the unpredictability of the British weather. If you are looking for a wedding venue to host an outdoor wedding, you wouldn’t want to hedge your bets on hosting a wedding in the middle of winter. Winter weddings can be stunning, in the correct setting, you don’t want your guests to freeze outside while you are getting wed. With this in mind, you might want to look to book an outdoor wedding in the summer months. The weather is a little more predictable, there is nothing more stunning than an outdoor wedding at Walworth Castle. Once you have decided on when you want to get married, it is time to contact a wedding venue to see their availability in your window and to arrange a visit, which brings us to…
Let’s be honest, you’re not going to book your wedding venue without seeing it in person and having a look around. You might have visited Walworth Castle as a guest or might have dined at our restaurant, but this doesn’t fully highlight the services available to you if you book Walworth Castle as your wedding venue. You will be able to sit down with our wedding coordinator to discuss your wedding in detail to make sure that we are the right wedding venue for you and that we can help you make your day really special. Once booked, you can then start to put the rest of the plans in motion. Unlike some North East Wedding Venues, we only book one wedding per day. This ensures you and your guests have the perfect experience without the pressures of another wedding taking place before or after yours. Don’t worry if your dream date clashes with another wedding we have booked, we will work with you to find a suitable alternative date as close as possible to the date you wanted.
One of the hardest things to do. Depending on your budget, you might have to make some hard decisions on who shares your special day with you. Does your Mum’s second cousin really need an invite? Well before you even think about your invites, you will need to sit down with your fiancee and plan out who you are going to invite to the full day and who might get an evening invite.
Before you send out your invites, you might want to work out what you are going to feed your guests. Remember you could have guests with dietary requirements, so we advise you should make alternative options available.
Once you have agreed on the guest list and the menu, it is time to send those invites out. Don’t forget to put a clear RSVP and deadline on the invites and if needed, menu options. Once you have your RSVP’s back, you can then start to decide if you have additional capacity to invite more people and you will also be able to confirm the menu requirements for the day with us.
Another hard decision to make. Both the bride and groom will need people around them for support on the lead up to the big day and more importantly, on the day itself. Make sure you have the right people around you that you want to share your day with.
Both the bride and groom want to look their best on their big day. Suits are more readily available in various different styles but finding the right dress can take time. Make sure you’ve left plenty of time to find the right dress for you and leave enough time if you require any alterations. Conversely, at the same time, you will also want to purchase suits for the groomsmen and bridal party.
You don’t want your tables to be bare so around the same time as you are thinking about your flowers, start to think about your table settings and if you are going to leave a little memento out for your guests.
Band or DJ. That seems to be one of the oldest questions since time began! However, once everyone has had their food, and the speeches are over (more on that soon), you will want to make sure that there is suitable entertainment for your guests.
You want to be able to look back at your big day in the years to come. Remember to book a photographer and maybe a videographer, so you have timeless mementoes of your special day.
Daunting as it might be, it is a tradition for groomsmen and the groom and more recently, the maid of honour to make speeches. This is the perfect time to thank your friends and family for all of their help and support, thanking them for sharing your day with you.
Thank you’s. Once it is all done and dusted and you’ve opened all your gifts, it is time to send out a few thank you notes to your guests. It might take a little bit of time, but it is really nice to thank everyone individually.
Don’t forget if you are still looking for a wedding venue in the North East you can book your wedding at Walworth Castle Hotel Darlington. We are offering COVID safe showrounds, giving you the perfect opportunity to see what Walworth Castle has to offer you as a wedding venue.
