Planning your Laid Back Wedding
You’re getting married and you want a laid back wedding but you’re not quite sure where to start planning. Here you’ll find 7 things to keep in mind when planning your relaxed wedding.
Choose the Right Wedding Venue
Choose a venue that reflects the laid back style of wedding that you’re going for and make sure it reflects your personalities as a couple! Where do you feel at home? Is it a giant tipi in a field or a gorgeous country house with lots of history? Where you choose to have your laid back wedding will have a real impact on the vibe of your day.
Quality Over Quantity – Of Guests That Is!
Only invite people you KNOW and LOVE. Don’t invite people that won’t contribute anything to your day and definitely don’t invite people because you think you have to or because your family say so. Only having the people there that you’re closest to will help you to feel less stressed and enjoy the day more as you’ll be able to spend more time with the people most important to you.
Ditch Wedding Traditions
Don’t be afraid to part with the traditions you don’t like the sound of or don’t agree with. Be sure to keep a tradition only if it’s meaningful for both of you. So if you’re not keen on the idea of a first dance, it’s completely ok not to have one! You shouldn’t do anything at your wedding that makes you feel uncomfortable! If you’d rather walk down the aisle alone or with a friend then do! Don’t fancy a white dress or even a dress? There are so many options for laid back couples planning an unconventional wedding.
Check out this list of UK wedding traditions. Write them down and cross off all the things that don’t appeal to you. Once you have a better idea of what you DONT want, planning your laid back wedding will be much easier and less stressful!
Embrace the Fun at Your Laid Back Wedding
Weddings don’t have to be boring! Let’s face it when you pass the age of 21, birthday’s, Christmases and events, in general, get really rubbish. So take the opportunity to have fun at your wedding! Think about entertainment from games to music and food. If a giant bouncy castle or crazy golf course sounds up your street then go for it! Use the day to surround yourself with things you love and you and your guests will have a great time!
Keep It Simple and Don’t Overthink the Details
Wedding planning is expensive, and too often I see couples worrying about what gifts to buy for their wedding party or what favours to have on the table. Honestly, don’t sweat the small stuff. Your best man won’t miss a pair of personalised socks and your guests won’t know any different! It’s so easy to get bogged down in the details so hire a wedding planner and stylist to take care of how things look, that way you can concentrate more on enjoying the day.
One wedding favour that is guaranteed to go down well is a token for a drink at the bar!
Don’t Rush the Timeline
You’ve probably been planning your laid back wedding for a year or more but on the day time will fly by. Make sure to not waste a single second of it! Plan your timeline so you have plenty of breathing space between each part of the wedding. This way it will flow nicely from one thing to the next.
Aim to be dressed and ready 30 minutes to an hour before the ceremony. It’s so easy to lose track of time on the morning of your wedding and the last thing you want is to be in a rush so plan ahead and use the last hour to relax, have a drink and take care of any last-minute touch-ups or adjustments.
After your ceremony, have at least 2 hours of free time before food as this is the time of the day when your photographer will take care of your confetti photo, family and couple photos and you want to make sure you still have plenty of time left over to spend mingling and chatting with your guests.
Most importantly, take at least 5 or 10 minutes out of your day to be together, just the two of you. You’ll both be in high demand all day so having that time set aside to relax and be with each other is really important. You won’t regret it!
Last but Not Least – Choose the Right Wedding Photographer
Your photographer should be the right fit for your wedding so choose someone with a relaxed, documentary approach that is as laid back as the rest of your wedding plans! You want to relax and enjoy the majority of the day with your guests and not be hounded by a photographer asking for another 30-minute couple shoot with an in-your-face posed style.
Getting to know your photographer and the way they work will help you feel more comfortable and relaxed. So take the time to get to know them so they feel like a friend to you! Pre-wedding shoots are a great way to meet your photographer and get you comfortable around them. You can find out more about my pre-wedding shoots here. If you think I could be the right photographer for your laid back wedding, I’d love to hear from you!
I hope this helps you plan your laid back wedding!