I love these posts where I get to share with you another Paperless Wedding couple’s big day. This wedding is of Margaret and Edwin that happened in mid August in Melton Mowbray. Now I am a tad bias for this wedding as my little girl was a flower girl on the day and she tried to upstage the bride by meticulously throwing every last petal, as she walked down the aisle!
It was great to be part of this special day and be able to help in may aspects of the wedding. I also valued all the feedback about the site. Margaret shares her thoughts and details on planning their day.
“Planning this wedding was different, being a widow and second time round, I could do things just as wanted and learnt from first time what I liked and what was not so good!
The main point for me was venue, I wanted: not too expensive, local for preparation and for local people. A hotel that could accommodate friends and family from far away, and turn it into a weekend away gathering. Grounds that we could use, and staff prepared to do it all a bit different. We found this in the perfect venue of
Scalford Hall Hotel.Next booking was entertainment. I like good music and to dance. Good wedding entertainers have to be booked well in advance. I had heard George Simpson perform and was lucky to secure him for the big day and he was brilliant.
These were the main expenses, but to cut down in other areas was easy and fun. We decorated the room with home made items. Used www.myeventchaircovers.co.uk for chair covers and sashes. (A lot cheaper if you fit yourself. I managed to rope in family members for this! ) Place names were homemade from corks, roses and a card. The seating plan from cards on ribbon placed on a mirror. For the flowers, we had red roses, not to expensive and we didn’t need a lot, (A cost saving tip for you, the bunches of roses decorating the ceremony room became the bouquets for the mothers during the speech!) Our favours were pot plant miniature roses with a thank you tag . We bought in bulk so only came to £1 each thanks to Blooming Fresh of Melton Mowbray.
The cake was beautifully done by my sister as a wedding gift. Photos and videos were taken by family and friends. This was a BIG saving and meant that we had a lovely collection of relaxed and formal photos. Then made up 2 photo albums with Albelli. Two weeks after the wedding a good quality photo album could be shown to all, and shared on line to guests, absolutely brilliant!
I said at the beginning I wanted it a bit different. First time around I did not like waiting on my own to go to my wedding (father outside looking for car to arrive!) and I was not meeting and greeting people as they arrive, I decided I would be there to do that this time. So we both met people as they arrived and offered them a Pimms. We then had afternoon tea on the terrace and games on the lawn. This is far more sociable and I actually got to speak to people!
Our ceremony was at 5.00pm so I had to leave a bit earlier and get changed. Then because I no longer had a father to give me away, the curtains at the back of the hall were opened and I came down the grand stairs to be met by future husband, who walked me up to the front… very romantic. After the ceremony we took photos then said goodbye to day time only guests. This way everyone came to ceremony and special guest stayed for meal and evening entertainment. The day guests were mainly my clients (I’m a chiropodist) and elderly people not wanting to stay for evening entertainment, but still had afternoon tea and saw us get married.
For the food, we went for a buffet style and tables went up one at a time to an array of different salads and meats, lemon peppered chicken on skewers, and goujons of fish. Then choice of deserts (the best bit!). Another idea for couples planning a wedding and looking at food options this was a good idea price wise. The afternoon tea and buffet, worked out cheaper than a sit down three course meal in the afternoon and extra evening food, plus all dietary requirements were satisfied.
So to Paperless Wedding. I loved that the site listed all guests and showed progress on replies. I was able to keep the guests well informed via the website and email updates through the site, which made guests feel included in the whole event. Guests have said they loved seeing the photos on the site. Also guests enjoyed viewing a sneak peek at our entertainer, George Simpson, via a YouTube link.
We had a link to a wish list for honeymoon items. This included money for a gondola ride, with was much nicer than just asking for money. We did this all through www.ourdreamhoneymoon.com. Paperless Wedding offered so much more information than a normal paper invite. Changes, reminders and thanks to all or some of the guests can be made. It is not just a one time email. This way of inviting and keeping people informed really worked for us.
My last bit of advice is plenty of pre planning and make lots of lists. Involve your partner so he thinks he has decided on things.(even if he hasn’t!) Don’t expect everything to go perfectly on the day, go with the flow and enjoy. Smile and everyone else smiles with you 😀
A big thank you to Margaret and Edwin for sharing their thoughts and tips. It was a wonderful day and my little lady had a wonderful time and still wants to dress up as a bride!
