Wedding Planning Advice Archives - The Budget Bride Company

When you’re researching and visiting suitable venues for your wedding, it’s really important to ask the right questions to ensure that you will be getting the best deal and overall option for your wedding venue. It can be easy to be swayed by how gorgeous the wedding venue looks, or a delicious sounding array of menu options for your wedding breakfast but it is super important to remember that this is likely to be the biggest spend of your wedding and not to get carried away! I know, much easier said than done!

I have put together twelve questions below for you to ask your wedding venue when you are going for your show-round. Hopefully these questions will help you to make the best decision when it comes to choosing your wedding venue.

1. Will the price change if we changed the date – off season / mid-week?

Some venues will be able to seriously reduce your wedding venue hire fee if you book your wedding for the Winter or a mid-week date.

2. Do you have a corkage option where we can bring our own booze?

Some wedding venues will allow to you to bring in your own alcohol for a small fee per bottle. This can work out a lot cheaper than the wedding venue supplying all of your alcohol.

3. Can we have access to the venue the day before for decorating?

Are you going to be decorating your wedding venue yourself? Find out if the venue will allow you a few hours the day before to get things set up.

4. What are your charges for additional guests?

Make sure you aren’t stung by high excess number charges.

5. What time do we need to be clear of the venue by on the wedding day?

If it’s important to you that you can party until the small hours, cover off the question before you sign your contract.

6. Do you have any set budget package options?

Sometimes it can work out cheaper to utilize a package offer for your wedding.

7. Do you have any preferential rate agreements with local hotels where our guests will be able to stay?

Your family and friends will thank you if you have been thoughtful enough to wangle them a discount!

8. Do you have a room that the Bridal party can use as a private area on the day of the wedding?

Having a room where you and your bridesmaids can go and take a breather on the day will be a wonderful thing!

9. Do you have any preferred suppliers (photographers, cake makers etc) who we may be able to get preferential rates with?

If you’re starting from scratch, it can be wonderful to have a recommendation for a trusted supplier from your wedding venue.

10. Are we able to bring in our own caterers?

Not all venues will allow external caterers in, but if yours does, this can be a big money saver and give you more flexibility on the type of food you will be serving your guests.

11. Can we throw confetti?

We all love a good confetti shot – but clear it with your venue first! Some wedding venues will only allow natural biodegradable petals for throwing – others none will be allowed at all.

12. Will we be the sole wedding party on the day?

This is a BIG one! If you don’t want to be running into another lady wearing a wedding dress on your big day, check with your venue that you are the only wedding taking place on your chosen date.

Have you booked your venue yet? What questions did you ask to make sure you were making the right choice? Let us know over on the Facebook page!

Laura x

Photography in this post courtesy of Danielle Mobbs

Last week, I asked you guys whether you were planning on having any flower girls or page boys at your wedding, and it got me thinking of how many lovely ways there are to incorporate children into your wedding day plans. Now I have a little one myself, I am keen to involve her as much as possible in our wedding day. Have a look at my suggestions below for cute roles for kids at weddings – have you got any other ideas for how to involve children in your wedding day?

Cute roles for kids at weddings

♥ Page Boys / Ring Bearer

This is an obvious one, but a goody. Who doesn’t melt at the sight of a tiny little boy helping out the Bride with her train, or bringing the rings up the aisle?

♥ Flower Girl

It’s such a wonderful start to the wedding procession, to have one or two of the little ladies in your life heading down the aisle scattering petals ready for the entrance of the Bride. The role isn’t too responsible and if your little Flower Girl gets stage fright and wants to run back to their Mum and Dad, sometimes that can be all the cuter, right?!

♥ Bridesmaids

Although you might want to go for older Bridesmaids (your best friends / sisters etc), having a younger Bridesmaid involved can be a really nice idea. They won’t be so nervous, as they will be walking down the aisle in company, plus having younger bridesmaids looks super cute in the photos 😉

♥ Toast Master

My lovely friend Tamara opted for a young nephew to act as Toast Master at her wedding (see the cute lil pic at the top of this post? That’s him 🙂 ). It worked SO well! You can see the full wedding story here.

♥ Handing out gifts at the wedding breakfast

This is a lovely role and is also super useful. You and your new Husband or Wife get to sit put and one of your favourite little ones can do the running around with gifts for the Mummy’s of the Bride and Groom, Bridesmaids and Best Man!

♥ Gift attendant / guest book attendant

After the wedding is over and you’re back from your honeymoon, you will want to read through your guest book (or guest signing picture) and see all of the well wishes. Make sure that all of your guests add their note by assigning one of the kiddies in your party to be in charge. Either have them look after the book near the gift table, or get them to wander around the wedding breakfast asking your guests to sign it.

♥ Reading

Readings at the ceremony are not strictly limited to older family members or friends. It will make a lovely memorable moment for a young child to read something short and sweet at your ceremony.

♥ Give away the Bride

Personally, I love this idea. If you aren’t going to be given away by your Dad and are looking for an alternative, why not have your own little one or another child in your family give you away? Might make a good choice for a slightly older child, so that they understand the importance of the role 😉

How are you going to be involving children at your wedding? Have you got any other great ideas for roles for kids at weddings? Let us know over on the Facebook page!

Laura x

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I have put together twelve questions below for you to ask your wedding venue when you are going for your show-round. Hopefully these questions will help you to make the best decision when it comes to choosing your wedding venue.

1. Will the price change if we changed the date – off season / mid-week?

Some venues will be able to seriously reduce your wedding venue hire fee if you book your wedding for the Winter or a mid-week date.

2. Do you have a corkage option where we can bring our own booze?

Some wedding venues will allow to you to bring in your own alcohol for a small fee per bottle. This can work out a lot cheaper than the wedding venue supplying all of your alcohol.

3. Can we have access to the venue the day before for decorating?

Are you going to be decorating your wedding venue yourself? Find out if the venue will allow you a few hours the day before to get things set up.

4. What are your charges for additional guests?

Make sure you aren’t stung by high excess number charges.

5. What time do we need to be clear of the venue by on the wedding day?

If it’s important to you that you can party until the small hours, cover off the question before you sign your contract.

6. Do you have any set budget package options?

Sometimes it can work out cheaper to utilize a package offer for your wedding.

7. Do you have any preferential rate agreements with local hotels where our guests will be able to stay?

Your family and friends will thank you if you have been thoughtful enough to wangle them a discount!

8. Do you have a room that the Bridal party can use as a private area on the day of the wedding?

Having a room where you and your bridesmaids can go and take a breather on the day will be a wonderful thing!

9. Do you have any preferred suppliers (photographers, cake makers etc) who we may be able to get preferential rates with?

If you’re starting from scratch, it can be wonderful to have a recommendation for a trusted supplier from your wedding venue.

10. Are we able to bring in our own caterers?

Not all venues will allow external caterers in, but if yours does, this can be a big money saver and give you more flexibility on the type of food you will be serving your guests.

11. Can we throw confetti?

We all love a good confetti shot – but clear it with your venue first! Some wedding venues will only allow natural biodegradable petals for throwing – others none will be allowed at all.

12. Will we be the sole wedding party on the day?

This is a BIG one! If you don’t want to be running into another lady wearing a wedding dress on your big day, check with your venue that you are the only wedding taking place on your chosen date.

Have you booked your venue yet? What questions did you ask to make sure you were making the right choice? Let us know over on the Facebook page!

Laura x

Cute roles for kids at weddings

♥ Page Boys / Ring Bearer

This is an obvious one, but a goody. Who doesn’t melt at the sight of a tiny little boy helping out the Bride with her train, or bringing the rings up the aisle?

♥ Flower Girl

♥ Bridesmaids

Although you might want to go for older Bridesmaids (your best friends / sisters etc), having a younger Bridesmaid involved can be a really nice idea. They won’t be so nervous, as they will be walking down the aisle in company, plus having younger bridesmaids looks super cute in the photos 😉

♥ Toast Master

My lovely friend Tamara opted for a young nephew to act as Toast Master at her wedding (see the cute lil pic at the top of this post? That’s him 🙂 ). It worked SO well! You can see the full wedding story here.

♥ Handing out gifts at the wedding breakfast

This is a lovely role and is also super useful. You and your new Husband or Wife get to sit put and one of your favourite little ones can do the running around with gifts for the Mummy’s of the Bride and Groom, Bridesmaids and Best Man!

♥ Gift attendant / guest book attendant

♥ Reading

Readings at the ceremony are not strictly limited to older family members or friends. It will make a lovely memorable moment for a young child to read something short and sweet at your ceremony.

♥ Give away the Bride

How are you going to be involving children at your wedding? Have you got any other great ideas for roles for kids at weddings? Let us know over on the Facebook page!

Laura x