You can see the resident reverend’s blog here:

http://www.newlyweds-uk.com/blog/jan_harney

The traditional limousine is still one of the most popular choices for wedding transport. Modern limousine companies offer a wide range of cars with various special features. You may go for a stretch limo so that close family and friends can travel with you to the wedding reception. This can be a lot of fun because modern limousines offer features such as dance floors and jacuzzis, as well as the standard free champagne. On the other hand, you could opt for a smaller, more intimate limousine so that you have some time alone before the wedding reception, where you will almost certainly not be left to reflect on your wedding day for very long!

If being chauffeur-driven is not really your thing, then another popular form of wedding transport is to hire a two-seater sports car such as a Ferrari or an Aston Martin. These are usually available for hire by the day and can create a truly memorable journey from the ceremony to the wedding reception. This has the added bonus of allowing the couple to spend some time alone before the wedding reception.

The more adventurous couple may decide to travel on a motorbike, which can certainly create some lasting memories. This is especially true when the couple share a love for motorbikes. Be prepared for a lot of attention, though, if this is your chosen mode of transport! Remember to find out whether the venue that you have chosen for your wedding reception will allow you to drive directly into the reception hall – if they will, then you have a truly memorable way of arriving at your reception! Be sure to let the photographer know so that they are ready with their camera!

Another traditional but also extravagant way to travel to the wedding reception is the horse-drawn carriage. These are very popular because they are very distinctive and comparatively rare, whilst at the same time being classy and formal. This would be even more appropriate if you have chosen a fairy-tale theme for your wedding.

If you are feeling extremely flamboyant and have a very big budget, why not travel by helicopter? This is one of the most unusual ways to travel and will create some fantastic memories. But you’ll need to check that the venue for both the ceremony and the wedding reception can accommodate a helicopter take-off and landing.

When looking for a photographer, be sure to ask for a list of references and testimonials. All good photographers will have a portfolio of clients and examples of their work. But don’t just take their word for it; get in touch with previous clients to find out how the day went with the photographer. Remember that this will be the happiest day of your life and you only have one chance to catch those special memories on camera.

If possible, choose a photographer who has been recommended to you by a close friend or a relative. If you have attended the weddings of friends or relatives, get in touch with them and ask if they were happy with their photos. If they were, ask for contact details – and if you can, take a look at the photos yourself.

Aside from the technical abilities of the photographer, try to find out about their attitude and reliability. You want them to take total control of the photography in a courteous manner and not to cause you any additional stress or problems by being pushy or rude to guests.

In terms of price, be sure to find out what is included in the price and what will cost extra. You need to find out how many prints the photographer will include for the price and what sizes they will be. Also see if you get the original negatives from all of the day’s photos so that you can make reprints if you wish. These may be supplied on a CD after the wedding.

Do not think that choosing a photographer is a small part of the organisation of your wedding day. The photos will live on for years to come and become part of your family history, particularly for your children and grandchildren. You will only have one chance to catch those special moments on film; there will be no replays or second chances. So take the time and effort to make sure that you choose the right photographer whom you can trust to do a fantastic job for you.

When choosing your wedding planner, try to look past their experience and qualifications and see what type of person they are. You should feel that you can trust them totally and that you can be totally honest with them about your needs and expectations. Communication is another factor; do you feel confident talking to them? Does the wedding planner take on board your ideas or drown them out with their own? The personality of the wedding planner is just as important as their qualifications. As long as you feel comfortable talking to them and can leave them to do their job, then you are in a good position to establish a good working relationship.

The next step will be to look into the background of the wedding planner. Check out their references personally. Get in touch with previous clients to find out if they were satisfied with the service they received. Write down a list of questions that are important to you in terms of the planners’ professional qualities as well as their personal ones. If possible find out if the wedding planner has worked on weddings of a similar scale to your own or even bigger ones. If they have, then you can be more confident that they can cope with your wedding.

When you are speaking to potential wedding planners, find out if they work alone or as part of a team. This will prove most useful to know because if they work as a team, you are better covered if something goes wrong such as the wedding planner becoming ill, whereas with a one-person operation you will have major problems if the wedding planner becomes ill days before your wedding. If they do work alone, do they have a backup plan for such events?

Try and test the wedding planners’ problem solving skills and ask them a number of questions relating to problems that may occur with your wedding. By doing this you will see how they act under pressure, how much experience they have of problem situations and how able they are to get out of them. Unfortunately there are many things that can go wrong leading up to your wedding day so if something untoward does happen, you need to be confident that you can leave it in the hands of your wedding planner.

Obviously you cannot order your wedding invitations until you have finalised all of the crucial details such as time, date and location. However, you can start to think about the design of your invitations straight away in tandem with thinking about the theme of your wedding. When you have the crucial details finalised, double-check them again to make sure you have everything correct. The last thing you want is to waste money printing invitations that contain the wrong details or, worse still, not notice the errors and have the guests show up on the wrong day! For this reason make sure that you proof-read the wedding invitation details several times and get someone else to do the same, just to be sure.

If you have chosen a specific theme for your wedding then this is your chance to create a great impression right from the start of what the guests can expect. The wedding invitations can be designed to incorporate your chosen theme. All good design companies will have a range of pictures available that can be placed on the invitation to convey your theme. If you have chosen to have your wedding on a beach, you can make the entire background of the invitation a picture of an ocean landscape.

The impression you make with your wedding invitations can extend beyond the look of it. The wording you use can also play a big part in conveying the theme and formality of your wedding. If you choose to hold a more formal wedding then this can be shown in the language you use; likewise if you are going for a more casual, relaxed wedding. However, be careful not to go over the top either way. The idea is to make the guest excited about accepting the invitation. So try not to go over the top with too much slang because this will almost certainly create the wrong impression.

Don’t forget, too, that most guests will start to form their opinions of the wedding not at the wedding itself, but at the point when they receive the invitation and start to imagine what the wedding will be like. If you can create a good impression from the start then your guests will arrive at the wedding in high spirits, which will help to create a fun and friendly atmosphere.