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How to stage-manage your wedding in seven steps: Act 1

We recently provided the lovely Emma at Emma Jane Weddings & Events with some confetti for a photo shoot she was organising and couldn't wait to invite her to appear as a guest blogger. Emma is a talented wedding planner and she will be guiding you through how to stage-managing your wedding. Act one commences today, followed by Act 2 next week.

Act 1 - This is your call to stage!

There's definitely a similarity between the theatre industry and the wedding industry - the stage is set, the audience are ready, the leading lady is waiting for her cue; the time has come and the butterflies are dancing around your stomach. So what can you do in the lead up to your wedding to ensure the day is as polished and as well rehearsed as any West End show? Follow my steps below on stage-managing your wedding in seven, easy steps. This is your call to stage, please!

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Image Credit: Stott Weddings

Step 1: Timings

Even the most laid back and informal wedding requires a structure, if not for your guests, then certainly for your suppliers. The schedule of timings is there to ensure the day runs to a beat that everyone can move too - not too rushed, yet not too slow! So long as your timings are realistic and well thought through, you can pretty much do as you wish, but check with your suppliers, in particular your caterer and your photographer to ensure they're happy.

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Image Credit: Stott Weddings

Following a change in marriage laws in 2012, couples can now marry at any time of day or night. Prior to this change you had to marry between 8am and 6pm. With a huge proportion of weddings taking place between 1pm and 3pm, you may feel you're already being subconsciously pushed into a pre-formatted schedule simply because that's how it's done. If you're bold and like to do your own thing, take a look at the schedule below for a later afternoon ceremony. It's not too dissimilar from 'the norm' but I hope it gives you the confidence to realise that you really can do what YOU want to do!

 

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Image Credit: Jonny Draper

There are pros and cons of a later afternoon wedding:

PROS

CONS

Step 2: Communication

Communication is key - there can be a number of people involved in your wedding day and they all need to know at what point they're meant to be on stage! Don't be fooled into thinking all your suppliers know what time you want them because "they do it all the time," the more information you can give to suppliers prior to the day, the better. If you're unsure how long a supplier will require or whether they need any amenities on the day (electricity, food, payment, car parking etc), pick up the phone to double check. I can guarantee, they'd prefer a conversation to discuss details prior to the day than on the morning of your wedding!

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Image Credit: Jonny Draper

Step 3: Prioritising

When you get engaged, you enter into a world that for many is completely unknown. Unless you're in the event business or perhaps super good at organising, obsessed with spread sheets, able to hone in on the attention to detail, look at the logistics, budget and so called 'boring' stuff first, you'd be forgiven for initially thinking "where do I start"?! I've actually met Brides that are so disheartened with the amount of information being thrown at them from wedding magazines, wedding fairs, friends, family, their own experience of previous weddings, let alone the sheer amount of information available on the internet via Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and blogs, they've lost all hope in their wedding plans and have pretty much given up!

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Image Credit: Stott Weddings

There are many things that need to be done in an orderly fashion when wedding planning and prioritising early on will ensure a happy and FUN wedding planning journey. My biggest piece of advice is always to set a budget and stick to it. Life becomes really rubbish when you've overspent on your wedding and what is meant to be a joyous occasion turns into a penny-pinching exercise.

Prioritise your 'must have' items and your big spend items first, such as the venue and catering, then look at the list of items you've been pinning on your Pinterest Board! We all do it - we have our real wedding and our Pinterest wedding, but with some clever budgeting and honing in on those areas that REALLY matter to you, you'll enjoy your decision making a lot more.

Step 4: Attention to detail

A Stage Manager is all about attention to detail! These guys and girls spend their working career looking at the little things. They know what it means to be an audience member, to see the small, intricate detail that helps tell the bigger story.

A wedding is one event when you can go ALL OUT on the attention to detail. If fashion is your thing, perhaps you'll show this off in the wedding party outfits, perhaps you're a sentimental family girl keen on showcasing your past or want to display your relationship journey for all to see. From including the family pet, using family heirlooms, making and engineering unique and wonderful props to showcase your perfectly choreographed first dance, take some time to think together where you'd like to hone in on the detail. Your guests will thank you for it!

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Image Credit: Jonny Draper

Thank you Emma for steps 1-4, Act 2 will follow on with the remaining steps on Friday 28th July.

Love as always, SP x x

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