First 10 things to do when newly engaged

1) Celebrate, just the two of you

We think it’s important for you and your partner to have a celebration of your own. Enjoy this intimate moment yourselves and perhaps celebrate with a toast or private occasion. Some couples take a few days to absorb, reflect and relish this special time before any big announcements. Couples we worked with planning their day say this time felt precious and private, they cherished being the only two who knew before the whirlwind of wedding planning kicked in.

2) How will you tell your nearest and dearest?

It’s then time to share this joyous news with your nearest and dearest. In person of course makes the moment heart-warming, but hearing friends and family screaming with excitement at the other end of the telephone can be just as fun. Agree with your partner how, (if at all) you announce on social media, you don’t want to offend anyone unintentionally.

3) Engagement ring insurance

Your partner may have already taken out wedding insurance when purchasing the ring but, if not, then it’s worth looking in to separate jewellery insurance. This covers accidental damage like losing a stone; or speak to your insurance provider about adding the ring to your home contents policy. Take photographs from various angles of the ring and keep valuation documents safe, to make any claims straight forward.

If the ring does not fit perfectly don’t be afraid to say, get it adjusted, it needs to be as comfortable as possible to avoid loss, or unnecessary damage.

4) Consider your date wisely

An important decision to get right. To avoid any family politics, you may want to check your personal diary for milestone birthdays, upcoming weddings of family or friends, expected birth dates, or significant anniversaries. Equally you may choose a date that is of significance to you intentionally; we have a couple who have chosen Mothering Sunday to marry, as both mothers of the couple have overcome recent adversity with triumph.

Local significant days

It is worth noting things that are being planned in your local area, or the area you’re planning on getting married in. Does the town have an annual festival or carnival that might be worth avoiding? Contact the local council, they should be able to notify you of any events scheduled that may cause disruption to your wedding plans.

Key national/Royal or sporting event days

You may want to avoid these key dates if possible or certainly be aware of them should your date clash. Some couples choose to embrace them by providing live screening or theming their day accordingly; but most Brides (and some Grooms), don’t want to share their day with ‘football coming home’, or not as the case maybe.

Friday 13th Days & Public holidays

If you’re superstitious, you may wish to avoid any Friday 13th dates. There is no evidence that getting married on Friday 13th is unlucky, but if you are superstitious perhaps something to remember when venue finding.

August bank holiday is typically one of the most popular dates to get married and some venue costs may reflect this, these dates often book quickly so you will need to start your venue search in good time if you want a public holiday date.

5) Get organised

Whether it’s excel spreadsheets, a wedding planning notebook or an online planner; you need to choose your most suited tool to get organised. It will pay dividend in the long run, we promise. In order to enjoy the planning process our couples confirmed organisation was the foundation a happy Bride and/or Groom.

The variety of online planning tools today for weddings can be overwhelming, don’t over research, use what works best for you whether you need a budget planner, a digital to do – tick list or seating planner.

ITA Weddings is fortunate to have a dedicated wedding specialist, here to exclusively support and guide all our couples throughout their wedding journey should they choose one of our iconic venues. We will listen, advise, inspire and deliver a seamless day, we are passionate and committed to exceeding expectation. We therefore remove the worry and stress so you can focus on what’s most important to you.

6) Set up a wedding account and email address

Setting up a specific wedding bank account ensures you can track savings and spending more efficiently. This account could also be used for honeymoon savings or gifted money.

A newly created wedding specific email address is advised, this means that your day to day account does not become bombarded with wedding information. A Google account also enables you to save shared online documents/spreadsheets/planners, so both partners always have access to the most recent document (this may not be desirable for all couples!)

7) Talk budgets

Really, you must.

Although you’re still in the early stages of your engagement, it’s worth thinking about what you can afford and want to spend on your wedding. By deciding on a wedding budget, you can then plan how much you need to save and time frames. Approach family members who you anticipate may want to contribute so again you can plan-ahead and be more specific, don’t make any assumptions, talk it through.

Your budget will dictate how many guests you can invite, draft a rough guest list to enable you to start venue finding. There are so many venues to choose from size can be a good filter to narrow your selection.

8) Choose your tribe wisely

Most women have their chosen bridesmaids planned out already, so once its official, you can ask the lucky ladies. There are now many thoughtful and fun ways of asking, matched with many bespoke gift ideas.

Remember that the Groomsmen, Best Man, Bridesmaids and Maid of Honor all have important roles throughout your planning journey; speeches, hen/stag dos, outfit shopping, organisation on the day and overall support are all key elements. Be confident your chosen tribe can uphold their duties, whilst having fun along the way.

9) Be inspired, check out wedding trends for 2019

Below is a selection of experts we hand pick to work with, so you can trust that all elements of your day are seamless and exactly how you want them. Here are some of the trends they see happening this year:

Sassi Holford’s 2019 ‘Enchanted’ collection is inspired by nature and romance and focuses on texture and light. Sassi’s recent dress creations have been worn on the red carpet by Dame Helen Mirren and television presenter and personality Holly Willoughby.

Sassi tells us that there are two trends that will heavily feature in the 2019/2020 bridal collections; sleeves and 3D textures.

Following two royal weddings in 2018, we have seen long sleeved dresses start to make a huge return to bridal fashion. Whether these be straight, flared, full length of three quarter there are several styles for brides to explore. See Sassi’s gallery of Vivian and Harriet gowns. Both feature sleeve details and have been popular designs. The Harriet was most recently worn by Tess Daly on Strictly Come Dancing.

The other style Holford predicts trending is gowns featuring three dimensional textures. Beautiful gowns, such as the Miranda and Ophelia by Sassi feature textured material, allowing the dress an extra dimension. The Ophelia is made of gold shot brocade, this grand design gives a regal impression but possess pockets creating a modern twist. The Miranda features beautiful hand stitched beading which can be replicated in the Miranda veil, by The Couture Veil by Sassi Holford.

Douglas Fry has been a wedding photographer for 20 years, he believes that his passion for contemporary wedding photography is crucial to creating stunning and memorable images, importantly using no flash and fast Leica lenses and cameras.

Douglas expects couples to pay closer attention to their choice of photographer, the number of wedding photographers is now almost infinite; couples should look beyond the Facebook page or the cherry-picked images from a select few weddings.

Couples should meet the photographer to see if there is a rapport, this is the person who will be capturing some intimate and most precious memories, they will be with you throughout your day. Do your research, quality photographers have experience and knowledge, they understand how to get 400 strong shots throughout your day, no matter what the time of day, year or weather.

Douglas highlights how important it is to make sure the photographer has all the correct insurance, has backups of backups and brings enough kit to allow for any unforeseen malfunction. What happens if the photographer is ill for example? Weddings can be quite pressurised photoshoots, there are no reshoots and people can be happy but tense/nervous; the choice of ever-present photographer is so important.

CH&CO creates uplifting catering and hospitality experiences across iconic destinations, venues, and events. ITA Weddings is part of the CH&CO family. CH&CO holds a Royal Warrant for catering services to HM The Queen. The trends for 2019 we foresee include:

Sharing style and grazing tables will be even bigger this year. They are a great way to get wedding guests chatting and can create real buzz as early as the first course. Bowl food and mini dishes give guests more variety and can be beautifully presented. Interactive dessert bars are a fantastic way to conclude a more formal sit-down menu, it gives guests a chance to get up, mingle and talk about all things sweet. Atmospheric dry ice, show stopping colours and the relaxed style of dessert bars, can lead beautifully into the next part of your night.

Couples want to be more informed and educated when selecting their wedding menu, they are more environmentally conscious than ever before. We are asked more frequently where the meat has been sourced from, how much waste will there be and what is the sustainability impact of their menu.

We are seeing a continued growth and evolution of plant-based dishes on the menu. They are no longer an ‘alternative’ option but part of a tasty and varied healthier choice. Seasonal menus will also be popular, couples want to eat well and choose the right menu choice for the time of year they are getting married. This means dishes will taste their absolute best and something we fully encourage.

It is Rosalind Miller’s design background that sets her apart from other bakers, she personally oversees all her cakes so they look as exquisite as they taste. Rosalind is National Wedding Awards ‘wedding cake maker of the year’, two years consecutively; and is regularly featured in magazines including Brides and Vogue, Rosalind also has her cakes sold in Harrods’ Food Hall. She tells us what to expect in 2019:

Expect intricately hand painted cakes to be big this year, paired with bold florals and sugar decorations. Dark and moody colours combined with vibrantly coloured accents.

Rather than just a wedding cake, people are going for dessert tables to compliment the main cake; set up on the same table, with mini desserts, such as mini layer cakes, intricately iced cookies and mini bundt cakes. Interesting, abstract textures, taking the stone and concrete effect even further, with combinations of unusual textures highlighted with crystalline and gold effect details. The wedding cake will continue to make quite the statement.

10) Start venue finding

The venue is likely to be a significant percentage spend of your overall budget, it is a key decision that will take time getting right. Our wedding specialist is dedicated to couples’ venue finding. We will listen to what’s most important about a venue to you; whether its location, style, size, the date (therefore availability), or your budget. She will work tirelessly finding you the perfect venue for your wedding.

We will take you on a venue tour so you can get a feel for the type of venue you might be seeking; whether it is quirky and unusual, such as ZSL London Zoo, stately grandeur at Clothworkers’ Hall, historic richness at Stationers’ Hall, contemporary beauty at Haberdashers’ Hall or the breathtaking waterside Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College. There is an array of choice, enjoy seeing these iconic settings whilst making your short list.

We suggest the following points to consider when shortlisting your venues:

Location
Budget
Availability (if you are particular about dates)
Size
Style of venue
Outside space

We can then advise and support you with regards to catering and all suppliers, to ensure all aspects of your wedding are looked after. We have perfected a balance of passion, professionalism, creativity and impeccable service. It is our attention to detail and consistency throughout a couples’ journey with us, that has led to a reputation we are very proud of.

To contact ITA Weddings please call 020 7871 0577 or email [email protected]. We can offers ideas, inspiration and releases key wedding open days @itaweddings

Congratulations on your engagement, enjoy your wedding planning journey, stay calm and good luck!