FREE Wedding Gifts
FREE Wedding Gifts
A useful and helpful page packed with advice and pointers on what to do,
from saying I WILL & I DO to your wedding day and celebratory activities
.. read, watch, be inspired and enjoy
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Click on the iPad for our FREE 14 page music guide to musically enhance key moments on your wedding day
1 Index
2 First Dance
3 Father Daughter Dance
4 Mother Son Dance
5 Wedding Party Dance
6 Tossing the bouquet
7 Garter Toss
8 Cake Cutting
9 Introductions
10 Last Dance
11 Money Dance
12 Processional Music
13 Recessional Music
14 Ceremony
TimeLine
TimeLineTimeLine
Wedding Day TimeLine
Insurance
InsuranceInsurance
Insurance
PLI
PLIPLI
Public liability
Useful Links
Blogs / News / Advice / SuppliersUseful Links
Useful Links
Your Wedding Day Timeline
You will want to make every second of your big day count, so it is essential to get your timings and wedding day schedule bang on to help your day go as smoothly as possible!
Even if you are using a coordinator or toastmaster, who will take care of everything and be sure all runs on time and in sequence (plus take care of any unexpected’s on the day), it is good for you to have in your mind, just what is going to happen and when!
Follow our handy, hour-by-hour plan and everything should run like clockwork. Remember this is only a guide – in this scenario, the wedding is starting at 2pm – and you should build in extra time in case of bad weather.
___am
You’ll probably be awake way before this time with excitement anyway, but 9am is a good time to rise and have breakfast. Nothing too stodgy but certainly something that will fill you up – perhaps wholemeal toast and a banana? One glass of Champagne is allowed but don’t overdo it too early on!
___am
The bridesmaids should be with you now. They should all be wearing button-through tops that can be easily removed without ruining make-up or hairstyles. As the bride you should be having your hair done first so the style can be perfected. Try to avoid having too many people in the room – only the bride, bridesmaids, photographer, make-up artist/hairdresser and perhaps mum should be with you now. Now is the time to be calm and relaxed so if anyone is stressing you out, they’ve got to go!
___am
Have a small snack to keep your blood sugar levels up – you don’t want to be fainting at the altar! Now bridesmaids should be having their hair done while your make-up is being applied.
___am/pm
All hair and make-up should be done now and it’s time to get into your dress. Slinky sheath dresses should be put on over your head, taking care not to smudge your make-up. Big dress? Step into it. Make sure whoever is doing up your dress has clean hands! This is the time to give your bridesmaids their presents, especially if you’d like them to wear their gifts on the day. Your photographer will want some time to take shots of you and the girls before you leave for the ceremony, so now is the best time. Delegate someone to be the main point of contact with the co-ordinator at your venue, and give your phone to that person – last-minute issues are not your problem now! As everyone else is getting ready to leave for the ceremony, have a quiet few moments alone with your Dad – try not to cry and ruin your make-up!
___pm
Groom, best man and ushers arrive at the ceremony, welcome guests. Bride’s family sit on the left, groom’s on the right.
___pm
Bridesmaids arrive at the ceremony, shortly followed by the bride and her father. It’s ceremony time! Your co-ordinator signal for the processional music to start and then it’s time to make your entrance. A little shy? Send your bridesmaids in first! This is also a good idea if you’re having flower-girls or page boys, as they can walk in ahead of you and sit with their parents instead of standing on your train!
Your Wedding Day Timeline
Start | End | Activity |
---|---|---|
Guests arrive at ceremony | ||
You’ll get married | ||
Canapés, Drinks, Photographs | ||
Room Inspection & Photos of couple in Room | ||
Receiving line | ||
Grand Entrance | ||
Wedding Breakfast | ||
Speeches | ||
Evening Guests arrive & Reception Begins | ||
Cut cake | ||
1st Dance | ||
Father / Bride dance | ||
Evening Buffet | ||
Tunnel / Circle of Love Bride & Groom exit |
An example of a Civil Ceremony Timeline
12.00pm | Groom arrives at the Venue |
12.15pm | Guests and registrars arrive at Venue |
12.40pm | Groom is interviewed by registrar |
12.50pm | Bride is interviewed by registrars |
1.00pm | Civil Ceremony |
1.30pm | Drinks reception, canapés and photographs |
3.00pm | Receiving line (optional) |
3.30pm | Wedding breakfast & Speeches |
6.00pm | Cutting of the Cake & Room turnaround |
7.00pm | Evening reception guests arrive |
7.30pm | First dance |
9.00pm | Evening catering served |
12am | Music and evening reception to end |
An example of a Church Service Timeline
(Based on Church of England) | |
12.30pm | Groom and guests arrive at Church |
12.45pm | Bridesmaids and Mother of Bride arrive |
12.55pm | Bride arrives |
1.00pm | Wedding Service |
1.45pm | Photographs outside church |
2.10pm | Leave Church and travel to venue |
2.20pm | Drinks reception, canapés and photographs |
3.50pm | Receiving line |
4.20pm | Wedding breakfast & Speeches |
6.50pm | Room turnaround and reset (if required) |
7.45pm | Evening reception guests arrive |
8.30pm | Cutting of the Cake |
8.35pm | First dance |
9.00pm | Evening catering served |
00.00 | Music and evening reception to end |
FREE Wedding Gifts
FREE Wedding Gifts
Why do I need wedding insurance?
Most couples will feel overwhelmed with to-do lists as the big day approaches – never mind the emotional upheaval. However, there are a few things they should try to be mindful of to ensure all that planning isn’t compromised:
- Always get contracts in writing
- Get receipts for all payments you make
- Make sure you know when each full payment is due, to ensure you don’t lose deposits or suppliers
- Confirm everything with suppliers a month before the wedding
- Get supplier recommendations before booking anything
- And finally, if the size and cost of your wedding escalates unexpectedly, don’t forget to adjust your wedding insurance accordingly.
Failure of suppliers and/or loss or damage If one of your suppliers lets you down and/or you accidentally damage something as important as your wedding dress, we wouldn’t want it to ruin your big day. So we cover your wedding attire,* wedding flowers, wedding cake, wedding cars and transport, wedding photography and video, and your wedding stationery against accidental loss or damage. We also provide cover if your supplier goes bust or can’t deliver what was promised. Your cover is for the cost of any irrecoverable deposits or for any additional costs to arrange an equivalent supplier. For example if your photographer fails to turn up on the day, there is no compensation for the stress this may have caused, only for the irrecoverable deposit or additional cost in arranging another photographer.
Wedding Rings Cover Your policy provides cover for loss of or damage to the wedding rings from the purchase date of the policy, right through to 24 hours after the wedding.
Wedding Gift Cover This includes damage or theft in transit to or from your wedding or when they are on display on the big day. So if your new vase ends up in a hundred pieces, we could pay up to your chosen level of cover as long as the gifts are being stored by you, a close relative or a member of your wedding party. Please note, the cover starts seven days before the wedding and continues for 24 hours after.
Supplier Public Liability Insurance
Public liability insurance protects you if your family embers, friends or guests (also members of the public) suffer personal injury or property damage through the actions (or inactions) of a supplier you employ
It can pay for the costs of subsequent legal expenses or compensation claims and is an integral cover for businesses that interact regularly with customers.
PLEASE be sure that every single supplier you secure the services of for your wedding has a current and valid PLI certificate cover and associated safety documents (such as PAT, Working at Height regulations etc…). Rather than do this yourself, you can ask the venue to take care of this (they should anyway as part of their H&S audit!) and also, for belt and braces, if you are using a toastmaster or wedding planner / coordinator, get them to ensure this is all in place on your behalf.
Useful Links
Name | Service | Contact |
---|---|---|
Sean Gannon | Pro Photographer | www.energyphotographic.co.uk |
WeddingPlanner | Table Planner Tool | weddingplanner.co.uk/tools/guestlist#table-plan |
Wedding Venues | Wedding Venues UK | www.wedding-venues.co.uk |
Mr&MsSmith | HoneyMoon ideas | www.mrandmrssmith.com/honeymoons |