Congratulations on your engagement! The road from your ‘yes’ day to your best day is an exciting one, but there’s also a lot to think about and plan. We’ve put our heads together to bring you seven top tips to ensure your wedding planning is stress-free from start to finish. Happy planning!

Raise A Toast

Before you dive straight into wedding planning, it’s time to treat yourselves. Getting engaged is a massive milestone in your relationship and one you should treasure. Give yourselves as long as you both want to simply enjoy your engagement, then when you’re ready, you can start to make plans.

Dream Big

The best starting point for your big day is to establish what both of you are hoping to get from it. Sit down with a bottle of bubbly and work through the bigger decisions. What types of venues do you want to consider? Would you prefer a religious or civil ceremony, and do you want them to all happen in one place or even outdoors? Does your venue need to offer on-site accommodation?

At Combermere Abbey, the Edwardian Glasshouse sets the scene for a magical civil ceremony in the heart of a maze that you won’t find anywhere else. Then it’s time for a romantic stroll through the Walled Garden and into the contemporary Pavilion, ready to party!

Set A Budget

The average cost of a wedding is spiralling up and up, so to ensure your big day doesn’t do the same, work out how much you have to spend as soon as possible. This can include any savings you have or will accrue before the big day and any contributions from friends and family. You shouldn’t end up footing a surprise bill if you sort your finances from the start.

Remember that there are ways to plan your dream wedding for less – booking off-peak or last-minute dates will often mean you can bag a discount or enjoy something extra thrown in for free. In the wedding world, last-minute typically counts for dates within six months or less.

Draw Up A Venue Shortlist

Using the priorities you’ve set in the previous step, draw up a shortlist of wedding venues that will accommodate all or most of those things. Don’t be afraid to compromise – budget constraints, significant dates and all manner of finer details may demand a bit of flexibility, but in the end, everything will work out perfectly.

When you’ve found wedding venues that could be ‘the one’, book a show-around or visit their open day to experience the setting first-hand.

Book The Big Three

Booking your venue should be the first step you make wedding planning. Then, once you’ve got your wedding date and booked a ceremony time with the local registrar, you’re ready to secure the other two key suppliers – your photographer and caterer.

This trio tends to be the wedding suppliers that book up the furthest in advance – often up to one year – so it pays to get your booking in as soon as you can. At Combermere Abbey, we work with trusted catering partners to provide a huge range of wedding day feasts, taking the legwork out of planning the perfect menu.

Style Your Day

From your wedding dress to your wedding decor, once you’ve got your date set the fun wedding planning can begin! Now is the time to max out your wedding Pinterest boards with ideas and inspiration to share with florists, cake designers and decor hire companies to bring your vision to life.

Combermere Abbey’s Pavilion promises a luxe blank canvas for your celebrations. It’s been styled with everything from blossom trees to bunting, enabling you to personalise the space to your own theme.

Plus, the enchanting reveal curtain makes it simple to conceal your dance floor and band during dinner, before opening up the room to get the party started.

Don’t Be Afraid To Delegate

Weddings are often the biggest event of a couple’s lives to date, so it’s no wonder that wedding planning can feel a little overwhelming at times. That’s where delegating comes in!

Ask your mum to help you coordinate RSVPs. Let your bridesmaids help you sort the seating plan. Ask the ushers to show guests to their seats in the ceremony. On the day, let your venue’s coordinators step in to perfect the finishing touches. At Combermere Abbey, the wedding team are here to help every step of the way.

To find more ideas and inspiration for your wedding at Combermere Abbey, take a look at our glittering wedding gallery.