Decisions, Decisions

Once the initial engagement euphoria has passed and you get stuck into wedding planning, it's only a matter of time before you realise all the possibilities that are available to you – the options really do seem endless. Before you get lost in Pinterest, wedding planner Laura Dalton of Kept Weddings (keptweddings.co.uk) shares her expert tips to help you stay on track and avoid decision fatigue, so you can yes to the dress (and the venue, décor and everything else).
 
Create a mood board
Starting off with a mood board is a great way to define what you envisage for your wedding day. Add pictures, colours and words that describe how you want to feel and how you want your wedding to look. This will create an aesthetic that is authentically you and your partner to help determine which suppliers you book. For example, if you envision a fairytale wedding, you might opt for words like whimsical, romantic, elegant and traditional and include soft shades and sparkle.
 
Then (this is the important bit), when it comes to reaching out to suppliers, refer to your mood board to check they match the aesthetic you are going for. This will help to eliminate any options that just don’t work for your style.
 
Create a brief for each supplier
Before you search for your perfect supplier, write down a brief that describes what it is you want from them. For example, if you are looking for a cake artist, you might want to go with someone who can provide three of your favourite flavours, can make a cake with royal icing and can offer doughnuts, macaroons or popsicles alongside the cake. Define your checklist and consider this when requesting further information from your options.
Allow yourself a break
When it feels like decision fatigue is setting in, allow yourself to take a break from wedding planning or look into another aspect of your wedding plans instead. Taking a step back and revisiting what you are looking for with fresh eyes will help you to think more clearly about your decision. You can always revert to your initial supplier brief to remind yourself what it was you wanted in the first place. Considering whether that has changed will help you to make the right decision.

 
Keep it local
Start local before looking further afield. When you open your search outside of your county or region, you will be inundated with even more options to consider. These suppliers might be offering the same thing or something slightly better, but you may end up sacrificing on other areas such as their knowledge of your venue or other suppliers. For example, booking a caterer who has used your venue’s facilities before could save you time and stress when it comes to finalising logistics.
 
When you've booked your supplier, stop looking!
Often weddings are booked in advance and the lead-time until the big day will see the industry move and trends change. This may lead you to question your decisions. Unfollow any accounts you began following at the start of your supplier research journey and avoid looking for more inspiration or at previous options. Refer to your mood board and brief, remembering why you chose the words and pictures to describe your aesthetic and requirements in the first place.
 
Book a wedding planner
A wedding planner is a fantastic support if you have decision fatigue. Their logistical and practical nature combined with experience and knowledge will help provide independent and honest advice to enable you to make informed choices. They will listen and understand you and your aesthetic, which will enable them to propose a reasonable amount of options that they feel suit you best.
 
Having worked with many suppliers in the industry, a planner will take real life experience into account that will provide clarity and logic to your decisions. If booking a full wedding planning package is not an option for you, most wedding planners offer one-off virtual planning consultations to discuss a specific area you are experiencing decision fatigue with.
 
Finally, if you’re still umming and aahing, learn from real bride Sophie’s advice, after she and Henry planned their wedding in four months. “We just had to make decisions quickly and go for it – procrastination just causes more stress and sometimes the most spontaneous decisions are the best ones!”

words Lucy Lawrence

illustrations Maria Taylor