How do you know what you want?

I felt exactly the same in regards to venue and packages etc it is pretty overwhelming. i 'just knew' it was the venue for us after thinking id already found a couple of others i really liked.It was heart over head.We then fitted the budget around it.

We compromised by simply having the wedding a week later than originally planned and on a Friday we are saving ourselves a good few thousand.

I say just follow your heart but be realistic. Go for what really makes you smile and excited but doesn't worry you in regards to how to fund it. When you imagine the day how do you see it?

Our budget kept increasing, too, but only because we didn't realise the going rate for many things before we really got to looking. I think you need to have a very good idea of the total amount you'll be able to spend without stressing about saving every penny or going into debt. You'll likely hope to spend less, thou, obvs. Then prioritise things that you really care about. It's so easy to get carried away with things that really aren't necessary, like expensive wedding cars, etc.

if you go the route of doing some DIY, I would definitely caution you to spread the work out, because its easy to bite off more than you can chew. I had grand plans to DIY tons of things, but in the end I've ditched half those plans and found affordable alternatives that meant a hell of a lot less time and effort.. Wedding chicks teammates and Vista print, for example.

as far as knowing exactly what you want... Can't help you there. I changed my mind a lot in the last 18 months!

Aha! I am in Bristol, any venues you can recommend?

When I imagine my day, I just imagine my children and all our guests relaxed and having fun. I want to keep it simple yet beautiful, but I'm not sure how to achieve it.

I had this too when we first started thinking about it and there's still loads of stuff I can't decide on. I have found looking at lots of pictures (and lovely Hitchers flashes) has helped inspire me. Pintrest is awesome for image browsing an I suddenly found a sort of pattern emerging with pictures I liked and venues I liked - which helped narrow it down a bit. Try to get estimate costings before you go to see somewhere - that way you can rule out any that are too expensive before falling in love with them!

The one piece of advice I'd give is to take your time. The last thing you want is to buy a load of stuff that you end up not using.

With regards to the venue, there's nothing wrong with letting practicalities play a part... How much are the rooms for your guests; Is there more accommodation nearby if needed; How reasonable are the bar prices; How flexible do they seem with regards to packages, timings etc...

If you was going to a wedding.... What would make you say "wow I'd love mine like that!"

@package would be easier but if you like a bit of DIY go for that!

If it helps we get married at 1pm, we eat at around 4:30 a 3 course dinner then having a buffet for evening

xxx

You're right, it is confusing. We got engaged last march, and getting married this September. Will have been engaged 18 months.

We visited 4 venues, they all had their pros and cons. I...of course...went for the most xpensive venue. It was the one that ticked all the boxes venue wise in terms of having outdoor space, separate bar and we can stay over there. Anyway this means we have to budget in other areas. We saw 2 florists and chose the cheaper of the 2, I am providing my own containers for flowers and we have made our own invites. If you're not sure what style wedding you like, pick up a few magazines and rip pictures out of the things that catch your eye, you will probably notice you have a general style that you're going for. Otherwise, dont worry you have mix match styles. Do you have a venue in mind? we picked a venue that is pretty enough without needing loads of extra decorations.Apart from flowers and table decorations we arent really providing much else.

Sure it will all come together. xx

I know exactly how you feel! We're going to look at a venue on Sunday, first one we've seen, we haven't found any apart from this one that we like! I thought one would just jump out! It needs to be as cheap as possible too, as our budget is about £1500 tops.

One tip I'd say about budgets is that if it comes down to a venue within your budget like you like and a venue a tiny bit out of your budget that you LOVE, just go for the latter. This is your one wedding day and money comes and goes, so I would prioritise what you love. I think maybe finding what you want is about seeing the one thing you're like omggg I have to have that- maybe you haven't seen that thing yet though?

I think it's important to have a clear idea of the surrounding you want before you start looking and then you can narrow it down. Also prioritise what is important to you so you know where to allocate the budget. Your ideal Photographer for example, might be half the price as your venue, if that is what your perfect one charges.

Some people don't spend money on cars and get taxis. It's completely down to personal choice. When those decisions are made it should fall into place.