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So, you've just gotten engaged and are looking to start your wedding planning process. But what do you need to think about? Well, the first step is to decide where you'd like to have your wedding.
If you're looking for a beautiful setting with plenty of activities and attractions then Cheshire could be the perfect place for you. With its stunning countryside and picturesque towns, it's no wonder that Cheshire has become one of the most popular wedding destinations in the UK.
Planning a wedding in Cheshire is no small feat. With so many amazing venues and vendors to choose from, it can be overwhelming trying to decide where your special day will take place. To make the process easier, we’ve put together this guide to help you start planning your perfect Cheshire wedding!
Picking a season
Unless there's a specific reason you want a certain date, being open to a few dates over different months will save you a lot of stress. The best venues (as well as other vendors such as photographers) are usually booked for prime dates about 2 years in advance! Cheshire looks just as stunning in the Winter as well as the Summer months and having a Winter Wedding is becoming increasingly popular!
Booking a venue
First and foremost, you’ll want to find the perfect wedding venue. Whether you're looking for a rustic barn, a classic castle, or an elegant manor house, Cheshire has something for everyone. Here are 3 suggestions to help you get started on your planning journey!
1.) Delamere Manor
This stunning venue is situated in the idyllic countryside of Cheshire. With its luxurious rooms, beautifully landscaped gardens, and stunning courtyard, this really is a breathtaking venue!
This rustic barn provides a perfect backdrop for your big day. With its natural countryside setting, this venue has everything you need to make it special.
This luxurious and exclusive venue looks stunning with views of the River Dee to the front and views of historic Roman Chester behind. With plenty of rooms, views and spaces to party, this is so great! Check out our acoustic duo performing below:
Obviously, it's worth doing your own research on this topic - there are so many great venues to choose from, we couldn't list them all. It's worth checking to see if these venues have an open day coming up so you can have a look around. This way, you can get a feel for what the wedding might actually be like on the day, and of course, meet some amazing suppliers and vendors!
Speaking of, it is definitely worth checking out some wedding fayres, too. Some ones we can recommend are the Red Event Wedding Fayres as well as Brides Up North. Check out their websites to find out when their wedding fayres are happening!
Do you need a wedding planner?
Weddings involve a huge amount of planning and coordination. Some venues may offer a package that includes a wedding planner for your day. For those not included, Wedding planners such as Dale Alexander Events can really help you take some of the stress out of the planning.
Planning your own wedding?
If you are getting a wedding planner, then some of the rest of the information below might not be relevant to you! However, if you are planning on doing it yourself, we have some more handy information for you!
Booking a photographer
When it comes to picking a wedding photographer, you want someone who understands the importance of capturing your special day. To make sure you get great photos, check out portfolios and reviews from previous clients. As previously mentioned - good photographers get booked up years in advance, so it's worth moving fast if you find a photographer you really like!
Here are 3 recommendations of photographers to help you get started on your search, again in no particular order:
1.) Fox and Bear Photography - Dewi & Vicky Clough are a husband and wife team based in Cheshire, offering creative documentary wedding photography. They really show you as the heroes of your love story and will show that to the world! And they're super lovely people, too!
2.) Marie Lloyd Photography - Marie is a highly experienced wedding photographer with a passion for telling your story creatively and capturing the emotion of the day.
3.) Raw Focus Photography North West - Beth's style is relaxed and natural, with a mixture of both formal and informal shots. They always work hard to make sure that you don’t miss out on any important details!
Check out this handy guide here if you're after more photographers!
Booking a videographer
Although not as high up on many couples' lists as photographers, wedding videos are becoming more and more popular, and important. It's so good to be able to listen back to speeches and see everyone's smiling faces as you walk down the aisle!
Your wedding day is made up of so many beautiful moments and having a videographer there to document it all is really important! A professional video will allow you to relive the special day over and over again.
Here are 3 recommended videographers for your Cheshire wedding:
1.) Tony Hassall Films - Tony is a wedding videographer who turns your special moments into beautiful memories for you to keep forever!
2.) Rich Pattinson Videographer - Rich is a storyteller, capturing weddings in a cinematic way. His work will make you feel like you're living in your own rom-com!
3.) Perfect Day Production - Perfect Day wedding video production is an innovative and highly personalised professional wedding videography company based in Chester but covering all of Cheshire, North Wales, Merseyside, the North West, and further afield. With the aim of producing beautiful, individually crafted wedding films.
Booking a celebrant or officiant
Although you will still need to get all of your paperwork and official documents sorted at a registry office, it's worth considering having a less formal celebrant or officiant for your wedding.
The wedding celebrant or officiant will be able to oversee your ceremony and make sure that everything goes smoothly. We highly recommend Hazel the Rainbow Celebrant. Hazel is a multi-award-winning celebrant and one of the most popular in Cheshire. She creates unique, meaningful ceremonies that tell your story in a way that will make you smile for years to come!
What about a toastmaster?
We thought we'd add this in because every wedding we do with Stefan, the Tall Toastmaster is awesome! He really makes sure everything runs smoothly, and helps communication between all your suppliers on the day, as well as taking care of any important announcements, as well as introducing you during the day! As an added bonus, he makes Tom look normal sized.
Sorting out the food!
For many, the food is one of the most important elements of any wedding celebration. Check with your venue if food is included in your package at your venue. If it isn't, here are a few recommendations for caterers in Cheshire, listed in no particular order:
1.) Top table events: They provide delicious, locally sourced food with friendly and professional service. Their menus are flexible and can cater to all dietary requirements.
2.) Cheeky Chilli Events: This team of experienced chefs provides high-quality, mouth-watpersonalizedfor any wedding. They use only the freshest ingredients and strive to deliver a personalised service every time.
3.) The Cheshire Dining Experience: This catering company creates unique, bespoke menus for each wedding featuring the very best flavours of Cheshire.
Flowers and Venue Dressing
Making sure that your venue looks perfect for your wedding is key! Choosing the right florist and dresser is essential. Here are some of our favourites.
1.) Lily's Flower House - Lily’s Flower House is a florist based in Chester. They create unique, beautiful and romantic floral designs for your special day.
2.) The Event Edit - The Event Edit is a leading event styling and décor company in Cheshire specialising in weddings, corporate events and other celebrations. They have an eclectic mix of decor to create the perfect atmosphere for your day.
Bridal Party and Wedding Dress Shopping
Finding the perfect wedding dress and bridesmaid's outfits can be a tricky task. Whether you’re looking for something traditional or more boho, there are plenty of places to go shopping in Cheshire. Here are some of our favourites:
1.) Elizabeth Louise Bridal Boutique - Based in Hoole, Elizabeth Louise Bridal Boutique has a wide selection of bridal and bridesmaid dresses for you to choose from. They provide a personalised service and one-on-one consultations with their experienced team.
2.) Brides of Chester - Brides of Chester is one of the leading wedding boutiques in Cheshire. They have a stunning collection of designer wedding dresses with something to suit every taste.
Groomswear
Don't forget the groom and his groomsmen! They need to look their best too! We highly recommend Groom for suit hire and purchase - super cool looking suits, and I think all of us band members have bought a suit from here over the years!
Stationery
Stationery is an important part of the wedding planning process. You'll need to create invitations, table plans, invites and even things down to name cards! Here are some of our favourite stationery suppliers:
1.) Luna White - Luxury Wedding Stationery Studio - Luxury wedding stationery studio based in the North West specialising in custom-made, unique designs. From save the dates to thank you cards and everything in between!
2.) Jellypress Wedding and Life Event Stationary - For the sustainable conscious couple, their eco Collection offers a complete range of environmentally friendly wedding stationery from Save the Dates and Invitations suites through to ‘On the Day’ Signage and stationery with absolutely no compromise on style.
Entertainment
I mean, we couldn't write this guide without giving you some great entertainment options, could we?
Musicians
We offer a wide range of lineups, from 3 piece bands, 4 piece bands and even our folk band lineup. And with our add-ons, we can literally help you take care of the music from start to finish. However, we thought we'd drop in some recommendations for some awesome musicians who can offer something different to what we do:
1.) Saxophonique - Cat is a colourful Ibiza Style Sax player who's guaranteed to get your guests up and on their feet! She really is the perfect way to get your evening's party started, but also has relaxing daytime options if you're looking for more chilled out options as well!
2.) Franchesqua Sings - Chesqua is an awesome vocalist who can provide you with a variety of options for the daytime of your wedding, or even bring the party along in the evening with upbeat party classics!
We are more than happy to work alongside other musicians to bring you the best possible experience for your wedding day!
Other Entertainment options
There's so many awesome wedding entertainers out there and would be a guide in itself! However, we thought we'd give a shout out to are Jay, from Gatling Magic who provides awesome magical entertainment for your guests!
Photobooths can also be a great way to provide entertainment during the evening, such as Iddy Biddy Photobooths who can provide you with great props and backdrops to get your photos looking extra special.
Hair and Makeup
Finding the perfect hair and makeup for your special day can be a daunting task. But don't worry, we've got you covered! Here are some of our favourite suppliers:
1.) Bridal Hair and Makeup of Cheshire - This team of highly experienced hair and makeup artists provides a bespoke service to ensure you look perfect on your wedding day. They are skilled at creating any kind of bridal look, from classic and timeless to modern and glamorous.
2.) Cheshire Bridal Hair & Makeup - A mobile hair and makeup team who come to you of your special day. They provide a personal service that is tailored to each individual bride. They offer a wide range of services from traditional bridal looks to vintage, boho or anything else you desire!
3.) Bridal Hair by Cleo - Cleo is an experienced bridal hair stylist and professional makeup artist specialising in wedding, prom and occasion hair. With over 14 years of experience in the industry she will create your desired look with skill and artistry.
Cake
When it comes to cake, there are so many options! From classic traditional wedding cakes, to modern and unique designs - the possibilities are endless. Here are just a few for you to consider:
1.) Boutique Bakery - This family run business offers a professional and friendly service and all of their cakes are baked and decorated with love. Whether you're after something classic or contemporary, they can create the perfect cake for your big day.
2.) Elena's Cake Company - Specialising in wedding, anniversary and celebration cakes, Elena creates modern, stylish designs for special occasions. From multi-tiered cakes to cupcakes and cake pops, they have something to suit every taste.
3.) Fiona Hackshall Wedding Cakes - Fiona is a professional baker and cake designer who creates beautiful, handmade wedding cakes with meticulous attention to detail. She specialises in creating unique and personalised cakes for your special day and will work with you to create something truly unique.
A handy tip to reduce waste is to cut the cake earlier in the daytime, and serve it as part of your wedding breakfast - this sounds silly, but as cakes are sometimes cut quite late in the day, we see a lot of beautiful (and tasty!) cakes going to waste!
Transport to the venue
Whether you're looking to arrive at your venue in style or looking for a way to get your guests home after the celebrations, transportation is really important! We recommend Classic Wedding Cars Cheshire as they have so many awesome vintage cars and their service is exceptional!
Alternatively, if you're looking for something with a bit more room, then try Pink Passenger. They have a wide range of luxury vehicles and helpful chauffeurs who can make sure your day runs smoothly.
Planning the perfect Cheshire wedding can be difficult - from finding the perfect suppliers and venues, to choosing entertainment options, to cake and transportation- but we hope this guide has helped! There's so much to consider, but if you need any help or recommendations for anything, please don't hesitate to reach out to us! If you have found this guide useful, please share using the below links:
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