We have had the privilege of hosting hundreds of superb weddings here at The George Hotel. We understand that for most people a wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we love nothing more than working with couples and their families to design and execute the perfect day. Our events team has planned weddings of varying sizes and budgets, from intimate gatherings of just 20 guests to spectacular soirees of 90. With all our knowledge accumulated over the years, we have become familiar with the trials and tribulations of wedding planning—and gathered some precious gems of advice which we are happy to share with you in this blog.
Begin planning as early as possible
Even before you are ready to commit to a specific date or venue, it is worth beginning discussions with your partner about what type of wedding you each envision as soon as you can. This will help you to shortlist aspects such as venues and to work out an appropriate budget. Visit more than one potential wedding venue to be sure you are making the right decision and consider aspects that are important to you and your guests—whether that may be convenience, sustainability, capacity, cuisine, or something else entirely. Once you have selected a wedding venue, be sure to book as early as possible to avoid disappointment. At The George Hotel, our couples usually book our venue approximately 12-18 months prior to their big day.
Consider word of mouth and reviews
Unfortunately, we have heard many horror stories about important suppliers such as make-up artists or photographers cancelling on their couples at the last minute (and lent support wherever we could!) For this reason, we recommend ensuring your suppliers are professional and reliable. The best way to do this is to use those recommended by family or friends while paying close attention to all the reviews you can find. We also recommend asking your wedding venue for details of suppliers that they know or trust. At The George Hotel, we have a great list of preferred wedding suppliers which includes dressmakers, photographers, entertainment, florists, beauty services, decorators and more. We have worked multiple times with all of our recommended suppliers and our couples have been thoroughly delighted with the services provided.
Create a Pinterest board
Pinterest is a wonderful tool to help you determine how you would like your wedding to look and feel. As you will be looking at your wedding photos for the rest of your life, it is sensible to spend some time considering various colour schemes and themes that speak to you as a couple. Pinterest is a great place to start—you will see everything from timeless elegance to whimsical fairylands to botanical themes and all that lies in between. If décor and styling are not your forte, you can hire somebody to help or ask the event planner at your venue for their recommendations. Sometimes all they may need is a little bit of information about your personality and what you’ll be wearing to execute a wedding with the ‘wow factor’.
You can also check out our Pinterest page.
Indulge in what makes you happy
You may already have an idea of the items you are happy to splurge on for your wedding. Perhaps music is important to you so you book a well-known band—or maybe you find joy in indulging in impeccable food and wine (something which we do wonderfully here at The George!). Recently we have seen many couples use videographers to beautifully capture the memories of their day—something they will treasure for a lifetime. Whether it is jewellery, flowers, attire or perhaps even the honeymoon of all honeymoons, we have never seen a couple regret investing in what they value most. If you are worried about having to sacrifice in other areas, talk to your wedding planner or venue for their ideas and input. You may just find you can have everything you have dreamed of and more!
If you are looking for more advice on wedding planning, we have a ‘must-do’ checklist on our website that breaks down important actions in the lead-up to your big day. And if you are searching for the best wedding venue in Christchurch, we would love to host you here at The George Hotel.