Not only has Charlotte Balbier been at the forefront of the British bridal industry for over a decade, she has also spent the past two years planning her own wedding. So, when it comes to perfecting the big day, the designer has all the advice you need… 1.) Budget – Set a budget and always have a ‘just in case’ money stash. In my experience weddings always go over budget!
2.) Venue – Booking your venue should be the first thing you do. All the best venue’s get booked up early. The venue sets the tone and style of your wedding.
3.) Photography – Book the best photographer you can with your budget. Allocate a good percentage to this as good photographers are expensive but worth every single penny. Your photographs are the one lasting memory you will have to keep forever.
Stella dress by Charlotte Balbier
Daydream dress by Charlotte Balbier
4.) Wedding dress – The dress! Do this early in your wedding planning as without the dress you can’t move onto all the other details of your wedding like, flowers and cake and the general styling and over all look of your wedding. Also keep in mind gowns are made to order so can take up to six months for production and alterations.
5.) Insurance – Get yourself the best wedding insurance. This way you are protected against the unexpected happening.
6.) Expert opinions – Call in the experts. Do your research and find the best suppliers and book them as early as possible. A key florist/venue stylist is a must.
Aubrey dress by Charlotte Balbier
Mabel dress by Charlotte Balbier
Charlotte dress by Charlotte Balbier
7.) Wedding planners – Get a wedding planner, I made the mistake of only having a wedding planner who will coordinate on the day, the amazing Charley London Bride. If I could have my time over I would have Charley on board right from the beginning of the wedding prep and planning. Learn from my mistakes and get a wedding planner!
8.) Special touches – Don’t forget all your special touches, all the finer details are what personalise your wedding to you, your partner, your personality and style. This can be from favours, stationery, décor, entertainment, accessories – the list is endless and you can personalise all this and make it really special.
Etienne dress by Charlotte Balbier
Beatrice dress by Charlotte Balbier
9.) Focus! – Keep focused and be organised. These are key to keeping calm and on all the planning on track.
10.) Enjoy! – I know first-hand wedding planning is stressful and you can easily loose focus on why you are getting married when you start obsessing over favours, cakes, table plans etc… If you’re not careful you can go into bridal meltdown – I know I did! – and it can all become a bit too much to handle. Take a deep breath, regain focus and enjoy this is a special time for you, your partner, family and friends.
Suzy dress by Charlotte Balbier
Charlotte Balbier’s own wedding and gown will be revealed in Emirates Bride 2015.. watch this space. For Charlotte Balbier dresses, visit here
Main image: Abbie dress by Charlotte Balbier
