If you’ve ever started creating a wedding budget or enquired about prices, you’ve probably asked: Why are weddings so expensive? And you’re not alone! In fact, you might be tempted to think that suppliers are just adding on the 0000s because you’ve uttered the word ‘wedding’.

Today, joined by two fabulous guests – Caroline and Elaine from HIGM! Help I’m Getting Married – we're going to break it down for you. By the end of this episode, you’ll know exactly why suppliers charge what they do, how to prioritise the wedding day elements that mean the most to you, and how to save money if things are tight!

Join the group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/helpimgettingmarried

When booking your dream wedding venue there are a few questions you probably have, and some you might not know you should have!! I’m going to list a few questions that you should ask when talking to prospective wedding venues and then I’m going to hand over to three wedding coordinators who are going to share common questions that they are asked (as well as the answers). 

A HUGE thank you to this week's wedding experts:

The Grayson, Silver Tassie Hotel & Temple House Estate

If you are booking wedding venue site visits, then I've got something very special for you! Whether you have already secured your venue and you want to book in another visit, or you're on the hunt for your dream venue and you're booking visits, then this is for you. I've got 7 guest experts joining me today! They are wedding venue coordinators who really know their stuff and they are helping me to answer your questions about how to nail your wedding venue site visit.

This week's guest experts are:

Julie from Cloughjordan House, Mary from Diamond Coast Hotel, Tee from Arklow Bay Hotel, Leone from Castleknock Hotel, Raina from The Johnstown Estate, Denise from Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa Sligo, and Lynn from Springfield Hotel. 

In this week's podcast episode, I'm breaking down EXACTLY what a wedding MC is, what they do and whether or not you need one.

Spoiler: it's more than just making announcements.

With just one week to go, your head is probably spinning! Take a listen to this episode, where I'm breaking down EXACTLY what you need to be thinking about, which tasks to do and what you can delegate.

You'll breeze through your final week with as little stress as possible.

Cocktail hour or pre-drinks is that period of time between your ceremony finishing and your reception beginning. During this time, you’ll be taking photos with your wedding party and photographer, videographer and content creator… and your guests… well that’s up to you. 

This week’s guest experts: 

Lena Freitag: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/lena-freitag-weddings

Jeff Stanford Typewriter Poet: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/jeff-stanford-typewriter-poet

Alex The Great Hypnotist: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/alex-the-great-hypnotist

If you are trying to decide between assigned seating or letting guests choose where to sit, you’re in the right place! By the time it comes to this part of your wedding planning, you’ve already made hundreds of other decisions. We don’t blame you if you’re feeling a bit confused and unsure of what to do. In this post, we have cleared defined assigned seating vs no assigned seating, we’ve listed pros and cons, and offered some helpful alternatives.

Once you’ve selected your wedding venue, your next task is to consider how you can bring everything together beautifully. This is where wedding table shapes come in!

You may be asking yourself:

I’ve made a list of 10 things that everyone forgets to plan for their wedding. And when I say they are make or break, I’m not exaggerating! The great news is that most of these won’t cost you anything extra, but will help you to plan a stress-free wedding that’s enjoyable for everyone.

Dates for 2025: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/blog/important-irish-dates-for-2025/

I'm using my experience as a wedding planner, blogger and podcaster to share the 7 things I'd do before booking any wedding suppliers... as well as which suppliers I'd book first!

Helpful links:

Sign up with weddingsonline - https://www.weddingsonline.ie/planner/register

Download the weddingsonline app - https://apps.apple.com/ie/app/weddingsonline-ie/id6503473769

Join the 'Help! I'm Getting Married' Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/helpimgettingmarried

Free 12 month checklist - https://www.weddingsonline.ie/blog/your-12-month-wedding-planning-checklist/