Our Planning Blog

Join our Director and Head Planner Val Mattinson for news, event and wedding planning advice, design and styling inspiration.


Are you planning a wedding with a black tie dress code? Wondering where to start with your own sartorial decisions? Who better to guide you through getting dressed than experienced tailor, Adrian Barrows. Here’s his guide to wearing black tie for your wedding…

A Tailor’s Guide to Wearing Black Tie for Your Wedding

Are you planning a wedding with a black tie dress code? Wondering where to start with your own sartorial decisions? Who better to guide you through getting dressed than experienced tailor, Adrian Barrows. Here’s his guide to wearing black tie for your wedding…

Mar 28 2025


If you’ve started searching for your dream wedding venue, you’ve probably come across the term ‘exclusive use’. Confused? Read on and I’ll explain…

Everything You Need to Know About Exclusive Use Wedding Venues

If you’ve started searching for your dream wedding venue, you’ve probably come across the term ‘exclusive use’. Confused? Read on and I’ll explain…

Feb 11 2025


Weddings are steeped in ritual, customs and tradition. Everything from where you spend the night before to what you wear and how you enter the ceremony is influenced by these things. Most wedding traditions in the UK have a long history, and although they’ve evolved a lot over time, many of them still seem more suited to the past than the present day.

Wedding Traditions – Ditch or Keep?

Weddings are steeped in ritual, customs and tradition. Everything from where you spend the night before to what you wear and how you enter the ceremony is influenced by these things. Most wedding traditions in the UK have a long history, and although they’ve evolved a lot over time, many of them still seem more suited to the past than the present day.

Dec 31 2024


Food, glorious food! Feasting and dining together is a central part of any wedding celebration. If you’ve never planned a large event, it can feel like a lot to get your head around, especially if your wedding is taking place over a few days. On top of the logistics of serving food at your wedding, there’s just so much choice these days. Where do you start?!

A Wedding Planner’s Guide to Serving Food at Your Wedding

Food, glorious food! Feasting and dining together is a central part of any wedding celebration. If you’ve never planned a large event, it can feel like a lot to get your head around, especially if your wedding is taking place over a few days. On top of the logistics of serving food at your wedding, there’s just so much choice these days. Where do you start?!

Dec 15 2024


A marquee wedding offers masses of flexibility. As well as the freedom to host your celebration in a dream location without the constraints of a permanent building, there’s scope to personalise the space and make it your own. However, many couples underestimate the work involved in planning a marquee wedding. There are lots of practical things to consider, so let’s dive into a few of them.

Benessamy’s Guide to Planning the Perfect Marquee Wedding

A marquee wedding offers masses of flexibility. As well as the freedom to host your celebration in a dream location without the constraints of a permanent building, there’s scope to personalise the space and make it your own. However, many couples underestimate the work involved in planning a marquee wedding. There are lots of practical things to consider, so let’s dive into a few of them.

Nov 15 2024


Exchanging vows on the shore is wonderful, but what if a gentle sea breeze and sand between your toes isn’t part of your wedding vision? Well, the good news is Caribbean weddings don’t have to take place on the beach! Read on to be inspired…

Beyond the Beach – Unexpected Caribbean Wedding Ideas

Exchanging vows on the shore is wonderful, but what if a gentle sea breeze and sand between your toes isn’t part of your wedding vision? Well, the good news is Caribbean weddings don’t have to take place on the beach! Read on to be inspired…

Aug 22 2024


Often working with newly engaged couples in the early stages of their wedding planning journey, we provide an attentive, personal service from the moment you get in touch. While you can rely on us to take care of every detail, if you need help to kickstart your plans or you’re further along on your wedding planning journey and need a little advice on a specific issue, our SOS Planning Consultation is the perfect solution.

SOS Planning Consultation - A Little help When You Need it Most

Often working with newly engaged couples in the early stages of their wedding planning journey, we provide an attentive, personal service from the moment you get in touch. While you can rely on us to take care of every detail, if you need help to kickstart your plans or you’re further along on your wedding planning journey and need a little advice on a specific issue, our SOS Planning Consultation is the perfect solution.

Jan 15 2024


A wedding weekend or multi-day celebration is your chance to extend one of the happiest days of your life and spend even more time celebrating. Although anyone can host a wedding weekend, they’re particularly popular among people getting married overseas. If you and your guests are travelling a significant distance, it makes sense to maximise your trip by planning various events and gatherings for the duration of your stay.

How to Plan a Wedding Weekend

A wedding weekend or multi-day celebration is your chance to extend one of the happiest days of your life and spend even more time celebrating. Although anyone can host a wedding weekend, they’re particularly popular among people getting married overseas. If you and your guests are travelling a significant distance, it makes sense to maximise your trip by planning various events and gatherings for the duration of your stay.

Nov 16 2023


Are you in the final 6 to 8 weeks of your wedding planning? Perhaps it's time to enlist a little bit of expert help.

Wedding Planning - The Final Few Weeks

Are you in the final 6 to 8 weeks of your wedding planning? Perhaps it's time to enlist a little bit of expert help.

Sep 05 2023


In simple terms, an experiential event is one that seeks to immerse guests in an experience. It’s not an event you simply attend and observe. By engaging all the senses, it can be experienced on several levels, creating more impact and making it more memorable for everyone involved.

How to Engage the Senses and Create an Incredible Guest Experience

In simple terms, an experiential event is one that seeks to immerse guests in an experience. It’s not an event you simply attend and observe. By engaging all the senses, it can be experienced on several levels, creating more impact and making it more memorable for everyone involved.

Aug 16 2023