A Welsh Wedding
Expert Tips for a Seamless Day
South Wales is a stunning location to host a wedding, offering everything from breath-taking coastal views to historic castles and charming countryside venues. However, planning a wedding in this region—especially if you don’t live locally—can bring about unique challenges. From managing logistics to finding trusted suppliers, navigating the details can be overwhelming.
As a wedding planner who visits South Wales frequently (born and bred), I understand the difficulties that couples face when organising a wedding, particularly in a location they may (or may not) know well. With my local insights and experience, here are some practical tips to help ease the process and ensure your South Wales wedding is everything you’ve envisioned.
1. Finding the Perfect Venue: Know Your Options
South Wales offers a wide variety of wedding venues, from luxurious manor houses to rustic barns and seaside retreats. The key to choosing the right venue lies in understanding your wedding style and the logistical needs of your day. Ask yourself:
How accessible is the venue for your guests?
Does the venue offer accommodation or are there nearby hotels?
Will the venue be able to accommodate the size of your guest list?
It’s also essential to consider the weather, especially if you're drawn to outdoor spaces. Always have a contingency plan for rain, particularly in a region known for its unpredictable weather. Many venues in South Wales offer beautiful indoor options or marquee setups as a backup, but this is something worth confirming before you book.
Photos: Staffordshire wedding photographers (samandlouise.co.uk)
2. Navigating Local Suppliers
If you're not from South Wales, finding trusted vendors can be tricky. Recommendations from friends or online reviews are a starting point, but nothing beats working with suppliers who have a proven track record in working with reputable suppliers. Local knowledge is invaluable when it comes to florists, caterers, and photographers who understand the nuances of South Wales' venues and landscapes.
One way to streamline this process is by working with a wedding planner who has connections in the area. Having someone on the ground who is familiar with local suppliers can save you time and ensure that your team of vendors will work seamlessly together. Additionally, a planner who frequently travels to the area can offer insights that may not be immediately obvious to couples planning from afar.
3. Planning from a Distance: Overcoming the Stress
Planning a wedding in South Wales when you’re based elsewhere, like Essex (where I currently live), can make certain tasks feel daunting. How do you know when to visit? How do you handle face-to-face meetings with suppliers? These concerns are common for couples planning a destination wedding.
A key strategy is scheduling visits wisely. Try to group venue visits, menu tastings, and supplier meetings into a single trip to make the most of your time. For the times when you can’t be there in person, consider relying on technology—many venues and suppliers offer virtual tours, online consultations, and video calls to keep the planning process moving smoothly from a distance.
If you’re looking for added peace of mind, having someone local or a planner who travels to South Wales frequently can help fill those gaps, ensuring nothing is left to chance when you can’t be present.
4. Tapping into Local Knowledge for Unique Experiences
South Wales is brimming with local charm, from its rich cultural history to its stunning natural landscapes. Couples looking to incorporate regional touches into their wedding can make use of the area’s treasures, whether it’s serving Welsh cakes as part of the dessert table or choosing a venue with a scenic view of the Brecon Beacons.
However, these unique experiences are best uncovered by someone who understands the area well. For instance, choosing a less-commercialised location might offer stunning backdrops, but knowing how to access and organise a wedding at such venues requires specific know-how. It’s helpful to have an expert who is familiar with the hidden gems South Wales has to offer, ensuring your wedding is both beautiful and hassle-free.
5. Managing Wedding Day Logistics in a Scenic Region
South Wales' scenic beauty is unmatched, but it can come with logistical challenges—particularly for rural or remote venues. One of the biggest considerations is transportation for guests. Some countryside venues may be harder to reach, and the area's narrow roads or limited parking options might cause headaches if not carefully planned. Offering coach services or shuttle buses can alleviate these concerns and ensure guests arrive without stress.
Additionally, consider how local traffic, weather conditions, or even seasonal tourism might impact the flow of your day. A well-planned timeline with built-in buffers can save you from unnecessary stress. Consulting with local experts or planners who have experience managing weddings in the region can help you foresee these potential hurdles.
6. Creating a Wedding That Reflects You
Finally, the most important aspect of planning a wedding in South Wales—or anywhere—is making sure it reflects your personality and values. Whether you're envisioning a romantic, intimate ceremony in the countryside or a grand celebration in a stately manor, it’s essential to prioritise what matters most to you as a couple. Don’t get bogged down in what’s trendy or expected; instead, focus on creating a day that’s authentically you.
Having someone by your side who understands your vision and can help you navigate the planning process ensures you don’t lose sight of what’s most important: celebrating your love in a meaningful way.
Planning a wedding in South Wales can be a magical experience when approached with the right mindset and resources. By staying organised, doing your research, and leaning on local expertise where needed, you can ensure that your big day goes off without a hitch.
For couples who want a little extra guidance, finding a wedding planner familiar with the region can make all the difference. While it’s certainly possible to plan from afar, having someone with insider knowledge can ease the process and ensure that your wedding is everything you’ve ever dreamed of—without the stress.
Happy planning!
If you're interested in discussing how we can make your South Wales wedding extraordinary, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Together, we’ll create a celebration that reflects your style, personality, and the beauty of South Wales.
Goodbye 2019, it's been emotional
What are the 2020 wedding trends?
Wow! What a year 2019 has been… the biggest (and proudest) change saw me leave my career in Wedding Venue Management and embark on my own setting up Amae Weddings & Events (pronounced am-may). What a fun rollercoaster I am on and I cannot even tell you how excited I am, I can’t wait to work with couples under my own business name, there’s going to be a lot more flexibility with what we can achieve working with a variety of venues and suppliers. The biggest thing I want to bring to couples weddings is a sense of fun, I want to make each day unforgettable but it will always be done with huge smiles on our faces
2019 has without doubt been my favourite year to date, I feel so lucky to have done the things I’ve done this year…
It started with me meeting my great Nephew, what a cutie he is! I hate seeing him grow up through pictures and facetime but as he is in Wales, it’s difficult to get home often. Maybe I’ll get a chance to organise a Welsh Wedding or event and then I can pop home!
I love a concert and have seen my fair share but my favourites this year have been Boyz ll Men and Backstreet Boys (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!)
Richard and I took a trip to Lake Garda for his birthday, if you have not been, I suggest you pop it on your list, it’s breathtaking there and unlike any holiday I’ve been on before
I organised Richards parents 50th Wedding Anniversary party, it made a nice change from organising weddings in that I was able to see the happiness and love for one another 50 years down the line (so cute!)
Then came the big 40 (shhhh), I was so so so lucky to get to travel to Mauritius at the start of November, then at the end, a surprise trip to NYC - literally the luckiest girl alive! My birthday was definitely one to remember and I have taken a tonne of memories away from 2019 - best year EVER!
So, what else happened in 2019 and which celebs tied the knot?
2019 expected to see wedding couples choosing a more boho chic style, there was a huge uptake of people wishing to be more eco-friendly and conscientious with the choices made for their big days - a great step forward in my opinion!
2019 saw a huge number of weddings, to name but a few - Jennifer Lawrence & Cooke Maroney, Zoë Kravitz and Karl Glusman, Hailey Baldwin and Justin Bieber, Ellie Goulding and Caspar Jopling, Sabrina Dhowre Elba and Idris Elba, Marc Jacobs and Charly Defrancesco,
Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner and singer/actor Joe Jonas married in May at a surprise Vegas wedding at the infamous The Little White Chapel, only a select few were invited including his brothers and their wives. So to ensure everyone could celebrate, they didn’t stop there and they held another party at a lavish chateau in the South of France at the end of June and opted for chic white flower décor with glass encased candles (I LOVE candles!) to create a gorgeous backdrop to their nuptials.
June saw the Californian wedding of Avengers star Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger (yes, Arnie’s daughter), they married on a 500 acre ranch surrounded by tonnes of greenery, it was an intimate affair with all the food sourced locally for the Wedding Breakfast. Katherine wore a stunning traditional lace Armani dress with a beautiful long train, however Katherine changed into yet another elegant ivory dress for the evening - and why not! Lots of brides change in the evening to something less restrictive when busting out some dance moves!
My personal favourite however, in August, Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) married his sweetheart Lauren Hashian in an intimate ceremony in Hawaii, both wore white for this stunning celebration of their marriage. Their goal was for complete privacy and everything they had on the day was created by hand by the wedding staff or family only - what a perfect and relaxed day it looked too!
Sneaking in right at the end of the year, Hilary Duff married Matthew Koma in yet another low key wedding in their backyard in LA. Wearing the unmistakable Jenny Packham, Hilary looked absolutely stunning in her ivory, custom made dress. Hilary stated she felt ‘Really comfortable’ and that it was ‘everything I’ve dreamed of’ - that’s what it’s all about right?
With 2020 literally just around the corner, what can we expect to see with forecasted wedding trends? Believe it or not, the more traditional wedding trends are quickly being thrown out of the window, things like receiving lines, bouquet throws and even cutting of the cake are reported as ‘so last year’. So what is it being replaced with? This is the beauty of it, couples can do what they like and put their own touch on traditions (if they want to of course), let me give you an example; I was Wedding Planner for a couple who didn’t want to stick to traditions of cake cutting (they didn’t even have a cake!) and so one of my suggestions was that they plant a seed in a pot after the ceremony and the plan was to plant it in their back garden and watch it grow over the years in their family home. Not only is this highly eco-friendly, it steps away from the alternatives of balloon / lantern / dove releases etc which are not great for the environment or animal welfare in my opinion.
Other 2020 trends are seeing things like statement veils, sustainable weddings from things like vintage rings, flowers, dresses, the list goes on. It’s great to have so many contacts in the wedding industry and I would love to organise an eco-friendly/vegan wedding.
On the subject of Veils, I spoke to the wonderful Heather from Sash and Veil, a local artisan veil maker, she has a store in London and also one here in lovely Colchester - her items are just out of this world so make sure you check her out! She said:
“The trend for individuality in bridal wear continues to gain momentum into the new decade and is carried though into the bride’s choice of accessories, including the veil. I have noticed an increase in demand for bespoke veils across this year and this will continue with brides more keen to bring their individuality into their look. Embroidered initials, special dates and meaningful quotations have all found their way onto wedding veils I will be making for 2020. In terms of silhouette, the soft draping boho veil will share the aisle with more structured 1980s-inspired designs and our appetite for sustainability and conscious choices will mean brides will increasingly look at upcycling heirloom veils, reworking an existing veil to make it their own.”
So what now? Well with the website launched I have received a few enquiries for 2020 weddings, couples are considering the 2020 Panatone colour - classic blue 19-4052. Often confused for representing the cold, classic blue offers a timeless and calm vibe. It fits in well with so many other colours and shades that it’s adaptability is proving to be extremely popular heading into the New Year. What colours are you choosing in 2020?
Finally, whatever you are up to tonight, have an absolutely amazing night, stay safe and have fun! See you in 2020.
Goodbye 2019, it’s been emotional!
Contact Hayley