These are some of my favourite readings:

Oh, the Places You’ll Go
Dr Seuss

Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away! You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guys who’ll decide where to go. You’ll look up and down streets. Look ’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street. And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head
straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air. Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you. And when things start to happen don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.

The day
Author unknown

May this be the start of a happy new life
that's full of special moments to share
may this be the first of your dreams come true
and of hope that will always be there....
May this be the start of a lifetime of trust
and of caring that's just now began....

May today be a day that you'll always remember
the day when your hearts become one...

These I can promise
Mark Twain

I cannot promise you a life of sunshine;
I cannot promise riches, wealth or gold;
I cannot promise you an easy pathway
That leads away from change or growing old.

But I can promise all my heart's devotion
A smile to chase away your tears of sorrow;
A love that's ever true and ever growing;
A hand to hold in yours through each tomorrow.


On your wedding Day
Author Unknown

Today is a day you will always remember
The greatest in anyone’s life
You’ll start off the day just two people in love
And end it as Husband and Wife

It’s a brand new beginning, the start of a journey
With moments to cherish and treasure
And although there’ll be time when you both disagree
These will surely be outweighed by pleasure

You’ll have heard many words of advice in the past
When the secrets of marriage were spoken
But you know that the answers lie hidden inside
Where the bond of true love lies unbroken

So live happy forever as lovers and friends
It’s the dawn of a new life for you
As you stand there together with love in your eyes
From the moment you whisper ‘I do’

And with luck, all your hopes, and your dreams can be real
May success find its way to your hearts 
Tomorrow can bring you the greatest of joys
But today is the day it all starts.


 

D is for Date


Depending on how short your lead time is (engagements can be anywhere between 2 to 24 months) to the actual  wedding, I would suggest that you come up with a couple of dates and agree the order of preference. Consider the time of year you would like to get married and think about other celebrations you have around that time of year. It can
also be worth considering sporting events around your chosen dates - do you want all of the football fans stepping out to the bar to see the second half of the FA cup during your reception?

If you have no real preference on dates, try and agree on a couple of months that you would be happy with. If you are
this flexible, this may give you some bargaining power with the venue and other suppliers if you are happy to have your wedding mid-week, for example. 

Photo supplied by Katie Drouet Photography www.kdrouetphotography.co.uk

E is for Emergency Kit

As a wedding planner, I have an extensive emergency kit that comes with me when I am hired for on the day wedding coordination. 
 
I wouldn’t expect any bride to make up such an extensive kit for her wedding day but there is a few items I suggest that you put into a bag and have at the venue just in case. Also, make sure the boys know you have this too – just in case they run into a challenge on the day.
 
Sewing Kit
White chalk
Plasters 
Mints and chocolate 
Headache tablets 
Hair grips 
Heartburn tablets
Baby wipes 
Boob tape 
Safety pins 
Bite and sting cream
Scissors
Spare stockings
Tampons
Tweezers
Self-adhesive hem tape

If you would like to add something to this list, please put a comment below or share your item on my Facebook page.