Bridebook

I think it works to work out your budget first. That's what we did. If you pay for everything yourselves you have full control. The budget then helps to define the size of wedding you have, and the venues you can afford. So online (using Bridebook) we only looked at venues that were mid-range in price. A lot do have price lists they will send to you if you enquire. They just don't like to publish them online for their competitors to see. I would also flip things to see your current lack of clarity as a HUGE positive! It amazed me the degree to which it's assumed (by friends, family, the wedding industry) that a couple (EDIT especially the bride) will know exactly what they want almost as soon as they get engaged and I really think that's nonsense. My husband & I were a mature couple. Neither of us had expected get married, ever, so I had no pictures in my head of my wedding day. Part of the fun was going on the voyage of discovery together. I learnt a lot about him. He turned out to my great surprise to be more traditional than I was, even though he's younger than me. Our wedding was an expression of both of us, and our wedding planning was organic. This takes me back to the venue. Once we had chosen the venue, everything unfolded from there, because for the first time we could start imagining it. My best suggestion is to be open minded. We saw a gothic converted church which we thought would be our favourite but on the visit we didn't like the people who ran it, a stately home which is a beautiful bespoke wedding venue but didn't have in-house catering which added a complexity, a pub with a lovely event space which turned out to be up very steep stairs, and a Victorian stately home hotel which we both fell in love with from the car park and did not disappoint once inside. We had another appointment booked at my favourite hotel but cancelled it because we knew we had found our venue already. And not having a date in mind is perfect - that gives you freedom and flexibility to bag a date when your favourite venue is available!

For Toronto, I’d only add Ace Hotel! I also looked into Royal Ashburn but it may be too far out for you (~1h from Toronto). If none of those end up being a match, I actually suggest revisiting the restaurant option (but go for something high end) - it can have a really nice urban feel to it. Instead of using Bridebook/Wedding Wire, find restaurants on Google you actually really love and reach out to their event email addresses. I found out many places can do weddings but aren’t included in those platforms.

I did most of my wedding planning using these two sites. All the advice was useful so they may help you too: https://www.hitched.co.uk/wedding-planning/bridalwear-articles/what-to-wear-to-a-wedding/ https://bridebook.com/uk/article/what-to-wear-to-a-wedding-as-a-guest-dos-donts-and-top-tips Mostly there's an expectation to make an effort. If garden parties are mentioned as a reference point, that is a cue that you could optionally wear fascinators. The dress code for ladies at my wedding last year was "frocks & fascinators" and even so, only half to 2/3rds of the female guests wore a fascinator, but I was thrilled by that as I love wearing a fascinator - I was hoping to see some fabulous fascinators and my guests didn't disappoint!!

This is where we went for costs on our wedding: https://www.hitched.co.uk/wedding-planning/organising-and-planning/the-average-wedding-cost-in-the-uk-revealed/ https://www.hitched.co.uk/wedding-planning/budget/wedding-budget/ https://bridebook.com/uk/article/how-much-does-a-wedding-cost-the-uk-average Ultimately it's all about what's important to you and what isn't. We DIY'd some stuff, didn't bother with other stuff. Key thing is to learn what to expect for your money at different price points.

I've been looking at this venue for our wedding (sept 2027) [https://yurtshire.co.uk/weddings/weddings-at-eavestone-lake/](https://yurtshire.co.uk/weddings/weddings-at-eavestone-lake/) It looks like everything we're after (although perhaps a bit pricey but i think similar to everywhere I just can't get used to the prices yet!) The only thing worrying me is I can't find any reviews online for it. It is a based at yurtshire glamping site which has lots of positive reviews, and sister company hire the yurt/marquee called yorkshire yurts, which again has lots of positive reviews- but no reviews on hitched and it is not on bridebook. When asking about availability next year they sounded like they had no bookings yet "lots of people at the enquiry stage" which worried me a little as well. Would love to hear of any other peoples experiences? Or any recommendation of similar venues- think marquee/yurt on site for 100 guests, no barns, no tipis (th poles would get in the way for a ceilidh), ideally lovely nature/gardens that aren't too prim and proper (like all these country estates) Thank yooooou! xx

Have you checked with Unusual Venues in Edinburgh? I dont know anything about it aside from the website, but it has good reviews on Bridebook.com. A weekday could help with the budget and the cost per head is less than quoted above. You're not doing yourself any favors by comparing to others - your 2 non-negotiables are the biggest expenses of most weddings, 80 guests is a substantial amount, and you're in a very expensive city.

We have comprehensive guides to the key questions to ask vendors on Bridebook - but just glancing at this list, I'd suggest asking how many power sources they'll need and if they need extension cables, and whether they will need space to store kit (particularly for the photographer / entertainer). I'd also make sure to give them your venue's wifi details ahead of time, especially if it's in a remote / poor signal area, as well as an emergency contact from your wedding party in case they need it. For the makeup artist - it's likely they'll give you a small touch up kit to carry with you on the day, but you might want to clarify that, or ask what products they'll be using so you can buy full-sized items if you want to!

Hi du, am besten wäre es echt, wenn du dir ne Hochzeitsplanerin nehmen würdest. Habe ich richtig verstanden, dass ihr schon in 4 Monaten mit 80 Gästen heiraten wollte? Das ist sogar für einen Profi mehr als sportlich. Das wichtigste ist es, eine Location zu haben. Mit denen kann man ziemlich viel klären. Je nachdem, wo ihr feiern wollte, werdet ihr vermutlich schon Probleme haben, eine vernünftige Location zu finden, weil die meisten schon auf 1,5 Jahre ausgebucht sind. Du kannst dir auf weddyplace oder bridebook Checklisten bzw. einen Online-Hochzeitsplaner anwerfen, aber ich würde dir empfehlen, Hilfe zu holen. Wenn du magst, schreib mich gerne an, dann kann ich dir evtl. weiterhelfen (je nachdem, wo du herkommst, ich bin selbst Traurednerin und habe Kontakte zu Dienstleistern).

My question would be about how to have an ethical wedding. I'm currently planning my wedding and really want to get married in a charity run venue or somewhere that's a B corp or is committed to sustainability (not just locally sourced foods). It's so hard to find the venues and neither Bridebook nor Hitched have filters for sustainability creds. There's also so much waste in weddings, I'd love someone to give me all the thoughts about how I can avoid all this without spending going through the roof

We literally just did an article on this on Bridebook - Mary Jane wedding shoes are becoming really popular. Next has some gorgeous options, and I also discovered Vivaia as part of this and really liked their options - you can see the article here [https://bridebook.com/uk/article/mary-jane-wedding-shoes-the-gen-z-bridal-shoe-trend-explained](https://bridebook.com/uk/article/mary-jane-wedding-shoes-the-gen-z-bridal-shoe-trend-explained) I also second those recommending Rainbow Club, they're super comfy. I personally love Charlotte Mills but I think it might be out of your budget range x

Hi there! Wedding budgets are a how long is a piece of string question. Two things I learnt on the main (mostly US brides) wedding planning subs where wedding costs are different in the UK from US weddings are: 1. Here the couple pays for the wedding party's outfits, ie dresses and suits, if we want them to be colour coordinated. We don't have a wedding coordinator culture here and instead the wedding party have an active role in running the day, so paying for their outfits is a thank you. Suits for groomsmen are often hired to reduce costs. I bought the dresses and paid for the HMUA for my bridal party. They provided their own shoes, handbags and jewellery. However, my husband wasn't bothered about his guys all wearing the same thing - we went for a navy blue wedding party and his guys all had suits in that colour so wore those. We bought them all matching shirts and ties. 2. We don't normally do an open bar for the evening party in the UK, unless the couple has money to burn. Alcohol is very expensive and there is still a big drinking culture (less so in the under 25s) so you can expect Brits to over indulge on free booze. Hence, venues don't offer a fixed rate per head alcohol package so you have no way to plan your costs. We gave everyone drinks vouchers instead of wedding favours, which anyway have gone out of fashion here. But most Brits won't be surprised to pay for their evening party drinks. However, most venues offer half a bottle of wine per head with the meal. My best advice to you is to use two excellent websites for wedding planning advice - I used Bridebook to find venues and vendors and Hitched for research on pretty much every aspect of wedding planning - if you Google hitched followed by the name of your wedding topic they nearly always have a useful article on it. They publish annual reports on UK wedding costs so I hope you find these useful: https://www.hitched.co.uk/wedding-planning/organising-and-planning/the-average-wedding-cost-in-the-uk-revealed/ https://bridebook.com/uk/article/the-ultimate-wedding-budget-breakdown https://bridebook.com/uk/article/wedding-prices-venue EDIT: 3rd thing that's cheaper in the UK is that wedding vendors will charge a professional fee and not expect to be tipped on top. We only tipped the venue catering staff with a wad of cash in an envelope at the end of the night to be divided.

Mainly the venue's own wedding fair (cake designer, photographer, florist & photobooth) plus my then fiancé's Google research identified my HMUA and our DJ. I met my wedding dress shop at the National Wedding Fair. I found my wedding shoes from a Hitched article and got my tiara from Etsy. When we found a potential vendor, even at a wedding fair, we researched them on Bridebook and checked Google reviews.

Eddie Young Magic, the award-winning close-up magician and Magical Emcee based in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, has been named a LUXlife Global Excellence Award winner for Best Wedding Entertainment. The recognition places Eddie Young among an elite group of wedding industry professionals celebrated by LUXlife Magazine a premium lifestyle publication reaching a global audience of high-net-worth readers across luxury, travel, fashion, and events. This is Eddie's third LUXlife Global Excellence Award win, adding to victories in 2021 and 2023, and follows his recent triumph as Regional Winner at The Wedding Industry Awards (TWIA) 2025 the UK's leading client-voted and expert-judged wedding industry awards programme. # What Is the LUXlife Global Excellence Award? The LUXlife Global Excellence Awards recognise businesses and individuals that set new standards of quality, innovation, and customer experience within the luxury lifestyle sector. Winners are selected through a combination of public vote and editorial review, with LUXlife Magazine's global circulation of luxury lifestyle enthusiasts and business professionals informing each decision. Being named Best Wedding Entertainment in this programme signals one clear thing: Eddie Young Magic is not just a regional success story. It is a nationally and internationally recognised name in premium wedding and event entertainment. # Who Is Eddie Young? Eddie Young is a close-up magician, Magical Emcee, and event host with over a decade of experience performing at weddings, corporate events, private parties, and festivals across the UK. Based near Burton upon Trent in Staffordshire, he performs nationwide from Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to Birmingham and beyond. His accolades speak for themselves: * LUXlife Global Excellence Award - Best Wedding Entertainment (2021, 2023, 2025) * TWIA Regional Winner - Best Wedding Magician, West Midlands (2025) * Joe Bonsall Trophy for close-up magic (Derby Magic Circle) * Best Upcoming Magician - Derby Magic Circle * Bridebook Best Entertainer - Regional Finals Eddie's approach is built around a simple but powerful idea: your event should be unforgettable, and your guests, not your stress levels should be the focus. His combination of expert close-up magic, professional emceeing, and seamless event hosting removes the pressure from couples and event organisers so they can actually enjoy the occasion they have spent months planning. As Eddie puts it: "Winning this award is more than a professional milestone it's a testament to resilience and the power of community." # Why Couples and Event Planners Choose Eddie Young Magic Close-up magic is the ice-breaker that corporate entertainment rarely delivers and wedding entertainment too often promises but fails to provide. Eddie's performances are not a stage act they happen in your guests' hands, inches from their faces, in real time. The results are consistent. Here is what real clients say: >"The best thing we booked for the wedding by far. The highlight was when Eddie invited our daughter to be his special assistant, her face completely lit up. Guests are still talking about it." - Sonia >"Booking Eddie as our Magical Emcee was the best decision we made. He kept the whole day running smoothly and even saved the day when we had no knife for the cake cutting producing one like magic. He wasn't just an entertainer; he was our secret weapon." - Sarah >"To say it was OMG utterly jaw-dropping amazing is an understatement. It was truly incredible. In fact, the show was magical in every sense of the word." - Dee Beckett >"Everyone remembers the flowers, the décor, the food - but months on, everyone still talks about Eddie." - via Bridebook These are not isolated moments. They are the consistent outcome of a performer who has refined his craft across hundreds of events, from intimate gatherings to major corporate functions for clients including Harvey Nichols, Odeon Cinemas, Tesco, Disney, and Morrisons. # What Makes Eddie Young Magic Different? Most magicians perform. Eddie hosts, manages, entertains, and protects your event timeline all at once. His role as a Magical Emcee means he can: * Keep your timeline flowing - no awkward silences, no guests wondering what happens next * Bridge every transition - from drinks reception to wedding breakfast, from room turnaround to first dance * Engage every guest - children, grandparents, corporate delegates, wedding party members * Let you relax - knowing your guests are in expert hands This is why couples frequently report that Eddie was the best booking they made for their wedding day not just a good one. # The Story Behind the Award This LUXlife recognition carries particular weight because of the personal journey behind it. Following the disruption of COVID-19, Eddie rebuilt his business from the ground up while navigating his own mental health challenges. The decision to push forward, to rebuild with renewed purpose, and to continue creating unforgettable memories for others is the foundation on which these award wins now rest. The TWIA Regional Win in 2025 voted for by real clients, confirmed what the LUXlife judges also recognised: Eddie Young Magic is delivering an exceptional, consistent standard of wedding and event entertainment that genuinely changes the experience for couples and their guests. # Book Eddie Young Magic Eddie Young Magic is available for weddings, corporate events, private parties, awards evenings, trade shows, and more. He performs across the UK from his base in Staffordshire. Website: [www.eddieyoungmagic.co.uk](http://www.eddieyoungmagic.co.uk/) Email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Phone: 07970 745 926 Address: Marlow Drive, Staffordshire, DE14 3TX Peak dates book fast. For weddings in particular, enquire early.

We had a budget and we had the money in savings. The venue including food and drink were by far the biggest outlay - £14,500 for 70 guests. That was key to the overall guest experience. Our approach was making sure we were getting value for money on each aspect of the wedding, and staying completely in control of what we were spending, rather than getting carried away. We researched on Hitched and Bridebook, who do annual surveys of what couples are spending, with regional variations, so for each type of vendor we looked at the advice on what to expect at top, middle and bottom of the cost range in our area (London), and then decided where we wanted to be on that range and set an itemised budget. We therefore felt confident in all our negotiations and expectations of each vendor. Some of them came in below budget so we could reallocate that money to something else or just saved it. Plus we DIYd some things where we felt confident to do so.

You coukd try Bridebook or Hitched websites. They let you search for vendors geographically. Also, be clear what kind of photographer you want - traditional, editorial or candid documentary. Make sure to look at online portfolios to get a feel for whether they have the right vibe for you as a couple. https://www.hitched.co.uk/wedding-planning/photography/how-to-choose-a-wedding-photographer/ Good luck and congrats!

Let me be honest upfront — I built this, so take that into account. But I genuinely think it's useful and I'd love honest feedback from people actually planning weddings. **The problem I kept seeing:** Engaged couples juggling a spreadsheet for budget, a different app for guests, Google Docs for timelines, WhatsApp for vendor contacts, Pinterest for ideas — and still feeling completely overwhelmed. So I built **Not Just A Wedding** (notjustawedding.uk) — everything in one place. **What it includes (all free to try):** 🤖 **AI Wedding Assistant** — not a generic chatbot. It knows your names, your date, your budget and your guest count. Ask it to write your vows, suggest venues near your location, plan your menu, build your playlist, match you to a honeymoon destination. It gives you personalised answers, not generic lists. 💰 **Budget Monitor** — tracks every cost with deposit paid and amount still owed. So if your venue costs £5,000 and you've paid a £1,500 deposit, it shows £3,500 still owed. Compares your spending against UK and US national averages by category so you know if you're over or under. 👥 **Guest Planner** — full RSVP tracking, meal preferences, dietary requirements, plus ones and table assignments. CSV export for your venue coordinator. 💺 **Seating Chart** — drag and drop guests into tables. Round, rectangular or oval. Export to CSV. 📋 **Day Timeline** — build your complete wedding day schedule minute by minute. Print it as a PDF to share with every supplier. 💒 **Venue Finder** — searches Hitched, Bridebook, The Knot and Google Maps simultaneously for venues near your location. 👗 **Dress Finder** — price comparison across boutiques and online retailers from AliExpress to Pronovias, with Amazon included. 📩 **Vendor Enquiry Emails** — generates professional enquiry emails for every supplier type. Just fill in your details and it writes the email for you. 🛍️ **Other Wedding Costs** — rings, bridesmaid gifts, shoes, makeup, flowers, cake, DJ, suits, invitations, favours, legal fees — every cost category with UK and US averages and money saving tips. Add anything to your budget in one click. ✈️ **Honeymoon Planner** — 10 curated destinations with Jet2, TUI, easyJet, Ryanair, Virgin, Kuoni and more for booking. 🎵 **Free Wedding Song** — download "My Love, My Life" by Groove Fusion completely free. Use it at your ceremony, first dance or just play it while you plan. **Pricing:** Free to try — no credit card, no sign up required to look around. Paid plans from £29.99 one-time (no subscription, ever). All future features included free. Works for both UK and US couples — toggle between £ and $ and everything switches automatically including search tools and national average costs. **What I'd love from this community:** Brutal honest feedback. What's missing? What doesn't work? What would make it actually useful for your planning? I'd rather know now than after I've spent another 6 months building the wrong things. Link: [**notjustawedding.uk**](http://notjustawedding.uk) Happy to answer any questions below 👇 \#wedding #weddings #brides #grooms https://preview.redd.it/kloffp3ii8tg1.png?width=1019&format=png&auto=webp&s=a93f3fa174ea7ecfa2d8ecf0d95e21cb9111ecbb

Hello - early stages of planning a wedding that respects both our Indian and Cantonese cultures - mainly around food! Budget is around 15k - 20k. We are flexible on some main traditions - main priorities are photos, food, and partying. However we are trying to find either a place that can handle two caterers or a caterer or venue that serves both high quality Indian and Cantonese food. I’ve scoured tagvenue, hirespace, bridebook, hitched… and looking for that hidden gem! Looking around 1 hour around London and accessible via public transport as this will be a destination wedding for our guests. Looking for ideas for venues, caterers, planners.