Six Tips for Spring Wedding Success

Spring. It's colourful, fresh and holds the promise of new beginnings. There's no hiding that Spring puts us all in a good mood, so what better time to have a wedding!

With a bit of forward-planning, your Spring wedding can be an absolute success. Consider these recommendations:

• Greet each guest. You invited them for a reason and it is sure to make them feel special. Wedding days go so fast it may actually be the only chance you get to spend some time with them too.
• Take time over your seating plan. It will create greater memories for everyone.
• Add your own special touches. A photo booth, sparklers for everyone after dessert, ask everyone to email two song requests. Touches such as these make it relaxing, fun and personal. If bridemaids are coming from abroad, consider some of the exquisite jewellery pieces from New Zealand designers as a special 'thank you' gift.
• Don't do anything you don't want to do. Wedding cake, favour boxes and five bridemaids are must-haves for some, but if you can take it or leave it, then leave it. Use those finances on something you actually appreciate and enjoy - and that includes wedding and non-wedding items.
• Keep table settings fresh and clean looking. You can't go past white table clothes, napkins and plates teamed with clear vases. Then add pops of colour with beautiful in-season blooms of pinks, yellows, red and purples. If you like a more contemporary look change out flowers for grasses, ivy and succulents, and for a more romantic feel marry-up bunches of wild flowers in mason jars.
• Think about your surroundings as well. Are you by the sea, in a garden, or seating guests in a historic building. Incorporate the colours and ambience around you, and don't look past the colours in the bridal party and how they can also play a part in the table settings.

For those of you planning a marquee wedding, it's worth hiring the following in case you experience wet weather.

• Keep the sides of your marquee clear in case the weather turns and staff need to bring the sides down quickly to keep out rain, wind and cold.
• Hire extra wooden flooring to help stop female guests in heels from sinking further into any wet grass.
• Make sure there is a Plan B for the ceremony if Plan A was in a garden setting. Using the stage area inside the marquee is easy to set up.
• Temperatures can still be cool, especially after the sun goes down so heating is a good idea to keep everyone comfortable.
• A bit of cloudy weather is great for photos but walking through mud in heels isn't. Pack gumboots if there has been a lot of rain, to keep dress, heels and legs mud-free.
• Embrace the rain by adding pretty umbrellas as photo props, as well as being functional and protecting the bride's hair!

What would you add to the list? Let us know your tips to making a wedding day extra special.