How to Plan a Romantic and Relaxed Somerset Wedding That Feels Uniquely You
Your wedding day should feel like a true reflection of your love story—filled with meaningful moments, effortless joy, and a sense of calm amidst the excitement. Whether you’re envisioning a charming countryside celebration or an intimate gathering with your closest loved ones, planning a romantic and relaxed Somerset wedding is all about creating an experience that feels uniquely you.
In this guide, I’ll share my top tips for crafting a wedding day that is beautiful, stress-free, and full of heartfelt moments you’ll cherish forever.
Choose a Venue That Reflects Your Love Story
Planning a wedding can be equal parts daunting and exciting. Many couples often start by booking the all important venue first so that they can secure a date and begin to visualise their big day. But where do you begin when there are so many beautiful venues to choose from?
If you’re on a budget it’s easy to simply let price dictate your search. However it’s really important to have a clear vision in your head of what you want your day to look and feel like before you even begin typing into that google search bar. Sitting down with your fiancee and coming up with a list of non-negotiable and compromises that suit you both can be really helpful – this is a big investment an you deserve to both be over the moon with your choice.
To help you, here are some questions to consider when working together on your venue requirements,
- How many guests do you want to celebrate with you and how far will guests travel to?
- How much on site or local accommodation do you require?
- What time of year do you want to get married?
- What traditions and customs do you want to include in your day?
- Do you want your wedding to feel like? Intimate/romantic/extravagant/elegant
- How much time do you (realistically) have to spend on wedding preparations?
- Do you want to enlist the help of a planner or will you have support from friends and family?
- Do you have a particular theme or aesthetic that you are trying to create? Rustic country chic/ vintage hollywood glamour/ rebellious rock and roll
- Are there any elements from other weddings/venues that you’ve really enjoyed that you would love to try to and replicate in your own style?
For more venue inspiration why not check out some of the top wedding location in Somerset with these blog posts 6 Country House Wedding Venues and 6 Fabulous Barn Wedding Venues in Somerset.
Create a Stress-Free Timeline for a Relaxed Day
Whether you’re using a wedding planner or going full DIY on your big day remember that a schedule is your best friend. There’s tonnes to pack in on a wedding day and it will probably go by in a bit of a blur but being organised will pay absolute dividends. That said it’s easy to forget how long certain activities will take and if one thing goes over time it can have a knock on effect for the rest of your event (we’ve all been to that one wedding where the food was dry because guests sat down late to the wedding breakfast).
There is a simple solution. When planning your days schedule always factor in a extra 15min cushion time for each element. This added time may feel excessive on paper but it’ll give you so much more breathing room to relax and enjoy the celebrations.
You may have everything organised to perfection but to be honest on the day you don’t want to be the one everyone comes to with questions. Even a wedding planner doesn’t know who’s who when it comes to calling in people for the formal photos etc. This is why assigning a few roles to trusted friends and family can be such an invaluable pre-wedding activity. It can be anything from who hands out the confetti and when to who’s helping Nan to the car when she’s ready to go. Sitting down and delegating these little elements can really take the weight off of your shoulders and make for a stress free day.
One final planning tip that often gets overlooked is factoring in a little time for yourself as a newly married couple. In the whirlwind of the day its often easy to get swept along without time to take a breathe and soak it all in. When working out your schedule try to find a few little pockets of time where you can be truly alone to reconnect. Maybe it’s a quick 5 minutes after the service or some time before you’re announced into the reception for speeches. Remember this is your day to celebrate your love for one another.
Incorporate Personal Touches That Speak to You
The great thing about a wedding is that it really is all about you! So whether you’re traditional, romantic, laid back or deeply private there are so many ways you can tailor your special day to suit you as a couple. Infusing the day with meaningful details and unique elements can really make it feel personal and unique so why not consider some of these ideas in your planning.
- Personalised details – There are so many lovely ways to add a little personal flare to parts of the day. These can include things like embroidered clothing, table ware and gifts for each other and/or your guests. There are many fun twists on the traditional guest book concept such as jigsaw puzzle pieces, signing plates, finger print art and polaroid picture gallery. Another popular way to infuse your own personality into the day is different stations or activities for your guests to do through out the day. These can be anything from uploading their own photos into a cloud folder for everyone to enjoy to little party games and scavenger hunts or even decorating a piece of furniture.
- Incorporating lost loved ones – Weddings can be an emotional time especially when lost loved ones are no longer there to celebrate with us. Finding a special way to include or celebrate them within your day can be extremely impactful and help to make them feel present even when they no longer can be. Some ways that you could do this are setting up a little area at your reception with a photo of your loved one, some brides like to add charms or keepsakes to their bouquets and some couples like to reserve a space for their lost loved one at the wedding ceremony.
- Exchanging letters to one another – A personal way to cherish this very special moment in you and your partners life is to take the time to write a letter that they will open and read the morning of the wedding. This can be a chance before the hustle and bustle of the day to say all the wonderful ways they improve your life and how excited you are to spend the rest of it together.
- Bucking the trends and be authentically you – It’s very easy to see current wedding trends on social media and feel compelled to try to include them in your planning. These additional little expenses can often add up and sometimes detract from the authenticity of your special day. When planning try to consider how you might feel about it in a year, 3 years or 5 years and whether it is an impactful meaningful addition to your day or just a fun fad that looks good on social media.
Focus on Candid, Emotive Photography
It’s widely accepted that nowadays that you’ll have a photographer and possibly a videographer to capture the day for you. We all understand and appreciate the value of having those beautiful memories to look back on. Unfortunately though, when choosing who to hire for this important role, the deciding factors very often come down to location and budget.
If you’re looking to preserve the unique and personal details of the day it’s important to find a photographer who captures natural and heartfelt moments as well as the big events. A good photographer will be able to document the key elements of your day in a creative and beautiful way. A great photographer will be able to do this alongside seeking out and capturing all the little moments of emotion and detail that you might otherwise miss. They are your eyes for all the other parts of the day you don’t get to see.
It’s good to get to know your chosen photographer a little before the wedding so you can make sure you’re both firmly on the same page. They should ask you for a timeline and shot list for the day. It may seem time consuming but fill these out as clearly and with as much information as you can so that they know exactly what you want from their images.
Here are some ideas of what to discuss with your prospective photographer before booking,
- Do you prefer to capture more staged or candid images?
- Throughout the day how immersed do you like to get in the action?
- How long do you like to have with the bride and groom for their couples photos?
- What is your approach to formal family and group shots?
- How adaptable can you be to changes in the days timeline?
- How do you like to photograph the dance floor and evening party?
- Is there opportunity for a second shooter to capture more candid shots?
- Can you show us examples of weddings you’ve photographed where you’ve captured lots of candid and emotive moments?
Work With a Dream Team of Trusted Suppliers
Even if you’re doing a DIY wedding you’ll inevitably have to enlist the help of some suppliers whether it be caters, florists, cake suppliers, MUA’s or just event hire. Whatever the level of external help you have with your day it’s important to collaborate with vendors who align with your vision and values.
A great way to make sure that your day runs smoothly and that everything is to the standard you are hoping for is to work with trusted, recommended suppliers. The key to this is do your research before booking, check testimonials of previous couples on their website and google page. Ask to check out examples of their recent work not just what they choose to show on their website. And remember price shopping does not always get you better value! More often than not you get what you pay for.
Another great tip is to ‘help them to help you’. Provide your suppliers with a clear vision of what you’re wanting from them using mood-boards of example pictures, Pinterest is great for this and can be easily shared. This is not being pushy or high maintenance. If you clearly communicate what you’re looking for from your supplier they can help you reach your goal without having to second guess what you’re thinking. It is highly probable that compromises and negotiations will have to be made to achieve what you’re after at some point in your wedding prep journey but at least you and your suppliers will both have your vision in mind.
Next steps
If you’re planning a romantic and relaxed wedding in Somerset, I’d love to capture your day in a way that feels true to you. My unobtrusive, storytelling approach ensures you can be fully present while I document every heartfelt moment. Get in touch today to check availability—I can’t wait to hear all about your plans!
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