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So you've popped the question (or said yes to it) and you're officially the happiest you've ever been. Congratulations! Now comes the fun bit — planning your big day. It can feel like a lot all at once, so here's how I'd suggest tackling it, step by step. Start with your budget Boring, I know, but it really is the first thing to nail down. How much are you happy to spend on your wedding day? Are you going all in, or do you have other priorities — saving for a home, planning a big honeymoon, that sort of thing? Have a proper think about what you're comfortable spending. Your budget is going to shape pretty much everything else — where you get married, when you get married, and how many guests you can invite. Just please don't land yourself in a load of debt over one day, however special it is. Sort your guest list Next up, think about your ideal guest list. How many people do you want there for the ceremony, and how many for the evening? Are you dreaming of a big wedding with everyone you love in one room, or something smaller and more intimate, followed by a bigger party later on? I've written a whole post on how to think this through, so have a read of Your Guest List: Who To Invite (And Why It's Completely Up To You) if you're stuck on where to start. Then start looking at venues Lots of venues have capacity limits — sometimes it's what they're legally allowed to hold, sometimes it's just what physically fits in the room. So if your guest list is bigger than the venue you love, one of the two needs to change. Priority order: budget, then guest list, then venue. These days most people start their venue search on social media or Google — there are loads of tools out there to help you shortlist. Or maybe you've been to a wedding somewhere gorgeous yourself and already have somewhere in mind. Wherever you look, you'll want a list of questions ready for viewings — capacity, licence, whether they've got bedrooms, and plenty more. I've covered all of that in Questions to Ask Your Wedding Venue, so pop over there for the full list. Booking your venue means securing your date Once you've got your venue, you've got your date — and that's when it really starts to feel real. This is the exciting bit, because now you can actually start booking everything else. Lock in your must-haves first Some couples go straight in and book a couple of big priority items as soon as the date is set. This bit really comes down to the two of you — what matters most for your day? A particular photographer you've had your eye on? A band you love? A florist you can't imagine your day without? If there's someone you know you absolutely want, this is the moment to get in touch. Send your enquiries and get them locked in as soon as your date is confirmed. Other suppliers you're more relaxed about can wait — you've got more time, more choice, and no rush. But if there's a photographer whose work you love and no one else will do, don't sit on it. Enquire as soon as you have a date, because they can only be in one place at a time — and you want your date in their diary before someone else does. Then the rest can trickle in Once your venue, photographer and videographer (if you're having one) are booked, you can start working through the rest — florist, suit hire if you're hiring rather than buying, a stylist if you'd like help dressing your venue, outside caterers if your venue needs them (this one's often worth booking early too). To make it easier, here's a simple supplier checklist to work through — think of it as your booking shopping list, separate from choosing your dress: Photographer Videographer Band or DJ for the evening Registrar (if you're not marrying in a church) Florist Stylist (if you're not dressing your venue yourself) Make-up artist Hairdresser Musicians (for during or after the ceremony) Accommodation Transport Take it one step at a time, and it'll all come together. Budget, guest list, venue, date — then the rest falls into place around you.

When you're planning a wedding, one of the first things you'll look at with any venue is capacity. Ceremony capacity, dinner capacity, party capacity. And capacity really comes down to one question: who do you invite? Are you having a small, intimate wedding with just immediate family and close friends? A bigger gathering that stretches to extended family and all your different groups of friends? Or are you going all out, Taylor Swift style, and inviting everyone you've ever known for the party of a lifetime? The size of your list shapes the feel of your day With an intimate wedding, you get proper one-to-one time with everyone there. There's space and luxury in that. You can really dedicate time to each guest and to your partner, without feeling pulled in ten directions. With a medium-sized wedding, a lot of couples go table to table during the wedding breakfast. You eat first, then once you're finished you stand up and go round with your partner, saying hello to everyone. Some people still do a receiving line before the meal, though it's less popular now as it eats into photo time and delays getting food out. With a big wedding, hundreds of guests, it's honestly unlikely you'll get to greet everybody properly. There just isn't the time in a day. So the guest list matters. It shapes what kind of day you actually have. Cost is part of it too You're paying for every person on that list. Are you happy spending £80–£90 a head on someone you might not even buy a birthday card for? It's worth sitting with that. And then there's the question of who's influencing your list. Do you feel like you should invite certain people, because they were part of your life once? That's worth questioning too. My take: invite people for your future, not your past My honest opinion is this: your wedding is about your future. The people you invite should be people you can picture being part of that future, not just people who mattered five or ten years ago. It's completely natural for people to grow apart. That doesn't mean you owe them a seat at your wedding. It's also completely okay if you don't want to invite your mum, your dad, or your siblings. It's okay if a cousin twice removed doesn't make the list. It's your day. You get to celebrate it your way. Guest list first, then venue Once you've got a rough guest list, you can start looking at venues, because your numbers will decide what's actually available to you, from small minimum-number spaces up to full capacity venues. Both ends of the scale are lovely in their own way. Intimate weddings give you that quiet, one-to-one time you'll never get back. Big weddings, with hundreds of people celebrating you, are beautiful in a completely different way. It usually comes down to the couple. People who don't love being the centre of attention often lean towards a smaller day. If you're close to a big family or have a huge circle of friends and colleagues, you might want the bigger bash, because it means everyone you care about gets to be there. There's no right or wrong answer. It just has to be right for the two of you. Venue: Tissington Hall Midlands Female Wedding Photographer Leicestershire Wedding Photographer

Choosing your venue is one of the biggest decisions you'll make for your wedding, so it's worth going into those viewings with a proper list of questions. Here's what I always tell my couples to ask. How much notice do we need to book our venue? This varies a lot, so ask straight away so you know your timeline. What is the capacity for the service, the food, and then the party? Numbers can change between each part of the day, so it's worth checking all three. You don't want to fall in love with a venue only to find out it can't actually hold everyone for the bit that matters most to you. Do you have different rooms for the service and then the party? Some venues use one room for everything, others switch it round. Good to know so you can picture how your day will actually flow. Is there somewhere to get ready? Somewhere different for both partners? Getting ready is such a lovely part of the day to capture, so having two separate spaces makes a big difference. Ask what these rooms actually look like too — light and space matter here. Is there on-site parking for our guests? Ask this early on, especially if you've got older relatives or anyone travelling a distance. If there's no parking, find out what the alternative is. Is there public transport nearby? Useful for guests who aren't driving, and something to mention in your invites once you know. Do you have disabled access? Important to ask if any of your guests need it, so nobody's left out on the day. Is there somewhere for group photos if it rains? British weather being what it is, always ask this one. A lovely indoor space with good light can be just as good as the garden. Can we be particular about the catering due to food requests? Most venues are used to this, but it's worth asking outright so you know what flexibility you have for allergies and preferences. Can we have outside vendors? Some venues have a preferred supplier list or restrictions, so this is worth asking before you book anyone else. Do you allow confetti? Some venues have rules on this, so check before you order any. Can we stay the night of the wedding? Handy to know early, as it changes how the end of your evening looks. How many people can stay the night of the wedding? If you're planning on close family or your wedding party staying too, check the room count so you're not caught out later. Do you have venue insurance? Worth asking, and good to know for your own peace of mind. Can we pay in instalments? Many venues offer this, but it's not always advertised, so ask. How many meetings will we have before our wedding? This gives you a sense of how much support you'll have in the lead-up and when the big decisions need to be made. Take this list with you to your viewings, and don't be afraid to ask every single one. A good venue will expect it.

This shoot was truly special as I had the opportunity to capture the precious moments of three-week-old Elspeth in the comfort of her home.

Styled Wedding Shoot at Brighton Pier with Bride and Groom. See what inspiration and lessons Laura took away from this event.

Among all the stunning bouquets and intricate floral arrangements, there is something that catches my eye every time, the groom's buttonhole

The cake smash event to celebrate Rory's 1st birthday was a joyous occasion filled with laughter and messy fun.