I recently had the pleasure of working with Sam Savage, an amazing wedding planner from Southcoast weddings at Craig & Samm’s beautiful, Autumnal wedding at Sopley Mill. I loved her upbeat and friendly nature and she was an asset on the day, so I instantly added her to my recommended supplier’s list and wanted to do a little Q&A with Sam to introduce her to my audience.
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How long have you been working in the Wedding Industry?
This is my eleventh year in the industry.
And no, I haven’t seen it all. Honestly, just when I think I have, something happens and I’m amazed that I can still be surprised by something!
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What do you love about weddings?
The people! I am fascinated by people; their stories, their backgrounds, their lives and I get to meet so many interesting people from the wedding party to the guests and all of the wedding suppliers.
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What do you do as a Wedding Planner?
The easiest way to describe it is ‘taking people’s stress away and giving them peace of mind’.
Time and time again, I have the initial conversation with couples about their day, they spew all the information at me and I reassure them that I have it all in hand. You can visibly see their shoulders relax, as if a weight has been lifted, and they exhale!
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Do you have different packages?
Yes, people have different needs depending on their budget, the time they have available and the venue they’ve chosen (if they have one already).
The packages are;
Full Planning, which includes EVERYTHING!
On the Day Coordination, which starts a month before the wedding with a thorough handover.
Plan as You Go, which utilises 10 hours of my time as and when the couple need the help/advice during their planning.
You can see them in details here: https://southcoastweddings.co.uk/wedding-planning-packages-south-coast-weddings/
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How far do you travel for weddings?
The majority of my weddings are in Dorset, Hampshire, Somerset and Wiltshire, although I do travel further afield when required.
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Why should couples choose you as a Wedding Planner/On the Day Coordinator?
Aside from the obvious ‘because I do my job very well’, they need to know that I understand what they’d like their wedding day to be, the feel/look they want to achieve.
Depending on the package couples choose, I can spend a lot of time with them. They need to have that trust in me and we have to like each other and click! It’s important that we’re on the same page.
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Do you have any tips for couples planning weddings?
For newly engaged couples, my best tip would be to sit down, before you do anything at all, and each write a list of priorities for the wedding. For example; it may be important for you to have your really big family and all of your friends there on the day, so a venue with a large capacity would be top of the list.
Once you’ve each made a list, compare them and then your first argument as an engaged couple begins. I’m joking but you may need some compromise.
This list will then help with how your budget will be allocated and it will also help not waste a lot of time visiting venues that won’t be suitable.
You can then have a ‘would be nice to have list’ and if your budget allows for them nearer the time, you can add them on.
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Any other tips for couples on their wedding day?
- Think about the order you and your bridesmaids are walking down the aisle, ahead of the day. People get a little panicked about walking as if they’ve forgotten how to but if things are organised ahead of time, it reduces the anxiety.
- I always stand at the entrance with the bridal party (out of sight) and let bridesmaids/the bride know when to walk down, leaving enough of a gap for the photographer to capture each person.I also remind them to keep their head up and not look down and keep their flowers at navel height. The photographer needs to see their beautiful faces!
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- Everyone tells you that your wedding day will whizz by. I’d recommend scheduling some points in the day for you and your partner to connect and take it all in, even if it’s just five minutes here and there, such as after the ceremony and before you sit down for the wedding breakfast, as you’re the last ones in anyway.
- Once your big day arrives, try and “let it go” and don’t sweat the small things. There is no point in worrying and no one else will know if everything doesn’t go exactly to plan. You don’t want to look back on your wedding day and remember it as stressful. Enjoy every moment!
- And finally; if you’re going to scrimp on anything, don’t let it be the photographer! Those memories are going to last you a lifetime!
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I hope you enjoyed reading this Q&A with Sam, Hampshire & Dorset based Wedding planner from Southcoast Weddings and that she offered some valuable advice for planning your special day. If you’re interested in hiring Sam as your wedding planner, you can check out the Southcoast weddings website here or get in touch with her using the following contact details:
Telephone: 07766 244362
Whatsapp/text: 07766 244362
Email: sam@southcoastweddings.co.uk
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If you enjoyed reading this blog post then why not check out this Q&A with amazing DJ & Wedding Host / MC – Dean John, another one of my lovely recommended suppliers
