Let’s get this out of the way early, before the internet starts shouting at you.
There is no correct wedding timeline.
There is no single right way to do this.
No universal checklist.
No rulebook handed down by Pinterest elders.
But there is one thing we will always say — loudly and with love:
Get your celebrant sorted early. Like… early early.
Not because we’re needy.
Not because we like to be first.
But because the ceremony isn’t the filler between the arrival drinks and the confetti shot.
It’s the point.
Why the celebrant matters (and why early is good)
Here’s something that doesn’t get said often enough:
Licensed venues are obsessed with the registration service.
And while that absolutely works for some people, it often means couples aren’t even told that a celebrant-led ceremony is also an option — and, whisper it… often a far more personal, flexible and joyful one.
Your celebrant is the person who:
- helps you shape the meaning of the day
- gets to know you as humans, not a booking reference
- writes words that actually sound like you
- knows the local wedding landscape like the back of their hand
- holds the emotional tone of the whole thing
And that doesn’t happen in a rushed email exchange three weeks before the wedding.
Good ceremonies are built on:
- conversations
- trust
- time
- and a bit of good old-fashioned emotional rummaging
So yes — book venues when you need to.
Yes — crack on with caterers, outfits and logistics.
But if you care about how it feels on the day, your celebrant is not an afterthought.
A few Kate & Kate opinions
(Borrow them, ignore them, absolutely your call)
We’re not here to tell you what to do.
We are here to say what we’ve seen work… and what occasionally makes us wince quietly while smiling professionally.
🍩 Donut walls (and other sticky stuff)
Look. We get it. Fun food… fun with food… foody fun!.
But:
sticky food + summer heat = wasp slow-death graveyard vibe… and that is not looking good in the wedding pics.
Exception: ice-cream vans.
Always charming. Always joyful. Rarely attacked by insects.
📸 “We won’t bother with a professional photographer”
We say this with love and urgency:
This is a mistake.
Yes, do the QR code for guest pics — we love those.
They’re brilliant for the chaos, the silliness, the stuff you didn’t see.
But nothing replaces:
- a calm professional eye
- proper light
- composition
- the ability to quietly capture moments you didn’t know were happening
You only get one chance to capture this day.
Do it properly.
Years from now, you will not regret having good photos.
You might regret not having them.
🎶 Live music (especially if you like a singalong)
Live music changes the energy of a day instantly.
A voice.
A guitar.
A piano.
A band everyone can shout along with slightly off-key.
If you love music — especially communal, arms-round-each-other music — this is almost always a win.
🎁 Wedding favours
We ask this with genuine curiosity:
Why?
Seven miniature jars of something people won’t eat?
A net bag of sugared almonds…? OK, Nana.
Personalised items destined for a drawer until a charity-shop run?
If you love them, and want to do something personal and meaningful, crack on.
If you’re doing them out of obligation — you are officially released from duty.
Your guests are not seven.
They’ll get over it.
Dress less – or, the grooms of doom!
A gentle word on suits, waistcoats and full tweed situations — especially on hot summer days:
- formal does not have to mean heavy
- heat + nerves = sweat
- sweat + wool = regret
- no one looks relaxed, romantic or photogenic while overheating quietly – we cannot tell you how many red-faced grooms we’ve seen who are so close to heat-exhaustion they can barely say their vows!
- lighter fabrics, fewer layers and breathable choices are still smart — just far more comfortable
Keep it sharp, absolutely.
Just let everyone’s pores live.
Forget 1.30pm FOMO – your time is your own!
And while we’re freeing you from imaginary rules, a reminder:
- you don’t have to do the 1.30pm slot
- starting later (4pm is a particular favourite) can be a gift
- straight into the ceremony, straight into the evening
- no yawning afternoon gap where everyone gets leathered
- no sad 10.30pm bacon sarnies no one can face
- one meal instead of two
- no need to split people into “wedding guests” and “evening guests”
If someone doesn’t make the cut, that’s OK.
This is your day — not a logistics exercise designed to keep the rellos occupied until pudding.
And finally… remember what this day actually is
Strip everything back.
Before the tables.
Before the outfits.
Before the stationery fonts and chair decisions.
This day is about:
- words spoken out loud
- a commitment made in front of people who matter
- how it feels to stand there and do this thing
When people leave your wedding, they rarely say:
“The favours were exceptional.”
They say:
“It felt so them.”
“I laughed.”
“I cried.”
“The ceremony was beautiful.”
That’s the bit that lasts.
Everything else is just the scaffolding around it.
And if you want help making that part warm, personal, and bursting with loveliness — well, you know where we are. And if you’d like to know more from our married couples……
Head over to Hitched to read some of our wonderful reviews !!
Kate & Kate 💛
And if you’ve got any money left over…
llamas with beer baskets.
Come on. 🦙🍺
