Planning a Wedding before Social Media

Setting up a new business in the ever-expanding wedding industry has certainly been an eye-opener.

There seems to be a lot more on the market now than there was when I was planning my wedding almost seven years ago – and even since my sister was planning hers in 2010.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest have exploded and bridal blogs have appeared – every time I log on to my accounts there seems to be someone else to like or follow!

I have no doubt my budget would have been blown out of the water if wedding suppliers had been this accessible when I was planning my nuptials in 2007. There are so many talented people out there.

I can remember visiting just one wedding fair, at the Newcastle Arena, where I met my cake maker, florist and stationer (adding my own calligraphy, of course).

There was no trawling around venues to select the perfect one for our wedding reception – we’d decided on the Sunderland Marriott long before we got engaged – and the actual ceremony took place at our local church.

I found my dress in the first bridal shop I went to, having flicked through a few magazines beforehand – although I must admit, I spent quite a bit of time staring at it online afterwards!

Everything else seemed pretty straightforward too, from the rings to the DJ to the suits.

If I was getting married now, I’m not sure I could choose everything as easily. There are far too many cute things on #weddinghour for a start!

I hope with all this choice on offer, people will still think about the little things that can make a huge difference, like taking the time to hand-write invitations and other stationery.

This is where I hope my calligraphy service will stand out from the crowd.