Here at No.4 Hamilton Place, we love all events. But if we had to choose our favourite type of occasion, it would be weddings. The excitement, the joy, the flowers, the food, the favours, the outfits! When it all comes together and you know you’ve been a part of creating the best day of a couples’ life, nothing quite compares.
Every couple getting married at our exclusive Mayfair townhouse is given a dedicated wedding planner who can offer you both as much help as you need to make your special day exactly what you’ve dreamt of. Jo Maish has been working at our venue for two years and she loves everything about planning that special day for couples.
Here are her top tips for couples at the beginning of their journey.
Start with the guest list and date
Before you begin looking at any of the exciting stuff (venues, dresses, cocktails etc.) you need to think about who you’d like to be at your wedding and when you’d like to tie the knot. Draw up a list of friends and family you’d like to share your wedding day with (so you have a number in mind when you look at the capacity of your short-list of venues) and narrow down your date options by running them past a handful of guests who simply have to be there. Now you have your numbers and a couple of dates, you’re on your way.
Choose a theme
Organising a wedding will require you to make an awful lot of decisions, this can be made easier if you have a theme running through the entire wedding. You could choose a place you both love, or go for a style (vintage, glamour, 1920s etc.) or just a colour scheme.
Have a contingency in your budget
Syphon off 10% of your budget so you have some wiggle room to splash out on extras you might not have already thought about. It’s often the little things that make a wedding memorable and it’s always great to be able to indulge the occasional whim.
Go to town on the food
There are so many things to factor into your budget, but I would always advise on spending as much as you can afford on the food and drink for your guests. It’s the easiest way to put everyone in a fabulous mood!
Adding a personal touch
Homemade favours, handwritten notes thanking your guests, photos displayed around the room… there are lots of ways you can personalise your wedding. Not only does this make the day truly unique, but it can also save you money if it means you doing some of these things yourself.
Seating plans
Try not to worry about following any sort of wedding etiquette in terms of where everyone should sit. Create a seating plan that works for your family and friends as only you will understand the intricate dynamics and potential politics amongst your guests.
Speeches
It’s always a highlight of the wedding breakfast, but so often speeches run on for too long. Five-ten minutes is enough time to make a heart-felt toast, tell a little story and raise a drink to the newlyweds, there’s really no need to do any more. Brief anyone taking to the mic well in advance that this is all you’d like from them.
Live music
There really is no substitute for live music at any event, particularly a wedding. It takes the atmosphere from great to completely amazing! If you can stretch to it, I promise you won’t regret it.
Kids activities
If you’re having children at the wedding, make sure there’s something for them to do – colouring in, board games, Lego, and set up an activity corner away from the main party. Their parents will thank you for it.
Let go…
On the day of the wedding itself, hard as it might be, you both need to hand over the reins to your planner at the venue. Let them and their team rush around making sure everything’s going to plan. They will know what is supposed to happen and when, maybe even better than you do! So sit back, relax and enjoy the fruits of all of your hard work.
Weddings at No.4 Hamilton Place
Whichever of our beautiful rooms you choose for your nuptials, couples getting married at our Mayfair wedding venue will have exclusive hire of the entire house at weekends. Give our in-house wedding team a call to discuss you numbers, dates and ideas on +44(0)20 7670 4314 or email
