Month: April 2022

After what feels like a long winter, it’s finally time for spring to unfold and the spring wedding season to begin! I love this time of year in Ireland, as we come out of our winter hibernation into lighter days, to the bursting forth of buds and blooms everywhere you look, and a sense of rebirth and rejuvenation that is so welcome right now. And, of course, it also means welcoming all the Irish wedding flowers for spring. There are SO many beautiful blooms in season from March until June – it really is the perfect time to get married!

But why choose seasonal wedding flowers? It’s true that these days it’s possible to buy almost any variety of flower at any time of year (supply chain issues allowing). However, choosing seasonal, locally-grown flowers is a more sustainable choice, which is very appealing to many couples. Seasonal flowers will also be readily available and last longer, helping your budget to stretch further. Best of all, Irish wedding flowers for spring will be at their most naturally beautiful in season. Flowers grown in a hothouse environment are not only more expensive, they also can lack that radiance and purity of colour that fresh blooms will give you.

Of course, incorporating spring flowers into your wedding goes beyond the bouquets and centrepieces. Use flowers everywhere you can – tucked into menus, pinned to the groom’s lapel, hanging from the ceiling. And why not add floral elements to your bridal attire too? Floral wedding dresses are very much on-trend at the moment, including floral prints, embroidery, and 3D appliques. Floral bridesmaid dresses are also on trend, with some including other spring motifs like birds and butterflies as well. Perfect for a garden wedding (or to bring the outdoors in if the weather drives you inside).

It’s always a good idea to check in with your florist about what’s available. However, the following list is a good indication of which wedding flowers are in season in Ireland in spring.

Spring Wedding Flowers, Foliage & Fillers in Ireland

• Allium
• Anemones
• Apple Blossom
• Aquilegia
• Astilbe
• Astrantia
• Bluebells
• Calendula
• Camelia
• Campanula
• Carnations
• Cerinthe
• Cherry blossom
• Clematis
• Columbine
• Cow Parsley
• Daffodils (Narcissus)
• Dahlias
• Fern
• Forget-me-nots
• Forsythia
• Foxglove
• Freesia
• Garden Roses
• Genista
• Gypsophila
• Heath
• Hellebores
• Hyacinths
• Icelandic poppies
• Larkspur
• Lavender
• Lilac
• Lily of the Valley
• Lunaria
• Lisianthus
• Muscari
• Nigella
• Peonies
• Primulas
• Queen Anne’s Lace
• Ranunculus
• Roses
• Saxifrage
• Solomon’s Seal
• Stephanotis
• Stock
• Sweet Pea
• Sweet William
• Tulips
• Viburnum

Which of these Irish wedding flowers for spring are your favourites?

Slán go Fóill,

Tara

Images by Story of Eve, Doreen Kilfeather, DK Photography

Once the initial excitement of your engagement has died down a little and the ring has been thoroughly oohed and aahed over, it’s a question most couples typically ask. “Is it worth it to hire a wedding planner?” Quickly followed by: “Is it possible to plan a wedding on my own?” The answer to the second question is yes, it is possible, but to the first – well, it depends. Just as every wedding is different, each couple’s circumstances are unique. If you’re planning a luxury destination wedding in Ireland from another country, for example, then a wedding planner who can handle the logistics on the ground is a smart choice. You may also have read that hiring a wedding planner can end up saving you money. While that’s true, if it’s the only reason you’re hiring a planner, then you probably shouldn’t. The value of having an experienced professional on your side can’t be underestimated, but it’s not all in the bottom line.

So what IS their value? And is it worth it to hire a wedding planner for YOU? Here are a few scenarios where the answer is almost certainly “yes”.

You both have busy and time-consuming work lives

According to a 2019 study, a wedding takes around 528 hours to plan. With a typical engagement length of a year, that’s an additional 10 hours a week – the equivalent of a part-time job. For couples who already have time challenges from their regular jobs combined with busy social lives, volunteering, travel, etc., that’s a huge burden to add. The result is often less sleep, more stress, and very little quality time together. That’s not an ideal way for anyone to start their married life. Hiring a wedding planner cuts those hours dramatically, without compromising on the end result. It’s the ideal solution for busy working professionals – it’s all right there in the numbers!

You want to enjoy the wedding planning experience

Not only is wedding planning time-consuming, it has a lot of moving parts. There are multiple contracts to secure, service providers to manage, choices to narrow down. Hiring a wedding planner will take that load off your shoulders. You’ll still be in control of the way your wedding looks and feels, but you won’t have to sweat any of the small stuff. In addition, a wedding planner will ensure you’re on-track with your budget and they’ll be able to plan around any bumps in the road that may crop up along the way. When the day comes, you (and your mum and bridesmaids!) can sit back and relax instead of rushing about making final payments and decorating tables. You’ll be able to be present in this most precious of moments, knowing that the details are in safe hands.

You want to work with the most talented event professionals

Experienced wedding planners build up a network of contacts over years, basing their recommendations not only on service providers’ creative skills, but on their delivery. That makes a wedding planner’s little black book like gold. Not only does hiring a wedding planner give you access to this information, it may actually get you a booking with a hard-to-secure vendor. The recommendation of a top planner works both ways, smoothing the way for you to hire the very best in the business. The WOW-worthy results will speak for themselves!

You’re planning a destination wedding

A destination wedding adds many extra layers to the already consuming demands of planning a wedding locally. There are legal issues such as permits to consider and there may be a time difference and/or language barrier to overcome. It can also be a lot more difficult to know which suppliers to hire without the benefit of recommendations from family and friends. Having someone on the ground who not only knows the lay of the land but can advise on everything from cultural differences to the best activities for your guests will make all the difference!

You have a shorter timeline

Most engaged couples have between 12-18 months to plan their wedding, which allows plenty of scope for interviewing and securing service providers, choosing a venue, allowing a design to evolve, etc. But if your big day is in six months or less, you’ll have to cram all of that into a much shorter timeline. You’ll also have to overcome issues like availability, since some of your preferred venues or vendors may already be booked up. A wedding planner can help you find alternatives, source design elements, and make creative suggestions that can save you time.

So, is it worth it to hire a wedding planner? If any of the above sounds familiar, then yes, absolutely! And, while it’s possible to plan your wedding without one, the question rather becomes: why would you want to? After all, you can probably learn to fix a broken pipe on the internet, but you’ll be much better off calling a plumber. And in the same way, a professional wedding planner will save you time, money – and your sanity!

Slán go Fóill,

Tara

Images by Story of Eve, Kieran Harnett, Eric Kelley

Weddings are back! As of March 2022, the Irish government has lifted most restrictions on weddings, including guest numbers for indoor and outdoor venues, curfew, live music and dancing, and the number of people allowed to be seated around the table. Even masks are no longer required. But, although I can’t wait to see weddings back in full swing this summer, there are of course some long-lasting impacts from the COVID pandemic. So what are the biggest changes to expect in weddings in 2022?

An unprecedented number of weddings. 2022 is likely to see the most weddings in recent history. In the US alone, 2.6 million weddings are expected this year and that doesn’t include celebrations like so-called ‘anni-ceptions’ for couples who had to settle for a minimony during lockdown. That means packed schedules for wedding suppliers and venues. What we consider ‘wedding season’ has been blurred, as more couples choose weekday celebrations, as well as autumn and winter dates. It also means booking your planner, photographer, florist, etc. as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Destination weddings and elopements. With travel restrictions on top of lockdowns, destination weddings were out of the question for many couples in 2020 and 2021. Now, destination celebrations are back with a bang! Couples and their families and friends are excited to get back to travelling and spending time together after so long apart, and a destination wedding ticks both those boxes. Other couples are opting for an elopement in a beautiful, faraway locale. where they can really celebrate life and focus exclusively on one another. Whether you’re dreaming of an intimate ceremony or want to go big with an entourage, Ireland makes a great destination!

Outdoor weddings are here to stay. COVID restrictions made outdoor weddings a necessity from a safety standpoint over the last 2 years. However, couples have embraced the open-air vibe and outdoor weddings and ceremonies are definitely here to stay long-term! Many couples are opting for garden celebrations – whether in their own homes or at venues with gorgeous garden spaces. Even dance floors are moving outside! (There really is nothing quite like dancing the night away under the stars!) Ireland has so many incredible venues with indoor-outdoor spaces that can create that beautiful flow and let the fresh air in.

Increased costs. Unfortunately, one of the changes to expect in weddings in 2022 will be the cost of important elements like flowers. Rising energy costs, labour shortages, Brexit rules, and a decrease in supply due to the fact that many growers had to plough their fields in 2020 have resulted in the cost of flowers being at its highest in years. As well as this, supply chain delays and inflation have affected the costs of décor items and rentals, and suppliers are having to charge more to cover increased fuel prices and labour costs. If you set your budget 2-3 years ago, you may need to revise some of your expectations. (You can read more about how COVID has affected the floral industry here.)

Next-level entertainment. The ban on live music made us all more creative when it came to entertainment options. That will continue in 2022 (think surprise performers, drag queens, bouncy castles, circus performers, live painters, silent discos, and more). The only difference is that this time, couples will be able to have a live band or singer too, and they’ll make the most of it! It’s all about having fun and making up for all those celebrations we missed.

Those are my key changes to expect in weddings in 2022. Are there any others you have noticed?

Slán go Fóill,

Tara

Images by Story of Eve, Lisa O’Dwyer Photography, Christina Brosnan