Welcome to the A-Z of all things wedding!

Here is a list of all things A-Z when it comes to wedding terminology, wedding planning and all things wedding related...

A is for:

Aisle runner – A long piece of carpet that can run between the chairs of your ceremony space.

B is for:

Best Man — The groom’s main supporter on the wedding day, also responsible for arranging the stag night and seating guests for the ceremony. The Best Man may keep the rings for the ceremony, unless a separate ring bearer is involved. Nowadays the groom may have a female main supporter, sometimes called a Best Woman

C is for:

Caterer – Most venues will let you choose a reputable caterer such as ourselves to cater your wedding.

D is for:

Destination Wedding — This refers to a wedding that takes place in a country, or sometimes at the other end of the country, from where the couple lives. It often involves the wedding party or guests staying with the couple for a weekend or more.

E is for:

Exclusive Use– Usually referring to venues, this means that it will be only your wedding guests using the venue. 

If it is not an exclusive use venue, you will be sharing the space with hotel guests or other users.

F is for:

Favours – A small gift from the couple to their guests, usually placed on the tables on the napkin or above the place setting. Traditionally these would have been sugared almonds to symbolise fertility, but these days any small gift can be chosen such as mini candles, homemade chocolates or even mini shots.

G is for:

Golden Hour — The Golden Hour is the short period just before sunset when the light is perfect for taking photos. It’s a great idea to plan for this in your wedding day timings.

H is for:

Hen Night –  The party held for the bride and her female male friends before the wedding. Nowadays this is commonly known to be a whole weekend abroad.

I is for:

In-House — The term used for additional services offered by your venue. This is usually catering but may also be styling and floristry.

J is for:

Jewellery – obviously this includes the wedding rings! Wedding rings can be bought ‘off the peg’ or custom made, or you can use a family heirloom. Many couples also buy special jewellery for each other as gifts for the day, including necklaces and cufflinks.

K is for:

Kids – the debate is ongoing over whether children should be invited to weddings or not.

L is for:

Luck – some say it is lucky if it rains on your wedding day. 

M is for:

MOH/ Maid of Honour — The cheif bridesmaid. This is usually filled by the best friend or sister of the bride.

N is for:

Notice– you’ll need to give notice of your intention to marry to your local register office, or church if you are having a religious ceremony. This needs to be at least 28 days in advance of your wedding day. Many registrars get very busy during the summer months, so give notice as soon as you can- up to a year ahead is possible. 

O is for:

Outdoor wedding– It’s increasingly popular to have a wedding ceremony outdoors in the UK. At present, in England & Wales, you’ll need a venue which is licenced for wedding ceremonies outside. In Scotland, you can be married anywhere that is acceptable to your registrar.

P is for:

Place Setting — This is a complete set of dishes and cutlery provided for a single guest at the reception — or during a meal.

Q is for:

Quiet moment– it’s a good idea for the couple to have a few moments away from the other guests, to just take a breather away from the excitement. A good time to do this is after the photographs and before the wedding breakfast.

R is for:

Registrar– A registrar is an official who can conduct civil wedding ceremonies.

S is for:

Supplier Meals — You may need to arrange for some of your suppliers to be fed during the day- typically your photographer/ videographer and musicians. 

T is for:

Top Table — The table where the wedding party sits during the wedding breakfast. It usually consists of the couple, their parents, the best man and chief bridesmaid, and sometimes the celebrant.

U is for:

Usher — An usher is typically a male relative or friend of the couple that shows guests to their seats for the ceremony as well as answer general questions.

V is for:

Vows — These are the promises the couple make to each other during their wedding ceremony. These can be religious, or if it is a civil ceremony they can be personalised.

W is for:

Wedding Breakfast – Not actually breakfast, but the meal after your ceremony.

X is for:

Xtreme weather– It doesn’t happen very often in the UK, but a hot summer day can be difficult for both the wedding party and the guests, especially if you are planning an outdoor wedding ceremony. It’s worth thinking about shade, whether that’s parasols or perhaps a garden shade, plus water and sunscreen.

Y is for:

Your day! Regardless of how many people are helping you plan and pay for your wedding you should do as you wish, after all, its your day!

Z is for:

Zero stress! Easier said than done, try stay cool and calm and enjoy!