Journal
Dorset wedding planning, notes from the aisle.
Real weddings, venue guides and gentle planning wisdom, gathered along the Dorset coast and countryside.
Planning Notes · Dorset
Why Dorset Is One of the Best Places to Get Married in the UK
Thinking about getting married in Dorset? Discover why couples love Dorset weddings, from the Jurassic Coast and countryside venues to relaxed, personal celebrations and weekend weddings.
Read the storyPlanning Notes
Just Engaged? Here's Exactly What to Do Next: A Dorset Wedding Planner's Guide
Newly engaged and don't know where to start? A Dorset wedding planner shares the first steps to take before venues, budgets and Pinterest boards.
Read the storyVenue Guides · Highcliffe Castle
Thinking About Getting Married at Highcliffe Castle? Here's What I'd Tell My Best Friend.
An honest guide to getting married at Highcliffe Castle — why it's one of my favourite Dorset wedding venues, and what to think about before you book.
Read the storyPlanning Notes · Coordination
Do I Need a Wedding Coordinator If My Venue Already Has One?
Your venue coordinator runs the venue. An independent coordinator runs the day for you. Here's the honest difference — and when you actually need both.
Read the storyPlanning Notes · Budget
The Ultimate UK Wedding Budget Breakdown for 2026: What Does a Wedding Really Cost?
A realistic 2026 UK wedding budget guide — average costs by category, an example 80-guest breakdown, and the hidden extras couples often forget.
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What Does a Wedding Planner Actually Do?
A wedding planner's real role isn't to take over — it's to guide, support and organise so your wedding still feels unmistakably yours.
Read the storyReal Weddings · Weymouth
Why a Private House Wedding at Upwey House, Weymouth Is One of the Most Magical Ways to Say "I Do"
Behind the scenes of a private house wedding at Upwey House — marquee, catering, florals and a celebrant-led ceremony.
Read the storyPlanning Notes · Venues
17 Questions to Ask a Dorset Wedding Venue Before You Book
The practical, unglamorous questions I ask on every venue viewing — access times, corkage, sound limiters and who's actually in the building on the day.
Read the storyPlanning Notes · Budget
How Much Does a Wedding in Dorset Really Cost? A Wedding Planner's Honest Guide
Real Dorset numbers, category by category — where the money goes, what makes it more expensive here, and where couples genuinely save.
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Do You Really Need a Wedding Planner?
An honest answer from someone who does it for a living: when you genuinely need a planner, when you don't, and what changes on the day.
Read the storyPlanning Notes · Timelines
How Long Does It Really Take to Plan a Wedding?
A realistic timeline from engagement to the day itself, what to book when, and whether you can pull it off in six months.
Read the storyPlanning Notes · Dorset
The Best Time of Year to Get Married in Dorset
Season by season through a Dorset wedding year — light, weather, coastal wind, prices and availability, from someone who works here all year.
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How to Make Your Wedding Feel Like You
What to keep, what to quietly drop, and why the details that make a wedding personal are rarely the expensive ones.
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