Real talk with a real bride

This week on The Aisle Diaries Podcast, Joella and Sophie are joined by a bride-to-be for an honest conversation about what it's really like planning a wedding.

From family expectations and hen party drama to wedding trends, difficult decisions and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with saying "I do", we're talking about the parts of wedding planning nobody prepares you for.

In this episode, we discuss:

✨ The reality of planning a wedding while juggling everyday life
✨ Why wedding planning isn't always as glamorous as social media makes it seem
✨ Bridal pressure and the expectations placed on couples
✨ Wedding trends we love... and the ones we'd happily skip
✨ Hen party disappointment and navigating friendships during wedding planning
✨ Family opinions, guest lists and keeping everyone happy
✨ Why every couple's wedding journey is completely different
✨ Looking back on the planning process before the big day

Plus, we chat about aisle dips, engagement photos, pre-wedding nerves and why it's so important to plan a wedding that feels right for you—not everyone else.

Whether you're newly engaged or counting down to your wedding day, this episode is packed with relatable stories, honest advice and reassurance that you're not alone.

🎧 Follow The Aisle Diaries Podcast for weekly wedding planning tips, supplier insights, bridal spirals and real conversations from behind the chaos and confetti.

Produced by TAEPodcast - www.taepodcast.co.uk

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

Welcome to the IOL Diaries Podcast, the place where you find out what really happened behind the chaos and competitive. Because someone's got to tell you the truth, and it's never boring. With tips for your big day, I'm Sophie and I'm Joella. Welcome back. Hello! This week we have one of my favourite people, and that's just me being biased because she's one of my gorgeous prides.

SPEAKER_02 0:27

Go on. Do you want to introduce yourself? Who you are?

SPEAKER_03 0:31

Name? When you get married. I'm Georgina. Yes. I get married September of this year, 96 days. Wow. At Sandhole. Which is very, very exciting. It's come around so so quickly though. Yeah. Um, and yeah, I did have a bit of a freak out the other day, didn't I? It got to double digits, and I went, oh my god, what am I doing? Complete freak out, but it's fine. How long have you been planning your wedding for? So we got engaged in June last year, and it was like straight into it. So straight into it. Everything was like planned in six weeks.

SPEAKER_02 1:02

Was that you being like, I want to do this and I want to do it now?

SPEAKER_03 1:05

Yeah. Yeah. Amazing. I was like, we'll enjoy the engagement afterwards, then we just plan the wedding. But I had waited long enough for it. So we've been together 14 years. Well we have this year, been together 14 years, so 13 years at the time we got engaged.

SPEAKER_01 1:17

Incredible.

SPEAKER_03 1:17

And I was like, yeah, I've waited long enough. We're not having a long engagement. I'm not having one of these like four-year engagements. I said, we'll we'll do what we can afford now. We're just doing it. Um so yeah, jumped straight, straight in. So where did you start then? Um so we started looking at venues. We didn't really know what date. Um kind of like around the 18-month mark, maybe, just for like budgeting and like planning that kind of thing. Um so we started with venue, went to see Sandhole, walked in, cried immediately. Walked into the ceremony room and just sobbed. Sam was like, Oh my god, embarrassing. Walking around with Emory and she was like, Are you okay? I was like, Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Oh sobbing. That's so nice. Um and then I was just grinning the entire time. So Sam was like, This is it, isn't it? And I was like, Yeah. Sorry, that was your first venue view. Literally first venue, and I was like, No, I'm not seeing any others. Yeah. Um we'd looked because we looked at things online. Where did you look online? So just knew we wanted more of like a barn style, but I didn't so much want one of the really rustic barns because I wanted something that was like a bit of an in-between, so a little bit polished, but not too formal, if that makes sense. Like we knew we didn't want like a stately home or anything like that. Um, and I know you love a DIY wedding, but I'm not a TP kind of girl. I'm really sorry. They look stunning, and that's but I'm just not that kind of guy though. Don't worry, they're beautiful. They are beautiful, it's just not that's okay.

SPEAKER_01 2:37

I like both, so I'm fine if you want to do both. If you want to do one or the other, sign me up.

SPEAKER_02 2:42

I think I think all weddings look beautiful, but as like personally, yeah, I'm just not that girl, and that's okay. That's fine. We all are different weddings, right?

SPEAKER_01 2:52

Mine won't be DIY whenever that time does come. It will be, or won't be. It won't be. No.

SPEAKER_03 2:58

You don't have time as well, hon, do you? No. It's just too much effort, too much stress. So I love like archways and things like that. So if anything with like wooden beams and something that just looks nice, that's gonna sound really odd because everywhere looks nice, but yeah, but um like as a structure you mean.

SPEAKER_01 3:13

Well, a sand hall, you've got those archway at the door. Yeah, and the second you do walk in, that would have been that moment.

SPEAKER_03 3:20

I was like revving flowers above that doorway, revving this, revving that. Yeah, so I looked at Oak Tree of Peaver online as well, because that's yeah, similar barny vibe without actually being a barn. Yeah. Um but sand hall was the first one we went to, and I was like, no, I'm not going to any others. I know straight away. Love that.

SPEAKER_02 3:36

Because I know some people look at like oh loads. Yeah, I can get but the thing is you can keep going and going and going, and it's all about that feeling. It's like buying a house, you get a feel like when you find your dress, you get the feeling, and then I always just say like just stop at that point then. Why are you why are you carrying on looking?

SPEAKER_01 3:52

Because it could be you'll always come back to one in particular as well. You'll always be like, but it doesn't have this like this, and then that's when it is your sign that that is your venue.

SPEAKER_03 4:02

Yeah, I think you just tie yourself up in knots, don't you? I think our friends get married in May next year. Do they need a coordinator? I have been plugging you out in trying to tell you. Go on, girl. Do they need a makeup on? We did actually come and see Sophie at the um, I'm gonna say. Yeah, so my friend's getting married in March.

SPEAKER_01 4:23

You've met each other before, I've met you.

SPEAKER_02 4:25

But I mentioned So I got somebody else mixed up. You weren't at that show. No, I think it was it and I miss it, or something's happening. Anyway, it's fine, but I yeah, it was Paisley's birthday.

SPEAKER_01 4:39

It would have been, yeah. Was it February? No, it wasn't his bad. It was her birthday. It did something, yeah. Was it the February show you came to? Yeah. Yeah, I was at her birthday. It was her birthday party because that's why I didn't do it.

SPEAKER_02 4:49

But then we were supposed to speak about another bride of yours, and I was like, I've met her, and you were like, No, that's Tragena, and uh so there we go. I can't remember what episode it was, but yeah, and yeah, we were. Yeah. Yeah, it's nice to actually sit down and talk to you because um I was manning two stands then. I wonder why.

SPEAKER_01 5:04

Very, very good. Yeah, because I thought it was Georgia that you'd met.

SPEAKER_03 5:07

Which I did at the wedding show. Did at the wedding show. The national wedding show, yeah. Yeah, she did. Yes, you did. Yeah, because we had a chat about how everyone always gets our names wrong. She also called Georgia met and I was.

SPEAKER_01 5:16

This is why I was confused because so you two have met when I wasn't here because you came here, but then you met Georgia at the national. That's why.

SPEAKER_03 5:23

And you were too busy talking to someone else to talk to me.

SPEAKER_01 5:27

Sorry. My bed. So there we go. But hello. Hello. Many calls, it's been wonderful. It's time. We spoke last week and we're together next Monday.

SPEAKER_02 5:38

So, shall we speak about from the start? So, like the engagement talk us through, or how you walk up what Sam proposed. I obviously don't know. Joella clearly does because she's giggling. But we just had this conversation literally the other day. I shouldn't have asked you.

SPEAKER_01 5:51

I feel like I should have saved it for now.

SPEAKER_03 5:53

So we went on a wonderful holiday to Singapore and Borneo. Wow. We had our 13th anniversary while we were there. Yeah. Candle at dinner over the river in Borneo. There were multiple occasions on that holiday. I thought, this is it, it's happening. This is the moment. Nothing. Whoa. But you proposed on that holiday. On the plane on the way home. Stop it right now. But have you ever watched Crazy Rich Asians? No, I haven't. Right, okay, you need to. Is it hilarious? It's one of the best films to watch when you're going on a holiday. Right. But the very end scene, um, to kind of spoiler it, um, she's not, she doesn't get his family's approval, so she's like, no, I'm not making you choose between me and your family. She gets on the plane to go home. He gets on the plane after her and proposes on the plane in the middle of the aisle with his mum's ring. Oh, and it's just the most beautiful moment in the world. So Sam didn't get down on one knee, which I still still rip him apart.

SPEAKER_01 6:49

Technically, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:50

And he's like, I'll do it now. And I'm like, No, it's too late.

unknown 6:52

It's too late.

SPEAKER_03 6:53

I'm with you on that one. Um he sat there, he was really like on edge in the in the airport, and he was like, I wanted to go and see the jewel because if you've seen Singapore airport, they've got like the waterfall. Yeah, it's supposed to be beautiful. And we'd been and seen it, right? Um, and then we'd gone back out during the day. I bought myself this ring on the marketplace that reminded me of Crazy Rich Asians because it's like a green, like emerald style, really cheap, but it reminded me of that. So I bought that for myself, and then he's really shifty when we got back to the airport, and I was like, What's wrong with you? And he's like, Oh no, I wanted to go and see the jewel, I wanted to go see the jewel. Like, we've already seen it, what are you making a fuss about? So then as we're sitting down on the plane, you know, you've got all your stuff and you're trying to like get everything unpacked and sort of your blanket outfits out there, yeah. And he's going, I've got something to ask you, and I'm like, What? Probably snapped at him. Probably snapped at him. So this is like snapped at you. Yeah, yeah, this is like I enjoy episode, it's really funny. So he sat on the chair next to me and he's like, I've got something to ask you. Will you look at me and I'm like, what do you want? Yeah, and it's something I'd have, mate. Leave me alone. And he goes, I know I've waited too long to ask you this, and I've had all these opportunities to do it, but will you marry me? And I went, Maybe. No way. But then when I actually think back on it, he was like, Are you mad at me for doing it this way? And I was like, No, because it is my crazy rich Asians moment, and now it's so cute.

SPEAKER_01 8:11

Oh. And you didn't say that on your anniversary, aren't you?

SPEAKER_03 8:13

Yeah, and it's like did you get emotional? No, I was just a bit like in shock. I was like, I've waited 13 years, you've had all the moments on this holiday that I would have cried at, and you've asked me literally on the plane, but no one knew. So we just sat there like a cry. But like it wasn't like down on one knee, so nobody like nobody realised. And then the flight attendant's telling me off because I'm trying to like text people really quickly while we're going down the runway, and she's like, Turn your phone off. And I'm like, but I've got to tell people to tell people I just got engaged for 13 years and eight days. I counted it.

SPEAKER_01 8:46

Could you imagine though if he had done it either while you were mid-flight and you couldn't text anybody or like five minutes before you had like just about to land, because Sam would have been like for the whole plane journey.

SPEAKER_02 9:00

Would would you have been okay if you did get down on one knee on the flight?

SPEAKER_03 9:05

I'd probably die. Right. So I always said to him, I don't want a public proposal. It's worked out the best then, hasn't it? Yeah, no, no, I don't like being the centre of attention. It's the one bit I'm dreading about the wedding day, is walking down the aisle because everyone's gonna look at me. So I'm like, Well, that's the whole point they're here for us. And I'm like, but don't look at me.

SPEAKER_02 9:23

Yeah. No, I think a lot of people say that. Yeah, I say a lot of people, but it's normal to be nervous.

SPEAKER_01 9:28

And it's so it's just a little point just look at each other and that's and you won't look at anybody else.

SPEAKER_02 9:34

It's such a special moment, and like for me, I yeah, it's just nice to feel like it's you two.

SPEAKER_03 9:40

So no, or as as like chaotic as that is, it sounds like him because he's so laid back, and I think he kept saying, Oh, that no moment would have been nice. That moment would have been nice. Now he's thinking back on it, he's like, I could have done it at so many points. I'm like, Yeah, you could have.

SPEAKER_01 9:54

Tell you what you need to do, Sam. You need to listen to this episode, and you need to then do a renewal in ten years and once you get done on one day.

SPEAKER_02 10:01

Bless him.

SPEAKER_01 10:02

But yeah, it was just he obviously does feel guilty though, doesn't he? Perfectly imperfect is how I term it. Yeah, yeah. So cool. It's you two though, that's and that's the most important thing, and it's yeah, yeah, it's brilliant.

SPEAKER_02 10:12

Love that. So I know you just mentioned before, so kind of like where you started off was planning, and you said you went to view a venue. So you you've said that sandhole was the one instantly. Where did you go from there?

SPEAKER_03 10:25

So I'd already been stalking everything on Instagram because Gerald will know I'm quite impulsive. And there are certain things we can't talk about in this episode. Sophie does know those things. That's fine. But we can't talk about them on the minus episode on this episode, but we'll talk about them after part two, and two.

SPEAKER_01 10:41

Part two post-wedding.

SPEAKER_03 10:43

Post-wedding, we can talk about them all then. But yeah, I'm very, very impulsive. Um, so I kind of stalk in photographers and things, found Paul straight away, because I booked Paul Waring, he's amazing. Um, so I was just like, I I like the style, I'm booking it.

SPEAKER_02 10:57

Well, it's one thing. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 10:59

Um so I've basically done that with all of the suppliers. There's not really anybody that I've kind of ummed about. Yeah. Did you get a vibe instantly? Yeah, yeah. It was just I like this, I want it, this is what we're having. And Sam's like, okay.

SPEAKER_01 11:10

Yeah. That's the best way to be.

SPEAKER_02 11:14

Yeah, it's not the norm, but it's quite common that the female will lead planning a wedding.

SPEAKER_03 11:21

He's been annoyingly involved though.

unknown 11:24

Right.

SPEAKER_03 11:24

Because you get some men that are just like, oh no, do whatever you want. And he's like, No, no, I want to talk about this. I'm like, why?

SPEAKER_02 11:28

But maybe that's because you're so impulsive. Maybe. And he's trying to like make sure you're not going to change your mind after you've booked. Maybe.

SPEAKER_01 11:35

Yeah. I can see that, but also as well, like he probably wants part of the process as well with you, because he knows how important it is.

SPEAKER_03 11:43

And that's the thing, he's like, I don't know when he he says to me, I don't know anything about wedding planning, so I'm kind of going from what you say about what we need and what we don't need. Um, but I do want to be involved. But then I'm asking him to like picture things like the venue dressed, like, can they? He can't picture anything. He says, I need to see it. I know. So even when we went and looked at like the centrepieces and the tables and whatever, and he's going, but I can't picture it in sand hall. And I'm like, is that how men's brains work?

SPEAKER_01 12:09

It's like GCP. Take photo of sandhall. But I can literally see it. But my brain looks different, looks massively different when you do it. So yeah, we've started to get asked that a lot more for like partial planning. Like, can you help? Morphinese together, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 12:24

But I can picture something in my brain and then like rotate it 360. And he's like, How?

SPEAKER_01 12:30

I think I think it is probably more like you he can't visualize that maybe until it's physically like okay, it's there, I can see it now. It's gonna match this tablecloth, this floor, and this is very black and white in that sense.

SPEAKER_03 12:43

Yeah. Which is great because we've been like the polar opposites when it's clearly. Yeah, yeah. We've probably been we're like that anyway. I'm kind of chaotic and my brain's running at a million miles an hour, and he's like, Why are you stressed? Yeah, yeah, yeah. What are you stressing for? Like, why aren't you angry? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:02

You're gonna go like this on your wedding day. It's okay.

SPEAKER_03 13:04

It's cool, I've got your balance.

SPEAKER_01 13:08

So on the day, fill us in then. What's going on? What's happening? I know some things can't be mentioned, which we can mention afterwards, which is absolutely fine.

SPEAKER_03 13:16

Um, it's really hard because I really want to talk about it.

SPEAKER_01 13:18

I know, and I really want to talk about it as well. But we can't, it's okay.

SPEAKER_03 13:22

So there are two things I can't talk about. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 13:24

Um feel like I know one of them. Yeah, you do, and you don't know the other one, so that's yeah. I'll tell you.

SPEAKER_02 13:31

Let's move on. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:33

We don't want any slip-ups, I'm gonna write it on the notes now so she can just see it as you're talking about it.

SPEAKER_02 13:38

Oh, don't my face says it all.

SPEAKER_01 13:40

There you go, I've read it.

SPEAKER_02 13:42

Oh yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 13:44

There you go.

SPEAKER_02 13:45

Okay, got it.

SPEAKER_03 13:47

I'll just got it really bold at the top of my planning sheet to say, do not talk about this. This is a surprise.

SPEAKER_01 13:52

It's literally in bright yellow, like this is a surprise that'll go to every single supplier.

unknown 13:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:58

Yeah, we um we got really lucky. We actually won um a giveaway for a guest illustrator. Um it's Peggy L Illustrations thing. She put like a giveaway on, and I'd entered it and completely forgot about it, and then a couple of weeks later she texted me, or she tagged me on Instagram, she went, Um, I'm just letting you know. And I was like, Let me know why.

SPEAKER_00 14:16

No way. That's so lucky.

SPEAKER_03 14:18

Full day, I think it's like six hours, isn't it? Yeah. Um, illustration for free. So that's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 14:22

So it's like for guests purposes, obviously, yourself, she'll just draw.

SPEAKER_03 14:27

I was like, Well, that's my favourite sorted, thanks.

SPEAKER_02 14:29

Yeah, that's so good. They're so talented, aren't they? I think they're really just impressive. They're so impressive. Yeah, it's amazing.

SPEAKER_03 14:36

That's not something I've never seen it at a wedding before. I know it's quite popular, but we've never actually been to a wedding with it. But also, you'll get one for you too that's the wedding dress, salmony soup.

SPEAKER_02 14:45

Yeah, really, really nice.

SPEAKER_03 14:46

And you get to take it home and frame it. Um and yeah, I guess I can't talk about the other surprise things, but we've done a lot to make the wedding really personal. Um, so I was telling you about everything, wasn't I? So I can't without giving too much detail away for everyone that's coming to the wedding, but just a lot on the tables and things dotted around that are just so us. Yeah. And that if you know us, you'll look at it and go, Yeah. Or I will anyway. I don't think people notice it, but I I think they will.

SPEAKER_01 15:14

But also I think you've done a lot of things that will relate to the two of you two. So that and I think that's super important for anybody who is planning their wedding. That if something doesn't resonate with you, they just don't do it. Like it has to, we've said this so many times, it has to just click, it has to be right, oh they're doing that because of such and such reason, or they're doing that because that is them.

SPEAKER_03 15:37

Because there's so much you could do, isn't there? And if you get stuck into that too much, it just runs away from you, and then it's not a day that you want to go to. It's not a wedding that I'd enjoy going to, I don't want it to be my wedding.

SPEAKER_01 15:51

And how have you found kind of like not going down the whole trend route and going silly and being like, oh, we could have this, this, this, this, this. How have you managed to control that in your own head?

SPEAKER_03 16:03

Sam, going, you don't need this. Yeah. So like a couple of other surprise things. He's like, Do we really need this? And I'm going, Yes.

SPEAKER_01 16:10

Yes, we do. It might be funny, but the last one, yes, you do.

SPEAKER_03 16:14

But everyone ganged up on him for that because I think a message too. I messaged a photographer, you messaged the venue, you messaged Yeah, this sounds like a great idea. And he was like, Well, we're gonna have to do it then, aren't we? Yeah, he's fully on board now.

SPEAKER_02 16:23

But yeah, there's been have you spoken? I suppose that they wouldn't know. And you're not going to, but like the prep team in the morning, it's like us guys, because I I was at a wedding a couple of weeks ago and two people came in to introduce themselves, we'll talk about it after. Not their fault at all.

SPEAKER_01 16:41

And she was like all got all my final details and all got out at everyone.

SPEAKER_02 16:46

Yeah, but it was announced, and none of the bridesmaids and nobody knew, and then they they'd be like, Who were they? Was it the same things that's been booked? Yeah, they booked, they were setting up, they do it and every wedding, they're lovely, lovely, lovely people. But she was like, Oh my god, nobody knew. Okay, I think we'd be okay with the time that they're coming though. That's what I mean, whereas they was they had to set up, so they came in to say hello. It wasn't it wasn't their fault, they didn't know none of the bridesmaids knew. But this the the only people that knew were the bride was the bride. And I was like, Oh, and then when the bridesmaids came over, she kind of just had to say like, don't say anything, but it's a surprise. And I was like, Oh, are you alright? And she was just like, Oh, it was supposed to be a surprise. I didn't know they were gonna come in and say hello, blah blah. Yeah. So that that's I will I will actually, yeah. First time. I will contact them for you. Yeah, that's fine.

SPEAKER_03 17:36

I don't think it would be in the issue for hours either. Time they come in.

SPEAKER_01 17:39

Yeah, yeah, I don't know if it would affect it. We'll have a conversation of when they came and I'll still contact them anyway, so please don't say anything.

SPEAKER_02 17:46

Yeah. Probably a little bit of a tip there for you, actually.

SPEAKER_01 17:50

Thank you for that. No, no, I feel like it's and the next wedding nightmare Georgia is going to text Dweller about is this. Never mind nobody showing up, them ruining the surprise.

SPEAKER_02 18:03

No, I feel like that is good to know because she was she was like, I didn't know they were gonna do that. I was like, they didn't mean to do it. It completely undone. Yeah. Okay, sorry guys.

SPEAKER_01 18:14

So budget-wise. Have you gone over budget? Have you gone over budget by?

SPEAKER_03 18:22

A little bit, a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 18:23

And is that because of one of the impulsive decisions?

SPEAKER_03 18:26

No, actually. Oh, okay. I think it I think we were very naive to the actual cost of a wedding. Right, okay. Because a lot of because I'm the last one of the friend group to of like my side friend group to get married. Someone was like, Oh, the wedding only costs like eight grand. And I'm thinking, that's venue hire guys, like what? And they're like, Oh, just don't say it's for a wedding. I'm like, that's not a thing. It's not a thing when you go to a venue, no. But like you need to know that it's a wedding. Like we're having a wedding, let's not pretend it's a birthday party, really. No. Um but yeah, they were like, Oh, the whole thing. Whole thing including honeymoon cost ten grand, and I'm like, on what planet? But also what planet?

SPEAKER_01 19:02

Was it pre-COVID? Yeah, yeah, then yeah.

SPEAKER_03 19:05

Makes a massive difference, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_01 19:07

So that's still very, very funny.

SPEAKER_03 19:09

It is yeah, it's still a budget wedding, isn't it? But you kind of have that in your head, and then we're going to go to the body.

SPEAKER_01 19:15

Do you mind saying what your budget is? You don't have to do that.

SPEAKER_03 19:17

So it started as 25, it's now 37. That's that went up a little a a bit of a jump. Yeah. Um, but in all fairness, I think I said to you on our call, didn't I? Um my dad's given us some money towards the wedding that was from because my mum's past, so it was money that was left by my mum, which we didn't know about until we got engaged. That was really, really emotional. And then he's added a little bit in because he's got a little bit excited and we've had a bit more. So to be fair, we probably have ourselves spent just over that 25, and then we've had the money from him on top of that. Yeah. Oh, well, I'm not judging Garde, you worry. So it's really gorgeous. You you see you hear these horror stories, don't you, about people's parents or people contributing and then go, you have to do this, you have to do that, that's where your money has to go, or I want to stay on this and that. But he's been really, really chill. Yeah. So it paid for my dress, um, and I'll quite a few other things because we're not a dress that expensive. Um but then like things like I've let him pick the wine that we're having for the meal, because we're not big wine drinkers, so I'll let him have that moment that way. Yeah. Um, and told him what his money's gone on, and he's been really, really chill. So really, really lucky in that sense. Um, but yeah. That's emotional then, isn't it? Yeah, really. Um, because Sam lost his mum as well not long after we got together, so it's been it's been difficult for the both of us, but it's been there during that process.

SPEAKER_01 20:33

But how have you incorporated them into this?

SPEAKER_03 20:35

So we are having not so much a specific memory table, but we've got photos from both parents' weddings, and then we've both lost our grandads as well, so we've got pictures from their weddings as well to go on like the entrance table. Oh nice. Um just like a nice little nod to them. Yeah. So I was saying we didn't want anything too morbid's probably the wrong word, but you know, when it's too very it makes it to emotionally and then it makes some people really uncomfortable. And we know it's gonna be an emotional part of the day anyway. My dad he's he's been banned from talking about my mum until the speech, at least.

SPEAKER_01 21:05

Because I'm just gonna say it now, which will probably get you on the day, is the first photo you're gonna see when you walk into that room. Because you walk into Sand Hall and that table's on the right, you won't see Sam, you'll see your mum first. You know, I'm gonna make sure it's on the end for you.

SPEAKER_03 21:21

Is that okay? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, um, I've just said my dad's not allowed to mention her because my dad will be a rack, but it'll be really, really cute. Um, and then I've got little bouquet charms as well. Yeah, they're really nice.

SPEAKER_01 21:33

So that's having those innocent nice nods to them both is I think cute.

SPEAKER_03 21:39

Nothing over the top. We didn't want an empty chair. Yeah, that I must have that really stands out and then people notice it. And it's not like we want to hide the fact that we've lost.

SPEAKER_02 21:48

No, I know, no. And you've got to protect yourself, like I said, if I if I clocked something like that, I would just be choked up that and I'd all I'd think about is the empty chair, not why I'm stood at the a at the aisle.

SPEAKER_01 21:59

Yeah. Yeah. And the there's there's a few ways you can do it. So you can do it in that way, you can do it memory um tables. You can also do it. I don't know if you've you've probably seen this on like TikTok and stuff like that, but like where you do have one empty chair and you it's been used quite a bit for father of the bride. So each bridesmaid has walked down with a bouquet, taking one flower and put it in the vase at the end of the aisle. Because then technically he's walked down the aisle with everybody. Yeah. I've seen other things as well, which is beautiful, isn't it? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:33

A bit more I think softer and more subtle. Um and it depends on kind of when unfortunately you lost that person, but like taking a piece of their clothing and uh sewing it onto the dress or we had your ceremony and actually said that um two grooms had lost it, but was it mum's?

SPEAKER_01 22:53

I think again on that one.

SPEAKER_02 22:54

They're taking the dressing gown ties or something.

SPEAKER_01 22:57

It might have been the dads, but they're taking either the dressing gown robe and tie. And time and tie. I think I might have seen something about them. Yeah, I'm sure I've seen that on the mentioned it on the pod. I was yeah, that's yeah, I know.

SPEAKER_02 23:10

It's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 23:11

Yeah, it's incredible. And the fact that you're doing that, that'll just all I'm saying this that'll be the first thing you'll see, and it'll then you'll see Sam and you'll be like, Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:19

Yeah. I'll be like, Where are the cotton buds?

SPEAKER_01 23:26

So what made you what was the one thing then with your budget that kind of was obviously that yes, you were saying you were a bit naive in terms of how much things cost over that? What was the one thing that you were like, holy fuck kind of thing?

SPEAKER_03 23:43

Probably the catering, because that adds up really, really quickly. And I was like, Were we really spending this much per person? I'm like, do I like them enough to spend this much per person? Um like, of course we do. Doesn't want to upset anybody and um yeah, mainly that, but it wasn't like any one thing in particular, I don't think. What got me was how high some people's deposits are. Because like venue dressing was like 50%, and I was like, Whoa. Oh 50% within seven days of getting the coat. I was like, oh we'd better off this video, don't we? Yeah, that's a lot.

SPEAKER_02 24:17

And then I think that's changed.

SPEAKER_03 24:20

Most people's was like 10%, but some people's was as high as 30%. And when you've got mine's 25, that's fine. Worth it. But like it's it's it's fine if it's one, but when all of them are like so different. Yeah, or all of them are so much. Yeah. I think you just want to get everything booked. Like when I because obviously I knew I wanted, once I made the decision I wanted it, and I was like, I'm not waiting to book it. We need the money. But that's partly where my dad's money helped out. Because I it was there with a little bumping, it helped with a lot of booking.

SPEAKER_02 24:52

I would have lost people. Yeah. So this is where because we were literally we budget month by month by month because we did it on our own. So it was like, well, we know by this month we'll have X amount until then.

SPEAKER_01 25:04

But this is where a lot of people now, so this is the trend we've just spoken about with um the guests before, is that people are doing last-minute bookings because of this reason, because they people from obviously yes, have met during COVID nine times out of ten that get married this year and next year, and they've been a bit more sensible with money, but also as well, is because suppliers now have had that many people cancel that they are losing out on a livelihood. Like people cancelling now, or people cancelling like this. So post-COVID. So post-COVID, I think a lot of suppliers obviously had COVID booking to cancel, X, Y, and Z, had to change things. So, like, for example, my deposit only used to be £100.

SPEAKER_03 25:49

Mine is sounds nothing, isn't it? But mine's not a big thing.

SPEAKER_01 25:51

But when you think about how much work I do pre, yeah, it's a hell of a lot. Oh yeah. So somebody could get all of that work and then used to be able to just cancel. But now it's in my contract that you can't. So obviously I've changed my Ts. How would you want to cancel Joella? Thanks, guys. But like by upping that is where I kind of was like, okay, I can just I I now charge that based on the pre-work of a small amount of the pre-work of that that I do pre-wedding. So in the event somebody didn't cancel not. Yeah, if the event somebody did cancel, say, because I've had somebody basically cancel, try to cancel two weeks out, and I was like, Well, your final balance is due, and it was due actually six, seven, eight, nine weeks ago. And I was like, I'm really sorry, but if you don't want me at the wedding, it's fine, but you still need to pay. And I I stood my ground on that one. It's the first time I've ever done that, and I felt absolutely physically sick. But they sign a contract to say that, don't they? So what happened? They went ahead to sell, and I still went to the wedding. Oh, of course. But she had been made redundant. Oh right. So that was why there was a reasoning behind that, and I did feel guilty, but at the end of the day, I've got mortgage, I've got bills, I've got a child, everything like that. The same way as you can't just go to something and but I think that's why, justifying it from a supplier's point of view, that was when I changed my deposit and my T's and C's after that had happened. Another supplier was like, You need to up that because mine's 25%, and I was like, Okay, I'll up it to 25% then.

SPEAKER_03 27:18

Yeah, but like it just adds up really quickly, and I think that was the one thing that really shocked us is how much the initial like bam payment was.

SPEAKER_01 27:27

Yeah. So, and now I'm in the final invoice trenches, and yeah, and I think from if you are planning and you've not got a venue, maybe take that into consideration. Maybe before you have put your deposit down on your venue and everything like that, maybe have a lump of money that for the suppliers that you know you want to book straight away, your planner or coordinator, your photographer and videographer, and your registrars because you do not want to lose out on that time.

SPEAKER_03 27:52

No. So we nearly didn't get our two o'clock slot. So I don't know. Santal said that they could see some of the booking things. We someone could have access to it. There's only there's only 12 and 4 left available on that day, but rings them and they might have a different time. They might have had a cancellation that's. I was like, I don't want to get married at twelve, I don't want to get married at four. I was really like, oh, I'm just gonna have to wrap my head around it. Um and then when they phoned them, they said, Oh, we've got two o'clock, and I was like, Oh my god, I'm bugger! Yeah, obviously like an absolute psychological phone and I was like, I'll have it, I'll have it. I'll have it, I'll have it. Um but yeah, I think videographer was the last time.

SPEAKER_01 28:25

Have you done your notice of marriage yet? Yes. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 28:28

Did it in January?

SPEAKER_01 28:29

Did you have a panic then? Just purely because we had a bride that we can't talk about, but um I can say this story that did the notice of marriage two weeks out and the venue had the the the timings had let them book it for the wrong date, so they had to go to the trying to end worked out in the end, they got the fine. Um but yeah, they were trying to Oh my god. So please, this is your hint to do your notice of marriage as soon as you possibly can. It doesn't need to be left until two weeks before your wedding.

SPEAKER_02 29:07

And their day was a bit different as well.

SPEAKER_01 29:10

It was very different, and we can't talk about it because I'm not allowed to talk about it.

SPEAKER_02 29:14

Yeah, anyway. Anyway, but that's book your notice of marriage, guys.

SPEAKER_01 29:18

Book your notice of marriage, even if it's a year in advance, just book your notice of marriage. Like it doesn't need to be done. The the end limit is two weeks prior.

SPEAKER_03 29:26

Did I thought it was 28 days?

SPEAKER_01 29:28

Did it legally have to be 28 days? It might be 28 days, um. Um I don't know. I got that out there for two. It might have let her book for two weeks prior, sorry, it could be 28 days, but either way, book that notice of marriage for months and months and months before you win day, just to be on the safe side and read your emails.

SPEAKER_03 29:45

Yeah. No, done.

SPEAKER_01 29:46

Yeah, done.

SPEAKER_03 29:47

Yeah. Um yeah, videographer was the last thing we booked. Wow. So that was only that was like a couple of months after we booked everything else, as well. You picked a good videographer. We did. We picked Laura at Vision Wave, she's hilarious. We just go back and forth on Instagram about country music. Um but yeah, so we booked a content creator, and I was a bit in the mindset of, oh, I don't need a videographer then, it's cheaper. And then the more and more I saw things, I was like, no, no, I want to. And it got to the point where I ended up sending Sam Laura's profile on Instagram and I said, I know you're probably gonna say no, because I know it's a lot of money and I know we've touched the budget already, da da da da da da, but we need this. And he was like, Okay, babe, if you want it, that's fine. I was like, I was expecting a fight. Yeah, I was thinking something. But straight away he was like, no, fine, if you feel that we need it and that's the one you want, then fine. Wow. So go Sam. Yeah, thanks. That's the decision you made. It will be as well. And then he was a bit on the fence about you, I'll be honest, Joella. I know until we had the call. Yeah. Because he was like, Why do we need that? And then you've got a coordinator. I said, It's not the same thing.

SPEAKER_01 30:49

And then I had to explain to him, didn't I, on the call what it was.

SPEAKER_03 30:52

I was like, Joella will do the stress for me. And he was like, Okay, let's do it then. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

unknown 30:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:58

Everyone needs a Joella. Everybody needs a Joella. So what has and hasn't helped you during the planning process? So what has helped you?

SPEAKER_03 31:08

Joella. Joella's helped me massively since we bought. I think I did all the planning before you though, so you did, you did, yeah. Can't let you take all the credit. So it's like on the day that's Joella's gonna be able to that I will actually be able to breathe and not because I think that was my main thing. I didn't want to be stressing on the day and hosting my day. Yeah. Or running my day. I wanted to be there enjoying it rather than worrying about Joella.

SPEAKER_02 31:29

You need to be here, you need to be there, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 31:31

Where other people are. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:33

I just want to You want to just be in the moment and just be able to enjoy it. And for somebody else to worry about all the timings, the stress, the worries that are going on inside of your head pre, you can just literally just show up on the day and be like, I don't care.

SPEAKER_03 31:46

Because I'm in charge all day every day at work, so to not be in charge on the day is a lesson.

SPEAKER_01 31:52

You just need somebody else to take everything that's in your head and just execute it for you. That's exactly what we do.

SPEAKER_02 31:58

So what what hasn't helped people? Any particular people?

SPEAKER_03 32:04

Can we not talk about that just yet? Guests being dramatic and unhelpful. Um people asking for plus ones. Yeah. Have you had that? Yeah. A lot of. I yeah, I had somebody um ask me for a plus one for a partner that hadn't been in their lives very long. Right.

SPEAKER_01 32:22

Um the answer is no. The answer was no.

SPEAKER_03 32:26

Um did they handle it well? Not initially. Um, but we stood firm on it and said, look, they can come in the evening if you want, because I'll I'll be six cocktails deep by then, I won't care. So turn up in the evening if you want, mate, that's absolutely fine. Um, but no, initially the daytime invite not being offered didn't go down very well. But it is what it is. It is what it is.

SPEAKER_01 32:46

It's your choice at the end of the day, and whoever you wouldn't have round to your house for tea, then don't invite them.

SPEAKER_03 32:51

And if you don't want to come because you're not getting a plus one, you've saved me some money. Thank you very much. And a friendship.

SPEAKER_01 32:57

Um yeah, it's true though. It's big time.

SPEAKER_02 33:00

People turn people turn feral.

SPEAKER_01 33:06

Yeah.

unknown 33:07

True.

SPEAKER_02 33:08

Like that. I'm just like, no, I'm gonna be even more awkward.

SPEAKER_01 33:10

They're like, no. People become like feral when it becomes they become entitled is the best feral. They are like, oh my god, a wedding. Well we forget what it's about. Yeah. I don't get why they all think they've got it's a wedding input in a few. It happens to weddings, it happens when you have a baby. When you first initially have a baby and everybody wants to meet that baby. I can tell you now, Paisley's met some people she's never gonna fucking see in the rest of her life. Excuse my French. But like they're not friends anymore because they haven't bothered through the hard times, and it'll be the it's the exact same th with wedding planning. If they haven't been there for your tough moments during that and everything else, then they don't deserve an invitation in my ass. Clip that yeah, that's the title.

SPEAKER_02 33:57

So I guess you said the biggest shock about the wedding kind of side was like the deposits, would you say?

SPEAKER_03 34:02

Yeah, I think so.

SPEAKER_02 34:03

Yeah, um, I suppose, yeah, that question's been answered. So have you found any part of the wedding planning, like any particular section that's been the most stressful? I know you've been really organised, so I guess for you you're probably gonna be like, no.

SPEAKER_03 34:17

Honestly, it's gonna be really unhelpful, but I found it really I've really enjoyed it. Well that's no, that's a good idea. I just kind of ran with it. And I think people talk about weddings being so stressful, and it's it's now I've got everything planned and my brain's kind of running over everything. You're finding it even more stressful. Now I'm like have I forgotten something. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, and this is where Joel is getting all these uh wedding scaries nightmares from. Because I'm like, what what if, what if, what if? And have I done the right thing. So like almost too organised. Yeah, because I did it all straight away and now I've just been left to sit and think about it. Yeah. And it's not like I'm questioning any of the decisions that I made, I'm really like set in the people that we've chosen. You've got more time to think.

SPEAKER_02 34:57

Yeah, yeah. Enjoy that space that you like, fill it with or the bridal celebration, like go and treat yourself to a massage or whatever it is. You know what? Just milk it. Yeah, basically can. Yeah. Go and have a picnic and talk about all things weddings and nothing else. You know what I mean? Like it doesn't have to cost a lot. Get the girls round, get whoever round, have a cup of tea, even do it paid party night. Yeah. I love that. Yeah. You know, like to fill your time with pretty and nice things, not like sat there on rocking on the sofa. Texting Joella, oh my god, oh my god, I'm gonna go.

SPEAKER_01 35:33

Because obviously Sam works through the night. Yeah. So you have that time to yourself where you can't talk about it, and that's probably the hardest thing because like you are literally like passing ships. So like you're I'm just left with my thoughts. Yeah, in a way, in a way, yeah. I was like that. So like, and because uh I say Mean does nights and then days, so like the whiteboard was brilliant. So you are like passing ships, so your thoughts are probably thought of and a because I know when I'm alone, I'm thinking like ping, ping, ping, ping. But like maybe trying that alone time, maybe try and pick up, and this is what I was saying to you the other day, changing your mindset and picking up something else to do, whether it be a hobby or whether it's going to see friends a lot more, like you enjoy this time because post-wedding you'll be in those wedding that big ass wedding.

SPEAKER_03 36:22

It's gonna hit me like a train.

SPEAKER_02 36:25

I don't like to talk about it, but then at the same time, I do like to prepare myself.

SPEAKER_03 36:27

It's not talked about enough. No, and that's the thing. I think so many people don't talk about it, and then they talk about it hitting them. So I'm like, if I prepare myself for it, maybe I can trick my brain into not being bothered. Have things planned after your wedding, they don't have to cost anything. So we're going on honeymoon straightaway as well.

SPEAKER_01 36:42

And I know you say it's like no, or it's when you get back from honeymoon, have things prepped. It's w it it's when you will feel those blues kicking in. So because you'll be like, what do I do now with my time? What do I do now with my money? Like your weekend or save it.

SPEAKER_02 36:57

When you you and Sam spend time together, have a meal booked, yeah, go to a new food place that you've not been before. Like honestly, it sounds so silly and dramatic, but then you'll be like, Well, next weekend we've got this, and gradually you'll you won't forget that you've just got married at all, you'll be buzzing, but it'll feel a lot lighter, it'll be a lighter blow rather than just being sat there like that's it now, like that is it.

SPEAKER_03 37:21

What was my personality before wedding plotting? Because it's just entirely it's my new era.

SPEAKER_02 37:28

Have um you and Sam had any big disagreements?

SPEAKER_03 37:32

Um not really, and I think because he's so laid back and he is so chilled, isn't he? Um and because he said, I don't I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to weddings, so you kinda lead the way. Yeah, it's been easier. Yeah, and there's been a couple of things where he's gone, I don't know if we need that, and I've just agreed, chipped away, and then and all those things have been booked. Although he has said no to the ice cream cart in the evening, which I'm very, very upset about. Should he's really put his foot down about that as well.

SPEAKER_01 38:08

I might just bring a tub of ice cream and you can make your own two tubs of Ben and Jerry and you're like it was really funny.

SPEAKER_03 38:15

Our first plan of meeting at Sand Hall, and they were talking about like the little bits. And I'm as you can tell, I'm the easiest person in the world to upsell to. It's a problem. Hang on, hang on. You have also got stuff. I have done a I've got some really, really good deals. So we booked by a certain date, we got three cocktails in the evening. Um, they said if we if we book a three-course meal, we get three canopies. And I was like, well, obviously I'm gonna get more food for the same amount of money. You landed on your feet there. Big time, hasn't she? So then at our first plan in meeting at Santal and we're running through like what we were thinking for the day and whatever. She went, Oh yeah, you could have with the tea and coffee station, you could have these chocolate truffles. They're only two pounds per person. And Sam went, Absolutely not. And I'm going, but Sam, chocolate. And he's like, We're having a three-course meal, they're having pudding, they're having cake. Do they need chocolate truffles? And I was like, No, yes. And he's going, no, Judge. And he firmly put his foot down, he was like, That's £160 on chocolate truffles. We are not spending £160 on chocolate truffles. Or do I be like, he'd be like, You have to eat every single one of these to make it worth it. I've got I'm with Sam on that.

SPEAKER_01 39:24

I am I am as well. I like this guy. I agree, I do agree with him on this one. Like, podcast over and cut. No, I I I do agree with him because I think you've put that money now, yeah, elsewhere. We have, and it's gonna be way more fun. Exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 39:43

Is there any particular trend that you refuse to do? The Isle dip. Oh, really? Not for you.

SPEAKER_03 39:49

I didn't know that. If he drops me, I would die.

SPEAKER_01 39:52

Yeah, but you practice. Would you do it would you do it though with your content creator, videographer, and away from everybody else? Yeah, probably.

SPEAKER_02 40:02

Okay, I'm gonna put on your final details, but no. Have you seen this new one? So instead of the doing the the aisle dip, they kiss um he kisses your hand instead of that's like the dip. That's really cute. Yes, but yeah, yeah, and they're like walking, laughing, and then he just goes.

SPEAKER_03 40:14

I feel like you see some aisle dips and you can tell they've been really, really rehearsed, and it just looks really stiff and awkward and like overly practiced. And I'm like, that's not the cute fluid movement that you want it to be, especially when you see the video of it. I'm like, Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 40:27

You know what it is, it's when the groom goes to the to the whoever it is, but shall we do it now? Yeah, and you're like, it's meant to be just a yeah, like a casual thing. Yeah, although I loved ours and the photo the the photo that we have is our iconic.

SPEAKER_03 40:41

I think they are stunning. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 40:43

I just have a fear of being dropped in front of everyone.

SPEAKER_01 40:45

I just need to adding it in now. Paul need to do a I'll to do a dip with them. Both on their own. In private.

SPEAKER_02 40:58

In private. So I know you said like you've actually loved planning, but there's so there's nothing you hated about it really. It it's been the people side of things.

SPEAKER_01 41:08

I was just gonna say, like, because obviously, yes, you've said no to having the arguments with Sam, but have you had any with anybody else?

SPEAKER_03 41:14

Um, not so much arguments. Um, I think we can talk about it a little bit. Um you don't have to if you don't want to. We can. Okay. If they listen, they'll find out. Um the hen party drama. So I think you had it on one of your bridal spirals a little while back, didn't you? Well, it was sweet. But then we had a lovely message off you today. So we had a lot of people that I would have expected to be making an effort, but didn't. Um and the hen party got cancelled, but my maid of honour is plotting something, we shall say. Um but so yeah, it's just been it's been disappointing rather than arguments because I've not made it an argument, but but it has been that's been the hardest bit is being let down by people. Yeah, and people that I've shown up for over the years through their weddings, their children, everything I've been there that haven't done that for me. It's been really, really hard, and that that's been the bit that's I think upset me a lot of the way.

SPEAKER_02 42:11

This is a wedding podcast, but I experience things like that as well, fully relate. But then for me, it's it's taught me things outside of the wedding. Mm-hmm. And I needed it.

SPEAKER_03 42:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 42:32

It don't always be available. No. That's what it's taught me. It's okay to say no. Like with with with in friendship things like FOMO, stuff like that. Say no. I'm not I can't say no in work. But I j I just think like that's it, really. There's nothing else to say on it.

SPEAKER_01 42:50

It'll show you as well who shows up post-wedding too. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Big time. And those people will make an effort and they'll sing you from the high hilltops.

SPEAKER_03 42:59

So that that's been hard, but then it's it's showing me the people that really do want to make the effort. Yeah. It's been it's been hard, but it's been makes you appreciate those that are there, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_02 43:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 43:11

Yeah. Okay. So what is the best money you spent on your wedding? It's gotta be, surely.

SPEAKER_02 43:20

Honestly. I'm not even just saying Life made ceiling.

SPEAKER_03 43:26

Honestly, though, because I'm so I'm such an anxious person anyway, and my brain does run at a million miles an hour at all times, like day and night, and my dreams carry on. Like I'm just non-stop all the time. Um, just having because obviously Sam's not gonna be with me in the morning and my bridesmaids will be, but they're probably not gonna zen me as much as probably need to be. Having somebody that's in control of the day for me, so I'm not then going, is that in the right place? Is that doing that? Who's there? They've turned up or d da da da da da. Having somebody else to take that off me is worth its weight in gold. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 44:06

Yeah, I know, 100%. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 44:09

And then if we're gonna go for non-Joella, yeah, please do. Probably Paul, a photographer.

SPEAKER_01 44:14

Because he is Paul's so wonderful. He's Zen as well, actually. Isn't it? He's so so tell everybody what you did for your engagement shoot, please, because this is brilliant. And if you if you have got one booked in, please do something outside the box. It wasn't meant to be outside the box. I know, but it's fantastic.

SPEAKER_03 44:33

Originally we were gonna go for a walk um round Marbury Park in Northwich, because we live literally down the road from it. First one got rained off, and I mean proper, proper rained off. Um we were trying to work out an indoor thing that we could do instead of that one, but it was half term, and I was like, nothing's gonna work. So I rearranged it again for a walk round Marbury, and then we had the yellow weather warning for wind, and I was like, I can't rearrange again. This is so bad. But it was on a Thursday afternoon, so I was like, surely we can do something indoors. Sat there for ages thinking, what can we do that's not gonna be awful, it's not gonna be like really awkward. And then Sam, it was Sam's idea actually, it's all credit to him. He went, Well, why don't we do one of our like date days? And I'm like, Well, what are you thinking? He said, Let's go bowling.

SPEAKER_02 45:14

Ah, you were speaking about this at Swanley, though, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 45:16

Yeah, so we went bowling around the arcade at Cheshire Roads. Oh, no way, and it it was so much fun. Those photos are probably the photos to show you after they were so fantastic.

SPEAKER_01 45:27

Maybe all right if we share them on social. Absolutely, yeah. Okay, yeah. Recorded prefit.

SPEAKER_03 45:33

It was just it was so much fun. And it was I was I'm really, really awkward meeting people for the first time, and then cameras, because I'm like really not looking at there's a camera in my face right now. So Paul had sat there and we'd just had a bit of a chat first, and he'd just rested his camera on the table, not touching it, and I was like, there's a camera. Um Sam took to it like a doctor water. There's a photo of him just like posing like this, looking dead in the camera, and I'm like, why do you look so good? I actually hate you. Why do you look so good?

SPEAKER_02 46:00

You never have to try, do you? No, it's really annoying.

SPEAKER_03 46:03

Infuriating, he'd had a haircut that morning, his bird trimmed, and I was like, So did Paul just put these in the arcade or something.

SPEAKER_01 46:11

Paul also played with them. Yeah. He did the bowling match with them. Did he? So we included him with the bowling.

SPEAKER_03 46:17

Oh no, no. Sorry, Paul, no. But we we added his name as paparazzi. Because obviously he had his camera. Then you went for food as well. We did, we went to Five Guys afterwards. Yeah, so we got some photos in Five Guys as well. No, uh it was like the arcade to start with, then the bowling, and then to Five Guys, it was like three different things. Did you feel like anyone was watching, or did you just complete nice? No, it's okay, yeah. And after a while I kind of got used to the fact that Paul was there with a camera because I had like turning away from it. Yeah. Um, just naturally.

SPEAKER_01 46:47

I think Paul messaged me and sent a picture. We were chatting about you in Five Guys. Was it you that sent me the photo or was it Paul?

SPEAKER_03 46:54

No, Paul sent it to you. Did he? Because we were talking about suppliers that we'd booked, because um I think Laura would have been his recommended for videographer, but we'd kind of just naturally created the ADN. I want to say you put it in the suppliers group chat, not to me. And I was saying about Joelle and I went, oh yeah, same Joelle.

SPEAKER_01 47:10

And he was like, I'm gonna text her that, she's gonna love it. I'm gonna find this vote because it was a it's a cracking vote. When did you have the shoot again? Um it would have been March. Middle of March.

SPEAKER_03 47:23

March.

SPEAKER_00 47:26

How do they ever put anything into this group?

SPEAKER_01 47:29

Oh yeah. There we go.

SPEAKER_02 47:31

Oh amazing! Five guys is the one as well. So good. I absolutely love five guys.

SPEAKER_03 47:38

Yeah, what a great idea. Brilliant, absolutely fantastic. And it was so nice to meet him before the day as well. So 100% would recommend an engagement shoot.

SPEAKER_02 47:47

He was absolutely slamming loads out of it at Swanley, wasn't he?

SPEAKER_01 47:50

Yeah, engagement shoots he did. Yeah, yeah, he did them there at the same time as a wedding fair.

unknown 47:55

I know.

SPEAKER_02 47:56

I know, and it looks so good because I think he was actually editing some and then put some on socials the same day as the I can't wait to see your photos because they're gonna just look stunning.

SPEAKER_01 48:06

So good. And also like Paul will laugh at me saying this, but the height difference of us all is gonna be so funny on the day. Paul's tiny. Yeah, Paul's my height, same category. That's okay, Paul. More friends here. Uh literally, honestly, he is fantastic. He's picked a cracking photographer. So close second to I'll tell him that he was second choice, and I'm gonna hold now. Hold that against him. And there we are, listen to us and be like, there's still time.

SPEAKER_02 48:41

So, do you have the iconic question? Oh god. A bridal spiral. I know we've mentioned about a few of yours in the past, but nobody knows who it is that are obviously um popping the note.

SPEAKER_03 48:56

Shall I tell you about one of the voice notes I sent to Joella recently? I think it was like an eight-minute long voice note, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_02 49:01

About Wow, you put Joella's voice notes to a test.

SPEAKER_03 49:04

Honest to God, between us. I have to listen on 1.5 speed.

SPEAKER_01 49:08

She's on two on mine, don't worry. Yeah, don't worry, I'm on. She's like it's funny because like when I send a voice note to Johnny at work, like I'm just leaving the house, I've not done this, this, this, and this. Like, please, can you do this, this, this, and this? And then he'll just put K. And I'm like, K? I've just sent you a two-minute voice note.

SPEAKER_03 49:24

K go on, tell me, tell me about yours. An eight-minute long voice note ranting about um I'm trying to find tables being cluttered.

SPEAKER_01 49:34

Right. It's seven minutes 39. There you go. Not quite. No, no, no, the one before that was ten minutes and five. No, it was that one. There was a lot of rants going on that day.

SPEAKER_03 49:44

So we're having like four different conversations, like voice notes going back and forth, and each one was about a different thing. It was it got quite confusing in the end, didn't it? I was like, I don't know which one I'm responding to. I was like, I'll see you on Monday. Yeah, we'll talk about it then. Um so you know, when you look at a table and you've got obviously your plate, you've got your side plate, you've got your wine, glass and wife, you've got multiple things of cutlery, you've got two wine glasses and a champagne glass and a water glass. And I'm like, why do we need this many glasses? Plus, then if someone gets a beer, they're gonna have the beer glass on there. If someone else gets a cocktail, it's gonna have that on there. I said, I can't deal with this much cluster on the table. I look at a photo and I go, No, it's too busy.

SPEAKER_01 50:21

So we're keeping things off the table for when you come into the room for room announcements, but then putting things back onto the table so that when you sit down, you're not gonna see it because it'll be on somebody else's table. And then we're keeping things to one side, aka the toast drinks, because they can just get past and served rather than mean on the table.

SPEAKER_03 50:38

Because my thought process was why do you need the toast glass on the table? Because you're happy after. Yeah, so why would you need it on the table prior? Prior. Yeah. It just looks cluttered when you've got so many sets of cutlery and so many glasses.

SPEAKER_02 50:52

Have you got rid of um the wine glasses? We've only had a lot of.

SPEAKER_03 50:56

Well, this is a bit of an argument with my dad about it. He was like, Well, one's for white wine, one's for red wine. I said, Who's gonna know the difference? He was like, Oh, well, white wine you hold it by the stem and red wine you hold it by the thing. I was like, nobody sorry, so nobody's gonna care enough to know that.

SPEAKER_01 51:08

We're literally just gonna have one wine glass and then if you were having your toast before, I would have said one wine glass and proseco on the table, fine. But because you have new speeches afterwards, perfectly.

SPEAKER_02 51:19

It's like that scene in Pretty Woman, isn't it? Where she's like, Yeah, what cutlery do I get for?

SPEAKER_03 51:24

I think it's pretty woman. Oh well, I don't think that's that bad of a bridal spiral. I mean, it was a seven-minute 39-second voice note, rant about it so it's like I can talk, I can talk for Britain, honestly.

SPEAKER_01 51:37

I'm like, give me a voice note. I've just had a bride consultation before the podcast didn't know, and I was like, if you want to send me a voice note, it's fine. She's like, no maiden. And I was like, you might want to listen to me on 2.5 because of the reason we have a podcast.

SPEAKER_03 51:51

I think my one before that was the um the plus one drama, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_01 51:54

Oh, yes, it was, yeah, because we put a post-up on socials.

SPEAKER_03 51:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 51:58

So on that note, I feel like we definitely need to share your engagement photos or a couple of so people can see that and get a bit of inspect. Thank you so much. Yeah, and thanks so much for coming on and sharing pre-wedding thoughts, plans, dramas.

SPEAKER_01 52:13

Um get you on afterwards and live in your l live your wedding bubble over again.

SPEAKER_02 52:18

Do you think Sam would come on?

SPEAKER_03 52:19

Probably. I don't know, maybe.

SPEAKER_02 52:22

Yeah, let's get food involved. Probably maybe get food involved your books.

SPEAKER_03 52:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 52:27

Maybe that's an option, Joella. That's an option.

SPEAKER_03 52:29

Describe him. Maybe. Every like five minutes he's just nodding.

SPEAKER_01 52:34

Oh, so cute, bless him. So, Joella, where can everybody find us? On Instagram, TikTok, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and it's at the Ile Diaries Podcast and email address email at the oh no, it's not.

SPEAKER_02 52:53

The Ild Diaries Podcast at gmail.com, guys. I do know it.

SPEAKER_01 52:56

Please put in your bridal spiral.

SPEAKER_02 52:59

Yeah, I keep coming, info, whatever it is, drama. Yeah, we need it all.