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While many individuals imagine \u2018wedding season\u2019 to be primarily in the summertime months, in actual fact it tends to stretch out languorously all year long like our cat Boots in his favourite sunny spot. In 2025 our first wedding was in April and the last in December, meaning that all year long we work on a rolling cycle of planning, designing and delivering. Once I\u2019m not physically at a marriage or within the office, you\u2019ll find me on planning trips, site visits, food tastings, industry networking events, symposiums, conferences and, yes, plenty of Zoom calls. At the top of 2025 I\u2019ve banked 35+ flights, worked on 11 weddings, attended 8+ industry events, and secured one very special award \u2013 so when you\u2019ve ever wondered \u2018what does a marriage planner do all 12 months?\u2019, that is our very Elegante 12 months in review.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
What does a marriage planner do all 12 months? <\/b><\/h2>\nOver a decade since I first began wedding planning, here is how 12 months in business pans out.<\/b><\/h3>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
January-March<\/b><\/h4>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
In the primary few months of the 12 months we dived into the main points for 2025 weddings and laid plenty of the groundwork for 2026.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Site visits<\/i><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Once your venue has been chosen and also you\u2019ve began to construct an image of how your wedding day will flow and what elements shall be included, it\u2019s crucial that we have now a site visit. Actually standing within the space and envisioning how things will feel and look, meeting with the venue team that shall be present on the day, and physically getting the lay of the land for things like supplier load in, kitchen access and so forth are all vital steps that shouldn\u2019t be missed. We may do greater than considered one of these for every wedding. In 2025, we:<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nVisited London\u2019s Corinthia hotel for a site visit for Emily and Louis\u2019 wedding which might happen there in April\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\nFlew to Sottogrande via Gibraltar for a site visit at a brand latest venue; newly opened locations or those which can be latest to us at Elegante are especially vital to plan site visits at<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Venue search trips<\/i><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n For our couples having destination weddings, most of the time we’ll go together on a venue search trip to their chosen country. Seeing a venue online and seeing it in person are two very different experiences, and it is just not unusual for us to make requests of wedding venues which can be outside of their normal \u2018packages\u2019 or previous events. Early within the 12 months, we went on two venue search trips with our couples:<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nFirst to Florence, considered one of our favourite parts of Italy, to view venues for his or her May 2026 wedding \u2013 we’re currently deep within the planning process for them, and really much looking forward to their celebration at considered one of our most loved venues (but you\u2019ll have to return back in May to search out out which one!)<\/span><\/li>\nWe also headed to Sicily with one other of our 2026 couples, and whilst there selected their <\/span>castello<\/span><\/i> venue where they\u2019ll have their wedding in June\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Planning trips<\/i><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Site visits, venue search trips and planning trips all serve distinct purposes at different points in the method. What number of planning trips we go on is determined by various aspects, but the primary few months of 2025 were particularly busy with these!<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nWe went to Portugal twice (once in January and once in March) for Emily and Avery\u2019s May wedding; first for a food tasting with their caterer, and secondly for logistics planning. I met with all of their suppliers on site at their venue, ensuring each meticulous detail had been discussed and agreed \u2013 that is invaluable to permit everyone to reach at the marriage feeling confident, excited, and with one goal in mind: deliver an exceptional experience for our couple<\/span><\/li>\nIn March I also headed to Spain on a planning trip for Chhaya and Harry\u2019s multi-site wedding, visiting each Barcelona and Sitges for food tasting and detail-diving<\/span><\/li>\nBarely less far afield, we also had a food tasting for Emily and Louis\u2019 upcoming wedding with their caterer in London<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
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While it might sound frivolous to your wedding planner to attend your food tasting, it\u2019s actually very vital \u2013 discussing menu options, requesting changes and negotiating all of this inside the confines of a contract can turn into complex. In fact, it\u2019s a stunning experience to sit down down with my couples and get a flavour (pun intended) of what\u2019s to return at their wedding, but I\u2019m there in an expert capability to make sure everyone seems to be on the identical page. Any catering issues in your wedding day are <\/span>very<\/span><\/i> noticeable to your guests, so I work proactively together with your team each throughout the planning and on the day to make sure every part is smooth\u2026and delicious!<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Industry events<\/i><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n After greater than 10 years of wedding planning, I even have learnt to turn into selective with the industry events I attend \u2013 I now know what is helpful and what just makes a busy calendar, so I\u2019m very intentional with the networking I do nowadays. Every industry event serves a purpose.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nIn early February I took part in La Lista\u2019s Hyde Park walk event, where couples joined us for a stroll across the park to talk about planning their wedding in Italy and were in a position to get suggestions and advice from various planners and professionals<\/span><\/li>\nIn January I went to RSVP Club\u2019s \u2018Breakfast at Tiffany\u2019s\u2019 at Harrods in London, a networking group I absolutely love being a component of<\/span><\/li>\nFinally, I flew to Palermo in Sicily for an event with Italy 4 Weddings \u2013 a probability for wedding professionals to attach with venues and vendors throughout Italy. I used to be hosted on the fabulous Rocco Forte Villa Igea for 3 days, and met so many wonderful individuals who I do know I’ll recommend to my couples in future<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Other notable events <\/span><\/i>in the primary few months of the 12 months were two of our couples getting featured in Smashing The Glass, dozens of planning meets via Zoom and in-office, flower sampling meetings, latest client consultations and detailed logistics conversations to make sure the granular details are only as fabulous as the larger design picture.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Whew, quite the beginning to 2025!\u00a0<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
April-June<\/b><\/h4>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
During April-June there was, in fact, many more hours of planning, chatting to potential latest clients, and all of the vital day after day business jobs we are able to\u2019t do without. Skipping over the repetitive parts, here were the highlights of those few months:<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Weddings<\/i><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\nEmily and Louis on the Corinthia in London; a chic Jewish wedding which was later featured on Smashing The Glass<\/span><\/li>\nEmily and Avery in Portugal; a stunning celebration within the Algarve, happening partially at Emily\u2019s grandfather\u2019s home, partially at a shocking venue crammed with orange groves, and partially at a non-public beach club. You\u2019ll find the link to their very own blog at the top of this one, a whopping 5 events over 4 days!<\/span><\/li>\nWe also travelled to Spain for Chhaya and Harry\u2019s multicultural, multisite, multiday wedding which consisted of 5 events over 3 days and saw us mixing Hindu and Jewish wedding customs to create something <\/span>magical<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
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More planning trips!<\/i><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\nOne among our 2026 couples is getting married in Tuscany, so we flew on the market for a planning trip with them\u2026<\/span><\/li>\n\u2026Followed immediately by a flight on to Sicily. Back to back planning trips have turn into more of the norm as we at the moment are so busy with destination weddings, and it\u2019s an absolute pleasure to be so!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Highlight of the 12 months!<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
Absolutely the high point of the 12 months got here at the top of April after I attended the RSVP Symposium in Vienna \u2013 I had the privilege of firstly speaking on the event, presenting to my peers, after which winning <\/span>Favourite Destination Wedding Planner <\/b>on the Awards Gala \u2013 all while in fancy dress, as you\u2019ll see below!<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
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July-December<\/b><\/h4>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
The latter half of 2025 consisted of yet more beautiful weddings, more latest clients, more exciting plans for 2026\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nIn August I headed off on more venue search trips for our 2026 couples, touring around Tuscany, Florence and Portugal. This couple got here to me knowing they wanted a destination wedding, but not quite sure which country to decide on \u2013 I narrowed it down in keeping with their transient, and we viewed plenty of venues until we found their perfect fit\u2026<\/span><\/li>\n\u2026Which just so happened to be in Athens! If you work with Team Elegante on planning your wedding, we’re meticulous in our search to search out the correct venue and suppliers for <\/span>you<\/span><\/i> \u2013 not the box we\u2019d such as you to suit into, or limited to what we\u2019ve done before. It could take several countries and dozens of venues to search out it, but find it we’ll. Where there\u2019s Elegante, there\u2019s a way.<\/span><\/li>\nThe top of August saw us at the enduring Kew Gardens for Annabel and Oli\u2019s wedding, happening inside the famous glasshouses \u2013 we still love working on celebrations closer to home in London, and are all the time up for the logistical challenge of a marriage in a public space.<\/span><\/li>\nSeptember and October were for planning trips \u2013 Florence, Rome, Sicily and Athens, all on our 2026 weddings schedule and all of which we\u2019re very much looking forward to<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Did we now have an in-house travel concierge?<\/strong> Your destination wedding is in protected hands, with a dedicated team member to handle hotel room blocks to your guests, support you and your family members with their travel plans, and even help plan your honeymoon \u2013 also they are present at your wedding to be certain that every part runs easily.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nWe also attended more industry events; RSVP Tuscany symposium, a FAM trip in Puglia to go to latest venues and expand our repertoire, and an Italian wedding conference in Florence<\/span><\/li>\nWe crescendo in December with our final wedding of the 12 months in Essex!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Looking back, it\u2019s hard to consider we got quite a lot done at Team Elegante \u2013 but I thrive on the work I do with my couples and the relationships I construct with them, and love the time I spend with my colleagues, friends and latest connections within the industry. I\u2019m all the time in search of ways to proceed growing, learning and providing our signature Elegante Excellence to our couples.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
All weddings, features and highlights mentioned listed here are linked below when you\u2019d wish to explore more of any of them:<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
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FAQ: What does a marriage planner do all 12 months?<\/b><\/h2>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
What’s the most well-liked time of 12 months for weddings?<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Traditionally the summer months remain popular for weddings, but increasingly more couples are favouring the shoulder seasons or winter celebrations for various reasons. For destination weddings it will probably be clever to avoid the height of summer, because the weather might be extremely hot and costs are sometimes higher \u2013 there may be also a time period in Italy when the locals leave the cities to flee the oppressive heat, which might make finding suppliers trickier.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lots of our weddings are for Jewish couples, and each 12 months there may be a 3 week period which falls inside the summer months when weddings will not be allowed. Because of this, plenty of our weddings happen within the months either side of the summer as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nTake a take a look at our 2026 Jewish wedding calendar to see when the three weeks falls next 12 months.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
How long does it take to plan a marriage?<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll have noticed we’re continuously busy with planning weddings all year long, even during our busiest months once we are also delivering weddings in various places around Europe. It’s because our couples\u2019 lead times vary \u2013 anything from 6 weeks to 18 months \u2013 and the timeline we work on adjusts accordingly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nRead our blog \u2018how one can plan a marriage in 6 weeks\u2019 <\/strong><\/span>for every part you should learn about shorter turnaround times.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
What number of weddings does Elegante by Michelle J plan every year?<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
The precise variety of weddings Elegante by Michelle J plans per 12 months varies, but we’re most definitely not a \u2018wedding factory\u2019. The number is often on the lower side because we work with more generous budgets, complex plans, and sometimes over multiple days and in various locations. We truly want every couple to <\/span>feel <\/span><\/i>as if they’re our only priority, and the extent of service we deliver simply can\u2019t be replicated on a bigger scale. Our motto is that working with us seems like \u2018a hug, not a handshake\u2019 \u2013 it\u2019s warm and private in addition to being skilled and experienced, so we keep our circle of couples small and sweet.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
We frequently tackle each full-service planning clients and Elegante Piccolo clients every year \u2013 discover the difference in <\/span>this blog<\/i><\/strong><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
What does a marriage planner do when not at a marriage?<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Other than the planning and delivering of weddings and the networking and connection opportunities, I’m also a business owner. This implies marketing, website updates, resource creation, collaboration outreach\u2026complacency and being \u2018too comfortable\u2019 has never moved my business forward in the identical way that continuously striving to evolve and do things that feel latest and barely scary has. That is something I even have incessantly shared at speaking opportunities on stages and podcasts through the years \u2013 there may be all the time room to learn and grow, even with such a wonderful 12 months as 2025 just gone and an exciting 2026 ahead.<\/span><\/p>\nCONTACT MICHELLE FOR WEDDING PLANNING SERVICES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
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