Weddings in Cornwall & Devon

At Afire Love Wedding and Event Planning we aim to make every wedding the best day of your life. Here's how we work together with you:

1. Discovery Session
The first and most important part will be your free discovery session with us. At this stage we get to know you as a couple, how you met, your journey together so far and how planning your big day and discussing it makes you feel. We then look at what ideas you have, the themes you'd like, the colours, what guests you'd like to invite and an overall plan of how you envisage your big day and your journey along the way. It is also important to clarify that it is perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed and have absolutely no ideas whatsoever, that is what we are here to help you with. Finally we look at your budget and how we can plan your big day in accordance to that budget. Whether you have a small budget or a large budget with our creativity and outside the box thinking it shouldn't matter how much you have to spend we can still create something spectacular and memorable. We will also discuss the honeymoon because although most of the planning is about the wedding day and the lead up to it, we like to think of the honeymoon as being just as important. This is because with all the hard work of planning for the big day, you as a newly married couple should also have the honeymoon you deserve and need.

2. The Contract
Once we have had our discovery session with you, we will arrange to meet with you to discuss the contract for us to plan for your big day. At Afire Love we ask for 10% of your budget for our wedding planning services and at the time of signing the contract, we ask for a small deposit of £250.

3. Venue viewings
Whether you are looking for a rustic barn in the middle of nowhere to host your big day, a church or somewhere out of this world. We will take you on a journey to visit all kinds of venues and help you envisage your big day which allows you to get a feel for the venue and whether you feel it is right for you or not. We discuss what matters to you whether your religion matters or whether it's just having those near and dear to you on your big day. Also in the discussion we talk legalities and whether you'd like a civil ceremony and get married in a totally unique venue with a celebrant or an officiant, or the more traditional route of a building in accordance to your religion and we also talk about elopements. These are all important when deciding what your big day and the all important venue will finally look and feel.
It is also important to think about the venue where your reception will take place. Whether you'd like the reception to be held in the same place as the ceremony is entirely up to you as a couple and what your budget allows.

4. The guest list
When we have assisted you in finding your venue for that perfect day we then take a look at the guest list and who you'd like to invite. This takes into account the capacity of each venue you have chosen and it is important to note that this is YOUR day, so if there are certain people you don't want to invite but feel you should, just think about what you want for your day.

5. Saying yes to the dress and suit shopping
Brides, it's time to get your girlfriends to get her as we are going dress shopping! We will accompany you to visit the best bridal and dress shops to find your perfect style and ultimately that all important wedding dress and dresses for your bridesmaids. Of course there always has to be time for a glass of champagne. Once you have found 'the one', we will then provide you with a seamstress who will be on hand should the dresses need any adjustments or altering.
Men, get the lads together as you are all off suit hunting. Don't worry you won't be left to fend for yourselves and you won't be having a woman tagging along. We send you and the lads off with one of our male colleagues to try on suits and see what styles you like and what fits in with the wedding and they will then be tailored to your needs. Whether you're hiring or buying we can ensure you are marriage material on your big day.

6. Vendors
We will meet with you again 3 months after the initial discovery session to discuss vendors. This includes, caterers and trying samples of food from different suppliers, transport and how you would like to travel in style, photographer, flowers and the bouquet and boutonnieres, table scaping, chair decorating, cake decorators to discuss that all important cake (or you may decide to forego the cake and opt for something unique!). You may want a rustic bar or cocktails, you may even want a marquee in the middle of a field, it is entirely up to you. Within the list of suppliers we also look at how to decorate the venues and whether we need to order things from different suppliers to make your big day perfect!

7. It's the little things that count
In this section we look at favours for your wedding party and gifts for your best man, maid of honour and those all important bridesmaids and family. At Afire Love we like to come up with something that is unique and something that will last and be with people for years to come so they remember how special your moments were.

8. The table plan
The table plan can be quite a logistical nightmare for many couples and has been known to cause quite a lot of stress. But never fear, we are on hand to help your shift through those nightmares. It can especially difficult if certain members of your family don't get on together so, sitting Dora next to flora who constantly argue will not set you up for the best day of your life, however it still could be memorable! But we draw up a plan which enables you to play around and seat guests where you feel they would be best seated.

9. Timings
As wedding planners at this point we will discuss what times you want each moment to happen. For example, a wedding in a church may start at 2 which means you need your hair and makeup for you and all your bridesmaids from about 10am in order to finish on time to be picked up by the transport and be taken to the church. Usually, church ceremonies last about 45 minutes and the you have all the photos with the photographer. But where will your guests go while you have your photos taken? What time do you think the wedding breakfast should start? What time would you like to cut the cake and have your first dance? These are all the logistics we can arrange with you and for you to ensure you have seamless perfection.
Once the timings are in place we as the planners will then contact each vendor or supplier to ensure they are still alright to go ahead as your supplier and arrange timings with them.

10. Stag/Hen/Sten planning
The all important last night as singletons. This is where we speak to you individually and find out what you would like to do for that last weekend of freedom. Whether you want to celebrate in this country or abroad on a fun filled adventure we are there to make that happen. We can also give you pointers on where the best places to visit are and what is trending at the moment for stag and hen parties. Whether you want to be loud and proud or relaxed we will make it happen. You may however would like to consider a Sten do. Sten do's are becoming more and more popular because it means the couple can celebrate together with all their friends and family.

11. The rehearsal dinner and practice run
So, we have the venue, we have the dress and suits, we have the rings and we have the guests. Now it's that time to get together at the venue of your choosing and practice the ceremony in full. Whether you have bridesmaids and a best man, where they will stand, who will walk down the aisle first, which bridesmaid will hold the bouquet, who will walk the bride or groom down the aisle and also if you've chosen specific music we need to ensure it all runs how you want it to run. After we have the rehearsal and dinner which is kind of chilled and gives you a chance to thank everyone who is involved, maybe give out any gifts and generally making sure everyone and everything is prepared.

12. The big day and ever after
Having gone through all these stages, with us by your side. It is now time for us to really deliver the best possible and seamless day of your life. We ensure the hair and makeup artist is with you the bride on time, the dresses and suits are where they should be, flowers and arrangements are delivered and decorated and basically ensure everything is as it should be for when you arrive at your ceremony. Anything you need on the day, you will have a team that is bespoke and only focused on you the whole journey and on the big day.