Wedding traditions aren’t for everyone. In fact, if you are feminist, a modern couple or same-sex, some of these traditions simply won’t work.

So in today’s episode, I’m breaking down 7 wedding traditions, why we do them and what you could do instead. If any of these traditions give you the ick, you can just ditch them.

Note: if you embrace any of these traditions (I did!), no judgement here either. Your wedding, your way.

There are a few steps to finding the perfect wedding dress! From understanding your silhouette to having a realistic wedding dress shopping timeline and everything in between, we’re covering it in this week’s podcast episode.

A special thank you to this week’s guest expert: Dawn from Lamelia Bridal Studio.

If you are trying to decide between assigned seating or letting guests choose where to sit, you’re in the right place! By the time it comes to this part of your wedding planning, you’ve already made hundreds of other decisions. We don’t blame you if you’re feeling a bit confused and unsure of what to do. In this post, we have cleared defined assigned seating vs no assigned seating, we’ve listed pros and cons, and offered some helpful alternatives.

It’s no surprise that one of the best parts of your wedding will be hanging out with your friends and family! After all, celebrating your love with your nearest and dearest is kind of the point, isn’t it? Your day is YOUR day, but there’s no reason you can’t go out of your way to look after your wedding guests. We’ve compiled all our expert tips so you know just how to do that! From seating them thoughtfully, to keeping the comfy in summer or winter, and considering how Covid may affect them, we’ve got it all.

>> Which Season is the Best to Get Married in? https://open.spotify.com/episode/3mOAjtTcIv358sPNBT8Yz8?si=eb3dbbb21890479f

Knowing which entertainment you want is one thing, but knowing how to plan and coordinate it so you and your guests get the most out of it... well, that's a totally different thing, and that's what we're talking about today! Joining me are two amazing experts:

Magician and Mentalist, Jamie Skelton: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/jamie-skelton-magician-mentalist

Alan from Long Time Coming Wedding Band: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/long-time-coming-wedding-band

In this episode, we're answering all of your questions about hen parties in Ireland! We enlisted the help of expert, Shane McCrann from Elite Hen Parties to help us unpack everything you need to know.

Elite Hen Parties: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/elite-hen-parties

With Saturdays and Summer dates quickly booking up, you may be looking at having a midweek wedding! I think this is a fab idea and in this week's podcast episode, I'm sharing WHY I love midweek weddings and HOW to make one work for you.

You asked and we delivered! So many of you have been asking questions about childcare and entertainment at weddings. Specifically, who organises it, what entertainment options are there, and how do we pull this off? Well today, we've got two resident experts sharing their advice and answering all your questions! 

Aisling Ross, The Wedding Nanny: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/the-wedding-nanny

Timmy Keane, Timtim Media: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/timtim-media

Wedding planning is FULL of making decisions and keeping track of to-do lists. It's no wonder, there are a few things that people forget! This list of 8 things will keep you on track with things couples often forget to think about when planning their wedding.

Download our free wedding planning checklist here: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/blog/the-ultimate-wedding-planning-checklist/

If you’ve been together for a number of years, you might find that you’re running out of creative date night ideas. Well, we hear you and we’ve made a list of some fun options to suit all budgets. Your best date nights don’t have to consist of spending lots of money on fancy food (unless that’s what you love!). Our list includes lots of free, affordable and at-home date ideas.

Getting married is a magical thing, no matter when you do it! But there are benefits to each season of the year, flowers that bloom particularly beautifully and weather-dependent activities you can embrace. If you're not sure when to tie the knot, or you've picked a date but you want to include seasonal activities, then this week's podcast episode is for you!

A huge thank you to this week's wedding planning expert, Judi Roche from Balla Florists: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/balla-florists

Visit the blog here: weddingsonline.ie/blog/episode-fifteen

Last week's episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Sw3AMUS9XGNq9t9t2Q6nm?si=c974932b252a4bad 

When it comes to planning a wedding, there’s no way you’re going to please everyone. You may have already been given unsolicited advice from your family and friends, but in reality, your vision and plans are what matter most. But if you want your guests to have an incredible time at your wedding, you may want to think about the things they love and hate. Not surprisingly, there are things guests hate at weddings and it’s important to pay attention to them.

This feedback is meant to be really practical and helpful, so don’t panic. We still love that couples are doing things their own way, but it’s possible to have a wedding you and your guests all love!

Join me and self-professed "wedding lover", Everita Kenny as we help you plan out your wedding day timeline! Grab a notebook and pen so you can take notes!

Everita's brand new wedding planning book is coming out soon - keep an eye on her website for more information: everitakennyweddings.com

Once you’ve selected your wedding venue, your next task is to consider how you can bring everything together beautifully. This is where wedding table shapes come in!

You may be asking yourself:

• Who is going to sit where?
• How many tables can we fit in our venue?
• How many people can fit at each table?

If limiting your carbon footprint and saving the planet is up your alley, then you’re in the right place! Sustainability-conscious couples, today we're sharing a ton of oh-so-simple ways you can make sure you've got ethics at the heart of your Big Day.

A BIG thank you to Judi Roche for her expert tips on finding locally grown flowers! >> https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/balla-florists

If you have ever attended a wedding, you’ll know that the worst thing you can experience is long, awkward gaps of time where you’ve got nothing to do. As a former wedding coordinator, I’ve got a few really practical things you can do to make sure there are no awkward gaps of time where your guests are sitting around wondering what to do.

In this episode, Romy McAuley and Louise Bradshaw continue to answer YOUR questions about getting legally married in Ireland! 

Today's questions: What are the different types of legal ceremonies in Ireland? If you have a humanist ceremony in Ireland, will the marriage be legally recognised in the UK? If you have a Catholic groom and a church of Ireland bride, how does this work legally? Can my friend officiate my wedding? 

Romy McAuley: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/romy-mcauley-solemniser-celebrant-a-beautiful-ceremony

Louise Bradshaw: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/louise-bradshaw-celebrant-and-hse-registered-wedding-solemniser

In this much-anticipated episode, Louise Bradshaw and Romy McAuley join me and answer all of your questions about getting legally married in Ireland! 

Ever wondered how you can fit your dream wedding into your budget? There are some creative ways to save and other areas that you'll regret skimping on. We're covering ALL of it in this episode!

You want your besties to have an amazing time on your wedding day, right? Well, there are a few really simple things you can do to take care of them, show your appreciate and make things easy on them.   

A big thank you to this week's wedding planning experts:  

Presley Blue Boutique: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/presley-blue-boutique  

Hanalee Studios: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/hanalee-studios

Weddings are always fun - don't get me wrong - but if you want to set yours apart, then inject a little personality! In this episode of Wedding Wednesdays, I'm walking you through exactly how to do that!

Thank you to this week's wedding planning experts:

Aisling, The Wedding Nanny - https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/the-wedding-nanny 

Martina, Rocket Pyrotechnics - https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/rocket-pyro 

With so much to think about while planning a wedding, it’s no wonder couples make a few blunders along the way. We’ve identified a few common mistakes couples make while wedding planning and we want to show you how to avoid them. Plan your wedding like a pro with this expert advice! You’ll thank us later!  

A special shoutout to this week's wedding planning expert, Colin Fahy: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/colin-fahy-wedding-singer  

Join the community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/helpimgettingmarried  

Wedding planning checklist: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/blog/the-ultimate-wedding-planning-checklist/

There are 9 ways to personalise your wedding ceremony and in this episode, we're talking about all of them! From ditching traditions, to adding all your favourite songs, you'll feel inspired to create a wedding ceremony that properly represents you as a couple.  

A special thank you to this week's wedding planning expert, Olivia Romeo. Check her out: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/olivia-romeo-singer-and-pianist

In this episode, we're going through 7 questions you can ask in order to determine what your wedding budget will be!   

HIGM Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/helpimgettingmarried  

weddingsonline Survey:  https://www.weddingsonline.ie/blog/weddingsonline-survey-2022/  

A huge thank you to our wedding expert for today, Caroline Dunne from the Help I'm Getting Married Facebook community!   

Got questions we can cover in future episodes? Send an email to kelly@weddingsonline.ie :)

I’ve made a list of 10 things that everyone forgets to plan for their wedding. And when I say they are make or break, I’m not exaggerating! The great news is that most of these won’t cost you anything extra, but will help you to plan a stress-free wedding that’s enjoyable for everyone.

Dates for 2025: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/blog/important-irish-dates-for-2025/

In this episode, I spoke with Dearbhaile Shiels, an incredible wedding planner and overall expert on all things weddings. She shared some expert tips with me on how to plan your wedding without going insane! It's totally possible! 

>> Wedding Planning Checklist: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/blog/the-ultimate-wedding-planning-checklist/

>> Join the community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/helpimgettingmarried

For all your wedding planning questions that we can cover in future episodes, please email kelly@weddingsonline.ie 

In our very first episode of the Wedding Wednesdays with weddingsonline podcast, we are covering everything you need to do when you first get engaged.   

Hello and welcome to Wedding Wednesdays with weddingsonline! My name is Kelly and I'm a former wedding planner and a blogger and I'm obsessed with weddings. If you're planning a wedding in Ireland, you're in the right place. You’re going to learn the tried and tested methods to planning your dream wedding without the added stress. Think of this as your one-stop-shop for everything to do with planning your wedding in Ireland, with me, your new wedding planning bestie and a cup of tea! This is Wedding Wednesdays with weddingsonline!

A HUGE thank you to this week's wedding planning expert, Caroline Dunne, from the 'Help! I'm Getting Married' Facebook group. 

Links:

Wedding planning checklist: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/blog/the-ultimate-wedding-planning-checklist/

HIGM Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/helpimgettingmarried

I'm using my experience as a wedding planner, blogger and podcaster to share the 7 things I'd do before booking any wedding suppliers... as well as which suppliers I'd book first!

Helpful links:

Sign up with weddingsonline - https://www.weddingsonline.ie/planner/register

Download the weddingsonline app - https://apps.apple.com/ie/app/weddingsonline-ie/id6503473769

Join the 'Help! I'm Getting Married' Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/helpimgettingmarried

Free 12 month checklist - https://www.weddingsonline.ie/blog/your-12-month-wedding-planning-checklist/

If you’ve ever had a question about wedding ceremonies in Ireland, this is for you! Join us for the final part in this series, where guest experts are answering your most common wedding ceremony questions. This week’s theme is all about the legal side of things! 

THANK YOU to this week’s guest experts:

Keane Harley, Brenda O Grady, Lorraine Walker, Brian Twomey, and Steve Rawson! 

If you’ve ever had a question about wedding ceremonies in Ireland, this is for you! Join us for part 2 of 3, where guest experts are answering your most common wedding ceremony questions. This week’s theme is all about wedding ceremony content! 

THANK YOU to this week’s guest experts:

Soulful Ceremonies, Catherine O Connor, Pat Clarke-Browne, Celebrancy by Rebecca, and Celebrant Lisa

If you've ever had a question about wedding ceremonies in Ireland, this is for you! Join us for part 1 of 3, where guest experts are answering your most common wedding ceremony questions.

Visit weddingsonline.ie/blog for a written version of this podcast episode, along with links to the guest experts.

Your guests’ first glimpse of your wedding is through the invitations! Just like your personalities and style, as a couple and just like your wedding theme, your invitations can be as unique and personalised! 

In fact, there are a few elements in each wedding invitation which provide opportunities for couples to add their personal style. A big thank you to Donna from Amore Stationery and Hazel from Coill Design for sharing their expert advice in this episode! 

I had the privilege of interviewing the fabulous Catherine Casey of The Marketing Club. She recently got married and we chatted about her wedding, including some very special personal touches, her horrific wedding dress experience and a piece of advice I’ve never heard a bride give before (it’s good).

Today we're talking about bridal hair care! There are four common mistakes brides tend to make, so I've enlisted the help of two fabulous wedding hair care experts. They're helping me to articulate what these mistakes are, how you can avoid them and what you can do instead.

Emma K Creative Styling: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/emma-k-creative-styling

Dani Pattison Hair: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/dani-pattison-hair

There are three groups of people who need to get to your wedding on time: the suppliers (you don't have to worry about them), your wedding party and your guests. Today we're talking about practical things you can do to make sure everyone gets to the wedding on time and there are no delays or hiccups to your schedule.

It’s destination wedding planning time! Today we are specifically talking about the planning side of things. I’m joined by two guest experts who know what they’re talking about with all things destination weddings. 

A HUGE thank you to Moments by Elisa and James of VisitMalta for joining me today!

If you are stressed about your wedding, then this is for you! Whether you’re getting married next week, you’re about halfway and you’re stressed about the budget, or you’ve just begun and you’re overwhelmed by all the tasks to get done… there’s something here for everyone! Today we’re getting really practical and dealing with wedding anxiety!

Wedding Planning Checklist: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/blog/your-12-month-wedding-planning-checklist/

Guided Meditation: https://open.spotify.com/episode/442VJtJgkb17hN1MqSyWvP?si=7vLvIudLShCHPfcd6-FjzA&nd=1&dlsi=486aeaca00f14084

How To Be More Present: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4GXW6SzV6WIpX7T5AVD9Ae?si=ip-W6uuMShmTNslgy1u2mg&nd=1&dlsi=39cd0cf569ee4d5e

It’s our 100th episode and we’re talking about wedding regrets. In fact, we got such a great response to the question ‘Do you have any wedding regrets?‘ that we’re sharing a bunch of the most common ones!

First up: this episode isn’t here to scare you. Instead, you’ll learn what other couples regret, and exactly how to plan so you don’t have regrets of your own.

References:

Ep 43: Wedding morning timeline: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7nY58Q40p4RMoqY8ffgS2J?si=ab16e71ac084460e

Ep 90: Wedding timing mistakes: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1rdw9sZKWtvzRN9agytaDq?si=2d0c500295e9465f

Ep 44: Top tier of your wedding cake: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ebSp8he5IRRdFHgWN1qdQ?si=ed88011ed17c4eaf

Ep 50: Wedding cake sizing guide: https://open.spotify.com/episode/28AsuNnTLtAMePY47v1RCD?si=0e8b03c4835e4113

Ep 79: All the wedding photos you'll ever need: https://open.spotify.com/episode/74765HCn3T09rKIzctWKOE?si=d368b61f91eb4b9c

Oof, this is a tricky one to navigate. If you’re wondering what to do if you hate your bridesmaids dress, then this is for you!

First up: it’s usually the bride who chooses what everybody will wear and often this is a representation of the theme of the wedding and the bride’s style. So, keep in mind that the dress usually isn’t meant to highlight you.

Brides always go out of their way to pick something that’s flattering on most body types but sometimes you just hate the dress! It may be that your style and the bride’s are different and the dress just isn’t something you love. Or it might be that the dress doesn’t fit you properly and it’s actually unwearable.

Here’s what makes a wedding feel cheap:

When you try to replicate a big, expensive wedding and make cheap swaps. I’ll walk you through some things I’ve seen couples do, and some things you might be tempted to do… I’ll tell you why it feels cheap and what you can do instead!

The best thing about this wedding trend is that it gets guests involved in the action!!!

It’s all about creating moments where guests are involved and not passively watching the wedding happen around them. 

Today I’m going to share some really cute and creative ways you can host interactive wedding entertainment.

The First Dance is a beautiful moment where you dance together in front of your loved ones. But it’s not for everyone! 

Maybe you don’t like all eyes on you, maybe you have two left feet or maybe you just want to do something different! Check out these first dance alternatives…

Finding your Dream Wedding Venue is one of the most important factors in planning your wedding. 

The venue will determine your whole wedding vibe, look and feel you are after, for this reason, you must sit down and discuss with each other exactly the type of wedding you want and atmosphere you wish to create. 

You also need to decide on guest numbers, and you need a defined budget set in place before you start. Once you’ve thoroughly discussed this then you should be ready to start the exciting first step – Finding Your Dream Venue!

At the end of this episode, I’ll share a brief list of ways that you will know that you’ve found ‘The One’ - so make sure you listen to the end!!!

This episode is a little different, because it was filmed LIVE at the weddingsonline Awards Gala Dinner earlier this month. I chatted with some of Ireland's best wedding suppliers and asked for their top tips for couples. So if you've ever wanted to hear golden nuggets of mind-blowing wedding tips from the pros, then this is it!

A HUGE thank you to our fabulous suppliers for revealing their top tips:

Lyrath Estate Hotel, Ballykealey House, Sensational Events, Bryan McDonnell and weddingsonline's own Dearbhaile Shiels!

If you are neurodivergent, it doesn’t mean you can’t have the wedding of your dreams! 

When we picture weddings, we often have visions of a big, lavish affair with lots of beautiful decor and a celebration fit for royalty. You might feel like this is the type of wedding you have to have, and maybe it’s what you want. But maybe the idea of the wedding itself is causing too much stress to bear. 

Maybe it’s the fear of being the centre of attention, perhaps you have sensory needs or social anxiety about crowds…

Well, the wedding is a moment to commemorate the day you’ve chosen to exchange vows and commit yourself to your partner. So you can get married the way you want to! 

A BIG thank you to this week’s guest experts:

Edel O’Flynn - https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/edel-oflynn-registered-solemniser#media

Entwined Wedding Videography - https://www.weddingsonline.ie/suppliers/entwined-wedding-videography

While planning your wedding, there are several hundred tasks to be done! Getting the timing right is the secret to remaining sane. I’ve shared many times before that there are some tasks that you must leave for the home stretch (things like creating a seating chart). But there are also tasks that couples tend to put off… today I’m sharing a list of tasks that you absolutely can’t leave to the last minute!

If you are choosing to do a First Dance at your wedding, then this episode is for you! There are a few common First Dance mistakes that couples make - but you don’t have to. Take a listen to these mistakes and exactly how you can avoid them…

If you’ve always pictured a full dance floor at your wedding, with all your guests having the time of their lives, then this is for you! A full dance floor doesn’t just happen, there are a few strategic things you can do to make sure everybody has a great time - including you!

Timing, as they say, is everything. This statement is especially true when it comes to weddings. In fact, most of the wedding planning mistakes I see have to do with timing! Want to make sure you avoid these wedding timing mistakes? Here’s what to do instead:

For anybody who works a full time job and is also planning a wedding, you’re probably finding it hard to get everything done. So, today I’m walking you through some super practical ways you can plan your wedding without losing your job - or going insane!