Warwickshire &amp; West Midlands


<p>Seriously, you’re engaged?! If you were one of the lucky couples to pop or receive the question over Christmas or New Year, this one’s for you – all the wedding tips and advice from a planner with a whopping 16 years experience at one of the West Mid&#8217;s top venues.</p>



<p><a href="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/coombe-abbey-hotel/">Coombe Abbey</a> is a former Cistercian abbey, home to 500-acres of lush Capability Brown parkland and gardens &#8211; the ideal place to get hitched, right? Weddings manager Joanne Evans has helped organise everything from lavish ceremonies to intimate gatherings, so safe to say she knows her stuff. We picked her brains on tips to organise an awesome day and how to make it run as smoothly as possible. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-120-1000x667.jpg" alt="Coombe Abbey wedding" class="wp-image-58982" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-120-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-120-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-120-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-120.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image by Doherty Photography</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-don-t-plan-your-wedding-around-the-weather">Don&#8217;t plan your wedding around the weather</h2>



<p>You&#8217;re in the UK lady! The weather here&#8217;s unpredictable and there&#8217;s no guarantee of sunshine even in summer. Instead of focusing on the temperamental British forecast, chose a date that&#8217;s significant to you. Control what you can, like choosing a venue where you can take stunning snaps and paying your photographer to stay a little longer to capture day and those stunning evening shots. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-enjoy-planning-amp-don-t-sweat-the-small-stuff">Enjoy planning &amp; don&#8217;t sweat the small stuff </h2>



<p>Wedding planning takes yonks, but the day itself passes in the blink of an eye so try not to stress over the little things. It’s inevitable some things won’t go perfectly &#8211; you can adapt and there’s often no need to worry! Savour the processes like selecting the suits and choosing the catering as these are the once-in-a-lifetime memories you&#8217;ll have long after the big day. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-124-1000x667.jpg" alt="bride groom wedding disposable camera" class="wp-image-58985" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-124-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-124-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-124-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-124.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-explore-special-venues">Explore special venues</h2>



<p>Like <a href="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/travel/review-coombe-abbey-hotel-coventry/">Coombe Abbey</a>! But I am a bit bias! Don&#8217;t assume a dream venue is out of reach. I often meet couples who think Coombe Abbey or St Mary&#8217;s Guildhall in Coventry city centre are a pipe dream, but they&#8217;re often surprised when they visit and see what&#8217;s available. Don&#8217;t rule out any location until you&#8217;ve had a chat with the team, with a little creativity we can often make your vision a reality without breaking the bank. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-115-1000x667.jpg" alt="Coombe Abbey
" class="wp-image-58978" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-115-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-115-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-115-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-115.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-don-t-rule-out-a-weekday-wedding">Don&#8217;t rule out a weekday wedding</h2>



<p>People are usually happy to take a day off work for something as special as a wedding. More importantly, they&#8217;re cheaper! A top wedding tip is to keep an eye out for last minute venue cancellations too as you can often bag a unique opportunity at a fraction of the cost. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-make-it-fun-and-personal">Make it fun and personal</h2>



<p>Think about what you and your other half love. With your music choices and reading consider adding several with meaningful content, and add in homemade decor and flower arrangements to make the day uniquely yours. The same with the food &#8211; choose what you both enjoy rather than sticking to &#8216;safe&#8217; (*cough* boring!) options. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-121-1000x667.jpg" alt="wedding flowers " class="wp-image-58983" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-121-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-121-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-121-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-121.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chilled-weddings-are-in">Chilled weddings are in</h2>



<p>Hold the silver service! Relaxed weddings are becoming increasingly more popular, with a laid-back celebration instead of the traditional structure. It&#8217;s great for those wanting to keep their big day intimate but informal. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-big-day">The big day&#8230;</h2>



<p>Have fun while you&#8217;re getting ready &#8211; this means limit the number of people getting ready in your room to a maximum of four so you&#8217;ve got room and it&#8217;s less stressful. Make sure you as a couple also set aside 30 minutes of alone time during the big day to connect and enjoy the moment. Equally as important is to get the venue to save two slices of cake &#8211; it&#8217;s amazing how many couples don&#8217;t get to enjoy their own showstopper!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-comfort-is-key">Comfort is key</h2>



<p>There&#8217;s nothing worse than new shoes rubbing! Use a hot spoon and water to soften the fabric so you&#8217;re not hobbling around with blisters &#8211; and if the worst should happen, kick them off and dance!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-123-1000x667.jpg" alt="wedding shoes bride groom" class="wp-image-58984" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-123-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-123-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-123-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/01/Untitled-design-123.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Thinking of booking a wedding at Coombe? Joanne and the team&#8217;s on hand to offer expert wedding tips and advice to hold your perfect wedding. See you at the altar!</p>



<p><strong><em><a href="https://www.coombeabbey.com/product/mediaeval-banquet-2/">Coombe Abbey</a>, Brinklow Road, Binley, Warwickshire, CV3 2AB. Tel: 02476 450 450</em></strong></p>


DING DONG! Wedding tips for 2025 brides

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