Expert tips: Planning a wedding: Germany's well-known TV wedding planner gives valuable tips

According to the Federal Statistical Office, exactly 357,785 marriages were concluded in Germany in 2021.

Expert tips: Planning a wedding: Germany's well-known TV wedding planner gives valuable tips

According to the Federal Statistical Office, exactly 357,785 marriages were concluded in Germany in 2021. So it is important to think about when and where to celebrate in good time in order not to stand in front of fully booked locations or to be turned away by caterers. The planning can overwhelm many a person who wants to marry. How much time should be scheduled? What budget is necessary? What needs to be considered? In order to find answers to all the questions that prospective bridal couples ask themselves, the star spoke to TV wedding planner Froonck – who does not like to read his real name in the press.

Froonck became known in 2005 for the reality show "Sarah

Froonck, wedding planning is your specialty. You have gained a lot of experience throughout your professional career. What was a particular challenge for you? I've had a few challenges (laughs). For example, the wedding of Sarah Conner and Marc Terenzi back then. The order came very quickly. We had three months to prepare everything. The conditions pushed all my capacity: my first celebrity wedding, my first wedding abroad, and my first wedding to be televised. Then there was the filming. I was constantly traveling between Berlin, Wildeshausen and Barcelona. I couldn't have taken more pressure, I think!

Three months of planning time is clearly not enough. Not for us as professionals for weddings without TV, but for the bridal couples themselves, who are laypeople in this area, definitely! A preparation period of one year would be ideal. However, this also depends on the season. If you want to get married in the high season from May to September, you should take care of locations and caterers early on, because the great ones can be booked up very quickly. If you then want to go to a different region than your place of residence or abroad, it is sometimes even advisable to plan a year and a half in advance.

What is the minimum cost of a wedding? The most important parameter is the number of people. Because the biggest expense at a wedding are catering costs. And they are charged per person. The prices are then between 80 euros and 300 euros per person - depending on which food and drinks you want to offer. Then there are the other basics: The minimum is the location, decorations such as flowers, DJ, photographers, styling. Not to forget the outfits, i.e. wedding dress, suit and rings. Of course, the costs also depend on the duration of the event or the scope and quality level of the provider. Then there are things that are 'nice to have': videographer, photo booth, sweet table, classic car, gifts for guests

When should invitation cards be sent? At least six months in advance. Because the guests have to be able to plan early enough and, especially during the holiday season, for example, submit vacations. You should also make sure that there are no events such as a football championship or any other major event at the time. I recommend sending out save-the-date cards for dates that are in high demand as soon as the date for the wedding ceremony has been set or the location has been set. Then the guests can save the date. And at a later point in time, around three months before the event, you can then send out the invitation cards with further information in a relaxed manner.

When should the wedding dress be bought? This is an issue that the bride should tackle very early on. The clothes "off the peg", i.e. not individually made to measure, require up to nine months production time, but at least six months because they come from abroad. If you go to a store and find a model, the dress then has to be produced for the bride and then possibly adjusted. Order and production times are six to eight months. Many get married in the summer, so providers have a lot to do at the beginning of the year. You should take note of that.

Registry office vs. church or free wedding: what needs to be considered? At the registry office, the large, white wedding dress is a no-go. Personally, it is always important to me that everything is harmonious and perfectly coordinated - the visual aesthetics. If you go into a historic town hall, for example, you can get a bit upset. But you should hold back in official rooms, which tend to be cool and plain. The dress has to match the atmosphere, the style of the location.

What can help with planning? There are plenty of how-to books. I once wrote a book myself, in which I share what I have learned from stories I have experienced. I also give countless tips in my series "4 weddings and a dream trip". Instructions in books are good, especially for the couples who are lay people. And I recommend sharing with friends who are already married and who you can trust. At the beginning, each couple should get together and define the cornerstones of their wedding, i.e. compare wishes and ideas and expectations. And the couple should make it clear right at the beginning of the planning whether they want help from family and friends or whether they want to distance themselves from it. One should ask the question: are we doing this as a couple or is this a family matter? Many see it differently. In addition, all costs should be calculated at the beginning.

Has something ever gone really wrong at one of your planned weddings? Luckily no one has yet said no (laughs). But of course there were exciting backstage stories where something didn't work out as planned. Once a band arrived without a suitcase, so we had to organize clothes at short notice. Then a bride's dress tore just before entering the church. I then held it together with pins. Our emergency kit is always with us. It also happened that the food for the service providers was so bad that we spontaneously organized pizza. In general, always stay flexible and always have a plan B.

Source: Federal Statistical Office

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