Brides most common questions

Lisa Smith, Creative Director at Isla & Smith Weddings, answers some of her brides most common questions.

We can't really work out the budget-what should we be looking at? The budget is the hardest part of the planning process because it's so hard to know where to start! The best thing to do is prioritise your top 3 must-haves and what you're least fussed about.

If you're both foodies and love great food and wine, then look to spend a good proportion of your budget here.

If interior design is more your thing, then the venue will be your top priority. Elements such as cake, flowers and stationary can all be creatively budgeted if they're not a priority but can still be really beautiful and impressive when you know how-it's all about juggling that all important budget and knowing where to splurge and where to pull back.

We want to have a destination wedding but have no idea where to start! Which country do we pick? As amazing as the world is with so many beautiful locations, it can be a minefield when deciding where to say "I do". The best thing to do is think of somewhere that is special to you as a couple and how feasible it is for guests to fly to. The further away the wedding from your home country, the fewer guests you will have (which can sometimes be a good thing regarding budget). Tropical destinations such as Bali, Thailand and Mexico have particular rain fall months which don't always fit with school holidays for example and European countries such as Spain, France and Italy have special marriage laws if you have your heart set on a legal ceremony. Hire a planner to navigate you through this tricky process and let them take care of the logistics for you.

I've seen so many amazing ideas on Pinterest I don't know where to start or what my style is! This is completely natural and although Pinterest is a fantastic source of inspiration, it can also blind you with too many ideas until you get confused. Start with what colours you like and your favourites flowers for example, then work from there. Are you a rustic bride or minimalist? Do you like vivid colours or a neutral palette? As wedding designers, we're trained to pick out common themes in what you're pinning to create a more cohesive and streamlined look. Once you take away the many images you started with, you're left with your dream wedding. It's also best not to start too early on the styling as your tastes will change. 6-9 months before is great!