Just got engaged and have no idea where to start with wedding planning? You're in the right place. 💍

We're BACK for Season 5 of I Do & Updos and we're officially on tour! This season we're coming to you from a treehouse at The Fish Hotel in Broadway, in the heart of the Cotswolds. Some of you might have got engaged here, had a cheeky weekend away or even a mini moon (Laura honeymooned here, so cue the nostalgia).

Kicking off the season with us is wedding planner and coordinator Hollie from Hollie B Events, who works with couples across the UK, Europe and beyond. She's calm in the chaos, carries a builder's case to weddings and is basically every couple's number one hype girl.

We're answering YOUR questions about wedding planning, from setting a wedding budget to choosing the right suppliers, plus the behind the scenes wedding day mishaps you never hear about.
✨ In this episode we chat about:

📅 The most popular months to get married in the UK
August took the top spot in 2025, with September close behind at 12% of weddings. We chat about seasonal venue pricing, why weekday weddings are booming and why autumn and winter weddings deserve way more love (hello candles, black tie and venues already decked out for Christmas).

💍 What to do first after getting engaged
Hollie's number one tip? Enjoy being engaged! Then sit down together and have an honest conversation about what you actually want. A £50k wedding or a £15k wedding and six months travelling? Get on the same page first.

💷 How to work out your wedding budget
Figuring out your priorities, what you can save each month and asking family the genius question: ”Do you want to invest in us?” Plus one bride's clever saving hack: every time she buys something for herself, she matches it in the wedding pot.

🚩 How to choose the right wedding suppliers (and spot the red flags)
Trust your gut, never let anyone scare you into booking and PLEASE read your contracts. Check names, dates and the year, and write the month out in words so nobody mixes up the 7th of August with the 8th of July.

🏰 Wedding planner vs in-house venue coordinator: what's the difference?
The question every newly engaged couple asks. Hollie explains why the venue team looks after the venue, while your planner or on the day coordinator looks after YOU, from supplier communication and timelines to managing family politics.

😱 Wedding day mishaps
A caterer refusing to deal with guest allergies, an espresso martini down the back of a wedding dress (soda water is your best friend) and a groom-built stage the brass band refused to stand on.

⏰ How to keep your wedding morning on schedule
Build in buffers, don't try to cram everything in and keep your sparkler photo to your wedding party rather than all 120 guests.

👜 What's in a wedding planner's emergency kit?
Scissors, safety pins, ribbon, hairspray, a makeup touch up kit and a portable drinks cooler for a secret post-ceremony fizz moment. You'll want to copy this list for your own wedding day survival kit, especially for DIY and dry hire weddings.

💐 The Season 5 bouquet toss
Dry hire or venue wedding? Hollie shares her dream glasshouse wedding and a stately home wedding that turned into a full Oktoberfest halfway through the evening.

🎧 Grab a cuppa and settle in. Whether you're newly engaged or deep in planning, this one's packed with real wedding planning advice from someone who does it every single weekend.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Welcome to Season 5: on tour at The Fish, Cotswolds
01:36 Nuptial news: the most popular wedding months in the UK
04:00 Weekday weddings and autumn and winter weddings
06:21 Meet Hollie from Hollie B Events
07:00 What to do first after getting engaged
10:18 How to set a wedding budget
15:30 How to choose the right wedding suppliers
19:20 Wedding planner vs venue coordinator
22:58 Biggest wedding day mishaps
26:02 Our most memorable weddings
30:03 How to keep a wedding day on schedule
33:21 What's in a wedding planner's bum bag
37:46 The one thing every couple should know
38:08 Season 5 bouquet toss: dry hire vs venue weddings
42:07 Where to find Hollie

💬 YOUR TURN
Dry hire or venue wedding? Tell us in the comments 👇

And don't forget to follow, subscribe and share I Do & Updos with your newly engaged bestie. 💍✨

Find Hollie: Hollie B Events @holliebevents https://www.holliebevents.com/

Recorded at: The Fish Hotel, Farncombe Estate, Broadway, Cotswolds https://farncombeestate.co.uk/
Season 5 bouquet by: Carrie Newnam Scott floral designs https://www.carrienewnamscott.com/
This episode is supported by: Wedquaters https://wedquarters.com 

Hey babes! Send us a message here to get in touch with the show! Laura & Katie x

We'd like to say a big thanks once again to producer Vickey from VS voices and Visuals for hosting us and to Samuel Legge Photography for our branding photos! Produced by VS Voices and Visuals

Websites – https://www.voicesandvisuals.co.uk

Samuel Legge Photography:

https://www.samuellleggephotography.com/

Season 5 was filmed at The Fancombe Estate

https://farncombeestate.co.uk/