Wedding co-ordinator Roxy Onea is the go-to woman for brides and grooms planning a perfect day in the beautiful surroundings of the Tudor Park Marriott Hotel & Country Club.

The 25-year-old has already helped hundreds of happy couples tie the knot in style and as the New Year – and a new wedding season – beckons, she shares her trade secrets and top tips for organising a seamless, stress-free day.

What is your favourite thing about being a wedding coordinator?

Making people happy and helping brides and grooms make everything perfect for their special day. It’s nice to know that you have been a big part of the most important day of people’s lives – that feeling never gets old.

What would your main piece of advice be to newly engaged couples?

Planning a wedding can be stressful, but if you take it slow and get organised it can be a really enjoyable process – as it should be. Also, don’t be afraid to ask your suppliers lots of questions, they’re the experts but it is your big day, so it is important they know exactly what you want and you know exactly what they can offer.

What is the first thing a newly engaged couple should do when they start planning the wedding?

Be realistic about your budget and prioritise finding and booking your perfect venue. Once you know the venue then you can build the rest of your wedding around it.

Is there any way to keep things stress-free?

Organisation, organisation, organisation – the more you do, the easier it will be. With Pinterest and endless wedding apps and magazines it can be so easy to get carried away with planning and the budget available, so keep track of everything – mood boards and excel spreadsheets will soon become your bible. 

What trends have you seen in 2015 and what trends do you predict for 2016/2017?

In general we are seeing more exotic themes and ‘out of the box’ ideas, it’s nice to see brides and grooms putting a really unique spin on their big day.

Photo booths continue to keep guests amused during evening celebrations and are a perfect keepsake for guests and the couple alike, these are now expanding into video booths, which are also becoming popular.

Pastel colours and vintage themes were huge this summer and monochrome has been a big theme for winter weddings.  But next year we are predicting even brighter ‘pops’ of colour in decorations and themes. Food-wise, themed buffets, hog roasts, BBQs and food trucks will all be popular – couples are opting for a casual approach over a formal sit down meal.

What are your top tips for making the most of the big day?

Take a step back and let it all sink in – this is your day and everyone is there to celebrate with you. Try your best not to worry – let your expert wedding team take care of all the practical arrangements while you concentrate on enjoying yourselves and spending time with your loved ones.

Tudor Park Marriott, Ashford Road, Bearsted, Maidstone ME14 4NQ

http://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/tdmgs-tudor-park-marriott-hotel-and-country-club/