Trailer: Belfast woman competes for Ultimate Wedding Planner title in new BBC series

So, it’s little wonder that many brides and grooms turn to the professionals for help, but how do you know if the so-called experts will be any better at picking the right flowers than you are? Well, Ultimate Wedding Planner should give you a few hints on what to look for – and even who to hire.

The new series rounds up eight aspiring wedding planners, including former hairdresser Chantelle from Belfast, and gets them to create some spectacular ceremonies.

Overseeing their efforts will be three judges and mentors who between them know pretty much all there is to know about what makes the perfect big day.

Sara Davies is probably best known for being one of the investors on Dragons’ Den, but she earned her place in that show with her craft business, which began when she spotted a gap in the market for a tool that could create bespoke envelopes for handmade cards.

So, she’ll be looking for those little, unique details that make a wedding feel special, but she’ll also be keeping an eye on the spending.

Sara says: “Ultimate Wedding Planner brings back that much needed romance and joy we have missed over the last couple of years. I can’t wait to see what our planners conjure up to create our couples’ dream day.

“I’ll be putting the wedding planners through their paces and making sure they create the perfect finishing touches. They’ll need to be imaginative, resourceful and able to react in an ever-changing environment but most importantly they better stay in budget!”

Joining her on the panel is Fred Sirieix, who has helped to bring couples together on First Dates, but is also well versed in the hospital industry.

He says: “I am so excited to be a part of Ultimate Wedding Planner. Our planners are going to have to bring their A game to deliver creative and beautiful, but also incredibly personal, ceremonies for our brilliant and deserving couples. The wedding industry is so competitive and hospitality has to be second to none. The stakes couldn’t be higher, this has to be the best day of our couples’ lives – so no pressure!”

Rounding out the judges is wedding industry expert and event planner extraordinaire Raj Somaiya, who says: “[This series has] the potential to change our wedding planners’ lives and elevate their careers but at the heart of it is couples hoping for the best day of their lives. I’m looking for creativity, lateral thinking and the ability to deliver that personal touch for our couples.”

He’ll get his first chance to see what the contenders are made of when they go head-to-head on the inaugural challenge – transforming an industrial Concorde hangar into a venue for a high-flying wedding.