January 9, 2011

Wedding At The Haymarket Hotel

My wonderful clients Suzanne and Declan wanted a boutique London hotel as the venue for their wedding in November and, hotels don’t come much more boutique than the Haymarket. A stone’s throw away from the hustle and bustle of Trafalgar Square, this oasis of calm, next to the Theatre Royal formed the backdrop to Suzanne and Declans’ elegant civil ceremony and reception.

What’s a girl supposed to do without a pair of custom made Christian Louboutin heels?!

The custom made stationery featured a beautiful navy and silver themed Order of the Day from Magenta Ink. Declan arrives at the hotel with his best man before getting ready

whilst upstairs, Suzanne was in the safe hands of make up artist Oonagh Connor and hairdresser Martyn Maxey.Suzanne’s beautiful gown from Johanna Hehir was perfectly complemented with a delicate diamond necklace from Diamond Thrills. Final adjustments!On the way to the ceremony with her father, Suzanne caught sight of herself in a mirror. A beautiful picture taken by Lloyd Dobbie, who captured all the images for this wedding. Bridesmaid, Olivia and pageboy, Luca waiting to take their places. The Shooting Gallery was beautifully dressed for the ceremony with vases of calla lilies, hydrangeas and thistle, with posies of roses and thistle for the aisle chairs by Euphoric Flowers. Luca and Olivia preceeded Suzanne and her father up the aisle for the civil ceremony. With the formalities over, Suzanne and Declan made their way to the Library for the drinks reception where music was provided by Jon Nichol at Gary Parkes An antique table was the perfect place to display the escort cards. Before the guests returned to the Shooting Gallery for the reception, I gave Suzanne and Declan a private viewing of the transformation – “the Reveal”! Glittering tea-light candelabra, crisp white flowers, elegant napkin decoration, midnight blue charger plates, silver grey silk table cloths and white french salon chairs from Great Hire set the tone for a sophisticated dinner before the evening reception which was held around the hotel’s fabulous pool. Live swing music was provided by the amazing Jazz Cannons and, after Suzanne and Declans’ first dance; everyone took to the dance floor (which covered half the pool!) If anyone was wondering about cake, these gorgeous little cup cakes from Peggy Porschen with their perfect rose bud decoration were a real hit and didn’t stay around for long. Thank you to all the wonderful suppliers involved in making this such a wonderful day for Suzanne and Declan.

 

November 22, 2010

Wedding Table Linen!

When it comes to dressing a venue, one of my particular pet hates is bad table linen and, in particular table linen that doesn’t reach the floor; it drives me mad!

Let me explain; most venues provide standard white table linen, which should fit the standard six foot catering table, with enough length to reach the floor and cover the metal legs. Frequently though, cloths are either too short or even the wrong shape and, square cloths on round tables is not a good look!

When you walk into the room where you will be having your reception, first impressions count. One of the things that can spoil that impression is the sight of ugly metal table legs on show, which to me shows a lack of finesse. Table linen should be also be free from any stains and should always be ironed. If I see a cross shaped crease running across the table then its time to reach for two of the most important items in my kit bag; a good iron and an extension lead! For me, this attention to the finer details is what goes into the making of a great event rather than an average one.

On the whole, standard white table linen is fine, however if you want to up the style stakes with more colour, then there are plenty of companies out there that supply gorgeous quality fabrics, fabulous colours and beautiful designs that could really make a statement about the look of your wedding. Coloured linens can also be a great way to co-ordinate a theme and, can team superbly with invitations, menus and table plans.

The addition of colour to a table can transform even the most uninspiring room. Without breaking the bank, it can look as though you’ve spent a fortune and create that necessary ‘wow’ factor. So if your venue needs some oomph in the table department, for a flawless finish remember size, quality and style and you can’t go wrong.

November 15, 2010

Expert Wedding Advice

Take a look at the latest addition of Your London Wedding Magazine, to see No.10′s expert advice on creating a winter wonderland wedding without breaking the bank!

October 10, 2010

A Wedding Planners Interview!

Recently I met up with Chelsea Bidwell owner of luxury gift list company Beyond Weddings. Chelsea very kindly asked if I would do an interview feature on her blog Chelsea From Beyond, Five minutes with…. So I thought I would share it with you.

Five minutes with wedding planner Lester Gethings
This week, Lester Gethings, of No.10 Wedding Design and Management, the London based luxury wedding and events company, takes five minutes out of his busy schedule to chat with me about some of his favourite things.
Lester is renowned in the industry for his ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary and his incredible imagination and flair ensures that no two events are ever the same.
Read on to find out how the innately stylish Lester dreams of a transatlantic voyage for some original old school glamour and how his Fox Terrier Pip would be treated to a spot of the high life.

What is your favourite boat? If you could sail on it where would you go ?

I would love to sail on the Queen Mary 2. A transatlantic crossing to New York would be so glamourous, recalling a bygone era when you could only sail. Not that I need one, but it would give me an excuse to take lots and lots of luxurious luggage/trunks. My voyage would be made extra special if I was able take my lovely Fox Terrier Pip, who would love being taken for a walk by the Purser around the deck each morning!!

What is your favourite interior? If you could be in any room now, where would it be and why?

I love georgian interiors, high ceilings, huge windows, sweeping staircases and silk lined walls. This whole period to me is the epitome of elegance. Rather than choosing a particular room, I would choose the whole of Weston Park in Shropshire and host a wonderful weekend party.

What has been your all time favourite gift?

A few years ago I was given the box set of the 1970’s drama series, I Claudius. Occasionally if I get a free weekend (!) a real treat for me is to be able to sit a watch the whole series. The entire production is amazing particularly the caliber of the actors, one of whom is a personal friend.


If your fairy godmother could give you one gift now what would it be?

A Georgian town house in London with high ceilings, huge windows, a sweeping staircase and silk covered walls!


What one piece of advice would you give to a couple getting married
Without blowing my own trumpet employ the services of a wedding planner. It is one of the most important days of your life, so choosing a reputable one, should ensure you enjoy not only the day itself but the run up to it.

Lester and No.10 Weddings do an extraordinary job and will work to ensure your wedding day is full of brilliant imagination, amazing attention to detail and above all is a seamless and most memorable day.

August 26, 2010

Wedding Etiquette!

“Etiquette may be defined as the technique of the art of social life”.
Lady Troubridge.

It’s not all about the couple, you know; guests have a crucial role to play in the proceedings, too. At one time or another, most of us have been at a celebration where the antics of some of the guests have left us cringing. So, if you feel that some of your guests need reminding, it might be worthwhile dropping the odd hint or two on how you expect them to behave just to make sure that everything goes without a hitch.

Being late is not a fashion statement, unless you really want to show yourself up! Guests should arrive a minimum of fifteen minutes before the ceremony begins, so that they find their seats and relax.

Taking photographs during the ceremony….it’s rude don’t do it! The ceremony is a highly emotional event and to interrupt it with your happy snapping is completely unacceptable. Leave it to the professionals, they know what they’re doing!

If you’ve been invited, but are unable to attend, be gracious and send a gift; it will be much appreciated. *Note to hosts* Make sure you say thank you!

On no account should guests expect to be able to bring a date unless they have been specifically invited. To do so would cause extra expense for the hosts, be discourteous and could cause resentment.

If you have been invited to a wedding, your RSVP should be within two weeks. Knowing how many people are coming to a celebration is crucial when dealing with venues and caterers. Likewise, if you have to decline the same rule applies.
Don’t wait for the question “are you still coming”?

The whole point of a wedding is a celebration. The legal recognition of a loving relationship. However, there are always going to be those who drink far too much champagne and end up embarrassing themselves! If you can see this happening then perhaps a gentle word in their ear might help before things get completely out of hand. If not, try and get someone to act as chaperone, so that you don’t have to.

Remember, a well behaved guest is a happy guest and a very happy couple!

August 17, 2010

Thank You!

Being thanked for the job that I love doing really is the icing on the wedding cake! A few nights ago I was invited for supper by one of my favourite couples, Robyn and Billy whose wedding I planned last year. Over tapas and wine, it was lovely to reminisce about their wedding and catch up with two of the suppliers whose hard work made their event so memorable; Simon from Euphoric Flowers and Roz and Sev from Hepburn Collection. Robyn and Billy were the sort of couple that every wedding planner dreams of having so, imagine my delight when they recently sent me this wonderful testimonial.

“Organizing our wedding in England from over 5,000 miles away in Texas was always going to be a big challenge. Choosing No.10 Wedding Design to take us from the broad picture to the final detail was certainly one of the very best decisions we made.
Lester possesses a highly enthusiastic and extremely professional approach and his innovation and perfect eye for style and detail transformed our vision into those fine wedding day details that our guests are still talking about today. Whether it was demonstrated by his creativity in designing the “Wedding Favor” gifts for the guests or his discreet presence on the day ensuring that every detail was taken care of, Lester was always there to be relied upon.
From the very first consultation through the many ensuing long distance calls and quick response to emails, Lester became our mainstay in getting things done. An ace project manager, Lester made sure every task was handled correctly and on time. He certainly more than exceeded our high expectations providing a caring, highly personal service that really demonstrated the extent to which he was prepared to go to give us the perfect occasion, one that we will remember for the rest of our lives.
We cannot recommend Lester and Number 10 highly enough. We’re forever grateful to Lester for the incredible job he did for us”!

August 3, 2010

Beautiful Wedding Stationery and More!!

When I first met Stationer Adrienne Kerr from Magenta Ink! I knew that she was someone I wanted to work with. So, when the opportunity recently came along for me to recommend her to my clients I was truly delighted. Based in Edinburgh, Magenta Ink! are an online stationery boutique who offer some of the most beautiful wedding stationery on the market today. Adrienne, an established graphic designer with an eye for superb style and exquisite detail, supplies designer stationery collections by the likes of Vera Wang and Martha Stewart, together with Magenta Ink!’s own fabulous designs.Samples of these are beautifully presented in Kolo albums, making it a great way of showcasing the designs. From a professional point of view, it also looks incredibly professional when promoting the designs to clients. In fact the albums look so good, clients want to keep them on their coffee tables!
In addition to the designer ranges Magenta Ink! also offers a complete bespoke service, together with a range of luxury gift and homeware items, so the only think holding you back is your imagination.
So calling all Brides and self respecting Wedding Planners take a look at Magenta Ink!

May 25, 2010

Some Wedding Planning Thoughts

Over the last few months I have seen an increasing number of articles, both online and in magazines on the subject of hiring a wedding planner to organise your wedding. Do you really need or want a wedding planner, can you afford one and, what do you need to consider when choosing one? The subject has been widely discussed by many planners, including some of those who are leading the industry.

As a wedding planner who loves what I do, I want to share some of my thoughts with you about the state of the business and, also talk about some issues that I have about the wedding planning industry as a whole. For anyone who isn’t a wedding planner (and that’s most of you)! It might seem that we live some sort of charmed life. We drink champagne and we eat cake and it’s a job that anyone can do. I’m happy to say that there is an element of that and, we do get invited to some amazing venues for wonderful parties. The flip side of this is, as with most things a lot less glamorous than that and, for most of the time we work alone and often feel like glorified secretaries, endlessly shuffling paper!

THE JOB

The concept of wedding planning started in America in the 1950’s, where it is taken very seriously as a career. In the UK however, wedding planning as a profession started about 15 years ago. Since then the industry has grown rapidly, is not legally regulated and requires no qualifications. For those people who do want to train, there are “wedding planner courses” aplenty available to anyone considering planning as a new career; usually with some sort of diploma or certificate at the end of the course. To someone looking for a change of direction this can seem enormously appealing but, it also raises issues that some potential and novice wedding planners fail to recognise. The industry, like so many others is a saturated market with some great planners, some good planners and some really bad planners! When choosing your wedding planner your expectations will all be different but, you may be drawn by the look of a planner’s website and their blog. You may be inspired after reading their biography and their perceived experience. As a seasoned wedding planner, along with some of my more experienced and well established peers, I am becoming more and more disappointed about the influx of people into the industry with little or no training, having organised their own, or a friend’s wedding. Being paid by a client to organise one of the most important days of their lives is COMPLETELY different from organising your own!!

To many people when you say that you’re a wedding planner, the general reaction is that it must be a very glamorous job, rather like Jennifer Lopez’s portrayal, in a swanky office, with assistants and interns running around after her. In reality most work alone from a home office, having given up previous careers, where we are used to interacting all day with other people. We have to be self motivated, business minded and determined. Being determined on your own however, can for even the most motivated individual, be very lonely.

As wedding planners we don’t have shops, we’re selling a service so our websites are our shop window! This is how we present ourselves to the world. Unfortunately, website plagiarism is a major concern for us at the moment, with some planners copying large sections if not the whole website of another planner. I know because it has happened to me! We dedicate a huge amount of time, effort and passion into creating our websites and branding. So, to find that either part or all of your website content has been copied by another wedding planner is very upsetting.
Also, because the industry is unregulated you have to deal with this yourself which is both frustrating and time consuming.

THE FEE

This is a contentious subject! How much should you expect to pay for the services of a wedding planner? For many people the question will be, “Why should we have a wedding planner when we can do it ourselves”? This is probably the biggest stumbling block that we come across whilst trying to explain that a wedding planner can actually SAVE you money because it’s our job! I realise that every planner’s fee structure is going to be different, according to their target market. A planner who offers a complete luxury service and, who may only do four or five weddings a year isn’t going to run a business by charging £1,500 per wedding. Likewise, the planner who believes the training manual which suggests that they can plan 30 weddings a year and charge £1,500 per wedding, isn’t going to run a business either……they’ll drop dead from exhaustion!! A comfortable number of weddings for a wedding planner to organise should be around 12 a year, which is not one a month because weddings tend to be like buses; nothing for 3 months then 4 come at once!

Before the recession, the word in the industry was that the whole business was flourishing and that that trend was set to continue. In reality though, wedding planners have taken a huge knock as couples, keen to make the most of their money in economically uncertain times see us as an unnecessary luxury. To compensate for this, some novices wedding planners are promoting their services by charging very low fees, in some cases less than £1,000 for full planning. This generates business by undercutting more established planners, a practice that is completely unsustainable when running a business. An unrealistic fee charged for what could be up to a years work will not sustain anyone in business in the long term. Doing so cheapens the industry and does it a disservice. If you don’t charge a realistic fee for your level of expertise and your services, then the job will soon lose its attraction, standards will start to slip, with the end result being a mediocre wedding which you, the client will have paid for.

SUPPLIERS

Professional wedding planners will only work with trusted, reliable and professional suppliers. We know them; we know how they work and, are therefore able to recommend the right suppliers to suit your needs. This makes the planning process easier for you, by putting your trust in us and our expertise and recommendations. A lot of research will have been done beforehand, so that you don’t have to have endless meetings to find the right supplier, leaving you undecided and confused. A good planner will keep their promise to save you valuable time, which is one of the reasons you engage a planner in the first place!

Unlike any other industry, wedding planning is an emotional business. From start to finish we are dealing with emotions and, as the wedding day draws nearer the emotions intensify. This is when having someone impartial, like a wedding planner that you can call, email or meet to talk things through with can be like a breath of fresh air. A good wedding planner will only have your best interests at heart and strive to make your day exceptional. As wedding planners we also deal with suppliers’ emotions, because all good suppliers should be passionate about their work and the services they provide and I respect them for that. I show that respect by not trying to tell them how to do their job, a mistake that some wedding planners make by over involving themselves in an attempt to make themselves seem more experienced. This over involvement can itself cause tension between client and supplier where none should exist. In extreme cases this can even lead to a supplier refusing to work with a planner because of their lack of self confidence and management skills. I only work with suppliers I can trust and I leave them to do what they do best. I know nothing about the technicalities of photography, but I know what I like. I know a good photographer when see I one and know if that photographer and their style and work ethic will gel with me and my clients.

Something else to be aware of are planners who add their own mark-up on top of a supplier’s quote. If your planner isn’t introducing you to your suppliers, is insisting that all quotes are sent directly to them and, is controlling your contact with a supplier; then chances are that you will be paying more than you should, on top of the planner’s fee!

NOVICES

I am very passionate about this industry and I relish real competition within it. Competition is healthy and keeps us on our toes, encouraging us to up our game and strive to give our clients a first class service. We all have to start somewhere and I’m all for the encouragement of novices within this industry but, not to the detriment of you the client. Many people are now aware about the value of social networking sites and how good they can be for business. For many wedding planners this is an important way of promoting themselves, yet it can also backfire, as in the case of the wedding planner who wanted to know what questions should be asked during a consultation! That a question like this was asked at all is frightening but, that a supposed wedding planner who is charging a fee is asking beggars belief. It is both unprofessional and inappropriate. Would you trust your well earned wedding budget to a planner if you knew that?

A great way for wedding planners to promote themselves and their expertise is by writing editorials for bridal magazines. Well informed advice is what couples want and should expect however, what some weddings planners actually offer is way off the mark. A recent article I saw, suggested from an overall budget of £5,000, spending £400 – £500 on a photographer and £50 – £100 on hair and make up, which is totally misguided and unrealistic. I would seriously like to know what standard of service a wedding photographer or hairdresser would provide for these fees. On your wedding day you want to look radiant; so ask yourself, at this price what quality of beauty products is a makeup artist using, and how experienced are they in applying them? A good hairdresser is an artist and will advice on what looks best for the shape of you face and, what will work with the dress and veil etc. So, with a price tag of £50 – £100 beware! Carving up the wedding budget into percentages is no way to get value for money, which is after all what a wedding planner is supposed to do for their clients!

I don’t want you think that it’s all doom and gloom in this business or, that I have a grudge against anyone who wants to become a wedding planner; I don’t. I have a passion for this industry and believe that it has a great future, but one which deserves the utmost commitment from those within it. I will always champion those who I believe excel at what they do, just don’t expect me to be a shrinking violet if I think they don’t!!

April 26, 2010

Summer Wedding at Highclere Castle

With spring well and truly here and summer just around the corner, I thought it was the perfect time to share with you the wedding of Robyn & Billy at Highclere Castle.
This wonderful wedding was an Anglo American affair, Billy coming from the UK and his bride Robyn from Texas where they both live. Because of this, virtually the entire planning process was done via email and conference calls,which lead to very strange working hours! With guests coming from both sides of the pond, a week long celebration was arranged. Plenty of sight seeing to get everyone in the mood, shows in London, a trip to Bath and even a visit to Stonehenge. Topping everything off was a wonderfully relaxed rehearsal dinner on the eve of the wedding. The amazingly talented photographer, Thisbe Grace was flown in from Dallas for the week and made her UK wedding debut. What a fabulous job she did too, I know because I have been sifting through well over 1000 photographs!!

Billy & Robyn chose historic Highclere Castle, near Newbury in Berkshire as the venue for their wedding, where the sweeping driveway gives tantalising glimpses of the castle through the trees before you arrive at its imposing entrance.
Robyn and her Bridesmaids spent the morning getting ready in the the very capable hands of international make up artist Lina Cameron, whilst husband and wife team Severin & Roz from The Hepburn Collection worked their hairdressing magic, creating pure artistry. With suppliers like these I knew they would be in safe hands!

Long before their arrival in the UK, much discussion was had about Robyn’s stunning wedding gown from Kenneth Pool. Should it travel on it’s own or have it’s own seat on the plane? Well it had it’s own seat and, quite right too!! Robyn had a personal dresser for the day, Joelle Nobis who looked after Robyn and her Bridesmaids superbly, making sure that they all looked stunning for their big entrance and throughout the entire day.
Following the American tradition, the Bridesmaids proceeded Robyn down the grand staircase into the saloon were the wedding ceremony took place.Robyn made her entrance to the music of The arrival of The Queen of Sheba played by a string quartet whilst a harpist and soprano provided additional music for the ceremony.
It was a very emotional and beautiful ceremony which included another American custom, the lighting of unity candles for those friends and family who for one reason or another were unable to attend.Colour played an all important part in the wedding. This was reflected in everything from the amazing phalaeonopsis orchids Robyn carried in her bouquet, through the exquisite bespoke stationery designed by Emily & Jo, vibrant liberty purple table linen and a hot mix of colours for the reception flowers. As Robyn always said, “I want the to colors to POP” and, they certainly did that!! Simon & Victoria from Euphoric Flowers did a spectacular job working with a colour palette of purple, red, orange, and lime green. Classical urns of delphiniums, hydrangeas, peonies and roses graced the saloon; whilst tall flute vases topped with bombs of hydrangeas, roses, freesias, orchids and fresh limes, decorated the tables in the library for the wedding breakfast.As Robyn & Billy were honeymooning in Tanzania they wanted to bring an element of safari to the wedding stationery. Emily & Jo designed their very own crest, together with a safari landscape which was a main feature in the suite of stationery but still incorporating the main colour of liberty purple.Following the ceremony, a champagne reception was held in glorious sunshine on the sweeping south lawn. Billy and Robyn had photographs taken in the beautiful gardens, before returning for the wedding breakfast in the opulent Library. The rich colours chosen to decorate the room created a deeply dramatic atmosphere, perfectly complemented by the beautiful glass and tableware, chosen by Billy and Robyn.During dinner the guests were surprised and entertained by the fantastic singing of The Three Waiters, before cutting their beautiful wedding cake from Peggy Porschen, who also designed the favours, in the form of Dachshund shaped cookies, paying homage to Billy and Robyns’ beloved Reggie, Minnie and Abby-Sue who couldn’t make it to the wedding!With it’s stunning saloon Highclere makes the perfect venue for dancing and, there was certainly plenty of that as the night went on.Fireworks at midnight marked the end of the evening, before Billy and Robyn made a very stylish exit in a classic limousine. The perfect end to a perfect day.

March 21, 2010

Happy 5th Birthday Euphoric Flowers!

Thursday is the new Friday, so the weekend started early at No.10 Weddings this week, when I joined Simon and Victoria from Euphoric Flowers for a party to celebrate their 5th birthday. At their Dypitque scented studio, urns were filled with tulips, each one hosting a different colour. As a centre piece to the room and, sitting on a moss base decorated with orchids was an urn arrangement made up entirely of green flowers and foliage; something Simon and Victoria said they had been wanting to do for a long time. It was lovely to see friends and colleagues in the wedding industry who, over the last five years have supported Euphoric and there was a real party atmosphere with plenty of chatter, champagne and delicious canapes. Among the guests were wedding industry friends Severin & Roz from The Hepburn Collection, Make Up artist Lina Cameron, fellow wedding planners Siobhan Craven Robins, Amanda Sherlock, Kelly Chandler, Erika Unbehaum and Pippa McKenzie from Pippa Mackenzie Photography, whilst photographer Lloyd Dobbie captured the event. Have camera will travel!! For some of his wonderful shots of the evening please see his blog A fabulous evening was had by all and what was quite magical that it was do all done completely by the intimacy of candlelight!