January 9, 2012
Wedding Trends for 2012
What better way to start the New Year than with my predictions for trends in 2012!
When it comes to the way we create the look and feel of a wedding or civil partnership, it all comes down to fashion and the way that fashion is moving. The most famous or infamous (depending on your point of view) being “Vintage.” What started a few years as a quirky tag which some “antique” dealers used to make junk sound less like, well….junk has become big business. Everything from fashion and interior design to publishing and home wares has grown to accommodate the trend.
In terms of weddings and civil partnerships, here are my 5 top tips for the year ahead:
Escort Card Tables
I absolutely love escort card tables. What started as a trend in America has made it to our shores and, year on year I see them sweeping aside those boring old table plans. Instead of having everyones name on one large sheet of card (which is usually too big for the easel and ends up bowing), escort cards show the name of each guest and which table they will be seated at. The wonderful thing about them is that you can create your ideal table layout anyway you like according to your venue. Perfectly lined up for a smart city wedding or hanging on ribbons in a tree for a country celebration.
Dessert Tables
This is a trend that I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of in 2012. A more grown up version of the Candy Bar and another import from the States, this is a fabulous idea for couples with sweet teeth, who want to spoil their guests with a whole array of desserts rather than just a piece of cake. Think individual trifles, meringues, cake pops and macarons. All bite size and beautifully displayed to complement your colour scheme. Oh, and if you want to include cup cakes, make sure they’re really small!
Photojournalistic Photography
The watch words here are “keep it natural.” This is a trend which is all about capturing the moment. Without being contrived or staid, good photojournalistic photography can put even the most camera shy at their ease and capture those perfect spontaneous moments that make a celebration so special. The E Shoot is also on trend for 2012 and is a great way for couples to get used to the idea of being photographed before their wedding and learning what style of photography they feel comfortable with. Just you, your photographer and a location of your choice!
Stationery
Quality and craftsmanship are key for 2012. Its all in the detail with letterpress stationery creating that all important wow factor. With the look and feel of something that has been individually crafted by a skilled artisan, letterpress is perfect for couples who want to style their day with something a million miles away from formulaic and characterless mass produced stationery. Create the look with Save the Date, RSVP, Escort and Menu cards.
Flowers
Its all about nature in the floral world in 2012! It may sound strange, but relaxed informality is at the forefront of floral design. The look of effortlessly arranged country flowers which look as though most people could do them (but most can’t) is leading the way. Rich textures with flowers, plants and foliage are perfect for romantic celebrations and are a million miles away from some of the more contrived creations that have been seen over the last few years. Seasonal flowers that haven’t been flown half way round the world are also driving this latest trend.
Photo Credits:
Escort Card Table – www.scarletpetal.typepad.com
Dessert Table – www.temptingcake.com
Photography – www.helenmaybanks.com
Stationery – www.artcadia.co.uk
Flowers – www.euphoricflowers.co.uk
November 22, 2011
Wedding at Highclere Castle!!
I blogged about this wedding a while ago, but thought you would like to see a trimmed down version of the wedding itself. Robyn and Billy live in Texas, but wanted to get married in the UK and, where better than the gorgeous castle that is Highclere. Enjoy!
November 21, 2011
Air Brush Make Up For Men by Mariam Jensen
I am a very lucky wedding planner! A few weeks ago I was invited by make up artist supremo, Mariam Jensen to be a model for an air brush make up masterclass. The chance to experience an amazing technique which celebrities, brides and photographers adore was just too good to pass up! What is Air Brush make up? Put simply, its exactly that! Forget the traditional technique of applying foundation with sponges and brushes, this is the gentlest, most relaxing form of make up you’ll ever experience.
Air Brush make up is very well established in the US, but relatively new in Britain. Now Mariam Jensen has brought her Californian style and expertise to our shores and is transforming the way we look at make up. Such is her skill that she also teaches at the Jemma Kidd Academy. Women usually get all the attention, so I was delighted to learn that men too, can now experience this wonderful technique that evens out imperfections, covers breakouts and blemishes, redness and dark circles but, leaves you looking as though you aren’t wearing make up at all. How great is that?!
For my experience, Mariam prepared my skin with a light application of cleansing gel (cool and very soothing) before choosing the right shade of foundation for my skin colour. Using the air brush (think of cars being custom spray painted with something no bigger than a toothbrush!) Mariam applied the make up to my face with delicate brush strokes that I could hardly feel. The beauty of air brush make up is that it creates a flawless finish. No streaks, tide marks or caking. The quality of the product means that it doesn’t stick to your facial hair or eyebrows, blends seamlessly with your hair line, is sweat proof and won’t rub off on your collar. You just look like you, but on a really, really good day!!
Am I a convert, I’ll say! Why should the girls have all the fun? For any man wanting to look his best on his big day (or any other day for that matter) head for Mariam Jensen, you won’t regret it!
August 15, 2011
Themes, A personal view!
If I’m honest, the thought of a “themed” wedding fills me with dread. Having endured Top Gun themed table plans, playlists inspired by the Lion King and wedding breakfasts devoted to Pork; the vegetarian in me said long ago, enough is enough! I don’t do themes!
I do though, do style, elegance and inspiration. I’m inspired by the individuality of my clients who trust me to co-ordinate one of the most important days of their lives. You see, when most people talk about a theme for their civil partnership or wedding, what they’re usually talking about is the look and atmosphere, as well as the style, colour and finer details of the celebration. Mention a “theme” and, most people will cringe at the thought of something beyond bad taste guaranteed to make them run a mile.
What inspires you to create your day, the way you want it to be has, to a large extent become hijacked by an industry only too happy to apply large labels such as “Vintage”, “Retro”, “City Chic” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll”. Hardly surprising then that couples can feel overwhelmed or pressured by the planning process. Planning a civil partnership or wedding shouldn’t be a stressful process. In my role as a planner, one of the first things I do is to sit down with my clients and discuss with them in detail, exactly what they are expecting from their big day. This is crucial if I am to interpret their wishes correctly and produce a wedding that is on time, on budget and to specification.
Civil partnerships and weddings should always reflect the individual personalities of the couple involved; anything else will look false and feel uncomfortable for those involved. If you feel that your celebration should reflect your views, such as ethical sustainability, then sourcing local suppliers with good environmental credentials could be your “theme”. Focusing on something important to you as a couple is a wonderful way of creating the day that you want. Remember, your wedding day is all about emotion, so inject as many personal touches as you can. You’ll not only enjoy planning them, but your guests will really appreciate them.
Whether shop bought, home made, sung or spoken, the personal elements that you introduce to your wedding are what your guests will remember and find inspiring. They don’t have to conform to a theme, but could be as simple as not having flowers on the tables, but having 1000 candles instead just because you love them. The chosen readings that are so perfectly thought out that they either move everyone to tears or have them in fits of laughter; these are some of the elements that can sometimes be overlooked but should inspire you in the seemingly endless planning process.
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July 17, 2011
Wonderful Wedding Venues
Choosing the right venue for your wedding is one of the most important decisions that you will make in the whole planning process. There are so many things you have to consider including, location, budget, guest numbers, style and availability, but most importantly of all the venue has to feel right for you.
Here are some of my favourite venues (among many!) all of which have their own distinctive style, making them perfect for weddings.
The Haymarket is a fabulous venue and part of the Firmdale group of hotels, if you are looking for a city chic wedding then this ultra glamorous hotel situated in the heart of London’s theatre land is the perfect choice. Ceremonies and receptions for up to 70 guests can be held in the fabulous shooting gallery and library and, for an amazing evening party the hotel’s underground swimming pool can be half or completely covered to double as a dance floor. The lighting and quirky furnishings give it a real nightclub feel so your guests will be wowed!
If you are looking for a venue with real intimacy and charm then Number Sixteen, another Firmdale hotel located in the heart of South Kensington is a hidden gem. Intimate ceremonies for up to 30 guests can take place in the hotel’s conservatory, which leads out into it’s beautiful courtyard garden. Perfect for a standing reception on a summer evening.
Fawsley Hall
Set amidst the beautiful Northamptonshire countryside is the wonderful Fawsley Hall. This historic country house with features dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries, is perfect for any couple wanting to include a mini break for themselves and their guests. Exclusive use can be taken of Knightly Court, the stunningly converted former stables which includes 8 beautifully furnished bedrooms. You and your guests can take advantage of the wonderful spa and pool and indulge yourself in the treatments on offer.
If you really want to get away from it all then Pentillie Castle in Cornwall is a perfect gettaway venue! This Cornish country house, which has remained the Coryton family’s home for over 300 years, offers the flexibility of either fully catered or self catering accommodation. The house itself has 9 beautifully appointed en suite bedrooms and, ceremonies can be held within the house for up to 60 guests. For larger parties you have the option of using the loggia and terrace outside. For a really intimate ceremony you can even use the romantic bathing hut overlooking the River Tamar and, your guests can even arrive by boat!
April 21, 2011
Wedding Planners Should Know Their Limitations!
The last few months have certainly turned out to be busy at No.10 HQ. With clients from both the UK and abroad, there have been plenty of supplier consultations to arrange and attend. Worryingly though, some suppliers have brought to my attention, both socially and professionally the growing trend of wedding planners doubling as designers! This subject was recently discussed by Preston Bailey in his excellent blog which you can read here.
Of course, we all know that for every event we co-ordinate, there will be an element of design within our role. Suppliers who I have spoken to though have told me of instances where they have been presented with multi-paged creative design briefs and been told to just copy them! In an industry which is relatively new to the UK, what we must remember as wedding planners, is that many of the suppliers we recommend often have many more years experience in their field of expertise than we do! That is after all why we recommend them! For any wedding supplier it must be insulting when a wedding planner offers unsolicited and uninvited advice on anything from how a photograph should be taken, how the food should be presented or which flowers should be used and how they should be arranged.
Here is my take on how we, as wedding planners shouldn’t see ourselves.
Don’t inflict a supplier with a design brief and say copy this! Remember that you have sourced and recommend this supplier for their talent, creativity and quality of the service they provide.
Don’t take away from the supplier their chance to present their services and expertise to your clients. These are industry professionals who you will hopefully want to work with again and, have the pleasure of developing a long and happy business relationship.
Don’t recommend suppliers to your clients if you, as their wedding planner know they cannot afford. It may look good on Twitter to say that you taking your clients to high profile suppliers; however knowing your clients budgetary limitations is one of the tasks you are paid for. Not only does this put your clients in an extremely embarrassing situation, it is also a complete waste of the supplier’s time. If you do this, then your name will soon do the rounds as a time waster!
Don’t try to take over the consultation, it’s unnecessary! Your client has already engaged your services so should be happy with their choice. If you go into consultations trying to prove something this will soon become irritating. Remember that your client has come to see the supplier perform, not you! This is the supplier’s chance to promote themselves and their business. It is of course our duty to present an overview of the wedding to the supplier by being helpful and showing that you know and understand your clients’ needs and wishes.
Don’t over involve yourself by telling the supplier how to do their job. This will only cause animosity and resentment which should never ever happen, particularly in front of clients. The same rule applies when dealing with venue staff. Remember that your are an ambassador for our industry and, that there are always other wedding professionals and even wedding planners that may be following you to that venue and, bad reviews travel fast!
One of my least favourite things to do as a wedding planner is telling a supplier that they didn’t get the job. Its never nice but it has to be done. Unfortunately you do hear of wedding planners who put suppliers forward for jobs and, who don’t let them know if their quote was successful. This is basic common courtesy. Worse still is the practice of asking a supplier to quote before they have even met the clients. What purpose does it serve to prevent client and supplier contact? (Unless you’re hiding something or charging commission)
We are only as good as our last wedding. We are paid to plan/organise the show, not take the starring role, I think most of us boast on our websites of our discretion! We should be consumate professionals, not Jacks of All Trades and Masters of None!
March 31, 2011
Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend
On your wedding day, you want to look and feel your best. This is your big day and you’re taking centre stage. What better way to do that than with diamonds. If you love the look of real gemstones, but think they’re too expensive, think again. Diamond Thrills provides a fabulous service that lets brides hire exquisite diamond jewellery without the painful price tag. I am always on the look out for the best suppliers for my brides, so I was delighted when I met Jamie Mordaunt from Diamond Thrills. With an enviable career in the jewellery trade, Jamie has put together an stunning collection of gems, which include earrings, necklaces, bracelets and tiaras; all of which are available to hire for your special day. I love the Daisy Chain necklace (pictured above) which would retail at £8250, but can be hired for the day for a far more modest £375.
These beautiful Isis Helix earrings can be yours for the day for £85. All Diamond Thrill’s jewellery are beautiful designed, are elegant without being flashy and, represent excellent value for money. In central London, gems can even be brought to your dress fitting so that you can make the perfect choice. Now thats what I call star treatment.
Let Them Eat Cake!
If I wasn’t a wedding planner, I’d probably be in cake and, lots of it! There is something wonderfully comforting and luxurious about cake, which all starts with our eyes. At the heart of every celebration is a cake, whether it is an office birthday, a leaving do or a wedding, cake is always there in some form or other. As a wedding planner you would think that choosing cake takes up a large amount of my time. In reality though, I frequently hear couples say, “we’re not having a cake, we don’t like it” or, “we’ll just get something from a store”. For many people, wedding cake conjures up images of a tiny piece of something hard, dry and tasteless, wrapped in a paper napkin and left at the bottom of someone’s handbag! Thankfully though the choice of cake now available to couples, form sweet to savoury, in every size and colour imaginable is amazing.
When it comes to cake for weddings and civil partnerships, there really is very little difference to choose between the two. For a civil partnership, some couples choose to have same-sex cake toppers, which can be a fun way of personalising the cake, but the style, size and flavours are entirely up to you. For traditionalists, a well made, boozey fruit cake is hard to beat (leave me the marzipan please!). If your wedding party is small, you may think that this might be a waste, in which case I would suggest an alternative such as some form of patisserie which could be served as dessert.
An alternative to fruit cake is flavoured sponge. You can have a different flavour for each tier to make things more interesting and the only limitation to this is which flavour to choose! Cup cakes are extremely popular nowadays, however I have to say that they aren’t my favourite. Often they can be too big and have too much icing, which makes them a little too sweet. If you do choose them though, consider having cakes of differing sizes to cater for all tastes. 
Savoury “cheese cakes” make a great alternative for those of you without a sweet tooth. Choose each tier according to taste, (Cornish Yarg and Godminster are particular favourites of mine) add delicious breads, crackers and savoury accompaniments for a sugar free treat. If you want to have a sweet cake that has all the wow factor but with a difference, consider something like a tower of macaroons, which are becoming very fashionable, profiteroles or flavoured meringues.
Whatever you choose, do so because you love the taste, love the way it looks and be creative. As Marie Antoinette DIDN’T say, “let them eat cake”!
Photo Credits:
Cake Topper – www.bloggerofthebride.blogspot.com
White Cake - www.weddingmagazine.co.uk
Cheese Cake – www.norbitoncheese.co.uk
Macaroon Cake – www.stylemepretty.com
March 7, 2011
Celebrity Weddings – Creating Celebrity Style
Hold the front page, have you heard the news? Its a celebrity wedding, party, charity event, make over, cash in the attic bonanza on ice…..the list is endless! Nowadays we use the “C” word all the time, but nothing seems to say celebrity more than a wedding. Our weekly glossy magazines are bankrolling the phenomenon. They fill their pages with examples of how our favourite stars from the big and small screens tie the knot, and we can’t get enough of them!
On one hand you have the extravagance of Liza Minelli and David Guest’s celebration, which cost $3.4 million, had 15 bridesmaids and lasted 16 months. On the other hand you have the discretely private ceremony of Ellen de Generes and Portia di Rossi, where only 19 close friends and family were invited. The choice of whether to have a large or small wedding is entirely yours, but if you want to add that touch of celebrity style, how do you make your wedding stand out from the rest? Here are a few of my tips.
Go Glam! Take a tip from the US, where weddings are frequently black tie and evening dress affairs. A classic evening suit oozes style and glamour and, makes an incredibly elegant statement.
Walk the red carpet, literally! It won’t cost a lot for that little strip of colour, so make a big Hollywood entrance (but don’t forget to get your guests to “pap” you as you come in)!
Get some muscle! – Security that is! There’s nothing worse than having those annoying neighbours or relatives that you didn’t invite at your celebration. They’re ones who have a habit of turning up anyway and ruining the seating plan. Invest in some door staff for a few hours to give you peace of mind and that air of exclusivity.
Create a guest list. Think glamorous night club, immaculate door hosts and, welcoming staff. Whether your wedding is in a village hall or a stately home however, the real key to a celebrity wedding is making your guests feel like celebrities. They are there to share one of the most important days in your lives, so make them feel like a million dollars.
Image Courtesy of Portraits of Elegance
January 22, 2011
Your London Wedding!
Just thought you would like to read my latest article featured in Your London Wedding magazine.
