Don't sweat the Wedmin!

I'm going to be brutally honest here and say...I planned my wedding without Pinterest!!!

Not that I wouldn't have been all over it if it had existed when we were making those important floral design decisions back in the day.

And if I'm going to go the whole hog, and be painfully, brutally honest (yes it does hurt, quite a lot), we planned our wedding before people were really using the internet. No Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, very few mobile phones, and at the time I worked in an office where client details were kept in a box full of hand-written index cards! I know!

My point is this...

Planning a wedding, or 'wedmin' as it was cutely known for a time recently, will always require a certain amount of legwork. You'll always want to visit prospective wedding and reception venues, get close up and personal with wedding gowns and flowers, speak over the phone to entertainers, caterers, and car hire companies, and all of those things eat into your free weekends and evenings (it needs to be said that though, that those things are also really exciting things to do!). But, in this day and age, the magic of the internet makes a lot of your wedding research and purchases so very, very much quicker, simpler and easier.

Specifically, the advent of selling sites stocked by small UK businesses selling everything from stationery to cake toppers, wedding accessories to confetti, table decor to favours, garters to wedding shoes, all in the one place, mean that in just a single evening, if you get yourself organised with a list and a budget, you can rattle through a big chunk of your 'wedmin' in the time that it would take to catch up on your backlog of Game of Thrones (never watched a single episode...another guilty secret of mine!)

The selling sites I'm most familiar with, mainly because I stock them myself, are And So to Shop, and Love & Lilah. Here you can shop by theme, colour, or product, and even have the sites automatically throw up suggestions for other things you might not have thought about.

Nalina Hair Comb by Glorious by Heidi

Watercolour Wilderness by Nina Thomas Studio

Bride Tribe Lip Balm by Savon Claire

Lace Garter by Extra Special Touch

 Initials and flower heart marquee lights by The White Bulb

Star Hair Accessory by Glorious by Heidi

I really do wish sites like this had been around when I was flailing around trying to plan a wedding, whilst also working full time in a busy photographic studio, trying to have a semblance of a social life, and occasionally get a good night's sleep.

On these sites you can while away an evening, shopping by theme, product, colour, and even have a few ideas suggested to you that you might not have thought of.

The sites are run by small teams keen to make a big success of what they're doing, and only stocked by equally small, independent, UK businesses, many of whom handcraft their products to unique designs, so you know that the customer service and 'hands on' approach is going to be first class.

With some suppliers offering free postage, samples, discounts and personalisation, what's not to love about modern day wedding planning?! 

Pour yourself a glass, get your PJ's on, put the mobile away, and get wedding planning the easy way.

Rocking those Vintage Brooch Bouquets!

Glorious Vintage Brooch Bouquets
in stock at Rocks for Frocks

When exhibiting at wedding fairs I'm often asked if I have 'a shop', the short answer to this question is 'no'. The longer answer is that I'm proud to be a member of a growing army of small business women and designers who work out of a home studio. I have always welcomed visitors by appointment and pull out all the stops to make you feel very, very welcome when you pop by the studio to try on some of our Glorious hair accessories! However, I recognise that a number of my clients need to tie in their wedding shopping with other related stuff, which is why I was delighted when Gail of Rocks for Frocks approached me at an event to discuss stocking our bespoke vintage brooch bouquets at her outlet in Liverpool's The Wedding House.

The Wedding House,
Great Gorge Place, Liverpool

Crystal Vintage Brooch Bouquet
©E&MArts Photography

North West brides, if you haven't been, make time in your busy schedules to pop by The Wedding House! Several floors within this imposing Gothic building offer you the chance to talk to everyone from dress suppliers, cake designers, stationers, photographers and of course, accessory designers. A great starting point for the newly engaged, and the perfect place to tick off those final items on your wedding day 'to do' list.

Our bespoke vintage brooch bouquets are in stock NOW at Rocks for Frocks, 2nd Floor, The Wedding House, 3-4 Great George Place, Liverpool. L1 7AG.

www.theweddinghouse.co.uk/index.html

www.glorioustiaras.co.uk/section/bouquets

How to get the most out of a wedding fair

www.glorioustiaras.co.uk


When planning your wedding, a trip to a wedding fair can offer up really big rewards.

For starters, you'll find a good variety of wedding industry professionals under one roof, meaning that instead of spending several weekends trawling around local bridal shops, wedding accessory suppliers, and cake designers, you can see them all in the space of a few hours. Those exhibitors are also keen to do business on the day, so they'll be competing hard to win your time, attention, and money!

However, wedding fairs, especially the big ones, can seem overwhelming, but follow these essential tips and you'll come home at the end of the day having made a serious dent in your 'to-do' list, made some good savings, and enjoyed a fun day out!

1. Register beforehand Many of the shows charge an entry fee, but if you book your tickets beforehand some offer discounted entry, whilst others waive the fee altogether.
2. See who's exhibiting and take a look at their websites You're a busy person! You don't have time to attend a show that doesn't have exhibitors doing what you want! It also helps to know who you definitely want to make the time to go and see whilst your there.
3. Take a shopping list with you It sounds simple, but it'll help keep you on track in what is a relatively short space of time. Most shows run for 5-6 hrs, and by the time you've stopped for coffee & a peek at the catwalk show...
4. Don't go alone If nothing else you'll need someone to help you carry bags, hold up mirrors whilst you try stuff on, and take pictures on your mobile phone. An extra body is also useful to go and queue at the busier stands and have a giggle with as you go around.
5. Try to get there early Goody bags are chock full of nice giveaways, but shows usually only have a limited number, so grab yours before they run out! You'll also get the pick of the time slots for trying on dresses; having your hair done, hands hennaed, or enjoying a free advice session with an expert wedding planner.
6. Make a note of the catwalk times on the way in The catwalk shows are a unique way of gaining inspiration for your wedding day look. You won't want to miss out on seeing how the pros put things together, and the suppliers of those catwalk outfits will be at your show if you see something you absolutely HAVE to have.
7. Book time slots with exhibitors It will help you to structure your day, and make sure you get to try on that special dress; have your hair styled for free; even get your teeth whitened at a special discount!
8. Ask for discounts It's a bride-to-be's and groom-to-be's market. Exhibitors want to fill their order books before they pack up at the end of the day and are happy to offer discounts to make that happen. Some will advertise 'book today' discounts, but if not it's always worth asking, especially if you're thinking of buying more than one product or service from the exhibitor.
9. Ask questions You've paid your entry, made time to be there, and your business is in demand, so don't go home wishing that you'd asked for references, found out how long something would take to make, or whether you could have it in a different colour/size/quantity.
10. Try things on; ask for samples It's important that you get a real feel for the products on offer. I'm amazed at the number of brides-to-be who visit my show stand with it's mirrors, and comfy place to sit, and still try to get an idea of how a hair accessory will look by just looking at it sat on the table! The uniqueness of a show is that you can look, touch, taste, smell, and try on, so get stuck in!
11. If you like something book it! Remember this is a busy time of year for the wedding industry and the most popular designers, venues and entertainers will book up fast.  It's heart breaking to set your heart on something and then find you can't have it because your chosen supplier just doesn't have availability. Even worse to find out you could have had it if you'd booked it 20 minutes earlier...You'll normally need to put a small deposit down to hold the service, but so worth it to know that your name is now in their diary.
12. Ask if you can pay a deposit or spread payments Many exhibitors are happy to offer you flexible payments arrangements, but you won't know unless you ask.
13. Collect business cards In some cases you will need to 'go away and think about it'. Take a business card or brochure so you've got the exhibitors details, but be sure to make a quick note about why you liked them on the back of the card, you'll pick up a few and it's easy to forget by the time you get them all home, which honeymoon company had the best flights, or which cake maker offered the best customer service.
14. Don't feel you have to share your details Lots of exhibitors will want your email address to send you promotions after the show. Some you'll be keen to receive - a sample sale on that dress you wanted? Yes please! Others you won't - insurance for your day when you've already got a policy sorted? No thanks! Don't be afraid to say no (politely). 
15. Enjoy the freebies! There are often plenty on offer. Free wine tasting, free make-up consultations, free cupcakes, free hair styling, and if you have the time, enter a few of those competitions - you might be the lucky couple that wins a free spa break, and let's face it, you could do with a foot massage after a long day at the wedding shows!

Come and see me exhibiting at the following shows:

Hollin Hall Wedding Fair at Hollin Hall Hotel, Kerridge, Cheshire 3rd April 2016