Are you struggling to find that perfect gift for your bridal tribe? We’ve pulled together our favourites here as it’s always nice to thank those special guests who have helped you along the way.

I’ve put together an inspiration board on pinterest too if you fancy a nose!

Bride/Groom

It’s always nice to write a letter/card to your partner so they can read this on their special day.  It’s a chance for you to write your private thoughts and feelings, words of encouragement and love.  It’s a special moment and will get you very excited to see your love! Not on the High Street do a fab range of cards.

Gift wise how about a detailed scrap book of your life together from when you met and big life events? That would be such a thoughtful and personal option.  You could use a site like Photobox to create a photo book.  They currently have 40% off!

You could give a special piece of jewellery, cuff links, a pocket watch, a watch, a hip flask, a photo of you both in a nice frame.  You could have the gift engraved with a lovely quote or your names with the date of the wedding or perhaps thoughtful artwork.  Etsy provide a whole range of personalised gift ideas.

You could surprise your other half by booking an entertainer, fireworks or present them with a gift during the speeches.

Parents

A beautiful bouquet of flowers is customary to give to the Mother’s during the Groom’s speech.  You could ask your florist to provide these along with your other wedding flowers.

If you’d rather something different you could opt for an experience for both parents like a special meal out together or a theatre trip, perhaps a night stay away somewhere.  Try LastMinute.com who offer unique experiences from afternoon tea for two to fun filled days out – they have it all!

If they have contributed to the wedding you might like to gift them a room for the night at the venue and throw in some bubbly and a nice card.

Bridesmaids

The getting ready part of the day is an exciting time.  You might wish to gift a pretty dressing gown/pyjama set along with a personalised hanger for their dress.  Try BooHoo.com or The Little Lovebird.

Little love bird also provide personalised gifts for your maids – check it out!

I’ve seen these gorgeous little pocket personalised mirrors on Etsy

Groomsmen

Your ushers and best man need thanking too – you could buy:

Cufflinks to wear on the day

Alcohol – a nice bottle of boxed whiskey or port.  Majestic Wine do a great range of boxed gift bottles

Personalised bottle opener or glass from Etsy 

We hope this has given you some inspiration when thinking about what to buy your bridal party!

 

Over on my facebook group The Wedding Planning Community, I recently filmed a facebook live session, including answers to my members burning questions.

For those of you who aren’t a member, I thought I would write down my top tips:

 

 

I’m not an organised person. How do I keep organised when wedding planning? 

Firstly don’t worry or panic if you feel this way. Here’s a couple of tips for you:

• Set up a specific wedding email address
• Keep a hard copy folder for brochures/confirmation letters etc
• Keep a computerised folder for your guest list, table plan, stationery designs, budget planner etc (All of these templates and documents are available if you join my online course)
• Set up a separate bank account

Should we have an open bar? 

Personally, I would say no and this is purely my own opinion.  I come from a venue background and have seen so many guests leave half consumed beverages to then go and get another – so wasteful and costly to you! It also encourages heavy drinking and potential drink induced situations and you don’t want that! You can also use this money on something else for the wedding such as entertainment or decor to enhance the day.  It’s nice to offer your guests a welcome drink, some wine with the meal and a toast drink and then the rest they purchase themselves from a stocked bar.  Obviously this is entirely up to you though and if it is something you’d like to offer to enhance your guests experience, then go ahead.

What can add to the ambiance of the day? 

Lighting, lighting and more lighting! I wrote a blog post on this last year, see here.

Wedding Favour Inspiration 

Favours are little thank you gifts that usually form part of your table design.  You don’t have to have them at all by the way, it’s just a wedding etiquette thing.  If you would like to though here are some ideas, again I wrote a blog about this.

When should I send Invitations?

If your wedding is a year or more away, I would suggest sending save the dates.  I will put a link below to one of my favourite printing/design companies, printed.com.  Your main invitations should be sent 8 – 12 weeks before to include all the relevant information your guests will need to ensure that you receive your RSVP’s no later than 6 weeks before so you are nice and organised and can get numbers/dietary requirements to your venue/caterer and finalise your table plan.

I aim to provide a facebook live Q&A session every week over on my group.  So if you are a bride or groom to be and you’d like to chat to others in your position, post questions, offer advice, share your concerns, post your photos – come and join today!

On Saturday 27^th August 2016 I announced on social media that I had been working on a behind the scenes project for the past 18 months called “The Online Wedding Planner”. I was so happy to start spreading the news, however, I’m sure you are wondering what it’s all about?! So, I have put together a Q&A for you here to explain a little more in detail about what you can expect!  I cannot wait to be able to help couples plan their special day in a fun, exciting and stress free way.

What is The Online Wedding Planner?

The Online Wedding Planner is a step by step course to help you plan your wedding the easy way!

The guide has been designed for couples currently planning their special day, who want real advice and guidance from a wedding professional, that won’t break the bank!

Tell us more about the name?

The name means two things: Your online wedding planner is essentially me, Olivia.  I’m a wedding planning professional who owns an award winning wedding planning business, Host Event Management. I’ve planned and run hundreds of weddings during my career. I will be guiding you through the process at every step!

Secondly it also means it’s your very own online wedding planning resource.  Log in, and you have access to your personal wedding planning account.

The name is clear – it does what is says on the tin, so to speak!

Why I created the course?

In short, I wanted to be able to able to help as many couples as possible realise their wedding planning potential.  So many couples struggle planning their day, not knowing who to turn to or where to start.  I have planned and run hundreds of weddings, so have perfected the art of planning a wedding, giving you all the professional tips and tricks so you don’t leave any stone unturned.  I also wanted to bridge the gap between hiring a wedding planner (which can be expensive) and doing everything yourself and potentially struggling.  This way you get guidance at every step but still have complete control over the process.

Who is it for?

Any couple who is engaged to be married. Any couple that feel they need some assistance, advice and a strategy to perfectly execute a day to remember.  Whether you are getting married in 2 years or 2 months.

Why do you need it?

Do you feel:

• Overwhelmed, not knowing where to begin with the wedding planning process?
• Stressed about starting and not excited?
• Baffled by the many wedding suppliers out there, not knowing who to turn to?
• Not sure how to work out timings, table plans and logistics?
• Unclear about what your wedding design will look like?
• Like you don’t have enough time in the day, but can’t afford a wedding planner?

Do you want to:

• Feel organised and on top of your wedding planning?
• Enjoy the planning process?
• Feel stress free?
• Gain interesting ideas and inspiration?
• Save on expensive wedding planning fees and have friendly help from your own home?
• Become your own wedding planner by being reassured and supported at every step?

When is it launching?

I’m not giving an exact date yet but it will be Autumn 2016.  I will let all subscribers know first of all and then announce this on social media.

How can couples sign up?

Currently you can register your interest below or here to be the first to obtain the link to the course.  When the course goes live, you will be directed to a summary page with a video and information explaining more and a sign up button.

Then what happens?

When you sign up, you get immediate access to the course whenever you like.  Just log in and out when you have time, from the comfort of your own home.  It really is that simple.  There is no set time frame, you learn as and when you can, at your own pace.

What’s included?

So much is included! When you sign up to The Online Wedding Planner, you will receive:

• 8 step by step sections including:

First steps of planning

Managing your budget

Finding the perfect venue

Managing your guests and their experience

Decor, theming and the finishing touches

Choosing your suppliers

The wedding timeline, schedule and checklists

On the day and post wedding

• Video tutorials: I will be there saying hello in every section, summarising the key points so you don’t feel alone!
• In depth course notes: Written course notes for you to read in your own time
• Downloadable documents: Accompanying course documents for you to print off or save to help you plan
• Exclusive access to “The Online Wedding Planner” facebook group: A place for the community to communicate, chat to other couples, share your stories, live Q&A sessions from me
• One to one assistance is also available

What if I want just require one of the sections?

No problem – you can either take the whole course or whichever section you feel you need the most guidance.

Investment

You aren’t “buying” The Online Wedding Planner, you are investing in a resource that will essentially make your planning journey easier, leaving you time to enjoy your life and make the planning process a fun one!  More information will follow when the course goes live.

Want to be the first to find out more?

Do you think The Online Wedding Planner might be for you? Then please sign up below to be the first to find out news and information.

Any questions?

Please leave any comments or questions below or email me at info@hosteventmanagement.co.uk

 

Huge thanks for the support that has been shown over the past week – I am so grateful!

I’m so excited to be able to help many couples on this exciting wedding planning journey! I hope to see you there when we launch!

Olivia x

Sign up below now

#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; }
/* Add your own MailChimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block.
We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */

(function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]=’EMAIL’;ftypes[0]=’email’;fnames[1]=’FNAME’;ftypes[1]=’text’;fnames[2]=’LNAME’;ftypes[2]=’text’;}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);

I can’t believe this wedding took place a year ago…honestly, where does the time go!

Katie and Matthew were so lovely to work with and have the cutest daughter Isobel who looked so adorable on the day!

The ceremony took place at Lower Slaughter church at 12.30pm on Saturday 11th July 2015.   The reception venue was a traditional poled marquee in the grounds of Mucky Cottages in the village of Naunton in the Cotswolds.  The views were incredible and consisted of Cotswold countryside as far as the eye could see!

The theme was country rustic.  A handful of suppliers and myself arrived the day before to set up.  Wooden long tables, folding chairs, metres and metres of bunting and vintage crockery were styled to create the couple’s chosen look.  Fresh flowers came on the morning of the wedding and consisted of lots of wild meadow flowers cut into jam jars and vases.

The food included delectable canapes a mouthwatering barbeque and an evening cheese board feast, not forgetting  a selection of homemade cakes for dessert!

The wedding guests partied into the night with the sound of The Festival Foxes who perform in a Mumford and Sons style.

The day was so lovely and I felt very honoured to be a part of it!

Suppliers included:

Photography: Alice from The Vintage Wedding Photographer

Catering: The Woodland Kitchen

Furniture: Virginia’s Vintage Hire

Marquee: The Cotswold Marquee Company

Venue: Mucky Cottages

Vintage China: The Vintage Hire

Band: The Festival Foxes

Flowers: Redgrave & Lake 

Vintage Bus Transport: Alex Cars

If you are looking for help organising your Cotswold wedding, do get in touch.

Olivia x

 

 

 

Evening All!

I’ve been itching to write a post about one of my favourite places in the entire world – Jamaica, which is a fabulous honeymoon or special holiday destination, if you are currently considering your options.

I’m going to give you my own personal account of my experience here and hopefully offer some advice and tips along the way!

 

 

Our travel agent

We booked the all inclusive trip with Thomson Holidays.  There is a branch in my local town so it was easy enough to pop in and ask questions or add/amend the booking.  I must say, the customer service was excellent and there were no hiccups along the way.

The journey

We flew from Birmingham and took the 10 hour trip via a dream-liner.  These state of the art aeroplanes give you extra leg room, better air quality, get you there quicker, suffer less turbulence, have soft mood lighting and more importantly you receive complimentary drinks on demand, 3 meals and a selection of box office films to keep you occupied. I’m certainly not great when flying but I must say this long haul trip was absolutely fine and I actually enjoyed the experience!

Where we stayed

Montego Bay or “Mo’Bay” as it’s known was the destination for us.  With it’s white sandy beaches and turquoise sea you can’t get any better.  It’s probably one of the islands most popular resorts for tourists.

The Hotel

We picked Secrets St James Resort: Set on a peninsula surrounded by the crystal-clear Caribbean waters, this quiet oceanfront destination offers adults the ultimate in sophistication, relaxation, romance and the privileges of unlimited luxury at this AAA Four Diamond resort.

I honestly couldn’t be happier with our choice.  After touching down after the 10 hour flight we grabbed a pre booked private transfer which took us straight to the door (15 minute drive).  On arrival we were greeted by the concierge team who looked so fancy in their trilby hats! Our luggage was handed over and we were guided to the most beautiful reception area.  With its impressive chandeliers, wooden floors, designer furniture and the most gorgeous scent in the air we knew we’d hit the jackpot! Our concierge manager Mark gave us a cool towel to use along with a choice of either a classic Caribbean rum punch or glass of Champagne (we went for the punch!).  There were also homemade cookies available if we fancied them.  We officially checked in with the efficient reception team at their individual desks and then Mark walked us to our room, a ocean view suite on the second floor.

The room did not disappoint! Mark gave us a quick tour of the facilities which included a waterfall shower, his and hers basins, standalone bath with jets, four poster style bed with drapes, lounge area, TV with several satellite channels, private balcony and a free mini bar to use whenever we wanted. I loved how the bathroom just carried through to the bedroom, it was very open plan and airy.  The view was lovely out to the crystal waters.  I could not wait to get out there!  So that’s exactly what we did. We were swimwear ready in about 2 minutes and ready to explore!

Food & Drink

As the hotel was all inclusive we literally could eat and drink all day…not good for the waistline, but what the heck! The resort had many evening dining options including Japanese, Jamaican, Italian, French, Mexican and Seafood.  All the food was very good but I would say my favourite was the French.

Breakfast and lunch times were spent in the “World Cafe” which provided a plentiful buffet style of world foods to keep all guests happy.

There were many bars to choose from too which served cocktails, spirits, wine and beer.  My favourite was probably the Miami vice or rum punch!  My favourite bar was the piano bar.  Each night a pianist would play your favourite songs to sing along to.  Any one that knows me well will know that I love a good sing song so really enjoyed the late nights in there!

For those in between times when you fancied a snack you could catch the twice daily jerk chicken wagon at 12pm or 12am (and yes we did indulge one night after a few too many cocktails!) or the snack bar on the promenade.

Facilities

The resort had everything you needed on site: 3 large pools, an air conditioned gym, an indoor and outdoor theatre, spa, shops, restaurant, bars, coffee shop, night club, casino, water sports centre, ping pong and a shuffle board – we spent hours playing this! They even had a wedding shop to help you plan your special day!

Entertainment and Activities

Every day there was something to do from reggae dance lessons, yoga in the gazebo on the beach, stage shows, a nature walk, bike rides, cooking lessons – there really was something for everyone.

We had a go at paddle boarding and snorkling at the water sports centre.  You could hire a glass bottom boat or go on a jet ski at an additional charge.

We watched a hypnotist, the house band play, a circus perform, a famous steel band perform.  They even played movies at 5pm every day on the big screen if you fancied it.

My favourite evening was at the bare foot beach party.  A DJ played into the early hours of the morning whilst we danced the night away.  We toasted marshmallows and had so much fun!

Excursions

The day after we arrived we were invited to the Thomson welcome meeting to find out more about the area, hotel and excursions on offer.  As I had been to the island before (many years ago), I knew that I wanted to go to places I hadn’t been before.  We choose to visit Ricks Cafe, Negril beach, Dunn’s River Falls and Nine Mile the birth and resting place of the music legend Bob Marley.  These activities work out more expensive than going direct to the local tour provider but you do have the peace of mind that you will be using reputable companies.

I absolutely loved the trip to Dunn’s River Falls and Nine Mile.  At Dunn’s River Falls you basically walk up 183 metres of a cascading waterfall.  It sounds a little crazy but actually it’s fine when you are up there.  All participants link up and help each other.  A good pair of water shoes are a must here as some areas are slippy.  We took the go pro up with us and took lots of photos.  Such a great experience and I’m not the most adventurous of souls but I managed it!

On our way from Dunn’s to Nine Mile, we stopped at The Ultimate Jerk Center a roadside restaurant serving some of the best jerk chicken I have ever tasted! The stop was topped off by us watching a game of cricket played by two local teams. They even asked if we wanted to join in!

As many of you may know, I love Bob Marley, so a trip to his birth and resting place was definitely on my list of places to visit.  We had to take a rather ropey trip up into the hills for this one! We got there in one piece and got to the museum which housed Marley memorabilia and Bob’s bedroom and family home. Going into the chapel where he was laid to rest was a really spiritual experience for me.  We lit some candles and I thanked Bob for giving us the most poignant and feel good music of all time (in my opinion)!

On another day we visited Negril beach a stretch of 7 miles of white sandy beaches.  We then popped down the road to Rick’s Cafe, a well known cliff top bar on the edge of Negril.  People get to free dive off the edge and it was great to watch the professionals and tourists jumping off the cliff which are 10ft (3m), 25ft (7.6m) and 35ft (10.6m).  NOT for the faint hearted! Reggae beats filled the air, we had a snack and watched the most amazing sun set.

My Top tips

Time of year – Try and visit outside of the rainy season.  The best times to go is mid December – mid April as this is the driest time of the year.

Health – Jamaica is currently an area which is affected by the zika virus.  If you are planning on starting a family or if you are expecting, it’s best not to travel to areas affected.  I used jungle formula mosquito repellent, I purposefully left my perfume at home as this attracts the mites and I started taking vitamin B complex a week before I went and throughout the stay.  I only got bitten once so I think all the preventative measures helped.

Get to know the locals – Jamaicans are warm, beautiful people.  We spoke to so many on our travels and they gave us insight into the best places to go and when.

Wildlife – The wildlife in Jamaica is just stunning.  We had parrots Rita and Bob at the hotel, several Peacocks and the sealife was incredible. Throw a broken up banana in the water and you’ll see so many fish!

Go Pro – If you have one of these take it! You can do some cracking time lapses (we did one of the sunset) and it’s great for any adventure based trips, especially involving water.

Sea shoes – Take some waterproof shoes with grip.  These are great for waterfall climbing and general sea use (I’m not a fan of water creatures!).

American Dollars vs Jamaican Dollars – I took a mix of both but American Dollars was fine at all places.

 

We had the most incredible stay at an island which is full of love and chilled vibes.  I would recommend this as a honeymoon/holiday destination to any one – couples, families or groups. I definitely shall be returning one day in the future.

 

One Love!

 

Olivia x

 

 

Oh my gosh guys, I have been truly rubbish at writing blog posts this year.  My last entry was in February! I do have excuses though as I went on holiday at the end of February to the beautiful Caribbean island of Jamaica and moved house (finally!).  I’m also working on a secret project behind the scenes which I hope to be able to share with you soon which basically takes up all of my time – exciting stuff!

Anyway – today, I wanted to discuss lighting your wedding.  To me, lighting is a simple yet hugely effective way of creating a lovely atmosphere and enhancing the design and feel of the day.

Lighting always gives a soft ambient glow, especially as the daytime turns to night.  Here are some examples of different types of lighting which you could encorporate within your wedding decor:

• Candles – Probably the most beautiful, simple yet effective use of light. Can be used in lanterns, candelabras and votives. A couple of words of warning – check that your venue allows naked flame candles and BE CAREFUL  where they are placed.  Long dresses could get caught, hair and clothing could be set alight, foliage from floral displays are very flammable. If any of these things were to happen (and I have seen it myself) this would really put a dampener on proceedings.  Make sure you use hurricane vases and holders to keep things safe.  Some like to use battery operated tea lights to give a similar effect but end up being safer.  Also make sure you have someone who will light all the candles, whether this is the venue manager, wedding planner or a friend.  Purpose made candle lighters are the easiest to use as they are long and safe (less burnt fingers from matches!).
• Fire light – If your wedding is taking place in the colder months, there is nothing more welcoming then a lit open fire to warm you up from the cold. Fire pits are a great way to add atmosphere in the gardens at night and give off a lovely warm glow.  Make sure there is some seating nearby and some lap blankets available.
• Fairy Lights/Festoon Lights – Twinkly fairy lights make spaces look enchanting and inviting. You could drape them in the trees/hedges outside or have them above a dancefloor area.  Make sure that you hire these lights from reputable companies with relevant PAT testing certificates.
• Uplighters and dimmed lighting – You could hire in coloured (to match your theme) lighting to create depth to a room, especially if the room is quite neutral and blank. Dim the lights if you can if you want a more romantic feel.

So think about “getting the glow” at your wedding – you may not have thought of it yet but perhaps it’s something to consider? Many event hire companies should be able to help.  Do make sure they have good testimonials and relevant safety certificates though.

Have a great week!

Olivia x

One of my Summer 2016 clients is looking to have beautifully crafted macarons to give to her guests.  It got me thinking about the plethora of options available to couples looking to show their appreciation to their guests attending their special day. Over the years I’ve seen so many creative ideas!

Favours will add a personal touch to your big day.  If you’re all about the design, a favour can add a stylish addition to your tablescape/theme.  Here are some examples to help you choose the favour right for you.  By the way, a favour isn’t an essential element, so if you’re on a tight budget you might want to omit this from your plans.

Sweet Treats

• Macarons in transparent boxes/bags – you want to be able to see these beauties right?! Add some ribbon in your choice of colour along with a personalised label
• Pick ‘n’ Mix – fancy a trip down memory lane? Fill bags with nostalgic sweet shop favourites
• Hot chocolate cones/jars – perfect for Winter weddings.  Create your own layered jars with hot chocolate, marshmallows and sprinkles
• Truffles
• Biscuits, shortbread or fudge

Tip: Get your pals to help you create these mini gifts.  Make a night of it with cocktails and nibbles!  You can buy crafty bits from local craft stores or eBay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bottoms up!

• Homemade sloe gin or flavoured vodka in mini bottles – it’s a celebration isn’t it?!
• Mini bottles of fizz
• Limoncello in mini bottles

Tip: Make sure your venue is ok with you bringing in alcohol.  Some venues have strict licenses.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paper

• Drink token – you could set up a tab at the bar where each guests receives a free drink using personalised drinks tickets
• Lottery ticket/scratch card

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personal

• CD of songs played on the day with personalised sleeve
• Badges/magnets
• Charity donation
• Hand written personalised letter – I LOVE THIS!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other

• Candles
• Seeds
• Olive oil
• Sparklers
• Matches with “The perfect match” on
• Christmas baubles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little ones

Some of the items above won’t be suitable for children.  Think about putting together “bags of fun” for any little ones attending your big day.  You could include colouring pencils, quiz books, puzzles, toys and sweets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So many online retailers provide either the elements to make the favour or the complete product.  It really depends on what time you have spare and your budget.

If you don’t fancy putting the favours on the tables, you could look at providing a “favour station”, I’ve seen this with sparklers, sweets and cakes and it works well.

The above list is certainly not exhaustive and anything goes – so get your creative hats on!

I hope that provides some help to you!

Have a great week.

Much love,

Olivia x

*Images courtesy of pinterest

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are now enjoying some well deserved rest and relaxation. Now that the year is drawing to a close I wanted to write a post about 2015, because honestly, it’s been the best so far at Host HQ! The business has been running now for nearly 3 years and I feel it’s really flourished. I also want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who I have worked with over the last twelve months and those who follow and support Host Event Management. I love what I do, it’s hard work and challenging – but nothing else beats it!

The year started very well as I was lucky enough to attend The Bristol and Somerset Wedding Awards in February. To my shock and surprise I won the category of “Best Wedding Planner” for the second year, which was rather nice. It was brilliant to catch up with my local wedding industry friends. The evening supports The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation who organise and fund weddings for terminally ill people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In March, following on from the success of the Christmas Masterclass which was held in November 2014, I organised the Domestic Goddess Workshop where local ladies learnt skills of being a good host.  The classes included event planning, table styling, gift wrapping from Wrapped to Perfection, cake decorating from Liz at Finishing Touches, flower arranging from Becci at Bijoux Floral Design and colour consulting by Charlene at Colour 4 Life.  There were even make-up tips from Jessica Mills MUA and Jewellery to purchase!

 

 

 

 

 

 

In April, I was chuffed to see the Italian inspired wedding shoot which was created in July 2014 published in Wedding Venues and Services Magazine and followed by a post on Whimsical Wonderland Weddings in August.  The full list of suppliers involved can be seen on the link to the blog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My first wedding of the year was in June for Marianne and David.  Read more about their day here. I loved this wedding.  It was held very close to my home in the gorgeous village of Oldbury-on-Severn.  The photos captured by Sophie Duckworth were dreamy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

My second wedding was for Katie and Matthew in July.  I will write about their special day on the blog soon.  Here’s a few photos of the day courtesy of Alice from The Vintage Wedding Photographer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next was Lucy and Stephen’s big day held in August at Walton Castle in Somerset.  It was great to work at this venue – so historical.  Again, I will write about this wedding soon.  Photography by Rupert Marlow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The final wedding of the year for Host was for Robyn and Richard.  Their reception was held at Hilles House in a magnificent marquee.  I will write about this in the new year (I have lots of writing to do haven’t I?!). Photography by Oliver and Ruth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On a personal note and after a busy Summer, Mr R and I headed to Tuscany in September on an Italian adventure. We had the best time, Italy is just steeped in history and culture.  Here’s a few holiday snaps – the gondola ride in Venice was fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many of you won’t know this but I have a love of musical theatre.  I am a member of Thornbury Musical Theatre Group and played Katie Brown in this year’s main show, Calamity Jane in October.  I think it’s really important to have hobbies and interests outside of your working life.  For me, it’s another outlet for my creativity.  I absolutely adore being part of the group.

 

 

 

 

 

My final project of the year was a styled shoot.  I try and organise at least one a year and this time I chose a Highland theme that suited Autumn/Winter weddings.  The shoot was held at Berkeley Castle.  A whole host of talented, local suppliers joined forces to create a sumptuous, luxe feel, shot by the lovely Albert Palmer. The shoot has already been published on national blog English Wedding and it will soon be published in a magazine.

 

 

 

 

 

It’s been really cathartic to reflect and take stock of what has been achieved in 2015.  I’m full of energy for 2016 and have some exciting projects in the pipeline, which I hope to share with you soon.  I wish you all a happy and healthy new year.  I’m off to prepare for my forthcoming NYE party!

 

Much love,

 

Olivia x

This Summer I was lucky enough to be involved with the planning and running of Marianne and David’s special day.  They contacted me a year before their proposed date, needing some assistance as they lived in London and had demanding work schedules.

The wedding was held in June near my home town of Thornbury in a gorgeous “chocolate box” village, Oldbury-on-Severn.  It’s a lovely village where Mr R and I have spent several Sunday afternoons taking a walk towards the river followed by a cider in the local pub The Anchor Inn.  The ceremony was held at St Alrida’s church which sits on the top of the hill, overlooking farmers fields and the River Severn.  This church is set, without doubt, in the most idyllic location in the whole of the County – a really gorgeous Gloucestershire Marquee Wedding!  The reception was held in a traditional poled marquee courtesy South West Marquees in one of the fields just down the hill.  All the guests had to do was take a short stroll to the marquee where Pimms was served on arrival.

Marianne’s dress was a gown designed and made by a dress designer in London and looked so beautiful.  David is Scottish so of course wore a traditional kilt and looked great.

Marianne’s Dad is a local tree surgeon who donated felled branches to decorate the marquee.  The branches were attached to the ceiling structure of the tent, creating an “outside-in” natural feel.  Plain wood long tables, folding chairs and blue and white gingham table runners added to the rustic theme.  The family decided to arrange the flowers themselves, picking these from local cutting garden, Organic Blooms.  The food was just gorgeous! Lovingly prepared and served by Cotswold Cooks, the guests enjoyed standing starters, roast chicken with seasonal vegetables and a huge slab of Victoria sponge with fresh strawberries and cream.  The whole day was captured beautifully by Sophie Duckworth.  A Ceilidh got guests dancing well in to the night provided by Bristol based, Lupercalia.  The day was filled with so much love and it was a pleasure to be part of it.

Olivia x

Hello all,

I am back to the UK after enjoying an Italian adventure with Mr R.  The trip was totally amazing and much needed after a busy Summer of wedding loveliness!

I’ve had some time to reflect whilst being away, remembering the wonderful clients weddings I have worked on in 2015.  Each and every wedding was a pleasure to be a part of.  I witnessed so much love, fun, dancing, eating, drinking and the couples individual style.  I love my job as a planner. It’s very touching to know that you get to play a role in someone’s special day.

More often than not us wedding planners feature at the bottom of the list in terms of suppliers required for a couple’s wedding.  Maybe it’s due to finances or maybe the couple want to plan everything themselves.  On the contrary, married guests who meet me say  “I wish I had booked you for my wedding”.  Hindsight is a wonderful thing, right?  I ask why and I am met with “We couldn’t relax and enjoy the day properly.  We were constantly interrupted with questions from our suppliers.”  It really upsets me when I hear this response.  A day which two people have so lovingly devised over a long period of time to make it there own but weren’t actually able to enjoy the fruits of their labour!

Here art some of the duties and issues that I have had to troubleshoot,  “behind the scenes” at weddings this year:

• Buy 120 litres of bottled water when the marquee water source was not working
• Stand by a faulty generator and switch back on every time it failed, whilst waiting for a new one to arrive so guests could listen to the speeches on a microphone
• Help elderly guests take their seats safely
• Light candles throughout the day and replenish as and when required
• Provide extra toilet roll when it had run out at the end of the night
• Provide bar services
• I took 4 guests home when they couldn’t get a taxi
• Filling confetti cones 30 minutes before the service as the bridesmaids ran out of time
• Made announcements such as introducing the new Bride and Groom into the room
• In control of music playlists and microphone
• Taking away a guests table setting who could no longer attend
• Answer any questions such as “where are the loos?” or “what time is the wedding breakfast?”
• Team briefing with the catering manager and staff
• Helped caterers serve food, paying special attention to any guests with dietary requirements
• Administer first aid to a child who had fallen over
• Stand outside the church door with a white umbrella waiting for the bride and groom to leave when the heavens opened
• Move 120 chairs from an outdoor ceremony to the marquee (with lots of help from the ushers!)
• Fold 140 napkins, insert a menu, tie with twine and add a sprig of rosemary (took a solid 2 hours)
• Ask the caterers to devise something for an unknown special dietary requirement
• Look after a guest who was ill and sit with them
• Move 10 hay bales to create a seating area for the guests
• Take delivery of alcohol and store in fridge unit
• Lay over 500 place settings to include napkins, favours, placecards
• Hang many metres of bunting
• Lay a cake buffet table
• Find the track that was required for the signing of the register that had mysteriously disappeared on the playlist (I knew the song was super important to my couple)
• Help a supplier place 120 sets of vintage china
• Organise food and drinks for the suppliers
• Supplying safety pins for a broken zip on a guest’s dress
• Meet with suppliers when they arrive and make sure they have set everything up that’s been ordered
• Constantly liaise with suppliers on the day to keep them informed of any time changes or issues

Being a wedding planner isn’t all glitz and glamour, it’s really, really hard work! You are on your feet for at least 12 hours (and usually the day before) and have to deal with many unplanned stressful situations.  That is what I am hired to do. Take the stress away and ensure that my clients have the day they deserve.  My aim is to always run a smooth and memorable event that my clients can look back on fondly and cherish forever.  A wedding planner is a calming influence that can discretely rectify any problems that may arise, behind the scenes.

So, if you are currently planning your wedding and are considering employing the help of a professional planner, have a look at the above and ask yourself: “Do I want to fully embrace my special day?”.  I think the answer will be yes! All my services can be found here, so do get in touch for a chat – I’d love to hear from you.

Until next time….

Olivia x

Photo Credit: The Vintage Wedding Photographer