Archive for the ‘Suppliers’ Category

Black Tie Wedding Etiquette

November 11th, 2011 No Comments
rule

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Birmingham, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, The MidlandsChristmas is nearly upon us and those party invites start to roll in. I don’t know about you but sometimes the dress code blows my mind. Smart casual has me running for the trees? What is that anyway?

Many weddings are black tie at this time of year and that is another area where sometimes it’s tricky to know what to wear. Is it short black dresses? Do our men need to wear a DJ? Well according to the internet research I did for ladies at least. Black tie etiquette is a little blurred.

It is acceptable to wear short black cocktail dresses. It seems long dresses are largely now left for “White Tie” events? Yes I know very uber glam! I must say I have never been to one, but that is all out glamour. Long gloves, long dresses and men in tails with satin stripes down their trousers!! Wow!

If you choose to have a wedding that denotes “Black Tie”  there should be a little addition to the invite that states “Black Tie Attire”. Then your guests will turn up in the right apparell. The wedding ceremony and reception is generally an evening affair, after 6pm is the definition for black tie.

I must say I do love the idea of dressing up in a lavish dress for a black tie wedding. The thought of this teamed with bright red and black put together beautifully makes my heart race. Think holly berries, mulled wine in lovely glassware, tables cloths or chair covers in black with table runners in gorgeous deep reds.

I love this mood board I found on Black Tie Invitations. The reds are so luxurious and superbly elegant.

What about this idea for chairs too?

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Birmingham, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, The Midlands

Not sure about you but a man in a fabulous suit, cut to perfection makes me swoon! I asked our Genie Dream Team Supplier Adrian from The Bespoke Tailor to give me some advice on how to dress our guys for Black Tie events and weddings.

Adrian says ” With the “Black Tie” season only just round the corner, are you concerned as to what the right etiquette is? Well worry no more, read on!

Suit

When “black tie” appears on an invitation it is an indication that the guest is expected to wear formal evening dress. This consists of a dinner jacket, with matching trousers, most often in black. The dinner jacket will have satin lapels and trimmings to make it distinct from a lounge  jacket, which is for daytime use. The trousers should have a satin braid down the length of the outer leg seam.

Shirt

The dinner suit should be work with a white dress shirt. The choice of collar style, either wing or standard collar, is optional and down to personal choice.

Bow Tie

A black bow tie should be worn. These can be either pre-tied or self-tied. It’s worth practicing to tie a bow tie for that extra special feel. You can accessorise this by wearing a matching cummerbund too.

Waistcoat

An alternative to cummerbund is a waistcoat. With a double-breasted jacket, neither is necessary.

Cufflinks

Evening shirts will always come with a double cuff, so don’t forget to pack your cufflinks!

Pocket Square

Although not necessary this is a nice finishing touch. If you choose to wear one avoid colour stick to white cotton or linen. There are many ways to fold the pocket square but the “three point fold” is our favourite for 2011.

Shoes

Dress shoes are a very important part of the outfit. Ideally, plain black patent or fine leather shoes should be worn.

Socks

Always wear black fine-gauge knee-length socks – there is nothing more tacky than a flash of flesh when all dressed up.

Hey what do you think of my example of a black tie suit? OMG could not resist showing you this.

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Birmingham, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, The Midlands

Adrian really does know what he is talking about. His suits are to die for, designed and handmade by him for you! If you are planning a wedding next year and you want to kit your husband to be out in something fabulous don’t think about going anywhere else. If you are having a black tie wedding this christmas I would love to see it featured on my blog. Call or mail me if you want to send me your photographs after the wedding. I love to show real brides to inspire my brides and me!!

Until next time, happy planning.

Wedding Stationery Advice – Knots and Kisses

November 9th, 2011 1 Comment
rule

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Birmingham, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, The MidlandsI am so excited to introduce you to one of our fabulous wedding stationery suppliers. I have been working on three weddings for next year and Nikki from Knots and Kisses has designed a fabulous Art Deco style of Invite for one of my lovely couples. I can’t show it yet because of course the guests have to be the first to see them!

After all they are the introduction to your wedding. Invitations or save the dates are a taster of what your wedding day holds and should really delight your guests and give them some insight into your personality.

For me stationery is very important, whether it’s designed by a company or made by yourselves. It is the one thing that pulls a wedding scheme together. I am also a self confessed stationery addict!!!

Nikki has just released her brilliant new website with such inspired designs, you will be drooling! Check out some of the newest designs here. I love the story book style. It is a great idea to tell the story of a couples journey.  Along with the website is a great blog too. It has all kinds of advice so make sure you check that out. I am also very pleased to add Nikki to my Wedding Genie Dream Team. These are suppliers I know and trust who I can recommend without a moments hesitation.

wedding Planner, Coordinator, Birmingham, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, The Midlands

One of the great new designs,Story Book.

I asked Nikki to share with us some of her advice for choosing and ordering your wedding stationery.

Hello! My name is Nikki, I run Knots & Kisses Wedding Stationery.

Julie asked me to write a few words of advice for you about wedding stationery etiquette… so here goes!

I’m going to say now… I’m not a fan of the word etiquette when it comes to weddings! I firmly believe you should be able to have the wedding you want regardless of tradition.However, ordering Wedding Stationery can be a bit of a minefield, and it’s useful to know a few hints & tips to make ordering your Wedding Stationery that little bit easier ….

1. When To Send Your Stationery

Generally the advice is to send your wedding invitations to your guests approximately 3 months before the date of your wedding.

This can however depend on your wedding … you may be having a wedding abroad and in this case you will need to send out your invitations much further in advance as your guests may need to book flights etc.

If you’d like your guests to know the date of you wedding much further in advance I’d advise sending out Save The Date cards. This can give your guests advance warning so they don’t book holidays that clash with your wedding and can book time off work if needed.

2. When To Order Your Stationery

This can depend on your stationer, but I generally advise my clients to start the booking process at least 2 months prior to the date you need to receive your invitations. This is especially necessary if you are ordering handmade stationery, as it allows time for proofs to be sent and changes to be made. You also need to take into account many stationers will only be able to take on so many orders a month so it may be worth putting a deposit down much earlier to secure the services of the stationer you really want.

Also allow extra time if you require a bespoke service as you need to allow a little bit longer for the design process.

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Birmingham, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, The Midlands

3. R.S.V.P’s

I often have to advise couples on their RSVP dates, as sometimes they will put a date which is far too close to the wedding.

You need to allow time to chase up stragglers! No matter how well you think you know your guests there will always be a few who will reply to you weeks after your RSVP date… or not at all!

Also take into account the date your caterers and venue will need to know final numbers by, and if you are ordering reception stationery allow a month for this to be made.

4. Children

You may love to have children at your wedding, but there are many couples out there who could think of nothing worse! There are ways of wording this on your stationery so you don’t end up offending any of your guests who are parents!

Generally I advise not having a short sharp line stating “Children Not Allowed” … the text I usually use is something like … “We would love you to enjoy a day off and so respectfully ask that there are no children at your wedding”.

wedding Planner, Coordinator, Birmingham, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, The Midlands

5. Extra Information

I’d always advise a separate information card to be included with your stationery. These days there is often so much extra information you would like to let your guests know about your day.

This can include directions, maps, guest information, food requests or even asking your guests to bring something with them to your wedding.

A lot of my stationery ranges include an information card and RSVP card as a pack price, which can save you some money.

6. Wording

When it comes to wording, I personally don’t think the rules are as strict as they used to be, but generally invitation wording will be either Formal or Informal.

Formal invitations are generally for weddings being hosted by the parents of the couple and will be addressed as such … “Mr. & Mrs. G Robinson request the pleasure of the company of Mr.  & Mrs. Joe Bloggs at the marriage of their daughter Jessica Anne to Mr. James Smith ….”.

Many couples, however, now host their own weddings and so an informal wording is more appropriate … “Jessica & James would love the pleasure of the company of Jane & Joe Bloggs at their wedding …”.

I personally feel these days anything goes! Be as informal or as humorous as you want depending on the style of your wedding!

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Birmingham, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, The Midlands

7. Final advice … Have fun with your wedding stationery and remember to order a few extra just in case!

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Birmingham, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, The Midlands

I hope you found this useful. I agree with Nikki that all there are some rules for stationery be yourself and personalise them as much as you want. I know when I get a wedding invitation I just love it to be that little bit different and feel it is talking me to me! Over the next few weeks I am going to post about how to use stationery in your wedding in ways that are that bit different and unusual. Watch this space because for the new year I have lots of ideas and there will be little changes to my website and blog to keep you coming back for more!

Until next time, happy planning.

Wedding Designer Weekend – Princess Brides

November 7th, 2011 1 Comment
rule

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Birmingham, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, The Midlands

 

Our friend Claire at Princess Brides in Stafford is holding a designer weekend on 12th and 13th November featuring a very talented british designer, Donna Lee. Her designs are designed to bring out the dreamer and diva in every bride.

There are three collections, The Diva Collection, The Fairytale Collection and the The Heritage Collection. The dresses are made from silk chiffons, organza’s and taffeta’s with gorgeous lace and beading. There is a style to suit all figures and the prices are super reasonable too.

Last year Donna won best new bridal design label.  Pop along and meet Donna on  Saturday, she will be there from 10am till 4pm. The dress to the right is  the Regency  from the Heritage collection

For more information pop over to Claire. Here are a few of the designs to give you a taster.


 

 

 

wedding Planner, Coordinator, Birmingham, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, The Midlands

Grace – Diva Collection

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Birmingham, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, The Midlands

Lana – Diva Style Collection

wedding Planner, Coordinator, Birmingham, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, The Midlands

Norma Jean – Diva Collection

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Birmingham, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, The MidlandsQueen of Hearts – Fairy Tale  Collection

Have fun trying everything on. Claire sells plenty of goodies to go with your dress too. Have a lovely time.

Until next time, happy planning.

Vintage Chic Wedding Fair

September 28th, 2011 2 Comments
rule

I do feel that wedding fairs need to be completely overhauled and offer something new and fresh. Watch this space for our sister company next year offering a fabulous new event in March.

In the meantime I am pleased as punch to introduce Susie and her sister Cathy, who have put together a great list of quality wedding suppliers to produce a Vintage Chic Wedding Fair. They wanted to give something that little bit different to brides and have created a vintage inspired event for Brides looking for something a little less mainstream.

I asked Susie to tell me a little more about the event. What kind of suppliers would be attending and what to expect.

Vintage with a modern twist is how we like to describe our fairs. Our exhibitors are not only passionate  about what they do but inspirational and extremely creative.  Our fairs are also bought to life with music from Simon Partridge a Midlands based Jazz Swing singer and a pop up vintage tea parlour for Brides and guests to relax with a cup of tea and homemade cake. Expect plenty of bunting, authentic vintage bridal gowns, cute cupcakes, award winning photographers along with planners and stylists ready to take away the stress of managing your wedding. Vintage heaven!

 

A list of all confirmed exhibitors is available online at www.vintagechicweddingfair.co.uk along with a directory of other super vintage inspired wedding suppliers. Here a few images from the last event to wet your appetite.

All the brilliant photographs are from Theresa Furey, go check out her site I was mesmerised with the style and quality.


We have 2 events coming up in this Autumn. 30th October at The Custard Factory Birmingham and 13th November at Stancliffe Hall. A luxury wedding venue near Matlock Derbyshire.  Pre registered Brides are free of charge to enter and all other guests just £2.50 payable at the door.

For any questions or queries, please contact info@vintagechicweddingfair.co.uk

It certainly is a great line up, I urge you to go check out Susie and Cathy’s website, their list of suppliers is super impressive. I might even go myself if I get chance. I was completely enthralled just looking at the the websites of all the suppliers.

Until next time, happy planning.

 

Inspired Alternative Wedding Bouquets

September 9th, 2011 No Comments
rule

Over the last year at a few of our weddings we have helped our brides think about using something that bit different from the standard flower bridal bouquet. I do love flowers it has to be said but if I was able to marry again (to the same man I hasten to add) I definitely would go for for one of these goodies. The one you see here is from our last wedding and Debbie from DC Bouquets is the very talented lady that made it. I will feature more of her creations below.

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Birmingham, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Coventry, Leicester, The MidlandsOne of the best things ever after the wedding is sitting down and popping all your mementos and little details from your wedding into your memory box. Every now and then I take the lid off and relive one of the best days of my life. Lol that might be dramatic but it really was. If you use one of these bouquets and choose one that fits with your style and decor at home you can see it everyday.

Place them in a position where you will see them all the time. They will last a lifetime, my poor gorgeous flowers ended up in the bin very soon after the wedding the next day.

How about this gorgeous button hole to match too.

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Birmingham, Nottingham, Derbyshire, Leicester, The Midlands

 

 

 

 

 

For the groom and parents, these are just divine. A great memento.

 

 

Here are some of Debbies other great creations. You can choose from the range on the website or Debbie will do something bespoke just for you. Remember though if you want to use this idea then you have to be sure to order in plenty of time. You can imagine the detail that goes into making one of these pretties. I defy you to really enjoy working with Debbie my bride just loved her.

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Birmingham, Nottingham, Derbyshire, Leicester, The Midlands

I love that you can have bright colours if you like, or muted tones and how lovely does it look displayed in your finest crystal.

How about a different design made with different materials?  I have a couple who are having a caribean wedding theme next year, how about these gorgeous shell bouquets to really bring out the idea and help them feel like they might very well be on a sunny beach.

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Birmingham, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Coventry, Nottingham, The Midlands

I absolutely love these from Kimberly Aurora at Romantic Flowers on Etsy. They ship to the UK.

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Birmingham, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Coventry, Nottingham, The Midlands

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Birmingham, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Coventry, Nottingham, The Midlands

If you like the idea of shells but want a more formal look what could be better than this?

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Birmingham, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Coventry, Nottingham, The Midlands

 

 

 

For  the DIY brides amongst us why not have a bash about at making your own bouquet. Butterflie themes at weddings are popular and here is the perfect DIY project from a complete idol of mine Martha Stewart. You can buy the butterflies on line and then they are wired together. Check out the instructions here.

Another lovely idea is to have a bouquet made out of buttons. Button Moon really excel in this area and make the most fabulous designs using fantastic bright colours if that is your thing.

 

 

 

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Birmingham, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Coventry, Nottingham, The Midlands

I am sorry for this one only for the fact that is from Australia. I don’t normally post things on my blog you can’t get in the Uk or get shipped easily. You can get this one shipped but the waiting time is 40 weeks! If you love this get your order in now. It is super inspirational. One of the most gorgeous things I have ever found. If you are like my brides and really love to have a wedding that is totally you and your theme is quirky or personal to you. How about this bouquet it is for a wonderland tea party them. I heart it!!

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Birmingham, Nottingham, Derbyshire, Leicester, The Midlands

Just look at the detail in this work!

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicester, The Midlands

This just proves that if you can think it you can have it if some talented supplier can make it for you. I hope this gives you some inspiration. If you made or bought an unusual bouquet please let us know and I will post them on the blog to give other brides inspiration.


Until next time, happy planning.

 

 

 

Unique Wedding Entertainment

August 5th, 2011 No Comments
rule

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Nottingham, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Birmingham, The MidlandsToday I have a really great treat for you. If you are thinking of entertainment for your wedding and you want to find something that bit different, but also very entertaining that your guests can enjoy and become involved with, I have just the man!

What about a man who can read your guests minds?  A modern mind magician with a difference. Are you intrigued? I was when I found Looch. He comes highly recommended and so I thought it would be fun to get in touch and find out more about what Looch can do to make your wedding entertainment the talk of the town.

Our blog earlier on this week was all about personalising your wedding, well this is one of those things that would really hit the spot.

First of all I wanted to find out what does make Looch different from the normal magicians who do tricks and how he describes himself.

I call myself a mind reader, but don’t take myself too seriously in that role. The official term is a mentalist but that has a different meaning here in the UK. I’m not a traditional magician and I’m certainly not psychic. I’d say somewhere in the middle, I utilise a variety of different techniques to get inside your head and try to read your thoughts. Traditional magic relies on sleight of hand, where I suppose what I do can be described as sleight of mind, I use a mixture of psychology, influence, magic and a bit of bullshit to accomplish my “tricks”

Can the guests take part in any of the things you do or is it all watch and see?

That’s where my act stands out. With a traditional magician you stand there and watch in amazement at the visual tricks on show. At times you may be called in to briefly assist with an effect but for the most part you are just there as a spectator. For me, without you and your guests I dont have an act. I need minds to read! It’s full of interactive fun and I even teach some useful skills to let you try and read thoughts! Its a unique and highly entertaining experience.

 

How would you describe the kind of entertainment you do?

Well under the umbrella of mentalism, I perform quite range of different demonstrations, I may tell you the name of your first kiss, duplicate an unseen drawing or tell someone their pin number. Those are very direct examples of “Mind Reading” but I also play around with influencing and suggestion, Theres always certain people more open to these techniques than others and with them I am sometimes able to plant a thought into their head without them being aware of it. Then when I tell them what they are thinking they see it as a demonstration of mind reading, but for everyone else watching will see how I have done it.

There’s some gender specific skills that people are interesting in learning. A lot of the girls like to learn how to spot a liar so I teach them the elements of that but for the guys, quite a few like to learn some of the techniques surrounding playing cards, poker and winning in casinos. Theres a wide variety for everyone.

Looch can entertain your guests during the drinks reception or amaze them at your wedding breakfast and work from table to table. I have to say I had a magician at my wedding and our guests absolutely loved him. If you get the right kind of person who has a personality that is interesting as well as very engaging then that entertainment is a definite hit.

 

Looch works throughout the Nottingham and Derbyshire areas but will travel. You can contact him for an online quote on his website.
As a trusted supplier of The Wedding Genie you can be sure of Looch’s professionalism and quality service. Wedding planning is all about enjoying the  journey so engage people who make it fabulous.

Until next time, happy planning.

Wedding Genie Dream Team – Liquid Spirit

July 29th, 2011 No Comments
rule

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Birmingham, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, East MidlandsToday I am delighted to introduce to you the latest member of The Wedding Genie Dream Team, Tim Newark from LiquidSpirit Mobile Bar Hire. What livens a party up more than great drinks and innovative ones too if you can work them into your budget?

I have to say I am a cocktail lady and just love trying different concoctions.  Lately I have been working on a super wedding with a Caribbean wedding  theme and we will be busy inventing signature cocktails for our cocktail hour, what better way that to start off than using Tim’s expert advice.

If your wedding venue does has the option to provide your own alcohol you can choose what you want and of course it’s a much cheaper alternative to paying large bar tariffs. Hiring a cool looking bar with staff that really know what they are doing is fabulously entertaining for your guests and provides that little bit of panache! Who doesn’t want a Tom Cruise at their wedding mixing the cocktails? You can choose to hire just the bar, and then add staff to serve your drinks or pay for a package that includes the drinks, bar and staff. Whatever fits your budget and need, Tim will whip you up a great mix! Pardon the pun, think I have been on the cocktails already! Well it is friday.

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Birmingham, Derbyshire, The Midlands, Leicestershire This would look gorgeous lit up at night for your evening party!

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Nottingham, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire, Birmingham, The Midlands, Coventry

I asked Tim to give us some expert advice about making your own signature cocktails.

 

Tips for making Signature Cocktails – by LiquidSpirit

Serving a signature cocktail to your guests is a great way to immortalise your event. Be it a wedding, a birthday party or an anniversary. Here are some tips to creating a cocktails you can use to commemorate your event and something that can be recreated years after.

1 – Stay true to your event

If you are creating a cocktail for your anniversary, remember where you and your partner spent your honeymoon, if it’s for a birthday, consider your favourites pastimes.

2 – Celebrate your history

If you have Brazilian ancestry, consider Cachaça. Part Scottish? Scotch. Russian heritage? Vodka. Chinese forebears? Sake, you get the picture. Remember to research your spirits wisely as local produce will support your roots more than an international brand, i.e. don’t think there is that much Cuban interest in Bacardi.

3 – Listen to your pallet

What do you like, sweet or sour, sparkling or still, light or strong, clear or dark? This drink is usually intended to be enjoyed by your guests as well but don’t forget this is one drink you will want to recreate for the rest of your life. When experimenting, try to achieve a contrast in the drink by combining something sweet with something sharp. E.g. fruit liqueur with lemon juice. The result is likely to be more palatable. The most successful cocktails achieve this balance. Consider the visual texture, consistency/density, colour, palatability, aroma, taste and presentation.

4 – Local & Seasonal

Find garnishes and local liquors in your market to make your drink locally sourced and ecologically friendly. Flavoured vodkas are a good spirit to research as they can match any ingredient and provide a flavour for all occasions.

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Birmingham, Staffordshire
5 – If you think outside the box, destroy the box!

Go nuts! Consider outlandish cocktails with that added wow factor; consider flaming orange zests, wild orchids, bacon infusions and possibly a whole banana as a garnish. Who said a cocktail couldn’t be served in a pint glass?

6 – Nostalgia

Research old cocktails, the Manhattan, Vesper, Old Fashioned and Sazerac are becoming popular once again. Try inventing a modern twist on a classic; include your family’s namesake or the area your event is in.
Create the Steel City Vesper, the Zeuners’ Flaming Ferrari or Timothy’s Twisted Sazerac!

7- Simplicity

Too many clashing flavours can ruin a drink, no matter of the quality of the ingredients. It’s useful to know that many mixed drinks contain a liquor base, a liqueur and juice. The garnish is added for eye-appeal. A Cosmopolitan is double vodka, a single Triple Sec and a double cranberry juice. A dash of lime is added to zest it and a lemon twist is added to the glass to make it more appealing. This formula is tried, tested and easy to adapt.

8 – Fashion

Have a look at modern restaurant menu’s or up-to-date cocktail guides. Pomegranate is in right now and if you’re a perfectionist you could research Japanese tools and techniques, inspired by East Asian tea ceremonies’ attention to detail add to the luxury of crafting slow drinks.

Have a Google of it and ponder no longer.

9 – Have Fun!

This should not be a chore; this should hark back to childhood days of ‘mixing potions’. Playful experimentation should be the cornerstones of your cocktail creation. Remember to celebrate your likes and don’t stress out about pleasing anyone in particular.

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicester, Birmingham, The midlands

This could be my Wedding Genie Theme Cocktail  - Blue!

 

10 – The Golden Rule, never forget:

“A cocktail will never be better than its cheapest ingredient.”

– David A. Embury (1948)

Could not have said it better myself. Hope this gives you all some inspiritation!

Wow this is great advice, I am a total Cosmopolitan freak and Mojito’s are to die for. The one thing I have noticed though when we have tried to do a cocktail party at home is the time it takes to make one and the utensils you need. I would definitely recommend someone to do this at your wedding if you can. Our kitchen ends up looking like someone let loose with a blender and you can skate on the ice on the floor! Taking a hammer to try and bash ice is not a good idea! I am sure Tim and his team can whip up these drinks in a flash with great entertainment and panache.

For more information please contact LiquidSpirit Mobile Bar Hire

 

Wedding Planning Dilemmas – Dogs!

July 27th, 2011 No Comments
rule

Today my blog is most unusual. I have to say I have never blogged anything quite like this before! The lady this blog is about phoned me last week and apart from being a thoroughly nice person is an expert in her field. Have I got your attention? Well wedding planning can be stressful enough for the people in the wedding party and as the wedding day roles ever closer there are many things to think about and to organise. What do you do if you have a dog and are about to go on honeymoon? You are also super busy in the run up to the wedding itself and poor man’s best friend maybe getting a little neglected to say the least.

Jane Harvey who runs Doggy Day Care is the answer to all your prayers. Not having a dog myself I guess it just had not occurred to me how worried owners must get when they have to think about leaving their beloved dog in kennels. I am not suggesting kennels are in any way a bad idea it’s just that Jane has a super little business that gives your dog a holiday as much as you.

Think about a beautiful house in the countryside where there are a maximum number of dogs, perhaps 5 or 6, where the dogs can run freely around and have full reign of the house. What’s more if you have any behavioural problems with your dog then Jane is the right person to fix them, being a qualified and very experienced dog trainer. Check out her website here.

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Birmingham, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicestershire, Coventry

Jane calls these the pink ladies


I will let Jane tell you more about her passion.

When couples plan their weddings they want to make sure everything is perfect.  For those with dogs this can present a problem, particularly if they have never stayed away from home or if they don’t want their beloved best friend to have to spend a week in the kennels.  I offer home from home doggy day care and boarding.  I am blessed with a wonderful home set in an acre of land overlooking the river soar.  I am surrounded by conservation land in all directions and it is a very peaceful and beautiful setting for humans and dogs alike.

All the dogs who come have a fabulous time, they are not shut away but have the run of the home and garden which is fenced in and secure.  They often like to have a sleep in the doggy chill out room where my office is based and we have Radio 2 on all day for their (and my) entertainment.  I ensure that I cater for individual needs so for example, if a dog is a little shy I can make sure they are safe and gradually introduce them to the more confident ones.

I am here every day and never leave the dogs unless my partner is on hand to take over as I feel that they should be supervised and cared for throughout their stay so that they are safe and well at all times.

I love my job and it gives me great pleasure to see happy dogs playing all day long whilst their owners are either at work or on holiday.  My you tube videos capture the essence of Harvey’s and are quite entertaining for fellow dog lovers, I do post updates regularly so that owners can see what their dogs are up to. Click here.

Sounds like heaven, think I might go and check myself in for a little break. Having someone feed me, exercise me and generally do what I like sounds like a fun place to be. If you need any more information just pop along to Jane’s website or contact her directly.

Until next time, happy planning.

 

 

 

 

The Wedding Genie Dream Team – Soundsfishy

July 21st, 2011 No Comments
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Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Coventry

 

Following on from my blog yesterday on budgeting, Ian Fish my favourite DJ of all time just happened to be thinking of the very same thing and writes about budgeting for entertainment. I thought I would add this little extra post this week so you can go and read what Ian has to say when you are looking for a DJ and entertainment for your wedding celebration.

 

Enjoy! Click here

 

Until next time, happy planning.


 

Wedding Decor Inspiration

July 13th, 2011 No Comments
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Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, Birmingham, CoventryThis week I have had so much fun looking for inspiring decor for my brides. I came across this lovely website that really took my fancy. Not only can you treat yourself to goodies without blowing your budget but Vintage Amethyst has the most gorgeous little pieces to make your wedding decor that little bit unique. Here at The Wedding Genie we are always going on about how the little details make your wedding special so here are a few ideas for you to personalise your special day.

I myself bought a little gift from here this week and I have to say Alison who runs the online Gift and Wedding boutique gave me outstanding customer service. If you read my blog regularly you will know that I love to share great suppliers and companies who care for their clients with the same high level of care that we deliver. I wrote to Alison to get to know her a little bit more about how Vintage Amethyst came to be.

Vintage Amethyst first started with me making jewellery. I had wanted to sell my jewellery alongside pretty vintage home-wears & things I had ‘up-cycled’. Vintage Amethyst (this as you can see is where the name comes from!) was born, but the jewellery was so popular that I decided just to concentrate on making & selling pretty gemstone jewellery for a while.

I loved the jewellery making, but in my heart I knew I really wanted to sell pretty home-wares as I love shopping & decorating my own home. I have always loved the vintage, ‘Shabby Chic’ style & have always painted furniture for our home & so I decided to go with my heart & make the leap into home-wares in 2008 & since then Vintage Amethyst has grown so much. Over a period of time I found that a lot of brides-to-be were buying some of the pretty items for their wedding day & so I added a dedicated wedding day collection specifically for brides for their special day & also for pretty wedding gifts ideas. This has been a wonderful success & I love getting orders for peoples wedding day, it feels lovely to be part of someone’s special day even if it’s only a teeny tiny part.

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Birmingham, Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Coventry, The MidlandsThis is a great idea for a unique table plan. Fab for a barn type wedding. Have lovely cards printed to match your stationery with your guests names and tables on. Slide them into the holder and you have a very simple but stylish way of guiding your guests to their tables.

I love running my online boutique, it is so much fun especially for someone like me with a passion for pretty homes. I love sourcing lovely delicious pretty things that I personally would love to buy & last year I added a collection called ‘Just for You’ where you can find wonderfully vintage inspired clutch bags & pretty jewellery. Vintage Amethyst isn’t just a shop to me it’s a whole life-style & I hope everyone loves the Vintage Amethyst collections as much as me.

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Birmingham, Derby, Nottingham, Coventry, Leicester, The Midlands Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Derby, Nottingham, Birmingham, Staffordshire, Leicester

I love these ideas. How about using these gorgeous wooden hearts as place names and they can double up as favours. For 10 for £16 it’s so affordable. The paper bunting would look lovely draped around the room or even as edging for the top table and again great for the budget at £7.

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Nottingham, Coventry, Birmingham, Derby, Leicester,These hanging hearts would be great decoration for your venue. If you are having a  vintage theme all these little ideas are inexpensive but give you that little bit of the personal touch. These are £4.50 for three.

There are many other lovely touches over at Vintage Amethyst, Bird cages, lovely garlands and then there are the special treats just for you. You also get a great shopping experience with Alison and your goodies arrive beautifully wrapped. Take some time for a coffee and a browse. I do love the fact too that it can all be done from home, or not that I would advocate this but a sneaky five minutes in your lunch break might just sort out all the decor you need to give your wedding that very personal touch.

Until next time, happy planning.