Archive for the ‘Wedding Planning’ Category

Wedding Day Details – Involving your Guests

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

I just love it when I hear friends and family at weddings say how special the day was and how they felt involved. I know I wanted everyone at my wedding to go home and smile whenever they thought of our day. It was important to me to know that my friends and family really felt part of the wedding. Its true that the people you invite to your wedding really do make the day special for you and your new husband. Who wants guests sitting around bored and wondering what is going to happen next? Spending a little time and effort in involving your guests in your special day will pay off dividends. Everyone will go home talking about the best wedding they have been to and your wedding pictures will be full of happy smiling people.

Over the last few months I have seen and thought of some great ideas to help you create a wedding day that everyone will remember. Over the next few days my blog will be jam packed with them.

I will have plenty more tips and advice over the next couple of days so pop back for a little inspiration. In the meantime, I know that our Brides who we work with, and definitely many more have the most fabulous ideas, why not send them to me and I will publish them and credit them to you. Lets have some fun and help spread the inspiration!! Email me or call me I love hearing from you.

Until Tomorrow, happy planning.

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Lovely things!, Style, Tips & Advice, Wedding Planning | Comments Off

Wedding Planning Heaven

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

Planning a wedding is fun and exciting, but at times frustrating and overwhelming. Being organised is key to your wedding planning, but how do you keep everything together in one place? What happens to all the endless lists of “Things to Do”?  where did you put that number of that fabulous florist you saw and what was the website where you found that fantastic centrepiece? The guest list can be a life force all of its own, especially if you have over a hundred people to send invites to and then follow up on RSVP’s

Well, I have found this wonderful software from Google who has teamed up with Style Me Pretty. Its free and it contains all the templates that you need to keep all your wedding plans together in one place. You can document your guest list, all your To Do”s , your budget, and each template gives you tips and hints from famous wedding planners.

Whats more you can access it anywhere you go and share it with your fiance or wedding helpers. There are even templates for your music list. If you are computer savy then this is for you. If not then get someone to help you download and print them out.

Wedding Planners are so good at what they do because they are very organised people who love lists. You can organise like a professional with some of these tools. Then if you want to hand your wedding plans over to someone like me to help coordinate your day you can share with me all your information. Why not give me a call to see what I can to to help kick start your wedding plans and help you with my tips, advice and Inspiration.

Until next time, happy planning.


  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: ,
Posted in Tips & Advice, Wedding Planning | No Comments »

Valentines Wedding Special Offer

Monday, February 8th, 2010

If you are looking forward to Valentines day because you have a sneaky feeling your gorgeous partner may pop the question. Then this offer may be just what you need to start your celebrations.

A Genie for An Evening Service £100 instead of £125

Kick start your wedding plans, spend an evening in your home with a Professional Wedding Planner. Its fun and we guarantee to give you the help, confidence and knowledge that you need to start planning your own wedding. Share the evening with your friends, partner, your Mum, or all of you. Its informal, informative and most of all focus’s on what you want for your wedding. We will send you a brief questionnaire designed to get to know you a little. That way we can spend the whole evening talking about your wedding, what you want and how to go about planning one of the most important days of your life.

All the main wedding topics are discussed, we will give you tips, advice and plenty of inspiration. You will even receive a written summary of our discussions with a “To Do List” to use a “Road Map” for your wedding planning.

Booking before the end of March 2010 will ensure you receive the special discounted price. Call or contact us for our availability.

Until next time, happy planning.

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: ,
Posted in Wedding Planning | No Comments »

Surviving Your Wedding Planning

Friday, February 5th, 2010

Is wedding planning taking over your life? Are your waking hours spent surfing and worrying about the exact details, the absolute shade of a colour that is so incredibly important that your life nearly depends on it! Please Stop! take a break and think about what is really important for your wedding day.

I was inspired to write this blog because of a phone call from a very stressed groom to be. The whole wedding experience was getting too much and he just wanted the day to be over. This is not the way to build a good foundation for your marriage or to get your fiance to look forward to your very special day.

Your wedding is about telling the world that you are devoted to the man of your dreams and you want to spend the rest of your life with him. Its not about making sure that your guests note the hues of the various colours of flowers, or that the wine has to be the most expensive, or the entertainment has to be better than the wedding you went to last week. The day of your dreams should be about declaring your love and showing your friends and family why you are so great together. I totally understand you want it to be wonderful and magical and that your guests enjoy the whole experience. But! its much better that your guests went home saying wow! how fantastically happy they were, the wedding was so them!

So here is my advice for surviving the whirlwind of wedding planning.

If you are recently engaged and don’t know where to start with your planning. Why not consider booking one of our Genie For An Evening Sessions. I guarantee at the end of it you will have the confidence to plan your own wedding. Its a fun way of getting started and you will receive your very own road map designed around your wedding day plans. Call or contact us to book a date.

Until next time, happy planning.

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: ,
Posted in Tips & Advice, Wedding Planning | No Comments »

Choosing Wedding Suppliers – Tips & Advice Part 2

Friday, January 29th, 2010

The second part of our Supplier advice focus’s on how to find good suppliers and how to manage them. Its important to strike up a good relationship with these people, they will be responsible for delivering your wedding day vision, be careful who you choose and make sure you fully understand what they are offering you.

Here are our top tips for:

How to Find Suppliers

As a rule word of mouth recommendations are the best. You may know friends who have recently married, I know myself a wedding I went to had an entertainer who I just loved and so I booked him for our wedding. Check out local wedding fairs, they are a good source of suppliers in your area. You get chance to meet the suppliers and chat to them to get an idea of their services. Its also good as many of the suppliers are then in one place and it cuts down the amount of times you have to set up appointments and travel to them. Of course, wedding fairs are often held on Sundays too so its easy to get time to visit. Social networks such as Twitter and Facebook are another source to find suppliers. The venue you have booked probably has a trusted supplier list you can use. On line wedding directories are another good source and of course you can search by area. If you book a photographer you like they can often recommend good hair and makeup artists that they are used to working with.

Once you have found a list of suppliers you want to pursue, call them and discuss their services and ask them to send out literature for your perusal. The websites of the suppliers should be informative and give a good idea of their services and style, but beware do not take their website as the only indicator of service and quality. Its much more efficient to do as much research as possible to avoid wasting time with face to face meetings with suppliers that are not suitable for you. Make a shortlist of two or three to visit, seeing too many is overwhelming and confusing. When you meet them find out about their experience and what type of service they are offering you. They should also have the relevant insurance such as public liability. Do not sign any contracts unless you fully understand what you are getting and how much you are going to pay.

Managing Your Suppliers

Set up a spreadsheet which lists your suppliers. If you don’t use a computer then make sure you list them in a note book. Ask them when, and how much, deposits and balances must be paid. Record that on your spreadsheet or notes and don’t forget to add each supplier as you book them. That way you are sure to pay when necessary and you can see outstanding balances. This will help you stay organised and stop you missing important payments. Also list their details such as phone numbers, web sites, and their contact names. If you decide to change your guest numbers or alter times in the day let the relevant supplier know so they are prepared. For example, you don’t want your evening guests turning up before your DJ. Information on your wedding can really mount up so stay organised and keep it all in one place.

We hope this gives you a good idea of how to find and choose suppliers. Its a hard task sometimes so if you need help just give us a call and we will  be happy to source you the best supplier to meet your needs.


  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , ,
Posted in Suppliers, Tips & Advice, Wedding Planning | No Comments »

Choosing Wedding Suppliers – Tips & Advice

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

Well you have set the date and budget, chosen the venue, thought about the guest list and agreed your priorities! You are now in a position to think about your main wedding suppliers. This is a very important part of the wedding planning process. You need to be sure you choose the right suppliers to provide you with exactly what you want to make your wedding day vision become a reality. Split this up into bite sized chunks and keep it simple. Our blogs this week look at what you need to think about. So lets dive straight in!

Lets Start with a List of the Main Suppliers you may need

Who Should I book first?

We recommend that you set your priorities and decide on what you and your finance really want on your wedding day. For instance, this may include great photographs, brilliant flowers, food to die for and the Dress! Looking for these suppliers first will mean that you have fulfilled your priorities. It will also stop you from being overwhelmed with a huge list and not knowing where to start. We recommend that you book a photographer early; they tend to get booked sometimes a year in advance. Florists also get very busy as well as popular entertainers. Choosing your dress should be done as early as possible, if you have time, at least six months prior to the wedding day. This will allow for delivery and fittings. The style will also determine your flower choices, decor and possibly the wedding theme.

What to Think about before you start to look for your suppliers

Before you spend hours looking for suppliers think about what type of wedding you are having, this will determine the type of suppliers you pursue. If its a vintage style then you can look for suppliers that specialise in that area. It may be important for your photographer to have a certain style, reportage for instance and definitely not traditional. Be sure to decide on your budget for each supplier. Spending many hours researching is quite miserable if you are checking out vendors you can’t afford. Thinking about these types of questions will reduce the search time and help you focus on suppliers that meet your needs.

In our next blog we cover where to look for suppliers and how to manage them. The Wedding Genie knows only too well how hard it can be to find the right supplier. If you want help just give us a call. We only work with trusted and recommended vendors so you can be sure of great service and quality.

Until next time, happy planning.


  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , ,
Posted in Suppliers, Tips & Advice, Wedding Planning | Comments Off

New Year! New Wedding Plan!

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

The New year is here and The Wedding Genie wants to help you kick start your wedding plans. No information overload for you wondering what to do next or stressing about how to start! Wedding planning is much easier if you break it down into bite sized chunks. We may have covered this before but its worth stressing how important it is to prioritise and think about what you really want before you dive into full on wedding planning.

Follow our top tips for wedding planning utopia.

Forget about all the little details, (for the moment) I promise you if you use our tips you will have plenty of time for all the unique little touches to make your wedding day stand out, and to celebrate your style and personality. Concentrate on these key elements first then you can consider the details later.

Lets Talk Priorities

Make a date with your fiance, pour a couple of chilled glasses of wine and curl up on the sofa. Decide what you really must have for your wedding no matter what and then make a list. The dress, venue and flowers may be really important for you and perhaps photography is something your finance is passionate about. Talk now, your views may be different and its an excellent time to listen to each other so you end up with the wedding day that is truly perfect for you both. Setting your priorities is key to successful wedding planning. Do this right and everything else will fall into place.

Budget

Now you have a clear idea of your priorities you can think about your budget! I know you groan, I want to think about dresses, venues and food! Well Stop! Decide how much you want to spend and then apportion the budget according to your PRIORITIES. That way you will be sure you spend your money on what you really want and not the incidentals that add up and are not necessary. Start a simple spreadsheet, or download one of the free wedding budget calculators on many wedding planning websites. If you are not computer orientated use a notebook, it does not matter but be sure to keep the budget updated and check your running total.

I guarantee you, if you don’t set a budget right at the beginning you will start to run up your own national debt! Getting married is about declaring your love for each other and not about seeing who can max the credit card first! Just being creative and thinking things through will ensure your wedding day is totally spectacular. You can wake up the day after knowing you had the best day of your life and you won’t be paying for it for the next five years.

Set The Date and Choose your Style

Do you want a winter wonderland wedding, a springtime treat, English tea part or BBQ? Whatever you choose the date must coincide with the style you have in mind. It’s also a good idea to think of your honeymoon destination, this may impact on the time of your you travel.

Guest List

Who do you really want to spend your day with? Friends and family make your wedding special so be sure to check their availability. The amount of guests will also affect your budget.

The Venue

Now you have an idea of your guest list, budget and of course, your priorities you can book your venue. Do this early, especially if you have your heart set on somewhere popular. If you want a civil ceremony, check to see if the venue is licensed to marry you.

Wow! if you work through these priorities your wedding planning will off to a flying start. No confusion for you just a clear way forward. Just keep remembering!

The Rules!

We hope you find this helpful, next week we cover choosing suppliers and making your wedding day special. If you need help getting started our Genie for An Evening may be just right for you. We are still running our January offer of 20% discount so call us to check our availability.

Until next time, happy planning.

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: ,
Posted in Tips & Advice, Wedding Planning | No Comments »

Real Weddings Story – Kelly & PJ

Friday, January 15th, 2010

Welcome to the first installment of Kelly & PJ’s real wedding story. The Wedding Genie are delighted to be providing  On The Day Coordination for the wedding in May and together, with Save The Date Magazine we will cover their planning journey. I hope you enjoy the first part of their story.

This is taken directly from Save The Date Magazine:

When planning your big day we know that its a real comfort to hear other peoples stories who are in the same boat, finding out how they’re coping with the highs and lows, stresses and excitements on the lead up to their wedding day. So, with this in mind Save The Date began to hunt to find an engaged couple who were doing just that. We then came across the fantastic Julie Dawson of the Wedding Genie who spoke about a fabulous wedding she was helping to plan and organise for a lovely couple named Kelly and PJ.

So, at the Hotel du Vin in Birmingham Save the Date met with fabulous couple, to follow their journey right up the day itself… So, without further ado, your first dose of the loved up duo is to go right back to that first date and, of course, find out all about the amazing proposal.

It was Easter 2007 when Kelly checked her my space account to find a message from a guy called PJ (for those of you wondering, his full name is Peter James Ellis and yes, he is the wonderfully charming bloke who appeared in Big Brother, 2003 and still has that cheeky grin). A rather cheesy one liner message, Kelly did her research before accepting his proposal of a date…. and was impressed with her findings so decided to go for it.

On 20th April 2007, Kelly and PJ met for for their first date at Bank restaurant in Birmingham, several champagne cocktails later, the date was a great success and the rest, as they say is history.

Both hard workers, PJ a lawyer and Kelly a producer on Heart FM they spent as much time together as their busy schedules allowed; the holiday they had planned for August 2009 in Turkey was therefore just what the doctor ordered. Both being very close to their families, they were holidaying with PJ’s parents and decided to have a get together at Kelly’s parents the night before they jetted off. Whilst enjoying a few pre-holiday drinks, Kelly’s dad asked everyone if they would like to see Kelly’s recent 30th birthday party video whilst Kelly was quite reluctant. “I am not bothered dad can’t we watch it another time?”

A unanimous vote against her and the 30th birthday video began to play. With the family sitting comfortably, the party video keeping them all entertained, there seems to be a problem when the tape cuts off. With the whole family looking at each other rather bedazzled (apart fom Kelly’s parents of course, who PJ had met with a couple of weeks prior to ask their permission to marry their daughter and according to Kelly’s mum, although PJ was very nervous, he was “the perfect gentleman”), PJ suddenly appears on screen. He begins to speak and all Kelly can do is sit and watch whilst PJ himself delivers a beautifully romantic, funny and overall, amazingly thoughtful proposal. With kind words, an Adam Sandler rendition from the Wedding Singer and Kelly’s dad’s handy filming work, PJ asks Kelly to marry him. Whilst her immediate family look on with PJ waiting for her reply. Kelly herself choking back the tears manages a “YES”

Totally loved up, they jetted off to Turkey the following day for their holiday, and with help from an abundance of bridal magazines, got planning. And boy did they plan. On their return, they’d decided on a date, 9th May 2010 Kelly’s 31st birthday), a theme, bridesmaids and PJ’s best men, not man (he’s having three!).

So, on the the next steps – venue, photographer, dress, suits, flowers, entertainment, invitations, hymns… aaaahhhhh. Where’s a Wedding Genie when you need one? And then she arrived.

In the next edition of Save The Date we find out all about Kelly and PJ’s progress, including the incredible invitations, the fairytale venue and entertainment by a very talented X factor favourite…..

Phew!! a bit longer than my normal blog but so worth it. Can’t wait to see what happens next. As soon as I know you will too!! If you know any funny, romantic or great proposals why not let us know and we can share them. Call or contact us we will be delighted to hear from you. By the way we are still running our January offer so give us a call to see what we can do for you.

Until next time, happy planning.


  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , ,
Posted in News, Real Weddings, Wedding Planning | Comments Off

Wedding Genie News – Save The Date!

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

We are delighted to introduce you to a new wedding and events magazine for the East Midlands called Save The Date. Inside you will find plenty of advice and tips for planning your special event. It the perfect reference tool and in a handy size, perfect for your handbag!  The Wedding Genie are thrilled to be working with the lovely Lydia and Abbi who own, run and produce the magazine.

Not only are we helping out with articles on planning but we are pleased as punch to be coordinating Lydia’s own wedding in May. It promises to be a fantastic day. I had a chat with Lydia and Abbi to give you a bit of background about them and what their magazine is all about.

What made you start Save the Date?

Well, Abbi and I were both working for a local events company (me doing the creative writing for proposals and Abbi undertaking the logistics of the events) and having been at the company for over five years, we both felt ready for a refreshing change. I had just got engaged and was discussing with Abbi the fact that there were no local magazines or material which provided inspiration and ideas for weddings and events and we both felt there was a niche in the market for a classic, stylish wedding and events magazine.

Tell us a bit about the style of your new Magazine

Classic contemporary with an innovative twist. We are not a lifestyle magazine and aim to ensure that our readers know straight away that they are picking up a stylish bridal publication. We like to think that we focus on weddings and events in the East Midlands with a pinch of glamour and a large dose of style.

Well I can tell you they do just that. We also have more to tell you about, read on about a special feature that will be covered by the magazine in each edition.

Real Wedding – Planning Journey

Abbi and Lydia will be telling the story of a a real life bride and groom, Kelly and PJ, throughout  their planning journey. I am delighted to say The Wedding Genie have the pleasure of coordinating their special day too!! Its going to be in May at Wroxall Abbey and it promises to be very inspiring. We are so excited to tell you that we can follow them in the magazine and on our blog! The first installment starts Friday, the magazine is out this week too so look out for it. Kelly works for Heart FM as their breakfast producer and she has a weekly blog you can read. Alternatively you  can subscribe to the magazine so you wont miss out and check out Save The Date blog too.

Wedding Planning Articles

In this edition of Save The Date, there is also one of our articles on New year New Plan! Its designed to help you kick start your wedding planning if you are recently engaged or your wedding is this year. We will be posting this on next week.

Meeting Lydia and Abbi

If you want to meet Lydia and Abbi they will be hosting a Bridal Fair at Shottle Hall in Derbyshire on Sunday February 7th. I will also be there talking to brides about how to plan and the basics of wedding planning. Please come along and meet us we will be delighted to see you and answer any questions you have on anything Wedding.

Until tomorrow, happy planning.




  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Inspiration, Real Weddings, Style, Tips & Advice, Wedding Planning | No Comments »

Beautiful Country Venue

Monday, January 11th, 2010


Following on from our series last week on how to find the perfect venue I thought it would be a great idea to show you a little jewel in the crown I recently found not ten minutes drive from The Wedding Genie offices. Alrewas Hayes is a charming grade II listed country venue set in gorgeous grounds, its very private and picturesque. The perfect place for intimate wedding receptions and its also licensed for civil wedding ceremonies.

Run by Toby and Bonnie Williams it really is a charming place to spend your wedding day. Alrewas Hayes is hired for exclusive use which means you won’t bump into any other wedding guests or indeed, anyone else at all except your own friends and family.

The building has been refurbished to a high standard and has a lovely ambiance when you walk inside. Toby and Bonny are happy to provide you with whatever you need to make your wedding day vision a reality. Check out the pictures below to see the lovely Hall/Gallery where you can start your married life.

The Gallery opens through french doors into the walled rose garden which is lovely and tranquil. Its an ideal place for romantic photographs and at night it can be romantically lit. Not only can you get married in a beautiful building but you can also spend your evening partying in the magnificent white marquee. There is no problem if the weather is bad, the entrance is completely covered. Check out the photographs below.

Bonny will even set you a little boat bobbing on the water filled with candles in the evening.

A beautifully lit white dance floor is part of the package along with a fantastic lighting rig.

If your immediate wedding party want to stay over there is a new wing with contemporary, newly refurbished bedrooms along with a gorgeous bridal suite. The suite is a great size for you and your bridesmaids to get ready in too. Food is provided by the recommended caterers from Alreway Hayes at various prices and for various tastes.

I hope you have fun finding your perfect venue, if you have any venues that you want to recommend why not let me know and we can pass them on. Remember if you need help sourcing a venue our special offer is still running until the end of January, 20% discount off all our services. Call or contact us for a chat, we are always delighted to hear from you.

Until next time, happy planning.

 

 



  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: ,
Posted in Venue, Wedding Planning | 1 Comment »