First of all, SPECIAL OFFER ALERT, SPECIAL OFFER ALERT!!
For couples who book before the end of October for my On-the-Day Management Service (you need this - don't ask your Mum/Bridesmaid/Best Man to do the honours...let them have a wee dram instead) the price is £650 (rather than £800). Yes, I know - brilliant, huh?
Today, given that I didn't win £101m on the Lottery, I thought that I'd carry on working as a wedding planner rather than jetting off to say, Martinique or buying the Isle of Wight. Why oh why do they go public, though - are they bonkers?
What has your hard-working wedding planner been up to lately, I hear you all cry. Well, at the risk of stating the obvious, I have been doing...stuff. I flashed my winning smile at brides (they all ran away, understandably) at the Hilton Metropole Wedding Fair (pix and blog to follow) but more importantly, Calling all Brides took place at the Brighton Racecourse on Friday 7th October and a jolly evening was had by all.
The Racecourse gained a wedding licence earlier this year so do check out the Silks Room - it's a lovely place to get married, not least because the view from the terrace across Sussex is spectacular. Have a look at their website:
http://www.brighton-racecourse.co.uk/venue-hire/weddings.php
Now then, I'd like to take credit for this idea but sadly... I can't! Wedding planner supremo Natalie Lovett from Love to Plan in Swindon had a bit of a lightbulb moment and decided that brides-to-be may want to have a jolly girls' night and be given the opportunity to try out hair, nails and make-up for their wedding in a more relaxed environment than one normally encounters at wedding fayres and how right she was!
Natalie also sells lovely wedding accessories and had a stand there on the night. Have a look at http://lovetoplan.co.uk/products-page/.
So, Calling all Brides was brought to Brighton. Here we both are:
Picture: Ian Trevett, Rosebery Images
OK, now - indulge me. How do you think that you come out in photos? Do you think that some people (like Natalie) are just naturally photogenic and that some people (like me) immediately get lock-jaw syndrome and end up looking like a moose when someone points a camera at them. It would appear that I'm substantially less good-looking than I think and I need to accept this. Sigh. Another learning curve.
So...back to Calling all Brides. By about 4pm I was starting to get a bit excited, not least because Dawn Davies, Events Manager at the Brighton Racecourse had done such a champion job of organising the set up of the Silks Room (thanks to Sam, too!). However, by 4.30pm I started to get anxious as I then decided that nobody would come - that feeling you get when you organise a party - and that all the exhibitors and I would best spend our time getting p***** on the free sparking wine provided by Hardings.
I needn't have worried. There was a queue outside at 6.30pm. "Hello" if you were one of the early arrivals by the way.
So, before the descent of the marauding hordes, we all gathered for a team photo:
From l to r: Ian Trevett (Rosebery Images), Julie Storey (The Brighton Cupcake Company), Donna Crain (Donna Crain Couture), Zara Earthey (Bello Amore Bridal), Dawn Davies (Brighton Racecourse), Kara Jackson (Donna Crain Couture), Natalie Lovett (Love to Plan), Susan Beckingham (Perfect Day), Claire Wallace (Claire Wallace Hairdressing), Amanda Samain (Amanda-J), Lesley (Claire Wallace), Peter Campbell-Wells (magician - Pete's Parlour Magic)
Then...people came in and it all got rather busy. The bar opened, wine was bought.
In addition to the fab beauty specialists on the night, Calling all Brides was delighted to welcome Julie Storey of The Brighton Cupcake Company who provided delicious free cupcakes. You can find Julie's lovely cakes at http://thebrightoncupcakecompany.co.uk/
A special "thank you", too to Donna Crain Couture ( http://donnacrain.com/) whose lovely vintage-style jewellery was a perfect complement to the various new hair do's that I could see emerging. Do have a look at her site - if you don't like her pieces then quite frankly, you have a heart of flint.
Just out of interest, you know that boring bit on a wedding day when the photographs go on for ever and ever and you start to lose the will to live? Well, I've got just the chap to keep people engaged: The rather splendidly witty and talented Peter Campbell-Wells is a magician who specialises in close-up magic to entertain your guests. Have a look at: http://www.parlourmagic.co.uk/
So, here are the beauty specialists hard at work:
Picture: Ian Trevett, Rosebery Images
This is Amanda Samain, doing what she does best with a lovely bride-to-be.
Picture, Ian Trevett, Rosebery Images
The talented Zara Earthey from Bello Amore gets to grips with some eye make-up for a guest on the night.
Picture: Ian Trevett, Rosebery Images
Bridal make-up advice from Claire Wallace, an expert in hair and make-up.
There were queues for each of the specialists so I have to offer them a heart-felt "thank you" (group hug! group hug!) for being so brilliant on the night, not least for providing their services FOR FREE, as did everyone.
Ian from Rosebery Images took the fab photos and guests were able to take home free photos as he brought his printer along. I have some beautiful examples of these but would only publish them with permission so if this was you, let me know and I'll give you a name-check!
We even had a raffle. I love a raffle, don't you, it's all terribly British isn't it? The triumph of hope over experience... but someone has to win and win they did: Donna Crain provided a pair of earrings (ooh), Benefit gave £150 worth of cosmetics (ooh ooh) and there was even a year's subscription to Your Sussex Wedding Magazine.
I've already had some useful feedback on the night and the next one (February 2012, watch this space) will be even better so expect to hear from me with the details. I will come round to your house and make sure that you come. You can't mistake me, that'll be the lock-jawed moose coming down your drive.
With thanks to:
http://roseberyimages.co.uk/
http://amanda-j.co.uk/
http://www.belloamore.co.uk/
http://www.clairewallacehairdressing.co.uk/
http://www.fabricate-decor.co.uk/
http://www.hardingscatering.co.uk/
And a VERY SPECIAL "thank you" for providing freebies and fabulous special offers for the promotional bag to:
Ocean Bride, Brighton
Beautiful bespoke wedding gowns in a fabulous shop by the sea!
White Leaf Boutique, Brighton
Designed by Blanka, lovely wedding dresses in a beautiful setting
Beautiful and Useful, Hove
Mood boards for brides - lovely. These beautifully made, fabric-covered boards are for couples at the early stages of wedding planning.
Benefit Cosmetics (Brighton)
And "hello" to Donna (and Tasha) whose big day is fast approaching!
Clarins (Brighton)
Karen: many thanks for your special offers.
The Treatment Rooms Brighton
Hello to Clare - and thank you for the discount vouchers
Drakes Hotel, Brighton
Check out Drakes on the seafront, it's fab - they hire out the entire venue for a maximum of 40 guests.
Shu Uemura, Brighton
Adam Inglis is at your service and he knows about skincare!
Elemis
Hello, ladies - thanks for the vouchers.
Grace Benson, Eastbourne
Lovely lady, great make-up artist.
Bye for now,
Susan
x
