Wedding Supplier Guides

Supplier Stories: The Award-Winning East Quay Venue Share their Insights into the Modernisation of Weddings

Welcome to this week’s Supplier Story! ‘Supplier Stories’ is an original Bridebook Business article series, where we go behind-the-scenes and into the wedding world through those that know it best – the experienced and talented venues and suppliers across the UK.

So whether this is your first story or 10th, enjoy as we look into the industry as a whole, and celebrate a true story in itself! Who says couples have all the fun?

East Quay Venue’s Supplier Story:

This week we’re talking to the wonderful Clare Potten from East Quay Venue. After transforming the original home of the Oyster Fishery into a unique venue, East Quay maintains its coastal heritage by providing scenic beachside weddings backed by a stunning sunset. The staff at East Quay go above and beyond to help couples create a history of their own on their special day.

So without further ado, Clare it’s over to you!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your team?

Our team consists of three Event Managers, Clare, Kirsty and Shelly, all who have worked for the company for a minimum of 8 years. All of us have worked in different aspects of the company, including the Hotel Continental, Lobster Shack Restaurant and our very own Oyster Production. We have a strong team of dedicated event-only staff, including bar, waiting and chefs. All who know the history of the building, our lovely surrounding areas and backstory of our Oyster Production, offering guests an insight into our culture-rich venue.

2. Share the story of East Quay Venue so far?

The East Quay Venue was originally the grading warehouse for the Seasalter and Ham Oyster Fishery Company. The building was designed to face the shingle shoreline so the fisherman could keep a watchful eye over their precious oyster beds.

Fast forwarding some 200 years, the venue retains the majority of its structural features and boasts its cultural heritage on walls and ceilings.

3. What drew you to the wedding world?

I was drawn to the venue itself for its relaxed feel and atmosphere. The general wedding community are warm, friendly and supportive. It is very satisfying seeing couples so happy on the big day after all of the planning.

4. What’s your favourite aspect/room/part of East Quay Venue?

The view! Whitstable sunsets are rich in colour and make a perfect photo opportunity for couples sat in one of our colourful deckchairs.

5. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the wedding industry currently?

Traditions – the wedding industry has modernised over the years, with more couples wanting a relaxed feel to the day. A wedding reflects you as a couple and the love you share together and sometimes input from those around you enforcing traditions can make the planning process challenging.

6. What wedding venue trends are you seeing in the industry?

Wedding trends change so often, and the venue sets the scene for the rest of the planning and décor. Most couples are looking for venue’s with quirks, charm and atmosphere, meaning the rest of the décor planning flows easily and efficiently.

7. What is the biggest challenge you face on the wedding day itself?

Guests being late – attempting to organise a bride or groom and their main wedding party, whilst keeping them hidden from the late arrivals can be challenging.

8. How do you feel technology is changing the industry?

Technology is changing the way couples plan their wedding. The positive side of technology during the planning process include: apps, quick email, shared documents for on the go joint decision making, reviews and easy access information.

On the day technology has both positive and negative role in the wedding. Whilst having a wedding ‘hashtag’ is a great way to see all your wedding photos in one place, it also may be encouragement for an over-excited guest sharing photos before the ceremony is over.

9. What has been your biggest time saver this year?

The ability to schedule posts to social media platforms in advance.

10. How do reviews affect the industry?

Reviews play an important role to both couples planning their big day and suppliers growing their business. Positive reviews help the couple to relax knowing they have put their faith in the right supplier. For suppliers, a review with constructive criticism can help them to develop their business and build their portfolio.

11. How do you get to know your couples before the big day?

Couples are assigned a designated Event Manager as soon as they book, meaning they have one person to liaise with throughout the whole process. The Event Manager is on hand to assist with anything the couple may need, and is available for one-to-one meetings as often as needed.

12. What do you think makes Easy Quay Venue unique?

Not only is our building one of a kind, our staff are too. Our Event Managers are friendly, relatable and easy to get on with. Building a personal relationship with couples makes the planning process more efficient and helps everyone feel at ease on the day itself.

13. What do you think makes for the perfect wedding?

When each partner has an equal say in making the wedding personal to them. Little touches which reflect the couple’s personality always help the guests enjoy the day, making them smile and reminding them that they are at a loved one’s wedding.

14. What’s your favourite wedding memory?.

One of my first couples had a Bavarian themed wedding, with an Oompah Band and each guest had a personalised stein glass as their wedding favour. The couple were so sweet and gave me a personalised glass too.

15. What do you love about Bridebook?

It’s easy to access and to use. The website is self-explanatory, with loads of helpful hints and tips. The on-hand team are friendly, professional and approachable.

A huge thank you to Clare for sharing her Supplier Story. See the beautiful East Quay Venue in their Bridebook profile.

Want to feature in your own Supplier Story? Get in touch with Beth at beth@bridebook.co.uk.

Top 10 Social Media Marketing Tips for Wedding Venue Professionals

Feeling overwhelmed by marketing your venue to new potential couples on social media? Christina Barker, Wedding Planner for Chantilly Rose and wedding marketing professional has honed her skills and educational talent within the industry through years of experience and research. Now she shares her top tips for #winning in social media marketing and boosting the awareness of your wedding venue below.

Whether you like it or not, your potential clients are all on social media. 2 billion of those are on Facebook alone.

You want to attract couples to your wedding venue so why not utilise those popular social media channels.

Facebook is still by far the biggest social networking channel in the world and will probably continue to be so for a long time.

With YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter also on the rise you need to ensure your wedding venue is being visible and standing out from the crowd. We’ve put together 10 top social media tips for your wedding venue to increase bookings.

1. Post consistently.

Post engaging content and videos which will entice your audience to interact with your accounts. When they do this it also increases the chance of being shown in their news feeds. When we say post consistently, this doesn’t mean that you suddenly remember you’ve not posted in a while and so instead post 5 things on Facebook in one go. Spread your posts out. For example, we recommend you post on Facebook 1-2 times a day. Even if you are only posting something twice a week. Keep it consistent. Your followers will be expecting to see new content at the same time each week from you. Use a scheduling tool to help you so you can plan all your posts in advance. This saves heaps of time and frees you up to do other tasks.

2. Share content from other businesses.

Popular wedding magazines and blogs are full of wedding inspiration for couples to peruse. You might have some recommended suppliers on your list, so keep an eye on what they are posting on their pages and help them out by sharing what they do. They will be thankful for it and doing this will help you form relationships with suppliers and other people in the industry. If you are sharing good content, couples will be coming to your account to look for more.

3. Host regular competitions.

Think about what you want to promote and have fun with this. It could be a simple like and share. It doesn’t have to be anything massive, just something that will help your page get the engagement it needs. There’s no point having a page with lots of likes but no one is interacting with it. This will also give you a chance to reach new people.

Do be sure to keep an eye on Facebook’s ever changing guidelines and rules when it comes to what you can and can’t do.

4. Advertise on Facebook.

This is a HUGE one. If you aren’t using Facebook ads you are definitely missing out on a massive market. Using Facebook ads you can target specific people. For example, newly engaged couples within a certain radius of your venue. You can spend as little as £1 a day on these ads. Obviously the more money you budget though, the more people you will be able to reach so I would always invest in these ads. Using Facebook ads you can also link it with Instagram so your ad will show on Instagram at the same time!

Unlike something like a magazine advert which you can’t track, with Facebook ads you are able to see exactly how many people have seen it and how many people clicked on it. They can take a while to get your head around but this is something you can definitely outsource to a digital marketing company like us.

5. Utilise your cover photo.

This is one people always seem not to bother with or not know about. If your wedding venue has simply uploaded a photo, thought that will do and left it, you are missing a trick! This is one of the first things a person sees when visiting your page. You could advertise your wedding packages here or maybe your next wedding fayre. Don’t forget to add in the details in the description along with any links for them to find out more information. Always be thinking about your sales funnel!

6. Check your page insights.

Look at what is working and what isn’t. What posts are getting the most likes and comments? Continue similar posts and stop posting the things that aren’t getting any engagement. Insights are there for you to check how your page is doing, so be sure to check back regularly. Have your social media manager produce a monthly report for you.

At White Heart Marketing, our team is able to manage your page and do this all for you.

7. Use LOTS of visuals.

Couples love to see lots of photos. Be it on Instagram, Pinterest or another image based platform, they like to imagine themselves getting married at that place. They imagine all of their ideas coming together. If you are seen to be posting different styles, there’s a strong chance that one of those styles is perfect for them. If they can see that your venue is able to cater for this then they’ve pretty much already decided they want to book your venue before they’ve even contacted you!

8. Hashtag, hashtag, hashtag.

Hashtags are widely used on both Instagram and Twitter. A hashtag can be used to find other people talking about the same subject. If you search for #yourweddingvenue (insert name), you can then engage with everyone that has used it. For example, a couple may have taken a romantic photo in the grounds of your venue after visiting for a show round. You could comment, ‘congratulations on your engagement, thank you for visiting us at your show round earlier, we hope your visit was everything you wished for.’

When posting your own photo to showcase your venue, make sure you are including all the relevant hashtags so people can search for you. Hashtags like #WeddingWednesday are great ones to include! On Instagram add your hashtags in the first comment after posting your photo and description. This keeps your feed tidy and hides your hashtags once you get a good amount of comments. You can use up to 30 hashtags on your Instagram posts so make sure you are taking advantage of that so even more people can find you!

9. Keep your information up to date.

When was the last time you checked your ‘about’ section on all of your accounts? Have you made sure everything is completed? Do you have any additional services you can add on? Are your wedding brochures current with all the correct pricing? Your potential clients want to be able to see the information they need without having to go off to another site or clicking on too many other links. If you have everything where it should be then they are more likely to spend time on your account as oppose to someone else’s.

10. Don’t be a slave to social media.

Just because your clients are on social media, doesn’t mean to say you should be on every single platform. Although it’s great for SEO, if they click on a social media channel and see its not been active for months it doesn’t give your company a great first impression. Try and stick to two that work really well for your ideal client. Usually for wedding venues these platforms are Facebook and Instagram. Do those two platforms really well and you could be booking out couples for years to come!

Happy couple hunting! If you feel this is all totally overwhelming, just know that you are not alone. I hope these tips have given you a little insight into what type of social media you should be doing for your wedding venue.

If you have any questions you would like to ask or you are interested in us managing any aspect of your social media, please contact us. We would love to hear from you!

4 Killer SEO Content Tips for Wedding Professionals

How to write killer SEO content for your wedding business

Is your wedding business ranking #1 in google? No? Then it’s probably time to change a few things…

Why content is key to SEO success

The entire business world has a finger (or in most instances, an entire hand) on the pulse of SEO because it’s now recognised and accepted as a primary vehicle for customer attraction and sales.

And if this isn’t the case for your wedding business yet it soon will be; that is, if you get it right.

It’s easy to get bogged down with popular terms like ‘keywords’, ‘links’ and ‘tags’ but ultimately the difference between success and failure in SEO lies with quality content.

Pssst! If you’re new to SEO and don’t have a clue what those popular terms actually mean, don’t fret. Check out this Complete Glossary of Essential SEO Jargon!

Are you making sure that all of your content is as relevant, interesting and engaging for newly engaged couples as you can?

Succeeding as a wedding business online is down to producing the right content, and choosing the right content to produce is reliant on you understanding what your potential clients / couples are searching for online, and then providing them with the best answers to their questions.

Here are four SEO content tips that will guarantee you soar to position one in the search results…

**Tip 1: Act natural – optimise content but relax when it comes to keyword density**

It’s important to know which keyword terms you’re optimising for but don’t let keywords rule your writing.

Even some SEO pro’s are guilty of meticulously measuring keyword density using tools like SEO Quake; counting the number of times a keyword is used on a particular page in body content, meta data and alt tags.

And whilst it can be good to check your content with these kinds of tools and ensure your keyword density is meeting minimum requirements it’s essential that you always write for engaged couples first before you consider how Google feels about things.

According to SEO guru Rand Fishkin, this is the general rule of thumb for keyword repetition:

Google understands how words and phrases relate which is exactly why you haven’t got to worry too much about keyword repetition rules. Avoid over-optimizing your website and make sure you don’t cram in keyword phrases for the sake of it.

Include the keywords that brides and grooms in your local market are searching for to find your type of wedding service in your page titles, blog posts and website copy but always use natural language that is relevant, credible and accurate.

Google rates high quality content that meets the user’s needs so deliver the content and experience engaged couples want and answer the questions they’re asking. This is a far more effective way to boost rankings and improve usability than getting keyword stuffy.

Tip 2: How to choose content topics that will help your wedding business rank well

The best way to approach choosing a content topic is to combine insight into long tail keyword phrases with any content gaps in your wedding specialism, and to think of the questions engaged couples will want answers to.

Firstly, you’ll need to select your core subject or specialism, for example: “wedding venues in London”. You want to rank well for this keyword phrase and be considered an expert when it comes to delivering relevant content and results to searchers as it’s something that’s closely related to what your business does.

Next, you’ll want to Google the phrase yourself and check out which articles or sites are already ranking well for the term “wedding venues in London”.

How’s the competition looking?

If nobody else seems to have answered this question well and you’re sure you could do better, go ahead and focus on writing content for this relatively broad phrase. But if there are loads of relevant results already (which is likely when looking at broad search terms) it’s best you try to think of* different *words or phrases that are still relevant to this core keyword term. This will allow you to create truly unique content and have a better chance at ranking well for more specific search queries.

If we take the example “wedding venues in London”, related phrases could include “affordable wedding venues London”, “wedding venues London art gallery”, “wedding venues London and Essex” etc. Ideally, you want to carve out a relevant but differentiated niche for your topic, for example: “How to hold an affordable wedding at a London venue”, as these kinds of long-tail phrases are likely to be* less* competitive and will help you build authority around your core topic without going head to head with an established website already ranking well for this topic.

Take a look at some of the other words or phrases existing articles include frequently and use tools like Ubersuggest and KeywordTool.io to help you expand your related keywords lists.

Tip 3: Optimise your images for SEO

Choosing the right images to accompany your written content is really important as Alt Tags contribute as a ranking factor for Google when deciding if your content is high value.

Here are the key things you should consider when choosing images to help support your content and improve your SEO value:

Images must be engaging, high quality and attention grabbing.
Images must relate to your topic, add value to the piece and /or illustrate a point that is difficult to explain to enhance the overall reading experience.
Think about the size of the images you’re using as loading speed is a core SEO indicator and slow websites will lose readers and potential new business.
Remember to optimise your images with Alt tags and relevant descriptions that relate to the keyword phrase you’re optimising for.
Separate words with a hyphen when labelling images, not with a space or underscore. Search engines only recognize hyphens as word separators and this can affect how your images rank during a search.

Bridebook Business Tip: if you struggle to gather high quality, original images to support your content, why not try to connect with wedding photographers working at the same weddings as you, and offer to link them if they let you use a few of their photos? Links are absolutely vital for SEO so it’s a great currency to bid in when pairing up with other wedding suppliers to exchange favours.

Tip 4: Post fresh, new content regularly

As a rule of thumb, you should be looking to share a blog post or content of some description on topics of interest to your target audience around 2 or 3 times a week.

This could include one post on your own wedding website and a guest post for another related wedding website. Try submitting features to popular wedding blogs to help boost your website traffic and visibility. Publishing articles on third party platforms or partner websites can really help boost your rankings as it means you’re accessing a new audience and earning a relevant backlink to your own site.

Top Tip: ask any websites you publish content on if they can give you a followed link back to your wedding website in return for the content you’re contributing. Followed links act as signals telling Google that another related wedding website endorses yours. Also, try to use your core keyword term as anchor text in your backlink to earn extra SEO points!

Remember to share all of the content you produce on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and on any social channels you’re active on. There’s no point producing all that great content if nobody knows about it!

Are you content with your content?

Conduct a quick audit of your wedding website today and decide which content will stay, which will go and which can be re-purposed or edited to be improved.

The best way to fall short of SEO expectations is to leave stale, uninteresting content on your site.

Use our SEO content tips to start improving your chances of a position 1 ranking and we promise, the wedding bookings won’t be far behind.

Supplier Stories: Wedding Venue Blenheim Palace on Tradition, Millennials and the Wedding Industry

So whether this is your first story or 10th, enjoy as we look into the industry as a whole, and celebrate a true story in itself! Who says couples have all the fun?

Blenheim Palace’s Supplier Story:

This week we shine the spotlight on Emma Rogers, Sales and Events Manager at the elegant Blenheim Palace. Using their significant events management expertise, the Blenheim Palace wedding team transforms Winston Churchill’s birthplace into a quintessential fairytale wedding venue. Its unforgettable baroque architecture and award-winning gardens makes it a firm favourite for a seamless and spellbinding wedding.

So without further ado, Emma over to you!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I studied International Hospitality Management at University which included a year’s placement in the USA and all of my jobs since then have been in the Events Industry. My parents always worked in Hospitality as well so I guess I was destined to do it. I started at Blenheim Palace nearly ten years ago and have been involved in planning all sorts of different events, big and small since then.

2. Share the story of Blenheim Palace?

Blenheim Palace was built in the 18th Century and is known as a masterpiece of English Baroque architecture. The ancestral home of the Dukes of Marlborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, there is so much fascinating history behind this World Heritage Site. The Palace has been used to entertain and celebrate for centuries, and we are thrilled to carry on this tradition of hospitality today, welcoming weddings and all kinds of events.

The Palace is surrounded by 2000 acres of parkland landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown which includes some incredible views. This really is a magnificent setting for weddings and I am very proud to be part of the team here.

3. What’s your favourite room in the Palace?

As an event space I love the Saloon. It is a really intimate dining space which is unusual given the size of the building. One long table for dinner with beautiful flowers, glassware and lighting can make the room come alive.

4. What drew you to the wedding world?

I have always loved event planning but there is something so special about working with a couple to plan their wedding day. I really enjoy getting to know the couple in the lead up to their day and then being there on the day to see all of their exciting plans come to fruition. You really feel part of their day and it is such an honour to help make their ideas a reality.

5. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the wedding industry currently?

In my opinion the fact that there is so much choice now for couples and access to so much information, whilst helpful can be overwhelming. Gone are the days of someone setting their heart on one venue; couples now see so many venues and suppliers it becomes harder to stand out and equally hard for the couple to make decisions.

6. What wedding venue trends are you seeing in the industry?

I have noticed some new trends in food including concentration on making the food much more individual and interesting, and more consideration for using local produce. There seems to be an emerging focus on making sure parts of a wedding day are unique and something that guests may not have seen before, most typically in entertainment (like using artists instead of photographers or caricaturists). I have also noticed that more couples are interested in using outside spaces more for ceremonies or garden games.

7. What is the biggest challenge you face on the wedding day itself?

We want to make sure every couple enjoy their day and don’t have to think about the logistics of everything happening. This is why planning is so important and why we make sure they have a copy of the event order in advance – so they can see that we have every bit of information we need, ensuring they don’t have to think about anything on the day. This makes the challenge of organising logistics and design much easier, and puts our couples’ minds at ease.

8. How do you feel technology is changing the industry?

Access to so much online advice about wedding planning is great for giving people ideas and inspiration, but I feel it can also give people unrealistic ideas on what they want to (or can) achieve on their wedding day. While technology is definitely having a big impact on the industry, I think it has its disadvantages too. The trick is to be careful which tools you use and to make sure that they have up-to-date and verified information on venues and suppliers.

9. What has been your biggest time saver this year?

We always try to work as efficiently as possible but with the number of enquiries we receive it has been difficult to manage everything. A big time save for us was the development of a new website, on which couples have access to much more information before, including room sizes, prices and even seeing the room in 360 degrees on their screen. Doing this means that couples are much more informed on the venue before coming to us and we can dedicate more time to them, as we have less enquiries to manage.

10. How do reviews affect the industry?

Like with any industry, word of mouth is one of if not the most important marketing tool for wedding venues and suppliers – couples always want to hear about others’ experiences and judge whether the venue or supplier lives up to its reputation. I think it’s great that people have such easy access to information and reviews about venues and suppliers, however often people are more motivated to leave reviews when they have a bad experience than when they have had a good one, so it can paint an unrealistic picture of a supplier which is a great shame. We always include privately-sent testimonials. We are always happy to share testimonials with our potential clients.

11. How do you get to know your couples before the big day?

We meet with our couples as many times as we can and they would like to before the day. It is great to get a feel for their vision for the day so you can then recommend the right suppliers to help them make that vision come true.

12. What do you think makes Blenheim Palace unique?

Blenheim Palace is a truly unique space with amazing grounds and spectacular function rooms. What also shows is how passionate the team here are about Blenheim Palace and how important it is for us to host amazing events befitting of this amazing building. We put so much time in to the planning of the event and involve lots of staff on the day from all different departments, and our passion for the building feeds through to a passion for hosting these fantastic wedding days.

13. What do you think makes for the perfect wedding?

To me, it’s making sure that the wedding day is exactly what the couple want and reflects their personalities. In the past, weddings were less about the couple and more about tradition and pleasing others; there was little room for variation from the couple and not much scope to make their day uniquely theirs. Nowadays, people are much more interested in arranging a day that suits them and are not so easily swayed by others’ opinions, which means that they can have their perfect day the way they want it and I am fortunate enough to help.

14. What’s your favourite wedding memory?

There are so many to choose from. We had a wonderful wedding last year and the Groom had arranged the Bride’s favourite singer to sing her down the aisle, completely unbeknown to her. I was stood with her outside the ceremony room and, although she had chosen the song she was walking down the aisle to, she was not expecting it to be sung live. It was amazing seeing her face as she walked in the room and saw him singing and then also to see the Groom beaming with pride at her reaction. It was so lovely!

15. What do you love about Bridebook?

Bridebook is a great tool for couples to use when planning their big day. I love the incorporation of guest lists and budget management. As a venue, Bridebook allows couples to see a snapshot of what we do and the search bar feature means we’re easy to find too. Alongside being a listed venue Bridebook has given us great opportunities to stand out with their blog features, awards and more. They’re always working to bring couples to their dream venues, and venues to their dream couples!

A huge thank you to Emma for sharing her Supplier Story. See the beautiful Blenheim Palace in their Bridebook profile.

Want to feature in your own Supplier Story? Get in touch with Beth at beth@bridebook.co.uk.

Supplier Stories: Wedding Videographer A Piece Of The Party’s Journey from Strictly Come Dancing to First Dances

So whether this is your first story or 10th, enjoy as we look into the industry as a whole, and celebrate a true story in itself! Who says couples have all the fun?

A Piece of The Party’s Supplier Story:

Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a top television producer film your wedding? With A Piece of The Party, couples can have just that! Lauren, this week’s featured wedding supplier, draws on her years of experience working on some of the UK’s favourite shows, including Take Me Out, Big Brother, I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here and Strictly Come Dancing to make wedding videos that capture as much of a couple’s special day as possible – from the grand entrances to the tiny details. Together with her incredibly talented team, she immortalises wedding memories and has a ridiculous amount of fun doing it.

So without further ado, Lauren over to you!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m a senior TV producer, with over twelve years of experience working in the industry. I started as a runner on Strictly Come Dancing and worked my way up through the ranks on shows like The X Factor and Big Brother. I spend half of the year working on programmes like I’m a Celebrity and devote the rest of my time to filming weddings and events – allowing me the perfect balance of fun and creativity whilst still keeping up with all of the latest innovations in the media.

2. Share your story?

I’ve always loved an event – even when I was little I used to get so overexcited before a party that I couldn’t sleep for days before. Luckily I’ve mellowed a little now! I have worked in TV since I was 18 where started as work experience at BBC Television Centre. I fell in love with the industry, the glamour, the chance that you might run into Ian Beale or one of the guys from McFly – it was absolutely brilliant. I worked on Saturday night shiny floor shows like How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? and Any Dream Will Do before falling into my ‘university education’ – working on Big Brother from Series 7. I worked my way up and have done all manner of roles on the show. I was then headhunted by a chat show and became the youngest TV producer in the country aged 24, going on to be one of the youngest seniors there’s been. What I lack in age, I make up for in extensive experience storytelling and producing, and that is something I want to bring to people’s weddings.

When a good friend of mine moved to Australia and turned 30, my friends and I realised we had to put together a video to show her we were thinking of her. So I filmed and edited our friends dancing around and singing for her to a Katy Perry song called ‘Birthday.’ What it lacks for in quality (it was practically shot on a Nokia 3310) it makes up for in love and I realised there was a serious market for people showing their love for friends and family through the fun and beauty of video.

https://vimeo.com/135284645

3. What drew you to the wedding world?

Having already been inspired to start up some kind of fun filming company, a lot of my friends started getting married a few years ago and asked me to film their weddings which I absolutely loved. I realised there was a total gap in the market for wedding videos which are fun as well as beautiful and tell the story of the whole day. So I decided I could make a career out of it. Freelancing in television allows me the flexibility to spend part of the year in TV and the rest on A Piece of the Party.

4. What’s the most memorable wedding you’ve documented?

I’m lucky in that I genuinely feel like every single wedding I’ve documented so far has been really special and unique. But I have to say the one that sticks in my mind is Maria & George Hollis. They needed a fairly fast turnaround as Maria’s mother might not have been able to make the wedding due to illness. It already had grabbed me from the moment that the couple booked but attending the wedding made it a million times more special. Maria’s flower decorations were incredible, potentially due to the fact she’s got her own wedding florist business (Luna in the Wild). All of her friends and family were so close and lovely. They had an OFF THE SCALE party too – fancy dress and a hell of a lot of R Kelly made for a brilliant night. All of this was topped by the fact that Maria’s mother managed to make the day. I remember driving home feeling totally overwhelmed and full of love for the couple. I can’t wait to film heaps more special couples like Maria and George and create a video as special as they are.

5. What’s your favourite wedding memory?

Two come to mind. One is my very good friend Chris’s wedding – he was the first in our friendship group to get married, I was surrounded by our very best friends from college and it was the first time I realised just how incredible weddings are. The second is my friend Ellie’s wedding, who hired a band called Brando who played a thirty minute version of ‘Shake It Off’ by Taylor Swift. I still want to return to that moment to this day.

6. What part of a wedding is your favourite?

I think the moment the couple see each other for the first time is always pretty special but I’m also all about the party – everyone has finally relaxed and it’s really nice to see a total mix of people together in one room celebrating their friends coming together. To be honest though, what I love about weddings is that every single one has an element of the day which makes it really special and until you’ve filmed it, you never know what it’s going to be, which is why I love to be there to cover every single moment and then select the very best bits.

7. What do you think makes you/your product unique?

I genuinely love weddings, I’m a people person and most of all a people pleaser, so I really do go above and beyond trying to ensure people have a video that is truly unique to them. Our videos are a tale of the whole day and my storytelling experience from television means that storytelling is an inherent part of my personality. I don’t treat the videos as if they have a set format – they’re all set to different music, and I will always consider the individual style before I even shoot the video. It’s important that I spend a lot of the day getting a feel for the couple and the wedding.

I’m also very used to remaining discreet, not intruding on the event whilst still capturing the beauty of the day and the most special moments that they might miss. I’m also a family girl through and through (I made my Mum wear the same outfit as me ‘for the brand’ at a wedding fayre once!) and I’m really keen to capture families in videos, in whatever form that family is made up. For me it’s all about the love that you have for someone who will always be there for you.

8. Why do you think having a wedding video is important?

Weddings go by so quickly. And you spend SO LONG working on them, but on the day it’s just impossible to take in every detail, even if you have a completely photographic memory. There’s just too much to do and see and I feel like a video is the only way to capture it all. Don’t get me wrong, photographs are super important and a wedding essential but a video is your best possible chance of remembering the finer details that you’ve worked so hard on and also seeing the things you didn’t get to see on the day, even for years to come. You spend so much money on your big day that an additional expenditure on something that ensures your wedding will never be forgotten, to me seems like money well spent.

https://vimeo.com/205427979

9. What is your favourite documentary?

It’s not a documentary but I’m all about the dates – so Take Me Out (a show I worked on for three years and absolutely adore) First Dates or Married at First Sight. I will never stop being excited by watching romance (or the occasional dating disaster) unfold on TV. If you want to cringe/roll with laughter in equal measure, you MUST watch the 2017 Valentines First Dates special – particularly the bit where the guy gets asked how he wants to pay the bill… I was watching behind a cushion.

10. What do you love about Bridebook?

The client user interface is really well laid out, the design is super slick but most importantly its run by a brilliant, friendly team who genuinely love weddings and want to give suppliers the chance to connect with really lovely couples. For me as a supplier, I couldn’t ask for anything more. That and the fact it can be used anywhere is essential for a 2017/18 bride!

https://vimeo.com/135813952

A huge thank you to Lauren for sharing her Supplier Story. Check out her superb videos in her Bridebook profile.

Want to feature in your own Supplier Story? Get in touch with Beth at beth@bridebook.co.uk.

Supplier Stories: Iona Thomas’ Journey from Professional Concert Player to Wedding Musician

So whether this is your first story or 10th, enjoy as we look into the industry as a whole, and celebrate a true story in itself! Who says couples have all the fun?

Iona Thomas’s Story:

This week we’re sitting down with Iona Thomas, a truly talented musician whose combination of singing and playing the harp has moved wedding-goers and music lovers all over the world.

With experience performing on big stages (including Glastonbury and Live Lounge); as a backing artist on international tours; and as a resident musician, Iona is no stranger to the limelight but Iona has recently decided to take on a new challenge – the Wedding Industry – and we couldn’t be happier.

So without further ado, Iona over to you!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name’s Iona and I’m a singing harpist!

2. Share your story?

I started playing harp when I was about 7 – I saw a lady playin harp in a local concert and I was absolutely in awe. My mum said if I was still asking her in a years time then she would consider taking me for lessons… 6 months down the line of asking her every day I think she’d had enough and took me to my first lesson. I continued to play throughout school and university and was always gigging alongside my education. By the time I graduated I already had quite a few gigs lined up, so decided that I would continue playing professionally… and here I am now!

3. What drew you to the wedding world?

There is always quite a big demand for harpists at weddings, I did a few and loved the atmosphere, environment and being part of a really special day. It’s just such a lovely thing to be part of.

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the wedding industry currently?

To be honest it’s always been quite smooth sailing for me in the wedding industry. I guess personally a challenge for me is keeping my set list up to date. People often request chart songs which requires learning a few new songs a month.

5. What wedding trends are you seeing in the industry?

Maybe not a trend – but since being made legal in 2014 it’s been nice to see more same sex marriages!

6. What is the biggest challenge you face on the wedding day itself?

I try and prepare myself as much as possible so that I have minimal to worry about on the day of the wedding – but I still always worry that maybe my car won’t start or my speakers won’t work on the day. Touch wood it’s always been fine though.

7. How do you feel technology is changing the industry?

For me, a lot! Social media and the internet is a great way to promote my music to potential clients. I’ve had a couple of bookings from someone seeing me on someone else’s Instagram story. As well as that, in terms of equipment there are always new and improved speaker systems coming out and my electro-acoustic harp, which I believe is one of the first to have been built, was only made in 2012.

8. What has been your biggest time saver this year?

Well currently my biggest time waster, which will hopefully turn into my biggest time saver, will be the FAQs section I’m about to add to my website. After replying to endless emails to questions like “can you play outside?”, “what do you wear when you perform?”, I’ve decided to make one big list with the answer to everything!

9. How do reviews affect the industry?

I think massively. Internet reviews can really make or break a business. Assuming everyone gives accurate and honest reviews I guess they can only be a good thing though.

10. How do you get to know your couples before the big day?

Depending on how they found me really. If they booked me at a wedding fair obviously they met me and heard me then. When I get bookings online then I can send them a list of dates that I play at hotel bars around London so that they come and watch if they like. Alternatively just always being available by phone and email is important I think.

11. What do you think makes you unique?

I think by being a Singing Harpist I am relatively unique – there aren’t many of us. And I can definitely vouch for this after having a few people enquire about the same date I tried to find someone to pass my extra work to… it was not easy!

12. What do you think makes for the perfect wedding?

I guess perfect is subjective! But I would probably say that it would be more about the relationship of the bride and groom and how well everyone gets on on the day instead of things like venue, décor, etc.

13. What’s your favourite wedding memory?

I’ve been booked as a surprise a few times, that’s always nice. Other than that I’ve performed at a few amazing weddings abroad. I played at one in this little town in Italy some years ago, on top of a big hill in the sun with a view of the valley. It was beautiful.

14. What do you love about Bridebook?

I think Bridebook is very innovative and current. Being able to compare suppliers all within one site, with all the information and price comparisons I think is great. Also, I love the Bridebook team!

Any other comments?

Thank you Bridebook team for the interview!

A huge thank you to Iona for sharing her Supplier Story. Iona specialises in pop and contemporary music, giving chart classics a quirky, and romantic twist – check out some of her beautiful performances in her Bridebook profile.

Want to feature in your own Supplier Story? Get in touch with Beth at beth@bridebook.co.uk.

Supplier Stories: London Wedding Venue Queen Mary Shares Insights on Staying Unique in a Changing Industry?

Welcome to this week’s Supplier Story! ‘Supplier Stories’ are an original Bridebook Business article series, where we go behind-the-scenes and into the wedding world through those that know it best – the experienced and talented venue and supplier professionals across the UK.

So whether this is your first story or 10th, enjoy as we look into the industry as a whole, and celebrate a true story in itself! Who says couples have all the fun?

Weddings at QMUL’s Supplier Story:

Today our featured supplier is Saran, wedding co-ordinator at Weddings at QMUL (Queen Mary University of London). QMUL is a hidden gem in the heart of London that offers something a little bit different. University campuses aren’t considered a common venue choice, but with a beautiful library reminiscent of the iconic scene from Beauty and the Beast and an excellent wedding team that keeps everything running smoothly behind the scenes, QMUL proves that they should be.

So without further ado, Saran over to you!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m Saran and I’ve worked at Queen Mary University London for 6 years now. My official job title is ‘Sales Executive’ – but when it comes to weddings I double up as our in-house Wedding Coordinator.

Photo credit: Emmie Scott Photography

2. Share the story of yourself and Weddings at QMUL?

I was thrown, head first, into the world of weddings to be honest. Shortly after I joined the team at QMUL, we were hosting one of our first, if not THE first, wedding celebration in the Octagon – our signature venue. This was way before we ‘officially’ hosted weddings and so I was tasked with the challenge of being the event coordinator for that wedding. Of course, I was terrified. New to my role and being given something so important was very daunting – it meant that one of the most important days in someone’s life was in my hands. But determined to make the event a success, I rose to the challenge. The day itself went really smoothly and the sense of achievement afterwards and knowing ‘I can do this’ gave me a thirst to do more!

Photo credit: Jessica Reeve

3. What drew you to the wedding world?

Having successfully delivered my first wedding, I was keen to develop this new found skill and I worked with my team to officially launch our weddings product back in 2012. We soon realised that we had such a unique offering, that we should really shout about it. ‘Weddings at QMUL’ was born in February of this year. We contacted couples who had previously hosted their weddings with us and basically asked them to be honest and tell us what they really felt about their experience with us as a venue. This was invaluable information for us and it formed the foundation of our new wedding offering.

As a venue, our objective is to offer an extraordinary experience in a historic venue that is relaxed and beautiful. Our new branding is clean and simple and more importantly, our new packages are transparent and easy to understand. Planning a wedding comes with so much stress as standard, our role is to ensure that we take a lot of that stress away from the couple so that they can focus on each other and their guests for a truly unforgettable wedding day.

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the wedding industry currently?

Every space is becoming a wedding venue – from warehouses to pubs and roof gardens, so for us, as a venue, our focus is to remain unique and attractive to prospective brides and grooms. We are very fortunate that we have such a beautiful, unique and versatile venue. But for our team, that is just the foundation. We continually look at ways we can offer an amazing experience for our couples that they won’t get elsewhere. This all starts with me and making sure that I support them through the entire process, from the moment they first enquire, right up to the wedding day and sometimes beyond!

Photo credit: Jennifer Adams

5. What wedding venue trends are you seeing in the industry?

I’ve noticed that one of the key trends is shorter lead times. Of course, we still get those couples who plan their big day months, if not years ahead of time. But we are seeing a greater demand for weddings with much shorter lead times, sometimes even as short as a few weeks.

We have also seen an increase in year-round weddings. A couple of years ago we only ever received enquiries for summer weddings, a cluster of dates between June and August that were in high demand. Now we are hosting weddings in what we used to class as ‘off-peak’ season.

6. What is the biggest challenge you face on the wedding day itself?

Anyone working in the wedding industry knows that weddings NEVER go 100% to plan. The biggest challenge I give myself on a wedding day is to make sure that when things go wrong (like we all know they do) that the couple and their guests know nothing about it. My priority is to make sure that the couple has the most wonderful wedding day, free from anything that could cause them any stress.

Another challenge for us is that we are a university, not a purpose built wedding venue so sometimes logistics within our facilities can be challenging. To ensure that this doesn’t impact on the big day, I make sure that everything is planned out from the moment of booking, right up to the day itself. I have my own ‘checklist’ that I have designed and I use it to ensure nothing is missed and everybody who is involved from the venue is briefed and aware of every last detail.

Photo credit: Jennifer Adams

7. How do you feel technology is changing the industry?

Today, everyone has a smartphone as an extension of their arm, so everything is just a click away from a social media platform or a Google search. As a result guest expectations are higher and there is a lot of pressure on the bride and groom to try and think of something innovative to make their day different and memorable. On the flip side, it does make it really easy to find new and quirky ideas with just a scroll, a click or a quick chat with Siri.

8. What has been your biggest time saver this year?

Our new packages for sure! When we re-branded to Weddings at QMUL, the first thing we did was look at what we offer and how accessible that information was. We realised that it was really difficult for our potential couples to find out how much it would cost for them to host their wedding with us. So we designed brand new packages that were transparent and allowed couples to see exactly what is included in each package and the costs associated with it. No little surprises later down the line. This saves me so much time as I am not constantly playing ‘ping pong’ with lots of questions from couples and it reduces their levels of frustration in having to ask so many questions.

Photo credit: Jennifer Adams

9. How do reviews affect the industry?

It’s human nature to seek validation in something by hearing about something from someone else who has experienced it first hand. Couples planning their wedding are no exception – they want to hear more about ‘real life’ wedding stories and read first-hand recommendations in order to make an informed decision about something they are going to spend a lot of money on. For us, word of mouth recommendations and reviews are really valuable.

10. How do you get to know your couples before the big day?

When I meet a potential couple I like to think of them as a friend and not a client. I spend a lot of time with them through the wedding preparation process, so when a couple comes in for their menu tasting session with our chefs, I make sure I am there as well. It’s a really nice relaxed environment and I find it gives me a great opportunity to get to know the couple even better. We form a partnership and it allows us to work together to ensure their day goes perfectly.

11. What do you think makes Weddings at QMUL unique?

Our signature venue is our Grade II listed Victorian ‘Octagon’ venue. Anyone who steps inside for the first time is always blown away by just how extraordinary it is. We call it ‘The Hidden Gem in the Heart of East London’ and it really is! It’s the only venue of its kind in London. However, as a team, we wanted to ensure that we didn’t get complacent and expect that the venue would sell itself. As lovely as a venue can be, after all it is only a ‘room’, albeit a pretty one. For us it’s all about the additional services and support we provide as a venue. From having myself available as a point of contact throughout, to the transparency of the new competitively priced packages and the complimentary extras we include at no additional cost, we have designed a truly unique offer for all potential couples.

Photo credit: Lauren Page

12. What do you think makes for the perfect wedding?

The people. If you have the most important family and friends around you, you will have memories that last a lifetime. Therefore, making sure that everyone attending is happy on the day is the number one priority. If they are happy, I am happy!

13. What’s your favourite wedding memory?

My own wedding – it was an incredible day that was filled with so much love from family and friends. It was a colourful Indian wedding with an abundance of food, drink and LOTS of dancing! My friends said that they had never been to a wedding where the dance floor was packed from beginning to end. It was also a great learning curve for me too – to be the bride was the most important lesson ever. It made me experience first hand what our couples at Queen Mary University London are going through when they are planning their big day. It’s very stressful, but now I make sure that I do whatever I can to help them and put their minds at rest.

14. What do you love about Bridebook?

The app is brilliant! It’s great for couples who do not know where to start when they are planning their wedding. Having a resource like the Bridebook app is a great tool for them.

Photo credit: Jessica Reeve

A huge thank you to Saran for sharing her Supplier Story. Check out the stunning Queen Mary University of London in their Bridebook profile.

Want to feature in your own Supplier Story? Get in touch with Beth at beth@bridebook.co.uk.

How Savvy Wedding Suppliers use Instagram to get Bookings in 2017/18

If you’re not already present on Instagram or you think you could be doing something better, these are just some of the ways in which wedding venues and suppliers can see a dramatic uplift in online engagement through relatively little effort.

Ever heard of the saying “a picture paints a thousand words”? Well, this statement rings particularly true when it comes to marketing in the wedding industry, and we’re urging all UK wedding suppliers to start painting their story online to secure bookings now and into the future.

Giddy couples busily building a vision of their dream wedding will scour the web for visual inspiration – saving or pinning pictures, building collages and following popular wedding accounts on social media that keep them abreast of the latest and greatest styles and trends to hit the marital market.

And amongst all the ‘wedding bell’ noise out there in the online world, one visual-specific social platform reigns above all others. It is of course, Instagram.

Instagram facts for wedding suppliers

Now the seventh-ranked social media platform in the world, the video and image-sharing app that we know and love as Instagram boasts over 600 million monthly active accounts. To put this into perspective, YouTube currently stands at 1 billion active monthly users and this globally renowned video-sharing site has been on the scene for 5 years more than Instagram (that’s practically 500 years in the world of online!) and had faced significantly less competition when it started.

In other words, Instagram is doing very well and is becoming increasingly popular.

The younger generations constitute the bulk of Instagram demographics as the latest statistics from the Pew social media report and Instagram press page report:

59% of 18–29-year-olds use Instagram.
33% of 30–49-year-olds use Instagram.

The report also confirms that the dominant gender using the photo-sharing site is still women (38% of women online use Instagram compared to 28% men).

This means that Instagram constitutes the perfect target audience for the wedding industry and is, therefore, an essential marketing platform for all wedding suppliers, including wedding venues, wedding photographers, wedding makeup artists, hair stylists, cake makers and more.

By marrying a photobook-style library of images and videos with the core target age for people getting married right now, Instagram becomes a match made in heaven for wedding suppliers looking to secure new bookings.

How to use Instagram to get bookings as a wedding supplier

Keep your content light

Instagram is loved by young people and famed for topics such as celebrity, beauty, fashion, travel and weddings. Instagram is a place for fun content and it should be used to showcase approachable and welcoming wedding venues, confidently creative wedding photographers and daringly different wedding florists – it is not a place for serious or corporate messages.

Content should be light, fun and engaging. Never use Instagram to post salesy messages. You’ll be Insta-ntly Insta-shamed (see what we did there).

Get hashtag happy

Hashtags are a great way to improve the reach of your posts and help you get featured in feeds that are relevant to your craft.

Use hashtags that are relevant to your wedding business, such as #weddingdress and #weddingphotography, and include location where possible for refined targeting over volume targeting, e.g. #weddinghairessex.

An easy quick-win is to incorporate daily hashtags in your posts such as #MondayMotivation and #TuesdayTips to ensure your posts are relevant by day and to get you involved in the conversations that count. What’s better for soon to be #brides than a little #weddingvenue #mondaymotivation to get them through the day?

Sandhole Oak Barn is a great example of a wedding venue that knows how to use relevance (e.g. the weather) in the subject of the post and location-based wedding hashtags for optimum reach.

Tip: try including a few extra hashtags in the comment section of your post rather than listing them all in the status field. This gives you the added reach you’re looking for without cluttering the core text you use to annotate your image or video.

You should be using Instagram search to find the hashtags that are trending in your field rather than just making them up. Although that being said, creating innovative and unique hashtags that are specific to your brand can also help you build a highly engaged audience who are specifically interested in you and your brand.

A mix of both established and new makes for a great combination.

And another great way to find new hashtags relevant to your wedding business is to visit the profiles of successful competitors in your area and make a note of the hashtags they use in their posts. Think about the kinds of hashtags engaged couples are likely to search for on Instagram and make sure you use those as well.

Use every opportunity available to share interesting content

Everything interesting that happens in your wedding company is a photo-sharing opportunity.

Take photographs or use video to show how your wedding venue looks before and after it has been decorated for your next wedding.

Use #TBT (Throwback Thursday) as an opportunity to showcase previous weddings you’ve catered for and pick out a few unusual or popular ideas that couples have incorporated into their wedding day.

Cooling Castle Barn wanted to share their latest cocktail with Instagram followers, and why not?

You must post regular content to keep your account at the top of people’s minds.

Interact with other wedding suppliers

As well as being used as a marketing channel that helps you to connect with and engage potential brides and grooms building their dream wedding, Instagram should also be used to interact and network with other wedding suppliers.

Tag wedding hair stylists or wedding cake makers in your posts to show your followers who you’ve worked with at your venue, and to project an image of your wedding services as being connected and all-encompassing. These kinds of partnerships are highly valuable and show like-minded wedding suppliers that you are actively involved in the wedding community.

Here, wedding venue Newton Hall has done a great job of sharing a beautiful picture of a fellow wedding suppliers wedding cake, tagging the cake maker and using a great selection of industry and location-specific hashtags in their post.

The added benefit of supporting fellow wedding suppliers? Well a good deed done will surely be reciprocated and you’ll likely find other suppliers you’ve worked with will start tagging your wedding venue or business in their own Instagram posts on their own accounts.

This is how referrals and recommendations work, and the importance this kind of personal and professional affirmation plays in generating bookings should be fully realised.

Reach out to engaged couples on Instagram

Spend some time searching for hashtags that you believe local, engaged couples may use in their own posts and you will, in turn, find engaged Instagram users to follow and engage with (as well as identify some of the hashtags you could be using in your own posts).

You can also track down local, engaged couples (i.e. your target market) by visiting the Instagram profiles of other local wedding suppliers. Wedding photographers will often tag couples in engagement shoots which provides you with a great opportunity to start engaging with the posts of these couples whilst they’re in the wedding planning stage.

By spending just five or ten minutes per day liking posts and following newly engaged couples on Instagram, you should begin to see more couples following you and engaging with your posts. The bookings will follow.

Instagram is the Wedding Industry’s best friend

Using a platform like this is about training your mind to think like a millennial couple. Share the things that matter to your business, be present in the places your couples hang out and engage with the content that they like to read and share.

Want more tips and tricks as to how to grow and market your wedding business? Like the Bridebook Business Facebook Page and receive weekly updates from industry experts and thought leaders across the UK.

Keep your Bridebook profile up to date and relevant by logging in and editing your Business Account HERE. Once updated, you will instantly increase your profile searchability and are able to connect with our community of 40,000 couples. In short, spend a little time adding photos, videos, and information you love about your business now, and benefit later!

Supplier Stories: Wedding Stylists Hattie & Flora on Creativity and Collaboration in the Industry

So whether this is your first story or 10th, enjoy as we look into the industry as a whole, and celebrate a true story in itself! Who says couples have all the fun?

Hattie & Flora’s Supplier Story:

What do you get when you take two best friends, add bundles of talent and then finish it off with creativity, colour and fun? The answer is suppliers like our guests this week: Harriet and Jodie from Hattie & Flora, a wedding stylist company that creates bright, festive layouts for a couple’s big day. Having worked as events stylists for Jamie Oliver, The Savoy, BBC’s Children In Need and more, the team know exactly how to make a day magical and let a couple’s personality shine through.

So without further ado, Harriet over to you!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself?

We are Harriet and Jodie – Directors of Hattie & Flora Ltd. I’m (Harriet) a trained florist and Jodie studied Theatre Design at the Arts University Bournemouth – these skills seemed to ‘marry’ (forgive the wedding pun!) perfectly to create our Event Decoration company!

2. Share the story of Hattie & Flora?

We met when we were 8 years old and almost immediately started a jewellery company called Bohemian Beads – we’ve been destined to run a colourful business together from the beginning! Bo’ Beads fizzled out as we discovered you can spend your profits on sweets and panda pops… However, it was the start of our adventures in the world of business and 16 years later, after studying for our degrees, we were thrown back together by fate! I was working on a large Indian wedding creating lots of varmala garlands; Jodie was living back at home and freelancing as an event designer so I got her on board to help me out. We had so much fun together that we agreed we would make it a regular thing!

3. What drew you to the wedding world?

The big wedding that sealed the deal was that of a Channel 4 producer for whom Jodie was the prop stylist. She needed a florist and asked me to join the team. We were asked by so many people at that wedding for a business card, so we went home and made some that night! The name Hattie & Flora comes from our original businesses – I had a floristry business called Flora’s Garden, and Jodie had a hat/fascinator company called Hattie Pom Pom. After that we went on to work for Mercury Events designing the look and feel for Bluewater Wedding Fair, and also began collaborating with Jamie Oliver on his annual festival The Big Feastival. Although we now work on many types of events such as festivals and parties, we do love the personal one to one nature of working on weddings – you really get to know the bride and groom so well, it’s wonderful.

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the wedding industry currently?

With social media platforms such as Pinterest you find that many brides and grooms are getting really hands on with their own weddings and making their own decorations. However, on the flip side, we’re also finding that this means that their ideas and visions are more ambitious so are coming to us to help with some of the more wild and wonderful creations!

5. What wedding trends are you seeing in the industry?

We’ve seen a rise in the popularity of botanical inspired design – from terrariums and miniature greenhouses to eucalyptus chandeliers, it’s a beautifully natural and wild look that we adore putting together.

6. What is the biggest challenge you face on the wedding day itself? We often have a short space of time to achieve a high level of decoration – from laying out all the flowers, sometimes creating floral archways on the morning of the wedding, to hanging hundreds of ceiling decorations. We make sure to have a strict time plan in place but also make sure that we still enjoy the process!

7. How do you feel technology is changing the industry?

Social media platforms such as Instagram and tools such as Pinterest have really helped us to communicate with brides and grooms visually, not only for marketing purposes but during the design process too. And of course apps such as Bridebook are helping us to connect with suppliers and potential clients in a big way!

8. What has been your biggest time saver this year?

We have invested in an awesome vinyl printing machine which means we can design and print bespoke vinyls for signage. Some couples prefer a hand painted look but for those wanting a slick design the vinyl option can still be really effective!

9. How do reviews affect the industry?

Reviews and testimonials are so important in a competitive industry where word of mouth and recommendation is key. People want suppliers they can trust but how else would they know to trust a supplier they’ve never used before? We always ask for a simple review or testimonial, either via email or posted directly to social media.

10. How do you get to know your couples before the big day?

We always meet the couple for consultations prior to the wedding, and also site visits so we can visualise the décor together. We make sure to build up a great relationship via email and are in constant contact with our couples up to the big day.

11. What do you think makes Hattie & Flora?

It’s all about confident use of colour and magic! The process has to be enjoyable for both us and the couple we are working with. We have a lot of fun designing and brainstorming with our couples and we are often told that we make the process exciting even to those couples who haven’t got a natural eye for creative details. That being said, we thrive on working with the super creative couples too and we have a reputation for creating quirky and unique decorations. We’ve heard people saying ‘this must be a Hattie and Flora wedding!’ which is so flattering!

12. What do you think makes for the perfect wedding?

A wedding which is true to the couple, and reflects the couple on a personal level, will always work. The more uptight you are, the more formal and less relaxed a wedding is in our experience! We tell our couples to enjoy every process – you (hopefully) only get to do this once in your life, so why let it be stressful?!

13. What’s your favourite wedding memory?

We were honoured to be bridesmaids for a best friend of ours, so Jodie and I wrote and performed a playful song for her at the wedding – we played ukuleles too! There were lots of giggles and happy tears!

14. What do you love about Bridebook?

It connects us with a range of couples and suppliers whilst providing a place for us to show all our wedding experience in one simple but amazing way! A company like ours, who work on a range of events (not just weddings) needs Bridebook to help couples see all our wedding photos and services in a focused way.

A huge thank you to Harriet and Jodie for sharing their Supplier Story. Check out their jaw-dropping work in their Bridebook profile.

Want to feature in your own Supplier Story? Get in touch with Beth at beth@bridebook.co.uk.

Supplier Stories: Insights from Award-Winning Wedding Florist and Blogger Thoughts of You Flowers

So whether this is your first story or 10th, enjoy as we look into the industry as a whole, and celebrate a true story in itself! Who says couples have all the fun?

Thoughts of You Flowers’ Story:

This week we’re talking to Amy Crammond, florist extraordinaire at Thoughts of You Flowers. Thoughts of You Flowers are an attentive and creative team of two who make eye-catching floral arrangements out of fresh and silk flowers. Their adaptability and ability to recreate their couples’ vision earned them the North of England Wedding Awards for Outstanding Customer Service 2015, and is the linchpin of their work.

So without further ado, Amy over to you!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m a wedding florist, wedding blogger and a published writer, basically, if it involves weddings and flowers, I’m on board! I love to learn new things, whether it’s a new floristry technique, a new tip or trick for social media or something to improve my website. This year I have even purchased a ‘proper camera’ in the hope of learning how to take some better photos of my work – currently, I’m using my trusty Samsung camera phone. So, the amazing photos you are seeing of my work are by some of the very talented photographers we have had the pleasure of working with.

2. Share your story?

Having trained as a florist in 2008 and worked at various local florists in the area, in 2013 I opened my own florist shop creating flowers for all occasions, including weddings. In 2015 we won a regional award for Outstanding Customer Service for wedding flowers in the North East. After we won the award our wedding bookings have just kept increasing and increasing! We decided it was time to focus on ‘just’ being wedding florists, so on Christmas Eve in 2016 we closed the florist shop and became a wedding only florists. We entered the Bridebook Wedding Awards this year and our couples were very so supportive of us. We’re now looking to the future and finding a new studio to work from for 2018, to create lots of lovely wedding flowers in and to keep growing our business.

3. What drew you to the wedding world?

It’s really simple: weddings are lovely happy occasions. Being involved in the planning of someone’s wedding day and then seeing them on their wedding day is amazing, building up the relationship and trust and then delivering the final product. It’s really special and we love it!

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the wedding industry currently?

I think a potential issue at the moment is the number of companies who are not fully insured or fully registered as businesses. Lots of these types of businesses are run as a hobby and may not have the correct insurance policies or experience to produce high-quality work or offer high service levels. There are so many businesses that are amazing at what they do and are fully insured – these are the wedding industry professionals that brides and grooms should be looking to have as suppliers for their wedding day.

5. What trends are you seeing in the industry?

It’s all about the relaxed, informal approach – with the ever increasing popularity of barn or country hall wedding venues and relaxed styling to match. With green being the Pantone colour of 2017 using foliage is a huge wedding flower trend, with some weddings using more foliage than flowers – in buttonholes, bouquets, garlands on the tables and foliage on the chair backs and even on the cake. It really is all about the green!

6. What is the biggest challenge you face on the wedding day itself?

For me, it’s trying not to show how stressed I am. I always stress the day before and the day of the wedding, once the flowers are delivered and I get that happy hug from my brides (and/or grooms) I relax! It’s an ongoing joke that I am so relaxed when helping with the wedding planning and consultation stages that my couples would think I was a different person if they saw me the day before and morning of their wedding day. I guess this shows how passionate I am about my work, delivering the end result and knowing my couple are happy with my work. Receiving a lovely email, text, call or review within a few days of the wedding is always lovely too!

7. How do you feel technology is changing the industry?

Pinterest is giving brides and grooms so much more choice and inspiration. It is so handy for a bride or groom to pin their ideas to one place and then be able to show their ideas to any supplier, so if they talk to me about wanting some flowers for their cake they can then show me a photo of said idea for cake and the flowers to go onto it so quickly. Another ongoing joke – what the heck did we do before Pinterest? How did anyone manage to plan a wedding without it?! Instagram and Facebook are also becoming more important for helping to source inspiration and suppliers for couples, especially seeing photos and reviews from past couples. Of course websites are still vital for couples to view, but social media is a huge tool for suppliers to show their work and for couples to find suppliers, especially when using hashtags.

8. What has been your biggest time saver this year?

Honestly, I’ve not found a time saver yet, if I stopped going on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest when I was meant to be getting on with my to-do list I’d save hours each day. I’m sure we are all guilty of that though, aren’t we? #procrastination

9. How do reviews impact the industry?

Positive reviews and happy customers can make your business but negative reviews and unhappy customers can break it. We all aim to create amazing work for our couples with amazing service to match and I am sure every professional wedding supplier would do everything they could to turn an unhappy customer into a happy customer before it turns into a bad review.

10. How do you get to know your couples before the big day?

We spend time with them, be it through face to face consultations, emails, Facebook messages or phone calls. We ask lots of questions – sometimes they may seem silly or irrelevant but every answer helps us to find out more about the couple’s ideas and personality. One question we always ask is if they are messy or tidy, to get a feel for whether they’d want a neat, structured look for their flowers or a more relaxed style. We ask to see photos of anything and everything they have organised for their weddings – particularly the bride’s dress, bridesmaids’ dresses and the groom’s suit. It’s handy to know as much as possible and it’s nice for the couple to see us showing an interest and getting excited about their wedding. When we post on social media we know that certain couples will like certain posts – some of them can’t get enough of our archway and others just adore an over the top unstructured bouquet.

11. What do you think makes Thoughts of You Flowers unique?

I suppose it’s our award-winning customer service that makes us unique. We try to be as relaxed and helpful as possible throughout the planning stages for our couples. Any questions our couples have we answered as soon as possible and if a couple is struggling with any part of wedding planning we do our best to help, whether it’s finding a certain supplier or thinking of that all-important colour scheme. We work using the ‘your style is our style’ idea, meaning we do create any style of wedding flowers that are requested by our couples – nothing is too ‘out there’ or ‘not us’. From the first enquiry until the wedding day our couples get to build a relationship with us, and then on the wedding day we can make sure that the flowers are everything they wanted (or hopefully even better). We also like to add a personal touch, calming any nerves they may have and wishing them all the best.

12. What do you think makes for the perfect wedding?

A wedding that reflects the couple – their tastes, personalities, lifestyles and hobbies. We love it when table names are places that are important to the couple, or the songs played are important to them in some way. We also love to include any flowers or foliage that are sentimental in some way to the couple. One groom had always bought pale pink carnations for his bride, so pale pink carnations were a must for their wedding flowers. Another of our past couples were worried that they would forget their wedding vows so we included rosemary in the groom’s buttonhole and the bride’s bouquet as rosemary means ‘remembrance’.

13. What’s your favourite wedding memory?

It has to be at my cousin’s wedding, when in the groom’s speech he thanked my team for their hard work and patience helping my cousin to choose the flowers for their wedding day (she’s very indecisive!) to match with their colour scheme (pale blue and purple (‘Eeyore blue’)). It was so lovely to be mentioned and thanked in the speech although when all the guests then clapped and cheered it was a little embarrassing!

14. What do you love about Bridebook?

I love how easy it is to use for me as a supplier and for brides and grooms. I also love that the staff are all very helpful and friendly and clearly want to help both suppliers and couples.

A huge thank you to Amy for sharing her Supplier Story. Check out her gorgeous arrangements in her Bridebook profile.

Want to feature in your own Supplier Story? Get in touch with Beth at beth@bridebook.co.uk.

Supplier Stories: Wedding Personalisation And Insights From Wedding Venue Woodhill Hall

So whether this is your first story or 10th, enjoy as we look into the industry as a whole, and celebrate a true story in itself! Who says couples have all the fun?

Woodhill Hall’s Story:

This week we’re handing the proverbial microphone to Rachel Fenwick (photoed above), Marketing and Communications Manager for the romantic and quirky Woodhill Hall. At Woodhill Hall, every nook and cranny is crammed with personality and every tiny detail is taken and made their own. The wedding team’s hard work and dedication to their couples has earned them several awards, including “Most Romantic Wedding Venue 2016” for the English Wedding Awards.

So without further ado, Rachel over to you!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your team?

I’m Rachel and I work as Head of Marketing at Woodhill Hall. Our team is very much like one big family – works well together, always helps each other out and loves a good cocktail party!

2. Share the story of Woodhill Hall so far?

Woodhill Hall was bought by Corrinne and Chris back in 2005 as a holiday let, but in 2009 they fell into weddings after a local lady asked if they could use the venue as a place to hold their wedding reception. It was then Corrinne had that ‘light bulb’ moment and realised this was an industry she’d like to be involved with more and that her day job, working as a divorce solicitor of all things, just wouldn’t cut it anymore. It was at that point the business started on a whirlwind fairytale adventure but still keeps to its core values:

Allowing couples to feel at home at a fully exclusive venue.
Giving as much flexibility as possible so couples have their day their way – if they want to create their own wedding breakfast menu then why not!
To create the best possible atmosphere for a two-day celebration without a corporate feel.

3. What drew you to the wedding world?

I’d always worked in marketing, however, in October 2016 I actually got married at Woodhill Hall – a match made in marketing heaven some would say. A month after the wedding I was thrilled to be offered the Marketing Manager position by Corrinne and immediately felt at home with the team. So in essence, what drew me to the wedding world was my experience of having a brilliant wedding venue with a fab team.

4. What’s your favourite aspect/room/part of Woodhill Hall?

It’s very difficult to choose at Woodhill as there are so many parts to the venue! If I had to choose I’d say the Elephant Courtyard. As a bride at Woodhill, I remember it being a hive of activity with everyone chilling out in the space with drinks and for photographs. On a work level, I love sitting back and relaxing in the courtyard, on a warm sunny day, like today, you feel like you’re abroad – it’s so hot, peaceful and all you can hear are the birds in the background!

5. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the wedding industry currently?

The current struggle we are seeing a number of venues face is couples wanting to really personalise their day and expecting more from their venues. Knowing a number of wedding professionals in the sector, we know some have struggled in recent years to cope with the demand from couples when they come forward with ideas of personalising their day or changing packages to want they want. We’re one of a few venues in the North-East that offer a two-night experience which really helps us work with couples to do this. It also helps with us being family run that we’re not restricted to corporate guidelines so can be flexible with timings on the day, helping them decorate and also delivering a truly personal experience.

6. What wedding venue trends are you seeing in the industry?

In terms of venues, it seems as if year on year there’s a big trend, so last year was barns and this year it seems to be warehouses in the North-East, but you can guarantee next year it will be something different.

7. What is the biggest challenge you face on the wedding day itself?

Facing the unexpected! From having a dad lose their entire wedding speech, to florists not turning up on time, we’ve faced it all! It’s all about being able to remain calm in the situation and doing your best to help resolve the issue without causing unnecessary stress for the couple.

8. How do you feel technology is changing the industry?

I think being in a digital age now, couples – whether they’ve booked or not booked with you – require quick response times to queries. For example, Facebook now allows people to see when you’ve read your message regardless of if this is 11am or 11pm, where we can we’ll always respond to enquiries as a wedding is a huge investment and therefore all customers should receive a first class service.

9. What has been your biggest time saver this year?

Directing brides to our handy costs calculator online. At Woodhill we don’t run set packages, this allows couples to create their own wedding and make it more personal to them. The calculator allows couples to go through all our options and also work to their budget online – we’re pleased to say we’ve received such great feedback from couples on the tool too.

10. How do reviews affect the industry?

Reviews are so important in the industry! For example, with my wedding, I booked my photographer, videographer and florist based on word of mouth recommendations. At Woodhill, we receive such wonderful feedback from our couples and try to showcase it online wherever possible.

11. How do you get to know your couples before the big day?

At Woodhill, we pride ourselves on knowing our couples prior to their big day! Wherever possible we have a dedicated coordinator to see the couples at all points on their journey, from serving them on their food tasting evening to running their planning meetings and, of course, being there on the big day. It’s a really important part of the process for us and it’s not just the couples we know by the big day, it’s their families too.

12. What do you think makes Woodhill Hall unique?

Well, how many venues do you know that have giant grass elephants in their courtyard?

Aside from the quirky décor, we like to think we’re unique in our approach to weddings. Being a family run venue means we get to know our couples really well and they definitely feel like family after 2 nights staying with us. In addition, there are additional extras which definitely help couples feel at home with us. For example, we allow couples to personalise their wedding breakfast menu on their big day. We had a couple in which the groom was from Italy and the bride was from a lovely farming family in the UK and therefore they had an Italian based starter, venison lasagne and a fruit crumble with their favourite fruits for their dessert.

We also offer couples free use of the prop shop on-site which houses hundreds of items from copper lanterns to candelabras, wooden crates, log slices and so much more, As a bride, this was such a cost saver! I was quoted £295 for the items I wanted to hire for my wedding, but was thrilled to find they were all in the prop shop after I booked the wedding!

13. What do you think makes for the perfect wedding?

A great atmosphere with fab friends and family.

14. What’s your favourite wedding memory?

My all-time favourite wedding memory was standing on the orangery terrace as the sun was setting with my other half, having a quiet moment away from the guests and saying goodbye to a few guests, namely my grandparents.

It was always touch-and-go as to whether my Grandma would make it as a few months prior she became wheelchair bound. The venue was great and was fully disabled-friendly which put us at ease on the day for sure. I remember my Grandad came to give me a hug to say goodbye, but unlike his usual hugs this one was different. He whispered to me “What a great day hunny, you looked beautiful. But what am I going to do now… I’ve lost my little girl”.

In that moment, albeit 20/30 seconds I realised how important I was to my Grandad. They say weddings are wonderful family occasions and they really are, but I’ll never ever forget that memory for that reason and also it was the first and only point in the whole day I cried my eyes out – luckily I had my makeup artist on hand to sort me out!

My Grandad unexpectedly passed away a few weeks after the wedding which makes the moment even more memorable. I’m just so pleased I have a brilliant photographer and videographer there to capture the moment – a huge tip to couples is to invest well in your photographers and videographers as they will capture some of the most important memories in your life.

15. What do you love about Bridebook?

We love the look and also how easy it is to use! We also love how we can put some of our favourite suppliers on the site, ones who are familiar with Woodhill and know the venue well.

A huge thank you to Rachel for sharing her Supplier Story. Check out the charming Woodhill Hall in their Bridebook profile.

Want to feature in your own Supplier Story? Get in touch with Beth at beth@bridebook.co.uk.

Supplier Stories: Wedding Trends and Insights with Historic Ashridge House

So whether this is your first story or 10th, enjoy as we look into the industry as a whole, and celebrate a true story in itself! Who says couples have all the fun?

Ashridge House’s Story:

This week we’re talking to Katie Hurrell, Senior Business Development Executive in Wedding & Events for the gorgeous Ashridge House. With a history stretching back to 1283, the dramatic design of the house and the immaculate grounds, make it a popular choice for couples who are looking for that wow-factor. As a result, the Ashridge House team has developed a keen understanding of what modern couples need and how to manage every aspect of a country house wedding.

So without further ado, Katie over to you!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself?

We are an established private business school and conference centre that opens and welcomes happy couples for weekend weddings.

2. Share the story of Ashridge House?

Steeped in history and nestled in a 190 acre estate in the Hertfordshire countryside, Ashridge House is the perfect setting for weddings whatever the season.

Our spectacular Grade I listed country house has a fascinating history spanning over 730 years. It started life in 1283 as a Benedictine monastery, and following the Dissolution it became a royal residence for the children of King Henry VIII. It then passed into the hands of the Egertons who became the Dukes and Earls of Bridgewater. This rather formidable and well-connected family retained ownership until after the First World War, when it became The Bonar Law College. Today the world-renowned Hult International Business School and Ashridge Executive Education call it home.

3. What drew you to the wedding world?

The venue is so beautiful and unique, and as we have a chapel on-site some of our staff chose to get married here. The idea of going out to the public was driven by the enthusiastic and talented members of our Food & Beverage team.

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the wedding industry currently?

A lot of people, we find, want to create their own day with different suppliers for styles of food service and entertainment, including some very unique ideas. As a result, we find there is a need to adapt our traditional all-inclusive package to accommodate the needs of ever more creative couples.

5. What wedding venue trends are you seeing in the industry?

There are a lot of enquiries for less formal meals (i.e. not a 3 course sit down), including canapés only, food stations, buffets, hog roasts etc. DIY finishing touches, Chiavari chairs and cocktail stations are a few other unusual touches that are becoming more popular.

6. What is the biggest challenge you face on the wedding day itself?

Ensuring that everything runs on time!

7. How do you feel technology is changing the industry?

The likes of Pinterest and other social media platforms are really helping people develop a clear vision of what they want for their big day with endless possibilities.

8. What has been your biggest time saver this year?

Ensuring that the website and directories have as much as information as possible so that couples can match their requirements with ours even before they contact us.

9. How do reviews affect the industry?

I think that a lot of people look to reviews on online directories or via word of mouth prior to going ahead. This is very important for us too – as a hidden gem, reviews really do draw people in.

10. How do you get to know your couples before the big day?

A couple can meet with their allocated coordinator as many times as they would like to in the lead-up to the big day. They can be in constant contact so that they can talk through ideas, budgets, logistics and so on whenever they need to. We ensure that there are three meetings on-site (6 months prior, 3 months’ prior (for the menu tasting) and 6 weeks’ prior (to go over logistics). The meetings with the coordinator is a friendly, safe place to discuss ideas with no judgement. A lot of our couples do gain really great relationships with their coordinator whereby trust is built in the lead-up to the big day. This helps the couples to relax on the big day, knowing that their expectations and needs for the day will be exceeded.

11. What do you think makes Ashridge House unique?

It is an extremely unique venue, with thousands of excellent photo opportunities. We really are a hidden gem, and couples can get a sense of that atmosphere instantly on arrival due to the calm environment – this really feels like your castle for the day. We pride ourselves on service and are constantly receiving comments on how friendly the staff are and how they will all go above and beyond to ensure the day is perfect for the couple. The food is all done in-house by our team of creative chefs, and our traditional British menu is impressive in terms of both variety and quality. Our coordinators really are with couples every step of the way and will do everything they can to make the planning process stress-free. If a supplier is running late or has a problem, the coordinator will be on hand straight away so that the couple will not even have to know about the delay or misplaced suppliers!

12. What do you think makes for the perfect wedding?

An understanding (from the venue and other suppliers) of exactly what the couple want from their big day.

13. What’s your favourite wedding memory?

In February this year, we hosted a wedding that had been booked three years in advanced. The whole time we knew the bride – she would joke about how she wanted a white wedding. On the morning of the wedding, we had a substantial snowfall! The photos were beautiful and there was no snow to be seen the day before or prior – it was a complete dream come true!

14. What do you love about Bridebook?

We love the useful shortlist, the clear layout of the Bridebook profiles and how the site truly is a one-stop shop for couples.

A huge thank you to Katie for sharing her Supplier Story. Check out the beautiful Ashridge House in their Bridebook profile.

Want to feature in your own Supplier Story? Get in touch with Beth at beth@bridebook.co.uk.

Supplier Stories – Industry Insights From Wedding Stylist, The Vintage House That Could

So whether this is your first story or 10th, enjoy as we look into the industry as a whole, and celebrate a true story in itself! Who says couples have all the fun?

The Vintage House That Could’s Story:

This week we’re shining the spotlight on the brilliant Katie Sutton from The Vintage House That Could. Katie uses her inspired imagination, incredible artistry and a thorough knowledge of her clients to create bespoke, fun and quirky styling for every wedding she does. Her work has led her to be nominated for the Amara Interior Blog Awards, and she has been featured on Rock My Wedding and in Vogue.

So without further ado, Katie over to you!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself?

Hello! I am Katie and I am 41, a proud mummy of two lovely children, aged 16 and 11, and the wife of a very understanding and helpful-up-a-ladder husband. We live in Leicestershire with our sausage dog Slinky in the real Vintage House That Could.

2. Share your story?

I trained as a children’s illustrator many years ago and then spent 17 years as an art teacher, and then assistant head in a secondary school. I have always had a love for vintage and have spent many a happy hour trawling vintage fairs and car boots to style our home. People took an interest in my interior styling which led to styling events – which I absolutely love – and here we are today! I left my full-time teaching post in July 2016 and haven’t looked back.

3. What drew you to the wedding world?

As with many stylists, I first realised the huge need for my services after I planned and styled our own wedding 3 years ago. Although a DIY wedding is fantastic, it can be a huge stress and stopped me from enjoying fully the run up to our big day. I knew that if I could help other people to enjoy a relaxed day and allow me to do all the work for them then I would be happy.

4. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the wedding industry currently?

For me, I think that many couples can be too inspired! Pinterest is a wonderful tool but it can hinder the process and give people unrealistic ideas, especially when it comes to budgets.

5. What trends are you seeing in the industry?

There is still a huge trend for tropical vibes and botanicals, which I don’t see going away anytime soon. I am more than happy with this as I love using hanging baskets and lots of greenery in my styling.

6. What is the biggest challenge you face on the wedding day itself?

I am much happier if I can get into the venue the day before the wedding and do the majority of my decoration then. I can then go to bed happy that most of the work is done (not that I sleep)! My biggest challenge is time and how little some venues are willing to give me.

7. How do you feel technology is changing the industry?

I love technology and how it can bring suppliers and clients together. My Instagram account has been an amazing resource for bringing in new leads and sharing with others the work that I am doing. Couples sharing their weddings on social media is also brill.

8. What has been your biggest time saver this year?

I am a big list writer and spend Sunday nights planning out my coming week. I try to schedule something on each day and leading up to a wedding I schedule every last detail.

9. How do blogs affect the industry?

I think wedding blogs are a great source of inspiration and obviously getting featured on a blog can be massively helpful for your business. I think the only downside to seeing so much online is that it’s very difficult to keep coming up with new and original ideas.

10. How do you get to know your couples before the big day?

I meet my couples at the venue firstly and before going into wedding details I try and encourage them to tell me lots about themselves: hobbies, interests, hates! I always try and include something specific to them in the styling so that it is truly unique to them as a couple. After the initial meeting, I produce a Pinterest board for them and encourage them to keep adding to it during the planning process so that I am really getting their true ideas.

11. What do you think makes The Vintage House That Could unique?

I think TVHTC is unique because every wedding is unique. I don’t have a styling package; I don’t hire out my props to other companies so you can be sure that what I source for your wedding is special to you. No two weddings are the same and I treat every event individually. I like to think that clients can see from my website and social media that I truly love what I do and that if something isn’t beautiful then I won’t use it. If I have to go to the other end of the country to find a piece then I will!

12. What do you think makes for the perfect wedding?

Every wedding is perfect in its own way because essentially it’s just about love. However, a wedding that is full special detail will have your guests talking for years to come. Our own guests still tell me that our wedding was the best they had ever been to. Why? Because we strayed from tradition: no speeches, no seating plan and everyone was so relaxed – although maybe the Strawberry Vodka favours had something to do with that!

13. What’s your favourite wedding memory?

Walking down the aisle to Bruno Mars ‘Marry You’ with my dad and trying very hard not to cry.

14. What do you love about Bridebook?

I wish I had Bridebook when I got married rather than just aimlessly googling! Everything in one place and so easy to use. There are some really cool suppliers too.

A huge thank you to Katie for sharing her Supplier Story. Check out The Vintage House That Could’s amazing styling in her Bridebook profile.

Want to feature in your own Supplier Story? Get in touch with Beth at beth@bridebook.co.uk.

Supplier Stories – Industry Insights From Wedding Cake Designer, Blushing Cook.

Introducing Supplier Stories!

Supplier Stories is an original Bridebook Business article series, which will go behind-the-scenes and into the wedding world through those that know it best – the experienced and talented venues and suppliers across the UK.

Whether the ‘story’ is that of a venue owner, photographer, cake designer or anyone who is involved in the big day, we strive to recognise the devotion and skill that goes into piecing together one of the most memorable days in 2 people’s lives. These Supplier Stories will take a look into the individual’s experience and the industry as a whole, as well as a true story in itself that is most definitely worth celebrating.

Blushing Cook’s Story:

This week we’re shining the spotlight on Blushing Cook Sammi-Jo Gascoyne. A true artist, Sammi combines outstanding and contemporary baking skills with stunning decoration, using fresh flowers to make natural, delicate and eye-popping wedding cakes. After working for Michelin star chefs and award-winning bespoke cake companies, Sammi is now embracing her own vision and is definitely one to watch! So without further ado, over to Sammi!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I am obsessed with anything floral. Floral prints, flower markets, growing flowers on my balcony and my flowery Doc Martens which I wear everywhere. I love cooking, simple delicious food and finding new places to sample other people’s hard work and talents.

I am also a huge Sausage Dog fan! Being a cake maker makes that hard to have one, but my family have 7 so I sneak back there for cuddles!

2. Share your story? How did you get to where you are today?

I was always very creative. When I left school I was offered a place at university to study Fine Art and suddenly realised that as much as I loved art, I loved food and I wanted to cook. I started working as a pastry chef and after a few years, I went to train at Le Cordon Bleu Cookery School. I have worked for various cake companies, including Peggy Porschen. I set up Blushing Cook last year as a new venture with the intention to create natural, delicious and beautifully decorated cakes, combining all the skills I had learnt through the duration of my training as well as my love for botany.

3. What drew you to the wedding world?

For myself, the most important element of cooking anything is bringing happiness to other people, however momentary it is. I love the idea that I am responsible for probably the most important cake of two people’s lives. I still feel the same adrenaline delivering a cake now that I did on my first delivery.

4. What’s the most memorable wedding you’ve attended?

I went to a beautiful wedding in Tuscany last year. Two school friends got married there and the views were spectacular, the food delicious and the Negronis flowing. They were childhood sweethearts and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room through the speeches. I made them some wedding favour biscuits with edible flowers as their wedding gift as I couldn’t get a cake to Tuscany that easily, so it was lovely to be a part of it somehow.

5. What’s your favourite wedding memory?

Running across a room full of people stopping my friends from toppling their cake over after trying to slice it with a sword very precariously, looking completely bonkers myself!

6. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the wedding industry currently?

I think that traditions are changing and people are very often funding their own weddings. They don’t want to spend fortunes on an unnecessary thing, so I try my hardest to make my cakes affordable as I can without compromising the quality, as I am very particular about my work (which is usually why I am awake at 2am decorating cakes!).

7. What trends are you seeing in the industry?

People are definitely favouring a more natural approach to cakes. I use Italian Meringue Buttercream instead of the traditional fondant or Royal Icing and people seem to love it. I also use fresh flowers and my clients are more than happy to have these as opposed to the traditional sugar ones.

8. How do you feel technology is changing the industry?

People know what they want! Pinterest boards and screen shots are so helpful to me when a couple are describing what they want. It’s an amazing platform for advertising and you can plan your wedding on your commute to work – it’s fantastic.

9. What do you think makes Blushing Cook unique?

For myself, the taste of the cake is just as important as how it looks. I have had so many people comment that they didn’t normally like cake, but they loved mine. I try not to make it too sweet and always moist and fluffy. My approach to my relationship with clients is to imagine I was ordering a cake. I want them to trust me and my product. I love meeting new people, often we get distracted from cake discussions and end up discussing their new puppy or something silly. I stay in contact with lots of my clients and I love to hear that they were happy with their cake.

10. What do you think makes for the perfect wedding?

Fun and laughter! You can have the most amazing setting but the most important factor for myself is that everyone feels relaxed and enjoys themselves …. and delicious CAKE of course!

11. What do you love about Bridebook?

I think Bridebook is fantastic. It’s so easy to use and such a great way for people to find exactly what they are looking for. It’s always one step ahead with their knowledge of suppliers and if I was planning a wedding it would be the first place I would look for everything and anything, which is the beauty of it – it covers everything!

A huge thank you to Sammi for sharing her supplier story. Check out Sammi’s beautiful Blushing Cook’s cake designs in her Bridebook profile.

Want to feature in your own Supplier Story? Get in touch with Beth at beth@bridebook.co.uk.

Supplier Stories – The Blushing Cook’s Wedding Cake Journey

Introducing Supplier Stories!

Blushing Cook’s Story:

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I am also a huge Sausage Dog fan! Being a cake maker makes that hard to have one, but my family have 7 so I sneak back there for cuddles!

2. Share your story? How did you get to where you are today?

I was always very creative. When I left school I was offered a place at university to study Fine Art and suddenly realised that as much as I loved art, I loved food and I wanted to cook. I started working as a pastry chef and after a few years I went to train at Le Cordon Bleu Cookery School. I have worked for various cake companies, including Peggy Porschen. I set up Blushing Cook last year as a new venture with the intention to create natural, delicious and beautifully decorated cakes, combining all the skills I had learnt through the duration of my training as well as my love for botany.

3. What drew you to the wedding world?

4. What’s the most memorable wedding you’ve attended?

I went to a beautiful wedding in Tuscany last year. Two school friends got married there and the views were spectacular, the food delicious and the Negronis flowing. They were childhood sweethearts and I don’t think there was dry eye in the room through the speeches. I made them some wedding favour biscuits with edible flowers as their wedding gift as I couldn’t get a cake to Tuscany that easily, so it was lovely to be a part of it somehow.

5. What’s your favourite wedding memory?

Running across a room full of people stopping my friends from toppling their cake over after trying to slice it with a sword very precariously, looking completely bonkers myself!

6. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the wedding industry currently?

I think that traditions are changing and people are very often funding their own weddings. They don’t want to spend fortunes on unnecessary thing, so I try my hardest to make my cakes affordable as I can without compromising the quality, as I am very particular about my work (which is usually why I am awake at 2am decorating cakes!).

7. What trends are you seeing in the industry?

8. How do you feel technology is changing the industry?

9. What do you think makes Blushing Cook unique?

10. What do you think makes for the perfect wedding?

Fun and laughter! You can have the most amazing setting but the most important factor for myself is that everyone feels relaxed and enjoys themselves …. and delicious CAKE of course!

11. What do you love about Bridebook?

A huge thank you to Sammi for sharing her supplier story. Check out Sammi’s beautiful Blushing Cook’s cake designs in her Bridebook profile.

Want to feature in your own Supplier Story? Get in touch with Beth at beth@bridebook.co.uk.