Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.
Henry David Thoreau, 1817 – 1862
The UK Alliance of Wedding Planners - The leading industry body for the UK Wedding Planning Market | Promoting professionalism in Wedding Planning
The leading industry body for the UK Wedding Planning Market | Promoting professionalism in Wedding Planning
Archive for May, 2010
Pocket Positive
Monday, May 31st, 2010
Training Dates Autumn 2010
Wednesday, May 26th, 2010
We are very pleased to announce the Autumn 2010 dates for ‘Business Practicalities’, and ‘Step by Step’. Both courses have been improved for the Autumn making them even better than before. The brochure is being finalised and will be uploaded soon, but for those who cannot wait until then please complete our booking form which will then take you to the online payment page.
We believe the most successful way to learn a new skill is by interacting with likeminded individuals which is why we only run classroom based training. Held at locations throughout the UK there should be a date and location convenient for you. We are registered by the UK Government’s Register of Learning Providers (UKRLP).
Business Practicalities
25th & 26th Sep (Crowne Plaza, St James, London) 23rd & 24th Oct (Staverton Park, Northamptonshire) 6th & 7th Nov (Cheadle House, Cheshire)
Step by Step
16th & 17th Oct (Crowne Plaza, St James, London) 13th & 14th Nov (Staverton Park, Northamptonshire) 27th & 28th Nov (Cheadle House, Cheshire)
To view further information please go to our training page.
Quality Management Statement
Wednesday, May 26th, 2010As the industry of wedding planners is increasing so the need to ensure everyone operates to a set standard is so important. In order to maintain the high standards of the UKAWP, as well as providing reassurance to clients and potential clients, member companies are required to adhere to the following code of ethics:
- Respond to client enquiries within 48 hours.
- Respect client confidentiality.
- Disclose all suppliers that they have a vested interest in.
- Always pass discounts and/or commission onto the client.
- Ensure their Public Liability insurance is up to date.
- Never give client details to any third party unless for the sole purpose of the wedding.
- Respect copyright of all planners, co-ordinators and related suppliers.
- Represent each client fairly and honestly.
As an individual company do you have a mission statement or code of ethics in place?
Member Focus: Nicola Jones
Monday, May 24th, 2010Continuing our member focus series I am delighted to introduce Nicola from Brighton Wedding Planner who is one of our associate members. Nicola is based in Brighton and covers the Brighton and Sussex areas.
Why did you become a wedding planner?
I’ve worked in events for quite a few years and always wanted to set up my own business as I felt there was a gap in the market for a Brighton wedding planner - there were lots of event agencies but no one specialising in weddings, and I believe that your wedding day is too important to entrust to anyone whose business is not solely focused on weddings. At the same time, friends who were getting married kept asking me about which venues were good or what was a good price for a caterer. I realised that there was very little information out there about weddings in my local area so I set up Brighton Wedding Planner.
What’s your USP?
I specialise in Brighton and Sussex so I know these areas inside out in terms of suppliers and venues and I’ve got really good local contacts. I also provide services for civil partnerships which are very popular in Brighton, both for residents and for people coming to the city for a destination wedding.
What’s your signature dish?
I love making all types of puddings and cakes - especially chocolate bread and butter pudding… mmm!
Do you have a favourite venue?
I’m obviously biased but I would have to say Newick Park near Lewes as it’s where I got married! It’s an absolutely beautiful exclusive-use venue that manages to be both formal enough to create the perfect setting for the ceremony and informal enough to make you feel like you’re having the biggest house party ever for the reception!
Have you ever had a challenging client and how did you deal with it?
Luckily not so far - all my clients have been lovely! Everyone in Brighton is very laid back and friendly, it’s a great place to live and work.
How do you unwind?
I love catching up with friends over a glass or two of wine at the end of a busy week, or having a long relaxing bath. And I’m currently slightly obsessed with Glee…
If you could plan a celebrity wedding (alive or dead) whose would it be?
I’m not sure - I’m torn between going for something completely over the top, like Jordan or the Beckhams, or something very elegant - imagine organising Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly’s wedding!
Is the job as glamorous as you thought?
I didn’t think it would be glamorous - I’ve worked in events for many years - so actually it is slightly more glamorous than I thought! With weddings you often get to work in a more creative way and on more interesting, personal touches than you would with most events, so it was a pleasant surprise!
Which wedding planner’s work do you respect/admire and why
I love Zoe Lingard - her style and approach is spot on - simple, elegant and design-led.
What themes are you working on for 2010?
I’ve got some really interesting themes coming up this year - a 1920s wedding with a full “stage” set, a VIP casino wedding and, for an Arsenal fan, a red and white wedding complete with red London bus!
Working with Friends
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010One of our members Isabel Smith Wedding Design has written the below article.
Being a planner is like being a doctor, or an interior designer, or any other profession which involves a service rather than a product, in that as soon as you mention what you do, people ask you ‘oh, my sister’s getting married, do you know any good DJ’s?’ or ‘Where do you stand on monochrome?’. Whilst these can get a little tiring depending on the situation, generally, I don’t have a problem helping out with an answer or two.
But occasionally, you get the dreaded ‘I don’t suppose you could help me out on the day could you?’ and this is where things get sticky. Partly because when I first started out, I was so keen to be helpful to my friends and show off my knowledge (not to mention gain experience), I was happy to help, but now I find I am so busy balancing my weddings, the marketing/accounting elements of the business and my personal life, my time is much more precious to me.
The other problem though is finding the client/friend balance. Unless the friend in question is a particularly close one, with whom you can be totally honest, it is often easier to be firmer with a client than a friend when insisting on having the information you need by a certain deadline or pointing out that having the decorative items delivered the night before would take a real pressure off the wedding day.
My advice therefore to anyone starting out who is looking to broaden their experience by assisting friends or family is to set the parameters early on, as you would with a client. This is even more true if you are to be a guest at the wedding as well, since there will come a point when you will want to clock off and enjoy the day.
You may not feel that a contract is necessary, but a frank discussion about what you will and won’t do, and the way that you work will not only help to prevent any problems later on, but it will also give you practice at negotiation when you do start getting paying clients. To help keep things on more of professional level, perhaps you could discuss payment of some kind - if not in cash terms, maybe they have a skill that could help with your business (know any accountants, web designers or PR types?)
Thank you Isabel, how have you found working for friends?
Pocket Positive
Monday, May 17th, 2010You can do anything if you have enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes rise to the stars. Enthusiasm is the sparkle in your eyes, the swing in your gait, the grip in your hand, the irresistible surge of your will and energy to execute your ideas…
Enthusiasm is at the bottom of all progress!
Henry Ford, 1863-1947
Are you a good or bad planner?
Thursday, May 13th, 2010Recently when reading the oh so wonderful blog from Preston Bailey I came across an article called ‘Do I really need to hire a planner for my event?’
Of course being a planner as well as director for the UKAWP I had to read on. I found myself chuckling away as many of the descriptions are similar to what I use when running our training courses, I’m always describing Franc from Father of the Bride as an example of how ‘not to plan a wedding’.
You can read the full article from Preston via his blog I was also glad to see someone as good as Preston doesn’t agree with accepting commission which is something all our members adhere to in our code of ethics.
What do you think makes a good or bad planner?
Good planners: They make the process as easy and painless as possible, respecting the client’s time and level of involvement.
vs.
Bad planners: They think they are the show. They create drama were there should be none. They over-involve the client, and they need lots of attention.
Good planners: They give their clients realistic budget expectations, telling them what things really cost.
vs.
Bad planners: They unrealistically promise clients they’ll get quality for less and drive all the vendors crazy asking them to lower their prices.
Good planners: They get their normal fee from their clients and they do not accept commissions from vendors, which puts them in a better position to negotiate.
vs.
Bad planners: They collect a fee from clients and also quietly blackmail vendors into paying them commissions. (For example, they say something like, “If you don’t pay me a commission, I won’t use you or your services.”)
Good Planners: They are very open to creativity, yet respectful of the vendors and artists they work with.
vs.
Bad planners: They are frustrated designers and seem to think they know what is best for the design. (Though, to be fair, they have seen a lot of designs, which gives them the right to have an opinion.)
We’d love to hear your opinions..
Annual Members Meeting
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010We are looking forward to holding our annual members meeting (AMM) tomorrow at the Strand Palace Hotel. This meeting gives the directors a chance to highlight the achievements over the last past 12 months plus discuss plans for the forthcoming year. We can’t wait to hear members opinions on how the UKAWP is working for them and how we can better improve the UKAWP for everyone.
Member Focus: Kate Fletcher
Monday, May 10th, 2010
Continuing our member focus series I am delighted to introduce Kate from Kate Fletcher events who is one of our associate members. Kate is based in Essex and covers the East Anglia region.
Why did you become a wedding planner?
I initially worked in the corporate sector organising exhibitions and events worldwide. I went freelance after having my boys and contacted a local stately home who were converting a derelict coach house and stable block into a wedding venue. I helped them set up the venue and planned their weddings for over two years. The experience was invaluable.
What’s your USP?
What I enjoy most is helping the couple relax and enjoy organising their wedding. My attention to detail in styling is slightly OCD, but always appreciated! I am known for moving every name card a few millimetres!
What’s your signature dish? (can be literally or in terms of wedding)
Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Rocket & Parmesan.
Do you have a favourite venue?
Hengrave Hall near Bury St. Edmunds is currently top of my list. A stunning location, beautifully restored with nothing overlooked. They even have their own church! Hannah the Venue Manager is also delightful.
Have you ever had a challenging client and how did you deal with it?
There are often situations when clients have fixed ideas about what they want, but don’t think about the logistics. You have to tactfully offer alternative solutions to impossible requests.
How do you unwind?
Having friends over for dinner. I spend just as much time ‘faffing’ about the house as making the meal. I served Rhubarb Crumble in vintage tea cups last week - I’m slightly worried myself!
If you could plan a celebrity wedding (alive or dead) whose would it be?
One of my favourite weddings to organise was for a gay couple. They were the nicest girls and were totally appreciative of everything I did for them. Perhaps Christopher Biggins - his wedding would be a lot of fun!
Which wedding planner’s work do you respect/admire and why.
Franck from ‘Father of the Bride’. Watching him go into overdrive explaining everything in a hilariously unintelligible Eastern European accent - ‘cake’ as ‘kak’. Every brides nightmare wedding planner, but I admire how he pulls everything together in the end!
What themes are you working on for 2010?
Vintage styling complemented with English flowers and herbs. Simple, but completely stylish.
What’s your biggest achievement since launching?
Organising Jimmy & Michaela Doherty’s wedding from BBC’s Jimmy’s Farm. I had an article on Jimmy pinned up on my wall at work for years, so to end up organising his wedding was completely amazing!
What is your vice?
Merlot & Rioja (its not the name of a shop!)
What trends are you seeing for 2010?
A sweet table instead of wedding favors seems to be a new trend. Choosing flavours that are reminiscent of childhood - midget gems, sherbert pips & cola cubes for me! As I mentioned before, I do think the vintage scene is very popular - there are even dedicated Vintage Wedding Planners. It does open up a wide spectrum of colours to choose from but I equally like weddings in white with one dramatic colour. I am addicted to styling and design sites around the world and my favourite is everything in white with simple vases of yellow mimosa.
To find out more about Kate visit her website
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About Us
Welcome to the UKAWP Blog. The UK Alliance of Wedding Planners was founded in order to promote professionalism in wedding planning. We aim to do this through training, mentoring, membership, business tools and importantly our Code of Ethics to which all members adhere. To find out more about us please visit our main site
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The UKAWP Directors are delighted to be part of the judging panel for the Wedding Industry Awards 2012.
