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Member Focus: Nikki Foster

Monday, August 30th, 2010

Today I am pleased to introduce Nikki Foster from I Do Designer Weddings Ltd one of our associate members based in Leeds.

nikki-fosterWhy did you become a wedding planner?

Hmmm – interesting question.  My background is actually in financial services; eight years of top level investment management.  However, throughout my career I have been heavily involved in arranging events and weddings for people around me.  I guess I became an ‘unofficial’ wedding planner a long time before I became an official one!

It wasn’t until my mother got ill and challenged my career that I realised that I was in the wrong job.  She gave me the courage to walk away from a successful career and set up my dream business – I haven’t looked back!

What’s your USP?

So many of them!  If I can only pick one little thing I guess it has to be my ability to listen.  It might sound irrelevant, but I have an exceptional ability to ‘hear’ what people are saying when they are describing their dream day. 

Understanding a vision is the key to being able to transform it into reality for a couple.  Setting to work to design, plan and manage the day is the easy bit.

Do you have a favourite venue?

There are so many amazing venues around Yorkshire and Cheshire.  Swinton Park, Allerton Castle, The Star Inn – they are all beautiful and all different.  However my absolute favourite venue has to be a marquee on private land.  There is nothing better than a blank canvas to inject the bride and grooms personalities into.  My current favourites are Papakata tents – just brilliant for a really different look and feel – when dressed for a wedding they have the Wow factor in spades. 

How would your clients describe you?

It has to be as a perfectionist.

Design is very important to our weddings; we aim to make each one very different and representative of the bride and groom - I am relentless until we have it absolutely right! 

If you could plan a celebrity wedding (alive or dead) whose would it be?

Well, the obvious one is a Royal Wedding – I would revel in planning a wedding for Prince Harry. It would be fabulous to be able to really go to town with no restriction on budget.  I have picked Harry because his personality would surely allow for some real fun elements to be injected into the day!

When you’re ready Harry – you know where we are!

 Which wedding planner’s work do you respect/admire and why?

There are so many!  Zoe Lingard’s website inspired me when I was initially investigating changing careers and I like to keep abreast of what Mark Niemierko is up to. 

What’s your biggest achievement since launching?

Everything!  I set up my business during a very difficult period in my life – losing my mother.  So for me, ‘I Do Designer Weddings’ is a huge achievement in itself. 

I would also say that my biggest achievement is always changing as it’s my last wedding - seeing the months of planning and management culminate in a fabulous event provides the most amazing buzz.

Every happy client is a big achievement!

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Member Focus: Boutique Weddings

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

   Today we invite associate member, Marine Kerivel-Brown from Boutique Wedding to share a little more about her and her company with us. 

marine-pix-small  

 Why did you become a wedding planner?

It’s not something I actually carefully planned. It just happened. I first started working on weddings when I moved to the U.A.E over 15 years ago. I had the amazing opportunity to work on a few big royal weddings and that was it….. I was hooked! After strengthening my skills by organising big corporate events in the middle East, Africa and Europe (I have travelled a fair bit), it was only natural to revert back to my first passion: wedding planning.

What’s your USP?

I seem to mainly attract ‘unusual’ situations such as foreign nationalities getting married in the UK, overseas-based couples, etc, as well as Civil Partnerships, which actually suits me perfectly well. I always love a new challenge and can get bored easily!

What’s your signature dish?


I’m French so don’t get me started on food or I’ll still be talking about it in 2 hours! But nothing can beat a good tarte tatin.

 Do you have a favourite venue? 

No, simply because each wedding I plan is so unique in its context that I rarely have a chance to consider the same venue twice. However, my clients seem to want the big mansions and castles around London as opposed to marquee weddings.

How would your clients describe you? 

Very organised, professional, passionate and with a strong ‘can do’ approach. I have a very practical approach to life and handle each project in exactly the same way. I also have very strong professional ethics and I’m a bit of a perfectionist too.

Have you ever had a challenging client and how did you deal with it?

 Having worked with clients across two continents, I have faced at times some demanding situations, especially in the Middle East. Those who’ve met me might have heard some of my stories about brides wanting to recreate orchids’ gardens in the middle of the desert (which we did by the way)! However, I always handle those difficult situations the same way: stay focused on the end result, keep calm, manage clients’ expectations and always remember that all I can do is my very best. I do believe in honesty and I believe my clients always trust me as a result.

How do you unwind?

Running and reading, although not at the same time!  And spending time with my family.

If you could plan a celebrity wedding (alive or dead) whose would it be? 

Johny Depp and Vanessa Paradis. They’re such an unusual couple it would be quite an interesting project!

Is the job as glamorous as you thought? 
I never expected it to be glamorous so that’s fine. Anyone who wants to be a wedding planner because they fancy being the next J-Lo need to reconsider their choice!

 Which wedding planner’s work do you respect/admire and why?

I really like Zoe Lingard’s work and obviously Kelly Chandler of The Bespoke Wedding Company. I don’t seem to be able to pick up a single magazine without Kelly being featured in it! In both cases, it’s the attention to detail and all the small finishing touches that I really like. It all seems to be so easy yet we all know that it probably took 12 months of planning to achieve such results!

What themes are you working on for 2010/2011? 

At the moment, my clients seem to opt for understated elegance rather than quirky themes and I’m currently trying to create a theme involving an English castle with injecting a bit of French and Russian themes.

What’s your biggest achievement since launching? Having a child! Honestly, I have become a master at multi-tasking!

 

What is your vice? 

Oh, where do I start?  Champagne, dark chocolate, cheese, red wine, nougatine and Green & Black ice cream. I believe that a little bit of everything in moderation is the answer.

What trends are you seeing for 2010/2011? I’m seeing a return to classic themes. I think the recession might have made people want to go back to more traditional themes rather than wanting extravagance. A lot of my clients also seem to be very environmentally-aware and are trying to inject a more ethical approach to their big day.

 

Thank you Marine.

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Wonder product for the pampered planner – Elemis Musclease Active Body

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

The wedding season certainly takes its toll on a good planner but Buckinghamshire-based planner Isabel Smith of  Isabel Smith Wedding Design might have just the solution to soothe those aching limbs.  Over to you Isabel …

On a recent trip to Champneys with my sister, it was pointed out to me by one of the therapists that I carry a lot of tension…erm…yes; I am self employed and work in an industry dominated by emotion!

 She recommended that I purchase Elemis Musclese Active Body and hyperbole aside, it is FANTASTIC.  It carries an active ingredient that penetrates the blood stream and breaks down lactic acid meaning that your muscles can recover from any tension or exhaustion much quicker.  It works overnight and doesn’t need to be massaged in (so at two thirty in the morning after a 17 hour wedding day, you can just throw it on and dive into bed).

elemis

At £30, it is quite expensive, but since it only takes an amount the size of a 50p to do your whole neck and shoulder area, it should last a good long time, and when I bought it, it came with a free bottle of their Aching Muscle Super Soak (also great if you have the energy for a bath before applying the oil).

The range is designed for sporting use (picture me struggling to contain my snort of laughter when she recommended I use it after my cardio work outs too) which is why I’ve never come across it before but I really believe it makes all the difference to my legs and shoulders after W-day. 

 DISCLAIMER - do read the label though as it is strong stuff and definitely not suitable for pregnant planners!

 

Credits - www.elemis.com 

www.isabelsmithweddings.co.uk

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Scams, tricks and hoaxes

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

No matter what the weather, the financial scammers keep on coming to wedding planners. Here is a recent one to watch out for if you’re a new planner and not familar with these scams.

Am Robb Stephen, I am writing to get informations on wedding/reception venues and also so in need of the services of a wedding planner. Christine and I are planning to have a wedding in August 2010 (any date in August will be fine) and will require more informations on this as we plan also to have the wedding in your region.

 

      We are looking for a venue and planner to help us plan our wedding/reception. 50 guests are expected to attend. Please advise on weather conditions of the area. Also note that you (wedding planner) is to arrange for a food, Videography, Music Entertainment, Photography, Officiant, cake and flowers, decoration etc. Please do confirm this date and get back to me.

Thanks for your anticipated response

Best regards,

Robb Stephen

 

 

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Posted in Life as a Planner, Scams | 1 Comment »

Having a plan!

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

Today we hear from our regular guest blogger, Paula Gardener of Do Your Own PR  on PR strategies. Basically, have one from the off!

 PR Strategies - 7 Reasons Why You Need One Right Now

 

1. Just Getting It Done
 
Without a strategy, PR does have an annoying habit of getting pushed to the bottom of a to-do list. After all, it’s rare that journalists actively contact you (unless you are a member of our club perhaps!). Every PR campaign has to be self-motivated and maintained. Having a PR strategy with clearly defined jobs and deadlines makes PR much more likely to happen.

2. It Amplifies The Results From Other Marketing Activites
 
Having a PR strategy will reinforce the work you do in other areas. You can tie your advertising, online and offline marketing and newsletter into the same theme as your PR campaign so that they all pull together. This also means that you can re-use material too, taking the core and using it in your marketing material, press releases, articles, tip sheets and newsletters.

3. It Helps You keep Up
 
Even if you don’t have a PR strategy you can bet your competitors do. It can be gutting to watch what was once your contemporary steam ahead in both profile and sales - I know I have been there in a previous life.

4. It Gets You Serious
 
You know you need a PR strategy long-term, so why put it off when you could be stepping up and stepping into the serious business that you really want to be?

5. You will get added benefits
 
Implementing a PR campaign will bring you so much more than just mere press coverage. You will increase in confidence, tackle a new skill and build relationships that will impact on your business over and over again.

6. And about building those relationships..
 
A press campaign is not just about sending out press releases, but about building up a relationship with the press…talking to them, perhaps even taking time out to meet them. Just like a friendship, a relationship with a journalist can’t be rushed…so why are you waiting around when you could be making a start?

7. Planning for the Future
 
I do come across businesses who say they will implement PR when they have the budget or have grown to a certain size. This is all very well and good but don’t they realise that they could be reaching those budgets or that growth now with the help of PR! Getting started on a PR campaign and then handing it over to a company or freelancer later puts you in a fabulous position. Having done PR you’ll know what you are talking about, be able to spot the deliverers from the mere promisers and be able to contribute to what should be a long-standing relationship with your PR agency.

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What’s In Your Emergency Kit?

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

Recently some of our members contributed to a discussion on linked in  regarding our top 10 items in our emergency kit. Weddings in Surrey collated the list and published on their blog. We thought it might be interesting to show you the final list, see below.

 You have been planning your wedding for months now. You are in the final pre-wedding planning days and have checked, double-checked, even triple checked everything, but without a doubt there will be little problems that arise.  However, being prepared with an emergency kit, means that no matter what the drama is there will be a way to fix it with something from your wedding day emergency kit.

So what should you have in your emergency kit?  Some things are obvious and there will be other items that you would not have thought of. We have prepared a mammoth Wedding Day Emergency Kit list for you. Of course, you probably won’t need or use all of this list, so you can pick and choose what would be best for you according to the type of your wedding.

 

MEDICAL

BEAUTY

Plasters

Lipstick

Ibuprofen/Paracetamol

Face powder

Sting relief

Perfume

Eye drops/contact lens solution

Nail Varnish Clear

Condoms (yes people have asked)!

Nail Varnish Colour

Tampons/Panty Liners

Nail File

Deodorant

Hairspray

Mints

Kirby Grips

Breath Freshener

Comb/Brush

Rescue Remedy

Baby Wipes

Tissues

Moisturising Lotion
(apply to legs to stop static)

Sun cream

Baby Powder

Dental Floss

OTHER

BRIDAL WEAR ACCESSORIES

Spare Rings

White chalk - to cover marks

Steam Iron

Tights/hold ups/stockings

Lighter/Matches

Feet gel pads

Blue Tak

Knickers (thong,no seams)

Pens & pencils

Wellie boots

Children’s cutlery

Cufflinks (yes someone always forgets)

Bottled water

Earrings

Duct tape

Clothes brush

Multi colours ribbon

Sewing Kit (safety pins various sizes)

Scissors

Nappy Pins (to bustle dress train)

Chocolate (energy fix)

Double sided tape
(to stick dress to body)

Florists gum

SUPPLIER LIST & PHONE NUMBERS

Drinking straws

 

Emergency Kit List - suggestions by:

 

www.weddingsinsurrey.co.uk

http://www.toptableplaner.com/

http://www.weddingdesignbykim.co.uk/

http://www.dream-occasions.co.uk/

http://www.isabelsmithweddings.co.uk/

http://www.bellisimoevents.co.uk/

http://www.loveiarasanyang.com/

http://www.topweddingsites.com/

 

We’d love to hear your views on what else you take with you on the day.

Posted in Life as a Planner, Tricks of the Trade | 1 Comment »

Be Date Savvy

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

As planners we know all about diary planning and avoiding or deliberating choosing weddings on bank holidays, Easter holidays and the like. However there is a big event in for 2010 and some of us planners might be blissfully unaware if football isn’t our thing.

11th June to 11th  July 2010 sees the World Cup Finals take place in South Africa and for many a potential wedding guest this might cause a few problems for the summer’s weddings. So if you’re planning any weddings during that month and, in particular when England are scheduled to play, then you  may have to consider providing a discreet TV for essential viewing!

Most matches are likely to kick-off around 7.30pm so hopefully shouldn’t cause any disruption during ceremonies but might be a factor for later in the evening. Be sure to check the official Fifa World Cup site for schedules and check dates when England would be playing if they get through to subsequent rounds also; now that would be amazing! And even if your bride and groom aren’t football fans, you can guarantee that a large proportion of their guests won’t feel that way and when World Cup fever takes hold it converts even the greatest cynic!

Thanks to  Jackson Gilmour for pointing this out in their communications and alerting us to this fact!

football

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Working with Friends

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

One 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?

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Posted in Becoming a Planner, Business Development, Life as a Planner | 3 Comments »

Are you a good or bad planner?

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

Recently 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..

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Posted in Life as a Planner | 1 Comment »

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.

kate-fletcher

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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