UKAWP - THE LEADING INDUSTRY BODY FOR THE UK WEDDING PLANNING MARKET

Archive for the ‘UKAWP News’ Category

Events 2012 Overview – 1st Quarter

Wednesday, January 4th, 2012

As always the UKAWP are going to be incredibly busy with events throughout 2012 so we thought we better start telling you about some of the plans for the first few months of the year!

WPE ‘12 - Wedding Planning Excellence

WPE ‘12‘Wedding Planning Excellence’ was first established in 2009 and in essence is a training seminar for wedding planners. The directors of the UKAWP along with our members devised a specialised programme designed to inspire and educate you with your business, there are 2 days of intelligent, inspirational speakers for you to learn from.

WPE is held over 2 days Friday 2nd & Saturday 3rd March 2012 at the fabulous 51 Buckingham Gate in Central London. There will be a Friday night dinner off sire which again is optional, more details to be published on the dinner in the New Year.

UKAWP member rate - for one day £170, for both days £320 / non member rate - for one day - £180, for both days £350 / Dinner is £45

We suggest you visit the beginners guide to WPE and will leave you with just one testimonial:

Testimonial

UKAWP “did WPE inspire you for 2011?”

WPE Delegate “Hell yes - thank you” & “Yes, yes, yes”!

Training Webinars

Following our successful webinar launch in November we will be running a series of additional ones throughout 2012. The webinars will be a combination of topics designed for new planners and for more advanced learning by already established planners.  We hope that the flexibility of being able to join a webinar online will appeal to many who cannot travel easily to other training we organise or have missed a previous session.

Please keep checking our blog and website for details as and when we announce them.

Title:  ‘The basics of organising a marquee reception‘ - based on the presentation given at WPE ‘11

Tutor: Bernadette Chapman, UKAWP Director

Date: Wednesday 8th February 2012

Time: 6pm-7pm

Cost: £60

How to book your place:  go to our booking form here

Technical details:

You will need internet access with speakers and will be sent an event invitation which will require you to set up a password. At the relevant webinar time you will need to log in. You will be able to hear the tutor deliver the session as well as be able to see a slide presentation on screen. You will be able to ask questions online via a chat page. Further notes will be posted to you following your registration.

Testimonial following our marketing your business webinar

I think it’s an excellent way to offer a bite-sized training course as it means it’s easily accessible. This is really important for those of us that are trying to juggle other responsibilities such as jobs or children, as it’s often difficult to get away for a full day. I really liked it that you talked around the slides/course notes rather than just reading them verbatim. The discussion gave some really valuable insights into starting your business.”

Workshops

We held various workshops in 2011 both in London and Wimslow. Topics have included: Floral Emergencies, Fixing the Bridal Dress, PR Basics

We plan to run the workshops again from April 2012, if there are any topics you would like us to cover let us know!

In the meantime save the date for the 9th February in Manchester for a Northern PR Workshop hosted by Julia from Bridesup North

Training Courses

The successful training courses run by the UKAWP start again in February 2012.  See below for the planned dates. To find out more information, to download the brochure or indeed to book please visit our training page

Business Practicalities: 18th & 19th February (Northamptonshire) and 21st & 22nd April (London)

Step by Step: 24th & 25th March (Northamptonshire) and 19th & 20th May (London)

Merry Christmas!

Friday, December 23rd, 2011

christmas-card-20112

Office Closure

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

Please note that the UKAWP office will be closed from the 19th December until the 4th January.

Wishing you all a wonderful christmas and New Year.

Kelly, Bernadette & Sandy

directors-oct-2010

Christmas gifts for wedding planners

Monday, December 12th, 2011

With less than two weeks until Christmas we thought it ideal to remind you we have a number of events you could put on your wish list and even gift vouchers. Perhaps you would like to buy a wedding planner colleague a gift? How about our training courses in Spring 2012, or a gift voucher for any amount you wish? Or, if your husband is stuck on what to get you, leave some hints about WPE!

WPE ’12 – AN OVERVIEW

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

 What is WPE?

WPE ‘Wedding Planning Excellence’ was first established in 2009 and in essence is a training seminar for wedding planners. From visiting websites of our US counterparts we began to get a little envious of the number of specialised seminars open to wedding planners throughout the year. As our industry has grown we felt it was about time the UK followed suit and had an event just for ‘wedding planners’ and thus WPE was born.

Attendees at WPE 11

I’m already trading so why do I need more training?

Most importantly this isn’t a training course, it’s a seminar. There are 2 days of intelligent, inspirational speakers for you to learn from. If you are ready and willing to push your business further ensuring increased profitability, then take the plunge and commit to  WPE. Sometimes we spend all our time working IN the business, i.e. planning weddings that we don’t spend time working ON the business and this is what WPE helps you focus on.

Business-focussed presentations

 

So when is it?

As in previous years WPE is held over 2 days Friday 2nd - Saturday 3rd  March 2012, and after listening to feedback we have kept it to central London. The venue chosen for WPE ‘12 is the gorgeously luxurious 51 Buckingham Gate http://www.51-buckinghamgate.com/. There will be a Friday night dinner which again is optional, more details to be published on the dinner in the New Year.

How much?

The investment we ask from you for the 2 days + dinner is minimal compared to similar events in the US who charge $2,200! The prices will go up after the 2nd January so we advise you book early to make your pennies stretch even further.

Early bird UKAWP member rate - for one day £160, for both days £290 / Early bird non member rate - for one day - £170, for both days £320 / Dinner is £45

Annabel from Love my Dress at WPE 11

Who is Speaking?

We have a range of business and industry experts confirmed already (see below) and plan to add more over the coming weeks, do visit our website for full schedule information.

The art of negotiation

Looking Fantastic Online

Practical Marketing Strategies for Planners

Etiquette for the Modern Wedding Planner

Luxury Marquees & What to Look Out For

Using cocktails to enhance the wedding design - hot trends for 2012

Business Self Discipline

Wedding Planning business software demonstration

Wedding planners continue to learn

To review the schedule go to http://www.wpe.ukawp.com/schedule.htm

What’s New?

WPE ‘12 is going to be even bigger and better than in previous years. Alongside the formal presentations will be more Q&A + some panel discussions for more in depth questions.  After dinner on the Friday one of our members is organizing a surprise activity, more details will be announced in the New Year.

We hope to see you there!

New UKAWP service - Webinar launch

Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

UKAWP are delighted to announce a brand new webinar training service.

 The webinars will be a combination of topics designed for new planners and for more advanced learning by already established planners.  We hope that the flexibility of being able to join a webinar online will appeal to many who cannot travel easily to other training we organise or have missed a previous session.

UKAWP training

 The topics will include certain key sections of our highly popular face to face Business Practicalities and Step by Step programmes although are by no means a replacement for the face to face learning on our two-day courses.  Not all topics in BP and SBS will feature.  Initially we are launching one webinar during 2011 and we hope that a series will follow during 2012.

 Details below are for our first webinar which we hope you can join. Ideal for candidates considering entering the wedding planning industry who have not conducted any formal training as yet and want to get started with their planning business.

 Title:  ‘Marketing your Wedding Planning Business including the importance of your website’

Tutor: Bernadette Chapman, UKAWP Director

Date: Weds 30 November

Time: 6pm-7pm

Cost: £60

How to book your place:  go to our booking form here

Technical details: you will need internet access with speakers and will be sent an event invitation which will require you to set up a password. At the relevant webinar time you will need to log in. You will be able to hear the tutor deliver the session as well as be able to see a slide presentation on screen. You will be able to ask questions online via a chat page. Further notes will be posted to you also.

UKAWP blog features

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

Just a short post today to share with you two lovely blog posts we’ve been lucky enough to feature in recently. Both of them share information not only on UKAWP and what we do but go into much detail about our talented members work (check out the photos on Love My Dress!) and demonstrate our diverse creativity with a huge number of planning tips. We hope you find five minutes to grab a cuppa and have a read!  And thank you if you contributed.

Love My Dress

Before the Big Day

WPE ’12 – REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN - 2nd & 3rd March 2012

Monday, November 14th, 2011

We are delighted to announce registration is now open for WPE ‘12. We will be sending invitations out very soon, but if you can’t wait, you can register online here http://www.ukawp.com/booking-form-seminar.php. As in previous years if you register before the 2nd January you will receive the early bird discounted rate.

 Wedding Planning Excellence '11

If you’re a planner and looking to take your business to the next level by way of continued development and learning, then Wedding Planning Excellence (WPE) is for you;  tailored to meet the needs of wedding planning businesses only, it’s pretty much one of a kind!

 

The programme is coming together nicely with a mix of business motivational specialists as well as industry gurus.  Keep checking back on the website for details on new confirmed speakers http://wpe.ukawp.com/index.htm

 

We hope to see you there!

UK Wedding Planners’ Mixing and Mingling!

Monday, November 7th, 2011

 Today I’m writing on the recent Mix and Mingle Events which took place on 20 October across the country. We were rather ambitious in our plans to get wedding planners together across various regions of the country on the same night and were delighted with the results. 

Mixing and Mingling

We had over 35 planners attend the largest London event with smaller, but equally successful, events in the Midlands and Cheshire taking place on the same night. The format of the evenings were informal and an opportunity for wedding planners (many of whom work alone) to get together with others running the same kind of business in their area. Whilst many of our UKAWP members regularly network with each other and meet at lots of our events, we welcomed lots of recent students, newcomers to the industry as well as more established planners who wanted to get to know their industry colleagues.   

UKAWP Directors Brief Welcome

UKAWP Directors Brief Welcome

 

Planners dig into delicious bowl food by BMA House

Planners dig into delicious bowl food by BMA House

Venue showround

Venue showround

Fragranced champagne candles by Sandy Bay

Fragranced champagne candles by Sandy Bay

Wedding planners catch up on the summer season

Wedding planners catch up on the summer season

Wedding planners in Cheshire at their mix and mingle

Wedding planners in Cheshire at their mix and mingle

And the Cheshire planners were treated to goody bags by Molton Brown

And the Cheshire planners were treated to goody bags by Molton Brown

Our enormous thanks to all of the venues who so kindly agreed to host us.  In London we were welcomed by BMA House (where most of the above photos were taken), in Cheshire at Doubletree by Hilton and in the Midlands at Hampton Manor.

Also thanks to Sandy Bay London and Molton Brown for their wonderful goody bags as well as the ever-fabulous Lloyd Dobbie Photography for capturing images from the London event.  

The below comment from one of our guests sums up the ethos of UKAWP we feel -

‘I wanted to write to say thank you for organising such a lovely evening. It was a real pleasure to meet new and established planners who shared their experience and knowledge. Being new, I felt slightly apprehensive about the idea of meeting so many lovely ladies who would probably have so much to say about their businesses while I had relatively nothing to say. I was so pleased to notice, however, that everyone was exceptionally friendly and helpful!’

Future events - Our annual social event will return next autumn 2012. In the meantime do look at our Events page for more on upcoming seminars, workshops, training and learning opportunities with UKAWP, whatever stage of business you’re at.

Recent course students chat to Director of UKAWP, Bernadette

Mix and Mingle!

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

Today we want to remind you about our wedding planners Mix and Mingle nights on 19 and 20 October in various stunning locations across the UK.  It’s a perfect opportunity for new and not so new planners to get together at the end of the season, compare notes and tips, let off steam and be the ones hosted at the party for a change! Our UKAWP members always love our social evenings but our events are open to non-members too and also to recent students of UKAWP who may not have launched their business but are on the way.

30-sec-intro-networking

The evening starts at 6:30pm and finishes by 9:30pm, even if you can only make it for an hour the directors and members would love to see you there. Tickets are £10 for members of UKAWP and £15 for non members. To register please go here