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The Wedding Sanctuary: The aftermath – part 3

Friday, April 15th, 2011

Today’s post is all about thank yous.  Last month’s Wedding Sanctuary was a roaring success, but could not have happened without input and dedication from our amazing members!

Everyone there on the day pulled out all the stops to set-up, answer those tricky planning questions, and undertake the less glamorous jobs like ushering, but there are a few members who deserve a really big shout out:

The planners behind the plans:

Overseeing the bigger picture of the whole show was our very own Kelly Chandler of The Bespoke Wedding Company .  There is no doubt planning the show was more challenging than expected, but Kelly consistently demonstrated herself as the professional she is, taking on many of the thankless tasks, liaising with many of the all important suppliers and of course overseeing the running of the show on the day.

Taking on much of the responsibility for promoting our first ever public wedding event was Isabel Smith of Isabel Smith Wedding Design  – well you can always count on her to have something to say, so we thought we’d give her something useful to chat about!  Although turnout for the afternoon session was a little lower than we had expected, overall, we were thrilled with the ticket sales – and the quality of the couples through the door on the day – so thank you Isabel for your wording wizardry!

Andri Benson of Always Andri  was our design guru, overseeing the look of the whole event – ensuring creativity and general stunning-ness from all the dining tables without design overlap.  Liaising with those supplying the wares for our inspiration zone was a complex and time consuming task and Andri’s calm outlook and attention to detail was a true God-send – and certainly paid off!

andri-table

The style queens:

Andri’s role of course falls into this category too, but full credit must also go to the lovely Lisa Sabin of Just Bespoke  who took responsibility for the design of The Boudoir area of the show.  What started out as one of the simpler tasks ended up quite a logistical challenge, so we can’t thank Lisa enough for her dedication. 

Also working hard in The Boudoir, the generous Kate Fletcher who kindly loaned a huge range of wares from her own home – all of which are available to hire for events via her company Vintage Style Hire .  The Boudoir looked fabulous ladies so thank you both so much!

boudoir

We must also offer a huge thank you to Melanie at Cranberry Blue  for providing the signage for the show.  This all important element ensured that all our visitors knew what was happening, where and when, and was a true testament to the bespoke table plan design service that she offers.

reception

Also  a big thank you to the super team at  Mechgem Cars  for very kindly offering our prize draw winner luxury transport to the show by chauffeur driven car – a taste of the wedding day glamour to come for that lucky bride.

I think our very own Sandy Moretta summed The Wedding Sanctuary up best when she said ‘I am amazed/ ‘staggered’ by the sense of togetherness and cooperation we saw this weekend… I think we have the most amazingly talented and gifted bunch of people we could hope for’.

Thank you Sandy – and here’s to The Alliance, and to next year’s show!

Photo Credit: Julia Boggio

UKAWP Code of Ethics

Wednesday, April 6th, 2011

Our Code of Ethics is something we are very proud of, and strict about, taking time regularly to ensure all our members adhere to its elements.

As our membership base grows, this becomes increasingly time consuming, but nonetheless important, as we know from discussions with brides and suppliers that this is one of the main reasons they like working with UKAWP members.

Although as Directors of the UKAWP we tend to think the reasons for each line of our Code are self explanatory, we thought it was worth reviewing for our readers.

Respond to enquiries within 48 hours

One would think any business should do this, or leave a message explaining when staff will return should they be away, but we are constantly surprised, when telephoning wedding service providers, how many businesses don’t have a business answer phone message or even a message at all.

Clients and suppliers alike need to know whether you are still in business and when they will be able to speak to you.

Respect client confidentiality

Managing someone’s wedding usually involves being party to a lot of personal information and client stress. Our clients need to feel secure that their data, their tears and their opinions remain confidential to the person they have entrusted with their wedding and are not discussed with suppliers, unless specifically necessary to a particular service provider, such as an eating disorder being explained to the caterer.

Disclose all suppliers that you have a vested interest in

We know many wedding planners have a stake in another part of the wedding industry. Indeed we have members who own bridal shops, chauffeur companies, event hire businesses etc.

All we ask is that members make it clear to clients that their other wedding related business is one of many options available to them and that they will always recommend those most appropriate to the client.

Always pass discounts and/ or commission onto the client

There are many business models within the wedding planning industry, including many companies which take commission from the suppliers and venues they recommend.

The UKAWP is not by any means belittling businesses which work in this way, however it is not a practice we tolerate amongst our members.

If a planner is being paid commission by venue A, generally a percentage of the client’s overall spend with that venue, and not by venue B, where is the planner more likely to recommend to the client, particularly if said planner is experiencing a low period of business or high costs?

We want to be sure that our members suggest the best possible venues and suppliers for each client, without being tempted by commission payments.

Ensure your Public Liability Insurance is up to date

This is becoming increasingly important as the industry grows and as the British public seems ever more comfortable with the idea of suing a business for the slightest accident.

If a planner, rather than any other wedding supplier involved, is held responsible for someone tripping over a wire/ briefcase/ chair and rendering themselves unable to work, the planner might find themselves responsible not only for medical fees, but also for loss of earnings.

Public Liability Insurance is therefore essential to guard against such expenses.

Never give client details to any third party unless for the sole purpose of the wedding

Clearly some of the suppliers working on a wedding will need the direct contact details of the client, however it is important that anyone a planner gives these details to uses them only for the wedding and not for marketing purposes. Such details should also be destroyed soon after the wedding.

Respect copyright of all planners, co-ordinators and related suppliers

Plagiarism is rife within the industry, which seems very strange when you think that someone who considers themselves sufficiently creative to design other peoples’ weddings, ought, and should wish, to be able to write their own website copy.

At the UKAWP we see countless examples of text/ images lifted directly from one planner’s website and used on another.

 Represent each client fairly and honestly

A bit of a ‘catch all’ perhaps, but there are times when it is important to remember this part of the Code. 

An example would be if a planner were undertaking partial planning for one client and full planning for another: albeit you will of course spend more time on/ have more meetings with the latter, it is important that the former client is given the appropriate amount of a planner’s time and effort, even at busy times.

We hope this whistle stop tour of our Code of Ethics has answered any questions and made things clear.

If you do have any queries or concerns, please contact membership@ukawp.com

The Wedding Sanctuary: The aftermath – Part 1

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

Last Sunday (20th March) brought with it our very first foray into the world of wedding shows.

The Wedding Sanctuary at Somerset House was designed from the very first to be a wedding event in direct contrast to the traditional wedding fair:  Hand-picked suppliers, an advice-led vibe, beautiful wedding inspiration – and boy did we pull this off:

Guests were welcomed and registered before being whisked off to be wowed by the inspiration zone, where members from the Alliance had not only designed some stunning reception tables, but also listed the costs associated – far be it for us to let a bride fall in love with a look she couldn’t afford to reproduce.

 registration-and-inspiration-copy1

The Boudoir offered brides the chance to rub shoulders with Sassi Holford , speak to the fabulous Emmy   about their wedding shoes, or get a hair or make-up trial by the ladies at Elle au Naturel It was truly impressive to see these women work!

boudoir

Our advice areas were chock full of industry experts such as entertainment agency Sternberg Clarke  , personal stylist Katrina Choat  , groom’s blogger Staggered and wedding film pros Gorgeous Productions ,  as well as some of our members, all poised ready to answer any questions couples might have had about their wedding day.

advice-zone

Finally, talks were given regarding budgeting for your wedding, how to plan the timings of the wedding day, and how to ensure you get the very best from your suppliers.

talks

As our first event, we were all keen for it to be a success – for the planners and the suppliers of course, but more than anything, for any couples who were just sick and tired of run-of-the-mill wedding fairs where all anyone cares about is the hard sell. 

We were thrilled with the turnout on the day – especially during the morning session, and all the feedback from couples who attended has been really positive.  Big hits were the Boudoir – of course – but also the offer that everyone received on arrival for a 15 minute one-to-one with an Alliance planner, during which we addressed concerns regarding any aspect of their wedding planning.

The event literally could not have happened without the support of a few key suppliers, whom it would be very remiss of us not to thank here:

Our generous hosts, Somerset House   and Table Talk caterers  not only provided an amazing space with a gorgeous backdrop of the Thames, but also laid on the loveliest spread of champagne and seasonal canapés.  Us planners were truly hard pressed to leave any for the guests!

Velvet Living  and Wise Productions worked really closely with us to create the atmosphere vital to the tone of the show.  We wanted couples to be able to relax, and feel welcome to pull up a pew and chat in depth to the suppliers about any concerns they had about their wedding, and this is definitely the warm environment they achieved for us.

The stunning tables in the inspiration zone were kitted out by Well Dressed Tables , whose range of goods really can run to any design you might have in mind!

Amanda Austin , florist extraordinaire worked tirelessly to provide the huge range of stunning arrangements that decorated all the areas – not least of all following the design brief’s of the planners behind the inspiration zone.

Serious magic was also worked by Helen at Cutture  also, providing us with our logo, our stationery design for the event (including the really yummy lasercut invitations to our VIPs), and even the table stationery for one of the inspiration zone tables.

Special thanks must also go to out media partner Wedding magazine , whose support of the show provided a lot of the impetus for the fantastic turnout we received – particularly during the morning session.

special-thanks

It was a pleasure to work so closely with such an amazing group of consummate professionals! So here’s to next year!

All photos kindly supplied by Julia Boggio .

UKAWP partners RSVP

Friday, March 18th, 2011

The UKAWP Directors are very excited to be the only wedding industry partner for the RSVP Event Showcase to be held in Islington, on 19th and 20th April.

picresized_1297693484_rsvp-london-logo-31

RSVP is celebrating 10 years as the UK’s most innovative and creative event dedicated to the corporate hospitality, entertainment, party and special events industry. 

London’s event showcase will draw on the creative talents of the UK’s leading event suppliers and will inspire guests by revealing events in action, exhibitors’ new ideas, and provide a rare chance to see, hear and taste the latest industry trends. 

Wedding Planning Survey

The UKAWP is undertaking a large online survey in which we are asking wedding planners all about the size and type of the weddings they plan. Results will be announced first at RSVP.

Come and meet us

Please come along and see us at Stand E4 and listen to us present a seminar session. You can join in and ask your questions in our panel discussion. Even those questions which we don’t have time to answer during the session will be answered either immediately afterwards in RSVP’s ‘Speakers Corner’ or by email after the event.

We know that, like us, many of you are already annual RSVP attendees, but if you have never been along to the show, do give it a go. You can register here.

WPE ’11 – what happened?

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011

On the 4th & 5th March we held our 3rd annual seminar for wedding planners, WPE 11. I think all attendees would agree this was the best yet. We listened to feedback from 2010 and made some key changes including having a central London location and the flexibility of attending just 1 day.

wpe11-group-shot-fri

There are so many reasons why we love holding this event:

  1. Meeting fabulous speakers who are willing and enthusiastic about passing on their knowledge to you the planner. Some of this year’s speakers travelled great distances to attend and were delighted with the intelligent questions asked by the planners, no-one was shy on the day!
  2. Catching up with colleagues we communicate with over email and Twitter, some who live across the breadth of the UK. We love exchanging the joys & tribulations of being a planner, the highlight of which is the Friday night dinner which always ends in some outrageous behaviour!
  3. But mostly we feel proud of the planners that take time out of their week to attend WPE and expand their knowledge. The planners who attend WPE are serious about the growth and sustainability of their wedding planning careers – we delight in seeing their growth, year after year.

wpe11-siobhan

Testimonials

“Focusing on business aspects was really helpful, with wedding planning bits popped in to break it up, allowed me to focus really well” Helen Carter

“Can’t wait to get started putting everything I’ve learnt into place” Kathryn Kirkpatrick

“Good to keep the 60% business, 40% wedding speakers ratio” Isabel Smith

“I feel really motivated following the sessions and am excited about transferring these new skills into my business.” Lisa Sabin

“I have lots of ideas now, lots of useful tips & tools – now to make the most of them!” Stacey Marie-Chalk

 wpe11-delegates

We already have some fabulous ideas for WPE ’12 and can’t wait to start working on them. If you missed WPE this year we hope you can join us next year.

Speakers

We couldn’t hold WPE without the dedication of our speakers so would like to say a special Thank you to:

Cloud 9 – for his motivational advice and tips, there are not many men who would brave a room full of creative women!

Siobhan Craven-Robins - even though Siobhan is one of the most established planners in the UK she still takes time out of her schedule to pass on tips to newer planners.

Sternberg Clarke - for showing how with some imagination it is possible to creative truly unique entertainment for clients.

Diamond Insurance – for showing us how serious the issue of insurance is, public liability isn’t enough when running a business.

Bellissimo Weddings - one of our members and a former solicitor, Melanie gave some very straightforward legal advice which was incredibly informative.

Dream Occasions - one of our directors Bernadette passed on some tips on how to plan a proficient marquee wedding

Options - despite a technical hitch they gave a great demonstration on how different table designs can be.

Enthuse Marketing - the lovely Tamsin is always welcome at WPE with her easy to understand marketing & branding advice.

Distinctly Digital - we all knew SEO was important but Tom showed us some ways to improve SEO for our businesses.

Wise Productions - we got to meet the team behind Wise and understand how lighting can transform a venue.

Love my Dress - the wonderfully inspiring Annabel talked to us about the history of Love my Dress and why blogs are vital for the wedding industry.

Alicja Gilroy - the superintendent registrar from Oxfordshire was incredibly informative with her presentation and happily answered questions that our planners were asking.

Zoe Clark Cakes - talked to us about scenarios to avoid when choosing the design for a client cake.

 wpe11-tamsinwpe11-ray

wpe11-annabel

Mustn’t Forget

Lloyd Dobbie for taking some wonderful images throughout the 2 days.

The 8 Dutch planners who attended on Saturday as part of their educational trip to the UK, they belong to an organisation called BWPN and we hope this is the  start of a new relationship with them  

10:11 Carlton House Terrace and Food Show Ltd for the wonderful dinner on the 4th March

Euphoric Flowers for providing the flowers at the dinner, unexpected but much loved!

 wpe11-group-shot-sat

The Wedding Sanctuary: Who to meet – The planners

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

Rounding off our presentation of who to look out for at the UKAWP’s Wedding Sanctuary – our innovative wedding show taking place on the 20th March in London – we would like to introduce you to some of the planners who will help to make the day the supportive, advice filled phenomena it is going to be: 

The Wedding Sanctuary

The Top Dogs – The UKAWP directors

The people behind the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners have not only always strived for professionalism in the industry, but also have over 20 years experience between them.  Who better to oversee the event, and be on hand to answer any of those really tricky planning problems?

 Design Inspiration

The design theme of a wedding can be what makes the day really personal to a couple, which is why it can be helpful to get a planner’s assistance in creating and sourcing all that is needed for a real wow factor.  Headed up by the uber creative Andri Benson, the inspiration zone will feature a wealth of reception dining ideas, different details and creative little touches too!

 Advice Zone

Expert wedding planners from within the Alliance will be teamed up with our fantastic, hand-picked suppliers to assist with all your planning queries – so come armed with some challenges for us!

 Talks

How to plan your budget, how to plan the timing of the day, and how to get the most out of your suppliers are definitely the queries that brides have for us planners the most.  So we have decided to offer a ten minute presentation on each, with the opportunity to ask questions or book in for a private chat afterwards.

 We all look forward to meeting you there!

 For more information about the wedding sanctuary, or to buy tickets, go to http://www.theweddingsanctuary.ukawp.com/

Planning a wedding – make a day of it

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011

The Wedding Sanctuary

 

As if there weren’t enough reasons to attend the unique Wedding Sanctuary at Somerset House on the 20th March – gorgeous trend-led dining table designs, designer wedding dresses, shoes and accessories, not to mention more one-to-one planning advice from the experts than you can shake a stick at – vintage experts and stockists of all things pretty, Luella’s Boudoir, are also hosting a wedding show at One Marylebone (www.onemarylebone.com).  

So, here’s an idea, why not head over to The Wedding Sanctuary first thing and have our hand-picked suppliers and wedding planners allay all your planning fears, before grabbing a bite to eat and heading over to Luella’s for a bit of wedding retail therapy.  Savvy brides can even get a discount by buying tickets for both together!

Head to http://www.theweddingsanctuary.ukawp.com  for more information or to get your tickets at the reduced rate.

UKAWP partnering with RSVP

Friday, February 18th, 2011

The UKAWP Directors are very excited to be the only wedding industry partner for the RSVP Event Showcase to be held in Islington, on 19th and 20th April.

RSVP11

 

RSVP is celebrating 10 years as the UK’s most innovative and creative event dedicated to the corporate hospitality, entertainment, party and special events industry. 

London’s event showcase will draw on the creative talents of the UK’s leading event suppliers and will inspire guests by revealing events in action, exhibitors’ new ideas, and provide a rare chance to see, hear and taste the latest industry trends. 

Please come along and see us at Stand E4 and listen to us present one seminar session each day, along with a panel discussion. 

We know that, like us, many of you are already annual RSVP attendees, but if you have never been along to the show, do give it a go. You can register here.

The Wedding Sanctuary: Who to meet – Suppliers part 2

Friday, February 11th, 2011

Continuing our introduction to the fabulous suppliers who will be on hand at the upcoming Wedding Sanctuary, to be held at Somerset House on London’s embankment on the 20th March, we would like to present:

 Julia Boggio (http://www.juliaboggiophotography.com/)

Julia’s name has long been synonymous with stunning wedding images.  Her breakthrough stylised methods have brought about a new wave of photography so there really isn’t anything she won’t be able to answer for you.

Somerset House and bride by Julia Boggio

 Somerset House (www.somersethouse.org.uk)

Our charming hosts for this event have recently gained their license to hold civil ceremonies, so please do take in the gorgeous river views and wonder what it might be like to wed and host your reception in one of London’s most iconic buildings.

 Wedding Magazine  (http://www.weddingmagazine.co.uk/)

A veritable bible for all things nuptual, the Wedding Magazine team will be on hand, offering advice on all elements of your day.  Try to catch editor Catherine Westwood as she recently got married herself!

 Amanda Austin Flowers (http://www.amandaaustinflowers.co.uk/)

Beautiful blooms are Amanda’s forte.  Don’t believe us?  Just take a look as you walk around the Sanctuary at all the stunning arrangements before catching Amanda herself to grill her about bridal bouquets, reception centrepieces and any other decorative queries you might have.

Amanda Austin Flowers

 Zoe Clark Cakes (http://www.zoeclarkcakes.com/)

Yummy yummy – for those with a sweet tooth, Zoe will be providing samples of her delicious cakes, as well as being on hand to answer your cake questions – be they related to design, what to do for your gluten free guests, or how much to budget for.

 Elle au Naturel  (http://www.elleaunaturel.com/index.php

Elle au Naturel have been making people look their best for over 13 years.  Take this opportunity to meet with experts and ask them about hair ideas, glamour vs natural make-up – or just which mascara really is used by the pros!

 Emmy Shoes  (http://www.emmyshoes.co.uk/)

No woman can ever have enough shoes  – particularly one extra special pair for her wedding day!  Joining Elle au Naturel in the Boudoir will therefore be the wonderful wares of Emmy, a bespoke shoe designer who also offers a range of ‘off the shelf’ footwear to die for. 

Next time, meet some of the UKAWP’s own planners who are swarming together to make the day a huge success.

 For more information about the wedding sanctuary, or to buy tickets, go to http://www.theweddingsanctuary.ukawp.com/

The Wedding Sanctuary Launch

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

The Wedding Sanctuary is on its way…

 

We are really excited to launch a brand new bridal event for 2011. Voted for by wedding planner members of UKAWP, as their choice of new marketing event for the year, we are well on the way to hosting a unique wedding show at London’s Somerset House on Sunday 20th March 2011. 

 

The Wedding Sanctuary

 

The Wedding Sanctuary is going to be a far cry from the average wedding fair, since we are limiting ourselves to a selected number of really top end suppliers, and shifting the focus from the traditional hard sell, to a more nurturing, advice led environment. 

If you are a bride or groom

 There is plenty in store including:

·         our inspiration zone which will feature individually designed dining tables aiming to inspire and show the best of what’s out there to make your wedding look sensational

·         our talk zone  - some of our wedding planners will talk you through how to manage the budget, how to select and get the best from your suppliers and how to plan the timetable of the day

·         our advice zone – get genuine, thoughtful advice from the best in the business in our informal advice area staffed by a range of industry experts including fashion gurus in the boudoir

 

For all the details of what we have planned, the partners participating (we really have the best in the business involved) and to purchase tickets, head to The Wedding Sanctuary website at http://www.theweddingsanctuary.ukawp.com/

 

If you have any questions whatsoever, please feel free to contact Kelly Chandler on kelly@ukawp.com or 01483 282858.  

 

We hope to see you there!