What a busy weekend I have had! I spent all of Sunday at the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners Wedding Showcase chatting to people and getting ideas and inspiration. I am going to use this newsletter to pass on some of what I learnt and I hope you find it useful. You can read about all the vendors at the showcase by going to the Wedding Showcase website - perhaps you will find a perfect fit for your big day!

The Showcase took place at Horsley Towers in Surrey - a gorgeous venue.


Horsley Towers

Tamryn Kirby(TK Weddings) has a great tip for dealing with your venue. She suggests that you supply a written plan for the day that tells your contact everything they need to know, and talk them through it. This includes things such as dietary needs and special requirements (e.g. high chairs). Later, ask the venue to send you a copy of their written plan for the day, so you can check they have noted everything down.




Table Designs

One of the first things I noticed at the Showcase were the lovely table-setting designs that were laid out for all to see. Five different wedding planners designed a table each - Hot Chocolate, Fresh Green and White, Woodland Summers Dream,Vintage and Totally Tropical. To see a bigger photo and get more information on the designers of these tables click here. Wedding planner Aileen Boyle (Shindigs in Scotland) suggests that you 'mix up expensive items with less expensive items for a more complete look' - a great tip to keep in mind when thinking about your table settings.




Bridal Gowns


Throughout the day, models showed off some beautiful wedding gowns and formal attire. Bernadette Chapman (Dream Occasions) has some tips for looking after your garments (and yourself) in all types of weather:

• Keep some babywipes handy - they are great for cleaning dresses, shoes and hands.
• If it is wet outside, take an old sheet to stand on during the photoshoot - water and satin/silk are not a good combination.
• You might want to take a pair of wellies (or old shoes) to get from the car and the church if it is muddy or snowing.
• If it is sunny, make sure someone carries some sun cream for you - a sunburnt bridal couple is not a good look for wedding photos.

I spent the day listening to the musicans play, chatting to experts in cake design, hat makers, roving artists - the list goes on and on! I don't have enough space to tell you about everyone I met, but I have filled my blog with photos and information that I hope you will find enjoyable and useful.