What is your most memorable wedding?
It sounds trite, but they all are. Whether it’s the first one I did (for friends) with the confetti cannon, the couple (whom I just fell in love with) that live in my very own village, or the local “celebrity” whose wedding I never dreamed I’d get to do.... Every wedding finds a special place in my heart!
Describe your style in 5 adjectives.
Warm, inclusive, heartfelt, relaxed, professional.
What about your business are you most proud of?
The feedback I get. To know that I have “made” a wedding by setting it off with the right tone. The whole wedding tends to start off with the ceremony, so absolutely nailing what the couple wants feels like the best gift I could give. All of the guests fall in love with the couple, are besotted by their love story, and just want to celebrate with them after they’ve been part of a wonderful ceremony.
What is your No. 1 wedding planning tip for couples?
Don’t sweat the small stuff. I am perhaps biased, but to me it’s the ceremony that really matters! This is a relatively new thing for modern couples; that nowadays you can have a completely personalised ceremony which really tells the story of your love, loads of help (if you want it) with writing personalised vows, and an engaging celebrant leading a heartfelt ceremony.... it’s magical! I'm not diminishing the wonderful impact that decor/ cake/ catering etc can make. But at the end of the day the only thing that matters is that you both turn up and get a chance to declare your love to one another with friends and family as witnesses.
What is your favourite personal touch you have seen at a wedding?
Special/personalised readings or songs always get me.
Describe your typical process with a couple.
We usually email back and forth to check my availability and so I can answer any initial questions . Then I will quickly send out some information sheets so the couple can browse what I offer without feeling pressured. Once it’s all confirmed I send out my lovely questionnaire which couples LOVE because it gets them in gear to think about what they want from their ceremony and tells me some of the key moments of their relationship, as well as what they love most about one another. It’s a great warm-up for our first meeting. I make sure we have a really good first meeting where the couple can become relaxed with me, and then we use our follow-up meetings to chat through ceremony structure, readings, who's standing where, and other creative or logistical elements. I’m also available for a rehearsal or walk-through if they’ve been chosen that add-on option.
What is the most unusual thing you’ve been asked to plan?
Dog ring bearers! (They actually didn’t go through with it in the end though they did make a very cute flower girl and page boy!)
How do you ensure a stress-free wedding?
I always make sure I communicate well with the couple and take as much load off them as I can. I’m on hand in the days leading up to the wedding and arrive nice and early on the day of the ceremony. I think I help people remember what the wedding is all about; celebrating their love with the people that matter. Once you get that in perspective the rest of the stuff is fun rather than stressful - as it should be!
What is your favourite moment at a wedding?
I love the exchange of vows. Most couples think they will struggle with nerves but very few do; they just look so caught up in the LOVE!