Event Report - Wedding Networking Evening

The evening of Wednesday 25th May saw photographers, florists, caterers, planners, entertainers, videographers, boutique owners, make-up artists, jewellery designers, stationers, cake makers and representatives from some gorgeous wedding venues come together at The Elephant Hotel in the pretty Berkshire village of Pangbourne for a wedding networking event and it was a brilliant evening. Julie Tooby & I organised this event in less than two weeks and we were so thrilled by the number of people that came along - it was totally wonderful.

After being greeted by champagne and canapes, there was time to meet and chat before everyone settled down for a great presentation by social media expert Paul Allen. There was a lot of note-taking during Paul's speech and a lot of questions afterwards. A huge huge thank you to Paul for all his enthusiasm and for answering everyone's questions. There's a little snippet of what was covered on Paul's website that makes for interesting reading - To Follow Or Not To Follow...

The rest of the evening was taken up by a LOT of conversation - people meeting old friends, finally putting faces to 'tweeps' and chatting with totally new suppliers. For me, this is what the evening was all about - 'proper' contact with people. I do like Twitter & Facebook, e-mails great too but nothing replaces face to face chats with people. The wedding industry is all about relationships - the relationships between our brides & grooms and the relationships between suppliers. It's good to know who you like, who you respect, who you'd work with. I feel very strongly that I need to know the people behind the websites or tweets to really understand them and this is what made Wednesday night great for me. I caught up with some suppliers I know and respect (and maybe love a little bit too) and I got to meet new people too as did everyone there. It was so lovely to look around and see so many people smiling, chatting, finding things they had in common and learning more about other businesses. We might all be in the same 'industry' but we all do very different things and it's such a treat to get to see things from another viewpoint.

Come the end of the evening, well, people didn't want to leave and conversations were still going on way after the 'finish' time we'd set. When I made it home, there were already e-mails & tweets of thanks & feedback flying around and it seems everyone had a great evening. And since, I've seen people chatting with those they met on Twitter so it seems plenty of great connections were made. I feel like a wedding matchmaker! Here are a couple of comments from the evening...

"Thanks to you & Julie to organising the networking evening last night. It was a great success and you must let me know when you're organising another. It was good to meet so many interesting people." - Christian Dixon, The Bigger Picture Weddings

"I really enjoyed Wednesday's event, it was a huge success. I think it's always brilliant to meet new people in the wedding industry, especially those in the local area. I find it really inspirational to chat with people who are as passionate about weddings as I am. A highlight of the evening was Paul Allen's presentation on social media. Everyone was frantically making notes which is always a good sign! And of course, who can knock tasty canapes and bubbly?! Thanks Tamryn & Julie... when's the next one?" Claire Baggott, Brown Box Photography

Congratulations to Kelly from Tantrums & Tiaras for winning the prize draw and thanks to Robin of Great Wedding Entertainment for music, Dawn fromDelicious Dial A Cake for those gorgeous cupcakes and Debbie from Add-Style for chair-covers & sashes. And more huge thank yous to The Elephant for being such an easy venue to work with and Paul Allenfor being so fabulous.

The next event will be in September and we'll be sending out Save The Dates very soon - if you'd like to find out the details as soon as they're released, just send me an e-mail Tamryn, tamrynkirby@hotmail.com

 

All images courtesy of the rather lovely Brown Box Photography

Networking Evening - 25th May 2011

Tamryn Kirby and I  have teamed up to host a Networking Evening near Reading on Wednesday 25th May.

We have a great venue, drinks, nibbles, entertainment, a few surprises and a wonderful social media presentation from the guru that is Paul Allen all lined up.  E-vites have been sent out but if you've not received yours, do drop Tamryn a line - tamrynkirby@hotmail.com- and she will get one out to you as soon as possible.

With the guests that have already confirmed they're coming, we know it's going to be a great night so if you'd like to get involved, let me know!

Hope to see you there....

I often get asked about the role of the bridesmaid and for me I need not look any further than the lovely Pippa Middleton.

Pippa was the essence of all that is required of a bridesmaids to her sister Kate on Friday 29th April when she married her prince. This was no ordinary wedding her sister was marrying Prince William in a lavish yet elegant day, full of surprises and personal touches from the couple.

Pippa was attentive and supportive of her sister throughout - and well,  if we are to be honest became a bit of a star in her own right.

Looking stunning in a Sarah Burton creation she was elegant, demure and yet on call and respectful of hers sister's wants and needs. She cared for the younger bridesmaids tirelessly and attended to Kate without falter.

This is what a bridesmaids duties consist of, her smile and demeanor intact throughout a true inspiration and one can only wish that she is given the same sense of care and importance on her own wedding day.

Well done Pippa!


Article by Julie Tooby

Royal Wedding - My Thoughts

Every little girl dreams that one day she will become a princess and on Friday 29th April 2011 at 11am that dream became a reality for Kate Middleton when she married her Prince.

The whole day was full of mystique with not even the designer of Kate's dress confirmed; In the preparations for the big day we saw the arrival of large trees to Westminster Abbey, snippets of details about the cakes, of which there were two and the arrival of many guests both dignitaries and famous as well as family and friends.

As the cameras began to show the day from early on Friday morning we were not disappointed with the planning and trend setting ideas we were to see over the following hours. The Abbey looked stunning with touches of English country garden derived from the 6 English Field Maples, 2 Hornbeam trees and a plethora of stunning floral arrangements. Guests arriving were in all colours and fashion statements, each looking full of excitement and wonderment to be there on such a special day.

Princes William and Harry looked resplendent in their uniforms and waved to the crowds as they passed through on the journey to the Abbey.

Next to leave for the Abbey was Kate and her father, Kate looking stunning in a Sarah Burton dress from the house of Alexander McQueen. She certainly did not disappoint the crowds and clearly, not, from her future brother-in-laws as he whispered to his brother 'You wait until you see her'  followed by her husband to be's comment to his wife as she met him at the alter 'You look stunning, just beautiful', her husband, family and friends.

Kate's smile did not falter throughout and the little reassuring touches, smiles and winks from her husband showed just how much in love this young couple are.

To sum up the day in a couple of words - 'truly elegant'

Article by Julie Tooby

A Royal Affair

Essentially You will be hosting a gathering of some of the industries finest on Friday 29th April from 10.30.



The Dress Code will be 'Red, White & Blue' or 'Fit for a Princess'

We will be keeping you updated on all the happenings of what we are sure will be a show stopping wedding. For more details and to join in the fun email info@essentially-you.net

Our Interview with Tamryn Kirby

The Supplier's Speech - Essentially You

 Before I start this week's 'Supplier's Speech', I should admit to a little bit of bias here because I truly love this week's featured wedding professional - the wonderful Julie Tooby from Essentially You. Julie is a multi award winning wedding planner, co-ordinator and all-around fabulous woman. So, before I get totally carried away like a winning actress at the Oscars, I'm just going to hand over to the woman herself...

Tell me a little bit more about your business...
I founded Essentially You in 2005 and I've now been planning & co-ordinating weddings for over ten years. Our aim, our goal and our business is to ensure that our couples have an amazing, memorable and enjoyable day. Whether we are planning the entire event or just applying the finishing touches, we are professional and committed. Our knowledge and expertise means that all we work with can rely on our excellent advice. We work closely with our couples, to deliver their perfect day but never taking over.

What's so great about working in the wedding industry?
Everything! To me, this industry is something to fall in love with. Meeting with lovely couples and being part of the magic of the day and seeing the smile on a bride's face when she sees her special day come together is priceless. For me, this isn't a job, it's a lifestyle.

In your opinion, what are the most important questions a bride should ask when booking suppliers?
Really, I think they should have a list of what exactly they need to achieve with each specific suppliers and work to a specific budget. It's very important to cover all the groundwork at the early stages and then there's no surprises further along the line. A key question is always costs - do quotes include VAT? Are there any extras such as mileage charges? But mostly, you have to ask yourself if you like that supplier and want to give them the honour of being involved with your wedding.

Have you got any great wedding tips you'd like to share?
Feel comfortable with every one that will be working on your day, especially suppliers such as photographers as you'll be spending a lot of time with them over the months of planning and on the wedding day itself. If your clever with your budget, you'll be able to afford an 'on the day' co-ordinator and they will look after you and make sure the day you've planned is the one you get. It's an affordable but invaluable service.

What makes a wedding really fabulous?
Personal touches. A wedding should be all about the couple and guests should be leaving saying "that was a great wedding because it couldn't have been anyone else's day but theirs".

Have you seen anything really great at weddings recently?
A recent wedding had a fabulous 'secret midnight party' - the majority of the guests left and then the bride, groom and their closest, most party loving friends, went on dancing through til dawn and they had breakfast together at dawn. It was great!

How do you prepare for a wedding?
Prior to the day, I have a comprehensive questionnaire that I work through with my couples and once this is complete, I meet the couple again to run through the day with them. On the day, I work to this planner and check all is correct and and to check that everything is just as they wanted. The aim of the game is that the couple and their friends and family relax and worry about nothing. It should be a seamless day and one full of memories for the right reasons.

What do you think the next 'big thing' in weddings will be?
Right now, whatever happens at the Royal Wedding in April will be big news but other than that, we look to the US for a lot of our trends - they tend to hit the UK 12-18 months later!

If you could give brides one piece of advice, what would it be?
Relax and enjoy the day - it's once in a lifetime.

To find out more about Julie and the services she offers, including the very popular 'on the day' co-ordination, visit her website -www.essentially-you.net or follow her on Twitter -www.twitter.com/julietooby

Using a Wedding Planner

It’s the biggest day of your life and you want it to be perfect and memorable. At first glance hiring a wedding planner may seem a little extravagant but in the long term it will save you time, money and of course stress!

So what should you look for? What questions should you ask?

Firstly, do a little research and select the best 2 or 3 that appeal to you. Look at their website; does it have testimonials and photographs? Take a look at their ‘About Us’ tab, this should give you an idea of how long they’ve been a wedding planner and what their previous experience has been. Once you’re happy with what you’ve seen arrange to meet them for coffee or invite them round to meet you and your fiancé at home. This is incredibly important; this person is planning the most important day of your life, you have to get on and feel a synergy between you.

The best wedding planners will listen to what you want your day to be and be able to advise you on a timeline of what should be done when. They’ll work within your budget and will have the best suppliers already on board, giving you peace of mind that you are getting first class value for money.

As you head closer to the main event all you need to do as the bride-to-be is sit back, relax and let your wedding planner do what they do best – plan weddings!

Top five reasons to hire a wedding planner

1      A good wedding planner will be able to chat with you and visualise the day as you have dreamt it and bring those dreams to reality.

2      They will help you to provide creative, practical and cost effective (where required) ideas and solutions to help realise your special day.

3      As we all know weddings can be a costly affair and the mention of the' W' word can send your budgets soaring. Your WP will be able to keep these in line and help you stay on the straight and narrow.

4      In today’s busy lifestyle planning and preparing for a wedding can take in excess of 250 hours to plan- your wedding planner will be able to save you some of this so that you have time to spend with your loved one!

5      Not only will your wedding planner be there for the build up to the big day, but will also be on hand on the day to make sure everything goes to plan and all the little details are perfect.

 Article by Award Winning Wedding Planner Julie Tooby

Image from Flickr, Uploaded by Wedding Paraphernalia

First published by http://www.theweddingcommunity.com/

Wedding Workshop

• Do you love weddings?
• Do you live weddings?
• Do you want to make weddings your life?

Award winning Wedding Planners, Essentially You are sharing their knowledge, passion and expertise on all the things ‘wedding’.
In this one day workshop you will learn how to;

• Start out in the wedding industry
• Work with suppliers
• Pricing and consultations
• Build your business and your brand
• Get the most from PR & marketing
• Tips, tricks and a few industry secrets!

This exclusive ‘invitation only’ event will be led by one the industry’s leading ladies, Julie Tooby who has won Wedding Planner of the year for 2 years running. Alongside Julie will be Tamryn Kirby, author, journalist, broadcaster and acknowledged guru when it comes to weddings. Between them they over 12 years experience and have worked on more than 700 weddings.
So if you have ever considered a career as a wedding planner this is your opportunity to learn from the very best in the industry.
If you would like more information and for your personal invitation, please e-mail info@essentially-you.net , we look forward to hearing from you.
Essential Information

• Date: 8th May 2011
• Place: The Penta Hotel Reading
• Time: 9.30-4
• Cost: £185.00 lunch and take home packs provided.

Trends for 2011

As I sit here and look at all the weddings I have helped to create it has left me thinking about which new and exciting wedding trends will be coming our way in 2011.

I think that wedding colours will be bright with a hint of tropical fun such as oranges, emeralds, reds, violets and midnight/navy blues, but we will see slate greys and mochas to offset this for those a little nervous of a colour explosion.

Vintage themes will be big once again but perhaps less floral and more Hollywood glamour, with the vibrancies taken from the peacock feather and the exuberance of the art deco lines.

Something different for wedding cakes I think will be pop cakes. They can be used as after diner treats instead of mints or even easy take home pick me ups.

Moving on to wedding dresses, I think the romantic in us all will continue with organza paired with tulle and lace and textures that include crystals, layers and flowers. Also coming through are tea lengths and clean chic lines.

One thing's for sure, weddings later this year will be influenced by the important wedding we are celebrating on the 29th April. Yes Kate and her prince will map out what we will see for 2011/2012.

Article by Award Winning Wedding Planner Julie Tooby
First published by The Wedding Community

Fall In Love With A New Style Of Wedding Event

Sunday 27th March sees a brand new style of wedding event come to one of Berkshire’s most prestigious wedding venues. The Vineyard at Stockcross plays host to the first ‘Inspirational Wedding’ event organised by two multi award winning wedding experts and featuring the best suppliers in the area.

For brides fed up with the same old wedding fairs, this unique showcase event at The Vineyard will be a breath of fresh spring air. Informative workshops, makeovers, a West-End style fashion show from Award Wining Creatiques couture, design and theme inspiration and even interactive canapés and wine tasting from The Vineyard’s amazing chef and sommelier. The UK’s only ‘bridal coach’ will also be in attendance running sessions for brides throughout the day.

Organised by Julie Tooby, three times winner of the ‘Best Wedding Planner’ award at the Wedding Awards and Tamryn Kirby, twice winner of the same title and author of ‘Confessions of a Wedding Planner’ and ‘Tamryn Kirby’s Wedding Secrets’, you can be sure that you every need will be catered for at this event and everyone will leave loving your wedding plans.

The event opens at 10.30am and runs until 5pm. Entry is free but donations to charity are welcome.

Features of the Day:
• 3 Fabulous Fashion Shows (at 11.30am, 1pm & 3.30pm)
• Bridal Coaching (at 12.15pm & 1.45pm)
• Photography Workshops
• Floristry Workshop
• Planning Workshop
• Beauty Workshop
• Charity Raffle
• Wedding Design Zone
• Canapes & Wine Tasting
• Live Music & Magic
• Handpicked Suppliers
• Goodie Bags

NOTES:
For more information please contact Julie Tooby (07976 645480 or julie.tooby@essentially-you.net) and leave your details for your personal invitation

Creatiques an expression of style

18 years ago an amazing friendship was born and a true talent emerged. In a small town a girl was to be married and a then unknown designer was asked to help. Some stunning bridesmaids dresses were made with a flare and service that, for this young bride to be, was not seen elsewhere in the planning of her day. The night before the big day the bridesmaids excitedly decided to try yet again their dresses on and then disaster struck, one of the dresses was a bit tight, no fault of the designer but it was !! With a hint of panic the bride called the dressmaker and told him what had happened and with no hesitation he came to the house and fixed the problem with a smile. The next day went without hitch and the wedding party all looked amazing. So why am I telling you this ?? Well the bride that day was me and the designer was Mr Andrew West a rare and fantastic young man who went about life with zest and a determination to do things to perfection.

Sadly Mr West and I lost touch but thanks to a fabulous magazine called Wedding Ideas 17 years later we were to reunited and this time Mr West now Pearce was with his fabulous husband Rob and the two of them were running a Bridal Boutique in Southsea. Imagine my surprise when I heard of this not to mention further when I discovered we were both up for awards for being the best in the business at what we do.

Both of us won at the awards Creatiques for Retail and myself for Planner and so I decided to see if Andrew and Rob really were as good as their brides said and if the zest was still there. So last weekend off I went.

Creatiques though small is full of a warmth you cannot describe with an energy that lights the boutique. The boys run by appointment and so close the doors to all others whilst dealing with the very important client in front of them. Tea, coffee or bubbles? And they are off....

The time, care and attention to detail given to their clients is of extraordinary levels and it is easy to see why this boutique and it's owners won the award of Wedding Ideas ' Best Bridal Retailer 2011'.

Coming soon.... ' My Day at Creatiques and what went on at their Designer Show'


Words by Julie Tooby
www.creatiques.co.uk

Designer Wedding Show by Creatiques

The buzz is going on.

Be at the designer event of the year!!!

The Wedding Ideas Award Winning Bridal Retailer, Creatiques, will be at the Royal Beach Hotel on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th February for the Justin Alexander designer weekend, where you can see his new collection.

Also at the event will be Julie Tooby, from Essentially You - Director and 3 times award winning wedding planner, her expertise will make you realise that you may have never thought about a wedding planner, or on day coordinator but it really does take the pressure off of your day and simply is one of life's little luxuries you CAN afford.

We are also very pleased and lucky to announce that the gorgeous Pippa from Wedding Ideas magazine will be joining us on Sunday, come and meet Pippa and pick up the latest copy of the top selling bridal magazine but be quick as she will run out very quickly- it is the nations favourite!

Also appearing is some of the amazing talent the city of Portsmouth has to offer - Emma from Eden Florist will show you that there is more to flowers than flowers, its art.

Don't forget, if you can't make the show or simply want another look, you can view and try on the collection during the week after the show. The collection leaves the boutique on Friday 11th February, so book early to avoid disappointment.

We look forward to seeing you over the weekend, or by appointment at the boutique.

www.creatiques.co.uk

We did it again!!

3rd time in a row for Essentially You, voted UK's Best Wedding Planner 2011

The day is Friday the 14th January 2011, I've got my new shoes, evening gown and lipgloss on. I'm wearing a stunning hairpiece and necklace from Tantrums & Tiaras and I'm ready to go.

The venue is the Brewery in London, the Event - The Wedding Ideas Awards, an accredited yearly ceremony where the creme de la creme of the wedding industry gather and are recognised for their work by the public.

As I enter the room it is adorned by glitz and glamour and a buzz of excitement mixed with anticipation. As I mingle and sip champagne with the finest and most knowledgeable wedding guru's the enormity of the event hits me and I am so proud that Essentially You has been voted to the finals by all our fabulous couples, their friends and family and fellow suppliers.

After a lavish meal it's on to the awards, first up, the lovely Rachel Southwood, owner of Wedding Ideas Magazine who introduces the beautiful Jenni Falconer and then we are off. As I sit with a nervousness over me the category for "Best Wedding Planner" is announced by talented florist Emma Lappin, she reads out the 5 worthy finalist.... and then it happens "and the winner is ESSENTIALLY YOU" I cannot believe it.

As I walk to the stage to be met by the glamour upon it, I take a quick look around the room to see smiling faces and I am humbled that we have again be given such an accolade.

A massive thank you to all the brides, grooms, guests and fellow industry lovies that voted, without you we are nothing.

A round of applause to the nations favourite wedding magazine which goes from strength to strength celebrating all that is great in the world of weddings- a fantastic day that will be hard to top, well done team giraffe.

Lastly a thank you from the bottom of my heart to my family, children and wonderful husband who supports myself and Essentially You in all that we do and endeavor to achieve.

Article by Julie Tooby
www.TantrumsandTiaras.org
www.emmalappinflowers.com
www.weddingideasmag.com

Wedding Awards 2011

LOCAL FIRM SHORTLISTED AS FINALIST FOR THE 2011 WEDDING IDEAS AWARDS

Essentially You has been shortlisted in the Wedding Planner category of The 2011 Wedding Ideas Awards, the UK's only consumer wedding awards, voted for by readers of the UK's best selling monthly wedding title. The awards acknowledge the very best companies who deliver fabulous products for every bridal budget, coupled with exceptional customer service. There are 16 categories and there have been in excess of 8,000 nominations this year. It's been a record, recession-busting year in every way – for the awards, the magazine and the parent company – Giraffe Media Ltd.

The awards will be presented at a glittering awards ceremony at The Brewery by the Barbican in London on Friday the 14th of January 2011 , following a Champagne Reception and a delicious three course lunch. The evening will be hosted by TV presenter Jenni Falconer, entertainment by Andy Abraham and over 200 leading names from the bridal industry are expected to attend.

Rachel Morgan, the editor of Wedding Ideas magazine, explains the significance
of the awards:

"The 6th annual Wedding Ideas Awards will see la creme de la creme of the UK's wedding industry honoured for their work with real-life brides – the people who matter! Many of the nominees work with us anyway, and we are especially delighted that these people have been recognised for their brilliance, in these tough times and considering just how many nominations we had this year. We send our congratulations to Essentially You for being nominated for one of these prestigious awards."

For more information please contact Julie Tooby on 07976 645480 or julie.tooby@essentially-you.net

The winners will be announced in the Wedding Ideas Awards Special issue, on sale on the 26th of January 2011, available from all good newsagents and supermarkets. For more information on the Wedding Ideas awards please contact rachel@weddingideasmag.com or go to www.weddingideasawards.com. Follow The Wedding Ideas Awards 2011 on Facebook.