On July 2nd 2010, two of my very good friends Becci and Patrick tied the knot in Handsworth Church in Sheffield. Becci asked em to help her plan the wedding right after they booked the venue and the church, so I was lucky enough to be involved with the planning right from the beginning stage……the hardest bit for me was playing planner and guest on the day itself!!

Becci and Patrick are an amazing couple, very chilled out, relaxed and totally in love. Having been together for 9 yeras, the decided last year that the time was right to tie the knot.

The wedding itself was a very fun event, with over 200 guests I certainly had my work cut out to keep everything moving and  make sure that everyone and everything went off at the right time.

The service was held at Handsworth Church………and I cried all the way through it, the service was probably the best church service I have been to, very moving, but full of laughter and a great singing from Becci and Parics 2 friends during the signing of the register. The reception then moved The Handsworth old rectory which was right next to the church. Becci decided on a gorgeous dress by Alfred Sung from Mirage Couture . My good friend Jon from S6 Photography was the photographer fro the day. Flowers by Monica F Hewitt Chair covers by Sitting Pretty

Patrick is a DJ and music producer so the day was aimed at being very relaxed and laid back with the emphasis on the music and party afterwards.
Becci and Patrick’s Friends Debbie and Daren did the catering of Caribbean Jerk Chicken, curried mutton, rice and peas…….which was amazing!!! with Patrick’s Brother and a selection of their friends DJing and MCing way into the early hours!!

The wedding was amazing, very moving but loads of fun, when I had eventually finished my wedding planning duties I could relax and thoroughly enjoyed the party!……we eventually got home at about 3am!!

A massive congratulations to Becci and Patrick, it means so much that I was part of such a special day.
And a big thanks to Jon for the photos, for more info on him go to:
www.s6photography.co.uk
takemyphoto@s6photography.co.uk
01142340295

Yesterday I introduced Emma to you our lovely bride to be, with 11 weeks until her big day.
Today is the first day where we follow her journey from Miss Linder to Mrs Gregory

Chapter 1: Planning the Hen Do

For me, in less than 2 months its time for the biggest, most anticipated, (sometimes dreaded), night of a woman’s life. My hen do.
Now, please don’t get me wrong, of course I’m looking forward to it, its just I’m wondering whether the fact I’m likely to end up chaperoning a herd of lustful ladies on champagne around Dublin is a) appealing to me as at least I can post the pictures on Facebook before they do, or b) worse than a centrally positioned boil on your nose on THE big day.
After much deliberation over how to attempt a recession-proof hen do that will prove more exciting than a night in devising our own potent cocktails, I plumped for a day and night in the Emerald Isle. Cheap flights (as long as you only take hand luggage – cue arguments over who’s taking the GHD’s) and a twin bedded hotel rooms make the whole process come in for less than £60 per person. So far, so good. Now I’m left with the challenging task of dreaming up sufficient entertainment to please my wide variety of hens. From fussy eaters to man hunters, police officers to cabin crew, I’ve got my hands full!

I’d love to be the type of bride who can happily leave her ladies to arrange the L plates, cringe-worthy t-shirts and plenty of phallic shaped objects… but I just can’t. My mothers’ obsessive compulsive streak has clawed its way to the surface and I need to be in control! Being the centre of attention terrifies me somewhat, and combined with the ready made pressure that comes with being the bride on a hen do, I can feel my sanity starting to slip by the bridal wayside.
If this is my big send off in to marital bliss, kissing goodbye to those days of single-dom deserves some proper preparation and I’m going for gold when it comes to outdoing the rest. I’d evaporate in a cloud of embarrassment at a stripper, clear the room if made to go on karaoke and instantaneously gag if I had to even sniff Absinth.
So far the plans include blindfolded wheel-barrow racing, Thai food and frozen vodkas; a possible hilarious time or several emergency trips to A & E? Hmmmm.
Follow my fortnightly updates on Boho Events to see if I manage to organise the classy, organised do that I desire… or end up pictured on every social networking website slumped behind a juke box cradling a pint of Guiness…

To keep up to date with Emmas planning stories pop back to the blog every 2 weeks, or you can have a look at Emmas Blog at Emma Louise Writes

This afternoon I was a guest on Radio Sheffield’s afternoon show with Paulette Edwards.
We discussed weddings……..my favourite subject. We covered different sorts of weddings, mature weddings, civil partnerships, my own wedding and how to save money on weddings.

Follow this link and skip forward to 1 hour and 38 mins to hear what I had to say.

Following on from the success of the last Wedding Wednesday Discussion, Here is the next one.
D.I.Y weddings……….Good or Bad?
I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject, the whole wedding fair discussion is still going on, I’d love to get a good reaction from you on this as well.

So the whole D.I.Y wedding culture has totally taken over the wedding world, it seems everyone has gone DIY mad! But want I want to know is this a good or bad thing?

With so many amazing blogs and websites around now and so many big national magazines, the ideas and inspiration for today’s bride is more varied, with a whole lot more choice and selection, BUT this has come at a time when the economic crises has hit the industry badly, so it seems the trend now is for the brides to do a lot of these things themselves.
Brides are calling in favours from friends and family, and armed with sticky back plastic, a collection of jam jars, tin cans, tissue paper and a glitter gun, seem more than happy to get dirty and make it themselves.

I have spoke to the suppliers about it and yes it has effected them, companies such as stationers have been hit badly, as this seems to be the first thing that people cut back on……why buy them when you can spend endless nights up to your elbows in card, paper inlays and transfers. Favours again something people seem quite happy to do themselves. Candy stations…why hire or buy when you trawl through IKEA to find the right size jar! Wedding cars being borrowed from rich relatives, even cakes are being made by Auntie Sue, who insists that people do still want to eat fruit cake!…………and as for friends doing the photographs, please don’t get me started, I’ll be here all day! Suppliers have suffered, as couples find more and more ways to cut back.

But as the same time has this passion for DIY started the movement of more imaginative weddings? Blogs like Style me pretty, Ruffled blog and Rock n Roll Bride show couples it’s OK to be different, to make the day more personal, it’s these little touches that make their wedding stand out from the next. Brides and Grooms now seem to want to create something different, and make the day more personal and with the DIY element in full swing this is now much easier and more widely accepted.
I personally love seeing weddings where a bit of imagination has been used, instead of the generic centre piece, standard bit of stationary or useless favour. Isn’t this do it yourself outlook helping push the boundaries more, so getting rid of those staid, tired weddings that everyone has seen a million times?

So how do we strike a balance? How do the suppliers keep their business, while the couples keep their individuality………………..I’d love to hear your thoughts.

(Please feel free to leave your comments)

So starting today is a new feature I will be running till October…………..‘The Diary of a Bride to be.’

Our lovely bride in question is Emma Linder, she lives in London with the wedding tacking place at Satham Lodge in Lymm, Cheshire on Sunday 10th October.

Emma has very kindly agreed to write every fortnight for me leading up to the wedding, shaing with us the stories and experiences behind the big day.
To read more of Emmas wedding trails and tribulations then head over to her blog Emma Louise Writes.
So I’ll let Emma tell you a little more about herself:

10.10.10 –Goodbye Miss Linder, Hello Mrs Gregory

‘I never thought I possessed the elusive bride gene until one sunny September evening in 2008 when my boyfriend of 4 months nervously suggested he had something to ask me. Yes, 4 months isn’t a long time to be seeing someone before making the ultimate commitment to join with them for life, but, I had that good old cliché feeling that he was “The One”. After breaking the news to the parents (cue rapid loss of colour to the face and gaping, goldfish style mouths), it was time to start the planning stage.

So, here I am, 11 weeks to go and on the final steps of the ladder to the Big Day. Living in London, getting married in my home town on Manchester and trying to co-ordinate things with a 200 mile distance gap has been a challenge!
The theme of the wedding is shabby chic (although according to my mother, I can’t possibly use the word “shabby” to describe my nuptials), the colours are ivory, dusky pink and burgundy and the music will be strictly classics. That rules out anything by The Cheeky Girls but CAN include Barry Manilow and Copacabana. The bridesmaids are going to wow in 50’s style vintage dresses, the birdcage centrepieces are going to look stunning…. And I’m just hoping my uneven eyebrows will grow back in time!!!

Follow my fortnightly updates on Boho’s Wedding Blog to find out how I manage to keep the “helpful” parents under control and ensure the Best Man washes his hair!

Come back tomorrow for Emmas First Diary entry……………..

After yesterdays post about the new wedding open day I am planning at Hargate Hall I thought it would be a good idea to tell you a bit more about the venue.

Hargate Hall is one of those venues that I love here at Boho as it offers something different. Set in the gorgeous Buxton countryside. Hargate Hall is a venue you hire not just for the day of the wedding but for the whole weekend.
Normally couples book in on the Friday afternoon and then check out on the Monday morning, making it perfect for all your guests to stay in one place, meaning the wedding celebrations can go on all weekend.

Hargate has 12 large apartments within the building which all lead off from the main hall area. The large sweeping stair case then leads up to the second floor where more apartments can be found. There are 12 apartments in all, which in total sleep 77 guests.

The Hall itelf is licensed for up to 60 seated and 100 with a mix of seated and standing. If you wish to have more people at your reception then you can also hire the marquee which is located in the halls grounds.
All apartments have fully equipped kitchens.

The venue is perfect for the DIY couple looking for for a venue that allows them more flexibility. Once you have the keys for the venue you are pretty much left to your own devises to plan the wedding you want.
The Hall can of course offer you suggestions to local suppliers who can help you but you are not tied to any one supplier or idea.
The building is licensed for civil ceremonies, civil partnerships as well as for alcohol.

I love the freedom that this venue gives couples, and the fact that the wedding becomes a whole weekend event and not just a day. It is child and animal friendly as well.

Imagine what you could do here………a relaxed BBQ wedding, or a country fate theme, a sit down meal in the hall, a medieval banquet, a picnic in the grounds, a bouncy castle for the children’s or a treasure hunt. It would make a great Christmas venue with the big fire, or a fantastic summer venue with the use of the outside greenery. There is even a tiny building outside that is licensed that could mean an outside wedding (weather permitting) and the venue is big enough to accommodate all of the wedding party.

I have built up a great relationship with Julie and Anthony who own Hargate Hall, a lovely couple who run the hall and work incredibly hard.
I am pleased to say that I am now their on sight wedding planner for anyone wanting to book my services as an added extra. I have put together a selection of planning packages that are separate from the ones on my website aimed at offering the hargate couple that bit of extra help.
Hargate will only recommend me, so get in contact if you want any more details on how I can help plan your wedding.

For more information on anything wedding related at Hargate contact:
Julie and Anthony Knox 01298 872591
Hargate Hall, Wormhill, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 8TA.
www.hargate-hall.co.uk
info@hargate-hall.co.uk

Or if you want any information on the special planning packages I have for the hall then contact me on:
www.bohoweddingsandevents.com
kelly@bohoweddingsandevents.com
07989431821 / 0114 2854532

And don’t forget the Open House on Sunday 19th September when you will get the chance to see the Hall set out for a wedding and also meet lots of local wedding suppliers…….and of course me!

After putting on the The Rainbow Wedding Tent at this years Sheffield pride my thoughts have been on wedding fairs and weather they work or not. (have a look at the article I wrote Are wedding fairs a thing of the past?)

So when I was contacted by Hargate Hall in Buxton Derbyshire to help put on their wedding fair I knew it had to be a different sort of day to make it work.

Hargate is a great venue, perfect for the DIY bride who is looking for something a step away from the country house/hotel wedding. (A full write up to follow tomorrow)

Between myself and Julie and Anthony at Hargate we have decided to have a wedding open house to show of the hall and the marquee for prospective brides and grooms and to showcase the local suppliers that play such a key part in the venus weddings.
I’ve added my Boho magic and come up with a few ideas to make the day differnt and more of an event than just a wedding fair. It’s going to family friends with lots to do and see.

Here are the full details:

Hargate Hall invites you to their Open House/wedding Fayre in conjunction with Boho weddings and Events
Sunday 19th September 11am – 4pm
Hargate Hall, Wormhill, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 8TA

Lots of people have been asking us here at Hargate to host a Wedding Fair to show off the Hall as well as the local suppliers that get involved with so many of our wonderful events. We have teamed up with Kelly at Boho Weddings and Events to put on a Wedding Open Day we would love it if you could get involved!

We want to make the wedding fair as fun and informative as possible. This is a local venue so our aim is to showcase the best of our local suppliers. We are trying to make the day as interactive and interesting as possible, more of a day out for the family…….not just a wedding fair!
The days events will take part in the hall itself as well as the marquee, and (if the weather is kind) hopefully outside.
We have a fantastic wedding fashion show hosted by Bebra Designs, celebrating 25 years in Business, decoration throughout the hall and the marquee, Wedding entertainment throughout the day, Supplier demonstrations, our tea shop selling refreshments and local cakes, local food and drink, the opportunity to have your photo taken and Goodie bags and!!

There are many ways you can get involved:

Exhibiting: There are 2 options:
A stand in the hall or marquee area 6 x 4 foot table is £75 this also includes any promotional material you wish to put into the Goodie Bags.
A room in one of the apartments (of which there are 12) is £125. The apartments are a lot bigger and offer many possibilities……..perfect for anyone who has a lot to show off or wanting to add in consultations, or more personal demonstrations, they also have cooking facilities. There is also the option to share with anyone else you feel would suit your business and split the costs

We are also asking exhibitors to think about how to make their stands as interactive as possible, can you offer demonstrations? If you make a product can you be doing this on the day to show off to the visitors exactly what it is you do?

Goody Bags: If you can’t make it on the day but would like your promotional literature to go in the Goody bags the price is £10.

Entertainment: If you wish to supply entertainment for the hall or marquee we will be giving each entertainer allotted times, to fit in with the fashion show.
If you wish to also have a stand along with the entertainment we can do this at a discounted price.

On the day there will be signage up to show where all stall stands are and all guests will be given a guide, listing who is exhibiting and where they can be found, along with their contact details for future reference.

All guests will be asked to sign in and contact details given to stall holders after the event (providing they have given their permission)

In addition to this we will be putting posters up in the surrounding area, advertising with High Peak radio, Buxton and Peak advertiser, as well as many regional websites, facebook and twitter.
We would also ask that any of you would advertise it and link to our wedding page click here anyone linking to this page we will also add your logo and link to the wedding fare page

For more information please contact Julie and Anthony hargate@hargate-hall.co.uk (01298) 872591 or Kelly Hood kelly@bohoweddingsandevents.com 07989 431821

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to get an email from Claire Harrison a fantastic photographer based in Arizona in the US. Claire is originally from the UK, she emailed me telling me that she was moving back to the UK this year.
I will be featuring more of Claire’s work in future weeks and also covering an article on her and her move back to the UK.

As you probably know I love the American way of tacking pictures, and also the weddings over there, there just seems to be so much more scope and variety. The wedding that I’m sharing with you today is no exception, the atmosphere is cool, laid back and fun.

Claire gave me a few more details about the wedding:
Bride is Melissa and the groom is Daithi, Date April 9th 2010. The Venue was at a private house in Arcadia area of Phoenix Arizona. The groom and his family flew in from Ireland, the rest of the family were mainly from the East coast of USA. There was so much personality, great group of people, at the end of the wedding service they playing U2 It’s a beautiful day, the following weekend was the volcano so the timing was perfect for them a week later and it would not have happened!

Thanks so much to Claire for sharing these pictures with me and a huge congratulations to Melissa and Daithi on their marriage.
I’m really looking forward to showing you more of Claires work and working with her in the future.
For more information on her work go to:
www.claireharrison.com
claire@claireharrison.com

Yes you heard me right, wedding tea towels. While your thinking what will they think of next, let me tell you how impressed I am with this idea.

I get sent quite a bit of stuff in the post, loads of samples from different suppliers, wedding fair invites, promotions for bridal shops, venue brochures……..you name it. But today I received what I think has been the most original idea so far………even my husband was impressed!! The Wedding Tea Towel!!

This high quality, 100% cotton tea towel (which is great for the environment as no one will want to throw it away) can be used for many things. It’s perfect as an original invite or save the date idea, great as a thank you after the wedding or great for a wedding favour for your guests.

What the company says about it’s product:
‘When it comes to wedding invitations there’s so many options, everybody wants to do something different, but the bigger the idea, the bigger the price tag, and as your wedding budget spirals out of control, you could be tempted to make your invites the first sacrifice in your quest for the perfect wedding.

For people who want to create a special memento of their day, on a budget, while at the same time being kind on the environment,The Wedding Tea Towel is the answer.It’s easy to produce, cheap to post out and it’s guaranteed to give your guests an early taste of your special day that they’ll never forget.’

So How much do they cost?

The cost of The Wedding Tea Towel can fit almost any budget, create your towels as either Invitations, Save-the-Dates, Favours or as a Thank You. Print costs start from £2.75* each. Additional colour options are available at an extra cost.

So if your guests are half as excited as I was when I opened up my little brown paper parcel, imagine what a huge reflection that will have on your wedding day!!

For more information go to:
www.weddingteatowels.co.uk
hello@weddingteatowels.co.uk
07739 034331

I’m pleased to say that My little Blog is now featured on The Dream Wedding Directory.

A big thanks to Lindsay for adding me on as today’s  featured Blog.

About the Wedding Blogs directory

‘There are many wedding vendors who write wonderful blogs about their services and general wedding advice.

The blogs have been split into nine categories ‘Wedding Cakes’, ‘Wedding Ceremony’, ‘Wedding Fashion’, ‘Wedding Favours’, ‘Wedding Flowers’, ‘Wedding Photography’, ‘Wedding Planning’, ‘Wedding Reception’ and ‘Wedding Stationery’ along with associated tags, to provide visitors with various ways to find the topics they are interested in.
Inclusion in my wedding blogs directory is free. It is my intention for this blog directory to be a social place where vendors and customers alike can find each other and connect to bring something new and creative to the wedding market.

Lindsay.’

So if you have a Blog that you want to get listed go to Dream Wedding UK to find out how.