Wedding Reception IdeasPosted by Kim Rix on June 30th, 2010

Dear Bride and Groom,

You will find that most of your time will be taken up thinking about your wedding reception. Although the ceremony is obviously the most important part of your day, the reception takes up the longest and most sociable part of your day (and night!).

Your reception can be simple and elegant, extravagant, exciting or intimate and calm. It really depends on what you want from it. The reception is likely to reflect a lot of your personality as a couple and this is what your guests will buy into and enjoy. The main thing is that your guests are well entertained and have a great time with you.

The Setting

The first thing you want to think about is where you want to be for your wedding reception. If you would like grand elegance then you might want to have a look at some of the National Trust properties that interest you. A good number have large banqueting halls, equipped with the most magnificent art, fittings and decorations. Some may even provide staff and scene settings in keeping of the period of the venue. There are plenty of privately owned stately homes and gardens that cater for weddings.

If you are looking for something a little different then you could look into hiring a yacht, getting exclusive use of your favourite restaurant, bar or even nightclub.

If you have a particular interest eg. Art, music or theatre then you can look into getting exclusive use of a favourite gallery, theatre or venue. You would be surprised at how many would be interested and accommodating.

The Entertainment

This might be dictated by your wedding venue a little. For example, if you choose a theatre venue, then you could have a small interesting performance followed by live music. In a stately home you might want a string quartet or traditional music for the meal and then a 5 or 6 piece band for some late night dancing.

But what can you offer apart from music? How about a wandering magician? One or two can be available to demonstrate and wow your guests with impressive table magic – don’t worry no clowning or balloon creatures!!

Give your guests something to take home by asking a caricaturist to draw guests on each table at their request. It’s a great conversation starter!

If you have any gardens available then you could look at hiring a croquet set, jenga set or chess set for your guests to play with – you will be surprised at how keen your guests will be to get involved, and again its great for getting people talking!

Kind regards,

Kim Rix

Your London Wedding Planner

Freeing up YOUR time and delivering the personal service

What do you do when the dream wedding all goes wrong?Posted by Kim Rix on June 18th, 2010

Dear Bride and Groom,

So what if it goes all wrong? What if the caterers mess up your food, or the cake doesn’t arrive? What if the DJ is awful and your photographer gets sick? What if the weather is awful and your guests are soaked during the garden ceremony and to top it all of there is a massive family argument??

First of all. Breathe.

 Second of all. This, most likely will not happen to you.

Thirdly. If anything does happen, you can handle it. And this is how:

Cool as a cucumber

You may want to throw a big hissy fit or burst into tears but that is not going to help and it only makes you look bad! So if you hear any bad news the first thing to do is take a moment, process it, say ‘ok’ and follow it up with ‘how do we solve this?’.

The bearer of the bad news has probably come up with several solutions on their way to find you. Listen to them all, ask your bridesmaid or best man for their opinion and let them get on with it!

People will respect and admire your amazing calm head and ability to take it in their stride. It’s also more likely to come to a pleasing solution quicker than if you have a screaming match!

Turn It On Its Head

Ok, so your guests are soaked through. It’s not pleasant but its now the huge talking point of your big day so document it!! Ask your photographer to get as many photos as they can while people are still outside and willing to pose, get them to do something wacky and let loose. There is also the potential for a lovely series of warming up and drying out shots. Beautiful, personal portraiture or people wrapped in towels or fixing themselves.

I was once at a wedding in a hotel where the fire alarm went off and the whole place had to be evacuated just as the evening reception was getting underway. The fire engines arrived and it was thankfully a false alarm. While waiting to get back into the hotel the Groom took some initiative and asked one of the firemen if they would turn on the engine lights and the couple had a romantic, silent first dance in the glow of the dancing lights. They also have a cracking photo of his mother in law with one of the fireman. Totally unforgettable.

Any disaster can be handled coolly, turned on its head and made into something truly unique and exciting about your wedding. Focus on your guests having fun and your family being happy. The rest will fall into place.

Kind regards,

Kim Rix

Your London Wedding Planner

Saving you time and delivering the personal service

Top Tips: Keeping Your Wedding Guests EntertainedPosted by Kim Rix on May 20th, 2010

Dear Bride and Groom,

Everyone loves weddings, and I promise everybody will love yours, but if there is ever a complaint it is always about having to ‘wait around’. There is inevitably always going to be a little time when your guests will be waiting for a short time. You can of course be smart about it and recognize where these lulls may be and arrange a little activity or distraction to keep them occupied.

The largest lull is always between the ceremony and wedding breakfast when the photographs are usually taken. If you are having the reception at a different venue from the ceremony then a little of the time will be taken up by traveling, and the rest with a lovely champagne or drinks reception when they arrive. It will also take a little time to get settled in to the new venue and to find their way around.

If you are having the reception in the same venue as the ceremony then a little more activity may be needed to occupy your guests for this short waiting period.

If you’re in a unique or unusual venue then the simplest thing to do would be to offer a short guided tour of the building and its grounds. Most buildings of this nature will happily provide this service – some guides may even dress in the period of the day and give a much livelier performance than a talk.

If there are substantial grounds or garden areas that you can use then it might be a refreshing idea to provide some lawn games alongside an outside drinks reception. A lovely English favourite would be sipping Pimms, nibbling some fresh strawberries and playing a little croquet. You can also hire giant outdoor chess sets, jenga or other games to try.

You could always ask your photographer for a number of whole wedding shots or family groupings outside of the traditional formats. This makes everyone feel special and included – although this may not be easy in large weddings!

Why not look into creating a little treasure hunt, fun quiz or getting to know you game? Remember the one where you get a famous person’s name and stick it to your forehead then have to ask questions to find out who you are? Silly, yes. But a fabulous ice-breaker, very simple and super easy to manage!

Whatever you decide to do, don’t be afraid to try something a little different. You will actually have much less time than you think!!

Kind regards,

Kim Rix

Your London Wedding Planner

5 ways to involve your friends & family in your weddingPosted by Kim Rix on May 11th, 2010

Dear Bride and Groom,

For most couples their wedding day is quite a big family affair. After all, you are both gaining a whole new family before the day is out! Your friends will also be there to enjoy the day with you, support you and wish you well on your new life together.

Many couples like to include or involve their friends or family a little more than just having them along on the day. There are a variety of different ways you can do this and make them feel like they have really contributed.

1. Bridal Party

The ‘highest’ honour is asking your friends and family members to be in your bridal party. Whether you choose to have one bridesmaid or 4 groomsmen is totally up to you. There is no reason why you can’t have a bridesman or a groomslady either!

If you want to give a little nod to a close friend or aunt / uncle with children then consider asking them if their child could be a ring bearer, page boy or flower girl. I guarantee they will be touched.

2. Assign Duties

You will need help on the day, not just in the planning process. Ask your trusted and reliable friends or family members to carry out some specific tasks for you. It could be as simple as making sure your mum always has a full glass of champagne, keeping your dad and your step dad apart, or promising to be the first on the dance floor!

3. Utilise their skills!

Do your friends or family members have any special skills? Think about what they are good at and see if you can fit them into your wedding. Perhaps you have a grandma who is an amazing baker who could make your cake. Maybe your best friend is an interior decorator and he/she’d like to help decorate the venue?

4. Create Together

If you are having a particularly ‘hands-on’ wedding then why not gather your friends and family together to make things for your wedding over a night, weekend or several evenings where you get to socialize and contribute in a big way too. I’m thinking about handmade table decorations, favours, place-cards… (lots of inspiration at http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/photogallery/decoration-templates#slide_1)

5. Say Something

Asking your close friend or family to speak either during the ceremony or at the reception is a lovely way to be included. Whether it’s a specially selected reading chosen by you (or them) or a speech from the heart, it is a perfectly simple and touching way to get involved.

Kind regards,

Kim Rix

Your London Wedding Planner

Matchmaking The Bride To The VendorsPosted by Kim Rix on February 24th, 2010

Dear Bride and Groom,

Have you ever had that experience when you are engaging someone to carry out some work for you – whether its fitting a bathroom, servicing your car or excavating your garden – that you have a ‘feeling’ you are not going to get on with them?

That is not you being picky. That’s just your common sense kicking in highlighting that in some way your personalities clash. It could be something small and it may not affect the job at all, but you hesitate nonetheless. I’m not necessarily talking about trust here, but about the way you can communicate.

When you are engaging someone to provide a product or service for your wedding I think it’s important that your personalities match. Why? Because you are probably going to have to speak to them a lot – and during some times when you are fairly stressed out!

I would always advise my brides (or grooms) to ‘interview’ at least 3 different vendors before making a decision. A simple conversation can be enough and usually your gut instinct will tell you who you should work with.

Let me give you an example.

I was working with a fairly successful, strong-willed and organized bride about 6 months ago. We were visiting a number of florists that day and I had picked 2 for the morning that I thought she might like.

The first florist was a local vendor, fairly new to the area having just branched out on her own, but very experienced in wedding flowers. She talked through all the ideas with the bride, explained different options and showed examples. She then talked through how she would sketch out designs and send email them to her for approval so they could discuss changes without having to see each other face to face. Everything was very detailed, clear and the florist seemed totally in control.

The second florist, also a local vendor, but more established with a number of awards under her belt was much more informal. She asked about colours and flower types, took an address and said she’d be happy to send on a quote. She offered a few books to look at and point out anything that the bride liked. The whole encounter was very informal, chatty and pleasant.

Can you guess which florist my bride chose? Of course, the first! Although she thought the second florist seemed great she realized that her laid back personality would just send her into a panic. She felt the first had a reassuring business-like quality that she could relate to.

Don’t worry about judging people. They completely understand! And remember its just as hard for them to do their job if your personalities are clashing!

Kind regards,

Kim Rix

Your London Wedding Planner

Luxury Weddings in London, South East and the UK

The role of a Wedding PlannerPosted by Kim Rix on February 18th, 2010

Dear Bride and Groom,

You may have been reading this blog for a little while, or perhaps this is your first visit but you may have noticed that I offer up a lot of advice to you here. I imagined that you were perhaps starting to wonder what you could use me for if I’m giving you all my tips! Well here are a few things to demonstrate exactly what a wedding planner does for you.

Where has the time gone?

Whether you have 2 years or 2 months to plan your wedding, you never have enough time. If one or both of you are working it is even harder to find the time to call venues, suppliers etc to organize meetings, check details etc – especially when most of them are working the same hours as you are!

As a wedding planner I have the time to get information, check details, call, meet, negotiate and secure all the services you need. Believe me, it’s a lot of work and you don’t want to feel like you are making decisions in a rush!

Delegate Delegate Delegate

If you are planning a wedding on your own it is most likely that you will delegate some tasks out to friends and family to help you. But when and how do you check up on them? And what if they haven’t completed what they asked you to? Or it’s not the way you would like it to be?

If I were helping you to plan your wedding you would know every detail would be catered for and every request met, at a timetable to suit you!

Idea Generator

It can be difficult to think or be imaginative about what you want your wedding to be like when you are under pressure to get dates set, write guest lists etc. Maybe you have an idea but you have no idea how to make it a reality.

I would be at your side to translate your ideas into reality. You tell me what you are looking for, I research some ideas for you and all you have to do is choose! I can pick up on all the little details that will make it extra special for you. And you can focus on that invite list!

Contracts and Negotiation

As I have a good reputation with many suppliers, contractors and venues I can secure you great rates, excellent service and the best in the business. Negotiating can be nerve wracking and time consuming. I can take that swiftly off of your hands!

The Day

The Big Day, is your day. You should be able to enjoy it. If you are stressing about timetables, deliveries, schedules etc you will not be concentrating on enjoying yourself!

As your wedding planner I will be there to ensure that everything runs perfectly smoothly. I am your go to person, so if you have a question or request you just need to whisper in my ear and its done!

And the beauty of it is your guests won’t have a clue – they’ll just be having a wonderful time!

Kind regards,

Kim Rix

Your London Wedding Planner

Delivering the Personal Service

The Art of Negotiating ContractsPosted by Kim Rix on February 10th, 2010

Dear Bride and Groom,

I know that some of you will have read the title and panicked already! I find that, generally speaking, a lot of people are afraid of negotiation. There is a fear that you won’t get what you want or you will be overpowered by the other party’s persuasiveness or slick style.

First of all…Everyone can negotiate! It’s all about knowing what you want, what you are willing to back down on and how to arm yourself for success! Think about it. You negotiate with your partner all the time. It might be about the destination of your holiday, the date of your wedding or which restaurant you want to go to that weekend.

Think about these simple things when you are negotiating a contract and you will be cool, confident and come out with what you want.

Prepare!

- Make a list of exactly what you want from the supplier or service provider. (As much detail as possible if you can!)

- Make a list of a few things that you would be happy to compromise on if it came to it. Eg. A change in delivery time, one less vegetarian option, eustoma instead of sweet peas.

- Set a limit to how much you are willing to spend.

- Shop around and get a few separate quotes and recommendations.

- Shortlist your favourite suppliers and arrange meetings.

Discuss

- Take your notes with you to the meeting.

- Take plenty of notes about what they tell you and discuss any comparisons with other companies / suppliers with them. They will work hard to secure your business – especially if it’s over a small price difference!

- Don’t be taken in by any incentives to ‘sign that day’. Make it clear to them that you are speaking to a number of people and that you will make a decision when you have spoken to everyone you wish to.

- Do not compromise on anything that is on your ‘must have’ list. If they can’t or won’t provide this, walk away. Or if they say they can but there is conditions attached, be clear that you would rather go with a company that can assure you of delivery.

- Listen. Remember they are the experts. They may be able to offer you insightful input to make things easier for you.

Sign

-  Contact your favourite supplier and have them draw up a quote or contract stipulating all of your preferences and the terms you have agreed upon.

And that’s it, you’ve negotiated your contracts without fuss or pain!

Kind regards,

Kim Rix

Your London Wedding Planner

Give Your Wedding The Personal TouchPosted by Kim Rix on January 12th, 2010

Dear Bride and Groom,

I want to help you take care of the detail. It’s the little things that we do in life which seem to get the most attention and it’s much the same during a wedding. It’s always the little touches you add that make the day extra special – and people always comment on afterwards.

The ‘detail’ itself doesn’t have to be small. I’m thinking more about a detail as in a personal touch or thought which you add to the day and completes the picture. I like to work with a couple’s personality and find out what things are important to them to suggest some extra little details to make their day special.

The ‘Green’ Couple

The first thing I would suggest to this couple is that biodegradable confetti is a must! It is completely soluble in water and contains no chemicals or pollutants that could harm the environment. Venues love it as well because it’s a quick and easy clean up with a little water. It comes in all colours – so you can match with your theme – and are also available with real petals, lavender buds and other dried flowers to give a beautiful fragrance when thrown.

You can have the confetti ready wrapped in colourful or textured recycled paper for your guests to pick up.

The ‘Child Friendly’ Couple

For those people who would love to have children at their wedding I would always recommend a special children’s corner in your venue. It’s a place just for them where they have little fun packs with activities like drawing, puzzles and craft to keep them occupied. A little disposable camera will also give them plenty of fun and the parents will love their first photographs!

The ‘Thankful’ Couple

I work with a lot of couples who don’t get to see that many of the people they invite to their wedding too often. This may be because they are very busy but mostly because our friends and family are split over the globe. A beautiful touch to tell your guests how pleased you are that they could come is a simple note on their dinner place. A little postcard size or smaller which recalls a personal moment of you together and how pleased you are that they are with you to share this moment too. If you have a big wedding then make sure you have plenty of time!!

The ‘Fun and Games’ Couple

Your guests are not going to have a chance to get bored, but if you want to bring in that extra feeling of fun and relaxation then why not introduce a few games. If you have a nice outdoor area then you can rent some great garden games like giant Jenga and Connect 4. Inside you can conduct a little table quiz! Each table acts as a team and whoever gets the most questions right (you can theme it around the happy couple) can win a prize! It could be a little novelty gift or something the whole table can enjoy together.

Its great to inject some of your personality! Be bold and creative and make your day special.

Kind regards,

Kim Rix

Your London Wedding Planner

Wedding Celebrations – It’s Not All Over!Posted by Kim Rix on January 5th, 2010

Dear Bride and Groom,

I hear a lot of couples (and their parents) talking about the wedding being only one day. That in 24 hours it has been and gone and then you just seamlessly roll on into married life.

I would like to dispel this myth! I have rarely (actually, probably never) been to or planned a wedding where there hasn’t been some social occasion directly related to it before or after the ‘ big day’ itself. It is an important time and it isn’t very often that you get to celebrate with friends and family in such a way so I would always encourage you to make the most of it. Here are a few of my suggestions.

Engagement Party

Starting right at the very beginning! It is becoming customary to have a party to officially announce your engagement. Naturally people want to celebrate the good news with you so why not make it easier. You could have an intimate dinner in the private dining room of your favourite restaurant, or a simple champagne and canapé reception in a nearby hotel or classy bar. If you want to keep things very low key you can have drinks and nibbles at your house (or your parent’s house for the more traditional couples).

Stag and Hen Parties

Wherever you are in the world it seems traditional to have a final separate ‘send off’ for the bride and groom. Organised predominantly by the Best Man and Maid/Matron of Honour the Stag or Hen celebration is a great warm up to your big day. All of your friends get to meet together – some for the first time – and throw caution to the wind.

If your idea of a good time is not dressing up in matching printed t-shirts and horns then that is absolutely ok! For the gents why not think about a day of paintballing or racetrack driving followed by a great hearty meal and drinks. Perhaps the ladies might like a pampering and photography session or a cocktail and chocolate making class followed by drinks and dancing.

You can always make a weekend out of it – I would always recommend a city break to your favourite European capital. You are almost certainly guaranteed good food and wine!

Mehndi Parties

Traditionally, Indian brides would get together with all of her female friends and family the night before the wedding and have a Mehndi Party. During this evening the bride would have beautifully, intricate henna tattoos painted on her hands and feet to be especially beautiful for her wedding.

Many UK brides are becoming more interested in Mehndi parties for their traditional wedding celebrations – sometimes playing a part in their hen party. Remember if you don’t want to have the tattoo on the day of your wedding then you should plan the party at least 6 weeks in advance to make sure it has worn off in time.

Rehearsal Dinner

I think that a rehearsal dinner is a very important part of your wedding planning and celebrations. It gives your bridal party an opportunity to settle into their roles and your family and friends an opportunity to get to know each other a little before the celebrations. Ideally it should be the evening before the wedding and not go on too late so you can be refreshed in the morning.

It should definitely have a relaxed atmosphere and a little of the couple’s personality shining through! Again, your favourite restaurant (or even your parent’s back garden) is a great way to get everyone together and talking.

And if you can’t manage the day before, why not consider a brunch the day after your wedding to thank your guests again for coming and let them look fondly on the previous days events.

Kind regards

Kim Rix

Your London Wedding Planner

Luxury Weddings in London & Home Counties

Keeping Children Occupied At WeddingsPosted by Kim Rix on December 1st, 2009

Dear Bride and Groom,

You may not have even discussed whether you are happy to have children coming to your wedding, or not, yet. If you have chosen to have a young flower girl (or bridesmaid) and a pageboy then you have made this decision without a second thought.

Some parents like to leave the kids at home when they go to a wedding. They may see it as an opportunity to catch up with friends or family they haven’t seen in years, and let their hair down a little. On the other side, it’s a great chance to show off the family and they can certainly add to the atmosphere of the wedding – and lets not forget the adorable photo moments they create.

It is a long day for children, and even the best-behaved will eventually get a little restless. Here are a few ideas for entertaining and occupying them on your big day.

Garden Games

If you are having your reception in a venue, which has an outside area, garden, or grounds then you might want to consider hiring a few garden games. Giant Connect 4 or Jenga are instant winners. Easy to set up, easy to manage and the adults get a kick out of it too!

Craft Table

Ask your venue to set up a small table for you in a corner of the reception. Provide some colouring books, crayons and ‘dry’ art materials so they can colour, make and play. You might consider some ‘wedding’ themed crafts like decorating a lucky horseshoe or designing a wedding dress. There are plenty of ready-made sets out there so you don’t have to make activities up yourself!

Candid Camera

If they are old enough (5 or 6 years +) then you could consider buying a couple of disposable cameras to allow them to take a few pictures themselves. You could set them a checklist of images to shoot or things they have to find. They will feel really important and you will get lovely pictures from their view of the wedding.

Special Treats

Young people have great fun pretending to be adults. They will see your guests sipping on champagne, eating canapés and nibbling on decadent treats. Ask your venue or caterer to create some children friendly treats and cocktails. Ask them to make sure they are healthy and low in sugar (so they don’t get too hyper) and lay them out specially.

I would also recommend designating a child friendly person to watch over your younger guests and make sure they are having a good time – and not getting into any trouble. Knowing you have someone watching over them while make you feel much more comfortable.

Kind regards,

Kim Rix

Your London Wedding Planner