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

Wedding Shows, Are They For You?Posted by Kim Rix on November 3rd, 2009

Dear Bride and Groom,

How is your planning going? Stuck for ideas? Not sure what to plan next? Scared of leaving something out? Can’t find the supplier you need?

You are probably considering visiting a wedding show for ideas, inspiration or suppliers and that’s not a bad idea. Wedding shows are great for being able to see and speak to a lot of predominantly local suppliers. You get to see, touch and even taste some products on offer without the pressure of being in a shop environment.

There is also a lot of inspiration about! From venues to floral arrangements and favours you can see a diverse range of styles and choices and steal all the best bits to make your own.

On the down side it is a high-pressure environment. Wedding shows are often crowded and busy, mostly with women so the groom might want to give it a miss – or you might want to set him a mission to complete with his best man!

All the companies there want you to buy their product or service so there can be a bit of pressure to buy if you are showing interest. In the bigger fairs where there are so many stalls, shows and salespeople it can become quite overwhelming. The sheer realisation of all the different people who need to be engaged to make your wedding go off without a hitch can leave you feeling stressed and under a fair bit of pressure.

My advice would be to go to the smaller local fairs to start with. Don’t go with any intention to buy on the day, just go to take it all in and get some inspiration. You will end up walking out with a bag of samples, business cards and other materials so you will never forget the things you like.

If you can, try to go with a list of things that you really want to learn more about and stick to it. This will keep you focussed and hopefully get any of those burning questions answered. Set appointments to see people you like in the next few weeks and enjoy shopping around.

I am happy to give my couples advice on good wedding shows in London to visit and a strategy for getting through the day!  With my extensive contacts you can talk me through your newfound ideas and I can match you with my trusted suppliers.

Kind regards,

Kim Rix- Your London Wedding Planner

ps – Come and meet me!  I’ll be exhibiting at the Hampstead Wedding Show on Sunday 22 November.  See you there!

Choosing Your Wedding CakePosted by Kim Rix on October 27th, 2009

Dear Bride & Groom,

You may have a very clear idea of what you would like your wedding cake to look and taste like. However, here are a few things to consider when choosing or designing your cake.

1.      Flavours and Fillings

Wedding Cakes are available in many more types and flavours than the traditional fruit or the simple vanilla sponge. In order to cater for all tastes many brides choose to have different cake types for different tiers. Not only does it keep everyone happy but also allows you to be a bit adventurous!  Why not enquire about a chocolate sponge with a maraschino cherry crème. Perhaps a carrot cake is more your taste? Or maybe you’d like to try your favourite cheesecake.  

2.      Presentation

There are more possibilities than you would think for presenting your cake. You have the traditional stacked or pillared cakes, the stand option or the increasingly popular multiple cupcakes.  The stacked cake sees each layer placed directly one on top of each other – you need to make sure your top layers aren’t too heavy to support. The pillar cakes create a grand, tall cake with each layer rested expertly on top of pillars of your choice.  

Kim’s advice: icing sugar softens in warm weather (25°C+++). Despite the grand tier effect, it is advisable not to stack all three layers on top of each other to avoid the possibility of the top layer accidentally sliding off!

You may also choose a decorative stand, which can present multiple layers at different heights or layers without sinking into each other! Individual cupcakes displayed on modern or ‘classic’ cake stands can be eye-catching. You could choose different icings or toppings for each layer or even present them in your own formation.

3.             Theme

Obviously your theme should be carried through into your cake. Whether this is a colour scheme, a particular flower or motif. Even if you would like simple and classic, white, royal icing you could use coloured ribbon, sugar flowers or fresh flowers to carry on your colour theme and add a wow factor. It is incredible what can be made with delicate sugar craft.

You can ask your cake designer to give you ideas or present your own to see if it can be made. The best thing is that you can keep this edible delight for years to come.  Have a look through cake magazines for adventurous ideas and put your own spin on it.

4.             One Cake or Two?

This may not be too big a problem if you are having an intimate wedding, but if you are cutting your cake during the evening ‘party’ then you might need to consider having a ‘cutting cake’ in the kitchen to meet the demand of the guests.  This is especially helpful if you wish to keep the top tier for your 1^st wedding anniversary or your first child’s Christening – in which case you should make absolutely sure the cake is freshly made so it is safe to be frozen again!

Oh! And don’t forget that the tastings are the best part!

Kind regards

Kim Rix

Your London Wedding Planner

Wedding Entertainment for your ReceptionPosted by Kim Rix on October 20th, 2009

Dear Bride & Groom,

When planning your wedding – you’re going to want to make sure that it’s as classy and stylish as they come! It’s no secret that this takes time, effort and a lot of patience – but one particularly enjoyable aspect of your wedding planning, can be searching for your reception entertainment.

Local Bands

Don’t go with a boring old DJ – there are so many talented and brilliant bands out there! Make a point of going to see some local talent – you’ll find that despite your apprehensions – some of these guys really can put on a fantastic show! Although, do be careful – the worst possible mistake you could make with regards to reception entertainment, is booking a bad cover band.

Cover bands are fun and they’ll no doubt churn out a few classics – but they often have a tendency to be quite bad. You want everyone to be excited and celebrating for the entire evening.  Search around – attend a few local gigs and find the best band for your reception.

String Quartets

If you’d rather keep it elegant and stylish – there’s always the option of the string quartet. Now, this is something that a lot of couples getting married have to delegate carefully. You have to remember that at a wedding – everyone loves to boogie. Unfortunately, you can’t really jive to Pachelbel’s Canon and Fugue; so perhaps if you are looking to hire a string quartet – you may want to make it a hybrid gig and perhaps use a band later when people want to cut loose and dance the night away.

Comedians

Very recently, there’s been a boom in the number of Wedding Receptions hosted by comedians. This is something that may not apply to your tastes, and again – you may want to go hybrid with this one. But a comedian would certainly be a very unique choice for entertainment. Just be sure to veto him first – making sure that he’s right for your big day! With a few hefty chuckles, your guests will be warmed up and in high spirits for the evening ahead so this could be just the thing you’re looking for!

Whatever you choose – make sure that you don’t forget to enjoy yourself! Planning doesn’t have to be stressful. A well-negotiated plan will ensure that your have fun throughout the organisation process!

Kind Regards,

 Kim Rix

Your London Wedding Planner

Extra Special Wedding FavoursPosted by Kim Rix on October 13th, 2009

Dear Bride & Groom,

When preparing for a wedding, couples often come to a standstill when deciding on whether or not to prepare wedding favours for their guests. This tradition stands as a mark of appreciation for the blessing given to the bride and groom by the guests in attendance at the ceremony. Wedding favours can be as elaborate or simple as you like. We thought it would be useful to provide a few great ideas for extra special wedding favours in order to make your preparations a little less stressful!

1. Personalised Bottles of Champagne

Not only is champagne universal; it screams luxury and will go down an absolute treat with guests. There are many websites and companies that offer a personalization service – however, if you find a decent designer – you could have your own labels printed to put onto some fine bottles of champagne. An extra touch of class for an extra special day! Again, it’s all about planning and organization in getting this sort of thing organised early.

2. Luxury Chocolates.

Chocolatiers offer some unique and wonderful favours for your guests. Avoid the high street chocolate shops – an independently owned chocolate shop will help you taste, choose and wrap special handmade chocolate favours to your desire. This way – your guests get to experience the luxury of some of the finest handmade chocolates; making them feel all the more special in being a part of your big day! A tasty treat for all, and you can almost guarantee that when ordering in bulk – you’ll more than likely receive a special discount!

3. Swarovski Crystal

A little pricier, but your guests are well worth it. Why not treat your guests to a little piece of Swarovski crystal as a favour to remind them of your wonderful day! If you’re feeling ambitious, why not get the date engraved along with your initials!

Swarovski comes in many shapes and sizes so make sure that you seek this one out well in advance in order to find the right piece for your wedding. Complete with a delicate little gift box and some fine tissue paper – this favour(able) idea is one that will live on for a long time. A beautiful and stylish gesture of appreciation for your guests.

Kind Regards,

Kim Rix

Your London Wedding Planner

Wedding Photography – Capturing The Special MomentsPosted by Kim Rix on October 9th, 2009

Dear Bride and Groom,

I was appalled to read of the terrible story of Marc and Sylvia Day in the Telegraph this week. They had over 400 images taken of the most important day in their lives, and only 22 of them were actually useable. Even the wedding video (which they hoped would redeem some of their loss) was disappointing and captured nothing of the spirit of the day.

Even though they have gained some compensation through the courts, nothing can possibly get them the photographs they truly desired. If you like you can read their story here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6263595/Couple-sue-wedding-photographer.html.

Even with the best of cameras there is much more to taking a great photograph than meets the eye, and wedding photography is a specialism. Finding a great photographer can take quite a lot of research and time. I like to help my clients by getting them to answer a few simple questions, then shortlisting a few photographers I think they would like based on their taste and requirements. I would then give them a little time to look over portfolios and example albums, speak directly to the photographer if they wish and suggest some ideas to suit their theme or budget.

The bits I can’t decide for you, but can certainly advise or give examples of, are the overall things like style. Most photographers are well rounded when it comes to their style of wedding photography. However, there are some who are particularly good at classic shots, some who prefer reportage photography and those who take advantage of the latest photographic manipulation.

A classic shot, is usually the posed group and solo photographs at weddings. Beautifully composed portraits with a soft, static feel. It is usually a good idea to have at least a few posed group and couple portraits of close family and friends, and of course the bridal party. These are especially favoured by older or distant relatives who can’t make it on the day.

Reportage photography is ideal for your evening event! These are photographs where you and your guests are caught totally naturally. A friendly smile across the dinner table, a wicked move on the dance floor or a delicate, loving glance can add a dynamic feel to your album. (These shouldn’t be confused with ‘candid’ shots that are posed pictures designed to look natural).

Then, in ‘post production’ your photographer can manipulate colours, lines and light to emphasise or enhance a photograph to give it an edgy or artistic feel.

You will know as you look through albums and portfolios exactly what styles you are happier with. I want my clients to hold and share these memories forever that is why I take great care to make absolutely sure its right.

Kind regards,

Kim Rix

Your London Wedding Planner

8 Random facts about Kim Rix – Your London Wedding PlannerPosted by Kim Rix on September 30th, 2009

Dear Bride & Groom,

For a bit of light-hearted fun, I thought I’d give you the opportunity to get to know more about me.  Here are 8 random truths:

 - I was adopted at 3 months old.  My birth name was Ruby.

 - When I was young, I aspired to be a famous opera singer. Whilst on a skiing holiday, I sang on stage in front of more than 2,000 people at Club Med.  Later, I joined the Philharmonia Chorus and sang on stage at the Royal Albert Hall, London.

 - In the days of needing pocketmoney to pay for my teenage lifestyle, I used to work on a local battery farm collecting eggs, despite being allergic and not being able to stand the smell!

- I’ve para-glided off the South Downs, scuba-dived off the Great Barrier Reef, swum with sharks, climbed Ayers Rock and Ben Nevis, but you couldn’t pay me enough do a bungee jump!

 - Back on stage, in 2001, I played a rat in the Dick Whittington pantomime in the West End of London.

- Invited by the Independent Adoption Society, I met HRH Princess Alexandra at the premier screening of Jaws in 1975. I curtsied, gave her a bouquet of flowers and have a vague recollection of asking ‘where’s your crown’?

- I’m a gem collector. My favourite stone is Tanzanian Ruby.

 - My party-trick: I can curl my tongue.

If you’d like to meet me in person, to discuss your wedding, please give me a call on 0208 989 4886.

Kind regards,

Kim Rix

Your London Wedding Planner