This week we are starting our blog series with a chance to pop behind-the-scenes at The Wedding Library HQ, to say hello and to find out a little more about the inspiration behind our lovely wedding hire business.
So where to begin? Firstly I'm super grateful you took the time to pop by and read - so thank you and of course, hello! Over the next few weeks I will be adding to my Blog, hopefully addressing lots of the questions I regularly get asked by the lovely couples I am lucky enough to be working with. I totally LOVE my job - it's a real honour and privilege to be helping people on their wedding day. I feel very grateful that after 21 years of doing my previous job, I had the opportunity to create a business I totally LOVE and am immensely proud of.
A huge part of my working life was spent as a Personal Assistant for the Duchy of Cornwall, wearing posh frocks and high heels (now largely consigned to the back of my wardrobe!), looking after and arranging functions and events for high profile visitors and guests of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. With approximately 60 royal visits under my belt, I absolutely loved this part of my job, from juggling huge guest lists, meticulously planning and organising each event, to liaising with suppliers, caterers and venues, dealing with security and finalising all the finishing touches. I got to meet some amazing people along the way, and a job well done is always immensely satisfying!
But I very quickly came to realise having planned and designed my own wedding, that nothing is quite as rewarding as adding the WOW factor and sparkle to perhaps the most important day of your life. Making other people’s wedding dreams a reality, really is an absolute privilege and joy.
There are so many aspects of this job that I adore. Firstly the creativity.
There is something deeply satisfying about watching an idea taking shape and grow into something unique and beautiful that you know will be a talking point or centrepiece at a wedding. I am now often to be found deep in concentration with a paintbrush in hand, sketching out ideas, hand-chalking new wedding signs, or measuring and cutting wood for a new project, be it a wedding post-box, doughnut board or wedding cake stand. This job gives me the scope to flex my creative wings in a way I definitely never could behind a desk!
I can manage my time effectively working for myself too. When I get an idea I can run with it – even if that means creativity strikes at 2am (with apologies to my ever-tolerant husband!)
Secondly, but most importantly, the people. I think I first realised how much I wanted (needed!) to set up this business after my own wedding, when I took the decision to sell some of the beautiful pieces I had handmade for my own special day. On a sunny afternoon in July I had four couples in my garage, all excited about their forthcoming weddings and competing to buy various props and decorations. Not only did I realise the value of the things I had handcrafted with love, more importantly I realised how wonderful it was to be able to help other people, sharing wedding ideas, suggestions and tips. I think you could call that a ‘light bulb’ moment! What an absolute joy to be meeting people discussing their hopes, dreams and aspirations for their perfect wedding day and realising this is what I am supposed to be doing!
Aside from meeting all the lovely brides and grooms-to-be, I also love meeting new wedding suppliers. From wedding cake makers to florists, caterers and bridal boutiques, I am working hard to find other businesses with the same ethos and desire to make your wedding day simply the best day ever, adding to the many amazing contacts I made over the course of 21 years with the Duchy. If you need help with any aspect of planning your wedding, we can definitely point you in the right direction with absolute confidence.
So what are we working on at the moment? Well whilst December may be one of the quieter months for weddings to take place (on average just seven couples say ‘I do’ on Christmas Day each year); for me it is the perfect time to batten down the hatches in our little workshop and set about planning, designing, creating, and expanding our stock of beautiful handmade wedding props and decorations, ready for the year ahead. The weather outside maybe frightful, but with Radio 2 playing, a mug of tea and a soppy Labrador for company, it’s a pretty fantastic place to be!
Although Christmas weddings may be few and far between, we do know that traditionally Christmas Day, Boxing Day & New Year are some of the most popular days of the year for wedding proposals. So if there should be something sparkly hanging under the Christmas tree just for you this year...do stop by and say hello. We would LOVE to start your wedding journey with you.
We promise to be there every step of the way to help and inspire with our beautiful, bespoke props and decorations, making your wedding dreams a reality.
But for now, back to my chocs and rather large G & T. Well…it is Christmas after all!
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