{Monday Mayhem} Wedding Favour's Under £5 Each

Having a Small intimate Wedding, or a Big One, and want to Splash out on the Favours. Here we look at Wedding Favour/Guest Gift Idea’s for under £5 each.

To view items in more detail and to purchase, please click on images which will take you to the designer's online store or website.

{blp} Hitched W.I.F.E (Wedding Industry Facts & Economics)

Hitched W.I.F.E. is the definitive source of data for UK weddings.
Information is collected through a variety of surveys,
with a minimum of three specific subject surveys each year and
two major annual surveys which focus on the planning aspect and
then the post wedding feedback respectively.

The surveys use Hitched’s reputation and significant visitor numbers
as the UK’s most popular wedding website to gather data from
representative samples. The research data is then analysed and published,
free of charge, here on the Hitched W.I.F.E. website.

The 2010 Hitched annual survey has revealed that people are inviting less people to their wedding compared to their 2009 results.

The number of people inviting 50 to 100 guests has decreased by 7%, whereas the number of people inviting less than 50 guests has risen by 3%.

 Wedding budgets have also decreased since last year,
with a 5% decrease in people budgeting between £5000 and £15,000.
This does not include the cost of the honeymoon. 

Even with lower budgets, more people are expecting to go over budget this year. With 3% less people planning on sticking to their budget.

 Couples paying for their own wedding have risen by 1% in the last year,
as the bride’s family paying has decreased by 1%.

For the second year running, America is the
most popular honeymoon destination.

Places like the Caribbean and South America are popular
destinations as 22% of Hitched viewers suggested.

 

The latest government published data for number of marriages

in the UK is for 2008. The most recent year is currently provisional and it is expected that this number could increase by 1% once the
final figure is published in February 2011

 

The high street department stores are still the most popular

place to create a wedding gift list.

But...Only 50.4% of couples getting married have a gift list.

 

 We asked brides what their wedding dress size they were or

will be when they walk down the aisle.

All content of this blog post is credited to http://hitched-wife.org/

{Supplier Spotlight} LKTdesign

1. In just a few sentences, could you describe your business? LKTdesign Ltd! We are a design agency based in Newcastle uponTyne specialising in the creation of visual solutions through both graphic design and web design. Turning businesses into successful brands is our speciality.



2. When did you set LKTdesign Ltd up?
January 2008

3. How did Your Business Start?
After graduating it was so difficult to break into the industry as a junior designer ­ far too many people graduating at the same time made this an almost impossible task and I wanted more out of what I had studied a long time for. After working for other people for so many years, it was becoming tiresome ­ I wanted to work for myself. I had so many ideas written down that at the time it was a decision that looked like it could either work for me, or against me but the only way I was going to find out was to bite the bullet and
try it ­ and here I am many years down the line running a business I absolutely love ­ I wouldn¹t swap it for the world!


4. Why did you set up LKTdesign?
Tallies in with answer above

5. How many employee¹s are there in LKTdesign and who are they?
Just me; sometimes when work gets too much I out source.


6. How did you decide on your business name?
The business name is me; the business is mine, created from scratch so it is my initials

7. What¹s the best thing about LKTdesign?
The freedom and my clients; I thoroughly enjoy the world you soon become accustomed to ­ the community bubble of people who you need, but who also needs you and your skills/experience ­ without them I would be lost! It¹s amazing when you first start out, you worry that nobody will ever come to you because you¹re afraid that they¹ll find someone else on their way to finding you ­ but that¹s rarely the case ­ everyone
needs everybody and in business it is vital!


8. What do you find most challenging about your business?

Everyday is a challenge especially in the world we currently live in but this is what business is about ­ you have to bite the bullet and work your way through. There is
always a light at the end of the tunnel.


9. What have been some of the greatest rewards from your business?
See answer below plus meeting up with different people and learning about each of their backgrounds. You can never make too many business associates ­ you need them and they need you.

10. What¹s the best thing LKTdesign gives to its customers?
Making them a success in terms of their branding. Seeing a brand which I have designed or a website which I have designed, built and develop become a success is a great feeling and seeing clients succeed is just amazing.


11. Do you have any top tips for choosing a designer?
See answer below


12. What three pieces of advice would you give to anyone who wants to run their own business?
Couldn¹t possibly pick just three pieces of advice but what I will say is always research your field, make a list of questions both for and against and tick those boxes ­ never leave blanks! Obtain as much professional help as possible, there are always people available who can help you - no matter what you on stuck on. And never ever be afraid. If you¹re afraid then you¹re not a one for leading a business ­ you need to be strong headed!


13. Where can I find out more about LKTdesign?
You can find out mor about us at our website http://www.lktdesign.co.uk/ or via Twitter at @lktdesign_ltd or via Facebook at LKTdesign Ltd

{Yorkshire Wedding Fayres} Sunday 30th Jan 2011

We aim to keep you updated for the Yorkshire Wedding Fayres that are on in the area. In bold will be the ones which we are exhibiting at.

Come back every Thursday to find out which ones are on this weekend!

York Marriott Hotel   
Sunday 30 January 2011   
11am-4pm 

Leeds Marriott Hotel   
Sunday 30 January 2011   
11am-3.30pm

The Civic, Barnsley   
Sunday 30 January 2011  
11am-4pm

The Chevin Country Park Hotel   
Sunday 30 January 2011   
10am-3pm

The Grange Park Golf Club
Sunday 30 January 2011  
11am-4pm

Thanks for stopping by

Adele

www.bluelightsphotography.co.uk

adele@bluelightsphotography.co.uk

{Foto Friday} Real Life Wedding - Cindy & Nathan

Wedding Recap from 2010. Cindy & Nathan.

Cindy is from Canada, and met Nathan when she was working here in Barnsley.

They had a really small intimate Wedding at the Local Town Hall, and then they went for a few drinks, a meal with his parents, then had a hotel booked for their Wedding Night.

Such a gorgeously small Wedding, and a gorgeous Couple! 

Blue Lights Photography

http://www.bluelightsphotography.co.uk/

adele@bluelightsphotography.co.uk

www.facebook.com/bluelightsphotography

{Benevolent Brides} Yorkshires Biggest Charity Wedding Fayre

Benevolent Brides is set to be the biggest charity wedding fayre in Yorkshire on Sunday the 30th January 2011 with all its proceeds going to the charity Women for Women.


Local Business Woman Hayley Hoyle from The Harrogate Wedding Lounge has created Benevolent Brides a new charity wedding fair, after discovering Professor Robert Winston’s charity Women for Women.  Having taken part in various fundraising events for the charity in the past Hayley decided to really make a difference and host Yorkshires biggest charity wedding fair.....and so Benevolent Brides was born.

Hayley said: ‘I am planning for this wedding fayre to be the biggest and newest show in Harrogate and also the biggest charity wedding fayre in Yorkshire. The charity is very close to my heart and I wanted to help raise money for them whilst incorporating something else that I have a passion for.  I wanted to ensure that 100% of the money raised in this event will be sent directly to the charity and I have managed to get help from professionals over Yorkshire to achieve this.’

Benevolent Brides will take place at the prestigious Crown Hotel in Harrogate on Sunday the 30th January 2011 between 11am and 4pm. The fayre will bring together the regions best and most exclusive wedding industry professionals for brides, grooms and their families to come and speak with.

The fair  will offer something a bit different to our couples and keep them  busy and entertained with full catwalk productions, entertainment stage, man crèche with casino and bar!, close up magic, competitions, goody bags and we have a few more surprises up our sleeves too!

For further information or to register for your FREE tickets to the show please visit www.benevolentbrides.co.uk

Message from Hayley ‘Professor Robert Winston charity Women for Women is at the heart of Benevolent Brides and we are very proud to this year be working with Women 4 Women an amazing charity that raises funds, awareness and provides training for research into the causes and treatments of conditions that affect women and their babies including Cancer, Miscarriage, Genetic diseases, Stillbirth, Polycystic ovary syndrome, Pre-Eclampsia, Infertility, Obstetric Cholestasis and Brain injury.
With nearly 250 babies dying every week in the UK from complications during pregnancy, their work has never been so essential for women and babies nationwide.
Fern Britton Has recently become a patron for the charity and regularly undertakes charity bike rides to raise money for the charity.
You can read more about the charity, the work they do and events they organise by visiting them at www.women-for-women.org or visiting the charity page on the website www.benevolentbrides.co.uk.

{Wedding Wednesday} Using a Wedding Planner

Why Use A Wedding Planner?
By Claire Streeton of York Bride

I believe that there are still common misconceptions about the role of
wedding planners. We are still strongly stereotyped, as many couple's fail to
understand what we actually do and how they would benefit from using a
planner. Each couple will inevitably have their own agenda for their big day
and ultimately their exact requirements will differ to another couples,
but in basic terms a wedding planner can:

Save Time and Effort

We can handle all the time consuming tasks for you, leaving you with more time to spend on the aspects of the wedding planning which you enjoy. More and more people are bringing in professional help when planning their wedding, and according to various publications, as the average wedding takes over 250 hours to plan, you can understand why it can be so hard to find the time. A good wedding planner will save you time and energy by researching suppliers, taking care of the many, many details, and coming up with various creative ideas to make your wedding amazing!

Reducing Stress

Wedding Planners are happy to take over the ‘leg-work’ required to organise your wedding, leaving you free to enjoy your engagement. You can be confident that nothing will be forgotten and that he/she will pay attention to every detail to ensure that your day will be perfect. You will be able to relax and enjoy your wedding day, leaving details and any emergencies in the hands of a professional. You want to savour the wedding experience, not stress through it.

Coordinating Your Special Day

Attention to detail is the key to creating a stunning and memorable wedding and something that wedding planners prides themselves on. It is the little, personal touches which will make your wedding day a truly memorable one for you, your family, and friends who join you to celebrate. A beautiful wedding is about the details and how these details reflect your personalities and an excellent wedding planner will delve into the couples lifestyles and personalities to ensure that the day reflects the couple.

Assisting With Ideas

Wedding Planners keep up-to-date with all the latest trends, fashions and ideas. If you are looking for suggestions on any aspect of your wedding then we can help. You will be benefit from professional guidance, expertise, knowledge, creativity and connections. You will have someone to ask for ideas and someone to talk to when those wedding worries surface. A wedding planner can give you support, advice and re-assurance whenever you may need it.

Saving Money

Weddings can be extremely expensive. However, by hiring a wedding planner, couples can save a great deal of money as we are often able to negotiate discounts for clients . Wedding planners are also well-versed at helping couples set budgets and sticking to them.

Point of Contact

A Wedding Planner acts as the “go to person” . The average wedding has at least 20 different suppliers. Combine that with the entire wedding party and all of the guests and that is a lot of people with questions and concerns! By hiring a wedding planner, couples can simply tell others “talk to the wedding planner!”

Handles Crisis

You may not want to think about it but big events can involve a crisis. Who really wants to deal on their wedding day with the flowers not turning up or the table not being set correctly with the decorations? No one! Wedding planners know how to handle all unforeseen circumstances.

You Can Contact Claire at York Bride the following ways
http://www.yorkbride.co.uk/

Telephone: 01904 794162
Mobile:      07928 185 408
Email: hello@yorkbride.co.uk



{Tuesday Trend} Wedding Colour 2011 : Orange

There are some utterly gorgeous colours out trending for 2011. Here we look at what items are about for your wedding in ORANGE.

To view items in more detail and to purchase, please click on images which will take you to the online store or website.

{Monday Mayhem} Child Bridesmaid Gifts Under £20

Buying for the Bridesmaid can be hard, especially when you want to get them something unique that they can keep without breaking the Bank.

Here we have a look at some of our favourite Bridesmaid Children Gifts under £20

To view items in more detail and to purchase, please click on images which will take you to the designer's online store or website.

{Supplier Spotlight} York Bride

Here we have Claire telling us all about her business York Bride.

1. In just a few sentences, could you describe your business?

York Bride, which is a combination of wedding planning services and an online wedding resource for local brides coupled with the exclusive York Bride Privilege Card. I would like to think my USP is the fact that its a local resource full of ideas and information for local couples (York and surrounding areas) and not another directory with lists of businesses out of reach. The site is still in its early stages but I am aiming for it to be a comprehensive, friendly and personal portal for couples to use. I will be meeting all suppliers and talking about there business so that couples get a feel for them and what they do. The York Bride Privilege Card is unique to York and aims to bring local independent businesses to the forefront for couples to use. The businesses are fantastic and are offering discounts and extras to both brides and grooms. This not only helps couples with their wedding budget but also supports local businesses which I feel very strongly about. York Bride will be spreading the word about top local wedding suppliers whom couples may not necessarily know about.

2. When did you set up York Bride up?

I have been a wedding planner since 2004 and also a makeup artist. The idea for York Bride came earlier in the year after thinking of ways to develop my wedding planning business. The majority of this year has been spent on research, designing my website, speaking to local suppliers and getting them on board the York Bride Privilege Card with the aim of launching the site in  January 2011!

3. How did York Bride Start?

I have been involved in the Wedding Industry since 2004 when I studied for a Diploma in Wedding Planning and set up my wedding planning business. From then I spent a few years working as a make-up artist, worked as an Editors Assistant on a local Wedding Magazine and as a Bridal Consultant in a dress boutique in York. I have a great passion for the industry and thoroughly enjoy sharing my ideas and recommendations with brides. Although I thoroughly enjoyed these jobs and they helped me increase my
knowledge and skills base it made me realise that I want to run my own business so made the time to make York Bride happen.

4. Why did you set up York Bride?

I wanted to go back to having my own business. I have 2 children and being able to call the shots and fit my family life is very important to me. I enjoy the challenge of setting up a business and the satisfaction I get from assisting couples with their plans is amazing. I also thrive on being able to make instant changes to the business, whether that means adapting something, adding something or even scrapping something. I currently still work part-time in a 'day job' as a teaching assistant to provide a regular income but my aim is to leave this to go full time with York Bride. I work from home outside my day job hours but would love to have my own studio to work from to allow me to be able to close the door and be at home.

5. How many employee's are there in York Bride and who are they?

Currently only me, although I do pull in help for wedding planning jobs if required, such as venue dressing etc. I am hoping by the end of 2011 to have another member of the team to allow me to take on more work.

6. How did you decide on your business name?

I am terrible with names, and even with my wedding planning business I went through so many! I was given advice to use my own name and other advice not to use my name. This time I wanted a name that would reflect exactly what my business is, something simple, stylish and self explanatory - so York Bride came to me one night at 2am! So far, everyone has loved the name because it says what it is. As the brand develops and grows I would like to develop to other areas such as Harrogate Bride, Leeds Bride
etc...watch this space.

7. What's the best thing about York Bride?

The fact that the wedding industry continues to change and develop and local businesses are sprouting all the time. I hope that my business will be able to introduce the York wedding scene to local couples to save them time on researching and more time to plan their big day. I also hope that suppliers will believe that York Bride is worth being a part of. I have plans to develop the supplier side of the business and for companies to gain further recognition for their contribution to the wedding industry.

8. What do you find most challenging about York Bride?

Time! I have so much I want to do and my mind goes in overdrive with all the plans I have and can get very frustrated not being able to do what I want, when I want. Its all about planning though, so I know that I will be able to do all the things I want but just not yet. Finances are also a struggle, with a very minimal start up budget I need to be creative in launching the site and getting York Bride out there. Fitting family, the day job and York Bride can sometimes be difficult but I have a very supportive husband!

9. What have been some of the greatest rewards from your business?

I am still in the early stages of York Bride, but so far the great comments and support from suppliers willing to join the York Bride Network for the York Bride Privilege Card has been amazing. I hope this continues with suppliers and also brides and grooms as the brand gets better awareness. The other great comments are for the website as I have had to create and design this myself due to lack of finances. I know its only a stepping stone but again I can get frustrated because I want an all singing, all dancing website but have to keep my feet on the ground and remember that one day I will get one- but just not yet!

10. What's the best thing York Bride give to its customers?

I can give my customers (bride and grooms) an honest, comprehensive site to help them with their wedding plans and hopefully save them some money from them using the privilege card. I want my site to be the first place local couples visit to assist them with planning their big day! I am also involved in B2B now which is new to me, and just hope that I can give suppliers the time and  coverage that they deserve and introduce them to couples which in turn will convert to bookings for them.

11. Do you have any top tips for choosing a Wedding Planner?

I know what makes me tick and I know that personally I couldnt imagine not working within the Wedding Industry. I have a real passion and drive to work in the industry even though it can be viewed as one of the trickiest industries to work in. It is a very competitive industry and with no ability to form a customer base as I need to attract new brides all the time. Top tips would be to think about what you are good at, what you like to do, the time that you need to pull it all together and also to maintain and grow the business. The wedding industry is not as glamorous as people think and it is hard work, but with great reward.

12. What three pieces of advice would you give to anyone who wants to run their own business?

1. Be honest with yourself about who you are and what your skill base is. For instance, there is no point setting up as a wedding planner if you have no people skills, no time management skills and dont possess a creative bone in your body. Something's in fairness can be taught but you need strong core skills to get you started.
2. Do your research - I spent a good 2 years studying and researching the local wedding market because I wanted to know everything to allow me to place myself in the market correctly. Dont just assume that your idea will work. Although I am strong believer in gut feeling you need to back this up with real work- you need to earn money for your time and effort.
3. Do be ready to take the rough with the smooth. Its not always easy going, and yes you can plan for the 'black and white', its the grey areas that always throw you! Be prepared to stick with it, it can be a long hard slug but it is worth it.

13. Where can I find out more about York Bride?
Visit website http://www.yorkbride.co.uk/ or feel free to call Claire on 07928 185408.