The Proposal - Will You Marry Me !

It's generally seen as one of the most important conversations we will ever have, and to that end, we should strive to make "The Proposal" as memorable as we can.

It can be a daunting prospect, and the intense pressure to do it "right", is immense.
This doesn't mean we have to whisk the love of our life off to some romantic place, or spend silly amounts of money.
The best proposal stories can come from pleasures like a summer picnic in the park, and in the manner one of my friend's, stones laid out on a beach to say "Will you marry Me?" whilst on holiday.
Romance can be as simple as rose petals, and candles, it can be a walk up a mountain to see an awesome view, it can be a spur of a moment decision where you are gripped with such a feeling that you never want to let go this amazing person you have found.
You can go all out too, and have the proposal written in fireworks, or in a banner drawn by a small plane, or in the manner of a recent Scottish groom, on the cinema screen before the showing of "It's a Wonderful Life!
Whichever way you propose, you have to think about your partner, and the kind of things they love and appreciate.

Celebrity's have had differing ways to propose. Michael Douglas made his proposal to Catherine Zeta Jones memorable through asking her to marry him at the Eve of the Millenium. It was a discreet proposal, balanced very nicely by the huge diamond he gave her.
I personally like recently married, Pier's Morgans approach, where he whisked his girlfriend to Paris and whilst there, presented her with a 1st Edition copy of her favourite author, John Updike's book "Marry Me"
For me personally, I was the one that proposed, quite romantically, I thought!

My proposal to my husband was on the 23rd of August 2003, and was on Tower Bridge in London. I was going to do it on the London Eye, but got the wobbles as I'm scared of heights, and wimped out.

It didn't really go so well as I got turned down, but that is the chance you have to take when laying your heart on the line, its a monumental and life changing decision. Luckily for him, he soon realised what he would be missing, and 6 years later we couldn't be happier.

I wish you all your own romantic story, and even if its not, the fact that someone loves you that much to ask you this amazing question is beautiful indeed.

Wedding Insurance - I Don't Need That, Do I?

Today our Guest Blogger is the fabulous Adam Leyton, who gives us some really good advice on how important Wedding Insurance really is.

"Using a wedding planner certainly takes a lot of the stress out of planning your wedding.
They can find the perfect venue for you, liaise with all your suppliers, and make sure everything runs like clockwork on the big day.
However, even the best wedding planner in the world can't control absolutely everything
Venues or suppliers can go out of business, gifts can get lost or stolen, dresses can get damaged and illness can strike family members (or even the Bride and Groom)."

"Whilst most of these examples are rare, if they were to happen it could end up costing you a lot of money to put right, not to mention the stress they would cause.
This is where wedding insurance comes in. It's an insurance policy that covers you financially should something going wrong in the run up to, or on your big day."

"What if, for example, the Best Man has a little too much to drink and ends up ripping his hired suit whilst on the dance floor? Your wedding insurance policy should cover the cost of the repairs.
Or, worse still if either you are ill just before the wedding and you're forced to rearrange the whole day, your wedding insurance policy would reimburse any expenses incurred as a result of doing that."

"On average, a wedding insurance policy costs around £41 - about the same then as feeding just one additional guest.
For such a relatively small premium, wedding insurance is probably worth it, just for the peace of mind."

"Wedding insurance comparison sites such as compareweddinginsurance.org.uk list many of the UK's leading providers and can help you quickly find the right policy to meet your needs."

Thank you Adam for sharing your advice with us on a really important issue.
Personally, from my point of view, I always say to each client that Wedding Insurance is an absolute MUST.
You wouldn't dare think of not insuring your car, your mobile phone, your holday's so why risk one of the most important, and probably expensive days you will ever have.

You can contact Adam

Website: http://www.compareweddinginsurance.org.uk/
Email: admin@toptableplanner.com

Supplier Spotlight - Poppy Sparkles - Handcrafted Jewellery

Poppy Sparkles is an online retailer of handmade jewellery, specialising in bridal and special occasion jewellery.
Pieces include necklaces, bracelets, earrings, hairpins and tiaras, predominantly featuring Freshwater pearls and Swarovski crystal finished with Sterling silver.
Pieces are based on classic jewellery designs infused with modern trends and given a contemporary edge.

Today we are talking to absolutely lovely Viv Smith who tells us all about her fantastic business.

How did Poppy Sparkles come about ?

"Although Poppy Sparkles is a new comer, there is experience behind the young business, founded by myself just this year.
I have been making jewellery since my early teens and in a bid to supplement my pocket money have been selling my creations for nearly as long !
I began making Bridal Jewellery in 2006 on a small scale, always wishing I could pursue it further.
I am currently on a career break whilst I look after my two children, giving me a perfect opportunity to pursue what I truly love doing – creating gorgeous jewellery.
 I felt that it was ‘now or never’ and whilst I am at home fulltime I have the perfect opportunity to establish Poppy Sparkles and join the ranks of WAHMs and Mumpreneurs.
Life is too short to put your dreams on hold, so I’ve set to work to realise my dream."

What drives you ?

I love creating jewellery, especially for Brides and special occasions.
There is something special about bridal jewellery and being a part of a bride’s special day.
With a love of Freshwater pearls and Swarovski crystal I am very much drawn to bridal jewellery and specialise in creating sumptuous and elegant designs.
I love to create beautiful handcrafted pieces that I see becoming keepsakes and even future heirlooms.
I take inspiration from classic designs, as well as current trends.
I also welcome bespoke orders as it gives me the opportunity to work with new ideas and create something that I might not have considered before."

"I strive for perfection and want to create jewellery that will be worn again and again.
Costume jewellery has a place, but I see Poppy Sparkles creating pieces that have longevity, hence the use of fine materials such as Freshwater pearls, Swarovski crystal and sterling silver, that are to be kept and cherished.
Each piece is designed by myself and individually crafted by hand, with attention to detail."

What's the future for Poppy Sparkles ?

"Alongside Bridal Jewellery, I also make non-bridal jewellery and am developing the ‘Miss Poppy Collection’ of dinky jewellery for little girls, giving me outlet for experimenting with colours.
I feel that this gives me the refreshing break from bridal whites, as well as an opportunity to experiment with designs.
Often this feeds back into the bridal designs, but it also means I am well placed to help create accessories for other members of the wedding party should as the Mother of the Bride, Flower girls or guests."

"Currently, I am working on a new collection of Bridal Jewellery which will be launched at the same time as an online shop is added to my website.
The collection offers a stunning range of designs and styles to suit different brides.
Each piece features beads wire-wrapped with sterling silver and takes Poppy Sparkles to what I feel is a new level.
I am very excited by the direction Poppy Sparkles is taking and the development both online and in my studio."


Thank You so much to Viv for telling us all about her fabulous work, I especially love the "DIVINE" bridal tiara, its just so glamorous and would be an exquisite accessory for any brides Big Day.

To Contact Viv

Website: http://www.poppysparkles.co.uk/
Email: viv@poppysparkles.co.uk
Phone: 07956 374 111
Blog http://www.poppysparkles.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/vivpoppysparkle
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/poppysparkles?ref=ts

YOUR WEDDING STATIONERY– TO D.I.Y OR NOT?

With more and more couples trying to plan their perfect wedding on a restricted budget a trend is forming for couples to ‘do-it-themselves’ when it comes to things like the wedding cake, the flowers, bridesmaid dresses, favours and now your wedding stationery.
But does it really pay to do it yourself when it comes to the all important wedding invite?

Vaishali Shah, Creative Director of ananya, market leaders in providing quality wedding stationery offers the following words of wisdom for couples who are considering cutting costs when it comes to the all important wedding stationery.

‘'The wedding invitation is the very first point of contact the guests will receive in relation to the Wedding so it needs to set the scene and tone perfectly. The stationery reflects the couple and becomes a personal statement. Wedding invites would typically look more professional when produced by a designer. They would not necessarily all be identical and consistent if produced by hand/DIY’.

Couples should also consider that Wedding invitations DIY style could actually end up costing more than professionally designed invitations as you have to purchase each item separately e.g. the insert, the envelope, the ribbon, the embellishments etc before assembling together.
By the time you spend money on the paper, the envelopes and the ink and adding in your time, you may find that it would have been cheaper to have had them made professionally. If the quantities that are required are small, then DIY invites could be an option but if larger quantities or a more elaborate style of design are required, then getting the invitations designed professionally is a much better solution.

Vaishali continues, ‘If the main motivation for going DIY on the invites is to save some money, there are other ways that this can be achieved even if you have professionally designed invitations.
 Avoiding extras such as metallic colours and embossing will certainly save you money, as well as using second-class postage instead of first.
 Another option would be to limit the number of professionally printed stationery inserts. For example, you could just order the main pieces (invites and RSVP cards) and then DIY the other wedding stationery (place cards, thank you cards etc)’. Ananya offer both a bespoke service and a boutique service (ready to purchase) which provides a range of products to suit all budgets.

When choosing your wedding stationery with ananya, couples are opening the doors to have their wedding invitation designed professionally specifically for their needs.
There are no restrictions with pattern, specific colour, font, type of paper etc like with a DIY invitation, as ananya will produce to the clients exact wishes. If you are feeling crafty and do decide to create the invitations yourself, then do try and make them as personal and representative of you as possible.
A final thought to consider is that unlike ordering stationery which can be done relatively easily and quickly, designing and making your own can be time-consuming. Printing invitations yourself can be both stressful and time consuming. This time could be better spent preparing or organising another aspect of your Wedding.
So before you consider cutting your wedding stationery budget and going down the DIY route, check out http://www.ananyacards.com/. Get in touch with them to discuss your requirements, design ideas and quantities. Feel free from the start to lay out your budget so they can offer you solutions that will work for you.


Thank you to the wonderful Vaishali of Ananya, and the equally fabulous Nicola Russill Roy of Catwalk Creations [PR] for allowing me to share these excellent tips for choosing stationery.
I am sure you will agree following on from the feature on ananya the other day http://plansandpresents.blogspot.com/2010/06/ananya-luxury-stationery.html that her products are stunning, and she knows her stuff.

Collaboration Women Wednesday Blog Hop - Week 10

Welcome to Creation|Collaboration's 10th and last in this series; Women Wednesday blog roll, hosted by Beads & More by Lois, Soaperstar and Plans and Presents

Creation|Collaboration was set up by eight women, all existing friends, who run small businesses from their homes. We have started Women Wednesday blog roll to link up with other women in business, spread the word about Creation|Collaboration and basically just have fun visiting all of your interesting blogs!


We hope you have joined the weekly blog hops, we will be doing more of them in the future with a slight difference!

Heres how you can join in with Collaboration Women Wednesday:

• Link up your blog name and URL to your Women Wednesday blog post using the McKLinky below (you only need to add on one blog to be seen on all of the McKLinky blog roll's) Please note that it's for blogs only and not links to your websites or shops.
• Follow our Creation|Collaboration blog and the hostesses listed in the first 3 slots.
• Grab our Women Wednesday button and feature it on your blog or Women Wednesday blog post.
• Follow and comment saying you're from Women Wednesday on as many blogs as you likes listed in the McKlinky box.
• Follow back any new followers from Women Wednesday!

It's that easy and a fun way to discover new and interesting blogs and us women at Creation|Collaboration get to meet other women in business!

Last week Jacquie Swain from Soaphora was picked to be our 5th Blog Hop Feature!


Jacquie has incorperated Soaphora and A String of Beads to handcraft beautiful soaps, creams, balms and lampwork beads in her studio.

We asked Jacquie 5 questions so we could find out more about her and her business.

1. Tell us about yourself and your business.

I started my business in 2006 after a lengthy time off sick from my job, I started making jewellery, which, in turn, I started to sell. I then got more and more interested in where the beads came from (ethically) and so started to source British made lampwork beads. I loved them so much I started making them myself. I still make and sell beads and from time to time jewellery, but it's the beads that are my main passion. 

2. What do you love most about having your own business?

I love that each day is different, I love being able to lock myself into my studio and create when I want. I love the freedom of being my own boss and making the decisions!

3. What would you like to change?

What would I like to change, apart from the obvious, More sales, the only thing I would change at the moment is to perhaps streamline my range of fragrances a bit. There's always room for change though!

4. What do you love most about blogging?

I love the sharing of information, seeing others creativity. Lovely photographs and always learning something new!

5. What is your most favourite thing you have made?

My favourite thing that I've made, hmm thats tricky. Over the years I have made somewhere in the region of 4000 silver core beads and many many sets and its hard to have favourites as I always see the technical flaws, I'm also a relatively new soap maker and my favourites are based on fragrance and how they feel to me when I use them ( I'm biased I know so am bound to say I love them all!) However I would say that that whatever you make your first should always be your favourite as its a constant reminder of how far you've come and what you've achieved. I still feel excited when I see the first soap I made and although it's not the best and it has no smell I'm still amazed that its soap!

Thank you Jacquie for being part of the blog hop and feature.

Make sure you check out her blog


You can buy her products from her Website

Ananya - Luxury Stationery.

Today I am delighted to welcome Vaishali Shah who owns "Ananya", a luxury stationery company.
Here she tells us a little bit about her fabulous business.

Tell us about your Business

"ananya (Sanskrit for ‘without equal’) is a luxury design company specialising in a range of beautiful wedding stationery.
We can design a whole suite of wedding related stationery, including invitations, thank you cards, order of service, menus, place cards, seating plans, and monograms as well as personal stationery that makes a statement about you."

"The design team at ananya understands that getting married is one of life’s most important events and bridal couples want the whole experience to reflect their uniqueness.
Following an in-depth consultation with the couple, Ananya will create a portfolio of wedding stationery, unique to that couple’s dreams and desires.
The service covers all stages of the design process from the initial concept to completion."

Why did you start?

"As a British Asian who has maintained a strong connection to my Indian heritage, I had become acutely aware of the need for a culturally aware design agency.
The South Asian audience was looking for stationery that had an adequate appreciation of, and did justice to their rich cultural heritage.
 In order to address that need, my company creative id which is a boutique design and marketing agency established in 2000, launched a new service called ananya in 2008."

Your style

"The ananya style exudes elegance, sophistication and a touch of the exotic.
We are known for our professional and personalised service. With our attention to detail, we combine all the key elements that make a personal statement about a couple.
Even our ‘off the shelf’ range, for the more budget conscious, is designed without sacrificing elegance."

"The ananya products have a signature deluxe feel, combining Eastern and European design elements with metallic inks and hand embellished crystals.
We at ananya have a multicultural approach and excel at creating stationery that is a beautiful fusion of cultures for our mixed weddings."

"For multicultural weddings, we are sensitive in respecting the values and traditions of both cultures.
For example, we created stationery for an Indian bride and Scottish groom and also a couple where the bride was half Indian and half Scottish and a Scottish groom.
So we used paisley as a motif which our research showed had symbolic significance to both cultures.
We had a green background to match the tartan and paisley in deep pink to give it a rich and exotic Indian look."

What drives you?

"Being aware of what people are looking for and knowing our team has the talent to fill the need.
Using our passion for perfection, style and multicultural sensibility we are able to create something of unique value to a couple.
What a perfect way to symbolise one of the most important days of their lives!
Seeing the joy on their faces is the icing on the cake!"

Whats the future of the business ?

"My goal is to expand the business geographically and in particular I want to broaden my client base in the US as well as explore the UAE.
In addition to wedding stationery, we are also focused on personal stationery and correspondence cards.
My aim is to also to sell our range of Diwali and Eid greeting cards overseas."


Thanks to Vaishali for talking to us today.
I absolutely adore Vaishali's collections, I love the unusual designs and the bright colours, and how celebration of heritage is brought through in design.
I haven't seen anything as unusual or as specialist in the British market so it excites me that I can share with you Vaishali's wonderful work.


For further information, please contact:

Vaishali Shah

Telephone:  +44 (0)20 7242 1877

Email: info@ananyacards.com

Website: http://www.ananyacards.com/

Snap Happy ! Lee and Abby - Engagement Shoot - Images by T.P Photography

Its my great pleasure to share with you again the work of Greg Thurtle, this is one of his most recent Engagement Shoots.

He decided to have a little fun with this couple, and took along another camera so they could get get a little picture love in too.
Lee and Abby are getting married in the New Forest at the end of July, Greg met up for an engagement shoot near Southampton, and it was time to play.

I love the interaction in this shoot, its very evident how comfortable and how much in love this couple are.
And I like the fact that they are willing to think a little outside the box and be a little playful on their shoot.

To contact Greg:

Website: http://www.thurtlepower.com/
Email: greg@thurtlepower.com
Phone: 07834 490 393

Collaboration Women Wednesday Blog Hop - Week 9

Welcome to Creation|Collaboration's 9th Women Wednesday blog roll, hosted by Beads & More by Lois, Soaperstar and Plans and Presents

Creation|Collaboration was set up by eight women, all existing friends, who run small businesses from their homes. We have started Women Wednesday blog roll to link up with other women in business, spread the word about Creation|Collaboration and basically just have fun visiting all of your interesting blogs!

Join in each week and you could be the following weeks blog feature. Every Thursday we will use Randomness software to pick someone from that weeks blog hop and announce who will be the next blog feature.

Heres how you can join in with Collaboration Women Wednesday:

• Link up your blog name and URL to your Women Wednesday blog post using the McKLinky below (you only need to add on one blog to be seen on all of the McKLinky blog roll's) Please note that it's for blogs only and not links to your websites or shops.
• Follow our Creation|Collaboration blog and the hostesses listed in the first 3 slots.
• Grab our Women Wednesday button and feature it on your blog or Women Wednesday blog post.
• Follow and comment saying you're from Women Wednesday on as many blogs as you likes listed in the McKlinky box.
• Follow back any new followers from Women Wednesday!

It's that easy and a fun way to discover new and interesting blogs and us women at Creation|Collaboration get to meet other women in business!

Last week Polly from Miss Polly was picked to be our 4th Blog Hop Feature!

Miss Polly is a new bath and beauty company based in Ayrshire, Scotland. All their products are handmade with beautiful packaging that makes them stand out.

We asked Polly 5 questions so we could find out more about her and her business.

1. Tell us about yourself and your business.

Hello, my name is Polly and I live in Ayrshire with my husband and son Matthew. I started making soaps as a hobby and gave myself 3 years to start a business. Once I mastered soaps, I then turned to body butters and I will be launching body scrubs, bath salts, bath oils, and Cold Process soaps all before the end of the year. 

I had no idea how much I would enjoy making bath products, or how much I would want other people to enjoy Miss Polly soaps, so it has been a wonderful suprise that the business has taken off so much quicker and more successfully than I ever imagined. And with so much more products than I ever dreamed of making.

2. What do you love most about having your own business?

My business is just that, my business. I thought it, dreamed it, cried over it, have handmade every single product and that is a huge boost for me. I'm not quite my own boss, as the big decisions (e.g. the big financial outlays) are made jointly with my husband, but being the owner of my own business has forced me to find skills and confidence I never knew I had, to get out there, to networking events, to shop owners, and put me and Miss Polly into the public eye. The success of Miss Polly rests on my shoulders, which might sound daunting, but is actually quite empowering and is a great motivator!

3. What would you like to change?

The usual - time and money. I work 3 days a week in an office, and it's hard to craft the other 2 weekdays with a very inquisitive toddler on the loose, so I do most things in the evenings and weekends. It's tiring but worth it as I get a huge feeling of satisfaction when I see all those pretty tins lined up on the shelf. And all the practising, the abandoned projects, just getting to this stage has been costly, so more time and money would help take the business forward and allow me to work on the ideas I have spinning around in my head.

4. What do you love most about Blogging?

For me, blogging isn't just about selling my products,  though that is important too, but it is a way of getting to know the people behing the brand, the individuals who are creating all these lovely products. I am interested to read about their thoughts and their lives, as we are all in similar positions and the community spirit among bloggers means that we all help and support each other, which is fantastic. I would not have been anywhere near this stage without fantastic feedback from networking sites. 

5. What is your most favourite thing you have made?

My favourite has to be my body butters because they work! I love that people will buy a Miss Polly body butter and within a week or 2 they will have lovely soft skin. I take enormous satisfaction from the knowledge that I've created something that has a direct beneficial effect on their skin. 

Thank you Polly for being part of the blog hop and feature.

You can buy Miss Polly products from their website

If you would like to be featured next week, make sure you join in this weeks blog hop, only 2 more left!

Hedgehogs and Sunsets - Real Wedding - Kate and Simon - Images by Serendipity Photography

Today I want to share with you the Wedding of Kate and Simon. You may remember that I blogged their lovely Engagment shoot, a few weeks back
http://plansandpresents.blogspot.com/2010/05/engagement-shoot-strawberries-and.html

Kate and Simon got married on 8th May 2010.
They got married in a small little church in Taxal in Derbyshire.
The church is where Kate's grandmother had got married so it had some lovely family connections.
They then had their reception up in High Disley which is right up on the moorlands.
 
Kate tells us "Kate and Simon were such fun to photograph and it was such a pleasure to be part of their day."
 
 

 
 
Its so nice to be able to follow through from the preparation stages until the Wedding Day.
Kate and Simons Big Day looks fabulous and I am sure they enjoyed every single minute of it.
 
To contact Kate:
 
Website: http://www.serendipityphotography.co.uk/
Email: katythomson@serendipityphotography.co.uk
Phone: 07974 198 376