Big Top Birthday - Circus Themed Inspiration.

Today, I am taking a little step back from Weddings and the focus falls on a Childrens party theme.
Children have much more creative minds than us adults, and a few subtle hints from this theme will send them into a world of greasepaint and the trapeze.

To whisk your guests into a Big Top/Carnival experience, firstly you need some invitations.
This is where you can get creative.
Get some card and shape it like a ticket. Suggested wording is "You are invited to.....Big Top Birthday" and "Admit 1".

For decoration and to create the vision, firstly you will need some red drapes, which you would suspend from the ceiling in a Big Top style pattern.
Homemade bunting could be hung around the walls and the entrance to the event space.
Adorn the tables with red, blue or yellow tablecloths and place a balloon cluster of these colours in the centre of each table.
Place many stuffed animals around the room to create a circus animal feel.
To make a ticket booth for the entrance, paint a large leftover electrical appliance box in bright colours.

For entertainment for the party, consider hiring a clown and/or a magic show.
A parent that is talented in face painting would be a great addition too.

For party games, each child could be given a red nose to play at being Clowns.
They could have a roaring Lion contest.
They could also play Pass the Ringmasters Hat and Musical Clowns.

For craft ideas, they could draw or paint paper plates as circus animals or clowns.
When finished, a lolly stick to the back would be applied, and you would have a ready made mask.
You could also print off circus scenes for the children to colour in.

For food for the party, cotton candy, pretzels, toffee apples, big lolly's, ice cream, hot dogs and pocorn are popular choices.
As for a cake, a clown cake or cupcakes arranged in the shape of a balloon cluster would go down really well.

For some pictorial inspiration for this event see FACEBOOK

If you would like to know suppliers, or need any help bringing this theme together, don't hesitate to contact me on
alisontinlin@plansandpresents.vpweb.co.uk

Photo credit http://www.bellyfeathers.com/

In the Mood - Creating a Wedding Mood Board

A moodboard is a collage of materials [images, text, colours, textures] which capture the ambience and feel of something you want to design or create.

As a wedding and event planner and co-ordinator, this is a useful tool to gather thoughts together whilst not having to commit to anything, and it is very useful when presenting initial idea's to a client.

From a brides point of view, this can be created by saving magazine clippings, drawings etc and storing them in a wedding planning folder, which in theory some of us have been subconciously filling since we were 5.

You can save an image of "The Dress", that gorgeous bouquet, those "must have" shoes, that cool car, or the "to die for" stationery you have been lusting over.

This just makes it easier to bring across what you really see as the look of the day.

Below are some gorgeous examples of how you could bring together your Wedding Wish List to create the vision you have.

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New York , New York - Broadway Inspired & Big Apple Wedding Themes

Start spreading the news....I'm arriving today...I wanna be a part of it...your wedding day !!

This wedding theme idea is a Part 1 of a 2 part series of New York inspired blogs.

This theme is a  bit Broadway inspired with a black and white colour scheme.
This can be brought through firstly in the wedding stationary.
Invitations with an art deco feel, or with the New York skyline would be particularly effective.

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This colour pallette could be a base for wedding attire.
Black is great in any season, and absolutely stunning for bridesmaids gowns, and nothing is more handsome than the boys in a tuxedo.

Prior to the actual wedding meal, the drinks reception could be changed to something Carrie and the girls would be proud of.
Try Cosmopolitians instead of the normal champagne, just to be a little bit different, and in a nod to our U.S friends rename it the "Cocktail Hour"

To dress your reception tables, table linens can be simple yet striking with a white tablecloth and black napkins or the other way around.

Table names could be inspired by famous landmarks in the City such as

-Statue of Liberty
-Time Square
-Manhattan
-Central Park
-Broadway
-Wall Street, and many more.

From a table centre piece, have art deco inspired vases with a vintage arrangement of white blooms possibly with the addition of dusky pink roses to soften the look.

For the cake, this is where fun can be had.
You could choose the Statue of liberty, or a cake with the New York skyline and the famous yellow New York cab, or go all Sex and The City, and have a cupcake tower - very Magnolia Bakery.

And to bling up the whole look of the reception venue, many fairy lights could be used as this would epitomise the brightness of the city.

For favours, consider little art deco picure frames, which could double as place settings or cookies in the style of the New York landmarks.

For music, nothing suits New York more than Frank Sinatra, so a swing band or a tribute act would be a fun addition to the celebrations.

I went to New York in early 2002, and I just loved it and I really want to go back, its just the feel and the excitement of the place, so infectious, and so Wow I'm here !!!

Part 2 of the Blog is focused on New York's other title, the Big Apple.

The colour pallette suited to this theme is green with possibly a  hint of pale pink.

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For stationary, you could simply bring through the apple green colour scheme or go more on theme with an apple motif.

Before the wedding meal the usual champagne/drinks reception can be replaced by apple martinis, the all new apple vodka, an apple cocktail, or apple juice for the children.

For wedding attire, the bridesmaids can be in varying shades of green , whilst the gents suits could be accentuated by green ties, cummerbands or cravats.

As with first New York theme, this can be brought through in the table linens.
A sharp white tablecloth with a soft green overlay or table runner and green napkins.
This can also be accentuated in chair cover sashes.

For place settings , plain white placecards with a little apple motif are effective, or go more unusual using an actual apple with a leaf shaped placecard attached

A centrepiece can be grand or simple. For the grander, have apples in a clear vase , topped with an arrangement of pink, white and green flowers.

For the simpler look, hollow out apples and place t lights inside and have them floating in a clear bowl.

For favours, you can go to town
-little personalised bottles of cider or apple juice
-little apple flavoured sweeties or lollipops in a green gift bag
-candy apples
-apple scented candles

For your cake, apples can be used to decorate in their full or sugar paste form, or just the colours of the fruit could be used.
As an alternative, apples, in addition to other fruits are a great compliment to cakes made from Cheese.

                                                                             
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Both of the New York wedding themes can be done seperately or with elements of both.

Its a fun wedding theme, to go with a fun city and you know someone has always left their heart in New York !

A Lark in the Park -I an and Gemma - Save the Date Shoot.

Today I am honoured to share the work of  Butterworth Photography.

Neil & Becky Butterworth are wedding & lifestyle portrait photographers working in and around Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and other parts of the UK.

Their wedding photography style is designed to capture the story of the day whilst including some of their signature ‘fun, love, life .... captured’ images.

Becky tells us a little bit about  Ian and Gemma's Save the Date/Engagement Shoot.

"Ian and Gemma came to us back in the Summer of 2009 to book their wedding photography.
Gemma is really well organised and has a lot of passion for the planning and preparation for their wedding day which is set for July 2011."

"As we approached the annual countdown to their big day, I suggested we met up and have  a Save the Date shoot.
Firstly this would be a fabulous opportunity for us to meet up again and inject some more fun into the planning stages, and secondly what a great way of letting friends and family know of their wedding date with some bespoke cards which will be sent out to them well in advance of the formal invitations."

"We had a really fun time at Walsall Arboretum, this endless city park area had plenty of opportunity to create some nice images with some lovely walking in between for me to catch up on their wedding plans so far."

"We’re wishing Ian and Gemma all the best in the final stages of their planning, Gemma’s really happy with our Save the Date shots.
She says she’s pretty conscious of being photographed so hopefully after having this photo shoot before her day, she’ll feel more confident and relaxed!"

Thank you so much to the Butterworths for sharing their amazing work. I love the really relaxed laid back vibe of the shoot with all those little personal touches that made it a really special day for the couple.

To Contact ButterWorth Photography

Website: http://www.butterworthphotography.co.uk/

Email: info@butterworthphotography.co.uk

Phone: 0115 8497158

Blog: www.butterworthphotography.co.uk/blog/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheButterworths

Special Follow Friday - Sharon Hill - Wedding Planner Mentor

Every Friday on Twitter, a place where I spend a good bit of time, there is a concept called #FF or Follow Friday.
This is basically where you promote, celebrate, give love to those people, or businesses that you have become friends with, who you think provide a good service, or who have inspired you.

From now on a Friday I want to give special mention to someone that has particularly inspired me, made me think, or who I have great respect for.
This week my Special Follow is for the wonderful Sharon Hill.
For those that don't know her she is otherwise known as the "Wedding Planner Mentor".

 
I have been following Sharon's work for the past year, and she has been an incredible source of support to me.
 
Sharon has been running her own Wedding Planning business for the last 11 years, and before that was an Event Manager for one of the largest Telecommunications companies in the US.
 
She says "When I first went out on my own, I didn’t know anything about starting a business and marketing to make it successful.
I also had a lot to learn about planning social events and weddings. I made a lot of mistakes and spent a lot of money on things that didn’t help me be successful.
I don’t want that to happen to anyone else so I created this blog to share information with new wedding planners."
 
She now shares her tremendous knowledge in a fabulous "Become a Top Wedding Planner" E- book, and sends out a regular newsletter and Blog , and publishes many helpful articles and Wedding Planner "toolkits", essential to all new planners trying to find their feet.
 
I am very grateful to Sharon, as are some of my contemporaries in the UK Wedding industry for her constant support and advice on our journey to becoming better professionals, and am proud to be able to say she is a friend and confidant.
 
To contact Sharon
 
Website: http://www.sharonhill.com/
Email: sharon@sharonhill.com
Blog:  http://becomeatopweddingplannerblog.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheWeddingPlannerMentor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/sharonhill

Mumpreneur shoot - further images !

A month ago I featured some snippets from the newspaper article that myself, Louise Graham and M.T Sweeney were featured in, in the Daily Record.

The article was on Mumpreneurs and you can read the article here.

I have just recieved further photo's from the Shoot so am delighted to share them with you.

Coming up roses - Choosing Wedding Flowers

"Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful.
They are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul. [Luther Burbank- Naturalist]

This statement makes your florist a very important part of your event preparation, but firstly you need to be happy with your choice.

Ask lots of questions, about different flowers, whats in season etc

Ask to see portfolio's. You want a florist who's style matches your own.

Its also important to mention any themes, and take colour swatches so that the florist can help you choose the best blooms.

As well as looking great you have to take into consideration the scent of the flowers, some may be very beautiful to look at but can be overpowering in smell.

Consider the locations that need to be decorated.
For a wedding as a general guide you may need -
Church [ pedestal , pew ends]
Reception [ top table, guest tables]
Personal [ Bride, Bridesmaids, groom, best man, ushers,mothers, fathers, gift bouquets]
In an autumn or winter wedding, the addition of a candelabra to the flower arrangements can be particularly striking.

A good florist will also know many local venues and will be able to give you direction on what works best where.
Also remember that many florists charge a delivery fee and for set up at your ceremony and reception sites.
Take time in choosing flowers for your event, they are usually primary in the decoration of your venue.
See a few different florist, interview them properly, if a florist is pushing you towards arrangements you can't afford, move on.

Also as a cost saving exercise, you can give away your table centrepieces at the end of the evening to special family members or guests, or keep for those unable to attend.

The FABULOUS Wedding Tea Towel !

Just when you thought you had seen everything Wedding, something comes along and just blows it all out of the water !

This great little product has been doing the rounds in the Blog circuit, but I just want to share with all you lovely people the latest "must have."

Ben and Karen got married last year, and with Ben's background in design he was under intense pressure to come up with something amazing for invitation design.

After many [about 20] failed attempts, they decided it was really important to create something that was sustainable, and eco friendly, so came up with the unique Wedding Tea Towel, with an original Whale design.

Most often Wedding Invitations go straight in the bin after the Wedding, but with an idea for a tea towel invitation, it would be something that guests could use, and something that would bring happy memories each time that that person dried their dishes.

They have an amazng range of designs with 5 design options, and words and colours can be easily edited to fit in with your day, as well as a bespoke design service should you wish to use your own ideas.

And as well as an invitation it can be used as a Save the Date, Favour or special Thank You.
What could be more useful ? and what could bring a smile to someone's face like one of these little beauties ?

I was recently sent a sample by the lovely Karen, and the quality is exceptional, and to recieve one of these as an invitation would just make me even more excited to attend the senders Big Day with the sheer originality of their choice.

Personally I am really open to the diversity, and fabulousness of Wedding stationery right now, and this is definetely an invitation that would float my boat.

Its innovative, exciting, and new and has a great big future.

To Contact Ben and Karen

Website: http://www.weddingteatowels.co.uk/

Email: karenbrown1980@googlemail.com

Phone: 07739 034 331

A Great Big Thank You from the "Twitter Queen"

Just want to say a huge big thank you to everyone that supports me, and especially to Mr Wedding at http://www.easyweddingsearch.com/
The journey into business can sometimes be a rocky one, which has it's highs, and quite often it's lows.

It's really nice to be recognised for being good at what you do, and it has been fabulous recently to be in the national press, and to look forward to further press later in the year.

For the last few months, I have been incredibly honoured to hold a place in the Top 100 of Wedding Tweeters on Twitter.
Yesterday, a dream was realised when I actually took the top spot.
It may not be some big award, but it means the world to me, to feel that I am being valued, and to have been of help to my fellow Tweeters.

I really hope to be able to hold onto my spot, and to continue to provide support to everyone that I connect with.
I have made so many lovely friends, who I hope to meet early next year, and they make each day better just by being the wonderful people that they are.

In  recognition of the fact that many lovely tweeple have called me the new "Twitter Queen", here is a little picture love.

Photo Credit: http://struvephotography.co.uk/ [with photo magic help by the lovely Rebecca Spencer]

Thank you everyone for being there -  Love Ali x

A Beautiful Scottish Wedding - Liam and Nicola - Images by Archibald Photgraphy

I am really excited to share this beautiful Wedding by Archibald Photography.

Donna tells a little bit of background of how the couple met, and all the grogeous details of their Wedding Day.

"Nicola and Liam met at a birthday party for Liam's brother Calum.
Nicola's friend was friends with Calum's wife."

"They were together for four and a half years before they getting married having lived together for two and a half of those years.
Liam proposed to Nicola on a secluded beach called Ardban near Applecross.
He was very romantic and had hidden a note in the picnic blanket then he went down on one knee.
The couple had champagne, and corn beef sandwiches for their picnic, and the ring was a £5 ring from Argos which Nicola wore until they went to buy the real thing!"

"Liam and Nicola decided to get married at the Western House Hotel in Ayr as it was near Troon where Nicola was originally from, and meant she could leave from her mum and dad's house. (the couple now live in Aberdeen)."

"They picked Western House Hotel as it has a good reputation (Winner of Scottish Hotel of the Year 2009 and Scottish Wedding Venue of the Year 2007, 2008 & 2009), it had accommodation for all their guests (most of whom had to travel to the wedding), and because it had a big enough dance floor.
Nicola told me that “Jean Kerr the wedding co-coordinator was great in helping us plan the big day.”

"Its no wonder Nicola was still so keen on Troon - captured so beautifully by Mark just before arriving at Nicola's parents house.
Nicola had her hair done by Joe at Capello in Troon.
Joe was Nicola's hairdresser when she lived in Troon and her Mum still goes there.
Nicola told us “it was lovely to have my hair done by someone that knows me and the family so well and was able to provide a much needed glass of wine!
We then went next door to The Powder Room to get our makeup done.”

"Nicola's dress was by Ellis Bridals and she got it in Cuco Bridalwear, a lovely wedding shop in Troon.
Nicola said “The staff there made choosing my dress a really lovely experience and even though I went to quite a few places in Aberdeen none came close to the one in Troon.”
Nicola bought her veil online at The Wedding Veil Shop which she found great value for money. She also chose her tiara online - handmade by East Beach Design."

"Flowers for the day came from Kirstie's in Troon; again a family friend.
Nicola told us “Kirstie did a wonderful job and again having someone you know doing it really brought a personal touch.”
Nicola's Aunt very kindly bought their cake for them from Sugar and Spice.
As it was also Nicola's Mum and Dad's 40th Wedding Anniversary, the couple also bought them a cake from Sugar and Spice, and thought both were great."

"Cars for the big occasion from Waterside Cars and what a fantastic car they chose.
 Apparently Liam was in heaven when they went to visit the showroom as there were so many fantastic old cars to look at."

"The couple were aware that choosing a photographer that they both felt comfortable with was going to be really important to them.
They told us “we followed our hearts when we chose Mark at Archibald Photography.
He was great on the day, he really understood what we were looking for and that helped to put us at ease on the day.
 My mum hasn't stopped going on about how great he was!"

”The day was such a fantastic success that Nicola struggles to chose her favourite part.
However, she was really pleased by the reaction from their guests when they saw the couple doing their first dance.
Nicola has decided that “five weeks of classes and a couple of private lessons" to learn a routine really was worth it to hear the gasps when people realised we weren't just going to be shuffling round the floor.”

"Nicola's cousin played the piano for them during the ceremony.
Nicola told us “I had wanted a grand piano but it cost too much.
Thankfully though, we hired a really good digital piano, and it worked really well as after the ceremony the piano was moved outside to the band stand, and Gilmour played away so the guests were entertained while we were getting our photo's done.
 We hadn't planned it but it was a really nice touch!”

"Nicola & Liam's evening entertainment was provided by a band called Fudge Machine, who were, again, chosen via an internet search.
They told us “we could not have been happier with them - they did a great job, my guests raved about them and the dance floor was never empty!”

"There were plenty of laughter going on at the wedding. Nicola recalls “we definitely had a bit of a giggle when my garter fell down - thankfully not during the ceremony.
There were a couple of hiccups on the day like one of the ovens being broken but nothing major and nothing that spoiled it for us.”

In summary, the couple felt they “had an amazing day, the sun was out and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Only wish it could have lasted longer.”

Thank you to Donna and Mark for sharing such a wonderful story, and such fanatastic vibrant images from a a lovely Scottish Wedding.
I love the balance between the gorgeous blue colour scheme with pink accent.
The bridesmaids gowns are stunning, and you know my thoughts on men in kilts....
Great little detailing in fabulous flowers, and an amazing cake, and the car is a showstopper, no wonder Liam was pleased.
And all in a great location on the Ayrshire coast.

Photo Credit : http://www.archibaldphotography.co.uk/