Moody, no. Mood Boards, yes.

You may think we've fallen off the planning earth and buried ourselves beneath a mound of papers and work. We have. I can't say too much, but there is ALOT of exciting new things happening in the Event Wishes world. Alot. We're waiting on some luscious pictures for you to drool over ( please refrain from drooling directly onto your keyboard...they are not waterproof, and we'd know) of some of our recent events for a later post, but until then....brighten your day with this pwetty pwetty rustic spring moodbard we put together for one of our gorgeous brides. Winter blues banished. Simples.

We channelled our inner 5 year old ( she wasn't hard to find) and thought of all things fun. The venue this sassy bride picked has a stunning Pergola outside for dining, something of a clincher for this chilled out couple of ours. With only 'purple' as a guideline, it was a rustic al fresco affair that had our creative juices flowing.... want to know what we thought of...? Sure you do.

(From left to right)

Picnic style food. You know you love it. Have a graphic designer create a bespoke monogram of your names and print it on the napkins/bags/cups. Anywhere and everywhere! Oh. but please don't have it tattooed a la Frankie Cocozza.

Test Tube flowers. Cheap and Chic = Rare. You can personalise these by having a favourite flower of each of your bridal party in each arrangement.

Signature flavoured cocktails of the happy couple on tap... no more need be said.

Grape sorbet cornetto. If it's good enough for Martha Stewart, it's good enough for us.

Handmade rustic woodland inspired signs. They could include favourite quotes, poetry, your monogram (!), some of your vows, or (my favourite)... random amusing facts about the couple. Keep it clean though folks, kids can read...and they have the memory of an elephant for embarassing things.

Purple lanterns. Not only do they make an incredible impact, but they are budget-friendly too. I would suggest purchasing fire lanterns and hanging these instead, then at the end of the night, guests are invited to set them alight and free them into the clouds. You can even personalise each one with either guest or table names...or that cheeky little monogram.

Classic, charming, lavender. They last, they look gorgeous and we love them..... remember a certain Garden Photoshoot we did this summer....?? Lavender in silver teapots may not an be obvious combo but somehow they look like they were meant to be together.

Ribbons on chairs are a such a fantastic alternative to chair covers and organza, ideal for al fresco wedding breakfasts. Pick you fave colours, alternate them, randomize them, become mesmorized by them flapping and flirting with the summer breeze, love them. Or if you're simply looking for an accent on the chairs of the Bride and Groom, but don't fancy a Beckham-esque throne (and if you do, you'd better be marrying Prince Harry), then this is a perfectly subtle alternative.

Hearts with lavender - perfect for dangling from chairs, gazebo's, fireplaces... and your guest's home. Wedding favour andddd design perfection. Tick, tick.

Organic, local produce is not only a big food trend (as we told you about), but it looks oh so luffly. Jamie Oliver styling - winner. At Jamie's Italian they use Italian tinned tomatoes as a stand for a wooden board of antipasti. Yummy.

Have a rustic table yearning but can't quite let go of your table-clothed white wedding imagery?? Tis okay, its happens to the best of us. Try using a crisp white runner through the centre of a rickety un-treated wooden table, adhering to all health and safety regulations of couuurrsseeeee ( you NEVER know what those pesky Health & Safety hawks are reading) , or lay parallel stripes under the crockery settings like our mood board picture... stunning annndd splinter-free.

Candles candles everywhere. Nuff said.

Wedding favours in bottles are a fave of mine, which I agree does sound slightly alcoholics anonymous, however I actually mean an array of non-alcohol inspired treats. Whether it be vanilla essence like our picture, or decorative cooking oils (think chilli oil / truffle oil etc), it's different and beaut. Orrrrrrrr refer to Adore & Abolish for an idea I've personally always loved....

Finally, writing table plans on window panes. Yup bringing the inside outside. Why ever not?! You know the man for the job.

Phew. That's a lot of inspiration for you on a Tuesday. Now for rant and raves in our little Adore and Abolish mentions.

Adore

Following on from wedding favours.... I personally love love love the concept of designing your own perfume alongside the phenomenal Lynn Harris of Miller Harris and giving all the girlie guests pretty, ornate, engraved bottles of personalised yummyness as the wedding favours to take home to their dressing tables. For the guys... a personalised little bottle of the groom's favourite tipple, which I'm sure the stags will have great fun choosing!

The Event Wishes team had one of the most sought-after September invitations in the Wedding and Event planing world in our little palm. Yup, we were invited to see the re-launch of the Dorchester's enchanting Ballroom, having undergone one heck of a makeover. We can tell you...it's breathtaking...and incidentally waayyy more bridal. Huzzah. I'm happy to report it maintains the old school glamour that the Dorchester is famed for, but it's now combined with much more workable white gold leafed accents, including the ornate ceiling in the aptly named Gold Room, and among many other things, chandeliers have finally graced the ballroom as well new beige carpets and the perfect catwalk for clickety clackety heels across the entrance lobby's stunning marble floor. A floor so gorgeous I wanted to lie down on it. One more glass of Champagne and I would have.

Supporting a very dear charity that close to all our hearts by going shopping at the luxury Rigby & Peller? Genius. Celeb fans include Lady Gaga, Stella McCartney, Sophie Dahl, K-Middy and it may be, like, soooo totes in-approps' to mention, but they're famous for sorting out Queenie's bloomers too. Score. We heart this beautiful bridal lace basque, plus it's a total steal at just £82.95 (we thought it was a random price too but hey ho!)

Abolish

Right this one is a shocker. I'm a bit scared to even write this due to possible hate mail retaliation. But.... (tremble tremble)...Vera Wang's Midnight Black bridal gowns, premiered at New York Bridal week. What a kerfuffle (yes I have spell-checked this word). Now don't get me wrong, I'll be a Wang fan forever, but black on your wedding day? Nah. Althoughhhh for a rehearsal dinner....YEP YEP YEP. So that'll just be the two wedding dresses, one going away outfit, three pairs of shoes and a whole suitcase of honeymoon attire then....

We will never let David Schwimmer play DJ. Nah-uh. For his romantic vow renewal...he flew none other than Peter Andre over to serenade them as his wifey is a huge 'Mysterious Girl' fan. Snappy. Peter baby, love you we do, but more for how cute you are with your children as opposed to your singing.

Proposal services. No no no. Googling ' Proposal ideas' returns a staggering 6,820,000 results. Come oonnnnn. This is the most important question of your life so far, for the person you want to spend the rest of you life with... surely she's worth more than a google?! If you're looking for an idea then shame on you, but if you're looking for someone to execute your idea ( especially if its co-ordinating flights, hotels, design etc etc) then we think it's great that there is a growing trend in Proposal Specialists that make it happen - Samantha von Sperling from Polished Social Image Consultants in New York will even provide the proposer with breath strips and a cunning little de-sweat palm potion. Wow.

Right you scallywags, if you're still yearning for more of our banter - and 'Coutts Banks' to you if you do( that's Kensington Rhyming Slang for 'thanks' ) then feel free to gander our wedding day countdown advice, featured in an article written for top wedding site Hitched.

Lots of autumnal love ( it's very different to our summer love),

Jennifer & everyone at Event Wishes xxx

It's been a while....but look at what we've been doing!!

We're late, we're late for a very important date..no time to say hello, goodbye..we're late, we're late, we're late, we're LATE! Actually. We're never late. Infact it's a planner's curse that we are ALWAYS early..well for work -related things you understand... even we dabble in the punctuality stakes for the fashionably late debate. But....shriek! The blog is late. Clearly we need to get on the phone to the midnight pixie agency and battle them down about just exactly why they haven't come along during wedding season to lighten our (lovely) load. Honestly, if you want something doing.... hire a planner!

That is just what the clever souls at the infamous Animal Health Trust did when they took us on board as the exclusive planner at the brand new country wedding venue - Lanwades Hall. This stunner of a venue is nestled in leafy historical Newmarket, set in 120 blissful acres. Laterz London air... we've found a new love...and it makes us feel so fresh that not even the Evian babies can compete on our cloud. The venue itself is a majestic 16th Century style beauty built in 1907 from the £5,450 winnings of a certain lucky Mr. J.W Larnach on his horse Jeddah in the 1898 Derby. Have a swoon over this:

The stunning tree-lined drive in these stunning classic cars...bliss. If only traffic jams looked and felt this good.

The Hall. Beaut.

Hmm maybe I should consult some sort of 'betting for dummies bible' if this is the kind of return on a nifty £500 flutter.... although I don't even think a 'Back to the Future' stylie handbook could secure a win from these unlucky paws.

Now, that isn't all my eager eared readers, oh no. This venue will be licensed for civil ceremonies in three rooms, you'll have exclusive use of the venue and you'll have us with you every step of the beautiful petal-lined way! Oh, and you can bring your dog along. Not as random as it sounds (although you'd be forgiven for thinking we were that random...creative types.cha!)...Lanwades Hall is owned by the AHT, which strives year on year to innovate and publicize pioneering ways to fight and cure injuries and illness amongst our furry companions. As such, all profits from the glorious weddings go straight back into the charity, which helps to buy items such as microscopes, operating equipment (and other intelligent genetic type things that leave our brains whirring) to ensure their phenomenal work continues. If that isn't enough, this friendly lot are constantly speaking at conferences, writing cutting-edge publications and generally spreading their findings throughout the veterinary industry to ensure animals across the country benefit from their findings. In fact, if you've ever owned a dog, cat or horse, it's highly likely the lovely big-brained folk at the AHT have helped to carve life-saving techniques! Hurrah. As such, the grounds of this stunning venue are dotted with beguiling follies and stallions too, which make an incredible backdrop for photos- you don't get that in London! What's not to love!!?

SO, as the exclusive planner ( na-na-nah-nah-nahhhh) , we set it upon ourselves to do a fabulous photo shoot with our favourite London photographer -Hamish Jordan from Eternal Imaging (there are some things London just does better). We pulled together the top suppliers in the area and had an incredible day with fabulous suppliers, lovely models and stunning surroundings. It's a tough life doing a job you love! We'd planned to be sneaky-sneaky and only show you snippets of the fabulousness, but we are just too excited ( our P-P-P-Pokerface would not hold up well in torture)... so feast your bleary goggles on this lovely lot.But, we'd just like to take this opportunity (Oscar award moment) to thank all the generous and outstanding suppliers for providing their pristine worldly goods. They are the best of the best in their field, so naturally a perfect fit with us ( hey, modesty just isn't in at the Oscars). Oh yeah, and did we mention it was covered in the local papers?

Here are some piccies of the kind of things we put together....

Flowers on a mirror = twice the flower power. Fact.

B-e-a-ooootiful birdcages and stunning crystal centrepieces... can only be from one lovely lady...

You can even have your reception in the sunken garden.... la la la we're just showing off now...

Enough about us - now for Adore and Abolish!

Adore

LANWADES HALL. Subtle I think you'll agree.

As you may recall we suggested the idea of sunken ipads into a custom built bar to ensure the guests are throwing some serious shapes out on the dance floor... but if you're a techno-phobe ( shame on you), how about adding a section to your rsvp's with the opportunity for the guests to request a song. Winner. You could also think about designating each table with a song - when that song is played, they all have to get up and shimmy about! This is a great way to gee up the dance floor after supper- safety in numbers and all that jazz! ( and all.... that.....jaaaazzzzz... that jazz.).

Books as wedding favours. I'm afraid your fave beach red of Marian Keyes won't quite cut it here. Think old school romance, you can even go for a classic book of poems. You can have a different book for either sex, and unlike jam or choccies, the guests will actually have something to keep aaaand it looks beautiful on the tables - you can have sleeves made to detail the date of your day, all to match you colour scheme, and you can even have your guests name printed upon it....and ta-da it's a place name too. Or...if you're a bit mischievous like us, these books are so cute and add a touch of humour!

It's easy to forget how much effort your guests put into your day. They are likely to purchase a new outfit, book a day off of work, go to your hen and stag parties, arrange for nannies, buy you a gift and pay for accommodation and transport amongst many other things. If you've got friends coming from far away that have booked into your hotel, it's nice to let them know how much you appreciate it. Why not put together a little welcome basket. No this does not mean a cheesy photo of the two of you and a chupa chup lolly. Scented candles, organic cookies, toiletries and wine are always appreciated, as is a thoughtful note detailing some nice restaurants near by the hotel, taxi numbers and local activities.

Peonies. We heart you, we salute you, and we will see you next spring. We might even have a sniff too.

Abolish

Standard canapes. No. If you can buy them in Iceland...it's not good honey. One of my gorgeous brides has gone off the menu (wild we know) and is having Quails eggs with Celery Salt- yummy scrummy. This is one classy canape, you don't get those tasty treats everyday - and if you do, you belong in the cast of Made in Chelsea.

Silly wedding bands. They ruin everything, evverryytthhiinggg ( to be read in an echoey voice of doom). Get it right, get it loud and immediately turn on your pretty heels and run if they even mention a) a backing track b) a disco ball or c) the 'classic' Puppy Love... it's not classic, its criminal. We've got plenty of fantastic bands we know... but you'd have to hire us or bribe us (perhaps with celery salt and quails eggs) to find them out... or just have a look at the links.

Socks and sandals. I know, I know, it's that in-between weather, and no one likes cold tootsies but there is no excuse for this fashion disaster. This is right up there with tucking your napkin into your shirt. N - O.

Ok it's pretty political, but we can't not mention how saddened we are to hear and see the London Riots. Our hearts go out to all those who've had their lives, businesses and homes affected, and their safety shaken. We're thinking of you all, and we're incredibly proud of all of the emergency services here in our Lovely London, and the overwhelming sense of community and well-wishers that are helping in every way they can to clear the streets and offer a helping hand and a whole lotta love.

All our love and good wishes,

Jennifer and the Event Wishes team xxxx

Guess....

Yep. It's a Royal Wedding Special! Especially for you, K-Mid ( I'm pretty certain she is glued to our bloggity blog..). Actually though, if you are reading this, can you put in a good word for me to old Hazza? If it helps, to envisage me as your bride ,Harry darling, I am writing this in a tiara - just sayin'... I'm ready when you are....Chelsea - smchealsy.

This April's blog is late, yes. But, it's worth it as quite frankly, we have been utterly skittish from the romance of the wedding and it's taken us this long to calm down. Any earlier blog would have read something like ' aaaaaaahhhhhhh I LOVE KATE AND WILLLLLSSS' and so on and so forth. Not the most insightful entry. I'm also not even going to so much as bat an eyelid in the direction of anything else other than the 29th April. Oh except to say that we are also still skipping with delight that The Guardian asked us for our input to form part of a panel of expert Wedding Planners (as if you didn't know already) as deemed by the big guns bosses over that that little known newspaper... for a live Q&A last week. Casual.

Now, we have a lot to cover... so as the curse of being a planner means we do love a good list - here are our wedding bullet points:

1) The Dress, the dress the dressssssss. Breath taking, tear inducing and utterly romantic. Fresh, yet traditional, understated yet dramatic, sophisticated with subtle sexiness and detailed without being fussy. The perfect dress. The needlework pixies at Hampton Court Palace excelled every expectation. Chantilly lace, ivory silk, the floral nod to each country in Britain - Rose, Shamrock, Thistle and Daffodil. The attention to detail was exquisite, we love how they were asked to wash their hands every 30 minutes to ensure the dress was completely flawless. I wonder if we can roll this idea out across the wedding industry...there is nothing we hate more than a grubby paw near our white tablecloths. You have been warned.

2) Pippa Middleton. Well well well, who knew she was such a knock-out?! Social media exploded in awe at her. Pippa has received more Internet hits than Kate this week following the wedding... I have to say, if I was Kate.... I might be a little moody right about now. Our view - there is no outshining the Duchess of Cambridge - nice try sis, but Kate stormed it.

3) The lip-reader interpretations. We don't care if every paper says something completely different -we reserve the right to pick the most romantic interpretation and take this as gospel (even if they definitely don't fit when we replay and pause obsessively on youtube) . 'I am so proud your my wife', ' I love you' and 'shall we?' before the kiss - swoon. Harry making Pippa laugh as he whispers ' I'm leaving Chelsea for one of the girls at Event Wishes' .... or did I dream that one...?As for Kate's aside to the terrified little munchkin covering her ears during the fly-over - ' Smile pet, give them a wave'. We can not wait to see a mini Duke or Duchess of Cambridge ( which just in case you'd forgotten is where our other office is - just another Royal link then eh?)...let's hope they get Kate's hair though.

4)The rumours surrounding the raucous reception. As one of my most sophisticated brides said yesterday ' it's a bride's right to be slightly dishevelled at the end of the reception'. Now that's a bride after my own heart. I couldn't agree more - and I'm delighted to hear K-Mid let her naughty side shimmy about with everybody else. It's reported that the official first dance ( to Ellie Golding singing her version of Elton John's 'Your Song' live), was 'magical', but the dance I'd love to see most has got to be their unofficial routine to the Grease stomper, ' You're the one that I want'. Apparently ' Big Willie and his Babykins' (as they call each other) strutted their stuff to this number a few hours into the reception, with Kate singing along and pointing at her husband whilst showcasing some of the sexy dance moves she is known for.

What did we almost cry with love over? What did we have right royal rant over? Read on my pretties...

Adore:

Dress-change. Catherine, you goddess. We love love loved your angora bolero (that was reportedly ripped off as soon as Queenie was out of sight!). That waspie waist looked even tinier in the second creation - that was enough to put us off cookies altogether! Oh alright, for an hour. But that's still unheard of in the Event Wishes office, and for that, we salute you.

Harry's last request song at the end of the night for his big brother and new wife - Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire. Yep subtle as a brick, but 'like so totes' in line with Harry's cheeky nature. Rock onnnnn.

The wiggly worm Eliza is seen clutching in the official photographs. Eliza ( grand-daughter of Camilla and the ultimate cutie-pie) was a little overwhelmed by all the commotion - never fear when big kid Harry is near. In the carriage it's reported that Harry pulled the £1 'Magic worm' - a fluffy little critter attached to some fishing line...don't pretend you didn't have one, out of his pocket to entertain her - and she loved it so much she wouldn't put it down. Neither would we Eliza, neither would we. We love it that despite the official photographs circling the world, it took 5 days for anyone to notice the worm - which Camilla described as 'the funniest thing', saying she ' can't believe no one has spotted it!'. Just another little thing to make us love Kate and Wills even more for letting her have it in the pictures!

'Sweet William' flowers incorporated into the bridal bouquet. I wonder if there is a ' Sweet Harry' flower...?

Abolish:

Exact copies of the dress. Noooo no no no NO. NOOO. Now listen hard, and listen good - you are your own person. You are not a clone. Yes take inspiration - there's no denying Sarah Burton has echoed some elements of Grace Kelly's infamous gown, but please oh please don't just copy Kate - put your own stamp on it.

David Beckham. Why did he have so much media cover? Yes yes he kicks a ball very well, but the muppet proceeded to wear his OBE even when invites discouraged it, and then managed to pin it on the wrong lapel. Come on. It's a 50/50 chance and he STILL got it wrong. No wonder Vicky B was so stony-faced (unlike her usual sunny disposition she has become know for..ahem).

Fashionista errors. If the fashion police existed ( and after all these mishaps we are seriously considering writing to Mr Cameron to ask for the funding make a full on fashion-MI5 team) my, my would there have been a lot of arrests. Starting with Mrs Cameron. WHERE WAS YOUR HAT?! She'd better have a good reason detailing either raccoons stealing it, unicorns charming it off her head or that she had a specially constructed invisi-hat Harry Potter cloak-esque style. The idea that she was just too arrogant to wear one doesn't seem right. Although, that being said, perhaps the pantomime ugly sister duet (yep, I've really said that) could have done with invis-hats after choosing very odd Philip Treacy creations, one of which resembled a picture frame.

Yes. Even the gentleman in the background thinks you look silly - that smile is fooling no one love.

People taking down the flags and bunting, I can't help but snarl a little at the meanies as they forcefully peel them off sad walls that will look naked and boring without them. Leave them up, if not me for, for the wall's sake..they have feelings too you know.

Phew. Royal Wedding fever is pretty exhausting isn't it!! Next month it'll be back to trends and ideas, the latest industry tips and gossip. Oh Royal Wedding, how we will miss you... good job we have Zara's to look forward to...!

Lots of love to all out clients & followers,

Jennifer and everyone at Event Wishes xx

Sunshine, Syphons and Scented Candles

Well well well, would you look at that! Our moaning paid off! Mr Sunshine has been making a couple of guest appearances this month, shining brightly through our windows (is it possible to get a tan through glass?!) see, whatever you want...we can make it happen. This not only does this mean we can go shopping for summer dresses but it means that we feel more in-sync than usual as we think at least three months in advance for everything over here at Event Wishes! In our heads its pretty much July...Pimms anyone?! This three-month malarkey is something that is echoed throughout the wedding industry, such as at our favourite online wedding site - Confetti! (Seamless link to our latest news...ahem)...it just so happens that the lovely editor at Confetti has taken a shine to our bloggity blog, so much so we have written a little article for them!! So make sure you take a break and indulge yourself in a little lookie lookie.... don't worry we will be tweeting our hearts out to let you know when it's up!!Who said you don't get something for nothing?! Clearly they hadn't met us, or Confetti for that matter.

Ever the professionals over at Event Wishes, we attended the annual invitation-only Wedding Planners Conference at Lord's Cricket Ground. The things we do for you... it was positively exhausting listening to industry trends while munching our way through the tower of macaroons, scones and pastries, not mention the beef wellington and urgh - worst of all- having to sample the champagne and bespoke cocktails from the London Cocktail Club, what a chore. It's a tough job, but someone has got to do it. How we suffer for our art. On a serious note (probably should try and be serious for one whole sentence at least), it was lovely to catch up with like-minded planners and bounce trends off each other - key trends that were addressed were influenced largely by the media - with particular reference to Black Swan and The Kings Speech. Hello to lace, tulle, frothy layers in an array of muted tones. Hello to classic British styling, vintage regal..what's that you say? Regal? Royal... we certainly didn't spend the day gossiping about Kate and Wills, I don't know what you are talking about... mmm Sarah Burton to design Kate's dress.

Ahem. Sorry got lost for a minute there. There were 5 top key food and drink trends we hit upon - pencils at the ready people, that's right... I am going to tell you them, what a naughty bunch of pixies we are, giving away the insider industry trends...tut tut us. ( Pah, we don't even feel guilty - spread the fashion chic!)

1) British Beauties. If it's British, it's in. Street-party food is gorgeous for the chillaxed bride, or traditional regal suppers for an evening affair. It all gets the nod from us. Maybe even a curtsy if it's terribly tasty.

2) Detailing the origin of the food - channel Marks and Spencer's infamous adverts... Seared Alaskan Marinated Cod with Samaphire & Wasabi Creamed British Potatoes' a la The Berkeley sounds a bit tastier than 'fish and tatties' don't you think?

3) Meat. Sounds simple, and it is. Meat is key, think Gaucho London and try to not salivate over your keyboard. The point is simple - excellent quality meat = excellent quality supper.

4) Tapas style of eating. This links in nicely (as if by magic) with the British street party feel. Listen up my pretties, this trend is about the way we eat, not what we eat. Take heed from those savvy Spaniards and have the chef cook up several complementary dishes and allow guests to pick and mix - at a beautifully presented table with a fabulously dressed staff server, naturally. Buffets can hit the abolish column as far as we are concerned.

5) Floral cocktails. Yep, floral. Cocktails with undertones of Rose or Hibiscus flower (you can even have the petals frozen into ice cubes and dropped into the glasses at the last minute) are tasty annnd pretty. Tick, tick. Remember the holy four in the cocktail world - every cocktail needs - sweet, sour, length and strength. Try serving them in teacups for a British twist, or even out of ornate glass syphons for the ultimate in vintage glamour.

Now for the things that have made us grumble or smile this month....

Adore

Father and Daughter dances. Adore adore adore. This is something the Americans have done for years....let's steal it from them. Mwah ha ha.

Lavin's 'Marry Me!' perfume, and how can he resist if you smell this gorgeous - Bitter Tunisian Orange coupled with sensual Sambac Jasmine. Luffly.

RVSP London. If you are having a destination wedding, or even a corporate incentive trip abroad, what better way to set the tone than with RSVP London's bespoke travel wallet invites, complete with gold-blocked mock-croc travel wallets and 'holiday money' with your faces on it?! Jet-set glamour begins with the invites, so why not add an extra bit of luxury with a unisex travel kit from Molton Brown like this one? (Available online and instore - £46.00)

Abolish

Crazy first-dances to show how 'hip, cool and down with kids you are'. Er you're not. You're married, and if there was ever a day to be elegant and serene, this is it. Yes the youtube couple were fab to begin with, but it's been done. If you are a bit alternative, show it through quirky design. If the thought of having 200 beady peepers trained on you stumbling across the dance floor, hire a fabulous dance company to perform a short sequence behind you. They will steal the focus in a classy way (unlike your father's compulsory Mick Jagger strut), provide a treat for your guests, and still let you enjoy the magic and tradition of your first dance, whilst taking the pressure off. If you are still yearning to unleash your fierce footwork and 'get crunk' ( sure, I'm urban) .... then consider doing this after granny has shuffled off for her winceyette pj's, and begin your dance on a crowded dance floor and watch the crowds disperse....ta-da!

Tights on flower girls. You WILL have at least ten photos of the little darlings hoicking them up. Short white socks are cute if its not quite summer, otherwise as long as their shoes are broken in, let them have their iddy-biddy leggypegs out!

2012 Brides trying to get involved in Olympic themes. Don't.

Scented tea-lights. Don't get us wrong, we love a good candle, but scented tea lights will overpower everything. Instead, have neutral tea-lights, and place a gaggle of travel-sized Jo Malone beauties around the bar and DJ area on pretty trays. In-store the soothing voices of the most knowledgeable nostrils in the candle business will help you pick out scents that compliment each other - http://www.jomalone.co.uk/ - £22 per travel sized candle.

Phew. Rant over (until next time that is). Just think....this time next month KATE AND WILLS will be getting married!!!! We are delirious with excitement if you hadn't already guessed..!

As always we send all our love to our followers new and old on here, twitter and facebook- look out for info on our Confetti article!

Love Jennifer and everyone at Event Wishes xx

February Fixes and St Valentine's myths

It would be a terrible thing to write a blog about February without mentioning it's best day - St. Valentine's Day. The sole reason we let this mean little month cast dark clouds on us daily, combined with its baltic winds and stupid rain that always manages to circumnavigate its way under our trusty umbrella and generally play havoc with our barnets, is because you have St. Valentines Day. For that we applaud you February (we would applaud you more if you could find a way to loan the sunshine). As one would expect Valentine's Day is engagement central, and Event Wishes HQ has been very excited by the influx of love into our office following it and the impact on our ever expanding calender! Here is a smidge of V-Day trivia to keep your little hearts beating through March!

1) People who receive the most Valentine's cards - teachers- yep teachers, followed by children aged 6-10. So if you didn't receive one, change your career!

2) If you were amongst the card-less crowd, spare a thought for the lone caged pet parrot - in the wild they are said to experience love at first sight, but take up to three months of courting before they settle down for life, spending every second with their chosen one. Never fear though, for a somewhat 'cuckoo' lady (paha we amuse ourselves if no one else) has set up a dating agency for pet parrots this Valentine's day. Cute but strange.

3) Broken hearted? Get on a plane to Germany. Dr Birgit Delisle has opened a hospital specializing specifically on the broken hearted - including a dedicated emergency rapid response team to cope with those who have experienced a 'love failure or have been dumped'. Wow.

4) Finally if you want to find love, a recent study has discovered the most successful chat up line of all time and we are going to tell you it.... nope, it's not even vaguely complimentary or funny ( not really even sure how it qualifies as a chat up line) - it's ' What's your favourite pizza topping?'. Baffling, but true.

February has not been all about Valentine's day though, for we also took great pleasure in organizing a beautiful 21st Birthday Celebration in the stunning home of our birthday girl. With a lead time of just two weeks, our office was an excitable flurry of pink and perspex. As always, our favourite suppliers were on hand to help create the look, with a special thanks to Only Roses for their incredibly flawless Ecuadorian roses, and the immense skills of our favourite lighting technicians from Luminaire Extraordinaire . If you don't believe us ( and boo hiss to you if you don't), have a gander at these images. Send your fan mail to our London office. Although we must warn you, I think the postman has been holding all our post for himself as an attempt to sabotage our smiles as we are yet to receive the mountains of Valentines Day cards we had been expecting...odd.

We also took a day out to peruse the National Wedding Fair, and wowee did we have a good (smug) day. Turns out, we were ahead of trend. Mwah ha ha, Event Wishes -1 , Industry -0. Things that we loved included the presence of Magenta ( we were harping on about this in AUGUST),and the stunning array of bridal gowns. Things that we didn't - same old same old. See Abolish for a more in depth rant on organza and more. You know you want to. Other things in our Feb diary have included brainstorming with our chic addition the Event Wishes family of venues that have us on the supplier list - The Mayfair. We are in the process of putting together a strictly invitation only event in one of the elite suites, did I mention it is at The Mayfair? Enough said.



Now for our list of things that have made us smile or frown this month...




Adore




Valentine's day!! No it's NOT a commercial money-spinner, it's a fabulous day for love. Not just couples -it's for family and friends alike. Whether you were snuggled up in front of the fire with the one you love, or out in your highest heels in a gaggle of the girls with cocktails flowing freely, we really hope you had a lovely day. It's not about spending the money, it's about spending the time. Ah we are a sentimental bunch. Weep.




Personalised place settings. Seeing as you have a fabulous planner (ahem) to take care of everything else, how about you both spend an evening with the phone off the hook, a bottle of vino, a photo album and lots of paper, and write a sentence of two about each guest attending. Then simply have us slip it inside the napkins. Perhaps write your favourite memory with that person, or why you invited them, or just what they mean to you. Each guest will really appreciate the personal touch and knowing that you really want them there to be part of your day. Oh and if your handwriting is terrible, you can always draft in Paul Antonio - http://www.paulantonioscribe.com/ - he can make a shopping list look romantic. Sorted.

Personalised M&Ms. Yep. Great for sweetie jars on the day, or even as a way of thanking guests for their attendance. You simply decide on what to write on them (no essays allowed) and pick your colours. Voila. Tasty and oh so cute. Of course, if it's a hot day you may receive them and decide it's too risky to post them out again. The peril of chocolate may win... would be a shame to waste them right? Maybe you can send out the second batch - it's surely your duty to test them first anyway... http://www.mymms.co.uk/

Abolish





Shoo you horrid little organza tie-backs. Shoo. The damn things are breeding and trying to masquerade as 'traditional wedding chic'. We are onto you and your fraying ways. It's not traditional, it's just so last year darlings. Instead, opt for a crisp white chair cover (if they must be covered), and then simply ask you florist to create little palm-sized arrangements and attach them with REAL ribbon. Organza may be the saving grace of venue coordinators everywhere for the ease and cost, but not for a planner. You could even attach black and white pictures of the happy couple. Remember not to be afraid to have mismatched chairs, it's intimate and it shows character. Now for an organza-burning festival... I am sure we could think of some other things to burn from wedding history too....silk roses, your number is up.




Flower girls in miniature versions of the bridesmaid's dresses. Would you encourage the 5 year olds to mimic the style of a 20-something normally? No, you wouldn't. Don't do it now - the flower girls are young and innocent, let them stay that way and dress them appropriately. I don't want to see a figure hugging fishtail gown on a child, this isn't a beauty pageant. As for make up on their fresh cherub faces, don't. get. me. started.




Yards of hair extensions. Now, don't get us wrong, we are realists over here at Event Wishes and are certainly no strangers to the salon to have our hair-do snipped, dyed, conditioned and teased to an inch of it's life. A help with volume is welcomed, but alas, if he proposed to a bobbed brunette beauty, don't rock up with platinum extensions to your kneecaps. Now is not the time for an image overhaul. He's already asked you to spend the rest of your lives together, it's pretty safe to assume he likes the look of you- YOU, not Cousin IT.



OK you greedy bunch, you've had your fix! Now, be gone with you, flee, back to work with you! Now where are those M & M's.....



As always, we send our love to all our followers and clients,





Love Jennifer & everyone from the Event Wishes Team. xx

Happy New Year!

Greetings 2011.What a lovely year you shall be, I already love you (and have done since I happened to look at my clock at 11.00 on the 1/1/11...special), I have even forgiven you making me feel guilty for ruining all my new years resolutions in one blissfully guilty day. It's ok, no one really keeps resolutions... and those of you who are smugly sitting there going 'ooh but I kept mine..' SHUSH. I don't want to hear it. I do want to make a confession though.A big one. A big fat one. A big fat Gypsy one. WE LOVE IT! Ok, so in all honestly, Thelma Madine's LED, hip-slicing creations aren't likely to make it onto our preferred suppliers list... and we don't have a great urge to book that hideous white 'Jordan' carriage that pops up everywhere, but what a programme - don't pretend you weren't all hooked on Swanley and Josie's how-to get Josie into her chair dilemma. The tension was palpable.. as for Cheyenne's courtship rules....well. I can tell you there was a lot of 'OMG'-ing in the Event Wishes world after seeing it.







Dartmouth House Wedding Fayre - Sunday 30th January, 11am-4pm, Mayfair. Just slide that in. Ahem. ( I wish there was a way for me to do that sneaky advertising coca-cola does at the cinema when they flick up a picture so fast you really fancy a coke but have no idea why....mm having said that fizzy fizzy coca cola on a Thursday. Sure). Dartmouth House will be serving a more classy fizz on the day, and you will have the chance to see the venue in all its glory along with top end suppliers to get those bridal brains ticking. As the exclusively recommended wedding planner at Dartmouth House, we will be on hand to answer any wedding woes, so come along!



While we are on the subject of the Event Wishes' fabulousness (...eh? We weren't..? Well we jolly well should be)... we have been placed on the recommended supplier list at yet another fabulous venue..... OK guess.. go on.. it's possibly the most famously classy hotel in London....ornate and elegant, with a ballroom to die for...hotel of choice for Wimbledon players...the unofficial guest list has included Micheal Jackson, Richard Burton, Britney Spears ( I wonder if they confiscated any umbrellas and shaving appliances?), Prince, Elton John, Joan Collins, Mariah Carey.... come onnnn. Ok. The Dorchester. Helloooo. We are also on the list at their newest addition the to Dorchester Collection - Coworth Park ( aka Cheryl Cole's 'Judge's home' on the X Factor.Remember those lovely fields? Yeah. Dorchester quality meadows, only the best for Katie and Cher to stumble through looking pensive... ) and we couldn't be happier. Really. I think if we were any happier about it the Event Wishes team would spontaneously combust. That's not likely to be pretty, or useful to this years ever increasing client list - don't worry. We will sooner give away the entire company's show collection than miss any one's big day. ( Can't quite believe I just wrote that. I feel a bit jittery at the thought of it, must calm down...mmm coca cola. Fizz fizz).




Now for Adore/Abolish ( aka general rant)....


Adore:

Warm tootsies. Yes it's true when your mother says ' as long as you have warm feet, the rest of you will catch up'. Now, the usual solution to this is of course Uggs, however, as much as we love them ( and love them we doooo), they aren't the most delicate of shoes. Unlike these French Sole beauties, which come in a variety of colours for brides and bridesmaids alike - dainty and gorgeous on the outside - Ugg-ified on the inside with cosy fur lining. If that wasn't enough, and quite frankly it should be you greedy lot, there is no specific right or left shoe, so no bridesmaids panicking with two left feet anymore! Perfect. £194.00



Suspended floral arrangements. Who said flowers are only for the table? Not us. Have your florist create 'Halo' shaped designs that are filled the whole way around and then add battery operated church candles ( no design is worth a fire - see our November blog for stockists) to the top layers, hang with theatrical wire from the rafters and voila! An intimate feel in even the highest ceiling spaces.


Michelle Mospens - the colour queen. Want to know the colour trends for 2011 - feast your eyes on these....

Polaroid retro album. After the wedding days so many brides say that had the most incredible day, but that they didn't get the chance to mingle as much as they wanted to and it was all one gorgeous blur. Enter your most trusted accessory (us). After your line up, have your bridesmaid take a Polaroid of your guests, either in couples, singles or even family groups. Have your planner collate them roughly into a scrap book and ask your guests to sign a message next their photo. Cute.

Eternal Imagaing - Hamish Jordan - what a photographer! Each photo manages to draw out the personality of the individuals in it, even in group shots - quite an accomplishment, but effortless for laid-back Hamish. Hamish is a joy to work with, we challenge anyone not to love his style and ultimate class. Tick. http://www.eternal-imaging.com/ - Click, go, enjoy.




Abolish:

Cigar bars are over. Smoking is not cool , kids. You know what IS cool - a DJ bar. ( yes maybe I could have thought of a cooler name) No don't worry, your uncle Brian isn't going have the chance to go all fat-boy slim and wiccky wiccky waa on the tunes. The DJ bar is a like an interactive queue formatted jukebox. I would recommend sinking about 4 ipads into the bar (with waterproof casing that still enables the touch screen) and as your guests are having their glasses filled they can scan a list of songs provided from catalogue provided your DJ (all good DJ's should provide you with this) and queue them up - that way all you guests get ' arrghh this is MY song' moment, and everyone gets what they want. Ta-da! Everyone is happy.

Shloer. You are not wine. Don't pretend to be. Instead give your guests a classy mocktail. Simples.


Squeaky microphones. Look, microphones make people nervous, and they are already nervous and probably a couple of drinks into the day. Instead go a la Big Brother and grab some audio packs with the teeny microphone you can attach to the best man etc. Get your sound man to turn them on at an agreed cue. Plus, if they start rambling about stories that should have stayed in the closet with all the other skeletons you can have the sound team cut the sound with a discreet wink whilst remaining the picture of innocence. Smooth.

Lottery tickets as party favours. Yes quirky....but could you honestly take it if one of your guests won the lottery from one of your tickets. No one likes to see a bride brawl in the street. Apart from reality tv stations.

Right I must dash, have a VERY exciting meeeting to attend, which you have to wait until next month to hear about! In the meantime, have a lovely Valentine's Day, see you THIS SUNDAY at the Dartmouth house Wedding Fayre!




Love from eveyrone at the Event Wishes Team xxx

Christmas Decoration Panic? Nah.

Well well well look who jumped on the band wagon - I wonder if Zara Phillips dropped some heavy hints to her boyfriend of 7 years, rugby boy Mike Tindall following her cousin's rather fabulous engagement to secure that icy rock on her finger?! I am imagining snippets from Tiffany's catalogue adorning the fridge door, 'propose' written on the mirror in shower-steam...I am sure she must have pulled out all the stops, and we couldn't be happier! That's now TWO amazing weddings for us to fawn over!! Although we would venture that she won't be scheduling an April 2011 ceremony in an (albeit futile and quite frankly impossible) attempt to swipe the wedding thunder from Will and Kate (Willllllll and Kaaaaatteeee - still overly excited!!).

However, be that as it may, let's not forget the main thing we want to get out there in our blog .... in the words of the seasonal gods Slade.....'It'sssss Chrisssttmassss!!!' Yep, amazing. Although in the diary of a Wedding and Events Planner, our offices are already altering to spring and conjuring up fresh enchanting themes for our bride and corporate contracts alike .... but whilst we still can ... mmm spiky holly (no matter how many times you attack me when I try to get into my own house, I love you all the same), pine needles creating a treacherous path to the lounge if you dare to cross without slippers, rushing out to buy countless tubes of Pringles - a hazard for the larger-handed muncher, oh and Home Alone (keep the change you filthy animal).

Although with all those important Christmas duties, it's a wonder how anyone finds time to be creative ... well. In the spirit of good will and sharing, we are on hand to offer some quick tips to make your Christmas & New Year not only keep up with the Jones', but positively sprint past them...unless they read it too, in which case better luck next time!!

Let me guess...if you are anything like us, you will have a grotto of Christmas decorations in a variety of colours that simply won't fit on your tree (trees are definitely getting smaller... its nothing to do with the fact we buy new decorations every year and refuse to throw any out)...never ye fear. Instead, gather all your baubles (all colours and sizes are welcome, we don't discriminate) and, using thin wire, (which is available from all diy stores) or some lovely ribbon, loop two or three baubles together. Arrange the clusters over a tired old wreath securing with the wire for a fresh injection of colour, and use as your centrepiece for a vibrant twist on compulsory classic.