Blue skies, sunshine, a cold glass of a delicious sauvignon blanc and the chance to relax after a busy weekend - bliss! Rarely one to completely switch off, I couldn't resist a flick through the catalogue from NotOnTheHighStreet.com that dropped through Magic Dust's letter box earlier this week...

A real treasure trove of a website and now home to a new collection called Stylish Living, Not On The High Street.com is always a source of inspiration for gifts and decoration ideas. So I couldn't resist the opportunity to share my 5 favourite things in the Stylish Living supplement - believe me when I say it was nigh on impossible to keep it to just 5!

Porcelain Letters... just perfect for a small, intimate wedding celebration where you could use these as place name 'cards' by hand writing the guests full name on the reverse - I LOVE these!


Triple Sterling Silver Bangle... a beautiful gift for a bridesmaid that looks so much better than the relatively inexpensive price would suggest. Who wouldn't be delighted to be presented with this gorgeous piece?


Personalised Secret Message Lampshade... who could fail to be thrilled by this? A great 'Thank You' gift for a house-proud Mum - simply team it with an simple lamp stand and watch their face light up (pun most definitely intended, sorry!)


Personalised Bathroom Storage Box... another great gift idea for a bridesmaid or perhaps a 'To Me, Love Me' gift for all your hard work in planning your wedding, what girl couldn't use a bit more storage for her favourite lotions and potions?


'Growing Together' Print... ... looking for inspiration for a wedding gift for your fiance? This bespoke illustration can be personalised with your names, dates, hobbies, professions and locations to create a print that is almost guaranteed to become a family heirloom.


Now, I'll race you to the website... just as soon as I've left the catalogue in a place where Mr Magic Dust will find it and be thoroughly inspired for a good few special occasions to come!

Until next time, happy planning

 

Labels: decoration, jewellery, style, supplier, tips

I heard a story this week that scared me... There is apparently a wedding planner in this country who takes bookings for On The Day co-ordination work and then sends work experience people along on the couple's wedding day instead of an experienced member of the team.

It reminded me - as if I needed reminding! - why we launched Magic Dust. To be different, to challenge the wedding industry as a whole, and planners in particular, to put the couples getting married front of mind at all times, not the lure of the money you might be able to make.

So, this is a short blog to remind you to be careful when booking every single type of wedding supplier...

- Trust your instincts;
- Be mindful about how long it takes suppliers to respond to your initial enquiry;
- Ask to speak directly to other couples they have worked with (and make sure you do);
- If you're considering On The Day Co-ordination make sure that the wedding planner you speak to and meet before your wedding day is the person who is actually going to be there on your wedding day.

Any good wedding supplier will be more than happy to chat with you before you make the decision whether or not to book their services and should not hesitate to put you in touch with other couples they have worked with - we relish the opportunity to do both these things!

Until next time, happy planning

Labels: supplier, tips

I'm often struck by how lucky we are at Magic Dust to work with the couples that we do, especially at this time of the year when the wedding season really kicks off.

I can honestly say that we have never worked with a couple we didn't like, respect and whose happiness and enjoyment of their wedding day was of paramount importance to us.

This got me thinking... Are all the people we work with a certain type of person?

The answer is a resounding 'No' for every couple we work with is different. But, specifically for 'On the Day Co-ordination' there are definitely certain characteristics that many of our couples share.

I thought it might be interesting to share some of these with you in case you debating whether or not to get in touch - you might just recognise yourself!

Magic Dust couples tend to be...

... Fully aware of the time, effort and organisational skills that go into planning a wedding and conscious that they would like to enjoy their wedding knowing that someone they trust is making sure everything they have worked so hard on is going to happen as and when it should;

... Friendly, approachable, warm and looking to work with someone similar who will take charge of the detail without being bossy, over-bearing or inflexible;

... Busy people who appreciate having access to someone who plans & co-ordinates weddings for a living and is happy to offer advice, tips and support at times to suit them;

... Focused on the fact that they are planning a celebration to mark the start of a marriage, not just a wedding party. This is not about outdoing everyone else and spending more money than they have - we're lucky enough to attract couples who appreciate the importance of using their personalities rather than their bank accounts to make their wedding day special;

... Nice. My English teacher used to tell us off for using this word but hey, he's no longer marking my work! We don't recognise or use the word 'bridezilla' at Magic Dust as none of the couples we work with ever get to the stage where they feel so out of control about their wedding planning that they need to resort to such behaviour. Instead we work with happy, relaxed people who may suffer the odd moment of panic but know where to come for a reassuring chat when they do.

If you recognise yourself then I can almost certainly guarantee that you have the found in Magic Dust the right wedding planners for you. Give us a call or drop us an email and let us help you out - it would be an honour and we'll make it fun and simple too!

Until next time, happy planning