To all you lovely blog readers who read my tips and advice regularly, do I have a treat for you today! At the end of this paragraph you won't have to listen to another word from me until I sign off at the end... We believe that you are only as good as the people you work with believe you are, so I'm turning this blog over to just 3 of the couples we have worked with this year to let them tell you why they valued their Magic Dust experience so much...

Helen & Peter, Brighton, August 2009

'I wanted to say thank you so so much for all your wonderful help and support the weeks before our wedding and on the day. Just knowing you were working towards making our day so special made us feel relaxed.

Peter and I loved working with you and will definitely recommend you to our friends. You are such a professional with a great attention to detail something that I particularly appreciate as I am a real details person, knowing you work in a similar way to me filled me with confidence as I knew you had everything under control.

Peter was impressed how calm I was leading up to the wedding, this I have to say was down to you!

We really felt that you were a blessing, not just with your efficiency but also because you are such a warm and wonderful person and it has been an absolute pleasure working with you. Thank you so so much for truly making our day so special.'

Jon & Emilia, London, August 2009

'Tammy and Magic Dust helped turn our wedding into something amazing. We decided to have our wedding within two months of getting engaged – an idea that seemed exciting, but soon became rather daunting. Thanks to Tammy chaos was averted.

Her organisational skills, focus, and, above all, constant reassurance helped us plan a day that was more perfect than we dared imagine was possible. It would have been easy to get dazed and confused in a bewildering number of unnecessary details, but Tammy gave us perspective and a clear plan for how to plan our day.

Her warmth, humour, and energy was the perfect response when stress began to set in and we approached our wedding with huge excitement and minimum worry. I still can’t quite believe we planned something so perfect in just a few weeks and we owe a lot to Tammy.'

Kenton & Jen, Kirkby Lonsdale, July 2009

'Our wedding was a resounding success, thanks to Magic Dust and their ‘On The Day Coordination Service’. We were able to enjoy every aspect of our big day and relax knowing that Magic Dust was on hand to ensure the smooth running of the event.

We wanted all of our guests to enjoy the day and therefore decided against a traditional approach e.g. best man etc, but we did not want the responsibility and the inevitable problems either. The solution was Magic Dust! We simply could not have achieved what we wanted without them.

What a fantastic way to start married life, totally stress free and happy. We were delighted with the service provided by Magic Dust.

Tammy is an absolute professional who is clearly passionate about what she does. From the onset Tammy was on hand to offer advice and nothing was ever too much trouble. With her friendly and relaxed approach Tammy was a big hit with our suppliers and guests alike. As guardians of our vision for the day, Magic Dust exceeded all of our expectations and we would highly recommend their services to anyone.'

Until next time,

Labels: testimonial

September is always an exciting month at Magic Dust, combining as it does, some sensational late Summer weddings and a lot of forward-planning for the following year. We're certainly not ones to wake up on New Year's Day thinking, "Shoot, we've got weddings to plan THIS year!"

As well as planning weddings we made a commitment when we launched Magic Dust to challenge the wedding industry to be better, more professional and less intent on seeing £ signs every time the word 'wedding' comes into the equation.

So we're delighted that our Wedding Planner Master Classes have become so popular and, thanks to the positive feedback we have received from every single attendee over the years, we know that it's a combination of the course content - focusing, unlike many other courses, on the importance of a strong business foundation for your wedding planning company - and the face-to-face access to an experienced, professional wedding planner who really wants Master Class attendees to succeed.

After all, the more wedding planners there are who work with a similar ethos to Magic Dust, the easier it is for us to ensure that more couples getting married have access to the right type of wedding planners. Ones who focus on the couple getting married, listening to what they need and making sure they deliver it, delighting them with exemplary customer service and proving to be an invaluable resource and support every step of the way.

So, if you're interested in becoming a professional, successful wedding planner, check out the new Master Class dates for Spring 2010, just released on our website, and book your place. Who knows, you may even be selected to join our Mentoring Programme and become one of a select few who enjoy regular coaching, support and advice from Tammy as you build and develop your new career.

Until next time,

Labels: becoming-a-wedding-planner, testimonial

We are in the thick of wedding season and it's lovely to take a few minutes to write this blog and reflect on the last few days!

One of the joys of our work are the Thank You cards that drop onto the Magic Dust doormat at this time of year. This week has seen a flurry of them and they never fail to bring a smile to my face and sometimes, even a tear to my eye. We know how lucky we are to work with such fabulous couples and so we'd like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of your for putting your faith in Magic Dust and letting us take the strain on your wedding day!

You may well be attending more than 1 wedding this summer and so I thought I'd introduce you to one of my favourite online suppliers for quirky, stylish and good quality wedding gifts. If you've left it too late to choose anything more exciting than a tea-towel and wooden spoons from the wedding list, or if you're looking for something special for your own bridesmaids, look no further than this treasure trove... Not On The High Street.

I particularly love these bespoke framed map hearts - it's is a wonderful idea that I will definitely be buying for someone special in the not too distant future...

Here's to a sunny, if entirely unpredictable, remainder of August!

Until next time,

Labels: style, supplier, testimonial

Kenton & Jen not only planned the wedding day they really wanted, but were also determined to ensure that they treated their guests to a fantastic party. The piece de resistance was a fireworks finale that we managed to keep a complete secret from all the guests, even whilst ushering them all outside at 10.30pm - the lure of bacon & sausage butties certainly helped at this point!

The logistics of keeping this secret, given the huge amount of preparation that was involved, was thanks in no small part to the fabulous work of MDL Fireworks. Rather than seeing this 'surprise' as an inconvenience or something to complain about, they took it completely in their stride. Arriving in an unmarked van they managed to slip past the guests completely unnoticed and went about their set-up without making their presence known.

Dealing with Elaine, from MDL, to synchronise the start of the display was easily arranged and effortlessly achieved and the 'oohs' and 'aaahs' of all the guests were all we needed to hear to know that this really was the grand finale that Kenton & Jen had wanted.

I'd like to personally thank Elaine & Phil of MDL Fireworks for being an absolute joy to work with and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend their services!

Until tomorrow,

Labels: supplier, testimonial, tips

We love it when couples use their personalities, not just their bank accounts, to personalise their wedding day. Kenton & Jen became experts at this as they planned every aspect of their celebration to reflect their lives, their love and their shared interests. I was particularly excited to talk to them in the run up to their wedding about the wedding cake made of cheese that they had ordered. We have seen these at a number of weddings over the past couple of years and they are always a great talking, as well as focal, point.

Churchmouse Cheeses are based in Kirkby Lonsdale and have produced wedding cake cheeses since they opened in 2002. I had the pleasure of speaking with Julie in the weeks before the wedding, and to meeting and watching John at work on Saturday. They can and do deliver their cheeses across the country and so were understandably delighted that they could see their cheeses in situ for this wedding, less than 3 miles away from their gorgeous little shop.

Planned to tie in perfectly with the black and white theme, the combination of cheeses looked stunning as a simple tower, with 3 heart-shaped bries alongside. At this point John really got to work and produced a work of art. Super-shiny, almost black aubergines, whole garlic bulbs, sunflower seeds, blackberries, blueberries and strategically placed white stocks adorned the tower and the table it stood on. Within a very short space of time, John created a focal point that literally stopped guests in their tracks throughout the day, and delighted Kenton & Jen.

The staff at Hipping Hall then transformed the tower into delicious cheeseboards, delivered to guests on local slate tiles with the names of the individual cheeses chalked on. Their attention to detail was, as ever, exemplary and ensured this fantastic idea played a suitably important part at the wedding feast.

Now, I'm off to Churchmouse Cheeses website to indulge my own love of cheese!

Until tomorrow and the grand finale that lit up the night sky,

Labels: budget, caterer, decoration, style, supplier, testimonial, tips

Sometimes, just sometimes, you work with suppliers who make you wish you never had to work with anyone but them ever again! Jill Thorning-Jensen, a documentary-style photographer based in Nantwich, Cheshire but working across the country, most definitely fits into this category.

From the moment I first spoke to Jill, in the run up to Kenton & Jen's wedding last weekend, I had a feeling that working with her was going to be a joy. It's this gut instinct that I suggest couples planning their weddings listen to when they're speaking to suppliers for the first time. First impressions are rarely too far off the mark and, if you speak to someone who makes you feel confident in their ability and relaxed enough to know that you can trust them to deliver, you won't go wrong.

Jill is passionate about photography and you can tell by the way she works. Relaxed and focused, friendly and professional, it is this approach that makes her work so appealing. Not for this lady the shouting and bossiness of some wedding photographers, nor the commandeering of the newly-married couple for hours after the ceremony to capture untold posed shots. Instead, Jill moves quietly and effortlessly amongst the guests, chatting amiably, capturing moments and working hard to deliver the images that will delight the couple for years to come.

One look at her website, especially her blog, will show you more of her fabulous work than I can possibly do justice to with words. I am genuinely excited about seeing the results of her hard work at Kenton & Jen's wedding and would like to thank them for giving me the opportunity to meet, and work with, Jill. May our paths cross again soon!

Until tomorrow when it's all about cheese,

Labels: photographer, supplier, testimonial

It's been a busy week that began with Magic Dust being quoted, not once, but twice, in a 'Wedding Ideas' magazine feature about venue decoration and culminated in a bumper week for 'On The Day' co-ordination bookings. We're certainly looking forward to putting our feet up tomorrow and recharging the batteries before it all starts again on Monday!

There are few things more rewarding than the first conversation we have with prospective new clients. Whether they're newly-engaged and need help kick-starting their wedding planning, or are nearing the end of the planning journey and are looking for someone they can trust to ensure that all their hard work doesn't go to waste on the wedding day itself, every chat reveals what it is that makes our job such a pleasurable one.

If I had a pound for every time one of these conversations ends with, "I feel so much better having spoken to you", or "I feel like I can relax and look forward to our wedding day now that you're on board", I would be writing this blog from my private villa in The Bahamas!

The only feeling better than that is knowing that every single one of the services we offer is designed with the couple getting married in mind, and that it is this, coupled with a passion for fantastic customer service, that ensures the feedback we get after the wedding day is even better! One of my personal favourites - so much so that it brought a tear to my eye - was Sarah & Ben's comment that they "don't know how anyone gets married without Magic Dust'!

I'm sure you can imagine how much I've enjoyed this week, with all the new couples it has brought our way.

Whilst flicking through 'Wedding Ideas' earlier this week, I happened across a bridesmaid dress that literally stopped me in my tracks. Believe me, this doesn't happen as often as it should! But, I have to agree with the editorial team at 'Wedding Ideas' who have confessed to loving Dessy. Check out Style 2762 - the 'name' really doesn't do it justice - and see if you agree with me. The colour, the shape, the length, the accessories, I just can't fault it. The wearability factor is an added bonus as this is exactly the type of dress that could be worn again and again.

All I need is for someone to ask me to be their bridesmaid and I can tell them the dress is already sorted!!!

And finally, we launched Magic Dust's search for the most ingenious wedding planning tip in our newsletter this week. We invite you to send in the tips that have proved invaluable to you and in return, we'll publish a selection of them on our website and the person who sends in our favourite tip will win a bottle of Clarins delicious 'Eau Dynamisante' perfume in a handy handbag-sized bottle.

If you would like to talk to me about how we can kick-start your wedding plans and help you enjoy the planning of your wedding, please get in touch. We'll happily chat to you, with no obligations, about our services and if we leave you feeling confident and capable of planning the day of your dreams (not anyone else's), that is our reward!

Until next week,

Labels: style, supplier, testimonial, tips

Wow, this week has been a busy one!

I discovered a couple of new suppliers that I want to share with you. Kieran Doherty is a photographer with 15 years of experience as a war and sports photographer. He knows exactly how to capture a fleeting moment and his experience is such that you can totally trust him to make the first edit of your photos.

Earlier this week I spoke to two of his recent wedding clients and the praise he got from both of them was fantastic! I particularly liked the idea of the 'photo booth' which he can set up somewhere in your venue for guests to go along throughout the day and take their own pictures. It's a brilliant way to capture your friends and family really enjoying themselves and, judging by the examples on Kieran's website, boy do they enjoy themselves!

Kate from Sparkle & Rose stationery sent me her latest pack of wedding designs this week and they really are beautiful. All the stationery is available in co-ordinating ranges and they also offer a bespoke design service if you want something truly original. Their flair for impressive attention to detail and great customer service means they're Magic Dust's favourite kind of supplier so check out their website and see for yourself!

We've taken a flurry of bookings and enquiries for 'On The Day' wedding co-ordination for 2009 this week. It would seem that quite a few people are taking my advice and getting their planning and preparation done early so that they can relax and enjoy the run-up to their wedding, and the Christmas break, safe in the knowledge that someone who plans weddings everyday is going to make sure they get the wedding they want, not the one other people think they should have.

I love knowing that every single one of these couples is going to wake up on New Year's Day and think "Yippee, we're getting married this year and we're so excited!" rather than "Arrrggghhhh, we're getting married THIS year and we're so stressed!".

Helen & Richard Terrington, who married in October, sent me this note earlier in the week which brilliantly sums up what using Magic Dust's 'On The Day' wedding co-ordination service is really like...

"After that first meeting (Dotting the i’s) we both felt so much better about things. So much so that we then thought ‘On the Day Co-ordination’ was the way forward. It was the best planning decision we made and our only regret is that we did not hire you sooner! In fact, we think that if we had hired you from the beginning we may well have saved money on our overall budget.

In the planning stages, emails to you were answered very quickly, even the slightly deranged ones! It was so helpful to have someone with experience ‘on our side’.

It really was the best day of our lives. It was great just to be able to enjoy the day knowing there was someone on hand to deal with problems. Even little things like getting service behind the bar (for our guests that had decided to start celebrating early!) were sorted in a flash.

Magic Dust provided a really professional but also friendly and reassuring service, without any ‘over the top fluffiness’. Most importantly, you kept us focused on the fact that we were planning a marriage as well as a wedding."

If you'd like to see if we're free on your wedding date for 'On The Day' wedding co-ordination so you too can relax and enjoy every second of your day, or you would like to book a wedding planning session to kick-start your wedding plans or you simply have a question that's been keeping you awake at night, please get in touch - we're here to help!

Until next week,

ps - you can get regular wedding planning advice from magicdust's regular newsletter, simply click here to subscribe (and don't worry, we don't give your details to anyone else - we'll only use them to send you the newsletter)

Labels: photographer, stationery, supplier, testimonial

Let's say you've already found your dream wedding dress... does that mean you stop looking at, wanting, or sometimes even needing(!), a new dress for another occasion?

Of course it doesn't and that's why I am delighted to have discovered, and spent time getting to know Rachel, the brains behind Frock Online. They stock little known in the UK, but fabulous, brands like Rene Derhy, Bekaloo and Numph, which almost certainly guarantees you won't suffer the toe-curling indignity of turning up in the same High Street-dress as 3 other people at your Christmas party!

But, perhaps most exciting, you can arrange an appointment if you're local to Farnham to see the clothes before you buy. Why not treat your bridesmaids to a marathon trying-on session or take your Mum along to find her outfit for your big day? Even if you can't do that, Frock's delivery and returns policy is simple and customer-friendly and that means they get the thumbs up from Magic Dust!

I recently worked at a wedding where the couple had obviously put a lot of thought into the gifts they gave their bridesmaids and ushers - I thought it was a brilliant, simple but hugely personal way of saying thank you.

Apparently it had taken the groom 6 years to propose and this had become something of a standing joke amongst their friends. The couple embraced this and handed out bottles of wine that needed to be laid down for 6 years before they could be drunk!

Try Wine 2 Lay Down if you're interested in doing something similar.

In my mind, you're only as good as the last wedding you planned so, imagine my delight on receiving this testimonial from Sarah & Ben, on their return from honeymoon:

"What seemed like a mountain of organisation became a fun, stress free and pleasurable experience. And that was totally thanks to Tammy and the Magic Dust service. The whole experience was faultless. That might sound like an exaggeration, but it's absolutely true. Whenever we needed Tammy she was there. Never intrusive or domineering, but always helpful and supportive. She offered ideas we loved, and brilliantly executed and improved our own."

And that's just one more reason why I think I have the best job in the world! If you'd like to check if we're free on your wedding date for 'On The Day' co-ordination so you too can relax and enjoy every second of your day or you just need an answer to a question that's driving you crazy, please get in touch - we're here to help!

Until next week,

ps - you can get regular wedding planning advice from magicdust's regular newsletter, simply click here to subscribe (and don't worry, we don't give your details to anyone else - we'll only use them to send you the newsletter)

Labels: style, supplier, testimonial

Labels: supplier, testimonial, venue

Labels: testimonial

I had a phone call last week from a very excited newly-wed, fresh from her honeymoon! Sarah and Michael hired Magic Dust to help with some of the planning for their July wedding and she was calling to say thank you!

The wedding took place in a beautiful villa in Tuscany and they asked Magic Dust to take responsibility for a number of tasks, one of which was the design and production of a table plan. The brief was broad and indicative of the trust they put in me and Magic Dust to produce something perfect for them.

Sarah told me she loved the table plan, and even more so my idea of displaying it in an oversized photo frame. This enabled her to hang it from the branches of an olive tree and create a real talking point on the day. When I was designing the table plan for this wedding I kept going back to the fact that it could be the most beautiful thing but if there was no thought put into displaying it, it wasn't going to work. That's where the photo frame idea came from. Propped up on a table, leaning on an easel, hanging on a wall, suspended on ribbon in the branches of an olive tree – a lot of thought and planning went into making sure that there were a number of ways in which it could be displayed to full effect. Given that the wedding was in Italy, precise details of the location weren't available, so flexibility was the key.

I always carry my digital camera with me and will happily snap things that inspire me. I take the time to get to know my clients really well, so that all creativity is considered and relevant, not wacky (unless that's what people want of course!). Experience has taught me what will, and won't, work well and I'm not afraid to share that experience with my clients. Planning a wedding is an enormous responsibility but it's one that we relish at Magic Dust. All the 'Thank You's" can't be wrong!

Until next time,

Labels: style, testimonial