Tropical with a Banging Ending

Lush greens, tasty grub, lake views and surprise bangers!

Names: Rebecca & Justin from Manchester

Date: June 2019 - Brilliant sunshine!

Venue: Silverholme Manor, Windermere

Marquee: Millennium Marquees

Catering: Karen Rhodes Catering

Bar: Bars 2 U

Photography: Pixies in the Cellar

Flowers: Brackens of Bowness

Creche: Bluey & Baloo

Others: MUA - Kate Valentine, Neon Signs - The Word is Love, Ceremony Music - Echo Strings Quartet, DJ - Festival Wedding DJ Serae, Evening Food - Hip Hop Chip Shop, Fireworks - Pyroartistry

In Brief:

Event Manager Rebecca knew she wanted something very special for her and Justin’s big day but also knew it was going to be a grand task. With a newborn due months before the plans became daunting and with her experience she needed someone to trust.

It was such a lovely meeting with the Bride to be and her best friend. Rebecca totally had it all in hand but it was nice to put her mind at ease that it was looking so great! There were a lot of suppliers involved and a lot of finishing touches so we discussed each element to make sure they were worthwhile. Some things werent and some needed investigating further. All part of the service and very worth the time!

The day before, I was booked to come along and just check things through. I got stuck in with the ‘wedding team’ and unraveled the huge amount of props etc. I am a ‘faffer’ so loved it!! Even when the time came for the couple to go and greet people, I wanted to stay to just alleviate some tasks from their minds. Its a nice chance to meet key people too so on the day they know me and feel they can come to me with any queries.

The day was flippin’ glorious! Sunshine, teenie baby Zac, beautiful Bride, hilarious Groom and Ushers, super helpful and lovely guests. Mix that with fantastic suppliers in a beautiful location…. nailed it.

The final task of mine that day was working with Trevor at Pyroartistry to ensure Justin was in position for the surprise firework show. Again… nailed it.

I honestly enjoyed it all. I even got to use a blow torch!! (Lighting sparklers!) The food and bar service was brilliant, provided by Karen Rhodes Catering and Nick’s Bars 2 U, very pro team working together effortlessly. And oh my, the Hip Hop Chip Shop, YUM! The marquee looked epic with the tropic style floral displays by Kevin at Brackens of Bowness then the pretty extras and thoughtful stationary. The images that follow my ramblings will showcase not just the event and emotions involved but the skill of Pixies in the Cellar too. Wow.

I truly love my job. It may look easy (it should!) and it may seem less valuable than other services but I honestly believe wedding planners can dramatically effect the whole process. What do you think?

Kind words from the couple:

Why did you look for a Wedding Planner?

“We wanted our wedding to have lots of different elements - but that meant lots of different suppliers, timings, requirements etc. Myself and my husband discussed whether we'd need a planner as I knew I would be fine doing the bulk of the planning beforehand (I work in events) - and we almost didn't hire a planner. But I'm so, so glad I did. I knew when it came to the big day, I didn't want to be in work mode - I wanted to be able to relax and just focus on being a bride and enjoying the day. Not an easy thing for someone who is a bit of a control freak and was desperate for everything to run perfectly....”

Why did you Choose Weddings by Annabel?

“I'd heard a few suppliers mention Annabel when we were booking the wedding and as soon as I spoke to her on the phone, I had complete faith in her that she could run our wedding to the standard I wanted. We arranged a meeting to which I took my chief bridesmaid. As soon as it was finished, my bridesmaid looked at me and just said 'HIRE HER!' She was so right - Annabel strikes that rare balance of warm and welcoming with efficiency and no nonsense, exactly what you need in a wedding planner. “

What was the most helpful part of having a Planner in the run up to the event?

“Whilst I thought I could do most of the planning myself, it was absolutely invaluable to have a couple of sessions with her before the wedding to bounce ideas off and get advice from. She was always full of great ideas and her experience means you can totally trust in her. In the weeks before the wedding, Annabel contacted all the suppliers - taking the pressure off me - which was fantastic and on the day before, she came to help us set up. It became quite a frantic day and took a lot longer than anticipated and she was an absolute hero - overseeing it all and staying until the job was done.”

Who would you recommend having a Planner to?

“Anyone who wants to make sure their wedding day runs smoothly (so everyone :-)) and especially if you have a venue that is more 'DIY' and lots of different suppliers (caterers, bar, music etc) involved.”

How do you feel the wedding was influenced with Annabel being part of it?

“I honestly don't know how it could have run without her - and I certainly could not have relaxed or had the same experience. She ran the whole day for us from start to a fairly late finish - ensuring everyone was where they were supposed to be and all the guests had a fantastic time. Annabel was the best money we spent on the wedding - she was absolutely essential.”

What top three tips would you give others having a DIY wedding?

“- Hire a planner - seriously, even if you think you can do it all yourself, you NEED someone on the day to coordinate so you can focus on the important part of getting married and having fun with your friends and family.

- Make sure each supplier knows exactly what you expect from them and what is being covered by them and by other suppliers so there is nothing missed or doubled up on

- Have it exactly as you want it to be with all the personal touches you've dreamt of - having a DIY wedding can be difficult and takes a lot more planning than a wedding package, but the pay off is that you get to completely personalise it and create the day of your dreams. For us, this was absolutely worth it and we had a weekend we'll never, ever forget”

What are your overriding memories of the weekend?

“So many amazing memories, I don't know where to start. Waking up to sunshine after weeks of rain, the feeling of walking into the ceremony room and spotting so many faces and then seeing my husband-to-be, the amazing speeches and the fireworks - which were a surprise for my husband and fantastically coordinated by Annabel.”

Would you change anything?

“No”

Would you recommend Annabel?

“Absolutely - we can't recommend her enough. I cannot imagine how the day would have run without her - she is absolutely brilliant at what she does and it felt like having one of our friends run the day (in a very efficient way). I would say to anyone considering getting a planner, hire Annabel - you will be so glad you did.”

Thanks you fab pair of people! Really loved working with you and making your day so so special!!

Thanks to all the team involved too. It makes my job that much nicer when working with fun people!!

A xxx