Why a professional photographer, and why you should insure your event.

Two pieces of information that will help you get great wedding photos, but not fall foul of the expensive traps used by some companies.

 Don't rely on friends and family to photograph your wedding, do get a professional photographer.
They know exactly what to do to get the pictures you need, they are used to getting people to stand in the right place for the all important group shots without to much hassle .They understand the light conditions and have the right equipment to ensure great pictures on dull and overly bright days.

The day only happens once, make sure you have the day recorded properly.

Check out the reputations as  bad professional photographers do exist. Also look for a photographer who offers you a CD of your images, not a DVD to music, but a CD of printable images and the right to print them. This will enable you to send photos to anyone you want, and put them on Facebook or get a professional or friend to make you a scrapbook and will save you a lot of money if you plan to use a lot of photos.

Photographers  I recommend in the North West and who fit my criteria  are Steel Orchid
Lawrence Clift Photography and George and Gleyns Dawber  all offer CDs of your images. all take excellent photos and both record your wedding whilst remaining unobtrusive. Steel Orchid however will if required dress in gothic outfits if that suits your wedding theme.

I was asked recently what was the most money saving advice I can give to a bride and groom, in fact it also goes for anyone planning a large event.
                                                            

Insure your event!!  With weddings and events costing so much, you have to ask yourselves could you afford to pay for it twice. If the answer is no, or you wouldn't want to, then you really should insure your event.

What would you do if the bridegroom broke his leg at his stag doo, or your Mum or Dad are taken ill, close to the wedding ? Or if you find yourself in hospital a few days before the wedding.

There are many things that can go wrong including flooded venues and snow blocked roads but  if you are adequately insured it will mean that you can make your alternative plans without undue stress or worry.

For a £30,000 event it should cost you less than £180.00 to insure it
. 

My recommendation for a wedding insurance company in the Uk  is Ecclesiastical  mainly due to the fact that when a large wedding list company went bust a few years back, Ecclesiastical had the best record for paying out claims.

Check out reputations of event insurance companies before you decide which one to use.

The way a business should be run!

Today my partner and I went on our traditional, Christmas shopping trip to Bury Market. One of our traditions is breakfast at Katsouris Delicatessen. 
Whilst eating my breakfast I decided to write this post and discussed it with my husband.
Its always very busy at Katsouris, but no matter how long the queue. it always surprises me how quickly we are served, not only that, but once we are being served, other staff members, come and check we are being served.
2 full English breakfasts with 2 sausages. 2 eggs, 3 bacon,  beef mushroom, beans. 1/2 inch slice of Bury black pudding. 3 slices of toasted ciabatta and 2 coffees comes to the grand total of £10.45. Not just great value, but each item on that list is great quality. Its fantastic food.

Everything we have ever tried at Katsouris has been the same, from the stunning cakes and deserts, to sandwiches and items from the deli. Great quality and value throughout.
We take our traditional seats outside. yes outside in winter. They have gas heaters, and almost as soon as we are seated, staff come and turn the heater near our table on. Its always been warm enough, but this year we noticed an improvement in our surroundings , they have put in screens to protect you from the wind.

Our breakfast as always arrived quickly, and were perfectly cooked. However the manager apologised for how long we waited, as he felt it wasn't as quick as it should have been.

Every time we have been a member of staff always wanders by and asks if the food is OK. As soon as you finish your breakfasts, the plates are cleared so you can sit and enjoy your coffee.

Empty tables are cleaned almost instantaneously.

I always believe in giving praise where praise is due. I told the manager the breakfasts were even more outstanding than the last ones we had. (and that in my book was no mean feat)

 I also believe that we should all point out less than adequate service, when it happens, as how are companies to improve if no one says, That's not good enough. However there just were no issues. From start to finish it was as always a lovely experience.

I don't know how much the staff are paid, or how they are treated. I have seen the manager remind staff who aren't busy to check this or that. So I know that they are expected to work, at delivering a perfect service. The staff always seem friendly and smiley when you talk to them, and when you don't they are quietly, unobtrusively and efficiently tidying up around you.

I noticed today that they had a sign saying they did outside catering, Now normally I would get refs for outside caterers before using them for an event. But if I get an event booking near Bury and they need great food and great value. I wouldn't hesitate in going to Katsouris.

Its definatly not an accident that everything is always excellent, you have to push to keep improving, like they have, and to keep service quality so good. I do not doubt that they run every aspect of the business to the same high standard, so Id recomend them without hesitation.
So why this blog.

I was thinking, that Katsouris represented what I believe a good business is about. Giving great service, great quality and always striving to improve and if that wasn't enough giving it at a great and more than fair price. It is one of the reasons why I started my business, to offer the same values to my customers, as Katsouris do to theirs.
So all you companies struggling out there, losing customers. Nip to bury market, have a breakfast, and if you watch carefully you'll recieve a free lesson on how to run a business and how to keep your customers happy.Ensuring, that people like me tell others about your fantastic. value, quality and service.

The most expensive wedding mistake.

This may seem a strange post, from someone who makes a living from people getting married, and thinks that marriage is brilliant. Being very happily married myself.

But and it is a big but,

Someone recently asked me what was the most expensive wedding mistake, and I replied honestly. Marrying the wrong person. Is by far the most expensive mistake you can make both financially and emotionally.

Which made me realise, that in the past your priest or vicar, would at some level question your commitment to marriage and your partner, these days that rarely happens. The wedding industry as a whole wants you to get married.  Your families and partner wants you to get married. Before long you get carried away and the event becomes more than just a celebration of your relationship. In some cases it can become the driving force, the money and effort invested almost forces you to go through with your wedding, despite having serious doubts.

I personally know three people who knew on their wedding day and for months before, that the marriage was a big mistake, but felt obliged and under pressure to go through with it.

As a wedding co-ordinator its not my role or right to influence your matrimonial decisions.

However I do feel that some impartial advice now, before you start on your journey together could stop you making the most expensive wedding mistake.


Here are some questions that may help you decide, if you have serious issues in your relationship.

Does your relationship make you happy most of the time? We all have little hiccups, but if your relationship makes you unhappy most of the time. Then you really need to question if you should get married.

Do you trust your partner to be honest and faithful in your relationship? I’m not saying that you can trust anyone 100%. In fact if you do, then you’re more likely to take your relationship for granted. I’m asking if you feel that they are basically honest with you. If you know that they are not, then you really should question why you are marrying them.

Do you trust yourself to be honest and faithful in your relationship? Again I don't believe we can trust ourselves 100%. We all do stupid things occasionally and wonder why we did them. I am asking
Do you already regularly lie to your partner, have you already been unfaithful? If the answer is yes, then you really need to think through your decisions to marry.

Forget the great things about your relationship for a moment. Great things about a relationship rarely are the reason marriages break up. It’s those things that you can't stand, the things that irritate you, the things that make you unhappy, that break up relationships. Can you live with those for the next 20 years, if the answer is no, chances are you won't change them, and will have to live with them. So you need to sit down and work out why you are continuing along this path.

Do you feel superior, or inferior to your partner? Do you feel that you are doing your partner a favour getting married, or that they are doing you a favour marrying you? I'm not talking about the feeling that you are lucky to have found that perfect soul mate. I am asking if you have respect for your partner, if you think they are inferior to you, before you marry, then it won't be long before you take them for granted.
If you feel inferior to your partner, is it because they make you feel stupid, or is it something that you feel anyway. You need to work out why you feel inferior, and make sure that you put this right. Otherwise you may become a doormat or suffer from jealousy, always waiting for your partner to find someone, who is his or her equal.
Unless these issues are addressed, then the marriage is doomed to be very rocky, until they are addressed.

If either you or your partner are violent in your relationship, that issue really needs addressing before you even consider getting married.

If you have ready through this blog, and none of these questions have any relevancy in your relationship, then congratulations and you will have a long and happy relationship, as long as you remember, that honesty and respect, are the cornerstones of happy relationships.

If you read through this blog and one or more of those sections were recognisable. Before you book your wedding venue, or caterer, you need to work on that issue.

If your venues booked, and your caterer is booked, and reading those sections made you feel sick with worry, and brought on the feeling of complete panic. Then you really need to think about stepping backwards,

Going through with the wedding knowing that it’s a complete mistake, may seem the easier thing to do at this moment. But if you really feel that you’re making a huge mistake, in the long run it’s much easier and less destructive to get out now.

If you need to find a councillor try here http://www.pinkfridge.com/lal_marriagecounselling/premarital.htm

I would really appreciate any comments from people who made the most expensive wedding mistake, about any other worrying signs and if they feel that this is a useful post.

For those of you who made it through the questions unscathed, I would be more than happy to work with you on creating the perfect engagement party or wedding for you the very happy couple.

Rattytatty http://www.rattytattydesigns.co.uk/

Christmas planning service launched with local radio ad and free gift search for 3 lucky readers

Hi

Its been a brilliant week with our Christmas planning service launching with a local radio ad on This is the Cat radio



Finding the perfect Christmas presents

Beautiful sterling silver  flower cuff designed by Julia Foggin and available at The Jewellery Room

We know that finding the perfect presents can be a time consuming and highly stressful obstacle course.  We offer a Personal christmas shopper service, to help you obtain the perfect gifts.

Now as part of our launch we are offering to find 3 lucky readers some perfect presents.  1 will recieve a full online personal shopping experience and two will recieve1 perfect gift suggestion each. So if you have an awkward person to buy for or just really really want to get it spot on let us help.

Comment below and we will contact 3 readers for their budget details and a few details about their recipients and we will find you the perfect gifts available online, so that no matter where you are, you can purchase them and solve your Christmas present dilemmas.

We look forward to helping you impress at Christmas

1st 25 comments , We'll find you the perfect gift.

Christmas is approaching and we at Rattytatty Designs are offering a selection of Christmas Planning Services to take away the stresses of Christmas.

We can Decorate your house. provide you with a Chef on Christmas day, write and despatch your Christmas cards and also provide you with a Christmas shopping service. 

Now to get ourselves warmed up and raring to go we are going to accept Christmas Shopping challenges from you our readers. If your having problems selecting a gift for someone. just leave a comment stating the recipients age, gender, any personal style preferences, ie classic, modern and the budget for the gift. We will select 3 options for you complete with where you can purchase the items.

We will provide selections for the 1st 20 comments

Look forward to meeting the challenges

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. Voodoo wedding ideas

Rumours abound about a December voodoo wedding for Robert and Kristen. However there are a great many hints that this is not to be the case. Either way the stars of twilight make a lovely couple.

If you are inspired by the rumours to consider a voodoo wedding yourself but don't want it to look like this

there are aspects of a voodoo wedding you can incorporate into your wedding.

Colours have a great importance in voodoo. So you can base your wedding  on the most providential colours.


The colours most apt for a voodoo wedding are

Blue represents love in Voodoo
White positive energy and good karma
Purple Spirituality
Green Tranquility

Invitations and stationery
For off the peg stationery you can follow the voodoo colour scheme.
But in reality only a bespoke stationer can provide you with a subtle set of stationery that has some obvious referance to Voodoo. Interlinked snake initials for instance

What should you wear

This is one of the dresses that I feel would compliment a Voodoo themed wedding . Available from Light in the box 

You can stick with a traditional style wedding and keep your accessories subtle or if  you want something a little more edgy and adds a bit of the carnival atmosphere found in voodoo add this blue feather jacket available from Miss Selfridge

and these blue shoes

available at endless,com


your bouquet needs plenty of blue, purple and green

I liked this one suggested on  dotcomwomen.com

Table settings White linen . Cobalt blue runners, Centrepieces to match bouquet. For the voodoo touch add good luck voodoo dolls as place cards Tagged with Name and what the colour should bring the owner alternate white doll with purple hair, purple doll with white hair.
As favours you could add Voodoo bottle spells  you can buy a how too book http://best.voodoo-spells.ever.com/

So  avoiding the Disney style voodoo wedding doesn't mean that you cannot reflect and embrace voodoo into your wedding. It just takes perfect planning

How can an Event planner give you a perfect Christmas

How can an Event planner help with Christmas.

Many Event planners can offer, or find you, specialised services to help you have a stress free Christmas.
Everything from decorating your house or business inside and out, including in some cases full fake snow cover for your garden, plus removing it all afterwards, to designing personalized Christmas cards, writing and despatching them .


Providing personal Christmas shopper with wrapped gifts at the end, so no mad dash around the shops, or getting tangled in tape.


Planning all your Christmas catering and providing a chef, and a waiter if required. This includes the cleaning up after.So you can enjoy, your Christmas dinner party, or your Christmas Day not having to worry about whether your turkey is cooked or sorting out the remnants of Christmas dinner. 


You can let your Event planner organise those aspects of Christmas you hate and save the bits you enjoy for yourself.

Take our Jobs you hate Christmas survey, no personal details are collected, we want to ensure we have every task that minimises your joy of Christmas covered.

CHRISTMAS JOBS I HATE

Christmas decoration ideas

Well Christmas is fast approaching and I thought I would put together some mood boards for Christmas 

so here is my 1st mood board for Black silver and red Christmas

Tree

Use loads of  beautiful black and silver and charcoal coloured baubles. Then add 1 red bauble you really love but use a lot of them. Use 2 strings of lights 1 bright white one red  .Black Tree and baubles all from Christmas time uk

Table decoration

Have a black undercloth and place an openwork batternburg lace table cloth over the top . Use Red christmas wreathes as table centre. with 3 different sizes of church candles in black . Use silver chargers, and black crockery, and red napkins.
I will be posting another idea on Thursday
Tracey

Rattytatty Designs (Events) a Poem

For those people who wonder what an event planner can do for them 

So what does Rattytatty do?

From finding a venue so sublime,

to food good enough for the queen to dine.

Finding you the perfect dress!

Delivering events without the stress!

She gives your perfect day that special touch,

that makes it look as if you spent too much.

Keeping everything on time, in budget.

She really is a priceless nugget!

So what does Rattytatty do?

Why, she designs events, just for you!

Hope you like the poem

Wedding fairs in the North West Saturday and Sunday

Whilst contemplating what "Your Great Event" should feature on Fridays I thought that last minute suggestions for Bridal fairs would be a grand idea . So I have selected a few in the north west.

Saturday 9th October


One fair
 Cheshire

New Blossoms Hotel

St John Street, near the historic town clock, Chester, Cheshire CH1 1HL 12 pm till 5

Elegance Weddings and Events invite you to their Autumn Wedding Fayre. At The Macdonald New Blossoms Hotel, St John Street, Chester, Cheshire CH1 1HL.  Parking 5 minutes walk away at the Pepper Street, NCP Car Park. Two fantastic fashion shows 1pm & 4pm. Entrance £2.00

Telephone: 07969 619051

Sunday 10th October

Cheshire

Mottram Hall

Wilmslow Road , Mottram St Andrew, Cheshire , SK10 4QT

Additional information:

Catwalks at 1pm and 3pm

Contact Weddinglink: 0161 925 4289

Telephone: 0161 925 4289

Hartford Golf Club

Burrows Hill, Hartford, Northwich, Cheshire CW8 3AP 11am till 4

Additional information:

Elegance Weddings and Events Invite you to their Autumn Wedding Fayre, at Hartford Golf Club, Burrows Hill, Hartford, Northwich, Cheshire CW8 3AP 

Telephone: 07969 619051

Greater Manchester

Lancashire County Cricket Club

ld Trafford, Talbot Road, Manchester, M16 0PX  11 till 4

  Additional information:

Confetti Queens wedding fair

Telephone: 0161 212 1490

Ramada Manchester Piccadilly

Ramada Manchester Piccadilly , Portland Street , Manchester , M1 4PH 12 till 4

  Additional information:

The Gay wedding show
For more information you can visit us at www.gayweddingshow.co.uk

Telephone: 01932 571286

Merseyside

The Orangery at Heaton Hall

Middleton Road, Manchester M25 2SW Sunday 10th October 12 noon - 4pm

£1 entrance fee on the day. Free tickets available HERE

Free Event mood board for 3 lucky winners

So I am launching a bit of a competition, I will designs mood boards worth £180 for 3 lucky people who comment on this post, if you are planning an event just  comment below. The 3 winners will be drawn using a random number generator. Please ensure I have your e mail adress so I can contact you for information about theme, colours  required and your budget.
1st name drawn will have a mood board designed within the week, second will be the next week and the third will be in the following week.

So if you want a gothic wedding, a corporate launch party, anniversary or christening or something really off the wall comment and you may get some free ideas for "Your great event"

This is the mood board from  Launching Your Great Event post. all details of suppliers can be found in that post.
To find out more about our event planning services visit us at Rattytatty Designs

Launching "Your Great Event"

Hi all Tracey Allen here

I am The Event and Wedding planner, and on this blog I am going to share mood boards for events, some helpful advice, and links to great sites full of brilliant event and wedding related products.

Anyway,  as most weddings are planned upto a year in advance, here is a mood board for a winter wedding .

If you don't want to go for the full winter theme, snowflakes etc,  but want your wedding to reflect the feeling of winter . Go for white with tones of cool blue.Add loads of crystal for that icy feel . 

Wedding dress EdenBridal 
Aisle decor Decorate my wedding

Iced rose and tealight tablecenter Glacial Art
Bridesmaids dress Light in the box

Bouquet yourweddingcompany

Invitations Bride and groom direct 
Cake Traceys Cakes  Not me I should add.

Tiara Princess Sparkle 

Shoes John Lewis

Silver organza bags k2-accessories_07

Blue foil chocolates ebay slion*22eller 

Chairbows Ebay seller weddingaccessory2009

Hope that my mood board has been of interest. If you used the mood board for a 100 guest wedding with 10 tables it would cost £3070,00 without shipping or delivery.

                                                            ...................................

I was asked recently what was the most money saving advice I can give to a bride and groom, in fact it also goes for anyone planning a large event.
                                                            

Insure your event!!  With weddings and events costing so much, you have to ask yourselves could you afford to pay for it twice. If the answer is no, or you wouldn't want to, then you really should insure your event.

What would you do if the bridegroom broke his leg at his stag doo, or your Mum or Dad are taken ill. close to the wedding. There are many things that can go wrong including flooded venues and snow blocked roads but  if you are adequately insured it will mean that you can make your alternative plans without undue stress or worry.

For a £30,000 event it should cost you less than £180.00 to insure it
. 

My recommendation for a wedding insurance company in the Uk  is Ecclesiastical  mainly due to the fact that when a large wedding list company went bust a few years back, Ecclesiastical had the best record for paying out claims.

Check out reputations of event insurance companies before you decide which one to use.
                                                                                                      ...........................................................

If there were one other peice of advice that I,would give to all brides and grooms  it is about wedding photography,it won't save you money but can make a huge difference to your memories of the day.

 Don't rely on friends and family to photograph your wedding, do get a professional photographer.
 They know exactly what to do to get the pictures you need, they are used to getting people to stand in the right place for the all important group shots without to much hassle .They understand the light conditions and have the right equipment to ensure great pictures on dull and overly bright days.

The day only happens once, make sure you have the day recorded properly.

Again check out the reputations as  bad professional photographers do exist. Also look for a photographer who offers you a CD of your images, not a DVD to music, but a CD of printable images and the right to print them. This will enable you to send photos to anyone you want, and put them on Facebook or get a professional or friend to make you a scrapbook.

Photographers  I recommend in the North West are Steel Orchid
Lawrence Clift Photography and George and Gleyns Dawber  all offer CDs of your images. all take excellent photos and both record your wedding whilst remaining unobtrusive.

So thats my 1st post I would love to have your feedback. and  I will take suggestions as to what you would like my future posts to cover.
Tracey Allen