So, it’s that time again… The first day of the month, a brand new year, a fresh new start…
But even more than that it’s a chance to stop and take a moment to look back over the last year, those 12 stupidly long yet ridiculously quick months which are nothing more than a blur now! In fact its easy to forget just how much you’ve managed. In fact I’ve worked out that I’ve completed around 70 weddings in 2018, plus wedding day hair styling for approximately 262 additional people in the bridal parties, and even 198 (–ish) additional make ups! That of course doesn’t include the preview sessions, the event hair and make up styling, the birthday hair ups, the Christmas works do makes up, the training, the master classes – and of course everything in between! 2018 has been a whirl wind, I’ve even managed to squeeze in around 2 and a half months of holidays and a little one starting school!
I always joke with my clients that ‘I don’t go to work, I go to weddings!’ and honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Imagine a job where you get to turn up on the happiest day of someone’s life, enjoy the entire build up of the morning with them, make them look incredible – and still make it home for a late lunch! I simply don’t know what it feels like anymore to have a ‘bad day at work!’
January 1stlast year started at the gorgeous local venue that is Old Kent Barn for Rebecca’s Wedding. What a fabulous way to spend the very first morning of my new year at such a beautiful wedding with such fabulous people. And what a day to it! Starting off your new year with a wedding! January finished on a high also as I exhibited at Detling show ground, a fab one stop shop for brides in Kent who are looking for local and fabulous suppliers to help with their every need! Seriously, everything from light up dance floors to drones can be found here and the show is not only a great way for me to promote myself and what I do but its also a great way to meet so many of my lovely brides and put faces to the names on my booking forms!
February was an amazing month. I spent almost the entirety of it in the gorgeous Thailand, working my way from beach to beach, bathing elephants and eating my body weight in noodles! I made it back just in time for the end of the month and the weddings of Emily and Lucy. Lucy used to be a manager of mine when I worked at Claire’s accessories ( longer ago than I even care to remember! ) so it was so nice to see her again!
In March I got to see my brother who returned home from Gibraltar for the wedding of his best friend Sarah. An honorary male bridesmaid – luckily for him she allowed him to simply match his tie to the bridesmaids girls dresses!
April was a crazy month for trials and preview sessions. Even the enquiries seem to rocket around this time too! It’s a busy time for mid week weddings, I had three weddings for brides called ‘Michelle’ this month ( random! ) and I always know when there’s a half term coming as I start to get wedding bookings on Mondays and Tuesday of the same week. So many teachers opt for mid week half term dates and they get booked up fast!
In May we had the biggest wedding of all – the royal one! I , like many others, waited in keen anticipation to see just what Meghan’s dress would look like and how she would style her hair and make up. She looked beautiful, effortlessly stunning – Harry is a very lucky man! This was also the month that I planned a styled shoot down at Herne Bay to showcase a vintage/boho type beach wedding vibe. The new venue at the end of the pier Beach Hut Weddings makes a fabulous alternative to a small and intimate ceremony otherwise held in a registry office for those looking for something a little bit different. . The beach front made the perfect backdrop for our sunny day shoot and I’m so pleased with the photos ( Simon Hawkins weddings) A big thankyou to Jen from Country Brides for the use of some gorgeous gowns, my two wonderful models, and everyone else who helped bring it all together on the day!
June was the month I got to work with the photographer who took my wedding photos many years ago! Tony Gamerio shot the beautiful Christinas day at Port Lympne mansion house and she was a simply stunning bride.
July was a busy one – a special mention goes to Gill who celebrated her 70thbirthday with friends and family by getting married at the gorgeous Westernhanger castle. An old friend Kelly finally got the wedding she had been dreaming of with her twins Isla and George making the most gorgeous flower girl and page boy and her dad surprising her by hiring a stunning vintage car to take her to the venue! Suzanne, another bride with another gorgeous daughter, looked incredible on her big day at The Orangery – complete vintage bridal glam! And lastly, not forgetting Levi who married at The Gardens, Yalding who’s husband to be was a DJ and had compiled a complete wedding morning ‘radio show’ for her to listen to, featuring a variety of messages from friends and family, stories and songs. Absolutely the best wedding morning soundtrack I think I will ever hear!
August, yet another crazy busy month. I had the pleasure of 17 brides this month and saw the back of a ten day wedding stint– exhausted was not the word! I was back again to Old Kent Barn for Emma who has the most fabulous hair, styled with extensions we managed to create the most impressive mass of curls and twists – absolute princess hair dreams! And at the barn again for Jenny who was an absolute pleasure, not to mention and absolute hoot ( I miss you Jenny! ). I do of course have to mention Jolie who married at Westernhanger too, Mum arranged for them to all turn up in a limo on the morning and one of my favourite photos from the whole year I think is mum after she clambered into the roll top bath , complete with prosecco, dressing gown and hat!
I always love September, as it’s my birthday month. I spent the beginning of the month styling Amy, ( a friend I’d made at baby massage four years ago! ) for her big day and it was so lovely to see their wonderful family photos! On my birthday I had the pleasure of providing hair and make up to Nikki and her bridesmaids, which she made extra special by not only remembering that it was my birthday -but also by buying me chocolates! Thank you Nikki, that was really kind of you!
October was quite a month… I made two more visits back to the Old Kent Barn, Denise went for the most stunning vintage glam look which I absolutely loved creating and Louise somehow managed to pull it all together with a grand total of 22 bridesmaids. Yes, that’s not a typo – 22 ! ( I didn’t have to do all their hair and make up don’t worry! ) Weddings aside , I had another great Wedding fair at Detlingwhere I showcased the magic of AIRBASE airbrush make up to lots of interested brides to be and It was also the month I was asked to showcase my work on stage at the prestigious hairdressing trade show in London Salon International. I created a bridal inspired floral updo for my lovely model Sam and had the best time presenting to an audience of stylists and professionals – Massive tick on the bucket list!
November, things slowed a little and finally I can breathe! I was delighted to be selected once again as a finalist for The Kent Wedding Awards. I won the award back in 2016 and have been making sure I work hard to keep my name on their finalist list ever since I first applied back in 2015. It’s a great way for local suppliers to showcase their work and the pride they take in it. It’s also a great chance to meet other industry professionals who’s work you admire and who you often see in passing at so many weddings throughout the busy year!
Finally we come to December, which always seems to fly by anyway! My best friends sister Emma married and looked stunning in her princess dress complete with dramatic make up and classic red lip! I had an early Christmas present two days before Christmas when I found out I had been selected as a finalist for the Hitched awards ( please be sure to vote for me ! ) a massive achievement and I’m really proud to have been considered for something that I consider to be such a big deal – fingers crossed!!! Even after all that , (like I needed any other excuse to end this year on a high! ) , I finished my brides of 2018 on December 30ththis year with the fabulous Rhea and Fiona. There are not enough lovely words to describe these fun and full of life ladies, I am sure their day would have been just as enchanting as the two of them – least of all because they held it at the stunning Wotton House . My first visit to this grand venue did not disappoint – if you’re looking for somewhere breath taking to hold your big day be sure to check it out!
Of course that’s not even close to mentioning every single one of the wonderful brides I had the pleasure of working with this year. Your trust and faith in me to bring your visions to life on your big day allow me to continue to do what I love. I take so much pleasure seeing all the photos and reading all the testimonials, the thank you cards you send are so appreciated, and the personal recommendations you give honestly mean the world to me. Luckily for me I seem to attract the nicest ladies ( to the point where lots of you will probably have disappointedly asked me for my favourite ‘bridezilla moment’ story only to find that infact I don’t actually have one! ). Seriously, it sounds cliché but I love what I do and all of you make that possible. Thank you for supporting my dream and my business throughout 2018. I can’t wait to meet all of my 2019 brides! Every single person who reads a post, clicks a link, casts a vote, tells a friend, shares and likes – you all help me massively! And like I always say , I am so so grateful that ‘I don’t go to work, I go to weddings’.
Cheers to 2019 – Hope you all have a fabulous year!