{Year in Review} Bow Occasions in 2011
2011 was Bow Occasions first full year in business! Looking back over the year I am really proud of what I have acheived.
February saw Bow Occasions host a ‘tweet-up’ for my fellow Twitter friends. This event was a great success and it was so lovely to put faces to twitter names.
In March, I worked on a wedding inspiration photo shoot with Dasha from Exhibt Emotions.
Bright, Bold, Beautiful Photo Shoot
This photo shoot was then featured on Rock My Wedding….
Bright, Bold Beautiful Photo Shoot featured on Rock My Wedding
… and the details from the shoot were used in a 2 page feature in Cosmopolitan Bride.
Press: Bow Occasions in Cosmo Bride – August / September 2011
April saw my first wedding of the year, Michelle and Russell’s wedding weekend in the Cotswolds.
A Bow Occasions Wedding – Michelle and Russell – April 2011
In June, I headed to London for Saleema and David’s wedding. Saleema is the lovely lady behind the Modern Vintage Bride Blog.
A Bow Occasions Wedding – Saleema and David – June 2011
Saleema and David’s wedding was featured in the Real Wedding section of You and Your Wedding.
{Press} You and Your Wedding – Jan / Feb 2012
In July, I was in Milton Keynes for Martha and Stu’s gorgeous humanist ceremony and tipi wedding.
A Bow Occasions Wedding – Martha and Stu – July 2011
Martha and Stu’s wedding was featured on the fabulous blog that is Style Me Pretty earlier this month.
{Featured} Martha & Stu’s Wedding on Style Me Pretty
And that my lovelies, was 2011. Here’s to a bigger and better 2012.
Happy New Year.
Louise xo
Popular posts from the past six months
My blog has been going for about six months now and this morning I thought I would post the top 10 most popular posts from the past six months. This gives new readers a chance to have a look through posts they may have not already seen and provides regular readers with the chance to recap.
So here goes…
1. Would you wear a wedding dress with pockets?
2. Bow Occasions Loves… Brides in Cardigans
3. Inspiration Board :: Wedding Hair with a Fringe
4. Brode by Tobi Hannah Bridal
5. Floral Inspiration :: Anemone
6. Inspiration Board :: A Man Men Inspired Wedding Theme
7. Real Wedding :: Rachel and Darren – Loughborough {Part One}
8. Vintage Week :: Love Vintage
9. Real Wedding :: A Scottish Affair by Craig and Eva Sanders Photography
So, why the new look?
Hello, I’m back! Sorry for the slight blogging break… I have been rather ill and busy this week but normal service resumes.
Bow Occasions only launched in July 2010 so why the rebrand? As with most new businesses, it has taken me a while to find my brand identity. Whilst I loved the pink and green, it wasn’t very gender neutral and a bit too bright, even for me. I played around with my website and blog design a few times before realising that it wasn’t the design I didn’t like, it was the colours.
After playing around with a variety of colour combinations, I eventually decided on red, blue and beige. I think the new colours look fab, even if I do say so myself!
I have a few things up my sleeve for Bow Occasions in 2011 and the rebrand forms part of this. I wish I could say more but you will have to wait and see.
Bow Occasions Business Cards
I would love to hear your opinions on the rebrand so don’t be shy, leave a comment below or pop me an email.
Louise xx
Recently Engaged? Unsure what to do next?
I have been featured on my wonderful photographer, Modern Photographic’s blog today as part of her Wedding Wednesday Supplier series. Check out her wonderful blog to view the full article. I have also included a copy of the post below.
♥ ♥ ♥
Photography courtesy of Exhibit Emotions Photography
Firstly congratulations on your engagement. This is an extremely fun and exciting time and one which should be enjoyed and cherished. Unfortunately, the wedding planning process can easily be overshadowed with stress, be it from family pressures, finances or not knowing where to start.
So to help you along the way, I have put together some tips for those at the very early stages of the wedding planning process.
1. Budget
There are so many fun parts of planning a wedding, from choosing the dress to cake tastings but there’s no point starting these without having an idea of the budget. After all, you don’t want to find your dream venue or dress only to then realise it doesn’t work financially.
I can tell you that this is probably going to be one of the toughest parts of planning your wedding so it’s worth getting it out of the way early. Then the fun begins…
2. Guest list
Establishing a rough guest list works hand in hand with establishing your budget… after all, the more guests, the more you may need to budget. This is also a good thing to have when venue searching… You don’t want to find your dream venue and then realise that it won’t be big enough to accommodate your guests.
3. Research
Research, research, research! Find out what YOU love. Find out what your FIANCE loves. Write down what is important to you and what isn’t. Look though magazines and blogs and save the ideas you love. Put them in a safe place, be it a scrapbook or a folder on your computer. It is so important to remember that this wedding is about you and your fiancé. Your friends and family will have opinions but be true to yourself, if you don’t want a wedding cake, don’t have one. Don’t want a three course meal then don’t have one.
Optional: Hire a wedding planner
You may be under the impression that wedding planners are only for the rich and famous – wrong. Of course, wedding planners aren’t for everyone but hiring a wedding planner to assist with the whole planning process or even particular areas, is becoming more and more common. For example, Wedding Day Coordination is a great package that enables the bride and groom to relax on their wedding day. Your Wedding Planner will be there putting the finishing touches into place and will be the first port of call for suppliers, ensuring you can enjoy the day without any stress or worry.
About Bow Occasions
Bow Occasions is the brand name for Louise Angus, a wedding planner and event planner based in Kent. Bow Occasions specialises in creating unique and individual weddings and events. Louise loves weddings that are a little bit different, a bit quirky and fun.
From Full Wedding Planning & Design to Partial Planning to Wedding Day Coordination, Bow Occasions provides a wide range of wedding planning services. Bow Occasions is here to provide you with as much or as little help as you require by tailoring our wedding and event planning services to meet your needs.
Although based in Kent, Bow Occasions also covers London, Essex, Sussex and Surrey and is more than happy to travel further afield.
Special Offer
Bow Occasions is offering 10% off any wedding planning packages between now and 30th April. Just quote ‘Bow Occasions Blog’ when enquiring.
Contact details
Website: www.bow-occasions.co.uk
Blog: www.bow-occasions.co.uk/blog
Email: hello@ bow-occasions.co.uk
Twitter: twitter.com/bowoccasions
Facebook: facebook.com/bowoccasions
Louise ♥ xx
Win a Wedding Planner in conjunction with Your Kent Wedding Magazine
Bow Occasions in conjunction with Your Kent Wedding Magazine has launched a competition for one of it’s readers to win a bespoke wedding planning package worth £1,500.
Click on the image to download a PDF.
The bespoke package will include:
♥ Venue Sourcing and Supplier Sourcing, providing the winner with a shortlist to choose from.
♥ Supplier management, including arranging appointments, attending meetings and handling all wedding paperwork.
♥ Styling and design to help the winner identify a theme that is personal to them.
♥ Wedding Day Coordination to ensure that the big day goes without a hitch and that suppliers and guests have a point of contact.
I am so excited to be working with the magazine and looking forward to meeting the winning couple in a few months time.
If you would like to enter check out page 91 of the Jan / Feb 2011 issue of Your Kent Wedding Magazine or you can also enter on line at Your Kent Wedding Competitions. Entrys close on 25 February 2011 and you must be getting married in Kent to enter.
Good luck!!
Louise ♥ xx
A Bow Occasions Photo Shoot
Good afternoon! I have a little self indulgent post for you on this snowy afternoon. Whilst designing my wedding planning website and blog, I realised that I needed some nice photos of myself – after all, couples are hiring me as a person.
So last Sunday, I braved the freezing temperatures along with Dasha, a talented London wedding photographer from Exhibit Emotions and headed for London. The result is the photo’s shown below.
I am usually so self critical of photos of myself but I can honestly say I love every photo Dasha sent me. She is one talented and lovely wedding photographer.
Thank you so much Dasha!
Louise ♥ xx
Sign up to the Bow Occasions Newsletter…
Here on the Bow Occasions Wedding Blog, I am always thinking of ways to provide brides with as much inspiration as possible and the BRAND NEW Bow Occasions Newsletter is another example of this. The newsletter will work alongside the blog and will include a selection of blog posts from the past month, wedding inspiration and hints and tips on planning your wedding.
What’s more is you will receive a FREE 12 month wedding planning guide just for signing up.
So what are you waiting for?
Sign up to the Bow Occasions Newsletter today!
Louise ♥
Wedding Planning Services :: Full Wedding Planning & Design
Next up in the Bow Occasions Wedding Planning series is Full Wedding Planning & Design…
The Bow Occasions Full Wedding Planning & Design service is entirely bespoke to your wedding and includes all elements of planning a wedding from sourcing the perfect venue to finding the best florist to being there on the day. As your wedding planner, I will be there every step of the way, taking care of every little detail ensuring your big day is a huge success.
Photography courtesy of Lollypop Photography
First I will meet with you to discuss your requirements. From here, I will produce some initial ideas and work with you to create a realistic budget and timeline. The next step will be supplier sourcing, providing you with a short-list to choose from. I can help with your guest management, send out your invites and manage RSVPs. I will be there to go dress shopping with you if you wish and will find you a great photographer. I will handle all bookings and confirmations, ensuring you are on budget at all times and will be on hand to answer any questions you may have.
Most importantly, I will keep in constant communication with you ensuring you are in control of your big day.
I do not take commission from suppliers – all discounts I get from them I pass directly onto you, the client.
For more information on the wedding planning services Bow Occasions offers, please visit the website www.bow-occasions.co.uk or you can email Louise hello@bow-occasions.co.uk.
Special Offer: Bow Occasions is currently offering 10% off all wedding bookings made before 31st December 2010.
Louise ♥
Bow Occasions Wedding Planning Services :: Wedding Day Management
One of the most popular services, Wedding Day Management enables you to sit back, relax and enjoy your big day. This is the ideal service to give you the wedding day that you have spent many weeks, months, even years planning.
I will meet with you at your venue (if appropriate) about a month before your wedding date so that we can run through all the supplier contracts; timings and details for the day and most importantly, get to know each other.
You will be able to contact me whenever needed prior to the wedding and on the day, I will be there putting the finishing touches into place and will be the first port of call for suppliers, ensuring you can enjoy the day without any stress or worry.
For more information on the services Bow Occasions offers, please visit my website www.bow-occasions.co.uk or you can email Louise hello@bow-occasions.co.uk.
Bow Occasions Wedding Planning Services :: Complimentary Initial Consultation
It is important when choosing your wedding planner that you get along. You need to know if you are on the same wavelength and whether you can work with them. This is why at Bow Occasions; I offer a complimentary initial consultation where we can talk through your ideas.
How does it work?
After I’ve scheduled you in for a consultation, I will send you a client questionnaire to complete and email back to me for review, 72 hours prior to our meeting.
During your initial consultation, we discuss the scope of your wedding/event and determine what service is most appropriate for your needs. The information I collect assists in creating a proposal which I will send to you via email, within a week post-consultation.
All initial consultations last approximately one hour and are available by appointment only (subject to availability). I understand that due to distance restrictions not everyone can meet with me in person, therefore, I will happily arrange a Skype conversation at a mutually convenient time.
Who should attend?
The bride and groom. During the initial consultation is it important that we begin creating a genuine working foundation with the couple therefore we prefer consultations to be restricted to the bride and groom only.
If the bride or groom cannot be present at the time of the initial consultation, I will gladly meet with another individual appointed by the couple who is active in the wedding planning process.
For more information on the services Bow Occasions offers, please visit the website www.bow-occasions.co.uk or email hello@bow-occasions.co.uk.
Welcome
Hi, I’m Louise, a wedding and event planner based near London in Kent. This blog is an extension of my wedding planning company, Bow Occasions.
Here is where I share wedding pretty, a behind the scenes look at Bow Occasions and personal posts so that you get to know the person behind the brand. I hope you enjoy my little piece of the blogosphere and do say hi!
Louise xo
