Business Thought Of  The Week … Pen to Pad or Tap on an iPad?

I have to admit, I’ve never really considered myself to have a phobia with learning new programs and technology, but at times I still love a pen and pad. Sat in a meeting during the week, the cool photographer next to me was noting the conversation on his iPad and I was scribbling away in a not-so-cool way in my notebook; which goes everywhere with me! I laughed and mentioned just how different our way of working is but I know that one day I will have to begin to put ‘everything’ into a hand held device instead. But do I really? I still love my paper diary, I still print off every Wedding Timeline for a wedding and I still like a handwritten thank you card… and in this ever changing world of technology, do we have to move with it? Although every file I have on my computer is safely backed up and I have access to it via my mobile whenever needed – I’m still a little reluctant to let go of some of my pen to paper habits… but having looked at Apple Pages… maybe that is what I need next.  How do you work? Do you put everything on a mobile device or like me, do you also use both too?

Personal Thought Of The Week…  Why Didn’t I?

Something really occurred to me this week which has never, ever done so before. It’s took me quite some years to realise this, something I may never tell my Mami because she’d say ‘I did tell you so’… and something although I will admit I wish I did do more of  but I won’t regret {because I’ve never believed in regrets and I had a whole lot of fun with the other kids!}… and that is ‘Why didn’t I listen more at Chinese school?!’. Although I speak Cantonese well, my reading and writing isn’t so amazing… and it isn’t until now where I think ‘I really should have listened a little more’. But hey, sometimes it’s the way life goes and it’s made me realise why I absorb information differently in my adult years – because I believe we should never stop learning and whatever it is I do nowadays, I put my absolute heart and soul into it. My mum is right afterall! xx

Yesterday’s wedding was at the magnificent Sandon Hall for a very lovely couple who celebrated their day with family from all over the world. They were all so warm and welcoming and  it was such a pleasure to work for them. The weather was kind to the bride and groom and having been obsessed with checking the weather, I have to say, my iPhone forecast was… wrong! We were supposed to have sunshine until 3pm, followed by rain and I’m sure you can guess it… it was beautiful ALL DAY – Yes, that’s a big smiley face from me.

Sunny Days

… last week I managed to capture this photo… just to prove we do get sunshine and warm temperatures here in the UK even if it is a little too rare! My daily doggie walk was bliss that day.

Lunch At The Inn + Rainbow Drops For A Wedding?

I was in Stafford for the church rehearsal and stopped by at The Dog & Doublet Inn for a bite to eat {great food I must add} and sunk myself into a big comfy armchair next to the window. There’s something so cute about looking through the little panes of glass! Do call by for food and pretty views if you’re ever in Sandon… I will certainly be going back in the near future.

The week has been about final preps for yesterday’s wedding and for me, most of it was spent on final-final confirmations… and my office weeks normally mean having lots of snacks around… Rainbow Drops being one of them! … What a colourful and pretty colour palette for a wedding it is! {yes, snacks can gives me inspiration too!}

Girlfriends + My Girlie

Here’s me with one of my girlfriends – P is my cousin and a very close friend. We’ve grown up together, we’ve travelled together, partied, laughed and cried together… oh, and have had sushi competitions… but after all these years, she did eventually move to Hong Kong to be with the love of her life.  She came back to England late last year for some family time but on Saturday it was time for to pack her suitcase and jump on board for her 12 hours flight  back to her 2nd home. I always miss this girlfriend but if love has to take you elsewhere, there is no denying it’s got to be done – we have mobiles, Facebook, WhatsApp and Skype if we need! See you again very soon sweet lady.

And yes… just another of my girlie. Just a random lazy shot of her which made me smile this week!

Enjoy the rest of your Bank Holiday today if you’re in the UK… and will be catching up again very soon… Carms Xx

Business Thought Of The Week … I Was A Clueless Me in PR!

It’s not my favourite subject so any advice you would like to share… I will blow you lots of virtual kisses!

This is a difficult one for me to touch on as I was someone who was {not afraid to admit!} very inexperienced on Marketing and PR when I first started this business. I knew PR had to be more drip-drip over months and months rather than a tremendous amount in one go then nothing at all… and if I’m really honest, I’m still learning every day. I didn’t understand it so I attended a workshop with the Alliance which was run by Propose PR and it gave me a much better understanding on this area.

It took me some months also to finally work out that PR doesn’t stand for Press Release! {I think I’m right, right?} My understanding now is PR means Public Relations and a Press Release is … well this.

Along with the workshop and general digging around from web searches to reading the Public Relations for Dummies guide… I also had lovely friend and one who is a fantastic planner {also!!} Lisa of Just Bespoke who kindly went through some details with me on this subject- which helped me tremendously {thank you Lisa!}. I still try and grasp what I can with reading blogs and searching for contents about this on Google. I watch and listen to what others are doing {not just in this country} and with the people I admire,  I try and understand how they work in getting their name out there. Even though I hugely admire these people, I realise I will never be them and it is important to all of us we put our own style and spin into the brand and the message we send. In the last few years the wedding industry has changed so much – which did have an effect on how I created my branding and where I would like to take it for it’s future. It was always on my new year’s list of goals … but I can no longer think of it as a goal on a yearly basis because I know PR has to be continually worked on. You can’t ‘hit it and leave it’… and it has to be consistent.

So after all that… I just need to do more of it and keep educating myself along the way!

Personal Thought of the Week… Congratulations to Paul

My hubby was promoted this week… and I couldn’t be more proud. This time 3 years ago {just a month before our own wedding} we were both made redundant from our positions… and for him to achieve this not only makes me realise what it means to him but how far he has come over the last 3 years. Seeing him back at the level of where he once was, was something he always worked hard and aimed for and now he has done it! He may have the extra responsibilities but I know we’ll all agree that the feeling of self achievement is much greater than anything else during your career. A huge well done to my sweet hubby… and thank you for always sharing your business head with me too!

]]> http://www.carmenweddings.co.uk/blog/thoughts-of-the-week/thoughts-of-the-week/feed 0 http://www.carmenweddings.co.uk/blog/carmen-weddings-uk-wedding-planner/featured-love-and-lace-on-love-my-dress http://www.carmenweddings.co.uk/blog/carmen-weddings-uk-wedding-planner/featured-love-and-lace-on-love-my-dress#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 07:00:28 +0000 Carms http://www.carmenweddings.co.uk/blog/?p=10237 Good morning and happy Monday to you!

I recently did a Sweet Peek on a photo shoot I had fully planned for in The Lace Market area of Nottingham – did you see it? If so, I hope you have been just as excited as me to see this full city shoot!… and now I want to also share with you the news that it’s been featured on the wonderful Love My Dress blog {in case you didn’t see my update on my Facebook page!}

For this shoot, I worked alongside a most wonderful and creative team and we were all very excited from the amazing results. From the stunning gowns by amazing wedding dress designer Kula Tsurdiu, pretties by Michele Gledhill Flowers & Styling and the most gorgeous cake designs by Yummy Little Cakes… plus not forgetting the amazing photographers Emma White and Lee Garland  There are so, so many people I need to credit for the shoot… but you can see the full shoot and read about all the details of what inspired me for the  design over on this Love and Lace feature on Love My Dress… with bridal looks from an elegant ceremony to the stylish city captures as the couple headed off on their honeymoon!

Every week when I come back to writing my Sunday posts I wonder how I got here. This time last week I was at Save The Date Event With A Difference … meeting many new wedding peeps, catching up with others I’ve met along the way… and having a real good hunt for what’s new and different in the 2012 UK wedding industry. And let me tell you… it sure was another fantastic event by Save The Date. It was also great to catch up with Michele Gledhill Flowers & Styling and I took a real good peek at her beautiful table designs… {please do excuse my very own weekly captures… learning to be become better at taking photographs for my blog is definitely on my list of to-do’s!}… and although this photo doesn’t do Michele’s gorgeous design any justice at all but I really had to share with you as part of my weekly post!

I also had great fun catching up with a couple of my clients for this year. Without spilling too much detail on the weddings I’ll be working on … here is a peek at the pretty church for a Stafforshire wedding and I just had to take a pic of the beautiful inn where we had our meeting. The view out of the gorgeous window was just breath taking…

If you have got this far and was wondering where my Business and Personal Thoughts are like all the previous Square Book Sunday posts, I’ve decided to split them into it’s own little place on the blog. My Sunday posts were looking a little too random and busy for my liking and I wanted them to have it’s own little home. So, come back in the week… and I shall share more of those thoughts with you very soon!… I’m now off to have a traditional Sunday Lunch with my father in law and his lovely wife, Vickie {at my favourite carvery restaurant, The Coopers Arms – for the 2nd time this week, we must be mad!} … so a sweet ciao for now and have a fab day! … Carms Xx