Loch Lomond, Authentics + How To Be Found

This is one late Sunday evening post this week… having spent a few hours at the fab Save The Date Nottingham event earlier, I came home to have a play with my girlie and finally had some time to catch up with hubby after being away all week. Feeling a little sleepy having done over 800 miles in my car, along with back to back meetings… I decided to take a much needed nap and now I’m wide awake!

This last week has been somewhat crazy for me… I’m not complaining as I do something I love each and everyday but wow… the last seven days, bows {aka my flat comfy shoes} and me have been on the go – starting off with Monday in Leeds.

Back In Scotland

From Leeds… I took a nice steady drive to Scotland – being back in Loch Lomond was simply wonderful. This time, the sun was shining, the Loch was calm and I could have stood right on the foreshore and stared all day. I like to sit and stare at timesBut  there was no time for it. It was simply a week of meetings after meetings across this wonderful world famous location… and I am a little excited for a wedding here later on in the year!

Stumbling Across Authentics

Oh my… what a lucky girl I was. When I literally stumbled upon Authentics doorstep, I knew I had found a little piece of heaven. The gorgeous antiques were literally spilling out onto the shop front and when I slowly pushed open this shop front door, like a little girl opening up the door to a magical kingdom… I found stacked from floor to ceiling a huge amount of amazingness. From vintage books to desks to lamps to wine glasses … and a huge amount of vintage suitcases! I had a wonderful hour scouring … and then another one on top talking to the most lovely owners. They have owned Authentics for 20 years and I just know they have a great reputation. I don’t know how I know because the down to earth guys didn’t need to tell me… I just know. The vintage cases around the corner in a hidden little gem of a room had clearly done some amazing travels in their time but they are in such fantastic quality and condition… they’re still fit to travel to the moon and back a thousand times more. And you want to know their next destination? The very fashionable New York City. Every single one of them. So, if you’re ever off to Glasgow, head on over to Authentics – just off Great Western Road. I’m so going to be heading back! In case you’re wondering… I did come home with a wheelbarrow. Not just any wheelbarrow. That very pretty green one is now sitting in my garden looking super pretty.

Business Thought Of The Week… How To Be Found

I get asked a lot by others in the industry how my clients actually find me. My answer? Online. I’ve invested alot of time and effort into having online presence since I started Carmen Weddings and this is where and how my clients tend to find me. The majority of my clients are busy people and they spend a lot of time online, so I gathered that is where I would put much of my effort right from the beginning. We all know that if we are not found, then there is little chance in gaining any business… so whether you prefer printed advertising, exhibiting at wedding fayres or advertsing online… you just need to find what works best for you, who your target market is, their location, their age, do the clients you wish to gain have more time to read the printed magazines or the wedding blogs… and so forth. Maybe you decide to do all of them but you do need to do what suits you best and where you feel suits your business model. You may start by investing your money into a local printed magazine, then in time you may change and aim towards the national press or vice versa. For me, I will always keep investing online and will keep learning as much as I can about SEO as this is an area which never stops changing, it’s always good to have an understanding of.

Personal Thought Of The Week… When Will I Learn How To Pack Lightly?!

Last Sunday when I began packing ready to take my road trip to Scotland… I realised that after having travelled quite a bit since I was 3, I will never, ever learn how to pack lightly. I do literally want to take my whole home away from me. “What if I needed this in an emergency?”… “Somehow I may lose a pair of shoes along the way travelling along the M6 right, so I should pack many pairs of shoes?”… “I just know that I need to pack clothes for all 4 seasons… I am in the UK – it’s so unpredictable!”…

I am a nightmare when it comes to packing for myself for when I go away. It’s not uncommon that we get excess baggage fees when Paul and I go on holiday and I’ve already asked for some space in his case tooBut hey… one day I will write down every single outfit I need for a particular day, take one handbag that goes with every outfit {good luck me}, one pair of shoes which makes me feel like I’m walking on a fluffy cloud between 9 til 5, yet glam enough for the evening and makes me 6 inches taller {that will take me to about 5ft then}… yes, one day I will learn – so I keep telling myself. Any tips most welcome.

So on a very late Sunday evening… I hope you have a great start to the week tomorrow… and I just had to share this pic of my girl. This was her ‘Welcome-home-mami-after-I’ve-jumped-all-over-you!’ Oh… I do so love her!… Carms Xx