What is your most memorable wedding?
So many weddings have such different special moments that it is impossible to answer this question. Over nearly thirty years working as a Toastmaster, I’ve learnt that:
1. The Bride and Bridegroom generally know what they want. It’s up to me to find out what that is and deliver it in an appropriate way
2. I wear a formal uniform but not everyone wants formality – maintaining traditions is often more important
3. I am not the star of the show but I am instrumental in making a wedding memorable
4. Some weddings need very little management, and others require a lot!
Describe your style in 5 adjectives.
Careful, witty, flexible, engaging and competent
What about your business are you most proud of?
Not one complaint in 30 years
What is your No. 1 wedding planning tip for couples?
Adopt your own style
What is your favourite personal touch you have seen at a wedding?
Too many to mention
Describe your typical process with a couple.
I'm happy to have as many calls as necessary before a planning meeting and then, on the day, I can look after the Bride and Bridegroom in exactly the way we discussed. I get more pleasure when a couple say "you did exactly what we wanted" rather than "you were brilliant"
What is the most unusual thing you’ve been asked to plan?
I've enjoyed looking after weddings in teepees, fields, hotels, marquees, stately homes and palaces. No job too big, no task too small
How do you ensure a stress-free wedding?
Plan, plan, plan and check. At our planning discussion, which could be in person, online or by phone, I find out what is important, what you want to happen and what is not necessary. We talk through the day as if it is actually happening. After months of planning, you can then picture how your day will work. It’s also a check that proposed timings are realistic and achievable.
As a surrogate host, compere and organiser I sometimes stand in the shoes of the family. I need to understand all the relationships involved. I handle complex topics of separated parents and new partners sympathetically. Often, I ask you to describe your day in just three words. It is surprising how no two descriptions are the same. How would you describe your day in three words?
What do you love most about your job?
Plan as much as you can and then relax on the day. In my experience, the couples who obviously show that they are in love (and unstressed on the day) have the best weddings.
What is your favourite moment at a wedding?
There are many, but one of them is announcing "The new Mr and Mrs......"