A Day in the Life of a Wedding Planner

Busy as a little bee

2009-11-27T03:32:00.000-08:00

Life has been really busy of late - I am trying to get companies to sponsor the Run for Heroes fun run in Swindon next June, so far without much success and yesterday I was appalled to receive an email from Jordans who make those yummy cereals wishing me luck with my swimathon! Again it was a thanks but no thanks email but a swimathon for god's sake don't they read emails properly???

I have also been trying to get the band some gigs and have been on twitter as I have made friends with a few people with a view to getting gigs. Fingers crossed I may have picked up a support act slot for this coming Monday with The Damned.

Trying to get back to my studies as well - I have assignments to write and yet have no time these days. I guess I shouldn't complain as my business seems to be taking off..I have been invited to quote to organise 3 seminars about divorce. Have been networking like crazy - I am now the marketing assistant for Birmingham Longbridge 4N group (a voluntary post) and I have been tweeting, facebooking, yakking on the phone, yakking on skype and I have been advertising too. Managed to get a free advert in CES which is a huge directory that goes out to big businesses who may want help organising their product launches etc, got a paid advert in Hospitality & Events North too. I no longer see the point in advertising in wedding magazines because I have had zero take up and I refuse to waste yet more money.

Visited a fab venue the other day, it is only available for use at weekends and bank holidays - its the Council House in Birmingham, their banqueting suite is to die for and for £1200 plus VAT people can hire it for the day..you also get the museum too for that price.

Where does the time go?

2009-11-11T13:32:00.000-08:00

Time is whizzing by so fast and yet it seems as though this week has passed by slowly..it feels like Thursday or am I wishing that it was Thursday?

I spent the latter part of last week, the weekend and this week trawling through all the emails and replying to them, always apologising for the late reply.

I have been out every day this week.

Monday, I was at a course on speaking confidently with a bit of mind mapping thrown in..this was an all day affair. It was in Stourport on Severn and I was given some directions and downloaded some directions from Streetmap which is usually quite good, only I got lost and ended up almost back where I started. Then something took over me and I thought..I will just turn left here and eventually I will get across to the Kidderminster Road but then discovered that the lane I wanted to take to Dodford and Chaddesley Corbett was closed so I headed for Blakedown, stopped and looked at the map to try and work out where I was..then headed for Kidderminster and followed signs for Stourport on Severn and then I needed to call the chap running the course..eventually I found his home. The course was extremely good and now I feel much more confident.

Tuesday, I was breakfast meeting again..I may have a gig for the band I am now looking after (only a small one but a gig none the less and a gig that pays more than £50). Today, I was breakfasting again and gave a video testimonial for Barry's website. I have also been emailing Britvic in the hope that they will donate 1500 bottles of water or sports drink for the Help for Heroes Day incorporating Run for Heroes which takes place in Swindon on 6 June 2010.

This evening I had a call from a chap asking me if I wanted to be a Wikaniko agent selling eco friendly products..I shall have a look but I won't promise anything and just now I have had an email from a lady called Paula who had seen my advert in Perfect Wedding Magazine and is asking for a job..a job that I don't have but I may ask her to help with this Help for Heroes Day.

Tomorrow night I am off to meet the band where we will discuss fees, Friday I am off to Cirencester for a look around the Four Pillars Hotel (where I stayed last week), I may just ask them about sponsorship whilst I am at it...why not kill two birds with one stone?

I just hope that at the end of all these meetings that I get something from them..the Heroes Day will cost me time but could reap rewards as it will look fantastic in my portfolio and it will be the biggest event that I have ever organised.

Busy Busy Busy

2009-11-06T08:06:00.000-08:00

I am having a manic time and today was particularly bad as at long last my business email has been sorted out and when I eventually gained access to it, I had over 400 emails and most of them were missed opportunities! I won't bore you with the details as to what went wrong with my email as it is all so tedious.

I recently joined 4Networking and have been having quite a few breakfast meetings lately, my local group recently offered me the post of Marketing Assistant, this is a voluntary post but will raise the profile of my business. On Wednesday I went to South Cerney just outside Cirencester to stay in a rather posh hotel at Cotswold Water Park..it was a jolly nice place but the food was expensive and I must remember that when I book on a room only basis next time to take some sandwiches and maybe some cupasoup so as to avoid the ridiculous cost of a sandwich. Due to the power of 4N I didnt have to stay on my own for too long as a lovely chap called Bruce Boulton who runs his own photography business popped in for a coffee - it was like meeting an old friend.

I went to the breakfast meeting at Coots Cafe which was 500yds from the hotel as planned - I had to take a hamper to their group leader, I enjoyed breakfast and had 3 1:1 meetings as is the normal - I met a fantastic caterer and two great wedding photographers, I also offered my services free of charge to an endurance runner who is holding a huge charity event in Swindon next year in aid of Help for Heroes.

Next week I have more meetings and venues to visit and I shall also be meeting up with the other band members of Third Bullet - I am really enthused about them so hope to be able to get them gigs and a record deal. I am busy with meetings for the next few weeks.

I can see myself moving away from weddings as the corporate side of things seems to be picking up in a big way and I am beginning to think that organising events is the way to go.

I am also in a quandary as to what to do with the 14 page list of brides that I received from Your West Midlands Wedding as these are people who visited their stand at the NEC - I only received this list today as it was one of the 400 emails that I had missed. There seems little point in contacting anybody as the list is now several weeks' old...oh for some enlightenment.

Getting Old

2009-11-02T07:50:00.000-08:00

Either I am getting old or becoming more intolerant as I get older..either that or I have a headache and can't be bothered. I have just been speaking to a posh magazine that gets distributed into quality shops such as Hugo Boss, Harvey Nicks and Selfridges in Birmingham City Centre. They were trying to sell me advertising space and to be honest the sales woman put me off somewhat it was as though she was trying to be posh but kept telling me that Harvey Nicks in the Mailbox was lush..now I know and you know that Lush is a shop that sells bath bombs and handmade soaps. Their advert was reduced from £350 plus VAT to £150 plus VAT but although it was tempting, I have already wasted enough money on adverts in magazines and I am not really looking at the wedding market any more. Sure, I will organise the odd wedding if asked but I want to concentrate on the corporate market and..this band thing when it comes off..I am meeting them tomorrow.

I have a bad headache today and have had it since I took a tablet this morning. I have been having problems with dizzy spells which are becoming more violent (I have an inner ear problem anyway) so I visited the doctor today to see if they could prescribe me some medication. In the past I have had Stemitil but I got used to taking it as and when and was last presribed some in 2008 now I have some new tablets that need to be taken three times a day and I have to go back in a month - it could be that I have to have the flippin things for life..sigh. I read the contra-indications leaflet that came in the pack and headaches are a side effect and so I have one..my head actually feels hot.

Not much done over the weekend - did some washing that I forgot to take in on Saturday night and so it was wringing wet after being rained on on Sunday - it is now drying nicely in the living room. I received some samples of spray windowcleaner to test for Tesco Home Panels on Saturday and today I received some non-biological washing powder to test..I have two small boxes of powder...that should keep me out of mischief for a while. I also tackled the mound of paper that had accumulated..it is going down slowly as things get either shredded, chucked in the rubbish or separated into the bag that I use to visit the paperbank. I need to have a darn good tidy up and move some furniture about because I bought a new rug today - its pure new wool and rather large but a bargain at £49.99 when ones that look the same are in Argos for over £100...eek. This new rug means that I can get rid of the free one that I found rolled up on top of the bins (I actually found two rugs), they have had a damn good clean but the one that needs to be taken up is a bit grubbier and so I shall roll it up and put it on the bin in the hope that someone takes it.

I have a busy week ahead - on Wednesday I am off to stay at The Four Pillars Hotel at South Cerney (Cirencester) as I am off to a breakfast meeting on Thursday at a venue next door to the hotel. I shall take the time to meet with others and do some much needed study without being distracted by the internet.

The World Moves in Mysterious Ways

2009-10-30T15:04:00.000-07:00

This 4N thing that I have joined has proved to be interesting indeed. I was looking at their online forum the other day when I noticed a request from a lady in Walsall asking for a publicist/manager for her friend's rock band so I responded and said that I chat to someone on another forum as she already does that job. I then kind of said that I would do the job and despite feeling a bit shakey and saying that I dont have recent experience - it seems that I may well be the person for the job. I am meeting the band next week. Actually I am looking forward to it as I have already been making new contacts within the music industry by contacting people I know who just happen to know someone else that is useful and they are willing to impart their wisdom.

I also went to the chamber of commerce today to see a business mentor - it was strange to say the least because I havent had any mentoring from the chamber of commerce since I signed off at the end of April. Thankfully this mentor used to have links with the music industry himself so was able to impart some knowledge. We also managed to set my prices too and my absolute min fee is £25 per hour but all my prices are bespoke anyway for each client. It seems that I am doing everything right although I do need to re-write my business plan (I knew that anyway and have been putting it off), business should start to pick up on the corporate side of things in the Spring. It was also suggested that I write a book because I am so eloquent - well, if I am so eloquent why am I struggling to write a simple advert for a magazine??

As for weddings maybe I will do one or two as it wouldnt be nice to put them totally to one side after getting the diploma. I can honestly say though that I am more excited by this band opportunity than anything else especially as I have decided that I will have a retainer plus extra from gigs and record deals. At least my friend on the other forum is going to get back to me with some tips - she has been busy all week.

Oh..I have good news to impart and cannot remember if I mentioned it the other day...my friend Anna Louise Warrilow had her baby son Thomas Ryan on Friday 23 October. Having seen pictures he looks cute, he has lots of hair and I thought that he looks like his dad.

Nipped out to the chippy tonight for a rare treat but it was horrid as at the corner of the road there is a bus stop outside the jobcentre - tonight there was a gang of about 40 yoofs and I had no choice but to walk through the middle of them..I was scared as they started jostling and cat calling, girls were worse than the boys..thankfully by the time I returned they had gone because if they had still have been there I wouldnt have crossed the road and would have walked further down the road to cross at another crossing just to avoid them. I hate the fact that I feel scared when out on my own - I'm a grown woman for god's sake and it is my right to walk down the road without being bothered by itinerant yoofs.

Tomorrow is going to be a boring day - I need to do some washing and some much needed housework. Doing the housework will also give the the opportunity to use the new window cleaner spray that I have received from Tesco to test..2 weeks of 1 and a report and then 2 weeks of the other and a report. I want to know why I dont get interesting things to test such as duvets?

Have a good weekend all.

Breakfast

2009-10-27T07:55:00.000-07:00

Since I joined 4networking - I have been to more breakfasts than you can shake a stick at..I have one in a casino tomorrow and have to take my passport, one in Longbridge on Tuesday and one in Cirencester on Wednesday. The Cirencester one will be good as I am taking a hamper down with me so that one of the ladies can prepare a hamper to raffle off for charity. Talking about charity - I was speaking to a chap this morning about a pantomime Snow White & The 3 Little Business People (a spoof) and how it would be great to have some snow. As a result of our chat, I have been speaking to my friends at Snow Business and although they cannot donate snow they are sending me 4 samples of frost snow and irridescent flake - hopefully this might be enough, if not then I will buy a box.

I have also been chatting to Media Mad who produce the magazine Hospitality & Events North and I shall be advertising with them in time for Confex. I need to write my ad and put more of a corporate slant on it - it is currently geared for weddings. Once again, I have negotiated the fee and saved myself £50+VAT...hurrah.

Since updating my blog last, I have now started twittering on twitter but looked today and found that I had a follower who was rather obscene so I have reported them for spam and blocked them..don't these people understand that wedding planning is not about sex therapy (this is a polite way of putting it..I hate crudeness).

I am feeling more positive every day and feel that I made the right decision joining 4Networking as I can network online etc thus meeting more people..I can now see my business moving forward. The power of 4N knows no bounds as I have already recommended Linda Davey as someone was asking about a red wedding dress and how they wanted one made...let's hope the person contacts her.

Its disappointing weather today - I thought it was going to be sunny and yet it is rather gloomy and when I got up at the unearthly hour of 6.30am it was rather foggy too. I shall be up even earlier tomorrow as I need to be at the casino (strange place for a breakfast meeting I know) for 8am so I shall have to hop on the bus and then pick up another bus to Broad Street as I don't particularly fancy walking to the venue..I know I am lazy..but I won't have had any breakfast other than a mug of coffee and I will be flaking out.

Had to smile today too as a fellow planner has now started using skype only she has no microphone and I can't hear her..she needs a headset like mine. Skype is wonderful and I have started using it for all my calls..mobiles are not free though but I have found £10 credit goes along way as the calls can cost less than 4p a minute - calls to landlines are free which is fantastic.

I have started looking at my coursework again and have made a few notes but nothing is down on paper and nothing has been sent to my tutor.

Lazy Mare

2009-10-25T05:15:00.001-07:00

You must think that I am lazy for not posting on my blog for a while. I have been quite busy and that's my excuse.

I did a crazy thing on Monday - I knew that Steve (the gorgeous hunk that I met at the airport prior to going to Spain) would be returning from his holiday so I decided to go and meet him..I know...I know..before you start saying anything. I was hoping that we could go for lunch but he came back with his mum who was already in Corfu and we didnt have much time before they caught the bus to the longstay carpark in Coleshill - in fact us chatting made them miss one bus. I decided to give him a bottle of Crema Catalina that I had bought back from Spain because I know that he loves Baileys - Crema Catalina is far nicer than Baileys. It was great seeing him and I admit that my heart skipped a beat when he came through arrivals - he didnt see me at first until I tapped him on the shoulder. He must have done something to me because I managed to get onto the London Euston train by mistake and had to get off in Coventry - I didnt get home til gone 5pm...sigh. We have since exchanged emails, hopefully we will exchange more :-)

Tuesday, I went to a 4networking breakfast meeting in Rubery (I got lost leaving there as well because I couldnt find my way out of the complex..sigh). The meeting was great and I met some interesting people - this meeting is far better than the BNI one especially as there is no pressure to refer but you do get 3 10 minute business meetings and they meet later, there is also no commitment to attend every single week. I decided that I liked them so paid for a passport membership which allows me to visit every group in the country. I have also put my name forward to help out. A guiness world record was broken too with a little audience participating which was cool - Redditch are trying to beat us this coming Tuesday but as their meeting is at Studley Castle I have made arrangements for them to have no drink and Jacobs Cream Crackers to eat - trying delivering a speech with a dry mouth LOL. I met a chap who was a hypnotherapist but more about him later.

Wednesday - I had my eye hospital appointment, I was kept waiting for over an hour due to their jobsworth receptionist who refused to handover my notes because I hadnt taken my appointment letter as she likes to pin it to the front..it has never been a problem before. Prof was so angry that he asked me to make a formal complaint - this silly delay caused him to be late for his next meeting and he was particularly keen to see me. I came home and wrote a 2page epistle outlining the fact that despite requests for appointments for the glaucoma clinic they are not forthcoming, again the receptionist only reads what she wants to read on the appointment forms submitted by the specialist. It took 18 months to get an appointment at the field vision clinic..which is completely ridiculous. So I hope to get a response to my letter because I really am quite angry.

Thursday - the meter man came too early and I was still in my dressing gown..I cancelled a meeting that I was due to have a the chamber of commerce, I have decided not to renew my membership when it comes up for renewal especially as I have now joined 4Networking which will be more beneficial to me.

Friday - this was an unusual day to say the least. On Tuesday at the networking meeting I met a hypnotherapist who offered me a free session so I took him up on his offer. I dont particularly like standing up in front of people talking about me and my business and see it as a necessary evil hence the offer of this session. We started off having a little chat and how I felt that the lack of self confidence stemmed from my mother who is super critical - well she is, I know that I am one huge disappointment to her and have been from the day of conception! It has reached the stage that she is almost cut out of my life. Well less about her as talking about her depresses me. Onto the hypnotherapy - I have a very open mind about alternative treatments but I admit that I am not convinced that I was actually hypnotised. I was told to imagine blackboards, bits of chalk and blackboard rubbers and writing words and numbers and rubbing them out, I was then told to imagine myself as an insect under a microscope being studied and that insect not caring and then I was bought back to being awake - now I don't think that I was ever 'asleep'. I won't be having any more sessions and cannot understand what benefit they are to people. I feel exactly the same now as I did before the therapy session.

You will also be pleased to hear that I have picked up my coursework again and have been making notes for various assignments and coming up with some ideas..I pity my poor tutor as she is going to start assignments out of order again LOL.

I spent yesterday networking on the online 4N forum - even gave some details about Linda and DressesatNo.9 because someone wants a red Hollywood Dreams type dress for a New Years' Eve wedding. Someone else is looking for a dressmaker in Bristol but I don't know any.

Since getting Skype - I have found that I use it for all calls to landlines as it is free but I do admit to buying credit occasionally so that I can call mobiles but those calls cost me less than 4p a minute.

I am waiting for news from my friend Anna - she was due to give birth on Wednesday to her son Thomas Ryan Warrilow but as yet there is no news.

Lazy Days & Holidays

2009-10-20T03:52:00.000-07:00

I went away for a few days last week to stay with a friend at his dad's flat in Alicante so flew out at the unearthly hour of 6.30am on Monday morning. In my wisdom, I decided to go to the airport on Sunday but arrived there at around 6pm and headed straight into Smiths to buy some books (4 for the price of 3) and set about reading one of them whilst playing musical chairs. Around about 8pm that night I found myself sitting on an even comfier bench seat in a coffee bar (having sat on all their hard chairs) having a cup of coffee and a raspberry and white chocolate muffin - still with book in hand. This chap came to sit close to me and started talking to me - normally I wouldn't bother answering but decided to chat to him as it passed the time. This man turned out to be Ron Clarke who spends his life photographing the World Superbike Championships, the Manx Race and the TT - a jolly interesting man so I told him about my uncle who became the fastest privateer (7th) on a BSA back in 1953 - he went on to ride for Aermacchi and MV Augusta. We talked about my own interest in motorbikes which stemmed from my dad as he used to ride a Ducati and so Ron decided to show me some photographs that he had taken and offered me a photograph but I said that I preferred another photo of a bike with sidecar as it showed the speed - he gave it to me and gave me another two photographs too to give to my dad. Soon it was time for Ron to leave as he had to get the airport bus to Luton to get a flight to Romania as he was doing some charity work out there and so I was left on my own.

I went for a walk around Terminal 1 Departures area and went to sit on the comfy seat only to find that chairs were stacked upon it so I ended up sitting on a hard chair again until the assistant pointed me in the direction of the massage chairs which are not too bad to sit in if you can bend your back around the knobbly bits that are there to massage your back..there I sat til 11pm when this gorgeous chap called Steve appeared - he had travelled on the train from Cambridgeshire and he explained that he was off to Corfu. Steve came and sat next to me and so started a night of chit chat and amusement especially when a chap called Joe came to join us - he had left his wife at home and was flying off to America for a couple of weeks' holiday. I know you are not supposed to leave your bags with strangers but we built up such a rapport that we were wandering to the loo and in Steve's case off to see if the information desk was open so that he could pick up his tickets that we left our bags with each other to keep an eye on.

Soon it was time for Steve and myself to check in and then go through security - both of our flights were at 6.30am, we went mooching in duty free and went to the pub for breakfast and then sat waiting to be called to our respective gates - we exchanged details too and were pleased to see that our gates were next to each other. I guess you could say that we clicked - something must have happened because I spent my holiday thinking about him (as you do LOL). He flew back to Birmingham yesterday and who was there to meet him...you've guessed it - little ol' me - he came home with his mum who had been staying out in Corfu too and he was pleased that I had bothered to turn up to meet him...we are staying in touch..so watch this space.

The holiday itself wasn't too bad - the weather was hot and after a nap on Monday, it was off to the beach for a spot of reading (I hadn't taken a swimming cossie), in fact we went to the beach every afternoon bar Thursday and Friday. We went shopping mainly in the chinese tat shops and we went to Plaza Mar which is a huge shopping complex - I went to C&A and bought some socks and a lovely jumper. We didnt do the beach on Thursday as some workmen were coming to repair the flat - the upstairs neighbours had had a sewage leak from their toilet and it had leached through the bathroom ceiling of the flat - this must have happened between April when it was last visited and October - the whole bathroom stinks of mould amongst other things. As the friend's dad hadn't been notified that I would be staying - I was asked to leave whilst his dad's friend came over (he seems to be an introducer) so I mooched around the market. I had coffee and cake at a nice shop and then headed back to the square where I knew that I could sit and read a book in peace. No peace for me as a bunch of hoodlums (apparently there is a bail hostel on the square which is newly opened and full to the gunnels of all sorts of nasty types) decided to have a fight - one chap was pushed over and a gun came skittering out of his pocket across the floor and landed quite close to me. I decided then that it was time I left - so I took off my reading glasses and put my normal ones on, stared at the gun for a while and then left - I tried to find the policeman I had seen in the market but he was nowhere to be found. Eventually, I went back to the square where I sat on the other side in the sunshine until I was collected.

Friday - it lashed down with rain all day and although we went out I got absolutely soaked. Saturday I flew home.

What a week and its only Thursday.

2009-10-08T07:53:00.000-07:00

I feel as though I have done a week's worth of work already and its only Thursday.

On Tuesday, I had two venue visits - the first to Studley Castle in Warwickshire which used to be owned by the Rover Group but is now a Best Western Hotel. I met their events manager at a Women Who..networking event organised by Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and she was very patient when I was having problems with my eyes. Some people think that the castle will be sumptuous inside - I guess they have a fairytale image in their mind and are then disappointed when they see the hotel in the flesh. I actually found it to be a lovely place at the end of a long and twisty drive. I arrived a bit early and immediately was asked to help myself to free tea and biscuits and shown into the lounge where I could wait..the lounge was gorgeous with red sofas and easy chairs, the walls were a deep salmon pink (not an in your face pink) and the room was dominated by a gorgeous marble fireplace with huge mirror, the walls had various pictures hung upon them. The best bit was the ceiling which was painted blue with gold stars and was lit by three crystal chandeliers. It had been painted how it would have been in Victorian times.

The hotel itself was quite quirky - one side had wide corridors and large en-suite rooms and easy access via lifts whilst the other side was narrow with small en-suite rooms and tiny corridors which wound past curved walls - certainly hopeless for wheelchair bound people.

My discussions with the hotel went well and i have been asked to prepare a proposal with regard to organising wedding fairs there - they already have fairs but are not keen on organisation side of things because they don't have the staff.

Rather than going home - I stopped at the day spa for a coffee and a slab of fruit cake (and to use the loo) before heading off to Redhouse Barns in Stoke Prior. These barns are just stunning - the venue has to be seen to be believed as it has been finished to a really high specification - there is an area off the bar (call it a snug if you like) that has lovely sofas, it will have a wood burner, mirrors, heated floor and glass doors so that you either be part of the main bar area of sectioned off so that you can chat without being drowned out by loud music. The owners have done a brilliant job and have even opened up their own private gardens so that couples can have canapes there and their photographs - every detail has been thought of and they even have a vintage rolls royce that can be hired.

Yesterday, I went to Worcester Warriors for a seminar by Brad Sugars. Brad set up the world's leading business coaching firm Action Coach and was lucky enough to retire at 26 and he is now 38 and in semi-retirement. Although from Brisbane, he now lives in Las Vegas and has been touring spreading the word about improving your business to help you make money. I am his friend on Facebook and managed to get a free code to use to gain entry to this event for free - other unfortunate souls had to pay £97. The day was amazing and he is just an ordinary bloke and not in the least bit flash and he likes to do his bit for charity. Whilst there he was talking about charities and asked if anyone was there from a charity and one guy said that he worked with the Variety Club (if only I had had the sense to mention the Saxon Hoard..folks are trying to raise money to keep it in the Midlands where it belongs) and so we were asked to stand if we wanted to buy his notes from the seminar..as the price rose more of us sat down and in the end one chap remained standing as he offered £700.

I went and introduced myself to Brad at the end and he remembered who I was and I thanked him for his help so far (one thing that he did do was offer the services of his buiness coaches for one hour for free - of course I signed up for that).

He imparted lots of words of wisdom about how we should thank our customers and how if you are dealing with accountants bribes of chocolate go along way..now my accountant is holding out for a regular supply of Cadbury's Dairy Milk bars LOL, although she was good yesterday - she paid for my lunch. It really was a fun day and business is all about having fun.

Today, I was supposed to be visiting Snow Business but the meeting was postponed by them until 2010 because they are coming to their busiest season and so are busy with tv adverts. There are no technicians available to demonstrate the various types of snow effects.

I have been catching up with things - although no study has been done as yet so only two assignments have been submitted and marked for my diploma in events planning. I discovered that Birmingham Chamber of Commerce had made a big boo boo with my address (it was wrong) and they said that I was a limited company - I am not. I got the blame for completing their online form incorrectly so I pointed out that I was hardly likely to enter someone else's address.

This afternoon I have been speaking for 4Networking as this is a business networking group that meet fortnightly and at a sensible time - the BNI ones like you to be there for 6am and make a commitment to be there every week or send a sub to attend in your place - this is impossible if you are a sole trader and don't employ staff so I am hardly able to send Auntie Nellie (not that I have an Auntie Nellie). I am feeling more excited about 4Networking especially as they have an online forum so when I have finished here, I am hopping over there to set up an online profile.

The blog will be quiet next week as I won't be here - I have been invited to Spain for a few days and I fly out on Monday at 6.30am and fly back on Saturday at 13.05pm. A bit of sun will give me a boost and maybe I can get some sun on my legs as they are a bit pasty this year - I feel very white :(

Water Water Everywhere & Not a Drop to Drink

2009-10-05T09:08:00.000-07:00

What a day...I left home early this morning (9am) to drive to Stroud to visit Matara which is an east west fusion wedding venue...I had printed out some directions from Streetmap and managed to get myself a bit lost - or rather I wasnt lost at all just made a complete twit of myself :( My appointment was at 11am but I was 10 mins late - I had come off the M5 at Junction 13 and followed the instructions and ended up going up a very steep hill 2nd gear all the way and when I reached the top I was at a crossroads and went straight on then parked..I was confused as the road signs didnt seem to match the map so I rang Matara (this time it was 10.50) asking them where they were...no reply only an answering machine! I turned around then convinced that I had missed a turning and went back the way I had come and ended up back in the village of Forcester where I espied a man from the electricity board fiddling with some wires next to a pub carpark..so I pulled in. The chap was most helpful and he had never heard of the place either despite working in the area for the last 20 odd years. I managed to contact them at Matara and found that I had to drive up that horrid hill again (10%) and go the way that I had gone originally. First off I managed to nip into the pub to use their loo because I don't think I would have managed the drive back up the hill with the seatbelt pressing on my stomach.

Again the directions were none too hot and I had to stop again to ring because the directions given didnt match the layout of the road..eventually I got there. Now most people would offer, visitors a drink out of courtesy but not the woman at Matara..there were limpid pools, waterfalls and even drizzle but not once was I offered anything and I was too polite to ask.

Matara is a wonderful place although a bit tricky to find but the easiest way is to take the Tetbury road from Cirencester. I felt like a criminal walking across the raked gravel that had been raked in a circular fashion in a very zen like way. As an exclusive use venue it is great with 28 acres of parkland and a wishing tree. It costs £2500 plus VAT to hire it for 5 hours with additional hours charged extra which isnt too bad considering you could pay that for a hotel venue and end up sharing your day with others. I like the ethos behind Matara which was originally set up as a holistic retreat - it has a calming aura about it, they recycle 90% of their waste and their grey water is filtered using their own reed beds. Their food comes from surrounding farms and even from their own gardens which is a lovely idea and more venues should do the same. They have their own bar but also don't mind if you take your own bottles only they will charge corkage of £4 per person but that includes the price of the glasses, serving the wine and chilling it. You can have music but they kept saying that you could use an ipod but it is still fairly quiet as the built in speakers don't allow for louder music. Their rooms were lovely and airy and you can even marry in the cloister which is rather strange as in the UK you cannot marry outdoors but as the cloister is closed and has a roof although one side is open, you can actually marry there - all guests have to be seated, however, when it comes to the exchanging of rings, couples can stand on the little bridge which juts out from the cloister. There is a firebox outside that is lit every night and that is where the hog roast takes place if you have one - they also have a tipi outside which is more for kids to play in. I think its a lovely place but I cannot get past the lack of manners with regards to offering a drink. The space can also be hired out for coporate events - they have rooms on site and rooms are offered at the pub/hotel opposite where Matara guests also have use of the overflow carpark.

I drove home via Tetbury - maybe I should have stopped and had a look round but the weather was grizzly and thought that I might stop in Cirencester instead but in the end did neither as I drove straight through to the M40 - all I can say is thank you to the romans for building such nice straight roads LOL.

Tomorrow I am off to Studley Castle and to the new wedding venue Red House Barn at Stoke Prior - this venue is the one that the Worcestershire Registrars are fighting over as to which one of them will conduct ceremonies there.

I received a private message from someone on MSE asking me to send her photographs of my wedding dresses as she is getting married and looking for a dress. At the moment I don't really have time to start taking pictures of them as I have a lot to do this week and next week I am away. I won't be giving the dresses away for free - the Fabio Grizzi is for sale at £925 - I have knocked a thousand off it on the advice of the lady in the couture shop.

In fact talking of being away - the twit that I am staying with (ex boyfriend) - don't worry there are two bedrooms in the Spanish flat, has rung me to ask me to log into Easyjet and print off his boarding card as he has forgotten to print the boarding card for coming home on 17 October. Actually he has a later flight than me back to Luton (I am guessing). I am really looking forward to a break and am hoping that the weather is warm and that I can at least get a bit of colour on my pasty white legs.

Izzy Whizzy Let's Get Busy

2009-10-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

This week has been an incredibly busy week although I did allow myself a day off on Tuesday where I just lolled around in the spa all day. On Wednesday I went to the Pear Tree Hotel over at Smite to have a look around and we discussed their wedding fair - I havent booked a stand but may well next year - they look after their exhibitors and so I am seriously considering it plus I would get a 6ft table as opposed to the measly 4ft one that I had at the weekend. The Pear Tree have been really helpful and asked me to drop my leaflets off to them so that they can put them into bridal goodie bags for their fair this Sunday...I drove home stopping at a pub for lunch, picked up the leaflets and drove back.

I spent a fair bit of yesterday on the phone as well as sending people their prize draw prizes - as yet, I still have to award first prize but feel that no-one was really interested - hence my vow never to do a fair again...I need one where genuine people go for real help.

I am feeling quite excited too as I have managed to book an appointment with a wonderful wedding venue in Stoke Prior - it is part of a privately owned farm and the barns have been converted into meeting and wedding space and they have only just been granted a licence. It is part of an extremely busy week meetings wise: Monday - Matara in Stroud - this is a gorgeous eco-friendly place who filter their own water and will plant a tree when you marry, Tuesday - morning at Studley Castle and the afternoon at the venue in Stoke Prior, Wednesday business networking and seminar with Brad Sugars (my accountant is coming too and afterwards we are having a meeting because she wants my books to do my self assessment), Thursday - I am back in Stroud meeting Snow Business and on Friday...well that is another story.

Last weekend I was invited to a breakfast meeting today with BNI over at Bromsgrove Rugby Club - it really was quite strange and my welcome pack contained loads of business cards. BNI is a business networking group and I had thought about joining them but having looked at their fee - I cannot afford it so will broach that with them when I go again next week..trouble is I have to be up ridiculously early to be there ideally before 7am (yes, that's right 7am!!). I did meet some nice people but have already worked out that it is the same people over and over again who seem to refer each other - you have to be there for several weeks before you get referrals. Another thing that I don't like about them is that I have to commit to going every Friday and if I can't go then I have to send a sub but I cannot do that as I work for myself and have no employees.

I did meet a nice chap today and I shall be meeting him on 19 October - he is a personal trainer who also corrects your posture - my posture needs correcting as I tend to slump but its a vicious circle; I slump because my backaches but the more I slump the more it aches but if I stop slumping it still aches...sigh. It is costing me £20 for an hour so I shall see how it goes - I would rather spend money on me than spend £575 + £52 (breakfast every week for £10) for membership of BNI. I can't help feeling as though I am being indoctrinated :( They were asking today if the members knew of anyone famous - I managed to keep a hold of my tongue because I don't think it would look too good if I said that Brad Sugars, multi-millionaire Action Coach was my friend LOL - mind you I know a few other famous people too, I went to school with some of them...eeek!

Next Friday I am supposed to be going to Grand Designs Live at the NEC but doubt that that will happen now as I will need to wind down after a busy week. My blog will have to go on hold too because I am taking a break (the first holiday since January) and am off to Spain for a few days. I booked my flights today and am really miffed with Monarch so I shall have to send them a letter - I booked online but could not get past the page where you choose a seat - now I am not really bothered where I sit but I was forced to select a seat..I then discover that Monarch have charged me £15 for the seat with a surcharge on top for the blasted thing plus they have charged me an additional £4.08 for daring to pay by credit card!! So much for saving me £25 by booking online :( I havent dared book hold luggage and have decided to take a rucksack (my long distance one - it has been to Australia and back) on as hand luggage so I shall pack a couple of cropped trousers, some crocs, t-shirts, socks, a jumper and some undies plus my toiletries - basically eye drops and other meds, and toothbrush, they might not allow deodorant. As the flight leaves at the ungodly hour of 6.30am then I think I will go and sleep in the airport overnight - I wonder if they will let me check in early??

Who says that being a wedding planner is a glamourous job?

2009-09-27T15:28:00.000-07:00

Whoever said that..couldn't have been more wrong. Sometimes we have to exhibit at wedding fairs which can turn out to be an exercise in time wasted and money spent. We also get invited to meetings at unearthly hours of the morning such as 7am (I am normally still in bed at that time and thinking about getting up).

Today, was the day of the wedding fair and the whole day was somewhat bizarre with the bride having her hair and make up done in front of everybody and then people traipsing in and out of the reception room - I ended up in there myself as I was viewing some rather unusual 6ft high balloon people.

I wasnt next to the chocolate fountain, I was at the opposite end of the room sitting in between worcestershire registrars and sarah adcock cakes - this lady makes the most divine chocolate mud cake..it is light and fluffy and basically to die for. As a networking event it wasnt too bad..I came away with loads of contacts including the invitation to speak at the breakfast meeting (it is still going to cost me £10 for my breakfast though). Client wise it was extremely bad..the whole event seemed to be full of time wasters who had no interest in getting married, one chav even tried to steal a jewellery set from my stand which I had put on display as it was one of my prizes - I couldnt believe it. I had 8 entries into the prize draw and have done the draw already - I have decided to offer 2 first prizes of on-the-day co-ordination because one of the entrants is a groom who is serving in the army overseas so I thought it would be a worthy cause (we each have to do our bit for our servicemen and women) - he doesnt get married until towards the end of next year.

I spoke to a fair number of exhibitors and they all agreed that the fair wasnt the best - I doubt that I will do another one because I don't want to get myself into more debt, the cost is often prohibitive so I shall wait and see about doing one next year - it may end up being more bother than its worth.

One of the exhibitors sought me out as they offer personal fitness boot camps for brides and even dance classes, as they were telling me about their services I said that I needed a fitness class as my back constantly aches (I have had back ache now since Tuesday) and I needed to tone up - they recommended that I attend Pilates - so I am going to call them about that. I also found a reiki practitioner too and I miss my reiki - my friend Sally does reiki but she is out near Wisbech so its a bit far to go.

Cold weather is on the way too - my right knee is telling me so. I severely injured my right leg back in the 1990's after coming off a motorbike - pity I didnt break the leg as it would have been better for me if I had - instead I twisted all the ligaments and nearly prised my kneecap off by hitting a plastic cats eye in the middle of the road, I then got back on the bike and we rode home after first stopping for several sweet hot chocolates at a motorway service station. I went to my local casualty and they told me that twisted ligaments were worse than a proper break. In some respects I was lucky because my boot had twisted round on my foot but I was wearing loose boots (not proper motorcycle boots) so the boot just twisted a full 90 degrees. Every so often it feels as though my knee is either clicking or about to sieze entirely and it is often painful to walk..I have found today that going downstairs is incredibly painful so I know that cold weather is on the way :( I feel like an old wreck.

I have decided to take part of the day off tomorrow - I want to go to the museum in Birmingham to see the hoarde of Anglo Saxon gold before it goes to the British Museum for cleaning. I hope that it comes back to Birmingham and doesnt get sold off abroad or stays in London - for some reason people think that London is the centre of the Universe and Birmingham is a second class city when in fact we're much better than them plus our citizens are friendlier and will look you in the eye - no-one makes eye contact in London. I guess my back will have to sieze up because I shall be standing in a long queue to see this hoarde.

Events UK

2009-09-24T03:28:00.000-07:00

I attended the show on Tuesday and met some great people and made some great contacts. I also met up with Laura Guest, she was another student on the wedding planning course and now runs her own business LG Weddings in Walsall. We shall be working together on various projects which will be great.

It was my intention to attend over two days but baulked at the carparking fee of £8 per day..I am sure that the sound of me screeching "How Much?" echoed across the whole of Birmingham. I felt that it was a bit of a cheek charging for a trade fair when the parking was free when the Autumn Fair was on. I walked miles too as the shuttle bus seemed to run infrequently from the North Carparks. I also had to return to my car at lunchtime to empty my huge Autumn Fair bag into the boot so that I could collect more brochures etc. I attended one talk and really wanted to attend more but I was tired and my back ached, I was exhausted when I returned home and yesterday was still recovering.

I spent part of yesterday chatting with Elizabeth Graney about her new ventures and sharing tips about wedding fairs and how to organise them. Elizabeth is brilliant and so knowledgable about all sorts of things and she doesnt know it but she inspires me to do better. We also talked about a student on the Planning course who has been driving me insane and I was starting to feel harassed because as soon as I went onto facebook she would pop up in chat straight away and ask me the most ridiculous questions about the course - it became very draining. Actually I am wondering why this woman is even bothering with the course because she is struggling on the first two assignments which are all about her - it is the same for everybody we have to talk about why we are doing the course, what we expect from it, any experiences that we have had..assignment 2 expands on that. This person constantly pesters me and feels that I should be doing her work as well as my own. I had to resort to emailing my own tutor who passed my email to the Institute and they also advised me what to do. In fact when she next popped onto chat, I had to tell her to speak to her tutor and that I was too busy as I had my own assignments to write and a business to run - funny when I pointed her in the direction of the spelling and grammar checker on Word she stopped talking to me altogether (hurrah). What was particularly galling was that I had spent 2 hours talking to her about what a report was and after simple explanations about what was needed for the task she then goes and asks the exact same question on the diploma group and got the exact same answer that I gave her from one of the tutors. Now those of you that know me, know that I will help anyone and those that get help from me don't harass me all the time and it never gets to the point where I feel as though I am being stalked. Having had someone cyber stalk me in the past which caused no end of problems for me and the police had to become involved because it was so bad...I don't particularly want that to happen to me again because it is quite frightening. Thankfully this student has been removed from my own group and banned permanently as well as being removed from my friends listing - she has my personal email address but its easy enough to block her so her emails just to go the deleted items box.

I am feeling a lot more positive about the wedding fair this coming Sunday - I have been advised that I am being fed and watered and today I confirmed that there will be a tablecloth on the table so I don't need to take one (I have a lovely, pretty net curtain that I was going to drape on the table but I will take it just in case). So far today I have chatted to Laura who suggested that I don't do a price list for people to take away but do a couple of sheets about what a wedding planner does and what I would do for them and let them take that but keep the price list for them to look through.

I also have to work on this advert for Perfect Wedding magazine - the deadline for copy is tomorrow. My mate Sal has suggested that her dad could look over my advert if I am struggling so I emailed her last night so hopefully he can cast his expert eye over it and make some suggestions - her dad used to the adverts for cadbury's - only the crumbliest, flakiest chocolate, tastes like chocolate never tasted before. I adore the flake adverts. I used to like the girl in the poppyfield with red hair because being a red head myself it was unusual to see red heads advertising anything.

Oh shucks...I need to think about a bite to eat and clean my teeth again as I have a dental appointment at 2.30 - I don't fancy driving there (the roads have changed) and the 2 mile walk from the bus stop will do me good. I could get the train but I hate trains and don't like the stairs at the stations.

There's no business like Snow Business

2009-09-21T05:15:00.000-07:00

Call me a dirty stop out if you will, week commencing 5 October is going to be extremely busy indeed:

Monday 5 - 11am - I am visiting Matara - this is a gorgeous place that I was put in contact with by another planner who is having her wedding there. This is over near Stroud so I shall have to be up and at the traffic early. www.matara.co.uk - this venue would be superb for ethical weddings as they will also plant a tree for you.

Tuesday 6 - 11am - visiting Studley Castle with a view to using it for corporate events and weddings, plus I shall be putting an idea forward so fingers crossed for that.

Wednesday 7 - 9am (an early start for networking) a seminar by the great business coach Brad Sugars - if only I could be like him LOL.

Thursday 8 - 11am Snow Business - I have a meeting at Snow Business in Stroud with a view to hiring them for coporate events and weddings. I could use other snow suppliers but I only want the best for my clients which is why I am meeting with the best in the business. You may have already seen examples of their work and not realised it: M&S winter commercial, Bridget Jones' Diary, Band of Brothers, Alien v Predator, Emmerdale, to name but a few. Snow Business were extremely helpful when I was doing my wedding planning diploma course and provided me with a detailed quotation which I am sure landed me the A grade that I wanted.

Friday 9 - Grand Designs Live at the NEC - this is something for me as opposed to the business and I have my bank to thank too because they gave me a code for a free ticket. Mind you, I quite like Kevin McCloud and wish that he could build a house just for me LOL.

I may also be having a spot of lunch at some point over the coming weeks at the Pear Tree which is a gorgeous country pub (one of my old haunts) and shall be viewing their accommodation for both weddings and business meetings. I received an invitation from them back in June and it has taken me this long to take them up on their offer.

I also contacted Hagley Hall today and to be honest was a bit surprised by their attitude that it has got me thinking about whether or not I want to recommend them to my clients. Apparently the person I need to speak to is on holiday for the next fortnight and if I could phone her on 5 October to arrange a viewing, there is no possibility of viewing the premises when I want to view them either. I was advised that there was no point in sending emails because they wouldnt be opened or replied to until this woman returned from her holiday - then I was advised that perhaps I should email so that she had an idea of what I wanted to meet with her about. Do they want the business or not? I guess not from the attitude of the chap who answered the phone..if emails are not going to be opened for the next two weeks or so...why bother, I shall visit somewhere that wants my business instead.

It's going to be a busy few weeks.

2009-09-21T05:03:00.000-07:00

Why is it that I always find a way of avoiding doing something? This weekend I had planned to sort out a schedule of services and print them out for the fair next weekend but once again I managed to avoid this odious task. Guess, I am becoming bored with the whole business which is why I had to have a little distraction on Saturday.

I decided that I wanted some plums and where best to get them but Pershore so I took myself off there and had a mooch around the town. I found a divine little shop called Love Italy which is stocked with the most gorgeous handbags, belts, shoes and jewellery imaginable and I picked up a lilac patent leather handbag which was less than half price in the sale - Bargain! You could tell the shopkeeper was passionate about her stock as she told me that she visited Italy once every five weeks to bring back the best for the shop.

Yesterday, I spent the day procrastinating - I am getting very good at it LOL. I watched Living TV for a while but had to switch it off in the end - I was watching Four Weddings and the brides on there were absolute bitches and were unbelievably rude - they were at a gay wedding which was quite stylish and a bit camp but they decided that they didnt like the room where the ceremony was held and that afterwards they would slip away and partake of the local fairground by the time they had had their fun the wedding party had moved on and I was kind of hoping that they wouldn't find it and ruin the party. The programme made me quite angry so I had to switch off.

I had a chat online with a fellow wedding planner as I wanted to know how she got on with her wedding fair - the poor girl has 4 to do whereas I decided that the one I am doing this coming weekend will be my first and last. I would much rather organise the fairs as that is more lucrative and so the search is on for a suitable venue for next year.

This week I am attending Events UK at the NEC as this is a trade show purely catering for the conference market with a few weddingy bits thrown in - I am trying to decide which seminars to attend and am cursing the fact that they have two seminar rooms running with interesting seminars in both and yet I can only visit one or the other as some of the ones I want to see are on at the same time...grrr

I am trying to sort out a client contact sheet but I want to include events in it as well as weddings because one sheet is easier than having several. This will be useful for the fair next week, for my work and for my next event planning diploma assignment.

Plans, plans and yet more plans

2009-09-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

I seem to be losing track of days lately as I have so much to do. Tuesday was spent tidying my office and getting rid of rubbish and shredding papers ready for a visit from the Action for Blind chap who is working for Access to Work. I have virtually no sight in my left eye and was trying to get some help from Access to Work hence the visit. The chap came and we went through the work that I did and I admitted that I had kept some items when I was made redundant from the University and it appears that I should have returned them for Access to Work - I didnt know that and I use them in my work now. I was told that really that Access to Work couldnt really do anything for me - they certainly couldn't buy a laptop that I wanted and it was suggested that I need to get a desktop computer but they wouldnt pay for it. I felt quite despondent after he left and then set about getting ready for my appointment at the day spa (not for treatments but a proper business meeting). As I was driving to the spa I had to pull over as my phone rang - it was the chap from Action for Blind People who told me that he had spoken to his colleague and that they were going to recommend (Access to Work will pay for it) an upgrade for zoomtext to 9.5 (I have 8.1 at the moment), an arm to attach to my desk and a 19" monitor that I can plug into the back of my laptop so that I am not straining to read the screen.

The meeting at the spa went well and although they were unable to donate a prize for the wedding fair, they let me have some brochures and price lists and gave me some friend referral cards so that 'friends' can get 50% off a treatment and I get 50% off my treatments too. As I try and promote the spa, they are allowing me to put my leaflets in their sofa area for people to pick up - this will be great for me as all sorts of wealthy business people use the spa. I bought two vouchers yesterday and have decided to put them together as one prize - a spa manicure which is 45 mins of sheer indulgence and you get a full size bottle of OPI nail polish and a nail file at the end of it - this is a prize for her, the other voucher is for a marine vital facial for men - this also lasts for 45 mins and I thought that perhaps one would not go to the spa without the other which is why I thought of combining the prize. What is lovely about the spa is that they have a double treatment room for couples and they will also get use of the thermal spa. www.chessgrove.co.uk

Today, I have been trying to find a grant to pay for a new computer - all I need would be the tower and the keyboard but there are no grants available so I guess I shall have to start saving as I am not going to get into more debt buying one - I know it gets offset against tax but lately it seems to be one spend after the other. I have also been chatting on facebook to people in Australia who use Action Coach - I would love to be able to afford the services of an Action Coach but at the moment I cannot so my facebook chum Brad Sugars the multi millionaire founder of Action Coach pointed me in the direction of the free tips and ebooks on his various websites - one thing that I dont like about the e-books is that you can only access them one at a time and to do that you need to provide a friend's contact email.

I have managed to get a free space at Worcester Warriors on 7 October to hear Brad speak - he sent a code to his FB friends but I didnt use it as I found another code on the booking website and used that but then next day I contacted Action Coach to say that I had used the wrong code but they said as I had received a confirmation email and hadn't been asked to pay anything then I had a free space anyway.

Next week I am at the NEC for two days for Events UK - I hope I am well enough because I came down with a lurgy today so tomorrow I might have to head off to the spa to sit in the sauna for an hour or so. I am still getting bits ready for this wedding fair on 27 September. I havent got a portfolio to take with me so I shall rely on chat and having details of the services that I offer - sometimes I think that there is too much hype placed on the need for a portfolio and I am not going to lie anyway I have organised weddings in the past - my own for instance and part of my best friend's Italian wedding. I have already decided what I am going to wear too - well kind off - it might be the lilac and silver Fenn Wright & Manson skirt ensemble or it maybe the deep purple and green one - it depends on how I feel I guess. Deep purple and deep moss green do go together and the skirt has moss green leaves on it as well as bits of lime green so I can wear any colour really.

I am also helping with the Federation of Events & Wedding Planners and have used skype to chat to a colleague in Gosport. I am now thinking of speaking to another colleague in Gran Canaria to see if we can come to an arrangement so that my couples can marry there - that might have to be done on skype initially.

I have had to change my email address too as info@sponsalis.co.uk seems to have stopped working despite it pointing at the one I have to use to send emails from so I have had to put the 'new' one on the website as emails are going missing - I am now using sponsalis@blueyonder.co.uk which doesnt look good but it has to do until something better can be sorted out.

You will laugh at me tonight as I am having a spooky moment, I am listening to a CD on my laptop as I type this but according to Media Player I may be listening to Born to Be Wild which is an assortment of rock hits - the playing list differs from the actual CD I am listening to - maybe there is more than one version of this CD? I am listening through my headset so I dont disturb my neighbours.

With regard to my wedding business I have decided to offer an incentive by offering £50 for referrals when people book a wedding costing £2K or more. Some people have told me that my fee is too high but when you think that a wedding takes about 250 hours to organise then it equates to £8 an hour which isnt unreasonable.

Guess I had better sign off as it is late - where does the time go?

Update

2009-09-14T12:39:00.000-07:00

I know I have been very lax in updating my blog..life just gets in the way :(

I had a fairly quiet weekend and visited my parents yesterday - Mum gave me the talk about what I should do if she passes on before Dad because she was worried as to what would happen to him so being flippant I said that he would find another woman but them Mum said that no-one else would be stupid enough..now my Dad is profoundly deaf and spends his time twiddling with his hearing aid..I said to Mum not to worry as I would put Dad in a home to which he said "you will not!" now I wasnt facing him at the time so he couldnt lipread so Mum and I guessed that his deafness tends to be selective. As he is getting older, he is getting lazier and so Mum does everything - the cooking, the cleaning, the garden and he doesnt lift a finger. You should have seen his face when I suggested that he polish the cloakroom. Still we had a laugh because Mum wants some new shoes and has to buy her shoes mail order because she takes a AA fitting so I had to draw around her feet and then measure her feet - its not easy when she makes you laugh. I came away with a joint of beef and a box of freshly picked tomatoes.

I started tidying up my office today in preparation for a visit from Access to Work as I am hoping that they will buy me a computer with a bigger screen and that I can have more up to date zoomtext - anything to help my sight really because my right eye does all the work and I get quite fatigued. I also went to Webbs Garden Centre today and bought some prepared hyacinth bulbs and I wandered into the silk flower section and admired their arrangements in vases with solid water but thought that £29.99 was a bit too much to pay - there was one which was gorgeous but on closer inspection it was just a mound of oasis with silk flowers stuck in it. I then noticed the sale shelf - so I looked on there, they mainly had a single ranunculous in shades of pink and cream for £1.99 instead of £7.99 but then I noticed two small posy arrangements one in orange and one in white - these were also £1.99 instead of £7.99. All that was wrong with the white one was that a leaf was hanging off and the glass vase bit needed a wipe with a damp cloth to remove sticky finger marks. I bought the white one and tried to glue the leaf back on but it didnt work so I carefully snipped it off. Now I have a lovely little arrangement that I can put on my table at wedding fairs rather than wasting money on fresh flowers which will last all of 5 minutes.

I have managed to make an appointment at the day spa on Wednesday afternoon as I want to discuss ways in which I could possibly promote the spa (I already have a link from my website) at the wedding fair - I am hoping that they will donate a voucher as a prize.

I have also been looking at my professional development and have booked onto a seminar with the great Brad Sugars (my FB friend) as he is giving a series of seminars on business growth - he is a self made multi-millionaire. He kindly gave his FB friends a code to use but when I went to the site to book there was another code there for the event to get in free so I used that, maybe I shall ring them tomorrow to say that I used the wrong code and see what they say. It serves me right really for not reading what he had put on FB and only reading what one of my friends had told me.

My ex work colleague (he temped in the office next to me when he was a student) who is now a superb photographer has updated his blog. I knew that his wife Kat was pregnant and that they already had a little boy Joshua, well Kat gave birth at home on 6 Sept to another little boy called Joseph Harker Crockford . What was amazing was that James had set up a birthing pool in their front room and took some stunning pictures of his wife (at least not the gory bits) and these he has posted on his blog. It must have been a great surprise to Joshua when he got up in the morning to find that he had a baby brother. I can remember a boyfriend of mine saying that he can remember going to school one day and when he came home he found a baby brother as his mum had given birth at home (she did with all her kids). In some ways I regret not having kids but could never envisage myself with them - I feel sure that spending my holidays in the children's home that my aunt ran and being given the job of fetching the nappy bucket..boy did that thing stink..that it put me off for life. How could that sweet little thing that I used to push around in the pram around the rose garden produce something so stinky? Don't tell me that Johnsons Baby Powder disguises the smell - it doesnt LOL.

My catalogue came from Cavania today and I have been looking at things I can get and have had the idea that I will get some of the office files that look like handbags and give them away as gifts to my brides. Another catalogue came in the post too - this one from Lakeland, it is full of Christmas things...for goodness sake its September and I don't think about Christmas until 1 December...sigh.

Autumn Fair Part 2

2009-09-09T16:07:00.000-07:00

I spent the whole day there today - on arrival I visited Hall 2 which was full of kitchenwear suppliers to meet a friend from facebook as he suggested that I pop by to say hello. Whilst I waited for him to finish with some clients I was invited to have a free coffee - black coffee only, and I was given a copy of the Good Food magazine too. I found myself trying to wangle a freebie saucepan but no freebies for me :(

I went back to Hall 3 and went to look at my light again and actually asked them to put a sold sign on it. I wandered around looking at things I missed yesterday and somehow ended up by the extremely posh umbrellas - I did think that £50 for an umbrella was a bit excessive so was allowed to buy one for £10 - its purple with lilac musical notes around the edge and its what is known as pagoda style, it even claims to not blow inside out in windy weather. I had to be a bit sneaky with the purchase as items aren't allowed to be sold from stands and to get it out of the hall I had to say that it was a sample. I took it back to the car at lunchtime because I didnt want to lug it around all day.

I found some new suppliers who again are willing to sell in small quantities - so now I can have gifts for men, grow kits for various plants and therapy candles which smell divine and can be used as wedding favours.

Later in the afternoon I went back to the stand to buy my lamp - it cost me £55 (yesterday I was a bit confused with the sizes) so I bought the large one and it is now gracing my living room and looks fab. I was stopped as I left the hall and was asked "does madam have a receipt for that?" madam did not and made a great show of rummaging through her vast handbag looking for the business card that she had been given by way of a receipt when buying said lamp, madam kept stressing that the lamp was a sample and eventually was allowed to leave. The business card had been tucked in with my own business cards which were in my pocket.

I also acquired a few freebies too in the form of a notebook and some handmade soap and a little pot of moisturising handcream.

It was great networking with people especially as they now know that I organise corporate events.

I received a call today from Action for Blind People who had been put in touch with me by Access to Work. Due to my visual impairment (no central vision in left eye and limited peripheral vision) I fall under the remit of the Disability Discrimination Act and as such can have Access to Work visit my workplace and make recommendations and as I am self employed they will bear the full cost of any equipment that I need. I was chatting on the phone to them this morning and they are visiting me next Wednesday (I have a week to sort out my office and con someone into changing 3 lightbulbs for me. They are also going to look at upgrading my zoomtext magnifier so that that it could possibly speak to me and respond to my voice for times like now where my eyes are really tired and can barely focus.

Well I had better sign off now - its late and I need to chill out a bit before bedtime (oh and put a pile of washing away too).

Autumn Fair Part 1

2009-09-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

I eventually got a jump start for my car yesterday so took it to Pershore for a spin.

I got up bright and early (well the sun was bright and it was early but I didnt shift myself til 8am) and got ready to visit the Autumn Fair at the NEC. For those that don't know the Autumn Fair along with its sister the Spring Fair are two of the biggest international trade fairs for the gift and retail industry. Thankfully I took my car so that I could leave when I wanted to without having to faff around with trains. I was home again by 1pm as my back had started to sieze up - its still stiff now :(

I met with some lovely suppliers so soon I shall be selling gorgeous wedding memory boxes, guest books, photo albums and organisers (these organisers look like posh handbags). I have a contact with a company that sells minature trees - they never thought of wedding favours (I think I should start charging for my business advise lol). Another good contact was with an australian company who sells hessian/jute bags - they also sell bunting but I am particularly interested in their bottle bags because I have an idea.

I also found a wholesaler who sells tiaras and haircombs although I am hoping tomorrow that they will sell some items off their stand. Soon, (read that as when I start having paying clients) I shall have the most gorgeous umbrellas which are handmade in Italy. One of them was gorgeous - think of black silk (I think its silk) with a cream underside with swarovski crystals on the top of the black bit, with a black handle and swarovski crystals on the handle, it would retail at £120. The minimum order value is £200 and for that I would get 4 umbrellas. Why do I always pick the most expensive and disregard the cheap tat?

I also fell in love - I know that its love because I visited the stand 4 times - 3 times to stand and stare and the 4th time to ask the price. I have fallen in love with a table lamp. Its not any old table lamp either - it is a gorgeous work of art made from aluminium. Think of a woven vase with leaves and flowers all in aluminium - there was a choice of flower head - like an allium (pompom) or a teasel - inside the flowerheads is a tiny low energy halogen bulb which is easy to replace. The whole thing positively gleams and I love it. The equally gorgeous man on the stand - shaved head, gorgeous aussie twang who is called John told me that they were selling the lamps off at the end of the show so I am hoping to pick one up for £20 or so....swoon.

I also have a date tomorrow with a stranger...again at the Autumn Fair this time in Hall 2 stand C30 (I didnt venture into Hall 2) - this chap is a facebook friend and someone who tried to get me to sell some dodgy american acai berry drink but I said that it didnt fit in with my business model.

On the bus back to my car, my phone rang and I had somebody offering me advertising space in a magazine called Oracle which is sold and given away to help our local boys in blue - I carefully explained that I was a start up business and didnt have a bottomless pit of money and was told that the advert would cost £150 plus VAT. I said that I had never seen the magazine and that I wanted to see a copy first before I committed to anything. All around me were posh business types who smirked when I said that the banks weren't lending and that I would only pay what I wanted for an advert and not want the publisher wanted. After the call finished, the chap sitting next to me shook my hand - I thought it a bit odd but he had worked out that I was funding my business myself without relying on banks and loans...I thought he was going to offer me a job but I gave him my business card anyway and said that if he was in the line for some corporate entertainment and team building then he was to call me...LOL.

Wish me luck for tomorrow - I am going to need it - tomorrow though will be a casual day and not suited and trainers day (trainers are needed as you can walk miles).

Connected

2009-09-06T02:46:00.000-07:00

Watch out world - I received my headphones with mic yesterday from Skype and I can now chat for free anywhere in the world and all from my trusty old laptop - so far I haven't chatted with anyone :(

Yesterday was a good post day and it was a good job I was up early as the post arrived at 8.30am and delivered by van. The beautiful tiara and pendant/earring set arrived from Bridal Designs Wedding Jewellery and they are absolutely gorgeous - I had to have a look in the box which meant untying the ribbon so now I have the bother of trying to retie the ribbon so that it looks professional and not like some idiot has tied it :( Tracey who makes this gorgeous jewelley also sent me some postcards which I have added to my box of things to take to the wedding fair.

Also in the post yesterday was my free copy of Gift Focus - this magazine is produced by the same publishers as the county wedding magazines and Attire Bridal. I like this magazine because it shows what is new in the gift market and this month features items that will be on display at the Autumn Fair at the NEC - I am hoping to become a supplier of wedding stationery having seen some gorgeous items. I shall definitely attend on the final day as this is the day when stall holders will get rid of stuff rather than take it home, I remember this feature from the time when I worked for Sommer Allibert UK (the distributors of luxurious French garden furniture).

I also received details from HMCA about breakdown recovery via the FSB which I can get for £7.30 a month, I have decided to pay this from my personal account as opposed to my business one and then will change over next year. I really need to start earning some money.

I must try and find my log on details for Kline Davis too so that I can amend my advert on their website (the current one is naff).

This week I am going to try and get a jump start for my car - I have decided to ask a friend and local coucillor as when he found out that I had had eye surgery asked me to contact him if I needed anything. I cannot wait to get out on the roads of South Birmingham and Worcestershire.

Thank Crunchie It's Friday!

2009-09-04T08:20:00.000-07:00

Today, has been a day of procrastination and distraction. Earlier this morning I visited a local beauty parlour and had the most wonderful facial and had a thoroughly relaxing time. As soon as I returned to my flat, hower, that chilled out feeling left me the neighbours in Flat 3 were playing loud music again. Now I don't mind music in moderation but hate it when it affects me - I had to listen to some extremely loud Ibiza club classics (see I am not so old and I do watch television), it was so loud that my landlord commented when I rang him to discuss the smoking of illegal substances again - the twits below me smoke dope which permeats my flat and makes me fill ill. I had a lot of work planned for today and just couldnt concentrate on my business plan that needs to be re-written. I even went downstairs to pound loudly on their door but they refused to answer - they always do because they think it is bailiffs...sigh. Still the rest of the law abiding tenants will soon have some peace as they now face eviction..hurrah.

I had a bit of a chinwag in the beauty parlour this morning and may well be buying a £20 voucher for a mini facial to offer as a prize for the wedding fair. We also discussed fake tans and I would like a bit of colour especially as I havent been to the beach this year - so I could soon be having a tan to cover up my pasty whiteness.

Again I have been imparting words of wisdom on MSE and have been chatting on facebook chat. There is this guy called Joe who lives in Birmingham Alabama - who is one of those city types that trades in oil on the stockmarket, he and I have been chatting for ages as we both play this silly but addictive game called Be A Tycoon. If only I was as rich in real life as I am on there...wouldn't life be grand? Well, yesterday Joe proclaimed that he speaks to me more than he does to his mother (eek) and that he feels a connection with me despite us never meeting - I think we have the same sense of values and humour. We were chatting today because its his birthday and I had sent him a e-card (stuck somewhere in ether between here and there) and he said that I was Bombdiggity - I had to ask what it meant, apparently its American slang for being the best of the best and I think that's a rather cool thing to say about someone.

I am still waiting for my headphones to arrive from Skype (if only I had had the sense ot buy them in PC World then I could be chatting away by now). I am also waiting for the jewellery from Tracey and the full size bottle of Bold 2in1 gel which I am product testing for Bold.

Mundane Days

2009-09-03T02:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a particularly mundane day - I posted a birthday card and my cheque for the wedding fair. I also had to sort out some contents insurance and thought that I would try the co-op, never again will I ask them for a quote - they wanted to charge me £661 for only £12500K worth of items! More Than had sent me a renewal notice for £156 but when I called them I managed to get this down to £142 by removing freezer contents - needless to say that I renewed with them and get cover for £75K worth of goods as standard. Far better to be over insured than under insured.

I felt despondent yesterday and I feel sure that this had something to do with the weather as it was wet and gloomy. Now the weather has brightened I am feeling much better.

Some of you may know that I often post on MSE (moneysaving expert forum) where I impart wisdom, knowledge and sometimes silliness. As a result of one chat (and deal) with Bridal Designs Wedding Jewellery, I shall be sending them some of my leaflets to put on their stall at the wedding fair they will be exhibiting at and likewise I shall be displaying some of theirs. I admit to being a bit dopey when I sent the cheque off and never thought about enclosing some leaflets...sigh. Still, they are now packaged and waiting for me to walk to the post office - I am currently waiting in to receive my own post.

Yesterday, I was trawling on the Employment board over on MSE and espied a thread from someone who was a party planner but she wanted to become a wedding planner and set up a partnership with someone. I suggested that she do the Institute of Professional Wedding Planners course and so she sent me a message saying that she had read books and wasnt aware of any courses. Unfortunately, I think that this person is the kind to give us professional planners a bad name - she isnt interested in organising the weddings themselves and wants to employ someone to do that, all she wants to do is the administration and the research and maybe visit the venues - no sensible planner would handover the venue search to someone else because how could they possibly recommend it if they have never been or even made contact with the venue? Something must be wrong in her party planning business if she isnt busy - all the party planners that I know are busy all the time. I don't mind advising a genuine person but absolutely loathe timewasters and freeloaders.

Today, I am trying to think of what to put in a trade pack and later will be heading off to the post office (its a good half mile walk). Hopefully the rain will hold off, I hope so as the sun has just come out :-)

I shall also be looking at assignment 3 for my event planning course now that I have decided how I am going to tackle it. I am still waiting for assignment 2 to be marked.

The car still hasnt moved because I cannot get a jump start from anybody :(

Aaarrgggh...Noisy Neighbours!

2009-09-01T09:07:00.000-07:00

Some neighbours have moved into the flat downstairs and they are driving me mad - first thing in the morning they stink the block out with dope and now they are playing pop music (the same banal song has been playing over and over again at full blast for over an hour now). I cannot hear myself think! Mind you if its not the stink of dope its the smell of feral tom cat wee..neither of which smell pleasant. Cool, I have just found some headphones that I kept from work so now I have plugged myself in to listen to my choice of music as opposed to that tuneless garbage from downstairs. Ricochet by Tangerine Dream is hitting the spot nicely :-)

I have been reading The Village magazine today - a copy was sent with my invoice for the wedding fair and I have noticed that they have mentioned my business name in there - I said that I didnt want any advertising. You may think this to be slightly mad but basically I know what my mother is like and this magazine gets delivered free to her house - I don't want my mother knowing my business and putting a downer on everything.

Well I am off for a bit as I need to give my eyes a break and The Hairy Bikers are on tv - they do make me chuckle.

On the Scrounge

2009-09-01T04:21:00.000-07:00

I have had a busy morning this morning - I visited my local stationers and bought a ream of paper and some plastic wallet things for some trade packs and I managed to scrounge an empty box for paper. I also had a chat about pop up banners and should be able to get one for around £100 - this is something that I shall have to look into, I don't think that I will be able to afford one in time for the wedding fair.

The box has now been covered with some purple and white paper that I had lying around (a selfridges purchase) and I am surprised at my skill in covering the box and it reminded me of the days of watching Blue Peter as a child (now I wonder if they still make that ornament with bent coathangers, tinsel, jamjar lids and candles - you remember that christmas one that they featured every single christmas).

I have also been to the bank to deposit £100 in £2 coins into my business account - this is going towards the cost of the stand at the fair which is costing me £115 inc VAT. I shall be sending the cheque off for the fair later today.

The wedding fair will hopefully be exciting and I shall be attending on my own because my chums have cried off :( The show opens at 11am and runs until 4pm and they have managed to sucker some poor soul into getting married at the venue at 2.30pm - to be honest I think that this is rather tacky. The magazine that is running the fair is offering their own prize draw where Jacques Vert vouchers and tickets to the National Wedding Show at the NEC can be won.

I am still toying with prizes for my own draw - I am now wondering if I should offer a plan (basically a list of things to do and when they should be done) too or just leave it with the star prize of on-the-day co-ordination? Do you think that 3 prizes will be enough or should I offer more?? Decisions, decisions....

Its quite gloomy here today and have managed to blow another halogen bulb in my office (I shall have to get more bulbs and wait for a friend to come around to change them for me), I cannot cope without light and have remembered my daylight lamp that Access to Work and the University gave me when I worked there - any adaptions that I received I kept when I was made redundant LOL.

In The Doghouse

2009-08-31T06:53:00.000-07:00

After weeks of trying to get through to my parents, I eventually managed it today and as expected I am in the doghouse once again...sigh. Mum is not best pleased that I dared to have eye surgery and not breathe a word about it, she is also miffed that I havent been able to drive - one wonders if she would have been happy for me to set foot in my car when unable to see?? I also spoke to Dad, I am really worried about him as he isnt very well and on Saturday was particularly ill as he said that he couldnt stop shaking - he likened it to being in the arctic without clothes. I also told him about my eye op and explained that I hadnt said anything as I didnt want to worry them because they have enough on their plate. I said that I need to get the battery charged on my car so that I can go and visit - he doesnt want me driving any distance as I haven't driven for 2 months and so he is now worried about me which is what I didnt want to happen :(

I have been busy today giving advice on a chat forum and getting the low down on a place that I had considered using for stag/hen parties (a cookery school) and out of that came the idea of a wonderful place called Deer Park Hall in Eckington, Nr Pershore, Worcs as a place for team building events, conferences and weddings - so as soon as I am mobile again I will contact them and arrange a visit.

I am still trying to work out what to give as prizes for this draw that I am doing at the wedding fair in September. I am thinking along the lines now of a jewellery set (this has been ordered already), on-the-day co-ordination, a plan (basically a time line of when things should be done), and a book - now do I choose a book of wedding readings and poems, wedding etiquette or budget weddings and possibly a guestbook? I am trying to think which would be more use.

Today, I have been thinking about trade packs too and what to put in them, these are also for the wedding fair.

People think its funny that I am getting myself organised when the fair doesnt take place until 27 September - I would much rather sort it out now rather than leave it until the very last minute. I keep thinking of it as an event and every one of my events is perfectly planned. Anyway, its the first of September tomorrow so it really isnt that long until the fair.

I havent got a banner nor do I have a pop up display - I cannot afford these at the moment so I shall have to make do with what I have got and that is me (I will be dressed to the nines lol), I have asked for a chair too as I cannot stand for long periods without my back stiffening up to the point where I cannot move and certainly not bend (an old war wound...from severe whiplash after a car accident back in 1995).

Plans are also afoot for the Autumn Fair - I need to look for boxes (to use as welcome boxes) and wedding stationery including a guest book (I am hoping to blag one at the show). I am an expert blagger lol.

Well, I suppose I had better carry on with some work - I have had a short break and caught up with Neighbours and Home&Away (I know they are awful programmes but I don't need to concentrate on them and they are just like moving wallpaper). One thing that has got me thinking though - have you noticed that the characters in these soaps never have birthdays? They seem to celebrate Christmas (bizarre to see christmas lights up on Ramsay Street lol - I keep thinking that in Australia that they wouldnt bother) and Valentine's Day although they don't do that very well.

Printing and yet more Printing

2009-08-30T06:46:00.000-07:00

Having checked my diary, I have noticed that the wedding fair I am due to have a stand at is happening on 27 September (eek). You could say that I was a wedding fair virgin having been to loads but never exhibited at any - hence me feeling a bit wibbly wobbly.

As a way of capturing details, I have decided to have a prize draw so today I have been designing a prize draw leaflet and have started printing them - I think that I will need to have about 500 so on Tuesday I had better get a few more reams of paper. I also need to blag some prizes - I shall be offering On the Day Co-ordination which is worth approx. £350 - I am not going to give away the full wedding organisation as that is too much money. One of my friends designs and makes the most wonderful bridal jewellery (as featured in Wedding Ideas magazine) so I shall ask her if I can buy a pendant set. I shall also contact places like the day spa where I am a member to see if they will donate anything and again I will also ask my entertainment agency folks if they will be willing to donate something too. I am also thinking about getting a book - I have a free £10 Waterstones voucher so I can easily get a book on wedding vows and readings.

There is a lot to do to prepare for this event - I already have leaflets that I had printed for something else that never got used. So I am thinking that I need a pop up banner so I guess I will contact my printers to discuss costs and whether or not they would be able to make one. Hopefully when I go to Events UK on 22/23 September that the Promotions Show will be going on at the same time so that I can blag loads of free pens. Pens will be handy when it comes to filling out the prize draw sheets - I must remember to take some clipboards with me too.

I guess I had better prepare a list of things that I need to take before I forget.

Once again, I have tried to telephone my parents to no avail - I do wish that my mother would switch the flippin' ringer on on the phone instead of having it on silent...grrr. There is no chance of getting my battery charged either as my neighbours have all refused to help - the miserable mongrels, just wait until they want a parcel taking in or something.

Onwards and upwards.

Another Bank Holiday Weekend on my own

2009-08-29T03:46:00.000-07:00

This weekend I shall be on my own again - trapped inside my flat as I cannot find anyone to give my car a jumpstart as the battery is deader than a dodo :( So I shall use the time to catch up on boring housework and perhaps tidy my office and do some study.

I havent updated for a while because my eyes got so bad that I started to feel dizzy and generally off colour. You will be pleased to know that I now have my new glasses as I picked them up yesterday - I had a really bad dizzy spell when I was walking to the hospital and ended up holding onto a wall for support. Now I have to get used to my new glasses - its kind of wierd being able to see.

I feel really inspired today - I received my visitor pass for Events UK which takes place at the NEC over two days next month. There are talks I want to hear, seminars I want to attend and maybe I shall even book an appointment for a one to one with a specialist to see how I can improve my business. I am also looking forward to an hour long networking event each day so I had better take loads of business cards with me. Events UK is a place where exciting venues promote themselves and there are also additional services such as entertainers, caterers, bars, exhibition equipment etc. etc. I love this show and feel more confident now that I truly run my own business whereas last year it was still a tiny seed despite my getting some business cards from vistaprint, I have moved on since then and have had some more professional cards printed with a different supplier and now these excude luxury which is quite fitting for my bespoke business.

Once I can get my car started then I can go on my visits which have been piling up: Worcester Rugby Club (its quite a smart place), The Pear Tree at Smite, Hagley Hall, Ragley Hall, Eckington Manor (its a cookery school), Hillscourt Education Centre (although I could easily get there by bus and a long walk up a hill - I have been lazy of late). I also want to look at some more unusual places in Worcester and want to visit the cathedral to find out how much it costs to be married there - its a far nicer cathedral than the one in Birmingham. I am itching to get going - it will be strange because I haven't driven now for over 2 months. I'll also need to visit my parents too - I have tried phoning but my mother is awkward and switches the ringer off on the phone so it could ring all day and she wouldn't hear and dad can't hear the phone anyway because he is deaf.

I need to find more wedding things - I also need to order some bespoke bridal jewellery which I can give as a prize at the wedding fair I am doing next month. I shall run a competition and people will have to let me have their contact details including the groom's name - I don't want to give away the cost of planning a full wedding from start to finish as that is over £2K and to be truthful I would rather have that money. I am thinking along the lines of on-the-day co-ordination (£300) and The Plan only (£150). I can see that I need to get more business cards printed - I still have some vistaprint ones but they are naff to be honest with you, plus I have some free calendar magnets but there is not much point to them as they are dated for this year.

Earlier this week I contacted Access to Work as they have helped me before and they are going to send someone around to see me so hopefully I will be able to get a laptop with a larger screen - the government will pay as I am self employed. Access to Work is for people who fall under the Disability Discrimination Act and they work with you (you have to contact them yourself) and will assess your workstation and suggest adjustments to make life easier - in normal circumstances the employer would make a contribution to the costs with the bulk being paid by the AtW but in the case of self employment the entire cost is borne by the AtW. I shall need to get a move on with tidying the office as it is currently a tad untidy. Perhaps this weekend I shall work out how to erect the galvanised shelves.

TECHNOPHOBE STRIKES AGAIN

2009-08-24T08:14:00.000-07:00

I bit the bullet this morning (not literally but you know what I mean) and downloaded Skype and ordered a nice headset and mic. I have paid for a year's worth of subs for the whole of the world which has cost me £81.48 but now I can have free calls. I did pay for some credit which cost me £10 so that I could get started straightaway. I am really surprised that I managed to follow the instructions without making a hash of things.

I then somehow managed to mess up my business email address and go so mad that I deleted it, then I couldnt log in to virgin media because my birth date doesnt match their records..tut so half an hour later I managed to speak to a nice man in Wales who talked me through what I had to do to reset the password and sort out my emails - now I am working again. I am thinking that I really must set up a pop3 account so that my business email looks as though it comes from the business as opposed to some eejit at blueyonder.

My new shoes arrived today - so now I shall have to get used to ramming my feet into proper shoes as opposed to the crocs that I have lived in all summer. My new glasses on the other hand are still not ready and the liars at the manufacturers have now said that the lenses are being coated whereas last Wednesday they were being despatched. It seems that they may be ready for me to collect on Thursday of this week. It is such a damned inconvience as I cannot see so can't drive, I get blinding headaches because of eye strain and I just feel like a moody mare.

I am going to try something now - that is to load some pictures - whoo hoo. Now don't get too excited - they're just pictures of the car that I sponsored for a local charity (I won't be sponsoring them again or doing any work for them - I shall be looking for a different charity to support). Well I did say that I was a technophobe - the pics have been uploaded but not where I wanted them to be...oh well, its a start I guess.

Possibilities

2009-08-23T12:49:00.000-07:00

I read in the newspaper today that a scientist in Aberdeen claims to have found a cure for uveitis which is the eye disease that I have got, I must admit that I am somewhat sceptical as there are two types of uveitis - posterior and anterior and I have the anterior variety. I have kept the clipping from the newspaper and when I next go to clinic I shall enquire about it.

It has been suggested that I get skype - now I have been thinking about it for a while and need to do more investigation but it could cost me £7.99 a month to call anywhere in the world which will come in particularly handy when I talk to Paul in Gran Canaria about the Federation of Event & Wedding Planners (I admit too that it would be cool to work for him - although I still wish to retain my own business) and to Elizabeth in Gosport.

I am expecting my visitor sometime on Tuesday and he is planning to stay for a couple of days - part of me wishes he wouldn't but he has his uses, I am hopeful that he will change some lightbulbs for me as I cannot use the step ladder and he has ag's hreed to take me to Lidl on Thursday to buy a cheapo filing cabinet. Hopefully, he will take me out for a meal too - although I am getting rather bored with carveries and he insists on chinese or indian food both of which I loathe - let's hope that he takes me somewhere nice.

One day, I will get to grips with uploading photographs - I am afraid that in the meantime I remain a technophobe.

Guess I had better go and take my eye drops (yawn) and sit and do something else for 10 minutes instead of staring at the computer.

Trade Fairs

2009-08-22T04:57:00.000-07:00

Today, I am reading my little black book that is my essential pocket guide to the Autumn Fair at the NEC which starts on 6 September and runs until the 9th. The book came with my name badge and it looks strange to see my business listed as event management which I guess is what I do.

I have started looking through the book to make note of stands that I would like to visit and already I have found the most gorgeous stationery company - Cavania Cards, their wedding stationery is divine. I love their blog too as it is so colourful whereas mine is all text and no pictures - one day I will add photos, I promise. One of the recent topics on the blog has been the painting of the shed - and there was me thinking that shed were a man thing LOL.

You might think it strange that I would even consider attending the Autumn Fair and its sister show the Spring Fair which is held in February. I intend to try and find some suppliers of gorgeous wedding stationery as well as eco-friendly boxes as I would like some nice boxes to use as welcome boxes. Unfortunately, I cannot buy in volume as I don't have the space but I am hoping that some suppliers will take pity on me and let me buy less.

Following this fair is the BBEH which takes place in Harrogate - this trade fair is purely for the bridal trade and is mainly for bridal shops but its a great place to go to get ideas of what is expected to be in season during Spring/Summer 2010. Harrogate seems to be a difficult place to get to - I certainly don't fancy driving there so I am guessing I will have to spend a day on a train or two - I am determined to go this time.

After this will be Events UK which is also at the NEC - I hope to renew acquaintances and get some more invitations to visit venues. I shall try and do this show over two days as opposed to doing it all in one go - the last time I went was I was so loaded down with bags I could barely walk. The promotions show is on at the same time so that will be the ideal place to visit to stock up on pens and pads LOL I also intend attending some of their seminars as I want to discover ways to improve my business. In fact that has given me an idea....be right back...

Counterfeit Goods and other things

2009-08-22T02:06:00.000-07:00

A news report on the BBC this morning got me thinking about people who buy counterfeit dresses from China in attempt to save some money as they refuse the pay the full price for a Maggie Sottero dress or whatever. Here in the UK it is an offence to sell counterfeit goods but it is not an offence to buy them, however, if you were in France or Italy then it is also an offence to buy them and those buying them could face a jail term. This may seem extreme but theft is theft. I think they should bring in similar laws here too as that may be a deterrent.

Yesterday, I received my mark for my first assignment for my Diploma in Event Planning and I was more than pleased - let's hope the A+ heralds the start of similar marks for other assignments. I admit that I am passionate about organising events and have already considered studying at Leeds Metropolitan University (part time) for a degree in Event Management because I want to be able to organise massive rock concerts and the like (I never think small LOL).

Today, I have been asked to help recruit people for the newly formed Federation of Event & Wedding Planners which will be akin to the Federation of Small Businesses - this is being set up by a friend and fellow wedding planner and an ex student of the wedding planning course who runs his own very successful business out in Gran Canaria (I could learn a lot from him). I am looking forward to this as it will also open up doors for me LOL. Why do I always seek out the opportunities?

I must remember to make a note of my blogspot log in details as it took me an age this morning to log in.

Wednesday 19 August

2009-08-19T08:26:00.000-07:00

Hello readers

It has been hospital day today - I had to get up bright and early to get there for 9.45am, this meant getting a bus to town at 8.30am and then getting another one out of town. My eyes are progressing well and I have had a slight reduction in my steroid drops but still haven't managed to get rid of the dilating drop. I have to have it because they don't my pupil sticking to my lens which is what happened last time. I did however have some good news - my glasses will be ready on Friday.

I went back to town and went and did my mystery shop - I ended up spending £58 on some gorgeous perfume but will only get £10 for the work, I wish the client was a bit more realistic with their minimum spend limit of £25 because you cannot get a bottle of fragrance in this partcular shop for less than £50! I ventured onto the fourth floor where I tried on a lovely pair of shoes to be told oh you can either buy a size 4 (I am a 4.5) or a size 5 and buy an insole or you can buy them in half sizes off the internet. Needless to say I am choosing the internet option. Why don't shops sells shoes in half sizes?? I then consoled myself with some lunch and have discovered that I don't like tarragon as it tastes aniseedy..eww

After lunch, I headed back through the Bullring to the bus stop and popped into a shop called Roman Originals - they sell clothes for ladies between 10-22, when I was in there the other week they had an offer on where you could buy a pair of trousers or a skirt and get the jacket free. I didnt buy anything. Today I ventured towards the back of the shop and found that they were selling dresses that could possibly be used as wedding dresses or better still bridesmaids dresses. The dresses were ivory (almost satin like material - I am admit I am hopeless with textures and fabrics) with detachable straps and a taupe band beneath the boobs with a rose on one side - these were for sale at £37.50 instead of £75.

This afternoon I received a call from the Britannia Hotel in Manchester and now I am waiting for them to send me some information (I hope my email address is working) - they have a bridal package for £999 to include a bucks fizz reception, wedding breakfast and evening reception and a lot of other things besides - hence me waiting in eager anticipation for the email.

One of my fellow students contacted me via Facebook to congratulate me on gaining my Diploma and she told me that she is trying to do as many assignments as possible before her new baby arrives. I have seen scans of him - his name will be Thomas Ryan and to be honest with you he looks like a bean but I guess that's what I see on the scan LOL. Hey Anna, if you are reading this then I hope you are ok and that the iron tablets are working their magic? It seems strange that Anna and I have become quite good friends even though we have never met - no doubt when she comes to Birmingham for an appointment then we will meet up for coffee :-)

Late update

2009-08-18T12:24:00.000-07:00

Once again, time has run away with me and I haven't been able to blog. I had a visitor over the weekend who manages to disrupt my life and hog my laptop. He left this morning so now my laptop is my own again as is the tv remote :-) Not much to report really, I received my diploma from the Institute along with a press-release which I need to amend and send back with a sticky label. Yesterday I received my certificate from the FSB which needs to be displayed in case any unsavoury government types start visiting LOL.

One good thing about the visitor - he charged the battery on my car and took me shopping last night - I haven't set foot in a supermarket for 2 months and I went clutching my shopping list and a ton of vouchers. I managed to save £14.35 yesterday and was even more surprised when ny shopping was paid for too. I do wonder though why men insist on putting things in the trolley that are not on the list? I did get a few items that weren't on the list but only because I visited what is commonly known as the whoopsie shelf and managed to get a load of bargains.

I have done a bit of studying this weekend and attempted to write another assignment but think it is rather pointless my tutor still isnt marking them due to her op that she had a few weeks' ago. I am off to the eye hospital tomorrow so hopefully I will be able to get rid of the dilating drops and I will poke my head in with the dispensing optician to see if my much needed glasses have arrived - it is causing me real problems as I have tons of venues to visit and yet I cannot go anywhere. Tomorrow, I have a mystery shop lined up and I need to complete this form and send it to the council - I tried to get an appointment at the neighbourhood office but cannot get one for another 3 weeks and the council need a reply within 14 days!!

I have been giving debt advice, wedding advice and even business advice on a forum so I have been busy in other ways - just not in wedding ways as such.

A damp Tuesday

2009-08-12T07:40:00.000-07:00

Today, the Institute of Professional Wedding Planners sent me an email containing a link to the logo that I am allowed to display on my website and stationery. I felt that it was a good time to add the logo for the Federation of Small Businesses too and as it is a rather complicated (well, it is for me) process I contacted Laura at the printers, she agreed to make the additions for me and charged me £23 which isnt unreasonable considering coding is involved. There will be space on the front page for the Events Planning logo too when I have finished that course.

I ventured into the rain today to go to town to see Laura and pay my dues as well as looking for a vanity case to keep my emergency kit in, one of the planners suggested I use a handbag but that doesnt look very professional and I would feel like a right twit walking round with two handbags. I looked in quite a few shops but the choice was somewhat limited so I eventually settled on a hard Antler case which has a carry handle and a detachable shoulder strap. I chose it because it has a myriad of pockets plus it will last me a lifetime, it was also the best that I could afford.

On arriving home, I found a large envelope had been wedged inside my postbox - it was a letter from the Institute and contained my diploma as well as a press release with plenty of instructions, I need to amend the press release as it give my personal number and states that I will be setting up a business - I have already set it up LOL. I am only going to submit it to the Chamber of Commerce for their Chamberlink magazine - they may use it, they may not but I know they are always on the look out for interesting and unusual businesses.

I decided today that I will write to the General Manager of Selfridges in Birmingham because they don't have a wedding section and I think that the store needs one - they have one in Oxford Street, London but who wants to go down there when we are the second city? I shall endeavour to offer them my planning services too - to quote Deborah Meaden "it takes an entrepreneur to spot an opportunity where none existed before" - I wonder if I will become rich and famous like her?

CLEARING OUT

2009-08-11T02:19:00.000-07:00

The weekend was fairly restful and spent doing household tasks and studying.

Yesterday I decided to have a massive clearout in my office which will be continued today. I have accummulated so much rubbish, two sackfuls were binned yesterday and I guess there will be another 2 sackfuls today. I am being mercenary and ditching all catalogues and dodgy looking suppliers and even piles of business cards. It seems quite mean getting rid of business cards but one bridal shop insisted that I have half a box but they were given to me loose and I have nowhere to store them so I have binned them (I kept two). I am trying to make space for another set of galvanised shelves which I need to try and erect myself or find someone to help me, then I can move my desk to in front of the window and put the shelves where my desk is now.

I also rang Wedding Professional magazine as I haven't received a copy for a while - they no longer produce it which is a great shame as it was useful for planners like myself. Today I have contacted the Federation of Small Businesses because I haven't been able to log in - I have since discovered that the code printed on my membership card is too short and two letters were missing off the end. Now I can access all areas - I want to look at the various contracts to see if there is one that I could use for the events side of my business.

My website was also updated to recognise the fact that I can now offer new services - I also updated my facebook site. I am also making plans for the various trade shows that I want to attend: Autumn Fair, Events UK and BBEH - the last one is difficult because it is held in Harrogate which isnt the easiest place to get to from Birmingham, I may have to take the train and I hate trains especially having to change trains and then there is accommodation to sort out.

I am due to meet with one of my fellow planners this week as she has just set up her business - at the same time I hope to be able to buy a vanity case to put my assorted bits of emergency kit in - I still need to get a few more things for it, this will be lodged as a business expense. I am sad that Woolworths folded as I would have been able to get a few things from them such as a sewing kit, safety pins etc from their haberdashery department. I also miss the pick n mix too LOL.

Its a fairly mundane day today - I am hoping that my new glasses will be ready this week so that I can see to drive and therefore make appointments to visit venues.

Friday 7 August 2009

2009-08-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

Today has been quite a strange day - I woke up this morning to find my flat reeking of tom cat which wasnt pleasant especially as I am not a cat lover and don't have a cat. I suspect that its the neighbours who have moved into the flat below me as they often have a distinct smell of un-neuteured tomcat about them..eww.

I had to pop to the village (I have always called it the village when in reality it is a small town but in days gone by it was a village). I nipped to the bank and then went to Boots to buy some items for my emergency kit, I dared to ask for a bottle of smelling salts and was quizzed as to why I wanted them so I explained that I was a wedding planner. Oh, how I wish I had kept my mouth shut because the assistant moaned on and on about her daughter's forthcoming wedding and how there was no call for wedding planners in this day and age. I chose to keep my own counsel after that and let this woman go on and on like a cracked record until I could make my escape. I then remembered that I needed a few other things and I could still hear her voice ringing out around the store about one of her many wedding outfits and how she is having trouble finding shoes.

I went to a couple of other stores and then came home. Just after lunch my phone rang and it was a Reverend who was working for a newspaper called Midlands Focus trying to sell me some advertising space yet again - I said that I wouldnt be advertising with the newspaper after I had been sworn at the last time I refused to advertise with them. He gave me details for the website which were wrong and then said that I could have a half page advert for £95 plus VAT including editorial. I looked at their website but I am not aiming at the budget market and feel that this newspaper does not fit with the clientele that I am aiming for. This chap is a real vicar who is waiting for a church to become available so I was asking him about churches and weddings and charmed him into giving me his phone number.

I have also been trying to write a couple of paragraphs about me for the company that I shall be working with, I cannot think of anything to say and yet I can write for England on my blog LOL.

Again I have been giving out advice both for a totally unrelated business and on a wedding forum - this time it was to a woman who wanted a same sex wedding in a church so I had to say that unfortunately she wouldnt be able to marry in church but she would be able to have a blessing. I also pointed her in the direction of a building called The Monastery in Manchester as this is former monastery which has been turned into conference space, it also has a wedding license so couples can marry in the cloisters and in two other rooms. I thought that this was a nice twist because the place looks like a religious place of worship.

I have also been looking at the Project Wedding website and looking at one of their projects which I thought I would share - its about making colouring/activity books for kids that could also be used as place settings. I thought that it was a lovely idea for them to be made rather than bought from a pound shop.

http://www.projectwedding.com/wiki/show/diy-wedding-challenge-activity-books-for-kids

News

2009-08-06T11:10:00.000-07:00

I feel bad that I haven't updated for a few days but a lot has been going on.

Tuesday was spent giving advice to people on a forum - one girl in particular had expressed an interest in becoming a professional wedding planner whilst others kept telling her that there isnt any work and that she shouldn't follow her dream. One person in particular really rattled me as she based her knowledge on attending 50 weddings in the last 2 years as a photographer and not one bride (according to her) had used a wedding planner. 50 weddings isnt a good representation of the number of weddings that take place every year where wedding planners have been involved. Thankfully I sent a private message to the girl asking the question and gave her loads of information about the course as it is the same one that I have just completed.

Wednesday - well that dawned wet and cold so I had to put a mac on to go to a meeting at the Radisson (I have a horrible feeling that I have thrown out my umbrella). I met with a company that hires out sound and audio visual equipment and they also run an entertainment agency - it was the entertainment business that I was interested in. As I have experience of organising corporate events too I have now ended up with a reciprocal arrangement with regards to work - this is something that I am very excited about. When I left the meeting the weather had undergone a huge change - no longer was it wet and cold but it was sunny and unbearably hot. Rather than waiting for the bus to carry me one stop, I walked and as I went past the men's shop High & Mighty I spotted a little sign in the window telling me that they now do wedding hire so in I trotted and exchanged a business card for a brochure - hopefully, I will get some referrals. I then walked to Selfridges where I had lunch and a quick whizz around Fenn Wright & Manson - I left £616 lighter having bought 2 silk skirts, 2 silk scarves to match the skirts, 2 jackets - 1 a deep purple to co-ordinate with one skirt (in fact I can wear it with both) and a silver/grey silky jacket to wear with the skirt bought there and then and the skirt and trousers that I already have in my wardrobe (both jackets also look good with jeans) and a deep ferny green top (this was reduced in the sale) and it goes well with the one skirt and dare I say it the deep purple jacket - I would never have thought of putting those colours together.

Thursday - I had to go to Birmingham again to see my solicitor and I remembered to pick up some Waterstones vouchers so I headed there too and came away with 3 books - one is about change called Who Moved my Cheese? I used to have a copy of this book and lent it to someone who never returned it, a huge book about event planning and Deborah Meaden's book about commonsense rules for business. I picked the event planning book to give me more of an insight to organising really large events such as those that take place at the NEC. I resisted the temptation to buy more clothes and settled on a sofa within Starbucks in Selfridges with a caramel macchiato and some toasted fruit bread with butter and jam - I used one of the books of luncheon vouchers that I get as payment for doing surveys for a particular survey site - I dare not mention their name as they will banish me :(

I also submitted my first assignment for my event planning course and already I am looking at the second one - I shall have to wait for them to be marked as my tutor (who was also the tutor on my wedding planning course) was rushed into hospital on Sunday with appendicitis and she has only just been sent home after being operated upon on Monday. I sent her a lovely Jacquie Lawson e-card to cheer her up.

Tomorrow I need to contact Wedding Professional as I havent received a copy of their magazine for ages - its another free trade magazine but I find it invaluable as it allows me to see what other planners are doing and then I can learn from them. I also need to write a couple of paragraphs for the sound equipment hire company to put on their website - here's hoping that I get lots of business :-)

Dresses 'N Things

2009-08-03T04:35:00.000-07:00

Dear readers

I don't know if you remember that earlier this year I went to an auction of wedding stuff (the entire contents of two wedding shops) and came away with some boxes supposedly containing veils and petticoats but in reality containing dresses, boddices, wraps etc. I bought them thinking ebay but on seeing the dresses decided that ebay was a bit naff and since then I have been looking at ways of selling the dresses to get maximum profit for me.

Reading through my various magazines I came across a shop in Kidderminster which sells pre-loved dresses so I contacted the owner to see what she would pay me and the answer came back today £60 for a designer dress and £30 for a bridesmaid dress - I have seen her website and she charges dresses out at £350! I contacted my friend who makes the most wonderful dresses to get her input because although I know all about organising a wedding - dresses are whole different ball game and therefore my knowledge is a little limited. Linda told me not to sell the dresses for £60 each especially as the pre-loved market is a bit shaky as understandably brides don't usually want to wear someone else's dress unless it is vintage and you are into that sort of thing. The shopkeeper had told me that the wedding business was slack at the moment - yes the shops maybe a bit quieter but come September business will be booming again as this coincides with Europe's largest trade wedding fair in Harrogate in September.

Linda gave me some good advice today and suggested that I contact one of my local shops to see if I could pick up an old mannikin cheap but I have a better idea and will contact a lady that I know who runs the local couture shop to see if she will let me use one of her mannikins for free and I can take photographs and send them to Linda and post them on my blog (when the technophobe in me works out how to do it LOL).

I am now sitting more comfortably as I have just had my new chair delivered but I am not used to wheels and it whizzes dangerously across the floor and I keep playing with the levers too so now I can raise the seat, adjust the back and tilt the seat forward - too many levers and too much fun will be had until I get the seat exactly right.

I have a busy couple of days - tomorrow I am meeting a fellow wedding planner who has just set up her own business and needs a bit of moral support, she covers the Walsall area and hopefully we will be able to work together at some point in the future, after meeting her I am off to the eye hospital to get some new and very much needed glasses. I have so many appointments to make to visit venues but I am unable to do anything as I cannot see to drive :( I have had to wait months to get the appointment at the hospital as now it is the only place where I can have my eyes tested. On Wednesday I am meeting a chap who runs an entertainment agency and he is always being asked to organise events but he admits that he hasnt a clue which is where I step in, plus I am off to see my solicitor to collect a cheque as it is cheaper for me to pop in that pay her a £15 plus VAT admin fee and a fee to make a BACs payment into my account!! Thieves and rob dogs all of them!!

Ooh heck I am going to have to get a rug to go under this chair..I am whizzing about all over the place!

Funny Hours

2009-07-31T03:30:00.000-07:00

I found myself up until silly o'clock this morning as I was busy on the internet reading up on businesses that I found in the Aug/Sept edition of Your West Midlands Wedding.

I was pleased to discover that the British Heart Foundation have branched out into supplying wedding favours, confetti and other paraphernalia including special confetti to stick onto cars. They have an online shop which can be accessed via their website www.bhf.org.uk - I think it is a brilliant way of supporting a charity whilst at the same time buying some nice and different things for your wedding.

At long last I think I may have found somewhere to sell my wedding dresses - they are far too good to go onto ebay and the lady at the local couture shop seems to no longer be keen on having a sale even though I was going to share the profits of the dresses with her. The shop that I have found is based in Kidderminster and they sell pre-loved dresses either through their shop or by attending parties and taking a few dresses along to the bride's home for her to try on. Selling your wedding dress is a good idea because not only do you get some money for your dress which would otherwise be gathering dust in the loft but its also an opportunity for others to have enjoyment and the pleasure of wearing something that they may not otherwise be able to afford. It cuts down waste so its very ethical and I am all for being ethical as far as is possible. www.wornoncewithlove.co.uk - I have tried to contact the shop today but the owner appears to be on holiday judging by the ringtone on the phone so I have emailed her instead to see what she has to say.

I am extremely frustrated at the moment because I have a lot of visits to book but am unable to do so until I get some new glasses - my eyesight has deteriorated to the point that it wouldnt be safe for me to drive :( Thankfully for some meetings I have arranged to meet people in Birmingham City Centre which is only a short bus ride away - I could take the train but I don't like New Street Station and feel extremely uneasy on the stairs - its not a very user friendly place if you are disabled.

I was exchanging emails with a fellow planner who was a tutor on my course (not my tutor but she gave me some brilliant advice and we are now friends) as she has become involved in setting up a Federation of Event & Wedding Planners which will be along the same lines as the Federation of Small Businesses. There is nothing in our industry that is an offical organisation, there are others such as the Institute of Professional Wedding Planners but they don't really support planners or provide regular information and from what I can see nor do UKAWP - this body are strange because they offer planning courses which are two days' long and you cannot possibly learn everything in two days whereas the Institute's course is longer and it gives you an opportunity to do some research and even get some suppliers under your belt.

I have had my final assignment marked and the Institute are being advised that I have now finished the course. Soon I shall be receiving a logo for my website along with my Diploma and I can now call myself Denise Meredith Dip.WP (Inst.WP) - who would have thought that I would ever have letters after my name? Roll on the next course in Event Planning - I could do this as an online course but I prefer to have literature that I can keep and refer back to - hopefully I will be able to claim this cost from the business and get some tax relief. I need to check that with my accountant Sammy. Again this course will give me new insights into organising events although I come from an events background one can never know everything plus it will give me yet more letters after my name and another logo for my website.

Catch Up

2009-07-30T05:06:00.000-07:00

I have had a busy couple of days so apologies for not updating my blog. I went to the eye hospital yesterday but could only manage to get rid of one eye drop but I still have to take the steroid ones 2hourly and the dilating drop at night. Whilst I was in clinic I realised that I had put my sweatshirt on back to front and to say that I felt like a nit was an understatement - I knew it was going to be a bad when I slept through the alarm that I had set for 6.00am and got up at 7.15am thinking that it was 6am.

Later on yesterday, an ex boyfriend dropped in on his way back from Ooop North, it had taken him 3 hours to drive back and after a cup a soup and slice of bread, he fell asleep on the sofa and then moved to my bed...humph. I was expecting him to leave but as the driving conditions were too bad he took me out for dinner - we took my car because it has been sitting and the run did it good.

I was back at the hospital today for an eye test and as I suspected my eyesight in my right eye has worsened so I need yet another pair of glasses. I was still miffed that I couldnt read the bottom line on the chart and could only make out about 3 letters on the line above. So now I need to go back on Tuesday clutching my working tax credit notification to get some cheap glasses. On getting home I had some wonderful news - I have passed my final wedding planning assignment and received an A grade. Unfortunately, I have received two C marks so won't be getting the Diploma with Merit which is what I was after, the Institute wouldnt allow me to retake the assignments either which is a great shame. In fact my previous tutor gave me a C grade and I discovered after speaking to fellow students she ensured that she gave them C grades for the same assignment too. I had a C grade more recently but then I knew that the assignment I submitted wasnt up to scratch. So I will now be able to display a logo on my website and on my stationery, I will also have letters after my name Dip. WP (Inst.WP).

Feeling throughly pleased with myself

2009-07-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

I sometimes venture onto a moneysaving forum (ok, I am there quite a lot) and occasionally give advice to people in debt, brides and even those with employment issues. During this past week I have been advising a young person who made a mistake during an internal promotion giving a different referee than their direct line manager with whom they didnt get on. This poor kid had been caught cheating at University and as a result had all his examination marks downgraded and was forced to re-sit the exam where he was caught cheating (I am assuming this person is a chap). Needless to say this kid was worried sick about what would happen at his disciplinary meeting which was held yesterday, so I gave him some non judgemental advice both on the forum and in private. Well he sent me a message today thanking me for my help - he has now kept his job albeit with a note on his file but he has promised not to anything so silly again. I was slightly appalled to hear that his own union rep had refused to accompany him as they had drawn their own conclusions to let this kid fend for himself. U wasnt expecting a thank you at all - at long last someone has acknowledged that I give excellent advice, its a pity that when I was branch secretary of UNISON not so many moons ago that my clients never said thanks and in fact my union didnt support me when I needed their assistance.

I have been busy on facebook again - giving advice to other planners on negotiating skills (I knew my union knowledge would come in handy some day) and have been joining groups based in the USA - some of them display inspiration boards that they prepare for clients and maybe it is something that I can think about for my own business.

I had my welcome pack from the Federation of Small Businesses today and at some point since joining I have had a sex change without my knowledge because according to them I am now a man! Even the membership card has me listed as Mr D Meredith!!

I am recuperating nicely and hopefully I will be drop free after Wednesday.

Today

2009-07-24T04:52:00.000-07:00

I haven't long come home from the city centre - I went out this morning to go to Selfridges because I needed to get a tin of biscuits which I am going to take to the hospital next week for the theatre staff to say thanks for looking after me. Actually, last week's theatre session was the least traumatic of them all and I was treated like a person and not as a piece of meat. Theatre staff are always the last on the list when it comes to presents from patients as all presents seem to go to the ward staff who don't share.

I decided today that Selfridges needs to be done under the trades descriptions act because I bought a sherry trifle from them (I was after the ramekin dish as its a nice deep one) - not one whiff of sherry in that trifle so I was disappointed.

The weather has been strange today and shortly after I got on the bus to come home the heavens opened and the rain was torrential - I felt sorry for any pedestrians as the bus was sending up tidal waves of water but by the time I got home the sun had come out. I received a new mandate from the chamber of commerce this morning who swear blind they have sent copies to me by post before which I have never received - I re-used their compliment slip (very MSE) and asked them to fax it across to the bank - I have decided that if they don't do as they say and relinquish my bank account then I will take them to court, my solicitor would relish it.

Well I had better crack on - I have a pile of washing up to do and I need to get my flat into some semblence of order before my visitor arrives at around 6pm tonight - I am hoping that he won't think that a strawberry tart is too sinful now that he is on a diet, I am packaging a few things together for him: some free filter coffee, a bottle of salad dressing, and a lakeland herb keeper (all these were freebies). I won't touch the salad dressing as it contains mustard and I am not too keen on mustard.

First day back

2009-07-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

Today is my first day back at work although I am not yet up to driving - I will find out about when that will be possible at my follow up appointment next week.

I made contact today with an ex fellow student and now wedding planner - she has only just started out and I have agreed to share some of my contacts with her because she covers Walsall and around that area and I cover South Birmingham. We had a good chat on the phone and I feel sure that we will work together on things and we have arranged to meet on 4 August. I am back in Birmingham on 5 August for another meeting with the AV/Entertainment Agency with whom I was meeting a few weeks' ago but a sudden urgent appointment came up so the meeting was postponed. It is kind of spooky because I thought that I should ring and make another appointment and the chap said he was only thinking last night that he should call me but as soon as he got into work it slipped his mind. Hopefully something good will come from that meeting.

This afternoon, I have been talking to the bank and to Business Venture at the Chamber of Commerce because they still havent handed control of my business account over to me grrr I actually want to close the account and move it somewhere else - it would mean that I would have to walk to the local post office to deposit money into my account but I need the exercise as I am getting fat. I will be glad when it is all sorted out - I hate complaining but needs must. I get free banking with Lloyds TSB but only for 18 months and I would rather have free banking for life via the FSB and the Co-operative Bank especially as they will give me a £25 loyalty bonus every year and promise to pay me £25 if they muck up my account.

I have also been giving advice on a moneysaving forum - I don't limit myself to weddings as I will give advice on employment matters as well - it comes from years of experience as well as a stint as branch secretary of a union. It is very rewarding in its own way. One of the ladies on the forum got married on Tuesday complete with nature's own fireworks of thunder and lightning but she was wearing a dress made by my friend Linda Davey at Dresses at Number 9 www.dressesatnumber9.co.uk - I cannot wait to see the photographs especially as the dress was a long distance one as the bride lives in Scotland and Linda in Bradford.

A wedding venue that I must arrange to go and see

2009-07-22T08:29:00.000-07:00

Recently I have been exchanging emails with one of my fellow wedding planning students as she lives in Essex but is getting married in Gloucestershire and she asked for some contacts in the area. I only have a few myself but have recommended two photographers - one based in Gloucestershire and the other in Birmingham but he is superb and will travel. Today, I actually looked at the link to the place where she is getting married and I can't wait until I am able to drive again so that I can book an appointment to view. The place would be ideal for ethical weddings and is called Matara which is a fusion of East and West and is non-denominational. They believe in planting trees and recycling their water - www.matara.co.uk - I think it looks like such a relaxing place where a person can just be (if that doesnt sound too hippy-ish).

I am normally unflappable but last night I had a massive panic as my distance glasses virtually fell apart in my hands - so I tipped my flat upside down looking for my special screwdriver (its one that came with some lens cleaner) but despite tipping out all handbags I couldnt find it so had to try and resort to using a normal screwdriver which was a bit big. I couldnt fix them so when I got up this morning I put on my reading glasses and vowed to get the bus into town to find an opticians who could fix them. The house fairy must have taken pity on me because after another rummage in my handbag I managed to find the screwdriver and have managed to screw my glasses back together - hurrah.

I received a call from the toyota dealership today asking me if I was still interested in a new car so I explained that I was recuperating after an operation and it was doubtful that I would be fit to drive for a couple of weeks (I cannot and dare not drive whilst I am taking dilating drops). Well, it seems that the prices have gone up (surprise surprise) and that the SR model Yaris has been discontinued so now there is only the T Spirit and the TR model available. What's the betting that the £2250 they offered me for my old yaris has also been withdrawn? Well, I am now wondering if I will get a discount for cash - or if I really want to buy a car - would I be better leasing one?

I am not really at work today

2009-07-21T04:23:00.000-07:00

I am not really at work today, I am still recuperating after my op last Thursday. I feel as though I am neglecting my readers hence my typing a little something.

Last week I planned to read my book Green Weddings but time did not allow on Thursday and after my surgery I was incapable of reading anything as I couldnt wear my glasses. The book is on my list to do - so when I have read it I will be able to give you some insight into it.

Last night I was watching Living TV and managed to get to watch the programme Four Weddings which is a bit like Come Dine with Me whereby 4 brides go to each others weddings and give marks on presentation, venue and food in the hope that one of them will get enough marks to win a honeymoon. I don't normally feel like throwing things at the television but that programme drove me mad. Why do they pick the wierdest people to take part in these programmes? There was nothing about the actual planning but we were given an insight into what each bride paid for their wedding. These varied in price from £3000 to £18000. We had four brides last night - one was painfully thin and wanted an anti-wedding because she didnt believe in getting married in a church - almost as though she would be struck by lightning if she set foot inside one. Her wedding was quite normal and was a bit of a disappointment after all her hype about it. There was another wedding whereby the bride said she was all pink and girly and yet this wasn't what I expected and seemed quite tame although her table decorations were simple pink gerberas and wired white butterflies. One bride was a school teacher who looked as though she would cry at every available opportunity but she was quite smug - her wedding took place in a wonderful castle. My favourite wedding was the bride on a budget - she had stayed fairly true to what she wanted. She married in Warrington Town Hall which is quite a stately building and then it was onto a church hall for the wedding breakfast which was a jacket potato buffet - she had already said that she wanted simple food. The funny thing was that she said all along that she didnt like speeches at weddings and yet she stood up and thanked everybody thus doing the one thing that she hated most. I was so pleased when she won because her wedding was simple and she didnt try and outdo people which is what I thought the others were trying to do.

I have just come back from a trip downstairs to my postbox - only one letter for me today, when I am able to sit in front of a computer for longer than 10 minutes I will have to write a letter in reply. I received a letter and CV from a lady who despite having a degree in sociology wants to work in the field of events organisation - unfortunately, I don't have enough work for one person let alone two at the moment so I shall write her a nice letter and point her in the direction of where to find some events vacancies. I will, of course, keep her details on file until such time that I do get busy and maybe able to pass some work her way.

I am signing off now - I need to take more eye drops (2hourly) and rest my eyes for a bit.

Today is the day...

2009-07-15T23:58:00.000-07:00

.....that I have my eye operation. I am fully prepared and am currently sitting here with a towel wrapped around my head waiting for my hair to dry a bit before getting the hairdryer out. I had a surprise this morning a text message from my ex friend - she, who made it perfectly clear that I wasn't to contact her and my response was to cut her off completely. She wished me well for my operation which was nice of her but I doubt that our friendship will recover because she has been particularly foul towards me, I saw the comments made that she posted on her fb site - funny I still got the comment despite my removing her from my friends listing.

I have packed my CD player so that I can chill out with some music and have taken my book The Green Wedding Guide as I haven't read it yet - just flicked through it. I will be able to give a more balanced view on it when I am up and about.

No more procrastinating

2009-07-15T09:13:00.000-07:00

Well folks, you will be pleased to hear that my final assignment for my wedding planning diploma was finished and sent off today so no more procrastinating about it from me. I can't wait to get my diploma and I shall be starting another course in event planning which should be a cinch as I have organised more events than you could shake a stick at.

My office is looking a bit more organised now that one set of metal shelves has been put together by my ex OH who came up to stay on Monday night as he had to go to Coventry for his work (he took me which is why I wasn't around yesterday), he also came to pick up my spare key as he is coming up again tomorrow night so that he can pick me up from the hospital on Friday. My bag is nearly packed - I just need to add some undies and my toilet bag, plus a CD player, batteries and a few CDs. Must remember to take off my posh watch and wear my cheapo old one as I don't want my watch to be pinched.

I have a new pen at the moment - its a prototype that I am testing and for the most part its jolly nice, the top is irritating though as it is loose and keeps coming off. Gosh you must be thinking - working for yourself must be fun if you get things to test too - well it sure beats flat pack scratchy toilet paper which is one of the last trials that I did LOL.

Well Well Well

2009-07-13T13:29:00.000-07:00

I have just received a text asking me to send a brochure and price list. Now I replied by text asking the person to look at my website - now I hope I haven't done the wrong thing - should I have rung her back? As yet I don't have a printed brochure nor a printed price list because prices are subject to change depending on the size of the wedding party. Its great to get an enquiry but why does it have to come just as I am getting ready to go into hospital?

Talking of hospitals, my blog won't be updated because I won't be able to see to use the computer but hopefully I should be fit within the week although I have to wait 4 weeks before I lift anything or even drive - so I shall have to bus it everywhere or even travel on the train and I hate trains.

PAYING FOR LAZY WEEKENDS

2009-07-13T02:53:00.000-07:00

This weekend was spent doing not a lot. It wasn't all play this weekend because I did spend time reading two trade magazines: Gift Focus and Attire Bridal. I love Gift Focus as it features all kinds of gifts available to trade buyers to put in their shops, unfortunately the main focus of the magazine this month is the trade fair in Harrogate which clashes with my operation this Thursday. Still, it has given me a few ideas so that when I visit the Autumn Fair at the NEC in September, I know which stand to visit. September is a busy month for trade fairs as I shall be attending Events UK in Birmingham and hopefully the BBEH which is in Harrogate. Why does Harrogate have to be an awkward place to get to?

Attire Bridal shows some of the latest trends it it seems that baby pink as a colour is in this year. I have also picked up some ideas too and am now wondering whether or not to sell hen party and honeymoon items - or would this be too tacky?

Last night I watched the film on BBC2 called Confetti which was about a bridal magazine and a competition to win a house and have the wedding take place in front of hundreds and the wedding was then judged. I missed the first 15 minutes but watched the rest and it was quite funny especially when the wedding planners walked out of a client's home because they couldnt work with foul mouthed people. It was quite a freaky film but it contained a few faces including the comedian who did the flashdance routine for Comic Relief.

Today I am rushing around, I am expecting my ex to arrive tonight to pick up the keys. I am trying to do the housework that I meant to do over the weekend as well as tidy my office to make way for the shelves that he is going to put together for me - no longer will the floor be my filing cabinet LOL. Now I bought two shelving racks but looking at the space now I only need one so I will have to find somewhere else for the other rack (maybe I will use it in the front room when I clear it out?). All my magazines will be stored neatly as will my business papers and the guillotine which seemed like a good idea to buy at the time but sits here unused.

Sorry - Disasters all round lately

2009-07-09T01:42:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not updating for a few days - I forgot my password. Life has been a little hectic for all the wrong reasons lately. Monday was spent at the eye hospital being poked and prodded ready for my operation next week - I came out feeling like a pin cushion because one of the nurses couldnt get any blood out of me, she tried twice and couldnt manage it but one of her colleagues drew some straightaway.

On Tuesday I had a hair appointment and when I turned up at the salon, discovered that although I had made the appointment for yesterday it had been entered in for Tuesday next week - thankfully though, I got my hair done. Then to compound it all when I arrived home from the hairdressers, I had no power - my lights worked but nothing else. So I reset the trip on the fusebox and followed my landlord's instructions and bang everything went off again and I couldn't reset anything. I was left without the means to make a hot drink, cook my dinner, watch tv or anything else. One good thing was that I managed to defrost the freezer but did lose about half the freezer contents so now I shall have to stock up again - no point claiming on the insurance for a bag of chicken legs and a few chicken joints. I was without power until lunchtime yesterday - the landlord's man came out and reset everything but once again, you've guessed it everything went off and he had to be called back. It took him 4 hours to resolve the problem - faulty wiring!! The fault was traced to the room where I have my office and my adjoining bedroom. I do wish though that they would put things back as they found them - I am now struggling to fit the coveronto the fuse box which although it is in a cupboard I don't like the idea of cooking steam getting at it.

I have a feeling that I am going to be let down again next week - my ex chap who has been trying to get into my good books promised to come up this weekend to collect a key only now he is sailing and last night kept asking me when my operation was. I now have the feeling that I shall have to find my own way home from the hospital as well as making my own way there - I am too mean to pay £40 for a taxi when the bus fare would be £3.30 for a daysaver ticket and I could get two buses - a bus into the city centre and a bus out. Why can't people be reliable?

I am looking for a new charity to support too - I keep being asked to help organise events but am never invited to any planning meetings so I am really wondering if its worth the bother? I had arranged for some good friends to sign some of their travel books that could be auctioned off at a charity dinner but now I feel as though their time and my time has been wasted, so I have withdrawn the offer of help - this may seem mean but I would rather support a charity that wants help with its fundraising rather than a closed shop who say they want help but when it is offered, is accepted and then I am dropped like a hot cake - I hate timewasters.

Plans

2009-07-04T05:24:00.000-07:00

I am sorry for not updating yesterday, time ran away with me in more ways than one.

Yesterday I received a magazine called Gift Focus which is aimed at giftshops, however, it contains some interesting and useful information and yet more contacts. So sometime was spent reading that and I have bookmarked a section about copycats and what is to be done about them.

I also received two complimentary tickets to Taste of Business which is a business networking event taking place on 9 July as part of the Taste of Birmingham celebration, I guess that I will have to buy some crowns to exchange for food but I shall wait and see. I had initially thought of inviting my friend but as she is no longer a friend, I am now left with a spare ticket.

Today, I posted my booking stand for a wedding fair in September, it will be the first fair that I have done (although I have visited loads) so I am already feeling a little nervous..I have asked for a chair as well as a table for my stand because my back goes into spasm if I stand for too long and then I am unable to move :(

I also wrote to the charity that I am currently involved with saying that I don't think it appropriate that I should continue to support them - I am rather tired of being told that I am organising events and yet I am never told when planning meetings are taking place and then I am just sidelined as though my time and expertise don't matter, they are now wondering why events don't take place. I was using some of my contacts to obtain items for a charity auction and feel that my efforts have been wasted and I really don't think it fair on the people who have agreed to donate a signed book or whatever to be left hanging around waiting for a what if because the go-ahead hasnt been given..I just hate wasting my own and other people's time.

Today, I need to clear my cache of cookies because I am still unable to view my new website as my cookies take me to the old site which is mightily frustrating although I cannot understand why that should be when the url is unchanged although the web contact has. No doubt I will crack it eventually, the same goes for the POP3 account with 123 as well.

I am feeling rather drained today, I didnt sleep too well last night and woke up following a bad dream, it frightened me because I thought I was being attacked and yet no-one was there but I did here screams and shouts from some inconsiderate neighbours who were stilly partying at 2.45am. I need to see what I can get done today, my flat still looks rather untidy despite me having a bit of a clear out, the thing is I just can't get motivated to do it as I would rather be doing other things.

Well I suppose I had better go back to reading Gift Focus and maybe find some unusual wedding favours etc.

News

2009-07-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

My new website went live today but at the moment it is in changeover phase so my old one is still visible. I need to sort out the POP3 email too so that I can have my business one but it is too warm and I cannot get my head around the complicated instructions.

My friend emailed me today to say that she didnt want to be friends because I had dared to make a comment about the weeping and wailing over a cat - she left the ball in my court and accused me of not being an animal lover, nothing could be further from the truth but then she thinks she knows me but she only knows what I have told her, I like to keep some things to myself. It may be rash but I have decided that I have been feeling a little used over this FastAid charity - I paid for the insurance for their response vehicle and offered my help to organise events but each time she dangles a carrot under my nose and then yanks it away and to be honest there is only so much time wasting that I can take.

I decided today not to sponsor the vehicle next year as the advert has generated zero income for me (I know this sounds mercenary but I have to think in business terms too). The money would be better spent elsewhere, the same goes for the leaflets once they are gone they are gone. I refuse to throw good money after bad.

I think that with friends like that, who needs enemies - certainly not me. I have been a good friend to her and supported her when she was having problems at work and because I made a comment about a cat - she gets all precious about it, so I am afraid that I can no longer be bothered and I am certainly not going to apologise for a remark that I made.

Onwards and upwards as they say.

A travelling about day

2009-07-02T01:19:00.000-07:00

Today, I am going into the city centre to visit my printers so that I can view my website on their computers - it seems that I have an old version of internet explorer (that's their excuse) so when I view it, it looks odd :(

Yesterday was a bit disastrous because I decided to have an ice cream whilst watching the Murray match and went to the freezer - trouble is I didnt shut the door properly and left it slightly ajar which wasnt a good idea in a hot kitchen. I only noticed at about 9pm when I saw an orange warning light on on the freezer. Thankfully things seemed to be ok and I shut the door - the freezer is now back to normal.

I have noticed that since the weather has become hot and humid - I have become ditzy.

Another Hot Day in Paradise

2009-07-01T03:39:00.000-07:00

I have been told off by my friend Linda for moaning about the weather - we moan when it rains and we moan when its hot. I actually don't mind heat as long as its dry and not humid - humidity I cannot cope with at all.

Today is the day when the washing machine man comes to see if he can fix my demented machine - the spin cycle keeps on going faster and faster which is quite scary, its the washing machine version of Christine that car that was possessed by demons LOL. I nearly passed out this morning emptying the pantry - I have a large wooden shelf above the machine which is used to store my washing powder and tinned goods.

Its been quite a busy morning - firstly with a call from MRS who used to host my website, it was an apology for not sending a quotation and as a result they have lost a customer. I had a call from BT offering me free space in their directory but I don't want any numbers in their directory as I get spam calls. Then it was a call from a newspaper called Midlands Focus - they keep trying to sell me advertising space and the last time they rang they were so rude that I dared to call back to complain and I overheard them say that "there was a f-ing bitch on the phone who wants to make a complaint" if I was angry before I called them I was angrier after that. I didnt get anywhere but vowed never to advertise with them and so they attempted to call me again today but I told them the problems that I had had last time and that I would never advertise with them and in fact that I had notified other wedding professionals to not advertise with them either.

I had another call from The Village - this is a little magazine that is delivered free to homes in Barnt Green, Blackwell, Cofton Hackett etc etc as they are having a wedding fair in September. We have agreed a price for the stand and they rang me today to check that I had received the booking form - I hadnt so they are sending me a new one. I am looking forward to the fair as I love talking to people so hopefully I will get some bookings from it.

And another thing

2009-06-30T08:56:00.000-07:00

Something else that has really gotten my goat - one of my friends is grieving for a cat and it isnt as though this cat belonged to her it belonged to someone else. Its only a cat...so I cannot understand this weeping and wailing by both mother and daughter. The cat had been ill for sometime and was dying of cancer and yet its owners knew that it was dying but rather than being kind and putting the poor thing out of its misery, they let it struggle on in pain, getting thinner by the day until it eventually died at the weekend. Now there is a massive outpouring of grief which surpasses that displayed around the world for Michael Jackson - and for what? a cat!

Don't get me wrong I am not heartless but simply cannot understand this over sentimentality - yes, if it was a child I could understand but it wasn't..it was a cat.

Earlier this year a good friend of mine had to put her dog to sleep, he was old and developed problems with his back legs, as well as having cancer. Jake was an ex police dog and had belonged to my friend for some years (she used to be a police dog handler). Jake was a massive German Shepherd - but he was a working dog and didnt take too kindly to retirement either. Sure my chum was upset but she cleared his things had her car valetted so it no longer smelt of dog but I don't ever recall this huge outpouring of grief and she certainly didnt weep and wail like my other friend. It hasnt put my friend off having another dog - she has another German Shepherd puppy called Jess (although she admits to calling her Jake occasionally). Her cat Rastus was also put to sleep recently - that old cat was 28, had no teeth and was going bald but again no huge show of grief.

Why is it that the people who actually own the animals that are put down to stop them from suffering, soon get over their loss and move on to other pets and yet those who don't display more grief and put on more of a show?

After making a comment, I was told "oh you don't understand" - call me cynical but I do understand, my grandma's dog died when I was small (I was told at the time that he had run away when in fact he had been put down because he had kidney failure), the pet cats also died (although I am sure the kittens were assisted on their way by grandma and a bucket of water), the budgie (I was scared of him) died, my goldfish died, the school rabbit Zebedee who was staying at mine during the school holidays also died and mum had to go and buy a new rabbit that looked the same so the other kids didnt get upset. There was no song and dance from me I just accepted that death was part of life and that all things die eventually.

Is that being heartless? Or is it being realistic?

It seemed like a good idea at the time

2009-06-30T08:43:00.000-07:00

And so the saga of the website goes on..I have been looking at the proof and have comments to make about it because on some pages the text is squashed up at the edge leaving volumes of white space. Then I have the hassle of my email address as sponsalis will have to point at a blueyonder account which isnt ideal but if I want a cheaper website then its the price I have to pay. I shall be looking at using a different email server so that it looks as though emails are being sent from the business rather than a home account - again this will cost but not much its just a case of deciding which host is best and I can only do that by reading up on them all.

Sometimes, I wonder if its worth all the hassle? I am not in the mood for it because it is very humid today and I just can't concentrate on anything. I don't know if I mentioned yesterday but my previous provider had sent me an email but for some unknown reason had sent the email to themselves but when they eventually sent it, I nearly fell off the chair as they wanted to charge me £1050 plus VAT just so that I could amend pages myself rather than pay their rip off charges.

I need to hurry up and finish my final assignment so that I can receive my diploma and have a shiny new logo to go on my shiny new website - again the weather is dragging me down and I cannot get motivated at all.

Earlier today, I was watching the tennis but had to switch it off because I couldnt stand the noise of the women grunting like a bunch of warthogs fighting over a prized truffle. Why can't they act with some decorum, back in the 60's/70's we never had to listen to any grunting. Tennis has changed - no longer do they drink Robinsons squash which used to be dispensed from under the umpire's chair, the women grunt and all play seems to be boring baseline stuff. I know times change but I cannot understand why the players have to be the way they are if the women aren't grunting then they are very manly in appearance and I sometimes wonder if they shouldn't be playing in the men's tournament instead. Going to Wimbledon these days is just like going to a football match with banners waving and chav-like behaviour in mexican waves and catcalling - bring back the old days when people had manners and there was none of this loutish behaviour. Guess I am turning into my mother - I am getting old and becoming more and more intolerant...I know I am a grumpy old woman!!

The tale of the missing email

2009-06-29T09:48:00.001-07:00

Well I feel slightly embarrassed because I have fired off a letter to the web company and posted it, now I have spoken to them since - it turned out that the quotation was sent only it wasnt sent to me as the woman sending it sent it to herself - I am still waiting for it to come through. I explained that I was moving a) because I didnt get the quote and b) I could have content management free for 12 months and for £99 thereafter - MRS can't compete with that as they wanted to charge me over £1000 for contact management. Maybe I will use them again in the future - then again, maybe not.

I Must be a Witch...

2009-06-29T09:26:00.001-07:00

I wished for rain and so it is here - pouring down like someone has turned on the tap, it sounds lovely hitting the leaves, the grass and the roof and already I can hear that the gutter has overflown again (why the landlord didnt put up some guttering with a cover over it to stop the leaves I don't know because we are surrounded the trees the gutter is bound to be full of them.

My roast has gone in the oven - I figure that I can eat it hot in a sandwich or slice it and have it cold.

Its too hot for....

2009-06-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

Its just too hot today - my brain has turned to mush because of the heat and my fuse has shortened considerably so now I am too quick to lose my temper.

I have been out and about today - to the post office to deliver a parcel and again this afternoon to visit the bottle bank as I had a ton of coffee jars to dispose off - that's my bit done for the environment today (yay).

The washing machine man is coming round on Wednesday afternoon to see if he can fix my errant washing machine - the spin cycle is too frenetic for words and instead of clicking off it speeds up and is way too fast and won't switch off unless I actually turn the machine to off.

My chap (is he really my chap after all, I chucked him out) contacted me today by text so I rang him and thought it odd that the fone has a foreign ring tone. Now I knew that he was going sailing over the weekend because I had asked him to come up and pick up a key to my flat seeing as he is supposed to be looking after me when I have had my op because its not good sense to be on my own after a general anaesthetic but he said that he was going sailing. Well, it turns out that he has had a week off to go sailing and there are only 3 of them on this boat - he has known for months, years in fact that I have had a hankering to go out on the civil service boat Sea Essay again but have I had an invite - have I heckers like! Well, he called me this afternoon and I am afraid I was rather short with him because to say that I am a little cheesed off is an understatement - once again this is another holiday that he has had where I havent been invited!! and yet he has moaned and whined about how he will have to have flexitime to come and stay with me. I am absolutely incensed but I cannot ring him because his phone is switched off!! He cannot understand why I am so peeved because he claims to have told me that he had a week off - I only heard him say weekend not another bloomin' holiday!! Sorry for whinging but he makes me so cross especially as he is trying to get back into my good books. I hope he falls in LOL. Guess, I am in the wrong job - I should become a civil servant as they have tons of holidays, far more than the average joe.

I have a lot on my mind at the moment too as I am worried about my dad whose kidneys are failing (he has congestive heart failure) and so he could go at any time - guess I am lucky that I have had him for as long as I have because 3 years' ago we were told that we would be lucky if he lasted until the winter.

Things havent been all bad today, as I rang the Post Office to say that I had moved (I moved ages ago but never told them about my insurance) so we discussed adding business use to my insurance and I have saved myself over £130 on the price I was quoted by the insurers used by FSB (who have since been told that I no longer want their insurance). I also received £50 of capital bonds today from More Than Business - thanking me for my valued custom. Oh and I had a call about my website it is being moved..so soon I will have a nice smart new one that I can amend myself. This afternoon, I have typed and posted a letter to my current webhosts advising them why I have changed hosts - due to their lack of customer service, I shouldnt have to wait weeks for a quotation.

Its more than sticky this afternoon - the sky is very dark, it is extremely close and we have already had a few cracks of thunder, in fact I braved a trip to the postbox to post the MRS complaint letter, I only got dripped on once or twice but you can tell the sky is brooding and trying to decide whether or not to dump a load of much needed rain on our heads. I just wish we could have a damn good storm and clear the air a bit. Its too hot, I have a joint of beef that needs roasting and I just cant face turning the cooker on.

Sunday Part 2

2009-06-28T09:29:00.000-07:00

I thoroughly enjoyed my morning in Kings Norton and have found a lovely but cheap cafe within the St Nicholas' Place (Merchants House and Old Grammar School). I will definitely be going there again because although I admit that I was being a bit greedy only spent £5.50 - pot of tea (enough for 3 cups), hot cornish pasty with salad and strawberries and cream.

This afternoon I headed over to my parents whom I haven't seen since Easter. We had a good chat and mum gave me some new potatoes that she went and dug up for me (I was hoping that the tomatoes would be ready but they weren-t :( ). Dad is becoming more and more frail and apparently now his kidneys are packing up but there is one thing that I am thankful for - he is still here when 3 years ago we were told that he wouldn't live to see the winter. I feel bad for not visiting as mum was telling me that she had had a bad fall in the garden and hurt herself - I told her that she was too old to be skipping along walls. Mind you she did tell me off for not buying a new car especially as I had been offered £2250 for my old Yaris - maybe I will go and see if this offer is still on and go and buy a new one (for the cheaper car tax).

Mum's have a funny way of commenting on your appearance too...I know I have put some weight on (not helped by me not eating half the time or eating too much bread), she asked me today if I was pregnant (I bloomin' well hope not and anyway it would be an immaculate conception - eek), so the time has come for me to go on a proper diet and eat proper food. To help me eat properly mum gave me her George Forman Grill which is massive because dad had talked her into buying a large one when really they needed a small one so it has only been used four times and since then has been gathering dust in the garage.

Mum's garden looks gorgeous - I am really proud of her, hopefully I can earn enough money to employ someone to help her (I know its a third of an acre but its a lot of garden if you're 70). Funny thing is with mum - I haven't told her I am self-employed for fear of her shouting at me, she has this wondeful ability to make me feel as though I am 5 years old! She scares me. One of the first things she said to me today was to tell me about a blue box that is kept in the bedroom that contains 2 wills and 2 lots of funeral arrangements - I jokingly said that I had already decided on the music for hers "Bat out of Hell" by Meatloaf to which she said that she didnt want a funeral and that I must adhere strictly to the instructions given. I find it strange that my mum should have had this organised already, I wouldnt be surprised if she had already paid the undertaker too. Mothers..hey, they're strange creatures.

Another Hot Networking Day

2009-06-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

A wedding planner's work is never done LOL Yes, I know its Sunday but needs must. I got up super early (blame the heat) and headed off to get some petrol (I haven't filled my car for 2 months), picked up a newspaper at the same time and headed off to Kings Norton.

I wandered around for a bit admiring the church yard and the church as I was waiting for the wedding fair to open at 11am. As the rooms were still being set up I set off across the churchyard to The Old Grammar School - this beautiful tudor building won (along with its sister The Saracen's Head) the Restoration Programme that used to be on the BBC. The building has been restored well and now has its own civil license for weddings. The downstairs room was laid out for a wedding breakfast - the long table looked stunning in the small room, whilst the upstairs room (accessed by outside steps) was laid out in register office style so that you can be married there. The Old Grammar School is a wonderful building and yet the ground floor rooms are younger than the upstairs ones. A lot of wood has been recycled and the panelling upstairs comes from old cupboard doors. There is an extremely old desk complete with old graffitti (schoolboys never change), the legs of the desk came from the old church and the legs themselves date back to the 12th Century.

Then it was back across the churchyard to The Green where the Old Saracen's Head (also known as the Merchant House) is situated. This building has also been lovingly restored and has a new annexe which was paid for by the group who have been trying to raise money for years to restore the old place. Its a lovely mix of modern with the old timber framed building.

The fair itself was rather small but I made some good contacts and tasted the most divine chocolate cake imaginable but then it was made by a company that just makes bespoke chocolate wedding cakes. I dare not visit the suppliers website for fear of spending too much money by buying sticky chocolate brownies.

Am in desperate need of a cold drink or at least an icecream so I will be back later...maybe I will be able to load up some photographs.

Blonde Moments

2009-06-27T08:15:00.000-07:00

Today is Saturday and I am having one of those days - you know the kind of days that you have when nothing goes right, well today is one of those days. It started off as a fairly mundane day until I decided that I would do some washing, I stripped the bed of the bottom sheet and the mattress protector as both of these were rather grubby to say the least. I am not saying that I am dirty because I am not its just that I realised that fake tan doesnt stay on your body it stays on the sheets (eek), so my lovely white sheet was stained a lovely shade of caramel LOL. I put the washing in the machine with some vanish and went shopping, came back and realised that my washing was still a bit dirty then I realised that it would help if I had actually put powder in the machine as well. Talk about having a blonde moment.

I also forgot my salad leaves and my window box lettuce has fried to a crisp and is looking decidedly brown :(

Its just started thundering too - so whats the betting my drying washing will get another soaking.

I am not having a good day - I even discovered that Gillian (one of the downstairs tenants) has a flat full of swine flu with he son Matt and his girlfriend afflicted - so that has put paid to the plans I had to visit my parents this weekend as I don't want to spread any germs to my dad who has congestive heart failure :(

I am hoping for a better day tomorrow as I plan to go and look at a wedding fair at St Nicholas Church on Kings Norton Green, I happened to spot a banner as I was driving back from the shops yesterday. Talking of wedding fairs..that reminds me I need to send payment for a stand at a fair that is taking place in September.

The Village Magazine (covering Barnt Green, Blackwell etc) is holding a wedding fair at a local conference centre and they are hoping that they can persuade a bride and groom to marry at the conference centre at the same time as the fair - mind you, I didnt say anything to them but I do think that the idea is rather tacky.

I had better sign off now as I hate using electrical equipment during storms and this is going to be a cracker as the sky is very black and the storm is moving from the North which is bad because our weather normally comes from the South or West and therefore isnt as bad as weather fronts that hit us from the East or North for some reason. Experience tells me to keep my head down and switch everything off.

Things to watch out for

2009-06-26T14:05:00.000-07:00

There are companies out there who are not as they appear to be, I heard of one recently that advertises itself as a wholesale wedding supplier who sells to the general public. The problem being is that if you order something from them - they have a nasty habit of taking your money and not sending your goods. The bride concerned was understandably upset and has tried to contact this firm but their phone disconnects on the fhird ring and the address they have listed on their site is false. I think that if the offer is too good to be true - then go with your gut instinct and not buy from them (this goes for the wholesaleweddingsupplier and for any other business). Just beware.

The other trend to watch for is the chinese fakes - you may have wondered why, when you visit your local bridal shop, they don't allow you to take photographs of the dresses, this is to stop you from going to one of the chinese firms such as Landy, Milly, etc and buying a cutprice fake. I have witnessed with my own eyes brides who have returned to the shop where they saw theoriginal Alfred Sung dress, crying and deeply distraught because the copy they purchased from China is faulty. Very often these dresses have terrible stitching, the hems can be wonky and basically they just don't fit. You may think that you can get them taken in or let them out but they're not like the originals as they only have single seams and there isnt the excess material to allow alterations to be made. The shopkeepers quite rightly refuse to make amendments to the dress and in some cases will sieze a fake dress.

Rather than turning to China for your dress, why not try a local dressmaker or couture shop (couture is just a posh way of saying that the dress can be made for you and it isnt necessarily an expensive exercise). Some of the dressmakers have experience in making wedding and prom dresses because before they set up their own businesses they worked for one of the larger outlets such as Pronuptia or even Hardy Amies. Wouldnt it be better to have a lovely dress made for you and only you? Such a dress needn't cost the earth and you will not only have the joy of choosing the material, the colour, trying it on but you will get old-fashioned customer service and we all like to be made to feel a bit special.

I guess what I am trying to say is - just beware of fakes and scammers.

Friday 26 June

2009-06-26T02:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a strange day and I spent the morning changing my bank account in an attempt to not only save money but make some too as I had my eye on an annual loyalty bonus of £25.

I visited the printers and a shiny new website is being designed that I can change at will rather than being ripped off by my current host/designer who charges me everytime I want to make a change. If people email me though it will be directed to my home email as the printers don't have a POP3 account and this could be problematic, so I will have to get another email address.

My final assignment is nearly finished - I need to gather the notes up and put them into a proper order and then it can be submitted and after that I will receive my diploma (at long last).

Not much to report today..hopefully more later and tomorrow.

Best Laid Plans of Mice & Men

2009-06-25T01:39:00.000-07:00

Well, today isnt as good as I had hoped it would be - I am all dressed up in my best clothes ready for a meeting this morning, only now the supplier has postponed due to an urgent job that has come in this morning, this is the life of a sound engineer. I shall stay dressed up because I am liking the look and I can at least be exceptionally smart for my meeting at 2pm with the printers who are quoting me for a new website.

Sometimes, plans change at short notice when you are a planner so this morning I shall look at changing my bank account to the Co-op as via the Federation of Small Businesses I get free banking for life plus a free overdraft (I don't have an overdraft facility with my current banking provider).

Anyway, I shall go into the city centre early and have some lunch there as planned before I visit the printers.

Warm Wednesdays

2009-06-24T04:12:00.000-07:00

So far I have been busy writing some nice words for my website - I need to add something about organising corporate events which is a separate arm of my business.

I have a new magazine to read called Square Meal Venues & Events - this is a wonderful magazine for those of us that organise events as it is full of lots of ideas and heavenly venues. I shall look forward to reading it later.

I have also registered for a trade show at the NEC in September called Events UK, I went last year and it was great and not quite the sort of place you would expect to find a wedding planner. The show was particularly useful as I made lots of new contacts and came away with ideas not only for venues but for entertainers, bar staff etc. etc. I must remember next time to try and visit over the two days because I was so laden with bags last time. My aim this time is to try and blag a large golfing umbrella as my large umbrella is looking very worse for wear.

I am toying with the idea of going by car as well because that way I would have a boot to dump stuff in but travelling by train is much cheaper so I will decide nearer the time.

Websites and all that jazz

2009-06-23T08:04:00.001-07:00

I have just come off the phone to my printers and I have a meeting booked on Thursday afternoon to discuss a new website. I know you are thinking that I already have a website but my current provider needs a few lessons in customer care. I spoke to them a couple of weeks' ago and asked them to give me a quote as I wanted to change some of the pages and have content management so that I could change pages myself and guess what - I am still waiting. If they cannot be bothered to send a quotation then why do I need to retain them to host and design my website?

So I have a meeting with the wonderful Laura at Printing.com on Thursday (killing two birds with one stone here as I am due in Birmingham for a meeting with a potential customer/supplier on the same day). Laura has asked me to type up my website into word (a lot of copying and pasting methinks) and I can either email it to her or take it with me on Thursday. Guess I had better gather up all the links I want to use (I haven't forgotten you Linda, in case you are reading this LOL). One thing about printing.com is that they will allow me to have content management software free so that I can change my website whenever I want :D

Best get cracking I suppose as I have a lot to type up.

Your West Midlands Wedding Magazine

2009-06-23T07:08:00.000-07:00

This magazine is part of the County Wedding group of magazines published by Kline Davis. Your West Midlands wedding is a relatively new magazine and my business is featured in the June/July edition along with a few other planners in their feature on wedding planners and what we do. I also took out a quarter page ad in the same magazine and last week signed a deal whereby Sponsalis will advertise in the next three editions.

I think that the magazine is a good buy at £2.95 and is full of interesting features. One thing that I do like about this magazine is that it contains articles for grooms as they are often left out of other bridal magazines which seem to focus purely on the bride and that anything groom-related is added as an afterthought.

You can read the magazine online too www.yourwestmidlandswedding.com

Woodland Grange, Leamington Spa

2009-06-23T07:01:00.000-07:00

I recently visited a fabulous reception venue called Woodland Grange on the outskirts of Leamington Spa. This is a conference centre and has lovely grounds for wedding photographs as well as a wonderful reception room. People can book it for exclusive use as they also have ensuite bedrooms, some of which have disabled facilities. Woodland Grange also has a small gym as well as a spa area which has a hot tub, sauna and steam room.

Staff at the Grange are eager to please and I would highly recommend this as a reception venue (unfortunately they don't have a civil licence).

Normally I have plenty of things to say......

2009-06-23T05:30:00.000-07:00

but faced with a blank screen and a new blog, I am suddenly dumbstruck. Please be gentle with me as I am totally new to blogging.

The purpose of my blog is to impart knowledge on wedding planning, venues that I have visited, bands that I have heard, and anything else that may be of interest.

I shall try not to bore you and hope that you gain some enjoyment from reading, you will also get to see my sense of humour too.

Now..that's the first post over with...I shall come back after lunch and add something interesting.