Looking forward to the weddings of next summer!

I've been having a lovely time lately, discussing wedding ideas for next summer! All I can say is that it is going to be a very busy season! We have all sorts of styles from afternoon tea parties to barn dances, and lots of lovely country weddings!

These photos were taken at a lovely wedding we did near Marlborough. The couple wanted a relaxed country wedding with an Italian theme to the food. We put all the food in dishes on the tables for the guests to pass among themselves, which helped to create a relaxed informal atmosphere.

To be involved right from the inception of an idea, and helping it evolve into a fully formed plan is a wonderful part of my job.

The planning of a wedding usually begins up to a year in advance of the event itself and starts with a face to face chat about the couple's ideas. We discuss their likes and dislikes and the sort of feel they want to achieve. We then come up with a menu specific to them and their ideas. We'll also chat through the logistics of the event, and draw up a plan for a schedule for the day, making sure we've all thought of every detail.

Keeping plans for all the different weddings organised is a job in itself! We are often dealing with many different events at various stages of planning, and the intricacies of each need to be remembered. I have developed a system of folders detailing everything from the menu, the table decoration, the schedule and check list for the weeks leading up to the big day, and on the day itself - staff rotas, hire lists, lists of things to take and contact numbers for the associated trades such as florists, cake makers and marquee companies. The lists are long and detailed, but this enables us to remember all the things we said we would do when we finally get to the big day.

Helping a couple with their wedding day is a huge responsibility, and we always feel honoured to be invited to become involved.