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So wedding planning... that must be a fun business to be in- volved in? What led you into the industry? Yes it sure is. No two weddings are ever the same which is wonder- ful because it keeps the job interesting. Wedding planning was not my chosen career... It was chosen for me by one of my first bosses. I was at college and doing a part-time job at the weekend for a hair and beauty parlour. This is the story of how it all started...


One day my boss came in and said, “Natasha, you’re an organised young lady, what are you doing for the next month besides working here? (he didn’t give me a chance to respond) I’m going to marry my female friend and you are going to help me, as you know money is no object so please do what needs to be done and I’ll pay for it all and by the way you have a month and to make things easy for you it can be held at my home in Hertfordshire. Just liaise with Ang (the bride) and let her have whatever she wants.” And with that I picked up the Thompson local and the Yellow pages and away I went. I enjoyed it so much, the researching, looking for the attire, getting invitations, hiring items, picking up items, dropping off items, picking flowers. I was overwhelmed and excited but when it was all over it was an anti-climax, I wanted more and the rest is history.


With weddings becoming more and more extravagant, what has been your most exciting project so far?


All of the weddings I’ve done have been exciting, but the one that springs to mind was a wedding I did for a couple who got married in Highclere Castle, that’s where the drama series Downton Abbey is filmed. The couple were amazing they knew they wanted to get married in a castle, they knew they wanted it to be palatial and they knew that they didn’t want to organise it. They literally placed money in my account when needed and let me get on with it, all I had to do was ensure they were kept updated, that they attended appoint- ments and that I got at least three quotes for everything that was going to be purchased so they could decide on what they wanted; for example I visited loads of different castles and I picked the best three that fitted their requirements and let them make the final choice. The only thing I didn’t organise was the stag in Thailand and the hen party in Marbella.


What are the essential aspects of good project management? Timelines, checklists, diary management, regular meetings and good listening skills.


How important is it to have a good team?


It is imperative to have a good team that know your standards and know how you work and its extremely important for me to know how everyone in my team works, understanding your team’s strengths and weaknesses is essential to running a smooth event.


Supply chain management must also be an important factor… With so many different suppliers involved in a wedding party, how do you keep on top of things?


I always have a list of my preferred suppliers and what they offer, however using the same supplier over and over again will heavily depend on my client’s budget. I tend to shop around because there are so many deals to be had and if I can save my clients money


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that always bodes well. I keep on top of things by writing everything down and following up by email and phone to be on the safe side.


What technology do you use for your business? I use every form of technology going for my business, my phone and tablet for when I’m on the move and my Macbook Pro for when I’m at home, they are all synced which is marvellous, so gone are the days of carrying around a massive filofax with papers falling out all over the place, thank god for modern technology it’s made my job so much easier and my bag a lot lighter.


Do you utilise cloud technology for CRM or accounting? Yes, I sure do for customer relationship managment, however coming from an accounting background, I’m still reluctant to use it for my accounts. I much prefer using an old school method that still works perfectly... Modern technology can’t beat simple accounting techniques and ‘if it ain’t broke there’s no need to fix it!’


Most of your business must be generated from referrals… What process do you follow for converting a lead into a client? I’m actually quite lucky because all of my business is generated from referrals. When a potential client contacts me for the first time I listen to their requirements, take note and ensure I don’t miss anything I tend not to give away too much information at this stage as I’ve found in the past people will call for a free consultation, ask me ev- ery question under the sun, I will give them answers and ideas and they will go away and I won’t hear from them again unless they have a problem and need help.


I now follow up within 24 hours after the initial consultation with an email outlining everything that was discussed and how I can help them to achieve what they want for their special day. Most clients are impressed with this service and that’s how I secure a job.


Do you use social media for promoting your business? Which platforms do you use? I use Facebook and Twitter.


If you could organise one celebrity wedding, which one would it be?


I’m not really into celebrities but if my life depended on it, it would probably be the Obamas, only because they got married so long ago it would be wonderful to do a wedding which reflects their current status and the characters they are today and it will be amazing for my career... Can you imagine having their names on my CV!


You must have some good stories from the last 20 years of being a wedding planner?


(cough cough) What happens during wedding planning... stays during wedding planning (raise of eyebrows with a cheeky grin), if only my filofax could speak! Put it this way when you think you’ve seen it all or done it all, you haven’t. These are some of the things that stick in my mind: I’ve had a groom call off the wedding as the bride walked down the aisle, no reason given just that he wasn’t ready. I’ve sat in a car with a wedding cake on my lap for over two hours because the cake lady was unable to deliver it to the venue.


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