HOW TO CURATE THE PERFECT LONDON WEDDING
From Proposal to Planning
We are so grateful to belong to a community of dedicated event industry experts who put their heads together to learn from one another’s interests, passions, experiences and skills. In telling the Camm & Hooper story, we’ll be interviewing some of the extraordinary people who make up our community as they provide insider knowledge, tips, and guidance into the vast and wonderful world of events.
Congratulations, you’re engaged! So, what are the next steps?
In the early stages of engagement, you may feel overwhelmed by the immediate recognition that you’re planning for one of the most memorable days in your lifetime; you’ve potentially anticipated this moment for a long time…
In the beautiful but vast world of weddings, the stress of planning may replace your excitement and leave you feeling anxious, desperately hoping things go to plan. Within the oversaturated events market, you may likely face decision fatigue and an overpowering feeling of pressure to make choices. You may well be the most organised person in the world, but you also have a full-time job and are probably not a professional event planner. Let someone else do the heavy lifting.
This week we speak to our wedding curator Ivana who answers some valuable questions essential to planning the perfect wedding. We’re here to question the belief that wedding planners are a luxury reserved for those with larger budgets. Camm & Hooper wedding specialists provide expert guidance from years of industry experience and promise to curate a unique day tailored to your taste and budget.
Q. What factors should a couple consider when choosing a wedding venue?
In the early stages, deciding whether you want a large-capacity venue or a more intimate setting is essential. Determining your capacity will help narrow down your choice of wedding venues and help identify possible locations. We have a diverse but exclusive list of iconic venues and work with you to determine which venue suits your taste, budget and personal preference. From eclectic warehouses to ornate subterranean gems, grand banking halls and contemporary riverside landmarks, our versatile collection has something for everyone, and we work with you to find a venue that suits your personality and preference.
Q. How would you assist a client who did not know what type of wedding they desired?
9/10 couples have a clear idea of what they want, but I ask couples with more vague responses to consider what a celebration surrounding their love story would look like. If they’re foodies, we start by discussing the catering options. Our executive head chef Chris Hawkins prioritises the best seasonal ingredients in his menus but also loves the challenge of infusing different palettes into refreshing, bespoke menus tailored to you and your partner’s individual tastes.
This is all part of the process of really getting to know our clients, and being inspired by their love story, personality and background. From this first meeting, we gage an understanding of how to curate a wedding that reflects you by exchanging ideas and offering our knowledge.
Q. What are the advantages of booking a wedding planner?
Having a wedding curator allows you to focus on the day rather than stress about the small stuff. To be a wedding curator, you have to really love finding the tiny but noticeable details about individuals that make all the difference in delivering unique weddings every time. We offer as much (or as little) advice should you need it and appreciate that this approach leads our clients and guests to remember our weddings for years to come. From years of working in the industry, we’ve shortlisted an expert catalogue of friends of camm and hooper who directly translate your desires into their craft, meaning you save time (and stress) trying to find the best options on the market. As a bonus, we’ve also built relationships that offer our guests amazing prices. We take responsibility when plans change and offer advice and solutions on how to adapt. By prioritising your desires and dreams, we discover how to memorialise these life experiences into events that leave our couples with lifelong memories to be cherished forever.
Q. How do you make each wedding unique?
Like I said earlier, your wedding story starts with you. As an events company, we evolved in the industry from recognising how events veered towards being repetitive and sometimes lacklustre. We have developed our values to prioritise adventure, individuality and magic. We look for what makes your relationship unique and transform this feeling into a day that truly celebrates your love story.
Q. What is your favourite wedding trend for 2023? Where do you go for inspiration?
We take inspiration from the world and people. While we love to know what others are doing, we don’t want to follow trends; we set them. Our team of extraordinary people come from diverse backgrounds and professions, enabling us to prioritise real-life experiences over market products. So, while it may be easy to find what is trending in the industry, we look to our guests to find out what’s important to them.
That being said, it’s hard to ignore the rising popularity of food stations in recent years. Our exec chef has been challenging the industry and trialling new flavours and concepts to create distinct cornucopias of flavour and imagination. Our bespoke interactive food stations and sustainable interactive canapes have been proven to be real crowd-winners for weddings and beyond.
Q. What sets apart Camm & Hooper from other planning services in London?
Our couples are assigned one single point of contact for all their requirements and needs. From the big things like venues, flowers, food, decoration, and entertainment to the more understated details like seating plans, wedding favours, something borrowed and something blue. We rely on our award-winning team to ensure the day is executed proficiently and smoothly. As an events company, we go beyond offering a venue and introduce you to our extraordinary team of infusion engineers and our renowned heart-of-house culinary specialists. The legendary Rich Woods (The Cocktail Guy) can curate a signature cocktail exclusive to you while our executive chef Chris Hawkins rustles up an aspiring cornucopia of flavour and imagination. We want to lead the way in thoughtful planning and invite you to a tasting to turn your vision into a reality, ensuring your big day is everything you dreamed it would be.
Q. What are three pieces of advice you would give to couples looking to get married this year?
1) Find a wedding curator that goes the extra mile
2) Don’t follow trends; remember what matters to you
3) Don’t be afraid to ask questions if it’s your dream to be married under a gigantic disco ball. Find the people willing to make it happen!
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