Hanami Dream | Hanami Dream | Cotswolds copywriter

Join me for my next Cotswold wedding styled photo shoot

by Hanami Dream | 4, February, 2019 | news, styled shoots

Following the success of the recent Secret Garden and Journey to the Centre of the Earth bridal styled shoots, Hanami Dream are proud to announce their next styled shoot for spring time this year.

The shoot is planned for this spring in the Oxfordshire countryside of the Cotswolds and I’m excited to offer the opportunity for local suppliers to join with me. So let me know if you’d like to provide products to bring my creative ideas to life in a wonderful new inspirational shoot.

The beauty of styled shoots (versus a real life wedding) is that this is your opportunity to be a little more extravagant and really show off what you’ve always wanted to do. You can indulge your fantasies. Maybe you’ve got a new product that couples won’t have seen yet or you want to create something really unusual that you wouldn’t normally do.

Styled shoots are a collaboration of like minded people that can create great things together but perhaps don’t have the budgets to produce this kind of work if they all worked independently.

Everyone works pro bono, so it is just your products that you’d need to provide to be involved. Nicola from Hanami Dream organises and styles the shoots. And the rewards are amazing with great imagery of your products in an amazing lifestyle surrounding, plus inclusion in all my promotion of the shoot and a feature on Hanami Dream’s blog, which is a UK Blog Awards winner in 2018 and wedding judge of the UK Blog Awards 2019. So there’d be plenty of exposure of your beautiful products.

Hanami Dream styled shoots have been published in Bride Magazine; Your Glos & Wilts Wedding magazine; Your Berks, Buck and Oxon Wedding magazine; SoGlos Weddings.

My shoots bring together wonderful local suppliers. Together we showcase the amazing talent that our part of the UK has to offer the wedding industry and all benefit from the lifestyle imagery and promotion.

If you’re local and are interested in showcasing your products in my next shoot then please email Nicola from Hanami Dream and outline what your product is and how you think it would fit in and enhance the theme. I’ve put together a mood board I can share if you want to get an idea of the kind of things that I’m after.

I am looking for some of the following (although this list isn’t exhaustive – if you can offer something I’ve not thought of I’d love to hear from you too):

Accessories (jewellery, bridal hat, shoes)
Bridalwear (separates with one part black – maybe dip dyed)
Cake (dark/black icing with fresh flowers)
Celebrant (and clothing)
Décor (dark, reflective and metallic)
Favours
Florist (wild flowers, dried flowers and grasses)
Hair & Make Up
Lighting (neon)
Suit (and dark floral tie)
Stationery (mirrors and bright florals)
Tableware (unusual crockery, cutlery, coloured glassware)

I’ll only be including one supplier from each category (ie only one florist will be used for the whole shoot) to provide clarity and clear communication.

You can see from my previous shoots that I really like close up detail shots which show off everyone’s products very nicely – it is all about the little details that bring any event to life.

I look forward to sharing more news as plans unfold for this collaboration.

winner UK Blog Awards 2018

wonderful wedding wares

Inspiration: coral and gold festival wedding

by Hanami Dream | 17, January, 2019 | blog, inspiration

A laid back celebration in August 2016 saw the relaxed festival wedding of Verity and Paul at The Isis Farmhouse in Oxford.

Relaxed and laid back vibe

This wedding was a real break from tradition with loads of beautiful handmade touches and a ton of personalisation. It fully embraced the festival trend and utilised the truly creative skills of the bride to diy many elements of the day. It seems like the perfect time to share this casual wedding – not only is the theme bang on trend but it also features the summery coral colour that is the Pantone® colour of the year in 2019.

Above everything else, this was a true celebration of love and family. It was a chilled out day with friends, less about structure and more an informal and fluid affair. Not overtly lavish but heaps of fun. With the focus on the people who were there.

Rural remote meadow view

The festivities began in the centre of Oxford where the happy couple officially tied the knot at a ceremony at the Town Hall. This was a day of two halves though. From town to countryside. After the ceremony, the whole wedding party walked together through the city centre. Then had a lovely drinks reception whilst on a boat ride down the Thames to the Isis Farmhouse. A stunning rural setting in Oxford’s flood meadows alongside the river was perfect for the wedding reception. You can only reach this venue by foot, pedal power or by boat. Around the back of the Farmhouse is a covered barn and a meadowside garden which was great for this relaxed celebration.

Rustic festival décor

The barn was set up with long trestle tables laid out in two lines. Along the centre of each table was linen, which draped off each end, with an array of brightly patterned mismatched vases containing wild flowers. The displays were mirrored by the flowers and plants hanging in macramé holders (made or collected by the bride) above the tables. These flowers were provided by a lovely friend who grows cut flowers in her garden and were arranged by the bride.

The bride made the place names which were cut out gold glittery lettering, plus a nice ice breaker card containing things to spot and capture was placed on each table. In addition, the bride had designed the napkins herself which contained drawings of important places and things throughout the couple’s history together.

Gold accents

The bride wore a gorgeous end of line strapless fitted fishtail satin dress with a chiffon capelet with bat sleeves. She accented this with Betty Ballroom gold high heel shoes, a gold hair vine and gold belt. Her hand tied wild flower bouquet in coral and gold colours was from an amazing flower farm near Wallingford who arranged the bridal and bridesmaids’ bouquets. She also held a vintage beaded ivory clutch bag. The chief bridesmaid wore a gold sequined dress to match the gold accents beautifully and the flower girls wore ivory dresses with gold bodices and ribbons (also made by the bride).

Creative catering

Food was served at the tables and consisted of a hearty lasagne or moussaka with healthy salads, plus a rustic buffet for the evening guests. The venue catered perfectly for vegetarian and vegan diets to ensure all guests were content. The two cakes (one lemon and the other chocolate) were also made by the venue and incorporated fantasy and action figures in lieu of a bride and groom topper (that the couple decorated themselves).

Entertainment for children of all sizes

The main focus of the day was to encourage guests to mingle and keep children (big and small) entertained with colouring, wands and a bubble refill station. There were postcards for guests to sign which would be sent to the couple and polaroids were taken of all the guests for a pictorial guest book. The day ended with guests dancing along to crowd pleasing classics on the dance floor.

Practical favours

The gifts for guests echoed the vibe of the whole day. They were handmade, low key and had purpose. Guests could pick which soap to take home, with a choice of either lavender or rose and geranium. These were boxed, branded and served in a vintage case. Plus there were some seeds to take away too, in order to sow in your own garden, share the love and remember this charming day in years to come.

winner UK Blog Awards 2018

wonderful wedding wares

Judge at the UK Blog Awards 2019

by Hanami Dream | 10, January, 2019 | news

Winner at the UK Blog Awards 2018

Usually at this time of the year, I’m asking you to kindly support me and vote for the blog in the UK Blog Awards. As you may know, I was absolutely delighted to win the UK Blog Award in the Individual Event and Wedding category last year. And so, it is with great excitement that I’m pleased to say that I am a judge at the UK Blog Awards 2019.

The UK Blog Awards

The mission of The UK Blog Awards is to recognise the unique and resonant nature of the Internet community – from bloggers to Social Influencers and through organisations and individual creators. The UK Blog Awards is the most prestigious, and the only, multi-industry awards honouring online excellence.

Now in its sixth year, The UK Blog Awards continues to celebrate the most resonant and engaging content creators in the UK, those inside and outside of the prevailing trends.

This year, they have expanded the mission by introducing even more categories and there’ll be a completely live and online stream of the UK Blog Awards where the winners and highly commended bloggers will be announced in April.

Photography by Squib Photography

My judging credentials for the UK Blog Awards 2019

Being a judge for the UKBA19 is a great honour and a wonderful next step and evolution of my involvement with the UK Blog Awards.

I’m delighted that my wedding blog, Hanami Dream, won the individual Event and Wedding UK Blog Awards 2018 (as well as being a finalist in 2017 and highly commended in 2016). Being a judge of the UKBA19 will combine my marketing skills, blogging experience along with my passion and knowledge of the wedding industry.

During my career I’ve obtained my CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing and worked in various marketing roles for 13 years before starting my own business in 2014. I’ve also obtained my Diploma in Wedding and Event Planning with the UK Academy of Wedding & Event Planners.

My marketing background gives me the insight and experience to help local wedding businesses with their marketing strategy and promotional plans.

All this will put me in great stead when reading through the blogs in the wedding category.

Photography by Farrow Photography

My judging criteria of the UK Blog Awards 2019

I’m looking forward to reading some fresh content, with a unique angle and a new take on topics. I can’t wait to read the blogs, especially those tackling novel subjects that are ahead of trends and give a modern stance on the world of weddings and modern alternatives to old traditions.

I love something that reads well, speaks to the audience, looks good, plus uses its own imagery. I’m not a fan of too many typos and spelling/grammatical mistakes (which I think harks back to my proof reading days when my boss used to mark my work with a trusty ‘old red’ biro!)

I love that the wedding genre overlaps many other categories nowadays, with topics touching Eco, Law, Lifestyle, Fashion and Finance amongst others.

The current trend in the world of weddings is about making your mark, being different, not having a cookie cutter wedding like the next person, and personalisation. I believe that should be the same in the blogging world – make your own niche, be yourself, be unique and do what you do best.

Blogging for me is about being a content creator, a journalist in your own field, reporting on your area of expertise as you see it.

UK Blog Awards 2019 wedding judge

I’m looking forward to being inspired by the wedding blogs I have the pleasure of judging. I’ve already judged the first round and look forward to the next exciting steps.

Take a look at all the finalists of the UK Blog Awards 2019 in all 27 categories.

winner UK Blog Awards 2018

wonderful wedding wares

Dates for your 2019 diary

by Hanami Dream | 8, January, 2019 | blog, holy trinity of wedding planning, tips

Happy New Year! And huge congratulations if you’ve got engaged over the festive period.

Telling people your big news and flashing your new piece of jewellery is such an exciting time and it won’t be long until you’ll be asked (again and again) when is your big day.

So here’s a little help with picking a date for your special day (and take a look at this useful guide to setting the date too).

Before you rush to send out your save the date cards, here are some things to bear in mind when setting your wedding date:

Date

Superstition often forces couples to avoid the 13th of the month (especially if it falls on a Friday and there’s two in 2019), your birthday, the day of a full moon, April Fool’s Day and it used to be forbidden to get married in Lent and Advent by the church. Some people think that 7 is supposed to be a lucky number whilst 4 is deemed unlucky in Japanese and Chinese traditions, so dates with these numbers may be sought after or avoided by couples. Instead perhaps you want to pick a meaningful date to you such as the anniversary of the
date you first met, a memorable date that you’ll remember like 12/12/12 or a nod to your heritage such as your grandparents’ wedding anniversary date.

Year

Which year are you thinking? This may seem like a basic question but if you want to do something soon then suppliers and venues may already be booked up. So, think about how long you have /want to plan the wedding. The more notice you give then the more likely you are able to have your first choice of date.

Time of year / season

This could affect what the weather is likely to be like which could influence your themes, colours, venue, attire, transportation, food choice etc. Also, different seasons can have an impact on the price and availability of food and flowers. Venues may have different prices depending on the time of the year and will your key guests or wedding party be available in school holidays?

Month

Old superstitions state your fate as a couple depending on the month you choose to wed. Some say it was unlucky for a couple to get married in May. Whilst June and other summer months are very popular and even December is gaining in popularity, presumably so that people can use holiday time around the big day. It is worth considering different months as popular ones are in demand so prices may increase and availability will decrease.

Day of the week

Ironically in another old poem, it states that getting married on a Saturday is unlucky which nowadays is the most common day for people to tie the knot. However, it is also one of the most expensive days too. More people are now considering other weekdays as options and Sundays too (although this used to be deemed as a mark of disrespect).

Day or night

A wedding after dark used to be considered unlucky but you could split your guests up to have some come for the whole day and others just join you for the evening part of the day so you don’t have to pay for all of them to have a sit-down meal.

Rest of the world

Make sure you think about what else is going on in the world such as national, local and annual events including:

Public holidays
Sporting events
Other people’s occasions (like birthdays, wedding anniversaries and religious festivals)

Here’s a list of some events (in England) in 2019 that could influence your choice of dates:

New Year’s Day 1 January
Epiphany 6 January
Orthodox Christmas Day 7 January
Orthodox New Year 14 January
Burns Night 25 January
Chinese New Year 5 February – year of the pig
Valentine’s Day 14 February
St David’s Day 1 March
Mardi Gras 5 March
Shrove Tuesday 5 March
Mother’s Day 31 March
St Patrick’s Day 17 March
First Day of Spring 20 March
Clocks go forward 31 March
April Fool’s Day 1 April
Grand National 6 April
Boat Race 7 April
Good Friday 19 April
Passover 19 – 27 April
Easter Monday 22 April
Earth Day 22 April
St George’s Day 23 April
London marathon 28 April
Cinco de Mayo 5 May
Ramadan begins 5 May – 4 June
May Day Bank Holiday 6 May
Eurovision Song Contest 14-18 May
FA Cup Final 18 May
Chelsea Flower Show 21 – 29 May
Monaco Grand Prix 23 – 26 May
Spring Bank Holiday 27 May
Cricket World Cup (England) 30 May – 9 June
Women’s World Cup (France) 7 June – 7 July
Trooping the Colour 8 June
Father’s Day 16 June
First Day of Summer 21 June
Royal Ascot 22-23 June
Glastonbury 26-30 June
Wimbledon 1 – 14 July
Henley Regatta 3 – 7 July
Independence Day 4 July
British Grand Prix 12-14 July
Eid 11-15 August
Summer Bank Holiday 26 August
Friday 13th September 2019
Rugby World Cup (Japan) 20 September – November
First Day of Autumn 23 September
Diwali 27 October
Clocks go back 27 October
Halloween 31 October
Guy Fawkes 5 November
Remembrance Day 11 November
Thanksgiving 28 November
St Andrew’s Day 30 November
Friday 13th December 2019
Hanukkah 22-30 December
First Day of Winter 22 December
Christmas Day 25 December
Boxing Day 26 December
New Year’s Eve 31 December

Plus other upcoming ‘unlucky’ dates of :

Saturday 29th February 2020
Friday 13th March 2020
Friday 13th November 2020

And not forgetting the Olympic Games in 2020 in Tokyo 24 July – 9 August.

Enjoy celebrating in 2019 and I wish you a very Happy New Year.

winner UK Blog Awards 2018

wonderful wedding wares

Trend predictions for 2019 weddings

by Hanami Dream | 31, December, 2018 | blog, trends

Whether a religious, civil or humanist ceremony, a traditional or themed reception, these special days are about what is important to each individual couple.

Sometimes fashion, films, television programmes, interior design, celebrity weddings and even current affairs influence these trends.

So what does 2019 hold for the world of weddings? Here is a curation of some of the top trends to look out for next year:

Clothing

Bridal wear is continuing to see a shift in trends to provide new, innovative and unusual styles to make sure the bride makes a statement and is different to any other on her big day. Fashion trends that are appearing on the catwalks (that will surely influence weddings next year) include:

Simple classic sheath dresses – this is the minimal look epitomised by Meghan Markle
Exaggerated volume and structured bows – to add a statement feature
A further move away from white wedding dresses – next year will see more blue dresses
Different neck lines – 2019 will see more halter neck

Chaps

Not to be out done by the ladies, groomsmen will have some stylish updates to their wedding attire with:

Three piece suits becoming more popular again
Colours will be rich in burgundy, purple or blues
Cut will be slimmer
Tweed suits will continue to be on trend

Complementary

Accessories will continue to shimmer and shine courtesy of metallic or pearl elements. Plus there’s a real turn towards silver and chrome away from rose gold. Other trends will include:

Alternatives to diamonds in engagement rings
Stars and 3D floral tiaras and crowns
Covering up with trench coats or sheer capelets
Floral accessories for brides like wrist flowers and floral hats for a festival vibe
And grooms will see an increase in florals such as floral cane toppers, floral bow ties and even bouquet beards

Chosen few

Bridal parties are veering away from the traditional with:

Joint hen and stag dos
Bridesmen and groomsgirls – proving that friends can support you whatever their gender

Colour and styling

Different arenas (such as interior design, architecture, graphic design, lighting, furniture and textiles) influence our daily lives which in turn spills over to the world of weddings. One part that overarches these elements is the importance of colour.

The Pantone® Colour of the Year always plays a big part in influencing popular colours and the colour of the year in 2019 is a warm and energising orange called ‘Living Coral’. Take a look at my report about the colour of the year 2019 and here’s my take on the other colours to look out for in spring/summer 2019. And why not use ALL the SS19 colours in your confetti for a real festival vibe.
Patterns will appear in some decorative elements including polka dots and tartan
Llamas see to be the animal of choice to be a guest at weddings in 2019
Geometric shapes such as hoops and prisms in different scales will be used
Eco conscious weddings are rising in popularity which will encourage plastic free events and foraging for decor
Scents will be important as weddings are now appealing to ALL the senses
Illustrated invitations showing the wedding venue are becoming popular

Take a look at my top wedding styling trends for weddings in 2019.

Corsage

Floral and foliage provide an instant connection with nature and the greenery trend is still going strong with elements such as:

Bringing the outdoors in with trees or an enchanted indoors forest walk
Banquet tables with low florals so you guests can see one another
Grasses and dried flowers for an ethereal boho look
Terracotta pots with house plants
Teepees and silver birch arches

Catering

Family style serving is still a great way to share the wedding reception which works so well on long, large banquet tables lining the room. Plus couples want their food to look amazing so that it is Instagram worthy. Other food and drink highlights to support emerging tends include:

Opulent and regal cakes
Grazing tables piled high for a proper foodie fest

Culture

The world of films and tv always influences trends and 2019 looks set to be a year of blockbusters to choose from such as:

Comic book films like: Captain Marvel, Joker and 2 new X Men films (Dark Phoenix & the New Mutants)
Children’s classics including: Dumbo (for amazing vintage circus themes), The Lion King, Toy Story 4, Frozen 2 and Lego Movie 2
Sci-Fi movies such as: Star Wars 9
Action movies including: Charlie’s Angels, Glass (perfect for the transparent themes)
Fantasy movies: Cats, Rocket Man
Love stories like: Last Christmas (need we say more for a Christmas theme wedding!)
Period dramas including: Downtown Abbey, Colette (filmed at a local wedding venue and perfect for some French inspired themes), Mary Queen of Scots (to marry well with the tartan trends coming)
Plus big tv shows such as Les Miserables will also lend itself to the chic vintage French trends

Film and video will continue to be more prevalent at weddings with couples choosing 360 videos, virtual reality experiences and drones to capture their big day. Along with social media being a part of the day and a way to capture everyone’s pictures of the day (it’s just the modern version of the disposable cameras on the table!) with personalised snap chat geofilters and your own hashtags for the day.

Celebrities

As well as the wonders of Pinterest, couples are inspired by seeing others doing something first. So it’s no surprise that details from celebrity weddings will influence wedding trends. Here are some famous engaged couples that could make it up the aisle in 2019 and their special days will be ones to watch:

Kate Wright & Rio Ferdinand (maybe some football inspired themes)
Lady Gaga & Christian Carino
Ellie Goulding & Caspar Jopling
Idris Elba & Sabrina Dhowre
Ed Sheeran & Cherry Seaborn (wonder what their first dance music would be?)
Gwyneth Paltrow & Brad Falchuk
Alexandra Burke & Joshua Ginnelly
Paris Hilton & Chris Zykla

Current affairs

You may be living and breathing your wedding and everything else in the world is taking a back seat. However, things are still going on around you and some national, local and annual events may have an impact on your guests involvement, availability and enjoyment. Here’s some events around the world that could influence your choice of dates and could also influence wedding trends:

Cricket World Cup (England) 30 May – 9 June
Women’s World Cup (France) 7 June – 7 July
Glastonbury 26-30 June
Woodstock 50th anniversary 16-18 August (can’t wait for all the festival themed weddings as a result of this anniversary!)
Rugby World Cup (Japan) 20 September – November

These are a few of my predictions for wedding trends in 2019. I’d love to hear what you think are going to be popular wedding trends next year.

May I take this opportunity to wish you all the best for 2019. Please take a look at more of my curation and inspiration on Pinterest.

Are you getting married this year? Is your wedding going to be following one of these trends? Let me know if you’d like to share the detail shots of your day on my blog to inspire other couples who are wedding planning. If you (and your photographer) are happy, then take a look how to submit your wedding.

Photography by Squib Photography

winner UK Blog Awards 2018

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Top wedding styling trends for 2019

by Hanami Dream | 30, December, 2018 | blog, trends

[As featured on page 65 of the December/January edition of Your Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wedding]

Couples are currently looking at ways to personalise their nuptials and break from tradition. Wedding styling is seeing an abundance of original alternatives that blend together cultures, creativity and lots of personal touches.

Mixing and matching seem a great way to compromise, as couples decide that they don’t have to settle on one particular style. This gives a great fusion of modern and vintage, along with contrasting textures, colours and mixed metals.

Here are my top wedding styling trends to look out for at the moment:

Bringing the outside inside

The greenery trend has meant less flowers and more plants and foliage are prevalent, with top tables awash with garlands running down the whole of the table and spilling off the ends to the floor, with gentle inclusions of white flowers. Think of the foliage arch that was around the door of St George’s Chapel for Harry & Megan’s wedding.

Couples are also thinking more seasonally with their choices and including foraged items such as moss, fruit, vegetables, feathers, cones and other seasonal items from the environment around them.

Alternatives to paper stationery

Couples are thinking beyond paper and using different material types such as Perspex, denim, wood or agate slices for their suite of wedding stationery. For the transparent acrylic trend, the use of Perspex chairs, tables, menus and signage means that stationery doesn’t detract but blend in with the surroundings. Clear ‘stationery’ will continue to grow in popularity for a modern style and this is evolving further to iridescent details.

Minimal look and feel

On average, wedding guest numbers are decreasing and micro weddings are on the rise; with couples wishing to keep things small, personal and more meaningful. This vibe is also transcending to the look of the day, with plain, simple and minimal styling. This can be enhanced by using one colour for maximum impact such as white for an amazing statement with a relaxed and tranquil atmosphere.

Festival vibes

Outdoor or tipi weddings with macramé ceremony backdrops are seeing a massive upturn at the moment. Think hanging greenery, trees, dream catcher favours, festoon lighting, ribbon drapes, food vans, chill out areas and fire bowls.

Photography by Cat Stephens Photography

Alternatives to real flowers are better for the environment and the pocket – make paper flowers or borrow house plants for a great diy wedding.

Statement backdrops

Move over flower walls and arches – the ceremony wreaths are here! Archways are being superseded by moongates, circular arches and other impactful ceremony backdrops. Couples are using them to walk through on their way down the aisle, a spectacular ceremony or photo backdrop, behind top tables, bars or dessert tables. The wreaths can be decorated with flowers and/or foliage, all over or partially covered.

Air plants

Another alternative to flowers is air plants, which are a brilliant evolution on the succulent trend. Their delicate tendrils give a wonderful contrast against the soft tulle of wedding dresses.

Use them in bouquets, table displays or in glass suspended baubles.

Gem stones rock

Shiny rocks will continue to see a place in wedding venue styling with agate (or hollow geodes) still at the forefront of designs in cakes and name settings, as well as the revival of marble details.

winner UK Blog Awards 2018

wonderful wedding wares

2018 review of the year

by Hanami Dream | 28, December, 2018 | news

I hope you’ve had a wonderful time celebrating Christmas. At this between and betwixt time, I often take the time to reflect on the past year. And what a fantastic year it’s been for Hanami Dream weddings and special occasions in 2018.

Highlights of 2018

My blog has had a really exciting year and continues to go from strength to strength. The highlight of 2018, has to be winning the event and wedding UK Blog Award in April.

I was also thrilled to obtain my Diploma in Wedding and Event Planning from the UK Academy of Wedding & Event Planners to become a Certified Wedding and Event Planner.

I was pleased to be shortlisted in the Foxy Deer Awards and the Cotswolds Awards. Plus I was a finalist in a Pantone® colour trend challenge again.

Hanami Dream blog

This year, my focus has been on developing the blog commercially, as well as providing inspiration to brides and grooms in the Cotswolds. And 2018 saw a new look for Hanami Dream with a logo refresh and a complete redesign of the website.

The blog has featured posts on different elements of wedding planning:

As well as some submitted real wedding inspiration:

Along with my own winter bridal styled shoot:

journey to the centre of the earth wedding

And a video of my secret garden styled wedding shoot:

secret garden wedding

Trend posts have been exciting to write this year as we’ve had 2 royal weddings to draw upon this year:

I continue my review of local wedding venues:

Plus some wonderful guest posts from local wedding professionals have featured on the blog (with top tips and an insight in to different elements of wedding planning from their area of the wedding industry):

See the top posts of 2018 on Hanami Dream.

Marketing support

I’ve continued to provide marketing consultation to some local, independent wedding businesses in and around Witney, Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds. It’s great to combine my marketing experience, with my local knowledge, in the scope of the wedding industry. Some of my clients have included a fantastic florist, a few wedding venues, a children’s toy hire company and a vintage Rolls Royce hire company.

I’m delighted to have enquiries for different aspects of the business including venue styling and consultancy, as well as such lovely testimonials from happy couples and suppliers I’ve worked with in 2018.

In print

I have been chuffed that some of my shoots have been published in print this year and featured in Your Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wedding magazine and Your Glos & Wilts Wedding magazine.

Plus, an article I wrote on 2019 wedding styling trends has been published in Your Berks, Buck & Oxon Wedding magazine and have an article in Martha Weddings due to publish any day.

Looking forward to 2019

Now is also a great time to look forward to the brand new year ahead. I’ve lots of plans afoot including focusing the blog on supporting and promoting local wedding professionals, services and venues #keepitlocal. And I can’t wait to produce more styled photo shoots and have more opportunities to collaborate with local suppliers. Plus watch this space for my ‘wedding fairs with a difference’ coming soon.

Meanwhile, I’m excited about being a judge at the UK Blog Awards 2019 early in the new year.

Please get in touch if you’d like to advertise on the blog, submit your own wedding details, would like to collaborate on a shoot, write a guest post or need some marketing advice and guidance. Together we can build the local wedding industry and inspire brides and grooms for their special day.

winner UK Blog Awards 2018

wonderful wedding wares

winner UK Blog Awards 2018

wonderful wedding wares

“I couldn’t think of anyone better to help us ”

by Hanami Dream | 21, December, 2018 | testimonials

“Nicola kindly agreed to assist our small, independent business in starting our own blog for our website. Being an award winning blogger, I couldn’t think of anyone better to help us on our way.

She gave us some great top tips that were easy to follow but in enough detail to really make an impact.
We now have our blog up and running thanks to Nicola.”

Erica, Busy Brush Cafe – December 2018

winner UK Blog Awards 2018

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“Nicola’s help & expertise has fast tracked our plans to expand”

by Hanami Dream | 20, December, 2018 | testimonials

“Social media has revolutionised business in so many ways (which we struggle to understand). Thank goodness Nicola at Hanami Dream is there to translate and guide our floristry media campaign.

Working closely together we have seen the benefits of targeted and cost sensitive media projects to promote our business. This has fast tracked our plans to expand and with Nicola’s help and expertise we continue to get the best from the web phenomena.”

Lyn, Enchanted Floristry – November 2018

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Relaxed and laid back vibe

Rural remote meadow view

Rustic festival décor

Gold accents

Creative catering

Entertainment for children of all sizes

Practical favours

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Winner at the UK Blog Awards 2018

The UK Blog Awards

My judging credentials for the UK Blog Awards 2019

My judging criteria of the UK Blog Awards 2019

UK Blog Awards 2019 wedding judge

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Date

Year

Time of year / season

Month

Day of the week

Day or night

Rest of the world

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Clothing

Chaps

Complementary

Chosen few

Colour and styling

Corsage

Catering

Culture

Celebrities

Current affairs

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Bringing the outside inside

Alternatives to paper stationery

Minimal look and feel

Festival vibes

Statement backdrops

Air plants

Gem stones rock

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Highlights of 2018

Hanami Dream blog

Marketing support

In print

Looking forward to 2019

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wonderful wedding wares