by Hanami Dream | 3, December, 2018 | news, styled shoots
Feeling so proud to have another of my wedding shoots in print! Check out page 65 of the latest edition (December/January) of Your Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wedding magazine to see my Secret Garden styled wedding shoot featured.
And also page 78 for an article I wrote on 2019 wedding styling trends which also includes a shot from the same Secret Garden shoot (and a few others too).
It’s the little details that bring any event to life and this was made possible by the wonderful local suppliers who provided their time, services, venue and products.
Images on this shoot were taken by Squib Photography from Hanami Dream’s secret garden wedding styled shoot at Cogges Manor Farm. See all the fabulous suppliers that were involved in this styled shoot.
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winner UK Blog Awards 2018
by Hanami Dream | 27, November, 2018 | news
After a couple months of hard work, I’m very excited to launch my new and improved website (built by my own fair hands). This update comes on the back of my rebranding and part of a whole new look (and outlook) for Hanami Dream.
thank you for your ongoing support
A massive thank you to everyone who reads and shares the blog. A special thanks goes to my wonderful webmaster at Wondernet (and the best boss I’ve ever had) – his advice and teaching have played an important part throughout my whole career.
development of Hanami Dream
I’ve used this update to develop the blog and also to include more details of the marketing support that I offer to local wedding professionals, services and venues.
work with Hanami Dream
I can’t wait to produce more styled photo shoots and have opportunities to collaborate with local suppliers. Please get in touch if you’d like to advertise on this award winning blog, submit your own wedding details, would like to collaborate on a shoot, write a guest post or need some marketing advice and guidance.
Many thanks for your support and here’s to more exciting times ahead! (I’ve got some more great news to share with you very soon!)
Together we can build the local wedding industry and inspire brides and grooms for their special day.
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winner UK Blog Awards 2018
by Hanami Dream | 7, November, 2018 | news
I’m thrilled to be shortlisted in another local awards and would really appreciate your vote.
Please vote for Hanami Dream in the wedding section of The Foxy Deer Awards before the end of 30th November.
https://thefoxydeer.co.uk/awards/
Thank you for your support.
by Hanami Dream | 23, October, 2018 | inspiration, news
Pretty chuffed to have one of mood boards picked as finalist again in the UK Academy of Wedding and Event Planning SS19 Pantone® colour trend challenge.
http://www.weddingacademyglobal.com/finalists-wedding-academy-instagram-challenge/
Sweet Lilac | pink sugary treats
IMAGE CREDITS:
Dress | Gem Harris via Rock N Roll Bride via https://www.modwedding.com/…/20-stunning-non-white-wed…/amp/
Milk shakes | Lovely little partiesky http://www.lovelylittlepartiesky.com/
Flowers | Miss Zeit via Tumblr http://misszeit.tumblr.com/post/155074213037
Ice cream | Babushka Design via Etsy https://www.etsy.com/…/yellow-patterns-kraft-paper-printable
Typewriter | girl inspired via http://thegirlinspired.com/vintage-typewriter-makeover/
Truffles | Tramped Rose http://tramped-rose.blogspot.com/…/do-u-believe-in-pink.htm…
Neon | They all hate us via http://www.theyallhateus.com/yes-3/
Cupcake | The Café Sucré Farine via That Skinny Chick Can Bake https://www.thatskinnychickcanbake.com/pink-lemonade-cupca…/
Table setting | Yelena Yumchek via Groupon https://www.groupon.com/
by Hanami Dream | 13, September, 2018 | news
I’m delighted to have been nominated for Cotswold Blogger of the Year 2018!
Please take a couple of moments to follow this link (scroll down about 3/4 of the way to find the blogger category). I’d really appreciate your vote for Hanami Dream.
https://www.cotswoldsconcierge.co.uk/cotswolds-awards/
We live in such a stunning part of the country, it’s no wonder that every year 21,000+ of couples getting married in England choose to say ‘I do’ in a wedding venue in the Cotswolds.
My Cotswold wedding blog offers tips, tools, trends and traditions to help couples celebrate their special day. Based in Witney Oxfordshire, Hanami Dream avidly supports local wedding suppliers in the surrounding Cotswolds, as well as couples in the midst of wedding planning. Assisting stunning venues and highly talented wedding industry professionals from small, local and independent businesses, providing consultancy, venue styling, wedding fairs and styled shoots.
If you live in the Cotswolds (lucky you) then you’ll no doubt spot a few gems on other parts of the list you can vote for too. My particular favourites to recommend (in their respective categories) are:
Voting in the 2018 Cotswolds Awards begins on the 7th of September 2018 and ends at midnight on the 6th of November 2018.
Many thanks for your support.
by Hanami Dream | 8, September, 2018 | news
If you’re planning your wedding in the Cotswolds then make sure you get a copy of the 2018/19 edition of Cotswold Bride which is now out for the year.
http://www.bridemagazine.co.uk/articles/order-your-copy-of-cotswold-bride-2018-2019
Get your Wedmin in to action!
by Hanami Dream | 5, September, 2018 | #UKWedLunch, news
Your help is needed to shape the future of wedding Twitter networking hours – please complete this short survey https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/8C7CLK6
Last month marked two years since my wedding Twitter networking hour started.
#UKWedLunch was born to cater for couples planning a wedding in their lunch break. It was designed to connect brides and grooms looking for recommendations with UK based wedding professionals networking in their lunch break.
It has around 1700 followers and counting; a different discussion topic (currently on the second and third week of the month); lively interaction; and lots of connections and new contacts have been formed as a result of #UKWedLunch.
Changing focus of wedding Twitter networking hours
However in the quieter networking times (which typically seem to coincide with school holidays and half terms), I question whether twitter networking hours have run their course in today’s busy and ever changing social media platforms.
The purpose of twitter networking hours (topics or conversation typically grouped together by a common hashtag at a regular time/day) has commonly been to find new contacts, discuss topics, gain more followers, share other people’s content, increase sales and primarily have a conversation with others (this is ‘social’ media after all!)
For me, twitter networking hours should be about contributing and participating in a conversation. The old saying ‘you get out what you put in’ is often true in any form of networking and more so when you’re online. After all, if you just tweet and run then how do you know if what you are saying is on message with the week’s current topic?
All networking is a huge time commitment. Nowadays, it seems that the twitter forum is saturated with networking hours and new ones pop up all the time. Within each networking hour, there are also an increasing number of sales tweets rather than quality advice or conversation. Rather than spreading a marketing message wide, it is often better to be selective with the networking you choose so you can be more focused and have a personal approach.
Additionally, the users of these hours is changing to become more about supplier relationships rather than couples searching for answers.
Evolution of wedding Twitter networking hours
So I’m left wondering whether twitter networking hours have had their day, who participates in them and what is the purpose of them now.
I feel that #UKWedLunch is at a crossroads and I’d like it to evolve to the next stage. It was one of the first wedding twitter hours to focus on a separate topic each week with top tips and advice. Now is the time for a new format in twitter networking.
You can help shape the future of wedding twitter networking hours by completing this short survey.
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/8C7CLK6
I’m looking forward to how things develop and the next year of networking. Please spread the word so others can join us on Wednesdays 1-2pm on Twitter.
by Hanami Dream | 3, July, 2018 | news
What a day for celebration the fourth of July is: Independence Day, Alice Day and today is the 4th birthday of Hanami Dream weddings and special occasions!
four years since my first styled shoot
Yes, today marks four years since I published my first styled photo shoot under the umbrella of Hanami Dream. After that Alice in Wonderland shoot in 2014, came the Wizard of Oz, followed by a Wind in the Willows wedding in 2016. Last year saw the addition of 3 more styled bridal shoots: a modern Edwardian Secret Garden themed wedding, a real break from tradition with a Festival style wedding and also a lovely winter Journey to the Centre of the Earth themed wedding. I’m enjoying working with some amazing local suppliers!
four years since my first tweet
From my first tweet in 2014, to a steadily increasing readership (and social media following) with around 1,100 unique page views a month on average. Plus a combined social media network of over 5,400 followers and ongoing promotion and networking means this is ever growing.
four years since my first blog post
It’s crazy to think how much has evolved over the past four years; now 310 blog posts later and this year I won the Event and Wedding category at the UK Blog Awards after being a finalist for the previous two years running, I’m now a Certified Wedding and Event Planner, and have recently had one of my shoots featured in Your Glos & Wilts Wedding magazine.
four years of further accolades
I’m really pleased to continue to add to my honoured collection of accolades, which include #QueenOf Wedding Inspiration by The Royal Connection, the #SmartSocial award from Marketme, #BrightPig’s Business of the Week, WOW Winner picked by Jacqueline Gold CBE. As well as winning Theo Paphitis’s #SBS (Small Business Sunday).
I am an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a Certified Wedding and Event Planner with the UKAWEP.
Plus I launched #UKWedLunch nearly 2 years ago, as well as being a guest host on #BrideHour.
four years more experience
My focus has been on developing the blog commercially, as well as providing inspiration to brides and grooms in the Cotswolds. Plus I’ve continued to combine my previous 13 years of marketing experience, with my local knowledge, in the scope of the wedding industry. It has been great to provide marketing consultation to some local, independent wedding businesses in and around Witney, Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds. I’ve been affectionately titled the Wedding Inspector – a bit like the Alex Polizzi of the local wedding industry!
work with Hanami Dream
I look forward to working with more 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.
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.
Happy birthday to Hanami Dream – definitely time for cake now!
by Hanami Dream | 11, June, 2018 | news
Whilst I’m blowing my own trumpet, I thought I’d share this little beauty…
Still pretty darn chuffed to have won the individual events and wedding category in 2018 at the UK Blog Awards!
Thanks for all your ongoing support.
by Hanami Dream | 11, June, 2018 | news, styled shoots
Feeling pretty proud to have one of my wedding shoots in print!
Check out pages 67 & 68 of the latest edition (June/July) of Your Glos & Wilts Wedding magazine to see my Journey to the Centre of the Earth styled wedding shoot featured.
