Hannah: How are you though? Did you have a lovely trip

Hayley: I did. It was very nice. It was very nice indeed. Yeah, so we went to Torquay, had a

Hannah: Yes

Hayley: lovely few days away. Friday was a bit... Oh my God, so lucky with the weather. So lucky. Yeah, we had-- we literally just spent basically three whole days on the beach.

Hannah: Was it like

Hayley: It was so nice.

Hannah: situation?

Hayley: it was quite warm. It was quite warm.

Hayley: I love swimming in the sea. It's like my favorite thing to do.

Hannah: Yeah.

Hayley: but yeah. But it was, it was just nice to get away somewhere different. But Friday was an absolute nightmare because I just did what you normally do and basically I was freelancing on Friday in, um, Lewes, which is near B- uh, Brighton, and,

Hannah: Wow,

Hayley: yeah, two and a half hours to get there.

Hayley: I don't know what I was thinking. I just didn't quite think about...

Hannah: did say this to you when we

Hayley: It's round the M25.

Hannah: Yeah, I did say this to you. I was like, "It's gonna be really busy."

Hayley: Yeah, Friday

Hannah: going to... Like, well, down south. It was Goodwood as well, 'cause that's where Martin was this weekend, so the traffic would've been heaving for that. When you said, like, "Oh, I'm going, I'm free after Friday and we're going afterwards," I said to you like,

Hayley: Yeah. So I was like Lily. So it worked out well in, in the sense that we, we didn't get to Devon until like 11 o'clock at night, but that's fine because Lily slept blah, blah. That w- you know, all that was fine. The, the issue was that I'd obviously gone there and,

Hannah: Yeah

Hayley: the woman that I work... So basically it was all fresh flowers.

Hayley: So I was like doing all of that and th- we, we had three hours to get a load of work done basically, 'cause she ended up getting stuck in traffic and didn't meet me till an hour after I got there, and she had all the stuff.

Hannah: Shit.

Hayley: and it was just me and her, so we couldn't even like get... I couldn't even get started on anything.

Hayley: Um, absolutely fine in the end. Beautiful wedding. Uh, like th- perfect. Flowers looked beautiful. But

Hannah: Nice

Hayley: hours and it was just like solid graft. Like we were like... I was like... And I was working outside under these like fig trees. Lovely, but it was absolutely v- it was like 30 degree heat.

Hannah: yeah

Hayley: Anyway, it was just mad.

Hayley: So that was like a mad rush. Then I was like, you know, got back in my car and then I know you think, oh yeah, you're sitting down, you're driving. But obviously, I know you did a lot of driving, didn't you, over the weekend as well, but it's tiring.

Hannah: a little

Hayley: Yeah. It's

Hannah: Yeah, it

Hayley: so tiring. Three and a half hours it took me to get home 'cause of the traffic on the M25.

Hannah: Yeah.

Hayley: Um-

Hannah: in that area

Hayley: It was a nightmare ... yeah,

Hannah: one, especially this time

Hayley: it was a nightmare and it literally took me, I can't even believe. My sat nav tried to reroute me to go through like a bit of an off route so that I wasn't stuck on the M25 in traffic, and it was like, "Save 20 minutes." I was like, "Perfect. Cool." So I come off, then I get stuck in traffic in Staines.

Hayley: Then my sat nav took me through Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 and 4, whatever. So then I had to pay the ULEZ to dr- 'cause you get, you, once you get in there

Hannah: yeah,

Hayley: you can't, there's no turning back.

Hannah: no

Hayley: Anyway, I finally got back. We went to Devon. It was lovely. It was

Hannah: time had you told Richard you were gonna get home and leave for Torquay?

Hayley: Well, 6:00-ish. I got home...

Hannah: time did you

Hayley: I, I got home about 20 past 7:00 in the end. We left at about...

Hannah: and leave for Torquay? Well, that's not horrific. I thought you were gonna say you'd tell him you'd be back about

Hayley: No.

Hayley: no. no. I said I'd be back about half five, 6:00, which was probably wishful thinking anyway. But anyway, it worked out fine in the end, but it's just, it's just all the travel and

Hannah: That was far to go for a weekend though, weren't it, Torquay?

Hayley: Well, three hours, 45 minutes. It wasn't too bad. Not too bad. And it actually was a nice drive, like, 'cause we went past, like, on the way home yesterday evening, we went past Stonehenge and stuff.

Hayley: It was

Hannah: Nice.

Hayley: There was no traffic, so.

Hannah: Nice. Good stuff

Hayley: but yeah, no, freelancing was lovely. It was this, uh, venue called Fell Place. I don't know if you've heard of it. But it's, um, been used in a couple of, like, films and stuff. It's been used for, like, the Bake Off the Professionals or something.

Hayley: That's where they go.

Hannah: Like

Hayley: But they had, um... So basically there was, like, a courtyard outside the main house, and that's where they had their ceremony set up. And they had those lovely, like, cross back wooden chairs,

Hannah: Yeah,

Hayley: then, like, parasol. They'd hide in, like, these really nice parasols. And it was all white flowers, like, really compact but with,

Hannah: Nice

Hayley: you know, the amaranthus hanging and all that.

Hayley: So it was, it was lovely. It was beautiful. It was just so hot.

Hannah: Yeah, I bet

Hayley: Um, but yeah, so that was basically my weekend. Um, but how was your... You had a wedding, didn't you? Yeah

Hannah: Yeah, yeah. So I went down there Friday morning, and I was there until Sunday. I think I left there about 11:00. Um, yeah, only a two-hour drive for me, so

Hayley: Oh, okay. Yeah, not too bad

Hannah: was a really nice... The-- They're just the nicest people, this couple, and they had such a good day,

Hayley: Good

Hannah: beautiful.

Hannah: Um, it was like, um... So her color scheme was like a, a, like a pale cream color white, and then she had like, um... So they had quite a lot of like yellow roses 'cause that's her mom's

Hayley: Okay

Hannah: And then she had like a bright pops of bright red 'cause her cat's called Poppy.

Hayley: Oh.

Hannah: the bright

Hayley: I bet that'd look really cool actually

Hannah: it was so nice. It was stunning, the colors. The flowers looked beautiful. Um, and yeah, she looked really nice. And I mean, it was a hot one. So Friday night we did like a welcome party. Um, but it-- I mean, that was like later on. It was like 5:00, so it was starting to cool a bit. Um, but yes, we did all the drinks for that.

Hannah: They just provided them all themselves. So I was literally spent most of my night in ice cooling drinks, so that was quite nice. And in a fridge

Hayley: Just sat in the office

Hannah: So yeah, so I basically just did that for them, kept them all

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: make sure I took away the dirties and whatever. And then, um, Saturday, yeah, full on, full on wedding day.

Hannah: But everything ran pretty smoothly. It was

Hayley: Good

Hannah: So, um, it's at Avington, which is

Hayley: Oh, yeah, you said it was really nice. I've never been there.

Hannah: they got married in the rose garden.

Hayley: Oh, that sounds amazing

Hannah: the band. They have like a, um, it's like a three-piece trio, like acoustic band.

Hayley: Okay

Hannah: so they had them for their ceremony, and then they walked all the guests, 'cause it's quite far from the rose garden to the river,

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: where their drinks reception was.

Hannah: So they walked all the guests down. And then the couple-- So at the venue they've got a Rolls-Royce car. So they take the couple off in the Rolls-Royce, take them to the boat, and then the couple enter the drinks reception on a

Hayley: Oh, don't. That's so cool. That's so cool

Hannah: they, like, had their little puppy there during the drinks reception, which was really cute. Um, and yeah, it just went, it just went really, really well. Like there was, there was only one thing that I would say went wrong in the whole

Hayley: Okay

Hannah: they don't listen to-- they aren't listening to this 'cause they didn't notice, and I don't wanna tell. Well, I

Hayley: Oh.

Hannah: they did notice, but she's just one of those people that's so

Hayley: This they wanna say.

Hannah: that she would mention it.

Hayley: okay.

Hannah: 'Cause it was

Hayley: Oh, no.

Hannah: Other people

Hayley: tend- I'm on tender hooks here waiting for you to say

Hannah: So basically had in the orangery these two... By the way, if they are listening, please can you just stop listening because, yeah.

Hayley: Tune out, mute, mute it, and then go b- hang on back in.

Hannah: dee, dee, loo, dee ♪ Yeah, um, so they had two long tables in the orangery. Now we'd planned to have-- So they had, like, that really nice Jasper linen, linen,

Hayley: Oh.

Hannah: the one

Hayley: Oh, yeah

Hannah: Nice, um, white lin- the white linen, um, the, uh, I think it's called the... I can't think what color. The lily or something. I can't remember. Anyway, they had the nice plates, the white plates.

Hannah: So they had the dinner plate, the starter plate, 'cause they had sharing starter and main. So that was all on there. They'd picked, like, the pearl cutlery, which was really nice. The glassware was, like, the ridged glassware, um, for the wine glasses. So, like, really thought through. Cream napkin then hanging over the table,

Hayley: Oh yeah, nice

Hannah: the plates on the top.

Hannah: The menus were all, like, hand-drawn. Um, the station was amazing. Otto and Nibs they're

Hayley: Oh, not heard of those

Hannah: hand-drew, like, their cat and their dog, like, on

Hayley: Okay

Hannah: little menus, and they had, like, little pictures of all, like, the illustrations of the food. Like, stunning. Flowers beautiful. So they'd hired-- We did all the draping.

Hannah: Drapes did the draping.

Hayley: Oh, I was gonna say the wedding I did it this weekend, they had all of that. Do you know where it hangs really low?

Hannah: Yeah.

Hayley: Yeah, it looks incredible.

Hannah: did it?

Hayley: I don't know who... I'm not sure, probably

Hannah: They're called, like, D-R-A-P-t-dot and then a

Hayley: And then D,

Hannah: the go-to

Hayley: looked cr- incredible.

Hannah: draping, it's

Hayley: It looked

Hayley: really, really good, yeah

Hannah: it, and the venue were like, "Oh my God, this draping is insane," like, "We want them back every..."

Hannah: 'Cause they were like, "This is the best draping we've ever seen

Hayley: Yeah.

Hannah: All they do is draping, so it's really

Hayley: it's, yeah.

Hannah: sometimes people,

Hayley: Do a bit too... Yeah,

Hannah: Yeah. Um,

Hayley: yeah

Hannah: and obviously it's time-consuming, but she'd got it done. So we couldn't access till 9:00 AM, right?

Hannah: And we were like, "Okay, so we can get in at 9:00. We've got these going in. We've got chandeliers going in. We've got-- The tables need to go in, and they need to go in by, like, 12 o'clock because then guests start arriving at 1:00 that walk past the area, so we don't want it to be chaos. But they're gonna get down to the ceremony area," and then we're s- I think they were seating, like, half 3:00, 4:00s, you know, something along

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: it was tight. She got all that draping done in an hour and a

Hayley: That is impressive. That is impressive. Oh

Hannah: fricking impressive."

Hayley: God

Hannah: Anyway, so all amazing. All looked incredible. Everyone amazing. So we'd hired these chandeliers. You know not the biggest fan. I told the couple not the biggest fan. So they come on these big metal

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: put weights on them to hold them down, 'cause when I say these chandeliers are heavy, they're

Hayley: Yeah, really heavy

Hannah: So the idea was that we were gonna have four hanging over each table. Now, I've never worked with these chandeliers before because I'm not a

Hayley: Yeah.

Hannah: and, um,

Hayley: a fan.

Hannah: had a couple that wants that vibe. But they really wanted them. Okay, fine. So the venue said-- The, the reason they actually wanted them is we went for a venue site visit one day, and the g- the coordinator was like, "Oh, we have these this weekend."

Hannah: 'Cause we were talking about how you-- Because in that orangery, there's quite a lot of space and, like, you know, it's qui- it's really high ceilings, and we were like, "You need something." So we s- I said about the draping. Then the coordinator said, "What about chandeliers?" So she showed them a picture, and that was when I was like, "Eh."

Hannah: Um, showed the picture, was like, "This is the company that did them. They've been here before." And I was like, "Great, great, great." So we got the-- They decided to go ahead with both

Hayley: Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah

Hannah: and chandeliers. Chandeliers come, and she set them up, and it-- She'd done them down so it was, like, in the center of the orangery.

Hannah: There's, like, pillars, and she'd done them in between there. And for start off, I mean, I, I completely get it wasn't her fault 

Hannah: because the tables weren't in, it was obviously really hard to know where the table was gonna go.

Hannah: So

Hayley: Right

Hannah: in, I was like, "Oh, that one's on the wonk, and that one's..." And they're not, they're not-- they weren't even, they weren't like... It wasn't like four and four, like, in the same

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: move them about, and they were really heavy and whatever. But they'd obviously had a bit of an issue.

Hannah: Well, they didn't tell me this. They said, "This is how we always do it." But to hide the wires of the chandelier, they had to use, like, this black fabric to cover the

Hayley: Right

Hannah: wires... So say you've got two chandeliers. Sorry, if you're listening, this is... You need to watch because this is how I'm explaining it. Say your chandelier's like this. The wires came down and across like that. So all you've

Hayley: Huh?

Hannah: is a bit of black fabric the way across, and I mean, like, a me- a meter and a half

Hayley: Oh.

Hannah: So

Hayley: Oh no

Hannah: you've got table, rows of this black fabric with the chandeliers, table. Do you see what I mean? So to me, I mean, everyone else was like, "Oh, you know, it's not massively noticeable."

Hannah: To me, I could just see black fabric

Hayley: that would stand out to me as well. I'd be like, "Oh."

Hannah: So she said to me, "This is how we always do it." And I was like, "Well, I've never noticed it in any of your pictures at, um, at this venue as well." And she was like, "Oh, no, it's just, um, that, that, that's how we do it. Maybe they cut it out the photos, or I don't know, maybe your eye just doesn't go towards it in the pictures," whatever. Well, no, I then found out from another supplier that the electrician had messed up and had had-- they had to have them rewired, and they hadn't done the wires long enough. So they're supposed to go all the way to the base of the floor,

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: would make sense. You'd then tape them all down and then back up the other side to the other chandelier.

Hannah: 'Cause

Hayley: Oh, no. Yeah, like on, it's almost a, yeah, like on a,

Hannah: Yeah,

Hayley: call it? You

Hannah: like a chain

Hayley: yeah, exactly. Oh, oh no

Hannah: I was really annoyed about it, I'm not gonna lie. But I wasn't really annoyed about it until later when I really looked at it. You know when you're busy in the

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: to me like, "Oh, you know, this is how..."

Hannah: And I was a bit like, "Whoa, why is that there?" And I kind of said to her about it, and she was like, "Well, that's how we always do it." I didn't really massively think about it until the room. And at that point, the tables were only in. We hadn't started

Hayley: Right

Hannah: didn't really think about it. And then later when the room was done, I was like, "That looks shit."

Hannah: Like, "Why is

Hayley: Oh no, what a shame

Hannah: I know. And that was the only thing.

Hayley: Why lie then and say that's how they always look?

Hannah: I don't know if they didn't notice it. I don't know whether I was just thinking too much into it. I don't know. But anyone that I asked was a bit like,

Hayley: Yes. Nah, not good

Hannah: not..." And I was just so confused 'cause I was like, "I've never seen this on

Hayley: No, no.

Hannah: So it was frustrating. And

Hayley: that they said, "Well, yeah, this is what they're always like," but, but that's a lie

Hannah: me that was like, should I... I kind of like beat myself up a little bit about it 'cause I was like, I should've kicked off a bit more about

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: But then at the same time, I was like, what could we

Hayley: What? Yeah, literally there's nothing

Hannah: If the, if it-- the, especially the fact that she told the supper supplier that it was purely down to the her- the electrician's fault.

Hannah: But she should've, and I need to call her. I haven't yet. I-- she should've rang me before and said, "Look, this has happened. Do you still want them? This is what we're gonna have to do." At least I would've been prepped

Hayley: Yeah. So you wouldn't have been like, whoa,

Hannah: like, well,

Hayley: you got no choice, have you either? You're kinda like, "Oh, oh my God, like, what, th- they're done now, and the...

Hannah: Exactly.

Hayley: do?"

Hannah: And it would've been an option then. You either don't have a more... 

Hayley: Yeah 

Hannah: my husband's an electrician. I was like, "Surely you could get an electrician." I said to him, "How long would it take you?" He's like, "You know, a couple hours work." Some- they could've got

Hayley: Yeah, sort 'em out.

Hannah: to come out and rewire

Hayley: I, I'm surprised as a supplier that they didn't wanna, like, get it sorted though, for their own pictures and their own reputation. Like

Hannah: in them photos, and everyone now

Hayley: Oh no.

Hannah: is gonna know. Whoops

Hayley: Oh no. And also black's the worst color

Hannah: If you're listening, I haven't named... This is what everyone kept saying.

Hayley: an eyesore, isn't it?

Hannah: thought because the stands are black that it would look okay. But she was trying to say to me, "Oh, you know, whenever I do it, I've done draping on them myself before, and you kind of drape down."

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: do draping."

Hannah: She was like, "Oh no, I don't do draping very well. These guys are much better than me." And I was thinking like, "What?" And then the

Hayley: What? What?

Hannah: to me like, "No way." Like, "No offense, but it's like trying to..." the saying? Polish a turd. They were like, "We can't really

Hayley: You can't polish a turd

Hannah: how she thought we'd be able to drape around that wire."

Hannah: Like, it just wouldn't,

Hayley: Thus you can't. It was just so bad, yeah. Crazy. That is mad

Hannah: Yeah. It's just, and it's just like a random wire. But th- but obviously she was trying to bullshit

Hayley: Yeah, of course.

Hannah: she

Hayley: She's panicking probably. Yeah

Hannah: 'Cause I think the couple would probably have just... I don't know. I don't know what they would've said.

Hayley: Thing is, you can, I think the best thing...

Hannah: had the conversation.

Hayley: the best thing to do though is to be honest, like surely. Like, just be like, "Look, this has happened." 'Cause then other people might come up with ideas

Hannah: to me and, like, didn't pre-warn

Hayley: Yeah. Because you might, you might have,

Hannah: found out

Hayley: been able to give us some solutions. Like you say, like should he have rung you in advance, you could've come back and been like, "Well, we could do this, this," or go...

Hayley: You know what I

Hannah: Exact- I'd

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: have been like, "My husband's an electrician. Turn up an hour earlier and I'll get him to come down and rewire

Hayley: Yeah,

Hannah: him,

Hayley: but

Hannah: Or, "I'm sure we can find a local electrician who will be able to do it." 'Cause what? Was she getting them rewired the day before? I highly doubt

Hayley: what I mean. Like, this has gotta have been a pre- f- m- m- a known thing before they came. Oh, oh dear Oh, God

Hannah: mean. Yeah, yeah. Yes. Yes. Unless they literally just didn't check 'em and realized. I don't know. But then where would they have got all this black fabric from?

Hayley: Yeah, no, no

Hannah: a very weird situation. I need to have a conversation with them about it, basically. But it's just... It was a bit, it was frustrating because it looked so amazing, and it-- because it was two tables, it almost blocked the table.

Hannah: It was like a screen almost then of black cloth.

Hayley: I feel really bad for it

Hannah: and the couple are, like, facing this black cloth. So then I had to move the speeches 'cause I'm like, "Jesus,

Hayley: Yeah, you don't want that,

Hannah: they can't even go out to see the person

Hayley: Oh my God. Oh no, what a shame.

Hannah: I

Hayley: Oh, why not just say beforehand so

Hannah: I

Hayley: something could have been sorted, or you could have said...

Hannah: amazing

Hayley: yeah

Hannah: day, looked incredible. So there we go. was the story of my week.

Hayley: Wow. Sounds stressful.

Hannah: Oh,

Hayley: Oh.

Hannah: to... I feel like I've spent the last two days on the same wedding, and I haven't got anything off, ticked off my

Hayley: Oh, that's frustrating. That is

Hannah: being raised, things coming in, things

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: Like, I'm not gonna lie, I'm really looking forward to getting these next couple of weeks out the

Hayley: Yeah. No, fair, fair play. Me and you are working on a wedding together on Saturday though.

Hannah: are this weekend. I feel like 'cause that one's done, kinda signed off. Chloe's doing some last-minute bits on it, but 'cause that one's kinda done, I kinda keep forgetting that that one's coming

Hayley: Yeah.

Hannah: You kinda get like that. The

Hayley: I know what you mean.

Hannah: like, done, and you're kind of focused on the...

Hannah: It's always weddings that are in, like, the next three, four weeks, they're the ones that y- that's, like, the top... Three, four weeks be- if you're weddings in three, four weeks, you'll know what I'm

Hayley: Yeah.

Hannah: is that's when everyone's like, "Oh, shit, invoices, insurance certificates, questions.

Hayley: the thing.

Hannah: do this?

Hannah: Oh, this isn't

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: it's always that time out. So

Hayley: I know.

Hannah: you

Hayley: It's hard, isn't it?

Hannah: before, and you're like, "Ah,

Hayley: Yeah, you're done.

Hannah: ready

Hayley: 'Cause everything's ticked-- Yeah, everything is ticked off and finalized, so then it's just a case of getting to the day. Like, yeah, exactly.

Hannah: forward to

Hayley: Yes. I'm,

Hannah: yeah.

Hayley: forward to, to creating some

Hannah: on Friday.

Hayley: wonderful flowers.

Hannah: air con is still not

Hayley: Oh, no.

Hannah: Well, where we're get- having the wedding, there's a

Hayley: Oh, you're going in... Yeah

Hannah: I've booked me car in, so while we're setting up on Friday, I'll g- the

Hayley: Oh my gosh. I love it. I'm basically coming to, um, supervise. Well, I'll be helping my da- my dad's coming to...

Hannah: sit in the

Hayley: My dad's setting it up, and he's also got the guy that works for him doing it, so they're gonna be, like, doing it, and I'm just gonna be like, "You need to move it this way, this way," whatever. And then, but, but the actual florals aren't coming in, on until, till Saturday morning.

Hayley: Although it has been cooler, thank the Lord.

Hannah: It has, I think it's g- looking like it's only gonna be about 20, 23 kind of

Hayley: Thank God.

Hannah: is perfect. And I might actually use to, like, ask your dad to help me move some tables if he doesn't mind once you're done.

Hayley: You can ask him.

Hannah: It'll only take us 10 minutes. to be fair, I think I'll be all

Hayley: I'm joking.

Hannah: I might, I might ask him.

Hayley: this week we are doing our this or that, 'cause last week

Hannah: Yes.

Hayley: bit of a tangent. So we- we're doing the this or that this week.

Hannah: episode. That

Hayley: did, yeah. So that's fine. You can forgive us.

Hannah: can

Hayley: No,

Hannah: add to

Hayley: please

Hannah: Um, I heard someone saying, which is a very good point, they think the reason that she got married where she got married is because the security had to be so high

Hayley: okay. Okay.

Hannah: that

Hayley: That does make sense actually

Hannah: Apparently security at that place is huge, and like if they'd have gone off to some remote island, they would've had people like paparazzi there

Hayley: okay.

Hannah: rocking up and like...

Hayley: must, yeah

Hannah: gone to a remote island, but if they'd have gone to like Italy, you

Hayley: Yeah.

Hannah: would've been surrounding

Hayley: That's a good point actually. They must have had decent security 'cause nothing's come out. Like, no, there's no been, like, nothing really

Hannah: Yeah, there you go.

Hayley: No. Yeah, this or that. So this, this week we were doing, um, we asked you guys, are you using only recommended suppliers from your venue's list, or are you finding your own, and why?

Hayley: So, um, it's quite a common thing with some venues that

Hayley: they, they basically stipulate that you have to use suppliers off of their list, or they give you a recommended list, or, you know, some people-- some venues are quite fluid. They don't mind, do they? They'll have whatever. Um, and yeah, basically, I, I was quite sur- Well, not surprised, but a, a lot of you said that you were gonna not use the supplier's list.

Hannah: Hey,

Hayley: yeah, mainly people were gonna go off and find their own and, um... Well, we'll-- I'll go, yeah.

Hannah: we've spoke

Hayley: Yeah.

Hannah: we? About how we would

Hayley: Exactly. So I'll just go...

Hannah: because our listeners are listening

Hayley: Yeah, that's it. We have had a lot of que- um, e- messages, emails in lately where people are like, "Thank you so much. I took your advice, and we've done this." And it's like,

Hannah: We

Hayley: so good. So good.

Hannah: What can we

Hayley: But I'll just go through the

Hannah: Yes

Hayley: answers. So, um, so we've got... Oh, so, so first of all, someone says, "Yes, we are, because otherwise they charge you 500 pounds if..."

Hannah: in they are using their suppliers.

Hayley: Yeah, 'cause I have seen, there's a venue I know, uh, uh, very well that does that to their...

Hannah: Did I work there last year? Maybe. Ha

Hayley: Aha.

Hannah: ha.

Hayley: Um,

Hannah: I just

Hayley: yeah, please

Hannah: venues do that is 'cause they get a kickback from the suppliers, just saying

Hayley: okay. I see

Hannah: Which can bring down your venue costs, so it can help you if you're happy to use their suppliers

Hayley: I wonder if some... Do you know, I'll go through the answers, then we'll go through it with our own things, 'cause there's so...

Hannah: Yeah

Hayley: We've spoke about it before, haven't we? But it, it's just interesting to see what other people have said. So, um, so someone else says, "No, we're not using their suppliers. We got all our own through researching via socials," which seems to be the done thing now, I think.

Hannah: Yep

Hayley: Um, someone says, "A bit of both. One sup- supplier through the venue and the others we found ourselves through research."

Hayley: Someone else says, "A bit of both." Um, so does somebody else. "A mix. The ones on the venue's list are coincidence. We've chosen them all ourselves." Ah, okay, cool.

Hannah: I think that is quite normal to have a mix, especially at venues where they're like... I mean, it's very normal, guys, for a venue to say you have to use this

Hayley: I was gonna say,

Hannah: have to... You know, there's certain things. And if you go at a historical venue or a tourist attraction, even like down to your florist and stuff, because they need to have people on site that understand.

Hannah: Like for example, if you get married at The Orangery at Kensington, for ex- just one off the top

Hayley: yep

Hannah: been working on that today. Um, it-- you can't get in till 5:00 'cause they need florists that understand how q- quick and

Hayley: Yeah.

Hannah: and the, the regulations they've got

Hayley: that's it, yeah

Hannah: so there's like certain plants you can't have, certain

Hayley: Yep

Hannah: have.

Hannah: So, you know, it's easier for them

Hayley: Yeah. That's so true. Also, um, I remember you did that one in, at the, um, Eden Project, didn't you? And they needed to have

Hannah: You have to have

Hayley: Had to be checked off, the flowers and stuff, 'cause of like

Hannah: all have to put under the

Hayley: vir- yeah.

Hannah: to it. She

Hayley: Yeah. So you really, in that c- in that scenario, you want somebody that's clued up on it.

Hannah: Yeah, definitely

Hayley: someone says, "No, I wanna do my own research to ensure I get the right vibe, especially my photographer and videographer."

Hannah: Yeah.

Hayley: fair.

Hannah: So I think that's such a personal

Hayley: Yeah, they, uh,

Hannah: me when... Well, it's not irri- this isn't-- I don't think there's any many venues out there that like you have to use these photographers and videographers, but they do give you a recommended supplier list, and I do think if you've got-- if there's someone there that you do like, great.

Hannah: But I do think it's so personal to

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: also think with photographer, videographer, it is someone to get someone-- nice to get someone that's not worked at the venue before 'cause they see it from a different

Hayley: Yeah.

Hannah: shots to what

Hayley: So it's not like just generic, you know, cut and paste wedding kind of thing.

Hannah: Yeah, yeah, yeah

Hayley: Um, I didn't use any of the recommended suppliers. It felt like a mates game, so I did my own research.

Hannah: Nice.

Hayley: A bit of both. It's great when they know the venue but some just aren't our vibe. So

Hannah: Yeah.

Hayley: I mean,

Hannah: There you go

Hayley: the thing is with when obviously you get suppliers that are paying to be on a list as well, I...

Hayley: Sometimes, you know, like they're putting it onto the customer, that cost. Like, or you'll get char- for example, some venues charge the suppliers to be, like a commission out of the wed- out of the wedding cost. But that mon- that cost is, is going to the couple at the end of the day. Like they're gonna, you know.

Hayley: So I always find that a little bit icky. I don't know. Although I do completely understand, like we've just said, when you've got a historical venue or a venue that's, um, s- like, um, what's, what's the word where it's like protected or... Do you know what I mean? And then like you can't use certain stuff on the f- you know, certain f-

Hannah: it's important,

Hayley: I think it is, and I think you should go for it.

Hayley: But sometimes when you just get your, your venue that's like, "No, you have to use this and..."

Hannah: have,

Hayley: I don't know, or you'll get charged.

Hannah: it's all right. Like I said, I think it can keep your venue costs down, and it's all right if that supplier doesn't then charge you. Like say for a photographer, say they've got it on their website, they charge three grand, and

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: charging you three grand, they're not charging that extra 20%, then cool. Um,

Hayley: your thoughts on it? Obviously, you have to do a lot of looking for suppliers for people and

Hannah: mix. I think, like I say, photographer, things like that is very

Hayley: Personal,

Hannah: I think sometimes some of the stuff you don't really care about is just easier. Like the bar company, it's just easier to use the one that knows the venue. Um, you know, little things like that, or even like hair and makeup or...

Hannah: I don't know. Sometimes it's just easier to just go, "Oh yeah, I'll just use them

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: you having to do your own research. But yeah, I think some-- I think it's nice to use a lot of suppliers outside of that list because, um, yeah, you're

Hayley: Then you get a different vibe, don't you?

Hannah: yeah,

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: But we also understand that-- I also think a sup- recommended suppliers list is a very good place to look, and I'm a recommended supplier on a lot of

Hayley: yeah, exactly. Yeah. Yep

Hannah: Because I think that, um, you know, that, that venue knows them, they trust them, they like

Hayley: There's a rapport, isn't there?

Hannah: yeah, there's a reason that they're recommending them.

Hannah: And I think it's okay to ask your venue why you're recommending them. Are they paying? What really infuriates me is when you just see these little venues that don't really understand the wedding industry, and they just put out on like Facebook like, "Oh, who wants to go on our recommended suppliers list?"

Hannah: I actually Was one of these people many, many years ago. So when I first worked in hotels, this guy, we-- I started at this work at this hotel where it was like they did hardly any weddings. They wanted to build up their wedding business, so they asked me to come on board. So I basically went and worked on growing their wedding business. We had to get a new brochure, and I had like fuck all marketing budget, right? So this guy, company rocks up one day, and it's like, "Oh, we can make you a wedding brochure. You don't have to pay for it. The suppliers pay for it." So I was like, "Okay, great."

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: went out to loads of random wedding suppliers, got them to pay for an advert, and then we got the brochure for free.

Hannah: But those suppliers are then advertising in that

Hayley: Yep

Hannah: I didn't get any say in that. But obviously I didn't... At the time I was very new. I was like fairly new in the industry. I was only been in it for a couple of years, and also I just needed a free brochure. And it-- this was 15 years ago, so you needed br- hardback

Hayley: yeah

Hannah: was no freaking Canva making your own brochure back then. And you know, if I wanted hard copy, it was you putting it in the post and stuff. You weren't, um, emailing it out, 

Hayley: Yep, yep

Hannah: um, yeah. I, I, I but that's what irritates me is when I see that on Facebook. But actually infuriates me, especially like wedding fair companies and stuff as well, and venues that, "Oh, we're doing a wedding fair.

Hayley: Uh

Hannah: your links below if you wanna attend. 50 quid a stand or whatever." Or, yeah, "If you wanna... We're, we're a new business, a new venue. We wanna set up a recommended suppliers list. Like, put your links below." And I'm like, "What are you, what are you doing to vet these people, though?"

Hayley: that's the thing, isn't it? It's not...

Hannah: You-- so you're just trying to fill v- like fill spaces at a wedding fair, and then, uh, the pro of them coming to the wedding fair is that they are then like, "Oh, yeah, they're a recommended supplier." But also, to me, having suppliers at a wedding fair, to me, that makes them a recommended supplier from

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: Because if you-- someone's coming to your wedding fair, and there's a photographer there, you think, "Well, they're here

Hayley: 'Cause I've been...

Hannah: really good photographer, not just 'cause you've shoved it on Facebook and he was available."

Hayley: Yeah. The thing you c-- you

Hannah: would actually ask, like from a list or from a

Hayley: Why are you? Yeah

Hannah: these people before? Do you know them? 'Cause like I work with so many venues. Like Calmarsh Hall, for example, I used to work with them a hell of a lot with a catering company, and they know and love all their suppliers so much that they'll be like, "We really love them.

Hannah: We love working with them. They're really great." And they know them enough to be like, "They'd be really good at, at

Hayley: To,

Hannah: that,"

Hayley: t- yes, exactly.

Hannah: this style of

Hayley: And that's what you're looking for when you want a recommendation, is a genuine recommendation, not

Hannah: Exactly.

Hayley: we've just gone out and picked

Hannah: thing or yeah, they're paying or that it's... You know, and again, there are venues, there's big historical venues that the, it's called like a tender,

Hayley: Yes. Yes

Hannah: to be on their list.

Hannah: But the, the, the process is like crazy. Like the amount of information you have to give them. You have to go in and meet them, you have to show them your work. Like, it's insane, like how in-depth it is. So great. But yeah, just makes you wonder how in-depth everybody goes with these

Hayley: So true. So true

Hannah: why do you have this recommended suppliers list?

Hannah: Does this-- 'Cause I, I've ran venues where I've had recommended suppliers list, but it's purely based on people I liked working with. So I think ask the question

Hayley: Yeah, I, I agree. I think you should definitely be asking and digging deeper, 'cause I don't, I don't think people feel like they can.

Hannah: No

Hayley: they feel like, oh, you know, it's there, I should just trust it, you know, whatever. I guess I have to go with it. But you don't. You can ask. You're well within your rights, and you should.

Hannah: Definitely

Hayley: But yeah, I just thought I, I liked asking that one actually. It was g- it was good to know what people thought.

Hannah: what people are doing. It's good to know that

Hayley: Yeah.

Hannah: the

Hayley: Exactly.

Hannah: Should we go onto listeners' questions and messages?

Hayley: Yeah, let's do it

Hannah: "Hi, Hannah and Hayley. I love your podcast." Thank you so much.

Hayley: Thank you

Hannah: and I are already legally married. We had a lovely elopement at Li- Liverpool City Hall with our best friends and our siblings, but now I'm planning our big wedding for next summer. I want to

Hayley: Two

Hannah: thank you for a couple of things. I've got a day-of coordinator and an amazing baker instead of at a-- getting an M&S cake after listening to your

Hayley: Oh, yeah

Hannah: couple of slightly random questions, and I'm sure I'll have more in the run-up to the wedding. We're getting married at 5:00 PM, and I saw an idea of cutting the cake right after the ceremony. I love the idea of having cake and champagne, but I wonder if it'll work for our timing." I did this a few weeks ago with

Hayley: Did you?

Hannah: couple.

Hayley: really like the sound of this, to be honest with you

Hannah: Yeah, so they, they, they did the ceremony. They exited their ceremony. They went off together for a few minutes while we got everyone into the drinks reception area, got them all crowded around the cake. Then the couple entered from a different door to a song that the sax was playing. They went straight over to the cake, cut the cake, and then actually we served it as their dessert.

Hannah: But I have done this, I did it another time last year, where we did then cut it up and serve it with the champagne during the

Hayley: That's cool

Hannah: The only thing is you do need probably about 20, 30 minutes

Hayley: Yeah. Get it.

Hannah: But you can do your savory canapes and then do

Hayley: That's so true. I love that. I really

Hannah: Yeah. Yeah, the only thing is I don't know about cake before meal.

Hannah: I'm not sure

Hayley: Oh yeah, sweet before savory. That's true

Hannah: I don't know. But I do like the idea of cutting it. The only thing is I'll say that this couple that I had, their cake was insane,

Hayley: Yeah.

Hannah: really saw it.

Hayley: Oh

Hannah: And, and we like went to town on the

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: were amazing.

Hannah: That was all she was bothered about, but I don't feel like the guests really

Hayley: Got to appreciate it. Yeah

Hannah: thing I'd say. So pros and cons. Um, "We'll be having dinner, a charcuterie board type thing, but more substantial than lots of food at

Hayley: Oh

Hannah: so would serving up cake at 5:30 be okay?" I mean, yeah, but you're getting married at 5:00, so your cake's not gonna be served at 5:30 'cause your ceremony will be 5:00 to 5:30.

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: you got you in, do the cake cutting, it's then gonna be quarter to 6:00.

Hayley: So it's

Hannah: by the time the caterers cut it up, it's gonna be quarter past 6:00, so you're then edging into your charcuterie time.

Hayley: Shock every time.

Hannah: Charcuterie time.

Hayley: Oh, no

Hannah: But you could do it as dessert

Hayley: Yeah, I like that idea as dessert. That's cool,

Hannah: There you go. But if you spent all your money on your cake and you got a really nice

Hayley: Yeah. Mm.

Hannah: So you can see. Unless your cake is in the area, which is a bit strange. I don't think it would be. Or like in the cere- the area where you stand before the ceremony, so people have seen

Hayley: Yeah

Hannah: But if it's in a different area, then, you know. Um, the other question is about drinks. We don't have the budget to do an open bar, and we don't really want to as my husband is sober and quite a few of our friends and family are too, so we don't want to be really boozy. How would you recommend providing a few drinks? The venue is a licensed venue with its own bar. I don't like the idea of putting cash behind the bar, but I d- drinks tokens are tacky. They remind me a bit of work events. That might just be me. I've said this

Hayley: It's a little token

Hannah: Yeah. It reminds me of like...

Hayley: at Christmas works do

Hannah: tokens. I also don't like... I even feel like you either do open bar or you don't. I don't like that whole, you've got some money behind the bar. You know that as a guest, if you go up to the bar and you get a free drink, and then later on you go back up and then you've gotta pay for it.

Hayley: Yeah. So are they not having... 'Cause if they're

Hannah: It's a bit awkward

Hayley: doing a, like a, a drinks reception or something like that, are they? Or they have, are they saying what, what drinks should we have out on the tables or? I'm a little

Hannah: We've got a bunch of-- we really want-- Yeah, no, I think they're saying about bar. But yeah, no, good point there because, yeah, why don't you just do a drinks package? So you'll cut your few drinks that you're saying, how do you recommend providing a few drinks? We'll just do a couple of drinks for

Hayley: like welcome drinks or something like that.

Hannah: of wine on the table with your

Hayley: Yeah.

Hannah: or whatever it is

Hayley: Ma- that's enough.

Hannah: Yeah

Hayley: that's what people are-- I would say people expect that over a f- over free

Hannah: Free

Hayley: bar. I think, I think the done thing is to have like some wine on the table, isn't it? Or

Hannah: Definitely,

Hayley: drink or a, you know, drinks except- something like that rather than actually a free bar.

Hayley: I think it's, like you say, it gets a bit like messy, doesn't it? If you've got... Here's-- 'cause then again-- and you're gonna have to do some kind of token because otherwise how's the bar gonna know? Like, so, so if I were to avoid that, I would just like you say, get a drinks package and

Hannah: I

Hayley: yeah

Hannah: quite norm- like I w- I, if I was going to a wedding, I'd kind of expect, yeah, there

Hayley: You would.

Hannah: an

Hayley: Some,

Hannah: one,

Hayley: yeah, you would, yeah.

Hannah: you toast for

Hayley: Yeah, and it doesn't have to necess- you know, you get elderflower cordial and,

Hayley: like, soda wa-

Hannah: have your non-alc,

Hayley: to do... Let's get absolutely...

Hannah: in your

Hayley: Yeah, like re- yes

Hannah: 'Cause you could do like a Hugo spritz for drinkers, elderflower spritz for non-drinkers, like a, a non-alcoholic Hugo

Hayley: Yeah.

Hannah: to make.

Hayley: Good point.

Hannah: right now. Aperol, like you were

Hayley: Oh, the Cordino stuff.

Hannah: yeah. So have, yeah, just do that.

Hayley: Yeah, that'd be fine

Hannah: You do two drinks in the drinks reception, half bottle of wine is the norm per person for meal, toast drink, that's five drinks people have already

Hayley: And I think that's fair.

Hannah: 100%.

Hayley: don't think you need to worry about doing the money behind the, like, free bar. Yeah. Yeah

Hannah: "Thank you so much. I love your podcast." Well,

Hayley: Oh, thank

Hannah: much. We love

Hayley: you. Thank you.

Hannah: Let us know if you've got any other questions

Hayley: Thank you so much. Well, that's it for us today, guys. You know where you can catch us. We are on socials, we're on Instagram, we're on TikTok, we're on YouTube, so

Hannah: Yes.

Hayley: like us, subscribe to our channel.

 

Hannah: There you go

Hayley: The links to find us on social is @letsgetyouwedpodcast and on YouTube is Let's Get You Wed podcast as well. And you can email us with your questions at letsgetyouwedpodcast@gmail.com.​