I'm Annie, the creative mind behind Love Made Me Weddings, where I've been (hopefully!) creating wedding magic in London for the past 4 years. Before London, I was fortunate enough to learn the core of my wedding planning skills on the job, fresh from university, on the stunning shores of Lake Como with WeddingBox Lake Como.

What sets Love Made Me Weddings apart is our collaboration with a vast variety of venues and suppliers across London. We are always eager to work with new venues and suppliers. Some of the past venues we have had the pleasure of planning events at include Syon Park, Shoreditch Studios, Soho House, The Serpentine Galleries, Daylesford Farm, Cannizaro Park Wimbledon, Fitzrovia Chapel, and numerous marquees (!). It's incredible to witness the area's wealth of venues and creative minds. Despite the diverse venues and suppliers, what I truly love is to see each couple put their stamp and style into their wedding day. The variety is simply gorgeous and perfectly aligns with our motto: "Forget what the Joneses had at their wedding... Celebrate your love, the way you want to.". 

 

Photo credit - Jonny MP

 

Have you ever had any extraordinary requests that you have either had to turn down or that you have loved and embraced?

- A marching band through the streets of London at Christmas time from the Town Hall ceremony to the reception venue; very 'Love Actually' energy.
- A bride who asked, last minute, for piano hire and sung her vows (a very professional and impressive full length song!).
- A best friend as the celebrant in a bright pink suit and silver headdress.
- A huge dancing Chinese dragon leading guests from canapé reception to dining.
- 52 disco balls.
- Magic spells performed by the children & dry ice during the ceremony.
- A surprise pop-up operatic performance, including ladders & tango dancers, during the wedding breakfast.
- And so so many more!

 

Photo credit - Westlake Studio

 

How do you make sure that the planning process is enjoyable and stress-free for the couple?

I ask them, right from the start, how they best work and would prefer to do things. Sometimes that means scheduling monthly Zoom calls, sometimes it's throughout the day via email or usually, it's a mix of the two. I make sure if there are any periods where they might be too busy with work, or on a stunning holiday somewhere, that we have either done the work before or, have enough time once they can come back to planning afterwards to create the wedding together and avoid a rush at the end. It's always the aim to have everything sorted and planned 6 weeks before the big day!

 

Photo credit - Carr + Senteno

 

If wedding planning were an Olympic sport, what would be your signature move or winning technique?

The Flow! It's all about the flow: no bored guests, no pauses in the music, no hungry stomachs or overly sober dancers... with good timeline planning + an understanding on the day for the moments when keeping to schedule isn't important (let them all dance a bit longer!) or when it is a bit more vital to keep the day going (sunset time for those perfect photos!), you can make any wedding day seamless.

 

Photo credit - Chloe Lee

 

If you could hand down three wedding planning tips to a younger, inexperienced planner, just starting out in their career, what would they be?

- Be yourself and be authentic. You are working with a couple who will value honesty and someone they
can talk openly with above all else.
- Always be looking ahead to what needs to be done next, during planning & on the day.
- Never rush the couple on the day - work around them if needed, let them enjoy themselves (and the
guests too!)

 

Photo credit - Carr + Senteno

 

Which wedding traditions are outdated and may be best to retire in your opinion?

All of them and none of them. There isn't a rule that says weddings must have this and that, but, if you'd really like to include a/some specific wedding tradition(s) into your day, you absolutely must and no questions asked!

 

Photo credit - Danielle Li

 

What's your secret to staying organized when you must be juggling so many balls at the same time? How do you not lose your mind?

When you don't have a wedding or wedding-related appointment (e.g. site visit, florist appointment) at the weekend, make sure you have a real, no work, weekend. Taking time off means you can spend better quality time 'on'.

 

Photo credit - Jonny MP