Open up and have fun!

While out promoting an event recently it struck me just how many people are missing the opportunity for great things to happen in their lives or just quite simply, missing the chance to have fun.

In today's society where we are all suspicious of each others motives some of us find it hard to open ourselves up to new opportunities that could literally change our lives. Let me share with you what happened.

Myself and a colleague were distributing flyers for some great events coming up over the next few months. The sun was shining and people were going about their daily routine. The majority of people smiled politely or even engaged in conversation before taking a leaflet and reading what the events were all about. However sadly there was a very small proportion of people who refused to take a leaflet without even knowing what it was about. Now remember I wasn't collecting money or asking for donations. I was just giving out information for some brand new events that were already getting a lot of interest.

Of course taking the leaflet wasn't necessarily going to change their lives dramatically at that moment, but they didn't know that. There was every chance that that leaflet could have had a message telling them to pick up £100 as part of a promotion. But because they refused to make eye contact and firmly said 'no thank you', they would never know. Yet these are the very same people that would feel that life was always handing them lemons and nothing exciting ever happens to them.

How many times have we done this in our lives? Dismiss an idea before finding out exactly what it is and making an informed decision? Lucky people who live exciting lives are only lucky because they open up to opportunities every day. They look the world squarely in the eye and grab what it has to offer. If it doesn't fit right they let it go and open up to other opportunities.



Life can be difficult, but our choice is to either focus on the difficulties or get out there and grab our share of fun! If you need some help with the later PAB Events have a whole load of ideas we can share with you!

Paula
Wedding & Events Creator at PAB Events

Did someone say Budget Wedding?

Read on for your chance to win........

We all know wedding celebrations are special. I have yet to meet a bride that didn't want her wedding to be 'wow!' and have all the elements of making her feel like a princess for the day. So it's not surprising that when the words 'budget wedding' are mentioned there is a sinking feeling that the celebrations are going turn out looking a little bit cheap.

As females we are all conditioned into dreaming about stately country manors, extensive grounds, grand sweeping staircases and all things sparkly when it comes to arranging a wedding day. And all this doesn't quite fit with the word 'budget'. Or does it?

I have been in the business long enough to create some stunning weddings. All of my brides come to me and give me an idea of how much they want to spend. Sometimes almost apologetically if they feel the figure is low in comparison with their expectations. And of course it is if they approach the arrangements without any experience.

Then there are others who are initially defensive, certain that the only way they can achieve their budget goal is by micro managing an army of people who have promised to help out at little or no cost, but are not necessarily experts in the roles they are offering. This often results in a stressed out bride running around at the last minute trying to get everything done while smoothing away all the rough edges. So what's the answer?

Let me give you my definition of a budget wedding. It is a wedding where you have set a maximum level of spend - high or low- to create one of the most memorable and fantastic days of your life. Now you may have noticed that my definition doesn't mention the elements of the day. You see the elements of your day isn't affected by budget. It's affected by the experience and expertise of the people involved. The range of options offered by PAB Events Wedding Clinic encourages each and very bride to be unique regardless of spend. This is why we have spent years getting to know some of the best suppliers around and tailoring products and services that create the 'wow' factor without the 'ouch' factor!

Now for the competition......

As we enter 2012 I am on a mission to wave my magic wand over 'do it yourself' budget weddings. I have added a number of new services to the Wedding Clinic package one of which is the Budget Wedding SOS Calls. I have 2 of these to give away for a period of 3 months starting in February 2012. All you need to do is to answer one simple question. What would make your budget wedding WOW? Email me at Paula@pabevents.co.uk typing ' budget wedding wow' in the subject box. Closing date for entries is Jan 15th 2012. Please keep your answers short and sweet!

Good luck!
The Wedding Doctor

P.s. Winners will be informed by email after the closing date but before 1st February 2012

Let's hold hands!

Well maybe not literally but we've all heard of the saying 'there's safety in numbers'

For many of us the whole reason that we start out on our self employed journey is to follow a dream and to establish a sense of freedom. When I left my 9 to 5 over 6 years ago I was walking on air. The possibilities were endless now that I was my own boss and finally I would get the chance to make real decisions!

I wasn't disappointed. To this day I still feel that sense of excitement when I start a new day. But the greatest asset to my business is the people I have met along the way and the people that I currently surround myself with.

Throughout the years I learnt that creating a successful business on my own would be impossible. In the early days all I needed was the courage to explain accurately what I had to offer and then have someone believe in me enough to hire me. Then as I began to make my mark not only did people want to hire me but they were telling other people to hire me too!

As I look back over the past 6 years of my business there is lots of evidence that great things happen when great people got together. Not necessarily in partnership. Sometimes just in ideas, encouragement and advice. Throw in a number of referrals and the formula is complete. That's why I have created the FAB Dynamics 'family' exclusively for unique and outstanding suppliers in the wedding & events industry. It's a natural environment to 'hold hands' and continue to build business together.

If you are an outstanding wedding and events supplier email me at paula@pabevents.co.uk to find out how you can be a part of something special!

The rise & rise of the Chair Cover!!

I feel the need to write a blog about these things that seem to be appearing everywhere in all shape and sizes. Brides are going mad for them!

I have to agree that when you walk into a room and all the chairs look exactly the same finished with a colour sash that compliments the colour scheme, it looks absolutely stunning. Gone are the look of worn out chairs, chairs that need cleaning or chairs that don't match the style or look that the bride is trying to achieve.

So far so good.

What I find baffling is that every man and his dog appear to be providing chair covers. Beauticians, cake providers, wedding car providers etc etc. Regardless of whether it has a good fit (pardon the pun) with an existing business everyone has jumped on the band wagon to provide something that is some cases is being seen by suppliers as easy money. Buy the chair covers, hire them out and hey presto! Watch the £s rolling in.

I don't think so.

Chair covers are meant to make a venue look stunning so if your are a bride looking for the perfect chair covers consider the following as well as the price per chair. The price per chair should represent value for money in every way:

Quality - Whether stretch or linen covers are used they must look good both from afar and close up

Fitting - This isn't as easy as it looks. Once the cover is fitted (and there are different sizes based on the chair) the bow of the sash has to be tied in such a way that the bow sits flat. Every chair should look the same

Man power - fitting 100 plus chair covers with sashes is no joke. Don't under estimate how long it will take.

Up keep - Chair covers and sashes need to be cleaned after every use and checked for damage and replaced when necessary. The last thing you need are chair covers with holes and hanging hems

Storage - They need to be kept in clean and dry conditions

Sashes - As wedding colours get more and more demanding a business cannot be limited to standard colour sashes. Choices need to be in abundance!

Who knows how long the chair cover craze will be around for but while it lasts choose your supplier carefully. Ask to see a sample before making a decision.

Chair covers by PAB Events Wedding Clinic are provided and fitted from £2 per chair and meet all of the above criteria.

It's Christmas 2011!

Let's party it's Christmas!

Well you know how it is. One minute you are trying to get your head around the British summer and the next you are knee deep in snow singing Auld Lan Syne! So what did you miss in between? Christmas of course!

Although it may be hard to believe, Christmas celebrations sometimes becomes an after thought when someone suddenly realises that December is fast approaching and all the parties worth going to are fully booked. Not only that but you are only left with options that you have to take out a small loan in order to afford it! It is at this point that whoever had the unfortunate responsibility of sorting the Christmas arrangements out slips into panic mode and reverts to arranging something much the same as last year and the year before that!

Don't get me wrong. If you enjoyed a venue last year there is nothing wrong with booking it again if you really want to but it should be your choice.

So what makes a great party?

Definitely people! Great company can liven up the dullest party so open up your invites to a wider group!

Fabulous entertainment. This doesn't mean you have to book a 10 piece band and an elaborate floor show. A DJ who oozes personality and understands his party goers can be just as good

Great food. Not always a priority for Christmas parties but I certainly love good food. A Christmas celebration shouldn't just mean a luke warm slice of turkey, some cranberry sauce and a few vegetables! Quality caterers and a bit of imagination can still embrace the Christmas menu while adding a little bit extra

Accessible venue. Ever wondered why no one can be bothered to turn up to a great party you've organised? Consider it's location. You may think a town centre venue is the best but most of the potential attendees would prefer to be out of the hectic bustle of town. Or you may have found the perfect venue that offers a great Christmas party package but is in an area that no one has heard of. Ask people what they want or Consider hiring a mini bus if necessary

Here at PAB Events we love organising a party so if it all gets too much for you just give us a call and tell us your budget. Then all you have to do is decide what to wear to the best party in town!!

Take a look at our party packs

What to put in the Wedding Itinerary

It's that busy time of year again where I spend a record amount of my time creating the itinerary for wedding couple's special day.

The itinerary is a guideline. It is meant to help you feel at ease that everything has been accounted for and key players have an anchor to refer to.

My itinerarys are pretty complex because they are made up of a preparation section, an entertainment section, a decor section.......and so it goes on. I also include suppliers requirements including arrival times, special requests from the bride etc. Then I go through it all with everyone involved to make sure that no 2 individual requirements clash in a way that will cause havoc on the day of the wedding.

Creating an itinerary for your big day is an absolute must if you want to keep track of who should be where and when. But be careful not to fall into the trap of setting such strict timescales that you start to have a mini nervous break down when some activities don't run exactly to schedule! That is why it is advisable to pass on the responsibility to someone else. Regardless of who this person is make sure that you have complete confidence that they not only understand what is important to you but also have the ability to to handle any problems along the way. They also need to be prepared to do some running around on the day to check instructions are being carried out. A friend or relative with management skills is a safe bet but failing that, call the Wedding Doctor and ask about my Wedding Day Co-ordination Package!

Some useful things to remember to include in your itinerary:

Mobile telephone numbers of all the suppliers
Running order of the day
Arrival/delivery times of each supplier
Delivery of all personal items to the reception venue
Arrival times of bridal party to the reception venue
Point of contact for the suppliers when they arrive

Most importantly remember to enjoy your wedding day!

Wedding Budgets

As the Wedding Doctor my key role is to create a healthy stress free environment for couples that is filled with clarity, individuality and above all a budget they feel comfortable with.

In my opionion the budget should always be the starting point to wedding plans because there is no hard and fast rule about how much a wedding should cost. A lot of people talk about averages being between £15,000 & £20,000 but how is this defined? Most importantly if you are a bride to be how do these figures make you feel? If your stomach suddenly tightens in knots and you are breaking into a sweat, don't worry you are not alone. On the other hand if you feel like you have the wind beneath your wings and probably have the majority of the money accounted for then go for your life!

You see it's what you feel comfortable with. No one else, just you. Having an amazing wedding has very little to do with how much you spend on it. True you plan to do this only once and therefore you want to make a big impact. So let's do it! Set your budget no matter how small (or big!) you think it is, make some notes on how you see your dream wedding, then give me a call. My job is to throw in years of experience and make it fit. What have you got to lose? Tom & Carly and Naomi & Ricardo did. Check out the PAB Events web site to see what they had to say...