Our Planning Blog

Join our Founder and CEO Val Mattinson for news, event and wedding planning advice, design and styling inspiration.


Often working with newly engaged couples in the early stages of their wedding planning journey, we provide an attentive, personal service from the moment you get in touch. While you can rely on us to take care of every detail, if you need help to kickstart your plans or you’re further along on your wedding planning journey and need a little advice on a specific issue, our SOS Planning Consultation is the perfect solution.

SOS Planning Consultation - A Little help When You Need it Most

Often working with newly engaged couples in the early stages of their wedding planning journey, we provide an attentive, personal service from the moment you get in touch. While you can rely on us to take care of every detail, if you need help to kickstart your plans or you’re further along on your wedding planning journey and need a little advice on a specific issue, our SOS Planning Consultation is the perfect solution.

Jan 15 2024


A wedding weekend or multi-day celebration is your chance to extend one of the happiest days of your life and spend even more time celebrating. Although anyone can host a wedding weekend, they’re particularly popular among people getting married overseas. If you and your guests are travelling a significant distance, it makes sense to maximise your trip by planning various events and gatherings for the duration of your stay.

How to Plan a Wedding Weekend

A wedding weekend or multi-day celebration is your chance to extend one of the happiest days of your life and spend even more time celebrating. Although anyone can host a wedding weekend, they’re particularly popular among people getting married overseas. If you and your guests are travelling a significant distance, it makes sense to maximise your trip by planning various events and gatherings for the duration of your stay.

Nov 16 2023


In simple terms, an experiential event is one that seeks to immerse guests in an experience. It’s not an event you simply attend and observe. By engaging all the senses, it can be experienced on several levels, creating more impact and making it more memorable for everyone involved.

How to Engage the Senses and Create an Incredible Guest Experience

In simple terms, an experiential event is one that seeks to immerse guests in an experience. It’s not an event you simply attend and observe. By engaging all the senses, it can be experienced on several levels, creating more impact and making it more memorable for everyone involved.

Aug 16 2023


This September, my husband and I will have been married 29 years. I don’t need much of an excuse to talk about our wedding day. It was truly wonderful, and I've asked my husband many times if we can do it all over again! Today, I thought I’d share some of the details and a few things I’ve learned about marriage since that memorable day…

Memories of Our Wedding and 3 Things I’d Tell My Engaged Self

This September, my husband and I will have been married 29 years. I don’t need much of an excuse to talk about our wedding day. It was truly wonderful, and I've asked my husband many times if we can do it all over again! Today, I thought I’d share some of the details and a few things I’ve learned about marriage since that memorable day…

Jul 13 2023


Tom Warner is the Founder of London's award-winning acoustic roaming band The Travelling Hands. In this guest post, Tom explains how a roaming band can transform the atmosphere during your wedding day by providing an immersive experience for you and your guests. After all, you deserve to party from start to finish on your wedding day, so why wait until the evening?

How Roaming Entertainment Can Break The Ice and Get Your Wedding Party Started BEFORE You Reach The Dancefloor!

Tom Warner is the Founder of London's award-winning acoustic roaming band The Travelling Hands. In this guest post, Tom explains how a roaming band can transform the atmosphere during your wedding day by providing an immersive experience for you and your guests. After all, you deserve to party from start to finish on your wedding day, so why wait until the evening?

Jul 07 2023


You’ve read all the advice and you’re pretty sure you want to hire a wedding planner. Not only is it a significant investment, but it’s also a deeply personal one. You’re going to be working closely with someone during a particularly special time of your life. The result is going to be a day you’ll never forget.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Wedding Planner

You’ve read all the advice and you’re pretty sure you want to hire a wedding planner. Not only is it a significant investment, but it’s also a deeply personal one. You’re going to be working closely with someone during a particularly special time of your life. The result is going to be a day you’ll never forget.

Jul 04 2023


A corporate event is any event sponsored or hosted by a business. They can focus on either clients or employees, and they can be large or small, simple or elaborate.

5 Reasons to Host a Corporate Party or Event

A corporate event is any event sponsored or hosted by a business. They can focus on either clients or employees, and they can be large or small, simple or elaborate.

Jun 13 2023


Along with a good meal, enjoying a few drinks tends to be something people look forward to when attending a wedding. If you’ve never hosted a large event, planning a drinks menu can be overwhelming.

A Wedding Planner’s Guide to Serving Drinks at Your Wedding

Along with a good meal, enjoying a few drinks tends to be something people look forward to when attending a wedding. If you’ve never hosted a large event, planning a drinks menu can be overwhelming.

May 27 2023


I’m incredibly lucky to spend my days planning all kinds of events. I love working on a wide variety of celebrations, but there is something extra special about planning surprise parties and events with surprise elements.

How to Plan a Surprise Party

I’m incredibly lucky to spend my days planning all kinds of events. I love working on a wide variety of celebrations, but there is something extra special about planning surprise parties and events with surprise elements.

May 18 2023


Should you plan a country wedding or a city wedding? I’ve been helping couples choose the perfect wedding venue for many years, so I know this is a common dilemma. If there are no obvious locations {your local church, the place you grew up in, the city where you first met}, it can be difficult to narrow down your search. Here are some things to consider if you’re trying to work out which option is right for you…

Country Vs. City Wedding – Which is Right for You?

Should you plan a country wedding or a city wedding? I’ve been helping couples choose the perfect wedding venue for many years, so I know this is a common dilemma. If there are no obvious locations {your local church, the place you grew up in, the city where you first met}, it can be difficult to narrow down your search. Here are some things to consider if you’re trying to work out which option is right for you…

Apr 28 2023