"Val and her team were absolutely amazing and were pivotal to the success of the day. Val is super calm, yet focussed on the job in hand. She has a lovely manner that motivates everyone and nothing is too much trouble, any issues are overcome without a drama. Val runs the event in the background like clockwork, anticipating every guest’s needs and ensures the perfect day is delivered. She is a true professional and I have no hesitation in recommending Val and her team”.
Ann-Marie Hunter, Mother of the Bride
Photography: The Glass Passport - Richard Tilney-Bassett
"I have to confess that when Joanna suggested we have a wedding planner I thought 'do we really need one?' Then we met Val and the answer was a resounding 'yes!'
Undertaking a wedding at home is no mean feat and to have Val’s calm presence in the run up to the wedding was invaluable. She is a very quiet powerhouse! With her directing everything, it allowed us to really enjoy the preparations and see all the ideas come together seamlessly. Even when there was a hiccup (the large illuminated sign failed to materialise) Val managed to find a replacement, at 3 o'clock on a Friday afternoon in wedding season!
On the day, it was lovely to have her with us making sure that every detail in the marquee and the church was correct, and later on directing the timings and all the minutiae that go to making a truly memorable day run smoothly. She even took photographs and was there for the mammoth clear up the following week. I truly could not have managed without her and cannot recommend her highly enough. Thank you Val."
Sue Isherwood, Mother of the Bride
"On the morning of the wedding, Chris and his friends went out clay pigeon shooting. I on the other hand went for a leisurely run around Norwood Park. Several of our friends along with the hair stylist and make-up artist commented that they’d never seen anyone so completely calm before getting married.
As much as we’d love to claim we have nerves of steel, we in fact have Val and Anna to thank for everything! Val provided us with her full wedding planning service which meant she helped us every step of the way from choosing a location, finding fantastic suppliers to liaising with the local Register offices and then pulling all the details together on the big day. We were so calm because we knew the team had everything under control and that things would just run smoothly."
"Planning a wedding can be hard enough at times but when you’re doing it from hundreds of miles away I’d imagine it adds a whole other level of stress. Thankfully we have no clue what that other level of stress feels like because we had Val. She kept us on track, offered support when needed and gave us ideas we never would have come up with on our own. The day itself could not have gone any better. Our guests still talk about the wedding and how much fun they had.
It was an absolute pleasure working with Val so if you’re thinking about hiring Benessamy...do it!"
"From the moment we met Val we were really impressed! She is extremely professional, organised and friendly. Her advice and input in the pre-wedding meetings were really useful in identifying any potential issues so they could be addressed before the wedding. On the wedding day everything was co-ordinated brilliantly.
We hired Val to help us out on the day of our wedding as we had a wedding across two different venues. This obviously created many extra complications and we were very grateful that we had Val to sort them out.
Val helped us to organise our wedding across the two different venues. She was extremely professional and co-ordinated everything brilliantly. When we weren't sure who was turning up exactly when, Val knew; when flowers needed to be taken from one place to the next and set out, we could be confident that it would be - and was - done and done well; and when Hal managed to forget various things moving from venue to venue, Val was on hand to sort it out.
We had a fantastic day and a big part of that was not having to worry about anything because we had such a great wedding planner. She gave us the confidence that any problems or issues that needed to be addressed would be."
Michelle Waspe Photography
"We were lucky enough to have Benessamy's 'on the day' service for our wedding. Val came to our house before hand and went through what we wanted from our big day then made it happen! Val made contact with our venue and suppliers prior to the wedding and provided everyone with a schedule which was great. Val visited the church and the reception venue before the wedding itself too. Val made sure the day ran smoothly, starting with visiting me at my parents' and my husband to be at home until after our first dance.
Having Val there meant that we could relax and completely enjoy our day, we even went on an impromptu drive round in our wedding car before arriving at the reception knowing that Val would take care of our guests. It was lovely to be able to share our day with Val and I would definitely recommend her services, our guests thought she was lovely too!
Val's help and fantastic organisational skills were second to none. We didn't have to worry about a thing as she was always one step ahead checking everything so that we could just enjoy every magical moment.We had a fantastic day and a big part of that was not having to worry about anything because we had such a great wedding planner. She gave us the confidence that any problems or issues that needed to be addressed would be.
Thank you for making our wedding the wedding of our dreams. We were so glad you were there, it really took any pressure off us. We knew we could rely on you to fix any problems and it really meant a lot."
"We were recommended Val at Benessamy by one of our friends to assist us with our wedding planning as we were looking for someone who was really experienced as we live overseas in Dubai and might need that little bit of extra help with a few things.
We were so glad we took that recommendation, as Val and her lovely daughter Jess who was helping out on her break from Uni were both absolutely fabulous!
Right from our initial meeting Val was great and in constant contact over our year of planning. Val was extremely thorough and in the schedule for our wedding we felt really happy and secure that she had everything covered. She contacted all of our suppliers and worked with our venue ensuring that everything was in place for our special day.
On the morning of the wedding we could really relax and look forward to the day as everything was being dealt with which took away all of our nerves. Val and Jess were constantly updating us both on the deliveries and vendors etc. Our friends and family commented how lovely Val was and she blended in almost as a guest chatting with them and making sure everything was just great. She also worked so well almost as part of a team with our photographer, videographer, harpist and band making sure they had all they needed too.
When we saw the setup for our wedding breakfast it really blew us away how Val had worked in such a short space of time with the venue to make all our visions a reality with no detail spared. When we did have a little glitch....it was Val who calmed us down and sorted things out."
We would recommend Val and her team at Benessamy without hesitation. We had a truly magical wedding day and we just couldn’t imagine the day being so amazing without her."
“Val was like a sponge, armed with a notepad absorbing everything we said, listening to every name we mentioned, every little detail we hinted at. Calm, collected and logical in her planning pre wedding and then BOOM! Val arrived on the day, told us she was on it and literally made our dream day run like clockwork.
Her service is fantastic, helping out on setting up the tipi and running through rehearsals to grabbing champagne bottles and sorting table names. Val was like a wedding wizard!”
"Val helped my husband plan a surprise 50th birthday weekend for me - and it was truly amazing in every way and I know he couldn't have done it without her! The sheer scale of the events and the wonderful surprises that just kept on coming were a master class in planning and attention to detail. And the icing on the cake, Val is a warm and lovely person who genuinely did everything she could to make my birthday one I will never forget. Thanks so much Val!"
Sally Binley
Photography by Daniel Hughes Photography
"My personal thanks for all you did around the Gala Ball. It definitely would not have been the event it was without you.
The Ballroom looked splendid and I have had very postive feedback about the occasion. One person said it was the best ball they had been to! My sincere thanks." - Denis Tully - CEO Emmanuel House
"Thank you so much for your time and talents you gave to Emmanuel House and the Gala Ball. It would not have been the wonderful spectacle it was without you.
With deep appreciation." - The Board of Trustees - Emmanuel House
Photography by Pete Henderson Photography
"My first encounter with Val was when I was lucky enough to WIN a wedding planning party through her website. I think it must have been fate! This was such an awesome idea - getting together with our bridal party, eating cake, drinking tea and talking with Val about where to begin with wedding planning. She was like a breath of fresh air! I had previously met wedding planners and I really felt like the focus of their service was wrong. As someone who loves organisation, I could see that I was going to get on with Val immediately! She was so open about the whole process, identifying the challenges and how to overcome them.
All of my friends and family came away from that party feeling like they had made a new friend (who just so happens to be very knowledgeable about how to host the perfect wedding!) I knew from then that we had to book Val to help us on the day.
Hosting an entire wedding weekend, and going very much for the DIY approach, we knew we needed someone who, on the day, could make sure that all of our hard work and planning was realised. Val was the perfect lady for the job. She not only helped us with any queries we had, at any point in the process, but she met with us 2 weeks before and put together a super-detailed schedule for the whole weekend. On the day, she was like a swan gliding around with grace and calm, but below the surface working SO hard, achieving more than we expected, or asked. Val went far beyond what we expected and we will never be able to thank her enough for all of her advice, calm words during moments of stress and her love of lists! So many of our friends and family have commented on how much they LOVED Val, and we know that without a doubt it was the best wedding decision we made (of ALL the decisions we made!!).
Val went above and beyond all of our expectations and we know, 100% that our wedding simply would not have been the PERFECT day that it was without her and the lovely Jess. Even the day before, during the set up (which Val was there for, from start to finish!), Val made sure that I took time to take care of myself and get some lunch. An absolute superstar!"
"We had 3 months to plan our wedding. Val came onboard and was excited and enthusiastic about being part of planning our wedding day. Val was always on hand whenever I had any questions, any worries or concerns. Val always responded to my questions promptly and put any of my concerns at rest. Val provided me with choices of amazing suppliers and was able to make them understand my vision for what I wanted for my wedding, coordinated everything on the day and everything ran smoothly. Amazing!
We booked a consultation with Benessamy because of great reviews on the internet about Val and her company. Myself and my mum met Val for a consultation and when she left, we both said that we wanted her as my planner! We didn't even want to meet with anyone else. She was well prepared, organised, listened to what I wanted and helped me to envisage my day and my wedding. She was enthusiastic about my wedding and assured me that we could create an amazing day within 3 months. She was honest about needing to make decisions quickly due to time constraints but was also adamant that I did not settle for 2nd best and made sure that i chose the suppliers that were right for me. Furthermore, I had no idea about all the things I had to do to get married / things I needed to think about. Val explained everything to me and guided me through the whole process with enthusiasm and patience, keeping me calm throughout the planning process. Val is approachable, always on hand to answer questions, deals with any unforeseen circumstances calmly and professionally. I could not have planned my wedding without her. Thank you so much Val and team!!”
Burnt Orange Photography
"I had a home wedding and knew I needed help to bring it together! Nothing was too much trouble for Val, she was on the ball from day one, easy to chat to, funny , kind and knew exactly what would work for me, she gave me choices so we could get the right balance for our day. Her network of suppliers is vast and she can pull off favours last minute, which was helpful as the pandemic was causing issues.
I can recommend Val whole heartedly, a wonderful lady with a great team who ended up being my wedding best friend. Thank you Val, your enthusiasm, kindness and professionalism shines through and even when I was stressing you re-assured me and made it all OK again. I am very grateful to you for making the day a smooth success.”
"Where do we start....
Having Val on board for our wedding was easily one of the best and easiest decisions we made! A truly unique lady who we couldn't have done without. Our wedding was quite simply our best day ever and having Val as our wedding planner ensured that the whole day ran smoothly.
Professional, supportive and offering guidance when needed, Val is a must have at your wedding. She gave us things to think about that we hadn't even considered and gave answers to our many questions. Val gave us peace of mind at the time we needed it most and we would not hesitate in recommending Val and Benessamy....if you're thinking about hiring her, take our word for it...she's truly AMAZING!"
Matt Brown Photography
"As I'm only 2 days since our wedding it's hard to wrap my head and heart around how much Val means to us. We were planning our wedding at Norwood Park from Los Angeles and although we did much of it ourselves and only hired Val for day-of planning, that term is such an understatement to what she did for us. Having her hold our hand throughout the planning, then lead us thru in those final days was the best security blanket either of us could have asked for. She's kind. Sweet. Patient. Understanding and unassuming. She doesn't push. She isn't bossy. She quietly, graciously and unassumingly made our day go as smoothly as we could have ever dreamed. Val is a gift. She's a blessing to any event she touches. She's someone I'd like to put in my pocket and bring back to America to be my friend as she's such a lovely and bright shining star of an individual. She really is one of the special ones."
“We had seen (and heard) what a wonderful job Val did for our friend’s wedding the previous year. As we weren’t getting married in a venue, we really wanted the support
leading up to, and on the day, so we didn’t have to worry about pulling it all together. Val did exactly that!
Val was incredible. We took on a lot of work with our wedding (as we turned an old industrial shed/ barn into a venue) and I honestly don’t think we could have pulled it together without Val’s constant support. She worked tirelessly amending our schedule (when I made last minute changes every 5 minutes!) and helped enormously with the barn set up. She was always calm, cheery, helpful, supportive and a sounding board for ideas/decisions. She was our wedding angel!”
"Val is just superb.
She coordinated my daughter's wedding brilliantly.
She is a lovely lady - thoughtful, friendly, professional, full of understanding, quietly efficient and always willing to go the extra mile. Frankly, I don't know how we would have managed without her.
Thank you Val for making a truly significant contribution to a wonderful day. You are the best! We will tell anyone who will listen that they should contact you concerning coordination of their wedding plans - after all, the best is simply the best!"
Mike - Father of the Bride
"We couldn't find a card that expressed our gratitude the way we wanted....if we got a thank you card to match the size of our thanks, it wouldn't have fitted into your letter box!
Thank you for everything you did for us to make our wedding day..flawless and perfect. Please accept our apologies for this late thank you card. The two main reasons it is so late are because I just didn't know where to start and how to put into words our sincere gratitude and thanks for making our wedding day the best day of our lives so far! We could not have done it without your help, your expertise, encouragement and patience.You knew what we wanted even though I/we had no idea!.
....there are no other words to describe how thankful we both are other than 'Thank You'. Thank you for everything you did for us professionally, emotionally and practically, from helping us choose the right suppliers, to fixing the bows on the pew ends in church to looking after my mum and family all day from our house right the way up until our first dance at Shottle Hall. All of which made such a huge difference , more than you know. A true and fitting testament of your brilliance is the fact that even now four months after our perfect wedding day the one thing all of our family and friends who attended our wedding still remember and comment on is you and the help you gave which made our day so amazing!"
Victoria Dolman Photography
"Val organised a wonderful Jazz and Cocktail Evening in support of Nottingham Hospitals Charity Renal Unit. It was an amazing event, with fantastic food, drink and music. Val’s attention to detail was incredible. From the beautiful decorations to the table plan, everything was exceptionally well presented. The event raised a brilliant £3,400 and was thoroughly enjoyed by all attended. We look forward to working with Val again in the future."
Ruth Brady - Community Fundraiser, Nottingham University Hospitals Charity Trust
Photography by Dan Hughes Photography
"Hiring Benessamy was by far and away the best decision we made regarding our wedding. Val and her team were absolutely phenomenal! Whether in the pre-planning stages, on the day itself, or during the dreaded clean-up/aftermath, we couldn't have done it without their help. Val's organisation and attention to detail are second to none. She has a directory of amazing suppliers and no challenge is too great. However full on things get, she's always as cool as a cucumber and manages to get everything done with a smile! I didn't once feel stressed in the run up to the wedding, and that was 100% down to Val and her team and knowing I could trust them implicitly to help us make our dream wedding come true. We can't thank you enough Benessamy!"
“Thank you for everything you did to help us on our wedding day. You and your team were absolutely amazing! You took all the stress and pressure off so we were able to just relax and enjoy our day!" - Ami & Gav
"Val at 'Benessamy has been invaluable over the last year, organising and running our NCS graduations. With almost 500 young people graduating from NCS over a series of 8 events last summer, Val proved that she can be calm under pressure and managed to pull off some spectacular events focusing on the achievements of the young people involved and their inspiring stories of volunteering in their local communities.
Things went so well in the summer, we absolutely had to have her back for our autumn graduations and another set of 200 inspiring young people. I really valued having Val's expertise and advice on board for all our events and am looking forward to working with her again this year. I just don't think we could have pulled it off without her!"
Sarah Hartley - Marketing Manager, National Citizen Service Notts & Derby
"The calmest pre-wedding ever" said my experienced hair stylist on the morning, "have you really got 150 guests coming (and 60 more in the evening) and it is all so under control." "We should have a Val for every day in our lives" said my new gorgeous step-daughters after Val's on the day service.
We were left to focus on the important things - thanks to Val - and we all had an emotionally poignant, inclusive and fantastic day."
Mike Kemp Photography
"I so wish I’d known about Benessamy before I got married! Val was the wedding planner for my sister-in-law's amazing wedding this summer. It was a mind blowing brief for 250 people and she handled it all with such finesse, accuracy and calm. The whole day was just incredible, there was nothing left undone, it was perfect and effortless in every way. Even the sudden turn in the weather didn’t throw her, everything was taken care of with a smile and a solution. It was the most amazing day, and it was all down to Val and her team. For anyone considering using Benessamy, don’t even think twice, you’ll never regret it, she throws one hell of a party! Are you free to organise my 40th?"
Lucie - Bride's sister-in-law
"Val at Benessamy came highly recommend to us as an event organiser and planner.
She was professional, friendly and approachable from the first meeting. Val helped to coordinate a number of suppliers on the run up to our tipi open weekend, demonstrating a good understanding of our requirements and matching us to suppliers that complimented our own business perfectly. Val arranged a number of planning meetings and followed this up with clear communication.
During the event Val was on hand to manage the day, having the seeming ability to be in two places at once!! All suppliers involved with the event knew where they needed to be and what was required of them due to Val's clear and precise communications.
We would highly recommend Val, and look forward to working with her on future events."
Jodie and Craig Bidder - Sami Tipi Events
Photography by Matt Brown Photography
"Fergus and I (plus our families) want to say thank you so much for all your help with the run up and wedding day. It seemed stress free from my side and this was down to knowing you had 100% control! We had the most wonderful, perfect and happy day. Have made some exceptionally special memories and of course fab photos! We were so thrilled with the team that put it all together and all the feedback of what a fun wedding it was is still flooding in!
I hope you enjoyed being part of it - We don't know what we would have done without you!
Thank you for your calmness, organisation and wonderful ideas! I'd get married every year if I could!!"
"We wanted our 10 year wedding anniversary to be extra special, to make this happen we needed an expert within the industry. That is why we chose Val Mattinson at Benessamy.
Val is a very special lady, with her charm, charisma and excellent eye for detail, our day was exactly how we had planned it. One of our requirements was to have Peter Cox from Go West sing at the renewal. With lots of conversations and tracking on Twitter, Val made this happen!
The whole weekend from start to finish was FANTASTIC."
"As we were having our wedding in the garden we were concerned that on the day itself any problems or last minute jobs would fall on us or our parents to sort out. We therefore booked Val to help us with on-the-day coordination to make sure that the day ran smoothly.
However, Val did much more for us than just helping out on the day. She contacted all our suppliers to introduce herself before hand and drew up a very detailed timetable for the day making sure everyone knew the plan. This was really helpful and saved us many hours of work."
"On the day itself Val and her assistant Anna were fantastic and made sure our day ran smoothly, even taking care of small intricacies such as lighting the lanterns along the garden path before it went dark. This really took the pressure of the bridal party so that we could enjoy the day.
We would not hesitate to recommend Val and Benessamy Weddings & Events to anyone who is looking to ease the stress on the run up to the big day and make sure their wedding is perfect."
"We can't thank Val enough for the fantastic summer ball she organised for our staff this July. Val and her team took care of everything from the venue and catering to the excellent entertainment, and was there to ensure everything ran seamlessly on the night. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend her services and we all agree it was the best company event we've ever had! Thank you on behalf of Matt, Alistair, Amanda, the rest of JHAI Ltd's Board and all the lucky attendees."
"Alex and I want to say a huge huge thank you to Val for all of her help and support in the lead up and on our wedding day.
Val was an absolute superstar - providing us with lots of ideas and suggestions, whilst all the time listening to our thoughts and helping us to make them a reality. Val provided us with her Wedding Day Management service, but we felt that Val offered so much more than just help on the day - supporting us at supplier meetings in the lead up to our wedding day, as well as meeting us two weeks before to run through our entire schedule and putting our mind at ease. Val and Anna were around all of the day before our wedding helping us to style our tipi and worked so hard to help us create our vision."
"On the day, Val and Anna couldn’t have been more valuable - helping with final wedding dress tweaks, arranging last minute reception music when our guitarist was delayed and supporting all of our guests throughout the day, ensuring they were warm, dry and happy! We couldn’t recommend Val and Benessamy Weddings and Events enough - we loved working with her and our day was all the more special because of her hard work and support."
"We were honoured to have Benessamy's on the day service, but felt it was so much more. It was like having a best friend in the background sorting any little problem and making sure the day ran smoothly - leaving my best friend and I to get on and enjoy the very special day! Val is a very professional and efficient lady, the guests loved her and we did too.
All in all we feel so blessed to have been looked after on the day by Val. Our day was perfect all the way through and a big part of that was not having to worry about anything. For anyone wondering whether they need a wedding planner / co-ordinator I would seriously recommend that you consider speaking to Val - she is priceless!"
"Val - Where do I start?! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Honestly, you were an absolute star from beginning to end. All of your support in the lead up to our wedding was fabulous. I can't thank you enough for calming me down during my "Bridezilla" moments! (sorry) and for arranging the amazing light up letters when our original option didn't go to plan.
You are wonderful at what you do and I will be sure to recommend your fantastic service to anyone planning a wedding. If we ever renew our vows (!!) I know who I will be calling to arrange it!
"There's so much we can, will and should say about Val, but the short answer is that she's an absolute freakin' SUPERSTAR!
We didn't initially even consider needing any kind of event planner for our wedding, but it soon became clear that the logistics of the venue we'd picked demanded some assistance.
There really aren't any words for how much Val aided us, from taking names and contact details for literally every supplier we had, coordinating their arrival times and itineraries, being the point of contact on the day should any issues arrive all the way down to helping me cack-handedly assemble a pair of easels the day before, and inflating helium balloons the morning of, Val did it all, and made our wedding run smoother than it had any right to do given the scale and lack of foresight of our wedding.
On the day she was tireless, keeping all the music playing, keeping everyone in the right place at the right time, and I'm sure 1000 other things we didn't even notice her doing to ensure our day was utterly perfect, we came downstairs the morning after the wedding expecting to find a bombsite, only to find that Val had already been around at the end of the wedding tidying up and making our life so much simpler.
Val - you would have been an absolute bargain at 3 times the price, and you were the best money we spent in the entire wedding. Thank you so much for everything you did."
"Val is just superb.
She coordinated my daughter's wedding brilliantly.
She is a lovely lady - thoughtful, friendly, professional, full of understanding, quietly efficient and always willing to go the extra mile. Frankly, I don't know how we would have managed without her.
Thank you Val for making a truly significant contribution to a wonderful day. You are the best! We will tell anyone who will listen that they should contact you concerning coordination of their wedding plans - after all, the best is simply the best!"
Mike - Father of the Bride
"My first encounter with Val was when I was lucky enough to WIN a wedding planning party through her website. I think it must have been fate! This was such an awesome idea - getting together with our bridal party, eating cake, drinking tea and talking with Val about where to begin with wedding planning. She was like a breath of fresh air! I had previously met wedding planners and I really felt like the focus of their service was wrong. As someone who loves organisation, I could see that I was going to get on with Val immediately! She was so open about the whole process, identifying the challenges and how to overcome them.
All of my friends and family came away from that party feeling like they had made a new friend (who just so happens to be very knowledgeable about how to host the perfect wedding!) I knew from then that we had to book Val to help us on the day.
Hosting an entire wedding weekend, and going very much for the DIY approach, we knew we needed someone who, on the day, could make sure that all of our hard work and planning was realised. Val was the perfect lady for the job. She not only helped us with any queries we had, at any point in the process, but she met with us 2 weeks before and put together a super-detailed schedule for the whole weekend. On the day, she was like a swan gliding around with grace and calm, but below the surface working SO hard, achieving more than we expected, or asked. Val went far beyond what we expected and we will never be able to thank her enough for all of her advice, calm words during moments of stress and her love of lists! So many of our friends and family have commented on how much they LOVED Val, and we know that without a doubt it was the best wedding decision we made (of ALL the decisions we made!!).
Val went above and beyond all of our expectations and we know, 100% that our wedding simply would not have been the PERFECT day that it was without her and the lovely Jess. Even the day before, during the set up (which Val was there for, from start to finish!), Val made sure that I took time to take care of myself and get some lunch. An absolute superstar!"
"We wanted our 10 year wedding anniversary to be extra special, to make this happen we needed an expert within the industry. That is why we chose Val Mattinson at Benessamy.
Val is a very special lady, with her charm, charisma and excellent eye for detail, our day was exactly how we had planned it. One of our requirements was to have Peter Cox from Go West sing at the renewal. With lots of conversations and tracking on Twitter, Val made this happen!
The whole weekend from start to finish was FANTASTIC."
"We couldn't find a card that expressed our gratitude the way we wanted....if we got a thank you card to match the size of our thanks, it wouldn't have fitted into your letter box!
Thank you for everything you did for us to make our wedding day..flawless and perfect. Please accept our apologies for this late thank you card. The two main reasons it is so late are because I just didn't know where to start and how to put into words our sincere gratitude and thanks for making our wedding day the best day of our lives so far! We could not have done it without your help, your expertise, encouragement and patience.You knew what we wanted even though I/we had no idea!.
....there are no other words to describe how thankful we both are other than 'Thank You'. Thank you for everything you did for us professionally, emotionally and practically, from helping us choose the right suppliers, to fixing the bows on the pew ends in church to looking after my mum and family all day from our house right the way up until our first dance at Shottle Hall. All of which made such a huge difference , more than you know. A true and fitting testament of your brilliance is the fact that even now four months after our perfect wedding day the one thing all of our family and friends who attended our wedding still remember and comment on is you and the help you gave which made our day so amazing!"
Victoria Dolman Photography
"Fergus and I (plus our families) want to say thank you so much for all your help with the run up and wedding day. It seemed stress free from my side and this was down to knowing you had 100% control! We had the most wonderful, perfect and happy day. Have made some exceptionally special memories and of course fab photos! We were so thrilled with the team that put it all together and all the feedback of what a fun wedding it was is still flooding in!
I hope you enjoyed being part of it - We don't know what we would have done without you!
Thank you for your calmness, organisation and wonderful ideas! I'd get married every year if I could!!"
"We were lucky enough to have Benessamy's 'on the day' service for our wedding. Val came to our house before hand and went through what we wanted from our big day then made it happen! Val made contact with our venue and suppliers prior to the wedding and provided everyone with a schedule which was great. Val visited the church and the reception venue before the wedding itself too. Val made sure the day ran smoothly, starting with visiting me at my parents' and my husband to be at home until after our first dance.
Having Val there meant that we could relax and completely enjoy our day, we even went on an impromptu drive round in our wedding car before arriving at the reception knowing that Val would take care of our guests. It was lovely to be able to share our day with Val and I would definitely recommend her services, our guests thought she was lovely too!
Val's help and fantastic organisational skills were second to none. We didn't have to worry about a thing as she was always one step ahead checking everything so that we could just enjoy every magical moment.We had a fantastic day and a big part of that was not having to worry about anything because we had such a great wedding planner. She gave us the confidence that any problems or issues that needed to be addressed would be.
Thank you for making our wedding the wedding of our dreams. We were so glad you were there, it really took any pressure off us. We knew we could rely on you to fix any problems and it really meant a lot."
"Where do we start....
Having Val on board for our wedding was easily one of the best and easiest decisions we made! A truly unique lady who we couldn't have done without. Our wedding was quite simply our best day ever and having Val as our wedding planner ensured that the whole day ran smoothly.
Professional, supportive and offering guidance when needed, Val is a must have at your wedding. She gave us things to think about that we hadn't even considered and gave answers to our many questions. Val gave us peace of mind at the time we needed it most and we would not hesitate in recommending Val and Benessamy....if you're thinking about hiring her, take our word for it...she's truly AMAZING!"
Matt Brown Photography
"There's so much we can, will and should say about Val, but the short answer is that she's an absolute freakin' SUPERSTAR!
We didn't initially even consider needing any kind of event planner for our wedding, but it soon became clear that the logistics of the venue we'd picked demanded some assistance.
There really aren't any words for how much Val aided us, from taking names and contact details for literally every supplier we had, coordinating their arrival times and itineraries, being the point of contact on the day should any issues arrive all the way down to helping me cack-handedly assemble a pair of easels the day before, and inflating helium balloons the morning of, Val did it all, and made our wedding run smoother than it had any right to do given the scale and lack of foresight of our wedding.
On the day she was tireless, keeping all the music playing, keeping everyone in the right place at the right time, and I'm sure 1000 other things we didn't even notice her doing to ensure our day was utterly perfect, we came downstairs the morning after the wedding expecting to find a bombsite, only to find that Val had already been around at the end of the wedding tidying up and making our life so much simpler.
Val - you would have been an absolute bargain at 3 times the price, and you were the best money we spent in the entire wedding. Thank you so much for everything you did."
"Alex and I want to say a huge huge thank you to Val for all of her help and support in the lead up and on our wedding day.
Val was an absolute superstar - providing us with lots of ideas and suggestions, whilst all the time listening to our thoughts and helping us to make them a reality. Val provided us with her Wedding Day Management service, but we felt that Val offered so much more than just help on the day - supporting us at supplier meetings in the lead up to our wedding day, as well as meeting us two weeks before to run through our entire schedule and putting our mind at ease. Val and Anna were around all of the day before our wedding helping us to style our tipi and worked so hard to help us create our vision."
"On the day, Val and Anna couldn’t have been more valuable - helping with final wedding dress tweaks, arranging last minute reception music when our guitarist was delayed and supporting all of our guests throughout the day, ensuring they were warm, dry and happy! We couldn’t recommend Val and Benessamy Weddings and Events enough - we loved working with her and our day was all the more special because of her hard work and support."
"I had a home wedding and knew I needed help to bring it together! Nothing was too much trouble for Val, she was on the ball from day one, easy to chat to, funny , kind and knew exactly what would work for me, she gave me choices so we could get the right balance for our day. Her network of suppliers is vast and she can pull off favours last minute, which was helpful as the pandemic was causing issues.
I can recommend Val whole heartedly, a wonderful lady with a great team who ended up being my wedding best friend. Thank you Val, your enthusiasm, kindness and professionalism shines through and even when I was stressing you re-assured me and made it all OK again. I am very grateful to you for making the day a smooth success.”
"Hiring Benessamy was by far and away the best decision we made regarding our wedding. Val and her team were absolutely phenomenal! Whether in the pre-planning stages, on the day itself, or during the dreaded clean-up/aftermath, we couldn't have done it without their help. Val's organisation and attention to detail are second to none. She has a directory of amazing suppliers and no challenge is too great. However full on things get, she's always as cool as a cucumber and manages to get everything done with a smile! I didn't once feel stressed in the run up to the wedding, and that was 100% down to Val and her team and knowing I could trust them implicitly to help us make our dream wedding come true. We can't thank you enough Benessamy!"
"From the moment we met Val we were really impressed! She is extremely professional, organised and friendly. Her advice and input in the pre-wedding meetings were really useful in identifying any potential issues so they could be addressed before the wedding. On the wedding day everything was co-ordinated brilliantly.
We hired Val to help us out on the day of our wedding as we had a wedding across two different venues. This obviously created many extra complications and we were very grateful that we had Val to sort them out.
Val helped us to organise our wedding across the two different venues. She was extremely professional and co-ordinated everything brilliantly. When we weren't sure who was turning up exactly when, Val knew; when flowers needed to be taken from one place to the next and set out, we could be confident that it would be - and was - done and done well; and when Hal managed to forget various things moving from venue to venue, Val was on hand to sort it out.
We had a fantastic day and a big part of that was not having to worry about anything because we had such a great wedding planner. She gave us the confidence that any problems or issues that needed to be addressed would be."
Michelle Waspe Photography
"On the morning of the wedding, Chris and his friends went out clay pigeon shooting. I on the other hand went for a leisurely run around Norwood Park. Several of our friends along with the hair stylist and make-up artist commented that they’d never seen anyone so completely calm before getting married.
As much as we’d love to claim we have nerves of steel, we in fact have Val and Anna to thank for everything! Val provided us with her full wedding planning service which meant she helped us every step of the way from choosing a location, finding fantastic suppliers to liaising with the local Register offices and then pulling all the details together on the big day. We were so calm because we knew the team had everything under control and that things would just run smoothly."
"Planning a wedding can be hard enough at times but when you’re doing it from hundreds of miles away I’d imagine it adds a whole other level of stress. Thankfully we have no clue what that other level of stress feels like because we had Val. She kept us on track, offered support when needed and gave us ideas we never would have come up with on our own. The day itself could not have gone any better. Our guests still talk about the wedding and how much fun they had.
It was an absolute pleasure working with Val so if you’re thinking about hiring Benessamy...do it!"
“Val was like a sponge, armed with a notepad absorbing everything we said, listening to every name we mentioned, every little detail we hinted at. Calm, collected and logical in her planning pre wedding and then BOOM! Val arrived on the day, told us she was on it and literally made our dream day run like clockwork.
Her service is fantastic, helping out on setting up the tipi and running through rehearsals to grabbing champagne bottles and sorting table names. Val was like a wedding wizard!”
"We were recommended Val at Benessamy by one of our friends to assist us with our wedding planning as we were looking for someone who was really experienced as we live overseas in Dubai and might need that little bit of extra help with a few things.
We were so glad we took that recommendation, as Val and her lovely daughter Jess who was helping out on her break from Uni were both absolutely fabulous!
Right from our initial meeting Val was great and in constant contact over our year of planning. Val was extremely thorough and in the schedule for our wedding we felt really happy and secure that she had everything covered. She contacted all of our suppliers and worked with our venue ensuring that everything was in place for our special day.
On the morning of the wedding we could really relax and look forward to the day as everything was being dealt with which took away all of our nerves. Val and Jess were constantly updating us both on the deliveries and vendors etc. Our friends and family commented how lovely Val was and she blended in almost as a guest chatting with them and making sure everything was just great. She also worked so well almost as part of a team with our photographer, videographer, harpist and band making sure they had all they needed too.
When we saw the setup for our wedding breakfast it really blew us away how Val had worked in such a short space of time with the venue to make all our visions a reality with no detail spared. When we did have a little glitch....it was Val who calmed us down and sorted things out."
We would recommend Val and her team at Benessamy without hesitation. We had a truly magical wedding day and we just couldn’t imagine the day being so amazing without her."
"As I'm only 2 days since our wedding it's hard to wrap my head and heart around how much Val means to us. We were planning our wedding at Norwood Park from Los Angeles and although we did much of it ourselves and only hired Val for day-of planning, that term is such an understatement to what she did for us. Having her hold our hand throughout the planning, then lead us thru in those final days was the best security blanket either of us could have asked for. She's kind. Sweet. Patient. Understanding and unassuming. She doesn't push. She isn't bossy. She quietly, graciously and unassumingly made our day go as smoothly as we could have ever dreamed. Val is a gift. She's a blessing to any event she touches. She's someone I'd like to put in my pocket and bring back to America to be my friend as she's such a lovely and bright shining star of an individual. She really is one of the special ones."
"Val and her team were absolutely amazing and were pivotal to the success of the day. Val is super calm, yet focussed on the job in hand. She has a lovely manner that motivates everyone and nothing is too much trouble, any issues are overcome without a drama. Val runs the event in the background like clockwork, anticipating every guest’s needs and ensures the perfect day is delivered. She is a true professional and I have no hesitation in recommending Val and her team”.
Ann-Marie Hunter, Mother of the Bride
Photography: The Glass Passport - Richard Tilney-Bassett
"Val - Where do I start?! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Honestly, you were an absolute star from beginning to end. All of your support in the lead up to our wedding was fabulous. I can't thank you enough for calming me down during my "Bridezilla" moments! (sorry) and for arranging the amazing light up letters when our original option didn't go to plan.
You are wonderful at what you do and I will be sure to recommend your fantastic service to anyone planning a wedding. If we ever renew our vows (!!) I know who I will be calling to arrange it!
"As we were having our wedding in the garden we were concerned that on the day itself any problems or last minute jobs would fall on us or our parents to sort out. We therefore booked Val to help us with on-the-day coordination to make sure that the day ran smoothly.
However, Val did much more for us than just helping out on the day. She contacted all our suppliers to introduce herself before hand and drew up a very detailed timetable for the day making sure everyone knew the plan. This was really helpful and saved us many hours of work."
"On the day itself Val and her assistant Anna were fantastic and made sure our day ran smoothly, even taking care of small intricacies such as lighting the lanterns along the garden path before it went dark. This really took the pressure of the bridal party so that we could enjoy the day.
We would not hesitate to recommend Val and Benessamy Weddings & Events to anyone who is looking to ease the stress on the run up to the big day and make sure their wedding is perfect."
"We were honoured to have Benessamy's on the day service, but felt it was so much more. It was like having a best friend in the background sorting any little problem and making sure the day ran smoothly - leaving my best friend and I to get on and enjoy the very special day! Val is a very professional and efficient lady, the guests loved her and we did too.
All in all we feel so blessed to have been looked after on the day by Val. Our day was perfect all the way through and a big part of that was not having to worry about anything. For anyone wondering whether they need a wedding planner / co-ordinator I would seriously recommend that you consider speaking to Val - she is priceless!"
“We had seen (and heard) what a wonderful job Val did for our friend’s wedding the previous year. As we weren’t getting married in a venue, we really wanted the support
leading up to, and on the day, so we didn’t have to worry about pulling it all together. Val did exactly that!
Val was incredible. We took on a lot of work with our wedding (as we turned an old industrial shed/ barn into a venue) and I honestly don’t think we could have pulled it together without Val’s constant support. She worked tirelessly amending our schedule (when I made last minute changes every 5 minutes!) and helped enormously with the barn set up. She was always calm, cheery, helpful, supportive and a sounding board for ideas/decisions. She was our wedding angel!”
"I so wish I’d known about Benessamy before I got married! Val was the wedding planner for my sister-in-law's amazing wedding this summer. It was a mind blowing brief for 250 people and she handled it all with such finesse, accuracy and calm. The whole day was just incredible, there was nothing left undone, it was perfect and effortless in every way. Even the sudden turn in the weather didn’t throw her, everything was taken care of with a smile and a solution. It was the most amazing day, and it was all down to Val and her team. For anyone considering using Benessamy, don’t even think twice, you’ll never regret it, she throws one hell of a party! Are you free to organise my 40th?"
Lucie - Bride's sister-in-law
“Thank you for everything you did to help us on our wedding day. You and your team were absolutely amazing! You took all the stress and pressure off so we were able to just relax and enjoy our day!" - Ami & Gav
"The calmest pre-wedding ever" said my experienced hair stylist on the morning, "have you really got 150 guests coming (and 60 more in the evening) and it is all so under control." "We should have a Val for every day in our lives" said my new gorgeous step-daughters after Val's on the day service.
We were left to focus on the important things - thanks to Val - and we all had an emotionally poignant, inclusive and fantastic day."
Mike Kemp Photography
"I have to confess that when Joanna suggested we have a wedding planner I thought 'do we really need one?' Then we met Val and the answer was a resounding 'yes!'
Undertaking a wedding at home is no mean feat and to have Val’s calm presence in the run up to the wedding was invaluable. She is a very quiet powerhouse! With her directing everything, it allowed us to really enjoy the preparations and see all the ideas come together seamlessly. Even when there was a hiccup (the large illuminated sign failed to materialise) Val managed to find a replacement, at 3 o'clock on a Friday afternoon in wedding season!
On the day, it was lovely to have her with us making sure that every detail in the marquee and the church was correct, and later on directing the timings and all the minutiae that go to making a truly memorable day run smoothly. She even took photographs and was there for the mammoth clear up the following week. I truly could not have managed without her and cannot recommend her highly enough. Thank you Val."
Sue Isherwood, Mother of the Bride
"We had 3 months to plan our wedding. Val came onboard and was excited and enthusiastic about being part of planning our wedding day. Val was always on hand whenever I had any questions, any worries or concerns. Val always responded to my questions promptly and put any of my concerns at rest. Val provided me with choices of amazing suppliers and was able to make them understand my vision for what I wanted for my wedding, coordinated everything on the day and everything ran smoothly. Amazing!
We booked a consultation with Benessamy because of great reviews on the internet about Val and her company. Myself and my mum met Val for a consultation and when she left, we both said that we wanted her as my planner! We didn't even want to meet with anyone else. She was well prepared, organised, listened to what I wanted and helped me to envisage my day and my wedding. She was enthusiastic about my wedding and assured me that we could create an amazing day within 3 months. She was honest about needing to make decisions quickly due to time constraints but was also adamant that I did not settle for 2nd best and made sure that i chose the suppliers that were right for me. Furthermore, I had no idea about all the things I had to do to get married / things I needed to think about. Val explained everything to me and guided me through the whole process with enthusiasm and patience, keeping me calm throughout the planning process. Val is approachable, always on hand to answer questions, deals with any unforeseen circumstances calmly and professionally. I could not have planned my wedding without her. Thank you so much Val and team!!”
Burnt Orange Photography
"My personal thanks for all you did around the Gala Ball. It definitely would not have been the event it was without you.
The Ballroom looked splendid and I have had very postive feedback about the occasion. One person said it was the best ball they had been to! My sincere thanks." - Denis Tully - CEO Emmanuel House
"Thank you so much for your time and talents you gave to Emmanuel House and the Gala Ball. It would not have been the wonderful spectacle it was without you.
With deep appreciation." - The Board of Trustees - Emmanuel House
Photography by Pete Henderson Photography
"Val at Benessamy came highly recommend to us as an event organiser and planner.
She was professional, friendly and approachable from the first meeting. Val helped to coordinate a number of suppliers on the run up to our tipi open weekend, demonstrating a good understanding of our requirements and matching us to suppliers that complimented our own business perfectly. Val arranged a number of planning meetings and followed this up with clear communication.
During the event Val was on hand to manage the day, having the seeming ability to be in two places at once!! All suppliers involved with the event knew where they needed to be and what was required of them due to Val's clear and precise communications.
We would highly recommend Val, and look forward to working with her on future events."
Jodie and Craig Bidder - Sami Tipi Events
Photography by Matt Brown Photography
"Val helped my husband plan a surprise 50th birthday weekend for me - and it was truly amazing in every way and I know he couldn't have done it without her! The sheer scale of the events and the wonderful surprises that just kept on coming were a master class in planning and attention to detail. And the icing on the cake, Val is a warm and lovely person who genuinely did everything she could to make my birthday one I will never forget. Thanks so much Val!"
Sally Binley
Photography by Daniel Hughes Photography
"Val organised a wonderful Jazz and Cocktail Evening in support of Nottingham Hospitals Charity Renal Unit. It was an amazing event, with fantastic food, drink and music. Val’s attention to detail was incredible. From the beautiful decorations to the table plan, everything was exceptionally well presented. The event raised a brilliant £3,400 and was thoroughly enjoyed by all attended. We look forward to working with Val again in the future."
Ruth Brady - Community Fundraiser, Nottingham University Hospitals Charity Trust
Photography by Dan Hughes Photography
"We can't thank Val enough for the fantastic summer ball she organised for our staff this July. Val and her team took care of everything from the venue and catering to the excellent entertainment, and was there to ensure everything ran seamlessly on the night. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend her services and we all agree it was the best company event we've ever had! Thank you on behalf of Matt, Alistair, Amanda, the rest of JHAI Ltd's Board and all the lucky attendees."
"Val at 'Benessamy has been invaluable over the last year, organising and running our NCS graduations. With almost 500 young people graduating from NCS over a series of 8 events last summer, Val proved that she can be calm under pressure and managed to pull off some spectacular events focusing on the achievements of the young people involved and their inspiring stories of volunteering in their local communities.
Things went so well in the summer, we absolutely had to have her back for our autumn graduations and another set of 200 inspiring young people. I really valued having Val's expertise and advice on board for all our events and am looking forward to working with her again this year. I just don't think we could have pulled it off without her!"
Sarah Hartley - Marketing Manager, National Citizen Service Notts & Derby
