WHY DO I NEED A WEDDING STYLIST?

Posted on May 15, 2020 by thelittlelendingco

A couple of weeks ago, or maybe the week before…who even knows any more?! I put up a question on my Instagram stories asking what honestly puts you off hiring a wedding stylist.

And yes, there were a few recurring answers which came up. Theres plenty of reasons not to hire a stylist and really loved your honesty for these below, thank you (those questions and polls on Insta really are really so helpful and always love that you get involved.)

I’d like to start by asking you to to visualise the day before your wedding day, of course this isn’t going to be every brides lead up but I have been doing this many years and have certainly seen this scenario play out more than a few times. But it might show just how valuable a wedding stylist could be and how they really are more than just hired help the week of your wedding…

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The day before your wedding
You are most likely late leaving for your venue because there is tonnes to load in the car. Already feeling a bit anxious if you have left anything behind. You arrive at your venue and know there is no time to enjoy your check-in and settle in because you have several suppliers arriving with props, furniture, catering equipment and the florist will be there too. Family and friends are going to be arriving all through the afternoon to help with the DIY set up. You start unboxing everything you have collected, as well as the props you’ve hired and aren’t exactly sure where to start. People arrive but there isn’t time to show them round properly now, you need them to start putting candles in holders. More friends and family arrive and you know at 5pm you want to be finished set up and actually start enjoying the evening together as you have envisioned for months as a little pre-wedding celebration, but as time ticks on you realise its going to be a much later finish. Everyone offers help, it’s overwhelming as you know how you want the set up to look but can’t relay that to everyone easily, and you end up doing much more yourself. You start to feel frustrated and wish there was more time, its not the set up day you had in your head and worried as more needs to be finished on the morning of the wedding, who will help with that?

Ok so I know many brides absolutely love doing their own decor set up and DIY for them was pure bliss and really enjoyed working on the set up with friends and family around.
But if you do have lots of friends and family coming from afar and want to spend a weekend with them, help can be so valuable across your weekend. You know a stylist will have the days vision and a huge check list ready to put into action and set up and can return on the wedding day to finish any final details you wouldn’t necessarily be able to check yourself or feel comfortable leaving to family.
It comes down to how you want to feel in the days and hours leading up to walking down the aisle and I genuinely think being relaxed enough to trust your stylist and just overjoyed at your wedding set up being totally in hand so you can enjoy that precious time with family and friends, well could that be priceless on one of the biggest weekends of your life??

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COST.
Of course this came up the most. Yes it is an additional cost but my styling service is much more than just turning up the day before for a set up. I have initial consultations to find out about who you are and what your vision is, I will meet you at the venue and walk round with you giving more ideas for making the decor even more impactful, draw up a mood board you can then share with other creative suppliers, call you 1 month before the wedding to go over in detail all the areas for set up, a full day styling the day before with assitants, the day of the wedding for those final tweaks and back again the day after to pack up all my hire pieces so again you can be with family saying your goodbyes. I am invested with you on your styling journey and ensure every last detail is executed how you imagined it would be.

I have 7 years in the industry so a wealth of knowledge on set ups and always prepared for anything unexpected to happen, with a full styling kit with everything required to make a set up happen. I hope to add lots of new ideas and vision into the process for you too, suggesting adding in personalised touches as much as possible to really showcase a day that represents you both.

I would also actually argue that a stylist can save you money, because by using their expertise you can put more budget into the ‘wow’ moments of the day and draw back on other elements using their advice to guide the design.

NOT GOING TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE FOR VISION.

This came up a few times too. You honestly cannot offend me, if you don’t like suggestions theres nothing you have to have and advice is just that. I always like to guide couples and share what may be the best outcome visually but if it isn’t working for you then we just move to another option. Often budget for those final details plays a big part and I have helped many couples draw back on those final details but still delivered a super stylish day.

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WORRIED YOU WON’T BE INVOLVED IN THE SET UP.

Lots of you we’re also worried you wouldn’t be involved in the set up and think a team would come in and take over everything. This isn’t the case with LL at all. Usually its me you’ll see and an assistant (maybe two) who will come in and start the set up. I understand brides and grooms want to be involved and see the space evolve and always want you to feel involved though the set up day, and the same goes with family who want to feel involved, I can always find little tasks for anyone.
Of course if you want to also let the whole transformation be a surprise (and just guests only see it on the wedding day) this is possible too of course. It’s always your call with how the set up goes.
You also might only have On-the-Day access to your venue so again the set up service is super helpful for those couples who know we have a plan in place and can relax on the wedding morning knowing you’ll walk out to picture perfect decor.

NOT BUDGETED FOR ONE AND NOT SEEN THE VALUE OF ONE.

Lots of people don’t have a stylist in the initial budget because it can be a bit of an after thought. A stylist can come in earlier with your plans or later, with helping with the set up for your own vision. I offer a ‘Lend-A-Hand’ package which is a set up and pack down service essentially for those couples looking to have a creative eye on board but realised later in the planning the value of help with setting up.

Are you considering a stylist? Do you have any other concerns or questions about how a LL set up happens? I’d love to hear from you, feel free to email or message and find more on my styling services here.

Images – Nicola Dixon Photography / Workshop – Wild Ones Community / Shoot assistant – LW Events / Styling and Hire – The Little Lending Company / Flowers – SassFlower/ Venue – The Giraffe Shed / Dresses – Jean Jackson Couture / Mens Suit – Asos / Chair Hire and Tableware – CMA Hire / Hand dyed Linen – MiaSylviaa

Penny x

HOW TO MAKE YOUR WEDDING DIFFERENT TO EVERYONE ELSE’S.

Posted on March 9, 2016 by thelittlelendingco

Making your wedding different doesn’t mean you need to be totally mad and off the wall with your ideas. It’s just thinking about the things that make you two happiest as a couple.

Image via Nouba wedding blog.

What makes you two tick?
Let your world and your loves in life inspire your day. Don’t go changing what you love in real life just to make an ‘ideal’ wedding.
Take inspiration from what you do together; places you spend your Summers, music you dance to, art exhibitions you’ve loved, films you’ve laughed at, a poem that hangs in your home, a book you quote to each other, a person that inspires you, colours in your home…you get the gist.

Think outside the wedding box.
During the planning process keep a notebook and your camera with you at all times. This might sound obvious but you never know when inspiration will strike. You might hear a song lyric you’d love written up for a backdrop or you might see an incredible street artist with the perfect coloured pants for the grooms men…

Images via She is Magic Tumblr + Green wedding shoes.com

Step away from Pinterest.
Be inspired by who you are not by what others have done. It’s all too easy to get inspired by those pretty pins and want to do it just like they have. I’m a big Pinterest fan, use it but always let yourselves shape the day and the final design.

Bring a bit of yourselves to the reception.
Bring items you love from home to dress your venue, let your current obsessions in interior decor become part of the decor. Take inspiration from your hobbies. Think about using your nicknames if you’re not too worried about formalities. If there’s something you both own that everyone knows you for it should totally make the wedding decor.

Images via Brit.co + Intimate weddings.com

Get family and friends involved.
Friends and family will love being asked to get involved. Ask your family what they have tucked in garages and lofts, it’s bound to be a talking point on the day too. If you love looking back, maybe you have some old nostalgia tucked away that can be pulled out for the big day?

Let planning your wedding be a personal as possible, after all it’s all about the joining of two hearts and two families.

Penny @ The Little Lending Co. X

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR WEDDING STYLIST.

Posted on August 5, 2015 by thelittlelendingco

So you’re not too keen on the idea of pulling all your hundreds of Pinterest pins together the day before? The whole idea of dressing a wedding venue makes you want to run for the hills? That’s totally OK and exactly when you need to find a wedding stylist.

Your wedding stylist should inspire, not take away any of the control from you as a couple but bring their guidance and add a whole heap of creative and practical knowledge of what’s going to make your decor rock and importantly, work.

(Photo of me at the F&P styling workshop 2015)

I’ll admit it, I do get a little bit over excited about the details. I like to bring a personal approach to my styling and make sure you’re heard through the whole process.

For our ‘A little help goes a long way‘ package it all kicks off with an initial meeting with me. It’s important you like me before I start working on your wedding. It’s a chance to bring visuals along, all your favourite Pins, magazine tears, favourite colours, fabrics, things you love as a couple, objects from home…You name it, this is what will get the creative juices flowing and as your stylist I’ll already have a heap of ideas whizzing around.

Once you have a tonne of ideas that you want to try, the next step is to walk through with your stylist in tow at the venue to see what is feasible. With a designers eye often we’ll notice an area that would be amazing dressed, you get the most from a venue when you work with it. Your stylist can advise placements and how best to use what you have collected and sourced.

Unlimited communication – Keep in touch through the whole of the planning, bring in ideas to the table over email. Often the logistics of the day need to be communicated with your stylist; where the caterers will be, will props need to be moved at any point in the day, is there a wet weather plan…Lots of queries can come up in the weeks before the day.

Have a final walk through of where each and every detail will be going together at the venue a few weeks before the day. If there are other creative suppliers that are bringing props your stylist will ask for details and arrival times. Your stylist will then work out the timings for the set up day to ensure everything is in it’s place on time.

Then, relax. Let your stylist do what they love to do. Trust what they can do. They’ll have a full kit from irons for linen creases to cable ties for lighting, so you don’t need to worry about a thing.

For a little more info and availability on our styling packages you can drop us a line here.

Gorgeous Photos in this post by Xander and Thea Photography.

Penny @ The Little Lending Co. x

AN A-Z OF STYLING YOUR OWN WEDDING. (PART 2)

Posted on January 28, 2015 by thelittlelendingco

Hello again Little Lenders,

I really hope the first part of this blog was useful and given you a few tips and pointers for styling your own day. Without further ado, here is part 2.

N – NOTE DOWN YOUR SUPPLIERS

Keep a list of the suppliers you’ll be using for your wedding day in one place. Also when they’ll need access to your venue so that you can let your venue know. It’s worth giving this list to someone who is on site the day before to check that everyone has been and a list of numbers in case something dosent go to plan.

0 – O.T.T

It’s OK to go a little Over The Top and add a little WOW factor (It’s only your blinking Wedding day!) Create a talking point with your decor, a big entrance or a ceremony focal point with a difference. Your photographer will love you for it too.

Image via 100 layer cake.

P – PINTEREST

Pinterest can be the greatest source of inspiration and at times the greatest curse. Once you have pinned and planned an idea you really, really love step away from the pins. There will always be more ideas than time! Go with what your gut instinct is telling you for your decor and you won’t go far wrong. And I always say simplicity can rule more often than not. A lot of the ideas you see on Pinterest have been created by teams of stylists and professional wedding hire teams with access to lots of tools and even machinery. If you think you can nail the look with your family and loved ones then go for it, if you think it’s beyond your skills set keep things a little simpler with the set-up.

Image source Ruffled Blog.

Q – QUALITY NOT QUANTITY

More is not more. Give your props, decor pieces and big ideas a space to shine.

R – READY FOR ANYTHING

Packing an essential ‘on the day Styling bag’ is a total must. You just know you’ll need to re-iron those table topper cloths again. Ours includes : Scissors, string, pins, cable ties, bulldog clips, gaffe tape and electrical tape, iron and thick towel and plenty of bin bags. Pack some glass cleaner and kitchen roll too to touch up glass wear. These are the items that you’ll definitely find yourself looking for.

S – SPACES

Make or ask for a floor plan of your venue and go to your venue to take photos from all angles. It will keep you on track when you’re planning something for a wall that actually has a door in the middle of it, or you’d like to plug some lights in but there is no socket anywhere near by. (Cue gaffa tape from your kit…)

Image via Style Me Pretty.

T – TEAM WORK

Sounds crazy, but assign a ‘set-up’ day team of friends and family to help. Delegate jobs out with rough timings for each task before you arrive at the venue; hanging the bunting, dressing the cards table (some pictures from your Pinterest boards for friends will really help make sure it’s spot on too)… Letting other people help with jobs will leave you more free to act as the head stylist make sure everything is just as you envisioned. Try to leave some time at the end of the day to do final checks so you can sleep easy knowing everything looks perfecto.

U – UNDERSTANDING SUPPLIERS

Picking suppliers that really understand you and your style is crucial and make your wedding planning heaps less daunting. Set up a meeting or go for a coffee with your photographer and florist to make sure you’re on the same page. All good suppliers will want to get to know what you’re about as a couple and what you really want. Then, really all you need to do is trust them to do what they do best.

V – VENUE

When picking your venue make sure it will compliment the styling that you have in mind. A rustic aesthetic is going to be really hard to achieve in a modern, urban building. It will save you lots of styling work and help you style simply and effectively if you choose a venue that has the feel you’re after.

Green Wedding Shoes.

W – WEATHER

If it all gets a little soggy have you thought of a back up plan? How much of your day are you reliant on being outside? Make sure you let your wedding caterer or co-ordinator know Plan B if the weather does take a U-turn and can help make the necessary changes to ensure a smooth turnaround of the day. No-one wants soggyy sandwiches or bottoms for that matter.

Rock my wedding.

X – ‘X’ MARKS THE SPOT

Sign your wedding well – Right from the roads leading to the venue. There is nothing worse than having a hidden beauty of a venue that no-one can find. It will create excitement on the drive through too.

Y – YES I CAN

Be confident that you can bring all the elements of your wedding decor together, you’ve been planning for months and it will all be totally rad. If things don’t look quite pin-worthy don’t fret, ask your florist or venue co-ordinator for their opinion as they’ll usually tell you what you could tweak with their creative eye.

Z – ZZZ

Take some time after setting up the decor to really take it all in. On the day it all goes so quickly, give your self and team a big pat on the back. Get yourself a glass of bubbles and hot bath then get a good nights sleep.

There you have it our guide to styling your own wedding day. Are you looking forward to styling your own day? Missed Part 1 – Find it here.

It’s going to be a whole lot of fun…
The Little Lending Co. x

TODAY IS THE DAY.

Posted on March 18, 2014 by thelittlelendingco

So you have spent months researching, shopping, spending, planning & preparing and it all boils down to this one amazing day.

The dress is hanging beautifully ready for you, the cake is being set up at the venue, guests are starting their journeys, your bridesmaids are not yet awake – Today is the day.

This post has a few points of advice for brides-to-be ‘on the day’ written by a married lady who’s been through it and has got the ‘I GOT MARRIED AND SURVIVED’ T-shirt.

Before everyone wakes up I would just take a few minuets to take in how you are feeling on that really special morning, the adrenaline will be pumping more than on christmas morning already! Maybe take a selfie of your ‘excited’ face to really capture it – mines just ridiculous! I showed it to my man on honeymoon and still look back at it now. Its one of those feelings you’ll forever want to capture.

Next I’d say take a hot bath with some amazing fancy bubble bath (if it compliments the perfume you’ll be wearing, even better) it will really help you relax at the start of the day.

You probablly won’t feel like eating much (unless your like me – had a full brekky and cake before 10am!) but grab a banana or a cereal bar for a bit of energy as you’ll forget in all the madness later.

Take time for a glass of bubbles with your girls or mama before your house/room turns into picadilly circus.

Think about where you’d like your dress hanging photograph taken – I forgot this totally and ended up in front of the bathroom door!

Make sure you’re the first to have your hair done – leave alot more time that you think you need for hair and make-up if you’re doing it yourself. If you have a MUA relax and trust them.

You will probablly run late – thats ok, just don’t fret or panic about being late. You’ll get there when your ready and people expect it anyway.

Tell your mum you love her when you get into your dress – its a precious moment.

A few sprays of Rescue Rememdy in the car will help those last minuite nerves. My legs we’re like jelly but I felt weirdly calm and just too excited.

Kiss your dad before you go down the aisle, its a huge moment for them, giving you away.

Smile and take in those smiling faces as you walk up the aisle – its your moment to shine!

Remember to put some water in the car for after the service. A friend told me this advice and we forgot. This is now me passing this on to you – you will need a drink.

The only moment that I managed to sit and take in was sitting at the top table when our mums and dads we’re chatting and my groom was taking a quick picture on my phone (at my request as I wanted to have a picture to look at the next morning) As I sat facing out to all our most loved friends and family I can honestly say I have not felt happier in my life. I literally tried to breathe in that moment, to store in my heart forever.

So much of the day flys by – don’t sweat the small stuff that didn’t go right, just take in everyones smiling faces and happy comments for you both.

Take 15 minuites away from the day to create some camera magic that you’ll love in years to come. Take a minute to think about your wedding shots of ‘just you two’ with your photographer.

Savour the first dance and tell your man just how perfect it’s been.

Remember those people who were there at the end, dance wildly with them. Make it a hell of a night and forget trying to save the dress – you won’t be wearing it again!

Have an amazing day,
The Little Lending Co. x