What to expect on the Hitched planning stage

We are so excited to have Hitched – the go-to online wedding planning platform and show headline partner – at The South East Wedding Show hosting the planning stage. If you’re newly engaged and in serious need of inspiration for your upcoming nuptials, be sure to make time during your visit to see these talks.

There are a lot of aspects to organising your big day which can make it all a bit overwhelming sometimes – Hitched get this. Which is why they’ll be bringing along a host of renowned experts to offer you the very best wedding advice.

Here’s who you can expect to see on the Hitched planning stage and what time they’ll be on…

The session: How to plan your perfect wedding cake, Saturday 12pm

The expert: Emma Waddington from Gifted Heart Cakes

About Gifted Heart Cakes

Choosing wedding cakes is a lovely but daunting task. There are endless sources of inspiration online and it can be a challenge to filter through these whilst gathering ideas. Bespoke Wedding Cake designer Emma Waddington, the Founder of Gifted Heart Cakes, loves sharing her expertise and advice on the secrets of how to take your ideas and craft them into a perfect wedding cake. Emma has worked with many couples over the years, helping them navigate the decisions around cake designs, sizes, decoration options, and of course the most delicious decision of all – the cake flavours!

She says: “One of the best tips for choosing your perfect wedding cake is to try to go for a style that compliments the overall theme of your wedding, whether it is a dramatic sugar flower masterpiece or a rustic woodland inspired creation, it needs sit well with your flowers, venue, dress and overall style.” – Emma Waddington, Founder of Gifted Heart Cakes

Find out more about Gifted Heart Cakes at https://www.giftedheartcakes.co.uk/

The session: Trends for 2020 in the world of wedding flowers, Sunday 12pm

The experts: Michal and Michael from Blooming Haus

About Blooming Haus

From humble beginnings as a small pop-up shop in Chelsea, Blooming Haus has since blossomed spectacularly on to the floristry scene as floral engineers, carving themselves an outstanding reputation as one of London’s most innovative and fashion forward floral design studios.

They say: “At Blooming Haus, our most invaluable tip is to ensure you choose a professional that you know you can trust when it comes to your wedding flowers and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Secondly, we like to advise our couples to relax by taking a short break before their wedding day. Visiting a spa for the day will make all the difference to not only the way you feel, but the way you look before the big day. Lastly, we know how fast the day will go so make sure you enjoy and celebrate the moment as much as you can!” – Michal J Kowalski, Master Florist at Blooming Haus, and Michal Dariane, Head of Operations at Blooming Haus

Find out more about Blooming Haus at https://www.bloominghaus.com

The session: Wedding make up dos and don’ts: Live make up tutorial, Saturday 1.15pm, Sunday 1.15pm

The expert: Bridget O’Keeffe from Blush + Blow London

About Blush + Blow London

Blush + Blow was founded by Bridget O’Keeffe, a makeup artist, beauty blogger and entrepreneur. Raved about by monthly glossies such as Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire and Harper’s Bazaar, Bridget is a true pro when it comes to wedding beauty and will be talking show visitors through her favourite products that she uses to achieve a natural finish that glows as well as covers – perfect for your big day! She will discuss different products for different skin types, how to colour correct and the best tools for flawless wedding day skin. Not a bride or groom-to-be? No worries, these makeup techniques are for everyone!

She says: “When it comes to wedding beauty, the thing I would advise all brides on is to get their skin in the very best condition as possible ahead of the big day. A youthful fresh face of makeup needs really good skin in order to look its best.” – Bridget O’Keeffe, Makeup Artist and Founder of Blush + Blow London

Find out more about Blush + Blow at https://blushandblowlondon.com/

The session: Professional planning tips to ensure your day goes without a hitch, Saturday 2.15pm, Sunday 2.15pm

The expert: Weddings expert Kelly Mortimer

About Kelly Mortimer

Kelly Mortimer is an International Wedding Venue Consultant and has been in the wedding industry for the last 20 years. Having worked for some of the most well-known venues in the world, she shares tips and advice that only the pro’s know! With experience managing weddings for royalty and celebrities, she shares the inside secrets on what actually makes a wedding day go without a hitch. One of her testimonials says it all: “The best wedding advice we’ve had so far! Thank you!”

She says: “The most important part of wedding planning is ‘the flow’. Guests won’t remember if they had dauphinoise potatoes over rosti, or if you chose hydrangeas over orchids. but they will remember ‘the flow’. This is their overall experience and enjoyment of the day, and timings, guest comfort and all the small details add to this. The tips I will be sharing at The South East Wedding Show are all absolutely COST FREE. This session will be all about logistics and planning and not about spending money!” – Kelly Mortimer, International Wedding Venue Consultant & Wedding Sales Trainer

Find out more about Kelly at https://www.kellymortimer.co.uk/

The session: Exclusive Q&A with a Hitched editor, Saturday 4pm

The expert: Sarah Allard, Editor at Hitched

About Hitched

Hitched is the UK’s No.1 wedding planning website, with over 6000 amazing venues and suppliers, clever planning tools to get your wed-min in order and, of course, lots of help, advice and inspiration along the way. It’s no wonder that Hitched have over 1.2 million unique users every month – after all, they have the answer to every question when it comes to planning the perfect wedding. Don’t miss this wedding Q&A with Sarah Allard, the editor at Hitched.

Sarah says: “My biggest piece of advice for anyone planning their big day would be to not sweat the small stuff. It’s easy to let the process overwhelm you, so make sure you and your partner take time away from planning and lean on friends and family to support you too. No-one is going to notice if the shade of your napkins doesn’t exactly match the shade of your chair covers on the day, so try to enjoy the journey.” – Sarah Allard, Editor at Hitched

Find out more about Hitched at https://hitched.co.uk

The session: Advice for managing your wedding budget, Sunday 4pm

The expert: Susie from Inspired By Susie Evans

About Susie

Susie established Inspired By Susie Evans in 2011 and has nearly a decade of experience organising weddings in Surrey and Sussex. With a background of running a successful venue styling business, Susie has the eye for detail and the knowledge to know about what is new and exciting. She encourages brides and grooms to break away from tradition, inspiring them to make their day truly bespoke.

She says: “When planning a wedding, always have a plan B. Come rain or shine, you want to enjoy the day as do you guests and thinking about the weather in advance will ensure you have plans of where and what your guests will do if there is a sudden downpour just before an outdoor drinks reception. Trust me, it will ensure you have less stresses on the day and you can adapt the day to whatever the weather forecast will be!” – Susie, Founder of Inspired By Susie Evans

Find out more about Susie at https://inspiredbysusieevans.com/

To get access to the fabulous sessions running on the Hitched planning stage at The South East Wedding Show on 7-8 September at Farnborough International Exhibition Centre, be sure to book your tickets here for the South East’s exciting new wedding planning weekend.

To find out more about Hitched, the rest of the show’s fabulous sponsors and partners and all the exhibiting suppliers and venues from the South East, take a look at our exhibitor page.