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This afternoon, we chat to one of the very nicest industry ladies I have met (and there are lots of them!). Fun, energetic and bursting with enthusiasm, meet Helen, professional wedding planner with Yorkshire based events company Bash. She’s full of good ideas to help you take your special day to the next level, and is offering wedding blog readers an exclusive package to do just that.
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Let’s say hello!
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How did Bash begin?
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For the past eight years, I’ve managed internal Communications for a FTSE 250 Financial Services company. It’s a role that involves planning and organising all sorts of events from intimate dinner parties to corporate conferences and Christmas parties for between 50 and 2000 people, so I know how exciting it is to prepare for a special occasion. I also understand how daunting it can be.
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The inspiration to create Bash came to me as a result of an animated conversation with a very good friend who was about to embark upon planning her own wedding. Over a cold bottle of white wine, she pointed out all the reasons why she wished she had someone like me to help her. And so it began.
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I haven’t looked back. Helping couples to have precisely the wedding they want and making it the happiest day of their lives is so rewarding. For me, standing back, watching you and your guests having a wonderful time gives me the best feeling in the world!
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What sort of events do you organise?
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We’re passionate about planning fabulous Weddings, Civil Partnerships, parties and celebrations in Yorkshire.
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Tell us about your wedding planning services?
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Our commitment is to be friendly, flexible and affordable. It runs through everything we do. We don’t just help with the organisation of your wedding day; we relieve all the stress associated with planning it and are there to support you in every area. But we won’t take over or attempt to force our ideas upon you. We simply provide a professional planning service that’s flexible to your needs. Whatever stage of the planning process you’re at, we’ll give you all the advice, suggestions and inspiration you need.
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Our services include a Bash Hour (£35) – an hour of a professional and experienced Wedding Planner’s time to use as you wish, venue and supplier sourcing (from £70), bespoke by the hour planning, and on the Day Co-ordination (from £400).
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Why should Brides Up North hire a wedding planner?
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If we’re working with you from the very beginning, we’ll help you to set a timeline and identify your priorities. As you set your budget, we’ll be there to guide you and will help you to identify the things you absolutely do not want to compromise on.
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Weddings are an expensive undertaking, and whilst hiring a Wedding Planner might seem like a superfluous cost, hiring us can actually save you money in the long run. We work with you to make sure you stick to your budget and source the best value for money on every last detail.
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We have an enviable network of contacts, giving us access to the best of everything. Our standards are high, really high. We only recommend suppliers who we know and trust and who we believe will care about you. Our valuable connections might even afford you special advantages which are not necessarily available to everyone. In any case, we will always work within your budget and because we care so much about adding value, we pass on any supplier discounts directly to you, so you can always expect that little bit more.
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What can a Bride and Groom who book you expect?
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Your wedding day is the most important day of your life. You want to be perfect. You envisage every aspect of it running smoothly, seamlessly, without a hitch… but with so many details to take care of, it is hard to imagine how everything will fall into place. If you work full time, are busy juggling other priorities or live remotely from the venue, organising a wedding can be daunting, time consuming and stressful.
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As well as helping you to find the best suppliers, we will happily do all the leg work for you. We’ll become your personal assistant and do all the calling, ordering and looking after details that you might not have time to deal with. With so much information to process and things to be confirmed, you can relax in the knowledge that an experienced Wedding Planner is by your side – working for you – taking care of all the e-mails, telephone calls, meetings, co-ordination and on-going management of check lists.
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In preparation for your wedding, we will also guide and advise you on etiquette and protocol and we’ll prevent you from making any embarrassing mistakes.
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On the day, we’ll take care of all the little details that make a BIG difference. At Bash, we work for YOU and everything we do is in your best interest. It’s our job to ensure you feel relaxed because we want you to enjoy every second of your day.
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What packages do you offer?
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Rather than offer standard ‘packages’, we simply charge for our time and encourage you to dip in and out of our services as much or as little as you please.
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Where are you located and will you travel?
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We are based in West Yorkshire and operate throughout Yorkshire and surrounding regions. From lively, vibrant cities to pretty villages, rolling countryside to dramatic coastlines, the North of England has all you could possibly wish for. If you want to escape a big city, we’ve got some of the most stunning open countryside. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for the bright lights and the buzz of a metropolis, you’ll find that here too. There’s so much to choose from!
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If you’re looking for the perfect venue, we’ve got stately homes, boutique hotels, luxury spas and cosy, traditional country inns, oozing with character and bags of charm. Coupled with this, we produce great local food and can cater for all tastes – ranging from fabulous fish and chips to Michelin-starred menus.
At Bash, we’ve already done the leg work for you. We’ve travelled the length and breadth of the region in search of some of the best venues and suppliers to inspire you with fresh and interesting ideas.
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Do you have a limit on the number of weddings you take on a year?
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We only take on a limited number of weddings each year to ensure we give you the very best service. After all, every wedding we create is unique. Ultimately, our aim is to get to know YOU and help you to have the kind of wedding you really want.
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Can you organise engagement parties? Are these popular?
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Absolutely! Whether it’s an elaborate event involving friends and family or an intimate proposal dinner for two, we can help you to create the perfect celebration.
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In actual fact, a Bash Hour makes a perfect Engagement present! If you need some help to get your wedding plans started or have lots of ideas, but are too busy to give it much thought, it’s a great way to find out how a professional Wedding Planner could help you.
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Alternatively, if you’re planning your own wedding but would like some professional advice, in just 60 minutes, we’ll give you all the ideas, suggestions and inspiration you need.
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What sets Bash apart from other wedding and events planners?
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We believe in defending a couple’s right to have precisely the wedding day they want to have and as such, challenge those who believe the only way a Wedding Planner can add value is by taking over every aspect. We won’t force our ideas upon you, nor do we expect you to hand over the entire planning process. Instead, we encourage you to enjoy the fun parts of it, whilst taking advantage of a flexible range of planning services that you can dip in and out of as much or as little as you please.
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Can you do a discount or give away for Brides Up North readers?
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We’re offering an invaluable ‘On The Day Co-ordination’ service, exclusively to Brides Up North readers, for an all-inclusive price of £385.
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It’s your wedding day, so wouldn’t you like to relax and enjoy every second of it? Absolutely! But during the final weeks of preparation, you might ask yourself who will take care of every detail? Who will handle any last minute glitches with the venue, caterer, photographer, florist, cake-maker or musicians?
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Even the best-laid plans need to be managed – so why not involve a professional and experienced wedding planner to check every detail, tie up any loose ends and make sure everything goes to plan?
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We will meet you 2 to 4 weeks before your wedding, ideally at the venue, to discuss and walk through the details. We take time to understand exactly what you’ve planned, what you want and how much help you need.
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We then make contact with all the suppliers involved, from venue to florist, making sure they all know exactly what to do and when, and deal with all their last minute questions.
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We will create a detailed itinerary for your wedding so you, your guests and all suppliers know where they need to be and when.
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On the day, we will be there to make sure everything is precisely where you want it to be. This enables us to be the main point of contact for everyone involved and leaves you free to enjoy every single moment, with the confidence that comes from knowing an experienced and professional Wedding Planner, who knows exactly what you want, is taking care of everything.
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How can Brides Up North get in touch with you?
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Visit our website www.your-bash.co.uk
Call Helen on 07561 107888
Find us on Facebook : Bash Events & Occasions Ltd
Follow us on Twitter : @yourbash
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Brides Up North UK Wedding Blog – Images © 2012 John Steel Photography
Bash is a Brides Up North Featured Supplier
Contact Brides Up North to submit your business as a Featured Supplier
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