A year in photos
A year in photos
Where do I start? 2011 is, I would say, the best year of my life to date.
A lot has happened this year and I believe all has been for the best.
I am now engaged to the best man in the world. I am now living in my 1st flat with my lovely fiance in Manchester. I have now got a fantastic job at Spinningfields.
All of the above is making me ridiculously happy and so excited about what 2012 has to hold. Last year was amazing, but tricky and nothing less than exhausting. I have no doubt that 2012 will keep me on my toes, but in a very different way I’m sure!
So although I have made a slight career change, I am very much still in the world of weddings and continuing Wedding Planning “on the side”. Along with my own wedding next year (can’t believe I’m saying that!), I have a friend’s wedding to plan in the summer, 2 weddings to attend this year so far and lots of advice to give to those that ask. So I am certainly not dropping-off the wedding radar at all!
So for 2012, from me, you can look forward to some continual blogging on all things “weddings”, my own wedding plans and also my new life and ventures in Spinningfields and Manchester! I heart Manchester!
I look forward to taking a deep breath and moving onwards and upwards in every way.
Happy New Year to you all and I look forward to seeing you all in some capacity, in 2012.
More of my wedding photography (with a little help from Instagram…cheating I know!)
My very amateur photography from Danny & Gemma’s wedding, Saturday 27th August 2011.
Ok well I shall start by saying – this is the most excited I have been over writing a blog before! This indeed is the blog of my blog-writing career so far! Of course, it is quite possibly the most important and significant thing that has happened to me yet in my 25 years on this planet…my engagement!
So I’ll go back to the start…17 days ago to be exact…
So I was sitting in my office at work, feeling completely and utterly sorry for myself! My boyfriend, who I’d barely seen in 2 weeks was in New York City, about to attend the opening of an art exhibition in which he had a piece on display, in the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) – and I wasn’t with him! With so much to do at work and not a penny to my name, I just wasn’t able to fly out and spend the week with him. And to make it even worse, he was due to be out there for over a week…a week that included my 25th birthday! Not to mention my girls were also all going to be away, enjoying a beach holiday together – so I was going to be alone…alone on my birthday! Needless to say my colleagues were definitely feeling full force of my self-pitying mood.
So after endless texting between us, I was full of regret that I hadn’t somehow made it happen to be out there with him. His constant “you should be here” and “not the same without you” texts, just weren’t making it easier either! So after what seemed like the longest day ever, I was seriously thinking of ways that I could make it happen! I needed to be in NYC with him!
I didn’t want to let people down at work, or leave things for my colleagues to pick-up, so I set about 2 extremely long days of work, in hope to tie-off any loose ends or urgent tasks that needed tying off…just in case I could book the flights…I then got a text from my wonderful boyfriend saying he wanted me with him and would do anything to get me out there, including paying for my flights! So that was it! I knew I had to make it work! This was too good-an-offer to turn down!
So after seeking the down-to-earth advice of my parents, who pretty much said “sod it – book it, you only live once!”, I told my boss that everything at work that needed to be done was done and I wanted to take the rest of the week off. I then, in an excited, adrenaline-fuelled moment, booked my plane ticket and suddenly the reality was, I was flying out on Wednesday 20th July to spend 4 nights in NYC with my boyfriend!
So after an anxious, yet excited flight, I touched-down in JFK and immediately felt the heat…I’d actually made it! I don’t think I’d ever been quite so excited to see him and literally couldn’t stop grinning to myself. The next thing I know, flip-flops pounding on the arrival-lounge floor, he’s running towards me and picks me up with a huge hug and big kiss…it was now a reality! And this was just the beginning…
…we piled into a yellow taxi (the first of many on this trip) and headed straight off for down-town Manhattan (at this point I think it was 95 degrees – the coolest of the entire week to come). We were both so excited to be in one of our favourite cities together, for the first time, it just hadn’t quite sunk in. I was then told my first instruction of the week – I was to get to the hotel, dump my things and head straight off to Macy’s, cash in hand (from him of course) to buy myself a dress for the evening…but that was all I could know! So having been in the country for less then 2 hours, I was walking around Macy’s in a daze looking for a dress for I don’t-know-what!
Cut to 2 hours later, adorning said dress, we’re both piling into a taxi on our way to my surprise. Circling the streets of Manhattan, we drive passed the Waldorf (one of my most favourite hotels, with its rampant art-deco style) and round the corner to where we’re dropped-off. Still none the wiser, we walk around the block and I’m taking in all the sites as I’m spun around and ushered into a doorway…the doorway of what I realised was the Waldorf Hotel!
I proceeded to have a Cosmopolitan (and yes, for that moment, I imagined I was in an episode of SATC and I was with my Mr Big…I admit it ok!) and we sat down for dinner. The best fillet mignon of my life later, we’re leaving and hailing a cab on 5th Avenue. No luck and he is anxious that we have to be somewhere by 8pm (I’m still none-the-wiser)…so we do what all tourists end up doing and no locals ever do…we got into an extortionately priced tuc-tuc! But was it so worth the $52 dollars to go less then a mile!! Weaving in and out of cars and seeing New York whizz by, with a breeze in our hair – was so exhilarating! And 18 hours ago, as I woke up in London, this was the last thing I thought I’d be doing!
We end up at the bottom of Broadway, running towards, what turns out to be a theatre…and of course my next surprise…a Broadway show! Perfection!
Needless to say, show over, we headed straight back to the hotel – having been up now for 22 hours solidly, I was definitely ready for my bed! The boy did good for my first day in the big city!
So Thursday morning, we wake up, full of ideas and places to go. Luckily we’d both been before, so didn’t feel the need to hit the tourist hot-spots. We just wanted to “be” in the city and go wherever the wind took us. My planning head on and “Lonely Planet” guidebook in hand, we decided to start with a cocktail and lunch by the Rockefeller Centre fountain and then went on to see some of the neighbourhoods (inc Greenwich Village) and ended up on the Upper East Side, in the fabulous restaurant Southern Hospitality, where we over-indulged on ribs, pulled-pork, corn-bread and cocktails. I was having the time of my life and the stresses of work and home seemed a million miles away. Being in NYC felt so glamorous and I hadn’t spent a single penny – I was being treated like a Princess – this was certainly turning out to be the best birthday present ever!
The next day we hit China Town and Little Italy, stopping for regular air-conditioned breaks (at this point, the record-breaking heat wave had well and truly hit, with temperatures reaching over 100 degrees!) and of course some well deserved beer! We ended up in a fab bar full of character called Noho Star, which we’d unexpectedly stumbled across and spent the next hour chatting with the cool bar-tender from Illinois. Mid-afternoon, my wonderful boyfriend had a business meeting he had booked-in for a couple of hours, so I head back to the hotel for a mid-afternoon nap in the air-conditioning (absolute bliss!).
Then the evening came and of course being a Friday night, we booked in to see a show – The Rat Pack at BB King’s bar in Times Square. We couldn’t believe we got tickets and ended up having dinner and wine, less then 2 metres from the stage, listening to the classics of Franky, Dean and Sammy (with a guest appearance from Marilyn Monroe of course). A few hours later, we walked out onto the overwhelming sites of Times Square and just couldn’t take enough in at once! We strolled-off, not knowing where we were headed and ended up being persuaded to go to a “Duelling Piano Bar” (quite the rage in the US apparently). It turned out to be so much fun, completely unexpected and a first for us! The night was full of music and I was just so utterly happy – I didn’t think things could get any better…
…then it was Saturday. And one of the first things I was told by my wonderful boyfriend when I jumped in that taxi at JFK just a few days previously, was Saturday was my day! My birthday was on Sunday, but as we were due to fly back home on Sunday night, I figured we were moving my “official” birthday celebrations forward a day and thought nothing else of it. But I was so excited to see what else he had in store for me (the Waldorf and Broadway was surely enough!?).
So, barely awake on Saturday morning, he said he had to pop out to grab a few things and I was to get ready because we were heading for a picnic in Central Park (one of the things I’d day-dreamed about, sitting at my desk in the office, a mere 5 days ago!)…
Turns out, he’d bought a picnic hamper before I arrived and had been chilling champagne in the hotel fridge all week. He then bought strawberries and chocolate and some other bits. Then, with me wearing my favourite dress (and his) and with him carrying our hamper of goodies, we made our way to Central Park.
We got to the park at about 10am and strolled along until we found a lovely secluded spot on a small hillside where we sat down and popped open the bottle of bubbly. It was all just so perfect and he’d made my birthday so special, I was just beaming with happiness and complete and utter love for him… A “Snow-White” moment of feeding squirrels and frolicking in the grass followed (well I like to think I was frolicking!) and we reminisced on our amazing few days that just a week ago, we never dreamed would happen.
Then sitting in between his legs, with his arms wrapped round me and us both looking out over views of Central Park, he said that he had “one more present for me”. “Another dress?” I thought…how could he possibly have got me another present?! I’d already been totally and utterly spoilt!!! And then I saw it…the little blue box with the ribbon…and my heart stopped for a second and everything around me seemed to disappear and I was looking at this box. I honestly can say that I still hadn’t cottoned-on…visions of a 25th Birthday memento or brooch were running through my head as I pulled open the ribbon slowly and lifted the lid. Inside was a little black velvet box and that is when it started to become a reality and I realised what was about to happen…
…I gently lifted the velvet box out and opened it to reveal THE most beautiful ring I’d ever seen! Absolutely stunning! Tears of complete and utter joy were starting to fill my eyes, as I heard the words “Will you marry me?” and with tears running down my cheeks and a beaming smile on my face, I turned around and said “Are you serious!?” (I admit, not my finest moment) immediately followed by “Yes, of course I will!” as he slipped the ring onto my finger with a huge smile on his face (and I like to think a small tear in his eye)…and there it was…just like that…I was engaged to the love of my life and sharing the happiest moment of my life with the one person I want to spend the rest of my life with. I couldn’t have asked for anything more – he had made everything so perfect and so special and had managed to do it all without me having even an inkling of suspicion!
Brunch and bubbles at the Plaza Hotel followed, then a quick whip into some shops on 5th Avenue and back to the hotel. It still wasn’t over! I was then told to get dressed-up and we were in a cab on our way to an amazing fine-dining restaurant, Le Cirque. We had a wonderful 3-course meal with wine, our first as a newly engaged couple and nothing could be more perfect.
Waking up the next morning, I was in blissful happiness and it wasn’t until my phone started to beep with messages that I remembered it was my birthday! That seemed to pale into insignificance against what had happened the day before! But waking-up, on my 25th birthday, in New York City, with the man I love and a Tiffany ring on my finger, was truly the best feeling in the world!
A trip to the flea market in Hells Kitchen (where we picked up some ink blocks and some last-minute pressies) and then a stroll in Battery Park (and sitting on a bench whilst looking at the Statue of Liberty) later, we made the most of our last afternoon in the big city. In complete contentment and happiness we held hands through the city, before we piled into a taxi - the first leg of our trip back home.
So whirlwind trip of a lifetime over, I actually had a chance to quiz him on what had been going-on in his head for the last week. Turns out, as soon as I said I’d booked the flight out, he knew he wanted to ask me to marry him. Whilst I was on the plane, he had phoned by Dad and my Brother to ask their permission and to tell them what he had planned for me (of course they were so excited and happy for what was going to happen). He then went to Tiffany’s and picked the ring and sent it off to be re-sized. The “business meeting” that I thought he was in on the Friday, was actually him picking-up the ring and everything else followed from there. This made me even more happier, that he’d put so much thought into it and that it all just happened at the right moment.
So, there is really only one thing left for me to say…and that is…
Richard Wood, my fiancé, I absolutely love and adore you. You have made me the happiest woman alive and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I am so excited for all the happy times we have in-store and I thank you. I thank you for being you and I thank you for asking me to be your wife. I love you. From the future Mrs Holly Wood!
Well where do I start!? I think the most sensible (and probably safest) thing to do, is to not compare the two fantastic cities! They each have so much to offer that it’d be unfair to compare and indeed unnecessary! There is plenty of love to go round and at the moment both London and Manchester have a huge part of my heart!
Lets start with London, the place that I was born and bred (and still currently residing)…
Having avid Londoners for parents, I was never deprived of days out in London as a child. I’m so lucky to have parents that took a keen interest in taking us out, teaching us things and getting us involved – this has definitely shaped me as a person! I therefore appreciate the wonders, history and diversity that London has to offer all those that live and work there!
I feel I should now probably mention one of my most favourite places on earth…Portobello Market! Many of my childhood and indeed adult memories revolve around this fabulous place! If it’s not pie & mash at Cockneys, it’s Chinese food at City Lounge (no longer there sadly) or Mojitos at the Market Bar or a film and a bottle of wine at the Electric Cinema. Many-a-pocket money was spent there and now, much of my wages! As an event/wedding planner now, I naturally look to the fabulous venues that this part of London has to offer and am also a regular to the Vintage Wedding Fayre for inspiration and new suppliers. Some of my favourite locations are: The Westbourne Studios, Ground Floor Bar and First Floor Restaurant, Notting Hill Arts Club, The Cobden and of course the many many pubs that I’ve frequented over the years.
Moving on to my next love in life…wait for it…Kensal Green! This fabulous gem of North-West London was relatively undiscovered until a few years ago! It seems, ever since the likes of Kate Moss and Daniel Craig decided to visit the area and Chamberlayne Road became the “trendiest high-street in Europe” according to Vouge, it has become a more and more exciting and thriving community to live in. Having lived there all my life, I waited for the day when I could do a seriously cool pub crawl on a Saturday night and still not be able to fit everything in! My friends, that day has come! With The Mason’s Arms, William IV, The Regent, The Paradise by way of Kensal Green and The Chamberlayne, to name but a few, you wouldn’t be disappointed at the atmosphere of any of these places whilst enjoying a nice tipple and some great grub! There’s also the fabulously cool and charity-driven Lexi Cinema and some great boutique shops alongside Minsky’s Deli and The Diner. Head over a few blocks from Kensal Rise and you’ve got The Island Pub, Gracelands Café and Angelo’s Italian Delicatessen – what a great sense of community this area has become (an area that people would once turn their noses up at!).
Now I could go on to list numerous fantastic things about London in great detail, but I feel I want to be more specific to the areas that are in my heart. However, in summary, some of the best places I’ve been to in London are: Camden Market, Spitalfields, Shoreditch House, Sketch, Graphic Bar, National History Museum, British Museum, The Tattershall Castle, 2 Temple Place, Jewell Bar, Kensington Rooftop Gardens, Kenwood House, Somerset House, Claridges, The Landmark….
Now onto Manchester…the city that I am currently having a love affair with!…
Now I’m going to be honest, being a southerner, I had written-off Manchester for years and almost dismissed it as a place to visit, let alone live. After all, what could it have to offer that London hasn’t!?
Well after my other-half embarked on a PhD at Lancaster University (crazy person!), I finally had an excuse to go up north and explore. Due to his PhD lasting 3-4 yrs, and the subject being Digital Innovation, he had many links with Manchester and the creative agencies there. Therefore sensible thing for him to do, was to live there! With us both being in our twenties and in desperation to get on the property ladder, we thought that Manchester would be the most viable and sensible option in which to do so! We would buy a place that he would live in full-time whilst studying and I would visit on weekends.
Skip ahead 8 months and we’ve got a fab flat in Salford Quays and I’m making regular trips up (most weekends in fact) to visit. And in the past 8 months, I’ve made it my objective to get to know as many venues, places, events and people in the industry as possible – so it now really does feel like a home from home!
Now what I love about Manchester is its size and manageability. There is so much going on, so much excitement, but you don’t have to sit on a bus or claustrophobic train for hours to get there! It was an absolute novelty for me to be able to jump in a cab right across town and for it to cost less then a tenner! (In comparison, it’s not a rare occurence to spend £20-30 on cabs in London to go just a few miles!)
I love the “cool” demeanour that the city has and the quirky places it has to offer – such as Teacup and Cakes and Oklahoma in the Northern Quarter and the fabulously stylish Albert’s Shed on the canal in Castlefield or the swanky Epernay Champagne Bar in Deansgate. Of course I also had to take a trip to the famous Canal Street (and actually did so with my other half and my parents), where I found a great restaurant Velvet where we had great food, luscious cocktails and friendly service in a wonderful atmosphere!
One of my favourite places of the moment is Spinningfields as it seems to be a real hub and vibrant centre for the Mancunians. It’s the “Canary Wharf of Manchester” and has a really swish and sophisticated feel about it. Anywhere that has a Wagamamas is fine by me! What I love about it is, there is everything you need in one place, but they haven’t scrimped or compromised one bit! From the effortlessly cool Alchemist Bar (serving seriously good grub!) to the outdoor cinema screen, deck-chairs and Mojito Bar of Screenfields, to the seriously sumptuous shops on The Avenue! I’ve already spent many-a Sunday afternoon in the sun, chilling-out and eating some seriously good food (often to combat a slight hangover from the night before)! It’ll definitely be a regular haunt of mine.
Then there’s West Didsbury…the Queens Park of Manchester for me (you Londoners will know what I mean)! I absolutely love it, its community, beer gardens and chic boutiques. The Woodstock quickly became a regular of mine and I love all the wedding and bridal boutiques and businesses that can be found there: Silver Sixpence in her Shoe, The White Closet, And the Dish Ran Away With the Spoon, Pearls and Lace film and The Flower Lounge to name but a few!
Now I could go on…and on…and on…but I won’t! Because this isn’t about listing every place I’ve ever been to in London or Manchester. I guess there isn’t a huge conclusion to this blog, other then, that I intend to celebrate everything both London and Manchester has to offer me personally and in my future career. I know that I definitely want to re-locate full-time to Manchester for a while, to really submerge myself in the city-life, but when will that happen? Who knows!…what will be will be and I’m a firm believer that things happen for a reason…so I’m just waiting for the right opportunity to move t’up north and become a proper local (shhhh – just don’t tell London!).
Fabulous photos from Hannah & Dominic’s wedding at Stoke Place (May 2011).
Photo’s by: Lola Rose Photography http://lolarosephotography.com / http://lolarosephotographyblog.com
Flowers by: Love Flowers http://www.loveflowers.org/
“Holly the wedding planner is the perfect type of person you want helping you organise something as big as a wedding and no matter what we threw at her, she took in her stride and accommodated with total ease. It was enough that she is a truly lovely person but she is also very capable and you feel very safe knowing she is looking after the organisation of the biggest day of your life. I will miss going there for our meetings and having a little catch up over coffee at the same time!” Katrina & Gideon, married Friday 29th April, 2011
“…you were very helpful and the best wedding planner I’ve spoken to in the last 4 months and about 30 different venues…” Beth Stallwood, bride-to-be, Friday 11th November 2011
http://www.lovemydress.net/blog/2011/04/molly-liam-llama-stoke-place-wedding-buckinghamshire.html#more - Molly & Liam’s Wedding back in Dec 2010
http://www.lovemydress.net/blog/2011/04/chez-bec-couture-tino-and-pip.html - Team Awesome Shoot
Say no more!
Well what a fabulous day Saturday 19th March 2011 was! Not only did I wake up to glorious sunshine, but I got to meet some wonderful people from the Wedding Industry.
Following a bit of light (and slightly drunken) networking at The Wedding Ideas Awards back in January, I was asked by the fabulous couple Penny & Martin (aka Tino And Pip) to arrange the location of the photoshoot that was to become TeamAwesomeShoot!
It was to be a glamorous affair that show-cased the wonderful work of Chez Bec, the stunningly beautiful dresses of Creatiques, blingingly brilliant jewellery from Jon Keith Diamonds and the sumptious cupcakes from Sprinkles & Swirls. Aided by tremendously talented Louise Hair & Make-up and the glaringly gorgeous model sisters Alice and Juliana, the photoshoot was a great success and I think Stoke Place provided the perfect back-drop!
Drenched in sun-light all day, the hotel grounds looked dreamy and romantic and the Howard Vyse and Wedgewood rooms created the ideal glamorous setting.
Below, you’ll find a sneak-peak of behind-the-scenes shots from the shoot and watch this space…more to come soon! Can’t wait!
Thank you to all the wonderful people involved and I feel priveledged to have been a part of it - I hope to work with you all again in the future!
Wonderful shots from the photoshoot at Stoke Place that I was so happy to be a part of (even in a small way)…Photos by Tino And Pip http://www.tinoandpip.co.uk/photographing-for-the-stars/
…and more from the fabulous wedding and photographer Emma Case http://emmacasephotography.blogspot.com/ - there were just too many to choose favourites!
Check out these fabulous photos of the December 30th Wedding at Stoke Place. The chic and stylish wedding of Molly & Liam, taken by the wonderfully talented Emma Case (@EmmaCase). See the rest of the photos and more of her portfolio at http://emmacasephotography.blogspot.com/
