Greg and Mariame - 20th August, 2011

Mariame is one of those great clients who you know you will just love!  We met Mariame at our UK Wedding Show exhibition in February at Excel, London.  She was a delight to work with; a really nice and classy lady.  She wanted a really simple wedding décor for her reception, her bouquet, wedding party flowers and ceremony; we worked closely together to create this really simple but classy ambience that she wanted for guests.  The wedding ceremony took place at Notre Dame de France at Leicester Square and the wedding reception took place at Millennium Hotels, Gloucester Road

Mariame wanted white chair covers with bows; she really wanted her décor simple. We designed her chair covers, keeping the design simple but with a bit of character. For the bows, we used pistachio green silk taffeta fabric which was the exact match of her bridesmaids’ outfits.

Mariame wanted Phalaenopsis Orchids in a tall vase as centrepieces.

Beautiful pink crystals and pink favour boxes to the table setting. She had a beautiful colour coordinated gift box.

The wedding cake tied in to the theme of the wedding; simple and classy

Mariame wanted a simple rose bouquet

It was an absolute joy for us to be part of Mariame and Greg’s big day. We wish the lovely couple a very happy and blessed married life!


This is what Mariame had to say:

"I met Ify at a wedding fair in Excel 6 months prior to my wedding and honestly she's been a life saver! From our first meeting I knew I was in good hands. She was very professional, well prepared and very pleasant. I used her service for the church, cocktail and reception rooms decorations and all the wedding flowers (bouquets and decoration). She took her time to listen to every detail and at no point I felt like she was trying to impose her ideas on my wedding. I was most impress by her willingness to help me with details that were not part of our contract and even helping me find a videographer. I will definitely recommend her to any bride-to-be as she will be one less thing to worry about!"

Post Event Analysis (PEA)

It is every Planner’s joy to walk away from an event knowing that their clients are happy and that their Company provided the excellent service(s) that they were contracted to deliver. However, things sometimes don't always go as planned.

Here at HM we always review what went well and what didn’t go so well after every event. We call this the 'PEA'.  We believe that every event - successful or otherwise can be improved upon and there are always lessons to be learned.

Here are some of our PEA questions.

For a successful event:

1) Was the event a success?
The definition of ‘success’ is relative so we go through our checklist of what boxes a successful event should tick.

2) If the event was a success, what areas can still be improved on?
Every area of the event is analysed, those responsible for each area(s) are questioned and answers/ comments/recommendations are communicated and documented.

3) Was the successful event profitable? Were there hidden cost(s) not anticipated or accounted for? Did we compromise profit to secure the job?
A business needs to make profit to survive

4) What are the lessons learnt?
These need to be documented in the client’s file.

5) Are the clients truly happy?
Happy clients bring repeat businesses

6) Are their guests happy and amazed?
Every guest is a potential client or will recommend a good vendor to friends and family. Word of mouth is the best form of advertisement in the events industry.

7) Are other vendors happy?

For a not so successful event:


1) Why is the client not happy or satisfied?
2) Why is the event not successful?  What factors contributed to this?
3) Were the reasons/factors within our control?
4) Were there communication gaps?
5) Were both parties transparent in their dealings with each other?
6) Could we have handled matters differently?
7) What steps do we take in future to avoid a reoccurrence?


Thank goodness we have a high percentage of happy clients because it takes a few weeks for a good Planner to recover from the shock of a bad event!  An unsuccessful event is not just emotionally draining but very costly to a business - your reputation is simply on the line!

Send us your Love Story

The wedding season is in full swing at Hannah Michael. With the weather warming up and the royal wedding only 21 days away, love is really in the air!

As we design and brainstorm with our couples on the details they will like to incorporate into their big days, we ask how they met? How he proposed? How she proposed? What is their Love Stories?

We have had the privilege of hearing some really romantic and intriguing stories and so we decided to offer a couple getting married no later than 2012 with the MOST romantic, funny or captivating love story , 50% off one of our services. So send us your stories.  

To enter the draw and for full details of the offer including terms and conditions, visit our Offers & Competition page on our main web site.

Venue Finder: The Avenue, Conference & Events Centre, Finchley, London.

We recently worked at a new venue for the wedding of Olivia and Peter who got married on the 19^th of March, 2011.  The wedding reception cocktails and dinner was held at The Avenue, Conference & Events Centre, Finchley, London.  This was our first time working at the venue, it was quite an interesting experience.  The venue and other vendors were booked by the couple, we had only 2 weeks to execute this wedding.  We catered, set up the venue including a Bar area and coordinated on the day.

The venue is relatively new and can accommodate 240 guests for a sit down dinner style.  The hall is open with plain, clean walls and in built computerized lighting system.  There is a standard kitchen for outdoor caterers and so if you are simply looking for a clean hall without much character, you may want to check this venue out.

Hannah Michael Weddings & Events Ltd at London Excel

We exhibited at The UK Wedding Show on the 5th and 6th of February, 2011. The show took place at the prestigious Excel Docklands, London . We received overwhelming response at our stand 102 and lovely comments. Most people said we were definitely different; a breath of fresh air.


Our chaircovers and table linen design were big hits. We dress up black chiavari chairs in one of our chaircover designs and draped the table in matching linen design

We also had a vintage table which was also a hit.  We displayed an old typewriter to give couples ideas for their Guest book table if they are having a vintage themed wedding.  Guests can type or write their best wishes to the couple; this is fun and interactive.  The framed instruction was punched to match the vintage look while the flower arrangement was draped with pearls to complete the look.

We wanted to keep the table simple but elegant. White with a touch of silver and black really worked well

We also had the privilege of supplying the flower arrangements used on the stage for the catwalk show

Our Event Director and designer, Ify, tidying up…

Finally, we will like to say a big thank you to all the vendors, interns and couples that visited our Stand 102.  We enjoyed meeting you and look forward to working with you in the near future.

Budget Busting Wedding Flowers Tips!

It is important to set a budget for your wedding and given the current financial climate, maximising your available resources without compromising on the quality of your event is crucial. At Hannah Michael, we know that regardless of your budget, you can still create a design that is uniquely you. You don’t have to compromise; all you need is just a little creativity! As fresh flowers are an important element of your celebration, here are some tips on saving and spreading your flower budget.

• The bridal bouquet is usually the first and main focus for the bridal party flowers; it will appear on all your pictures so spend a little more on this and have your bridesmaids carry a single flower, small posy or wear a wrist corsage.

•  Only provide buttonholes for the main wedding party.

• Be creative with the colours you choose for flowers in your arrangements. Prices for the same type of flower may vary depending on the colour and demand e.g. white flowers are more expensive during peak wedding seasons, red roses are expensive around Valentine’s Day. You don’t have to change your colour scheme; simply substitute or enhance your arrangement with other decorative elements.

• There so many items you can use as containers for your flowers. Sweet jars, Old jam jars or small boxes covered with patterned papers or fabrics! Be creative!

• Stick to flowers that are in season. They will be better quality and less expensive.

• If you would like expensive vases; hire them instead of buying. Just check with your florist or floral designer that they are suitable for your theme.

• The bride’s bouquet can be used to decorate the top table, simply put it in a vase! And the bridesmaids’ flowers can be used for the cake table. Just ensure that the flowers get to the reception venue before the guests are allowed in!

• Plants can be a great substitute for flowers. Orchids on tables look amazing and can double up as gifts for your guests or bridal party!

• If you choose to decorate the ceremony location, select floral designs that can be used again at the reception venue especially if both venues are at the same location or near.

• If you have 10 or more tables only have ornate arrangements on every other table

• Check if the venue for the ceremony has another wedding on that day. The other couple may be happy to split the cost for decoration. This is if your colour scheme and themes are similar.

Win a set of Tiffany Pearl Earrings - Stand 102

We are giving away FREE a set of beautiful Tiffany Pearl earrings to five brides getting married in 2011 when you book your wedding consultation with us at The UK Wedding Show, London Excel.


This offer is only valid for consultations booked on the 5th and 6th of February, 2011 and you will receive your earrings when you come along and discuss your dream day at our consultation.

Why are we doing this? We want to start our relationship with you by showing you how much we care. We don’t simply want to tell you how experienced our staff are, or how we will listen to your dreams and make them a reality for you or how we will take all of the hassle and worry out of your wedding day… But we believe we need to show you how much we care …hence the lovely Earrings! 

Come along to our Stand 102 and be entered into the draw. 

Also visit the Offers and Competitions page on our main site for ongoing offers.

The UK Wedding Show – 5th and 6th February, 2011

Everyone at Hannah Michael Weddings and Events Ltd wish our clients, vendors, suppliers, partners, friends and family the very best in 2011. Here is to a happy healthy and prosperous New Year!


We have great promise and faith for the year 2011 and are seeing a lot of positive predictions for how the new year will turn in our industry. We are anticipating a very busy and exciting year ahead.

We have a lot of exciting things happening at Hannah Michael this year, please keep checking our blog for updates. We will also be sharing inspirations, trends and designs that we anticipate for the year.

We are exhibiting at The UK Wedding Show, Excel London. We will be at Stand 102, we hope to see you there.

Venue: LONDON ExCeL


DATE: Saturday 5th, Sunday 6th February 2011

Opening Times: 10am - 5pm

Fashion Show Times: Saturday & Sunday 12pm, 2pm, 4pm


The Show: Taking place at the UK’s fastest growing venue, this show will have over 150 stands at our 2011 exhibition. An extended area will be used which will enable the provision of more facilities for our visitors than ever before, including a new Coffee Bar and an extended Champagne Bar. National and local suppliers will be displaying an extensive range of items, with designer pieces and bespoke packages provided by several companies.

Everything that a couple could need is here under one roof at this dedicated exhibition, with stunning fashion shows to watch, and a free goody bag for all of our visitors.

Come and See Us!