This or That?... Long tables or round tables at weddings?!

Well, I've been on the radio today.

Oh, she's famous.

Dunno about that. BBC Radio London.

exciting. I, I cannot wait for you to tell me about this.

Yeah. Should we get started?

Let's do it.

Hi, I'm Hannah

And I'm Haley

we are your wedding planning experts.

here. Disability on the inside of wedding planning and everything that goes with it.

Expect our honest opinions, the real juice and what happens on a wedding

With a few tips thrown in between

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of course, make sure you hit that subscribe button and let's get you words. Woo.

Well, it was an interesting one.

So pray at Tell. I want to know all about it.

What topic would you say out of all the topics due, the wedding industry is most likely to get me in trouble?

Uh, people put money on when they, when you tell someone wedding and they're a supplier, was it that No.

but that's a good

Oh,

because I feel like most people would agree. Mm, no, actually

oh,

agree with me. What one do you think my opinion would get me in trouble.

oh. That's a,

I thought you'd get

oh, is it that you don't like, um, what do you call it? You know the line when you all stand together, and that is,

What

I've gone really off.

line?

Yeah.

kids at weddings.

sorry. I can't believe I got

speak to that, aren't

Well, I agree. You see, so.

So they, they emailed me the other day. They said We'd love to have a you on, um, we're talking about kids at weddings. And I'm like, great. Okay, cool. I go on and um, you can hear, I dunno if you've ever been, have you ever been on the radio?

I haven't.

You have basically the producers talking to, and in the background you can hear the. Radio show is quite, actually quite, um, off putting. But how they do it, I don't know. But anyway, so I can hear and then she's like, right, you're gonna go on, they're just gonna play another song. Then you'll go on, they've got another listener, whatever. So I'm listening to this other guy, honestly. Right. He was obviously pro kids.

I, I.

I hadn't told, they hadn't asked me if I was a for or against, can I just put this out there straight away? So I come in and she's like, oh, you're a wedding pad, blah, blah, blah, blah. Introduces me and I'm like, yeah. I said, you know, look, I'm going to go straight in here. I'm gonna say, personally, I don't like children at weddings. I said, but I understand why some people, if they've got their own kids or they want, kids at their

Yeah.

said, but my big thing is. That I don't think that if, I think if the couple make that decision, it's their decision. And I, and I, and I name dropped us. I said, I've got a podcast. Let's get you wet. I said, we have quite a lot of people writing in saying, you know, they've got family members who won't come because their

Yeah.

And I said, I, I think you, we should be respecting the couple's wishes. And she was like. Um, don't you understand why people would get annoyed by that? Like, that's their family. You're not invite and like completely when it gets She hated what I was saying at one point. She was like, I'm absolutely baffled by what you're

Hang on. Is this the presenter?

yeah. So I don't know if

What?

she was obviously very pro having kids at weddings. Um, I, Ima and she even went to me, so, on Hannah. Have you actually got kids yourself?

Yeah, but what's that got? That's a little offensive, right?

Was a bad question to ask. Yeah, I

I don't, I think that's a little bit in poor taste, because even if you haven't, how does she know why you haven't? She doesn't know.

exactly.

That's an iffy one. Ooh,

an iffy

little iffy. That is,

but I don't know if she was doing it to cause the debate for entertainment purposes or whether she actually genuinely disagreed with what I was saying. So it kind of threw me a

You're like, whoa.

carried on. And I said, oh, and, and I was saying about like how I've seen like many instances where. Um, you know, parents think, oh, it's all right, we can still get drunk 'cause there's people about, and actually it's turned quite messy and, you know, kids are upset 'cause their parents are really

Yeah, I've seen that so many times.

you know, there's been quite a few issues. And she was like, well that's quite a dire response,

But it's the truth you see at the wedding day for what it is.

what I thought.

Um, that's the whole point of getting you on, isn't it, for your opinion.

I

Oh my goodness.

like, look, you know, at the end I, I wish I'd a been a bit more like, guys, if you get married and you don't want kids, like just you, you do what you wanna

Yeah,

been a bit, but I think I was trying to

it's, it is getting a little bit awkward towards the end. Like, oh, maybe I'm backtracking.

And I was saying everything that I believe

Yeah.

you're gonna have kids embrace it, have your color and books on. And I was saying about, you know, a lot of couples that I see that have kids, but they don't want, like,

I.

aesthetic of their wedding. You know, they don't want the color and books on the tables and the high chairs and things like that. So, but I said you kind of have to just embrace it and have all those things because that's what kids kind of come with.

Yeah. Yeah.

It was kind of all right towards the end. But yeah, like I say, I don't know, I dunno if that was just Jeremy. I mean, it was quite good debate, I suppose. But the previous guy, he was a man and his son's getting married tomorrow and he was like, um, and she said, have they got kids at their weddings? And he went, no, but that wouldn't have been my son's decision. I mean, she's very nice. Who, um, who he's marrying. I get on with her, but I think it's really rude that they're not having kids.

my God,

And

that's so

was the exact kind of person that I was saying

Yeah,

And I, and I kind of felt a little bit like she was pushing the, I don't like kids at weddings, but I, I made it very clear at the start that that's my opinion. And I understand why people would want

yeah,

if you're gonna have kids, this is what you need to

yeah. To make it like suitable. Yeah,

And it shouldn't be other people's

no.

And I feel like she was trying to really push the fact that I didn't want kids.

But that actually wasn't the point.

I'm talking about like the guy that you just had

Yeah,

very strongly, like, if my father-in-law was like talking about me like that on a public radio

You'd be uninvited.

married. Yeah. I'd be

See you later.

get lost. Imagine that the day

Oh.

wedding, you're hearing your father-in-law on the radio. Oh, kids have just been on the radio and you listen back and

It is just SL in you. Oh my God.

an experience. I've never had that. I've been on the radio quite a few

Yeah. Oh my gosh. Where can we listen to this?

nice. I'll send you the link.

Oh,

radio London. It was this afternoon. It was a, I think it was on at about quarter past two. So you can, you can rewind it

I think I tried ringing you at like.

Did,

I like 20 past and then I realized that you were gonna be on the radio and because you'd said about it and I was like, oh God. Decline to decline.

uh, webs.

Oopsie.

Yeah, it was a, it was a, it was an awkward one, but I dunno if they liked that. Emailed them afterwards. Like, thanks for having me on. You know where I am. If you want anything in

If you want any more debates,

keep your details on far. So maybe it was just entertainment, I dunno, but I felt like I really pissed her off.

actually Joe's. I love a good debate though.

But also don't bring people on if that's what you like. Do you know what I mean?

I don't understand the point of bringing someone on if you just think they're gonna agree with you, because surely that's not the point of a debate. Right?

didn't ask, it wasn't like they emailed me saying, we want to talk about why kids should be allowed at weddings. 'cause then I probably would've said, I'm not the right person for

Yeah.

oh, we're just talking about kids at weddings.

Yeah. So that's good 'cause you've opened up a conversation that.

side.

the side that you have is one that a lot of people, I think share, but they're just too frightened to admit it, to be honest with you. Because I think, like we've said before, so many times, like kids at weddings, it's not really the place for children. Like there's,

I

I, I just dunno.

gonna be really

You can't enjoy yourself. They can't enjoy themselves either. Like we've said that before. Like children don't wanna be there sat watching a ceremony for an hour.

now in a ceremony or

Yeah. No way.

and I

way.

I'd said. On this interview, I can't think of anything worse than having a screaming kid during my ceremony. I did also say, I'm talking little kids here. I think over ten's

Yeah.

10,

Yeah. When they're, when they're able to understand that, you just don't walk off and go somewhere about, you know, you don't just shout and walk.

like my 10-year-old niece was at my wedding, but I can have a full on conversation with my 10-year-old niece so I can go like, she understands when she needs to be

exactly.

to be quiet. Like she's not

Yeah.

I'm not saying little kids are stupid, but

Well, they just don't have the concept yet, do they? They haven't un

get

don't understand that they're, they're, they're not, they're not quite at that point in life, so,

also the amount of times they see the parents having to miss out on a

yeah.

and they're

'cause they have to walk off.

to take them out of the

Yeah.

oh my

Yeah. Like, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. Its,

Yeah, yeah,

she should have could've just got a babysitter for the night, you know? At the end of the day, it's normally a wedding is like, starts at one, it finishes at 12, but it's not a, a whole day. Is it like for a guest?

on my notes, I'd gone right into the, like, I've seen brides, like breastfeeding babies and having to worry about nap times around their ceremony times and stuff like that. And I, I was gonna go into all that, but yeah, I

That sounds like my own personal hell, but not even joking. Oh, no. Thank you.

No. Imagine now being a bride with and having Lily there.

What, I mean people have all these, what makes me laugh is people have these ideas and their opinions, right? So this, this bloke, but is he living now with a young child? No, he doesn't know what that would be like for me, with my toddler, would not wanna sit for a ceremony. She would be like, ah, well, she goes, poo, you know? Right. As they say, I do poot. So I'll be like, oh my gosh, how embarrassing.

is quite funny.

Yeah. But

that

you know.

it like, 'cause he was like, you know, kids are joyous and they bring the fun and I'm like, mate, if you need kids to have fun then you need to re-look at your life. But, um,

Jokes. Oh my God.

interesting. Anyway.

And what else have you been doing this week? Other than being on the radio?

Oh, it's, it's been a

It's, it's mad.

had a wedding this weekend. Lovely couple. Really nice day. The weather was beautiful. Um, it was another marque

Oh, okay.

Um, and it was back at my wedding venue actually.

Oh, of course.

Yes, it was, it

Gorgeous.

nice. They actually said to me, does it feel weird? Like. this is your wedding venue. And I was like, no, because I felt like I really switched off at mine

Yeah.

but then the rest, not when I'm here. I feel like I'm in

Yeah. But normally it is.

then I didn't. So it was, yeah, it's a weird one. But

Oh,

it was beautiful. Um, that it was in a marquee and it was obviously a hot

yeah. It was hot.

and the thing is with Marque's, right, is you can either open the sides up in the morning and get the air in, but then you're also letting the wind

yeah.

you've got VAs

Oh.

glasses smash in. So we had to leave them shut 'cause it was actually quite

Do you know what, that's actually reminded me because I did a wedding once at a venue in Milton Keynes. I won't name the name, but it used to have a really shoddy marquee, like permanent marquee set up.

Yeah,

and the floor, there was like a boat. It used to just like rock. The whole, like you'd stand on it and like the whole area would like rock. It was just not level. It was really bad. Really shoddy. And I did, obviously I did these big like flute, glass fares once full. Obviously they're full of water 'cause that's like the weight that then holds the centerpiece. so that was, that was pretty gross. Um, in terms of like rocking vases, so I can't imagine the wind is anxiety inducing.

Pain in the butt. So we had to kind of leave the sides, um, the sides down. But then we just opened up one side, um, once it was getting closer to the meal.

did they have a, did they have a, um, buttercream cake?

yes, they did. We had to put it in the

Oh, dear.

'cause that was, that was not looking

No.

lady was confident, so we put it in like a shaded area. She was like, I think it's gonna be all right. I was like, okay.

I feel it in my bones.

And I could start to see it going a little bit and I was like, no. Yeah, no. So we whipped that in the fridge. That was,

Absolutely not.

cake I've ever held in my life. I dunno what flavors they had, but

Dent, dense,

was heavy.

dense.

Honestly, I, I can carry cakes normally fine, but that, and it was only like, I think it was like three 40. It wasn't like, it was huge. Yeah. I dunno what was going on there. But yeah. So, and then it rained for like 10 minutes during the meal. only like a bit of spit and then the, it really cooled down and it really helped it cool down and we opened some sides up and there was a nice breeze, so

good

it was fine.

because it's, it's been very humid at the moment, hasn't it?

Yeah, they had a really nice little setup in the drinks reception. They had like their drinks table with Prosecco and whatever on it. Then they had these big silver buckets, not like anything special. They're just like, you know, bit rusticy, you know, big silver buckets filled vice and loads of beers. And then in between the buckets they had like big terracotta pots with the hydrangeas in

Oh,

looked so

well, they planted all fresh flour, cut flour plants. That's, that's, you know what, that's different. I like that.

it looked really nice. 'cause you didn't need to, they were just box standard silver buckets

Yeah,

looked, it made looked really

that's pro. That's simplistic, but cool. Actually quite like that.

But top tip they will give people is obviously to fill these big buckets, takes a lot of beer and ice. So what we always do is, um, is sage cater if they're not used to doing it or coordinator or whatever. Um. Fill half the bucket with like stones or obviously put them in place first, then fill on the

Yeah.

or like cardboard or something. Then put your ice and your beers on. Um, obviously put something else over like a, like a, like a clear liner or something. Um, so you're not, your beers and your ice aren't touching rocks. But, um, yeah, just to kind of half fill it so you get that

Look of like they're spilling out,

over.

so, so it looks like they're really, really full of alcohol, but they're actually not

Yeah. Um, everything ran really

Oh, really?

Yeah, so they all got back from the church about 15 minutes early,

Oh.

fine. We were ready for it. Um, and, but then like we, we, we kind of kept the drinks reception to the same time, but it, it was like, made it a lot longer and then sat everybody down. And then, um, the caterer was really fast. I was like, can you slow down please, guys? and I

Slow down.

And, uh, yeah, we were just getting through everything really quick, but

That's good.

I think that it flowed really

What food did they have?

Yeah. Uh, I think they had beef. There was a vegetarian

classic.

I wanna say there was chicken as well. They had a choice menu. I

Okay.

option was.

Hmm.

it was chicken. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. But overall, a, a lovely wedding,

Successful day.

a successful day. Ah, that's always nice.

Yeah. I've got a three, I'm now in my three wedding week. weddings this week. Yeah.

I'm struggling with one, but it is a monster.

honestly, it's that time of year and I always expect it, and I know it's coming. It's when

But it,

suppliers ask you

yeah, it still hits you though.

the stuff that, all the emails I've had, like I think I've had 10 emails today from one supplier for one wedding, just asking me all these little questions and it's like, we're the wedding's like in two days?

a Thursday wedding? You got one Thursday, Friday, Saturday this week.

Yeah,

Mad.

like, uh, the wedding's in two days. And also all this stuff's on the plan, you

Refer to the plan.

It's like real bog standard questions that I'm like, probably could asked me this before, but it's

But hey, why not? Might as well add to your, uh, to your worries. Why not?

Why not

we're at it?

my motor do list, especially when it's weddings that I'm like, I've signed them off. Now they're

Yeah.

they're

I.

go. We're just looking forward to the day now. And then they ask you something and you're like, Ugh.

Come on. Oh, no.

So yeah, it's all fun, engaged, but

Oh,

has, how's your week been?

my week has been very busy. I have been working constantly, which has been really nice. I absolutely love it, don't get me wrong. It's just long, long days, and, uh. Lots of beautiful flowers. Lots of beautiful plants. Been doing all the, um, a lot of planting ready. Well actually it was flowers we were doing this weekend for Ascot.

Mm.

Um, so the flowers that go in the boxes that people have, so I guess like certain companies will have a box or rich people basically have a box. So they, um, but it was, it was so cool 'cause it was like hundreds of these particular sized VAEs and we were just like. Knocking them out. So it was like a team of us working on them. Um, but there's loads of other stuff as well. But, so that was, that was from a freelancing, which is really cool.

A

it's a massive amount of flour, but it's.

Yeah.

started to arrive now, so got some, some roses coming today. I've got most of my stock tomorrow, and then I'm actually going to Comet Garden tomorrow morning to pick up

Nice.

a load of stuff. So gotta be there for four in the morning. So that's a nice early start for me.

what the hell? What time are you getting up?

I'll have to leave at like three

Ah.

the morning.

do you park?

parking there.

Is there

Yeah. Yeah. So it's Covent Garden Market. It's Covent Garden Market. So it's like a separate, it's opposite Baty Dogs and cat's home.

station. Yeah. Near the power

Yeah. Yeah. So you like pulling in it, it's like a big warehouse, um, based unit, and then it's called a parking outside. And

As got parking

yeah, you have to pay for parking though. It's a five, but still.

good.

it is a bit of a,

to know

this.

there and go into London. It's

Well, yeah, that's true. Um, so it is five hours apart there. And then you go in the whole, the whole unit is obviously air conditioned, so it's like, I mean, like it's, it's a fridge, it's a massive fridge essentially.

walking in

It is, yeah.

Jesus.

my work room,

So you then you're gonna go get all the

so I'm gonna get all the flowers, then I'm gonna go back and then I've got freelancers arriving from nine and I've got all my other stock coming from, my wholesalers being delivered around sort of between seven and nine. And then we'll be conditioning.

4:00 AM

I,

back

I need to get there for 4:00 AM because I need to get the good stock. 'cause I've not only gotta get Friday, it's just certain things I need to pick up and I wanna make sure I get in there and get it quick. 'cause then it, you know, for my own peace of mind.

why from Covent Garden? Is it Because it's all British stuff.

So some stuff I'm getting Yeah. Is British grown and there's a British grower there, or a wholesaler that specializes in selling British stock. So they've got a lot for me there. And the same with the British grown, um, foliage. So I've got like horn beam and I've got a silver birch that I'm picking up. Um,

what's the deal with the market? Can you not get it delivered then? They were,

you can, but you have to pay a lot for delivery.

Uh,

I'd rather just get up like, 'cause I'm outta the M 25, so they wouldn't like big money for delivering it. It's like, um, but luckily I have a van.

it

No, I know what you mean.

AM

Yeah. But I like to see things with me. And what we we're doing is I, I'm very visual and I like to see it and there's certain things I know I need to get and I just know the amount of stock there is insane. Like, you'd have to come everywhere. Have you ever been,

Yeah, no, I've

oh, you should come with me.

actually from another florist, um,

Oh, who was that then?

her, her,

Sorry.

Um, she takes her couples

Oh, did she?

show 'em around to look, just to get a

To have a vibe. What's going on?

And

Cute.

could have gone to that, but I was at another meeting so I couldn't go,

No, you were like, no, I'd rather go with Hailey. Actually,

Yeah. We'll go

we should go.

I ain't going at 4:00 AM

No, that's fine. I think they're even until 12. So

12.

yeah.

Jesus. Is

early.

God, you florist the early starters, aren't

We are. We are, except I.

in the night gal. That's why I'm an event manager.

yeah.

of the

Unfortunately for me, I'm gonna be both ends this week.

and this is what people don't see when you get

Yeah,

is Haley getting up at 3:00 AM

yeah,

Garden for 4:00 AM to get back for nine. Like

yeah.

is what people

And I'll be pulling all nighters this week, probably Thursday, Friday. So think of me.

are like, oh, it's

is it? Yeah.

florist is home by, by midday on after they're set up for a wedding. Yeah. 'cause they've been up since

think now. Oh, how Dale, and then we're back to do the set down.

Yeah.

it is what it is. I love it. I'm gonna be absolutely knackered. And then I've got, I haven't had a day off yet for the last couple of weeks. I've worked all the way through. Then I've got, I've got Monday off. You know how it is. Got Monday off, I say off. I've actually got a funeral to do now, so I'm not off. Um, but for myself, and then I'm back in freelancing Tuesday to the following week. So.

I mean, I do kind of half blame you for that

It's all my fault. Like, look, look, it's all my fault, but

signed up

I, I did. But you know, when you're doing it, it's, but it's because of the, you know what I mean? You're like, I need to work. It's like, it's the season. I've gotta make the money while it's here.

hard way. 'cause I've stopped doing it now. I ain't doing

I'm the mug.

I'm too old and I'm too, I'm not even old. I'm

See, I, how old are you?

35.

30. So you got five years on me. So I suppose you're feeling it.

Yeah. I'm

I'm.

I can't, I can't do, I can't do all the late nights. I can't do, that's why

Uh, it's my knees though. It's my knees are, when I say I'm knee deep in flowers, I am literally, 'cause my knees have given up.

Yeah, I mean I'm doing some long ass shifts these next

Yeah. It's ringing it's meaning.

days. We've got eight weddings in 16 days, which is a

That is for, um.

but after, other than that, that's the only time this year that I'm doing mental

Yeah, June is like my June is is not great. June is my month of hell, but it's like a hell that I sort of like accepted,

it.

Yeah. It's like a love hate mum. I.

what, I actually saw this off of Planner the, uh, earlier today on Instagram, and she was like, I'm so excited for all my lovely weddings coming up. And I just sat there and I looked at it and I thought, first, second I thought. Oh I just feel shattered. Then the next second I thought, don't fucking bullshit.

you lie. Am bastard.

bullshitting because look, let's be honest here. Yeah, of course. I'm looking forward to the weddings. I'm looking forward to it for the the for the day for my

Yeah, of course.

to going to some of the venues, but there's also a big part of me that's like, oh my God, I'm gonna be knackered. Martin actually keeps saying to me, he's like, you are your own worst enemy. 'cause you just. You think about the fact that you're gonna be tired before you're

Yeah.

but it's gonna be hard

It is hard work.

be stressful, it's gonna be hot. And I

That's it. The heat as well.

of me that's not looking forward to it. And there's a part of me that is, and

I think it's okay to say,

very

honest.

and I, I actually go on Instagram tomorrow and say that

I'll get on there with you and I'll agree.

It makes you feel rubbish, don't you? When everyone's like, oh my God, I'm

Oh my God, I'm loving this. Oh my God, it's so amazing. Oh, you're so full of shit like.

what's wrong with

I wish people were more like upfront about it and real because, uh, it puts pre, even though you try not to, it does put pressure on you. I think as a supplier, even actually, to be honest with you, as a co like as a couple getting married or bride or whatever, like there's a lot of people pretend that they're enjoying the certain things that they're actually not like, 'cause wedding planning, planning your own wedding is not easy. It's actually not easy. It's a hard,

of

it's. You have like do what you do. Do you know what I mean? And there's people like, oh, I've just done this. Like I did all my flowers and I've done it. And there's like an, it's like that pressure then,

it so

it actually.

and

I was talking to, uh, one of my freelancers today actually, um, about it. And we were saying like, so she did her sister's wedding and she was saying how difficult it was to, to do it all, and then she missed out on all the socializing and she was like, right, things were happening, like the wholesalers were late, like all sorts of stuff. Imagine you are the bride, like she was a bridesmaid

Yeah.

found it hard. Imagine being the bride with that. No one. That's why you have a florist or you have someone else doing it external.

well that was like that couple I was telling you about the other

Oh yeah.

like, she actually genuinely didn't enjoy the lead up. She said it's actually got, 'cause I said, I said to her, it was the day before and I was like, are you excited?

Yeah.

no. To be honest, I haven't, I, she said I'm actually annoyed of myself 'cause I'm

Just haven't relaxed.

to it 'cause I haven't thought about it. 'cause I'm

Too busy. Yeah, too much. Doing too much.

to it, you

Oh. What was the surprise at the wedding?

Oh my God.

We forgot.

after our last recording last week. I was rambling on so much about that widget that I actually forgot to tell you about the surprise element of the day. And it was really cool. So, um, basically the groom sister really sadly passed away

Okay.

and she used to play piano

Oh

song that she loved and basically his mom did a speech and, um. Announced halfway through it. 'cause he could also, he has learned piano and learnt to play that

wow.

for him to play the song.

Oh,

we had to wheel out a piano

oh my God.

get up and play, which was

Oh my gosh. I've about so many shows literally giving me goosebumps thinking about it.

say the behind the scenes story

Oh no.

we had to lift a piano from their house to the

Oh my God.

And when I say this piano

Pianos are really heavy.

Jesus, was it heavy? and then we had to get it in the marquee, roll it in. He'd also, some god knows how, 'cause I covered it up, he'd seen them, the piano spotted, there was piano there. He was then worried about it. He was shaking during

Oh my

during play, and bless him. He was so nervous about it. And then we had to get it out and it was pouring down outside. And

Oh no.

these caterers and stuff involved. There was like 10 men trying to carry this piano and they were all struggling. Yeah,

Oh

fun,

God.

nice sentiment. The

the actual sentiment's lovely. I think that's really sweet.

when, when I mentioned on the podcast a couple of weeks ago, pre-wedding, I was like, oh, we've got this

Yeah,

was like, you like, oh my God, this is so nice and emotional. And then on the day I was like, oh my God, this is a nightmare. We should have hired a keyboard.

that's jokes.

But yeah, beautiful

Oh, it does sound amazing though. Really nice.

that he got to play her song at his

Oh.

would've probably, apparently that was just what she did at events and stuff. She always played this song.

Oh.

and it was for Good From Wicked, which is like one of my favorite

Oh, I

So

bet you shed a little tear.

Yeah, was sad. Bless. But anyway, this week we have been putting it on the socials and so many of you have come back to us, which is so, so good. And also

yes.

last week's podcast, so this is our this or that

This or that we should have a jingle, this or that, this or that, this or that, that, that. All this.

Um, and we are talking long tables or round tables. So first up, I would like to get your opinion, Hailey, are you long tables or are you round tables?

Or personally, like round tables.

Oh, you're a

I'm a round table girl. Mm-hmm.

Do you know what? I'm a weird one. I'm a weird one because I'm a long table gal. If my couples say to me they want round tables, I'm like, ah. But I had round tables at my own

Yeah. And why did you have round tables though,

Because of the space

right? Yes.

would not have

No, it wouldn't. You are right. Yeah. Yeah.

flowers, I wanted

That's it.

round

Yeah.

I do think it depends. It's like the kid thing,

Yeah.

It depends on the space. There's some spaces similar to your wedding venue. I don't think that was

Long tables in that room would've looked very strange.

'cause it's a round

Yeah.

Um, so yeah, I do think it depends, but interested to see, are we intrigued as to what the listeners

This or that. This or that. This or that, that, this. Ah,

was the preferred?

oh.

and it was. Round tables, 65%

Wow,

round

that's quite a lot.

voted long tables. So

interesting.

I was quite surprised by,

I honestly thought that people, more people would've gone for long tables,

I

purely because it's become quite fashionable now to have long tables, like it seems to be what everyone's having.

Yeah, it's very true and that is actually one. So the feedback that we had was longs quite interesting actually on the feedback. So long tables, people were saying you can actually talk and hear more people, they're more sociable. They're less traditional,

Yeah.

that is just what you was basically just saying. And they like the ability to have sharing boards with long,

Sharing boards.

was an interesting comment because that ain't

No, it isn't. Oh. Just like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Whoa, whoa, whoa,

no, no way.

boards are definitely better on

I'm, I'm just thinking now because I went to a wedding where they had long tables and I wouldn't actually personally say I felt like it was more sociable because, I don't know, I just felt like I couldn't actually speak to many people. 'cause you're sort of like all next to each other in a line. Whereas on a round table, you're all, do you know what I mean? It's all round. You can see everybody like,

So,

dunno.

yeah, well this is where I thought it was weird. So round tables, they've put, you can see everyone on your table. Easier to chat to people, more sociable, more space, which is true When it comes to the share, the only thing I can think this person's put, the long table, the sharing board is, I dunno if they're envisaging to have it down.

yeah. Like a charcuterie or something? Uh, grazing.

as your decor

Yeah.

Um, but yeah, no rounds have more space and you can, with rounds, you can involve more people in a conversation. Now, my opinion on this, so obviously this is very split, right, because everybody's is split, some people are saying longs are more sociable and some people are saying rounds are more sociable. have sat on both

yeah.

and I wouldn't notice the

Really?

with you, because I think on a round table, the people opposite you, it's actually quite far

Hello?

Yeah, on a six foot round table, it's actually quite a long way. You have to kind of really like get 'em in. So you are really only speaking to the people next to

Yeah.

And the same with long, I wouldn't, I wouldn't spec I, from my experience of sitting at both, I wouldn't say that one is more sociable than the other

But in terms of like catering and serving people, what do you find?

rounds

That Rounds. Okay. Yeah.

to serve, but from an aesthetic point of view. but then is it because then they, you haven't got as much room to do? I think from a flower cost.

Yeah.

You'll tell me if I'm right or wrong here. Obviously this isn't true for the case of the weekend 'cause they go and tall. But actually you can do a lot less on long tables and it'd be cheaper. I think with round tables you have got go quite big

Well, yeah, because on a long table it's less space to fill. I feel like once, because everyone's like opposite each other on such a long length. There's like all the gla, everything. I dunno. It just, to me, it looks fuller before you even get flowers on there.

percent. Yeah, yeah,

you can just put a few bug VAs down and it's gonna look, start to look full.

on a six foot round

No,

bud visors

no. It just look really weird. You have to go big or like something.

or go

Yeah, basically.

Yeah.

Which is why I like doing rounds.

Well, yeah.

But then, like we say this, this, um, this weekend they're having longs, aren't they? And they're just having, they're having all suspended. Oh, it's gonna look good.

they didn't need to do

Well, they did.

they did.

I'm so excited.

But you can get away with just doing bud.

You can,

VAs and foot

yeah. Like loads of them. Yeah. Really nice candles. Also look great on a along.

in a, a buzz. Suppose actually you could do a foot bowl in the middle and a few bud visors around the outside and around. Couldn't you Like a

Yeah, I've done that before.

bowl would've to be bigger, wouldn't it?

I've done it before, it's like half and half. So we've done like a big footed bowl, few like Bud baths and then candles and then, but then, but then I find with that you have to be careful 'cause you end up with like a blob in the middle with like things higher around it.

Yeah, that's true.

dunno, I just, you, but that's for the florist to sort of determine what to do size wise. But I, I do think it's easier to fill with flour, a long table with less, like even like I've done loads of foliage garlanding down centers of long banqueting tables, so

I even think like napkins on a long table look better. 'cause you can have the ones that got the, you know, the flat fold over the edge of the table and that looks amazing

does look nice.

The one thing that does irritate me along tables though, is when they don't line the chairs up. So you know when you see a photo of a really nice setup and long table and then the chairs are all over the place, that

Oh yeah.

So you do need to line your chairs up. Obviously round around, it doesn't matter. I think there's pros and cons. I feel like I'm gonna be a bit of a fence sitter on this one, which I know is not like me. I. I'm, I'm, I'm, I don't know. I, I

Oh,

put

see, I, I just love a round, I think

You're

a personal luck around. Yeah.

I don't know. What I will say is I'm not loving all this fricking caterpillars and God knows what

Oh my God.

snake in round

What?

and.

What's this?

this? Where you get round tables and you put them together and you, and they're like, like a caterpillar

Oh, that sounds horrendous.

Yeah. No, not

I bet it looks weird.

in, it's quite big in Italy to have this curved table, which does look cool, right? When you've got a long table and it's curved, but they have the tables to do it. When don't have those tables in the uk? Well, I think there's like one supplier that has them. So people are now trying to do it with round tables and it just looks weird. I

Oh,

it

oh dear.

takes up so much like you've got a lot less space. Like you need to have a big room

To pull it off. Yeah.

Actually that's a very good idea for, we were talking about that couple recently where they were saying they've got a really big room

Ah, yeah. Yeah.

Snake your round tables. 'cause that takes up a bugger around a space

Have a caterpillar table.

we got up the table. It really looks quite good, but it's just a space for

When you started saying about caterpillars, I thought you were gonna start talking about the emine, Ms. Colin Caterpillar cakes, the,

cakes.

fried and the groom.

can be a whole other different this or that. That good. Caterpillar cakes or, no. Cater a bit

Yeah.

But yeah, I, yeah, I think it's an interesting conversation. I think it depends on your space. I think it depends on your aesthetic, your design art. It depends on your flower

Yeah,

don't you

I think so. Yeah, it does, because you have a, people like to try and budget on their flowers sometimes when they've got round tables, but honestly, like it just doesn't look right.

no. And also I think same with drinks. So if you are going for, we're just gonna open the bar. People buy their own drinks. No one on the tables. If you've only got one glass per person on a round table, it looks shockingly

it does.

Whereas when you've got long

True.

away with that one

Yeah. So you make a good point here. So I feel like if you are maybe trying to cut costs and you have the, the option to have long tables, perhaps you would go for that because it is less money in like aesthetics things. So like, like you say, like with flowers and things, so.

It's easy to make a long table look

Look good. Yeah. Especially if those, um, they're like those rustic wooden ones and it's like a wooden, like, then they don't even need cloth sometimes.

No, no. So you're saving on your linen. That's what I was gonna say. If you go in round tables, upgrade your

Yeah.

linen.

Oh my gosh.

you can just, and please. Please make sure if you are having round tables, that the cloths touch

oh my God, please.

ick in the

Oh.

when you can see the legs

Oh my God.

out there that won't, that'll bring you a cloth that only goes

Scum. That's what I've got to say to that. Oh

You can tell when it's a Caitlin company owned by a man. The man is higher in the linen. That really bugs me and with long linen as well. Long tables, which looks really

I.

is so obviously you do it to la uh, you do the cloth to like your, your, your, your leg hike. If it goes any longer than your feet get caught it almost annoyance. So you do it to the lap height. So a foot a cloth goes right over. It sits on each person's lap and then keep what we call. Cold ends, so there's nobody on the end of the table. And you can put one of your nice flower meadows at the

Yeah.

really nice.

it does.

Yeah. So there you go.

That's good. Good point.

Cool. Well, should we, that's our first this

This so that, this or that, this or that, that or this.

Let us know if there's anything you want us to do

Please, please do

Yeah.

it in.

the listeners' questions and messages?

Yeah, so first of all, I feel like we should start with, we have had an update from, I dunno if you guys, if our listeners remember a few weeks ago, um, one of our listeners wrote in to say that she was having some issues with her venue and the communication where the original wedding coordinator had left and they'd been left with somebody else who was not doing their job properly.

and C's and

there was a lot. Yeah. We dunno who's who's, but we, we do know that the venue were not great.

there had been a nightmare. Yeah. She was off for our final meeting,

That's it. Yeah. Yeah.

yeah.

Um, so shall I, I'll read out the, uh, I'll read out what, what they've written in. Um, so thanks for sharing your thoughts on the podcast a few weeks ago. A lot of your assumptions and guesses were correct. I was hoping to be able to provide a happy update. However, the rollercoaster of wedding planning chugs on.

Oh.

I last left you with Kay, our new venue contact flailing around as our off menu food was now being cooked by the new head chef, not the chef that had done our first menu tasting at the end of January.

we guessed that, didn't we? 'cause we said, I bet the first chef was comfortable to do the

Yeah, exactly.

chef's

That's it. That's it. Um, so yeah, we guessed that one. And then, uh, so she goes on to say, I'm pleased to say that things did look up and I was hopeful that all our issues were getting resolved. We had a second in bracket. She's put complimentary menu tasting with the new head chef. After our final details meeting, the last week of May, the final details meeting was not run by Kay, the incompetent new contact. Instead, meet your new character. See?

oh, oh.

Oh God. A seasoned wedding venue coordinator.

fine.

C was great, really knowledgeable, and there were, and we were confident in her ability. Kay was there. Although the one time she spoke, it was about something incorrect.

Oh, I kind of feel for

Oh, she's getting rinsed,

was a bar staff that they quickly put into the

I think.

and

Yeah,

and she's probably now see's assistant or

I think you might be right.

she's been thrown in

Kay's,

deep end. She dunno what's

she's been thrown in the deep end, thrown under the bus. Oh, dear. Um, during the meeting, we were alone with c in the ceremony room and she, she did acknowledge and, and apologize for some of Kay's errors saying that she was new and still learning. So Hannah knows, she knows she could smell it.

that you shouldn't be annoyed, by

No.

I, that's not good for you and the ven, the venue are wrong to do that to you and to

And to her, yeah, exactly. That's.

Not

Exactly, especially on a wedding where there might be like, like there's a special menu and things like, and I know the chef left and everything like that, but still that she should have been briefed on like a lot of other, like a lot of the things that they were requesting.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

we then had our second menu tasting and the chef came out to ask about plating before serving. He also alluded to being caught in the middle and left in the dark about our food options. The food was generally okay, starter and dessert. We were happy with. However, one of the key main dishes was inedible to me. This is when you can really tell when someone hasn't cooked Indian food before. Oh, this is such a shame.

Why did the chef not come out?

weird, isn't it? When she said the waiter, I thought she was gonna say the chef had took the notes

well, normally you have your event manager slash venue coordinator,

and the chef.

doing

Yeah.

the chef's in the kitchen, and then I would pull a chef out

Yeah.

that they need to discuss. Or they'd come outta the

That is unusual. That's what we had at our menu tasting.

Yeah. would've asked to speak to him. I'd have been like, get him

Get him out. I need to tell him about this.

how to cook this

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah.

We wait again. Then a week after the details meeting, we ask Kay, when will the notes. Be sent over the rooming list and the table plan The following day, we get our reply with the information attached. Once again, littered with errors, increased cost for the children's meal, which isn't as per our contract allocating a toast drink for the children.

God.

Oh my God, I could go on. Both my fiance and I are away at the weekend, so plan on looking over the information in the evening. Monday, the night of June, during the day. On Monday, the night of June, we get another email from Kay Strange. We're lucky to hear from her once every two weeks.

Oh.

The email we are sent. Okay, so this is from, this is from Kay. I have been liaising with the operations team to discuss your menu tasting feedback with the chef. And unfortunately, the feedback form has been misplaced. I'm literally dying inside. This is ca This is a windup. This is a windup. Surely I wa

know what to

I wa

point.

at this point I've just, uh, get another wedding menu, to be honest. No, no. They're just the shambles by the sound of it. Um, I wondered if you took a photo of your feedback notes, what. Are you actually kidding me? It's been two weeks since our menu tasting and details me, and only now have they realized they've lost our nose.

Like, why'd they not realize that the next time? I reckon they was all shitting themselves, searching the bins for two weeks. 'cause they're thinking, oh my God, we can't ask her for this.

We of course have a copy. Oh, so they actually did they see? They knew.

did. She's not stupid, is she? She knows This venue's a fricking nightmare. She's taken pictures of them. Notes.

But we're not impressed. Um, I, I take on your advice, Hannah, and take it straight to the hotel manager to raise concerns. Well done. Lucky us. He's out of the office for the next few days, so this is where we are. Six weeks from our wedding with a venue contact who doesn't know her as her elbow and a hotel manager who's out of office. What's our next move?

Do you know what I would be calling in an emergency meeting.

Yeah, I would be demanding a meeting now. I wouldn't be waiting until it,

in that meeting you've coordinator that you've

yeah,

might charge an extra cost to do it just, but just pay

yeah,

Because she also, for her, like I would wanna be there

yeah.

you know what a nightmare, like if you explain to her the nightmare that you're having, she will wanna heads up on

Yeah.

I'd want the chef in that

Oh yeah, a hundred percent.

the hotel manager in that meeting. I'd want C in that meeting. I would want Kay. In

Yeah, and I would email them and detail everything that you've put down to us. So they've got like, there's a timeline of why you're unhappy. You've obviously kept No. Yeah. Hey.

us

Yeah,

even actually if you video call, even if you did a video call with everyone, because

yeah, exactly.

can, because I dunno if there's like distance travel, so whatever, but um, I would just get everybody, I'd write down everything, maybe not even historical stuff. I'd kind of breeze over that and I would lead the conversation. I'd say, look, this is what's happened in the

Yeah.

are, where we are. But this is our issues moving forward. We need to get this rectified 'cause

Yeah.

your wedding's Inn is probably now four weeks till the wedding by the time we've

I.

this out. But you've still got four weeks to rectify it. And what I would say is you don't wanna be having negative conversations after your wedding 'cause it's sours. I know your experience is already soured, but it's sours your wedding date afterwards.

Yeah, totally. Yeah, totally agree.

Yeah,

you don't want anything afterwards. You wanna get it all ironed out beforehand, but obviously they're not great with their communication. So hopefully if you,

I'm

I would just turn up and be like, I wanna, I wanna talk to someone. I'd literally turn up there and just be like, oh, I wanna speak to someone.

But at least if you pre organize it, everybody's

Yeah, that's true.

the meeting and I would just say like this, this needs to happen. Um, I'm wondering if they could get the chef back. before. I've had this situation before with couples where um, like certain chefs or certain venue coordinators have, like, you know, they've been quite in depth couples and they really needed that certain person. They've left the company, but they've come back to do that one wedding and

Oh,

if

okay.

conversation with that chef. They're still on good terms with him

Wherever they might, he might do that. Yeah.

or can they use an Indian agency chef? Because I, I'm completely with you. I don't think you, and this really bugs me and I get it. When you've got an Indian chef in house, it's great because you can utilize their

Yeah.

but I don't think you should promise it because if like this situation, someone leaves, no one can cook Indian food like an Indian

No,

you

a hundred percent. Yeah.

that's why all the caterers that I work with, if somebody ever asks for Indian food, they always say. We are a ex cuisine, whether it's, you know, British cuisine. Say they're British cuisine by trade, we can do the Indian food, but it's not gonna be authentic.

that's so true. And that's, I think it's like they should be open and honest about that though. You know, like if they're not, if they can't promise it or if that was in the pipeline, perhaps, like how do they know he hadn't had his noticing, you know, at the time or something like they shouldn't have been promising something like that if it wasn't.

No, from what I can remember, I think it was quite close to from menu tasting to new chef. I can't remember, but I just don't think you should promise it if, if you've got an Indian chef, you should just say, yeah, we've got an Indian chef. He can do it, but we can't guarantee it's hospitality industry. People come and go. But yeah, I would just speak to them about is there any way you can get an Indian chef?

Yeah,

you. But yeah, I would do a definite emergency meeting

agree.

them to, on that meeting, your invoice sorted there, and then make sure they're typing it there and then, and they, maybe they even email it to you or maybe say, get this invoice corrected, email it to me and we'll discuss it during that meeting.

Yeah, that's a good idea. I just think it's, they've been rubbish and it's really sad to hear it soured your experience.

And it's just time consuming, isn't

it. Because it's like weeks between replies and stuff by the sounds of it, which is a real nightmare because sometimes you just want something sorted.

I add that with a venue a couple of years ago and every time they sent me a function sheet or anything like that, it was wrong and it used

That's so annoying.

me off so much because actually, yeah, it's my job to be checking things like that, but sometimes it's like I just want it to be right, so I haven't gotta spend the time to email you back with points and, Ugh,

Pain in

lot.

the bum. Pain in the bum.

Oh, we really hope. We really

Oh, we need another update. Yeah.

'cause I need to know what happens at

At least they're like confident. They're confident that the day will go well. 'cause they've got confidence in their other suppliers, which it will, but it's just obviously, so,

got a coordinator. That'll be

So it is just the menu now.

ask for Kate to not be there on the day. 'cause looking at her, I might just piss you

Yeah, that's true.

and you might end up saying something to her

Ah,

a few

I've done a few be.

Oh, this is, but also I would say to the hotel manager as well, like if you, if she is new and she's inexperienced, like, or I would say, I would say have Kay there if she's gonna continue to be your contact. But I would personally say that you want c as your contact because you, you feel quite confident in her. And then I would say on the call, I think it's actually really unfair, like if she's new and inexperienced, that you've put her in this position.

no,

she's doing.

exactly. I

Mm.

sorry for her. I feel like she's kind of been thrown under the bus a bit.

Yeah.

But having to email people. Have you got a copy of your notes? Because we've lost them. Oh, that is so cringe.

and why did she email that like that that hotel manager should have been on that phone, or C should have been on the

Yeah.

person saying, guys, we are so

Yeah.

We know this isn't appropriate. Send an email. You don't send an email

Don't suppose you took a photo that's so cringe in it.

it's terrible. It's really terrible. I hate

Bad service.

it when people try and get out at things by sending an email,

yeah.

like just pick up the phone. And I, I know that you are con, you are, you are nervous about having that conversation, but not my problem,

No,

you know?

totally, totally. Yes.

day ever. Enjoy

Yeah, give us an update.

time. Yeah. Okay. Next up we've got, uh, hello, big fan of the podcast.

you.

you. listening for the past six months. I just reminded or helped me with so many things.

that's good.

asshole?

Oh,

a very involved soon to be mother-in-law

oh,

Oh,

classic.

who wanted to look over my carefully curated timeline and photo list, and she pulled apart a bunch of stuff. But the number one that upset me was that I wanted a photo of just me. Just my mom and I, she asked my fiance if he felt insulted about it and in insisted we should be in every photo together. A hundred percent no. And love that. This is our day, but I don't, don't have many photos of my mom. I wanted to take this opportunity before she's gone. Am I an asshole for wanting that?

No.

No. I'd say

Oh, that's normal also, who's the mother-in-law telling you what? Her photos, she needs a wine. Her neck in, that's what she needs to do.

Don't you find Right, like, I'm going to really say this now. Mother-in-law sometimes I've dealt with a lot in my time. I've dealt with some lovely ones just put now there, but sometimes I just get the vibe that women with boys just

my God.

let.

Yeah.

you look at them on the day and you think, Jesus, they need to put a smile on their

Yes.

hand them over to another woman. So they'll do anything to try and make you feel bad. 'cause they're, they're reflecting

They're.

behavior.

it. They've got a be in their bonnet. That's what they've got a chip on their shoulder.

Yeah.

definitely.

Bad

Definitely. I completely agree.

bad. I'd take it with a pinch of salt. I would say to her next time she wants to look over something. No, you, I'm good. Thank you.

Yeah. I've actually sorted it, but thanks anyway. And

you so

I would feel free to tell her why you wanna have your photo with your mum if she, I don't feel like you owe an explanation.

Also, why has she gone to your other half now? Hobie stuck up

Yeah.

will be

Yeah.

would in my books

Yeah, same.

I mean, it's difficult, isn't it? He probably feels in the middle, but um, yeah, I would just, I would, I would message her and be like, oh, I dunno, but then do you wanna cause drums before

I would just be like, you know, it's not, um, you know, it's not, it's nothing personal. Yeah.

she hasn't asked her though.

She's gone to the sun. Well then he should put his mum right then shouldn't he properly like properly?

it nice in conversation like, oh, I dunno, whatever your other half's name is. I would say the next time you see her, oh, and my other half is mentioned that you, you know, you, you said about, you know, me and my mom having a picture, you know, I'm really close to my mom and I just think it's really

Yeah. Don't you wanna have one on your own with your son?

Um, yeah. Do you not want a photo with your son, but that's like, you know, when you get pictures with your bridesmaids,

Yeah,

like is she saying that he has to be in those

that's what I read it as.

Yeah.

little bit weird, like. She's obviously, he's definitely a mommy's boy then, like as in, she's, no offense to him, but it's, it's her. She's obviously protect, like, you know,

very normal for like a bride to have a picture with a mom bride to have pictures with the bridesmaids

on my own without Richard.

The all. Another little tip I'll give you though is you could get that photo before the ceremony, so you know when you're getting ready,

Oh yeah,

a little half hour buffer time before you need to

pictures. Cheers.

and everything, get those photos then, and then you ain't gotta worry about her snarling. But I am wondering,

Solid,

I've just thought wonder if that photo was not on the list? Her plus her son. So maybe she's thinking, well, why have you thought about having a picture with your mum? And he's not out of

but then that's surely for him to think of. Yeah,

But then maybe that's why she said it to him.

right.

a

Maybe. Yeah, maybe.

thought about

Yeah.

but no, you are not the

No, you're not the asshole.

that. Do it before the ceremony. Get those ones out the way. Um. Not as in get it out the way, but as in like the time it takes to have

Yeah.

It's a nice bit more of a private moment for you guys as well. You could also do a nice little first look with your mom as well. She

yeah.

dress.

nice.

but yeah, no, you

Not the asshole. We are on your side.

it. You need to just not worry about her

People get

Yeah,

before weddings don't. They

they're, they're strange characters.

so don't take it too personally.

with us, so just say to her like, well, what's the issue? I don't understand, like let's get this

Let's get it out. Let's do this.

the wedding. So Yeah. And have an amazing

Have a lovely day.

Well, that's us for this week, guys.

You know where you can find us on Instagram and TikTok and you can email us with your questions. It's let us get UA [email protected]

it's,

and we release a new episode every Thursday, so be sure to like and subscribe.

Yeah. And

us a review.

married

Yeah. Good luck to us doing these weddings, but we need it.

Oh my God. We are gonna have a lot

Oh my gosh. Next week's gonna be

be a bumper

bumper

just gonna be us

talking about this wedding.

this

Amazing.

and my other two weddings and all of your other stuff. So we'll see you then.

See you then guys.

Thanks guys. Bye.

Bye.