What a difference a night makes...

Anyone who knows Donna Hartley-Redfearn knows her passion is working with clients to ensure they have their perfect wedding day. Over the past four years Donna and her North East Wedding Planners team have worked tirelessly to raise the profile of what a professional wedding planning company can bring to not only clients, but other wedding industry suppliers. Donna strongly believes in team work and surrounds NEWP with personally selected wedding specialists. It is very important to Donna and the team that their clients have access to venues, photographers and other wedding specialists who embrace the same professional and ethical ethos. From the very start of NEWP, Donna knew she was up against preconceived ideas of what NEWP could offer the industry. After working with the BBC, Channel 4 and other media forms to raise awareness, by developing Recessionista weddings, writing top tip columns and even becoming a wedding industry mentor…..last night received, what could only be deemed as a personal and professional high…..

Donna didn’t think she had any chance of becoming a finalist in the North of England Wedding Industry awards, but after being short listed in August 2012, was announced as the WINNER of the Wedding Specialist Services category last night at the industry ball at Beamish Hall Hotel. Why is this particular award a very personal achievement? The answer is simple. Previous NEWP brides voted, and the judges through reading very in-depth testimonials, got to understand that Donna is not only committed and passionate about what she does, bases the company ethos on the personal touch complete with total focus on Customer Service. 

So 2012 has been a fantastic year so far for Donna and her team. Earlier in the year NEWP achieved a successful accreditation from QWEST (Quality Wedding Establishment) and to date, is the only wedding planning company to achieve this accolade. Will this change anything? NO. Donna after receiving her own award went on to congratulate Lynn, a previous bride of NEWP who received an award for her new business The Wooden Ladybird Company.. and lets not forget without fabulous NEWP clients and individuals from within the wedding industry, this award would not have been possible.

This is one very special THANK YOU.  Donna would like to say.. without one incredible person who has been there from the very start and who in fact even created the name North East Wedding Planners, this award would never have been achieved. Donna is quite candid that without her rock and the total support from her husband Mark, NEWP would not exist. So this is her thank you to him……
Here’s to a good 2013.. x

Brides applaude professional commitment..

A refreshing new approach to rewarding wedding industry specialists. What is the best way to know you are securing an experienced, professional service for your special day? ... The North of England Wedding Industry Awards has been designed to allow previous brides to vote for suppliers who they believe provide

• Service Excellence
• Excellent Product Quality
• Value for Money
• Outstanding Commitment

 
North East Wedding Planners is extremely proud to announce that they have been selected as a 2012 award finalist (the only wedding planning company to make it to this stage), along with Memories and Emotions by Jamie Penfold Photography and another of our favorite NEWP photographers Neil Denham.

These awards mean a lot to industry individuals as it is previous clients/brides who have experienced the service that vote. Each finalist is selected following voting via a rating system. The next stage to select the winner is based on the individual comments forwarded by the bride to the North of England Industry Awards Judges. 

So its fingers crossed (and toes) for the gala evening on the 15th September.

Images below of NEWP wedding - Louise and Graeme at Alnwick Gardens captured by Memories and Emotions  by Jamie Penfold Photography  

Notice the startled look on Louise's face during the ceremony, the registrar announced her as Sarah! Oops!!!

From behind the lense......

A pre wedding shoot is fantastic way to get acquainted with being in front of the camera. The  shoot is designed for you to get to know the photographer better and to see how the individual works with directing, setting up quirky shoots and their personality. The shoot should eliminate those early morning wedding day worries.... allowing you to relax and be more confident on your special day.

 

Is the shoot only for the bride and groom? - no, most photographers will offer a family session, including your children or in some cases family pet enables you to relax and forget about the camera - this however will depend on what your photographer offers in their pre-shoot package.

Words from North East Award Winning Photographer Jamie Penfold.

For me the pre wedding photoshoot is my way of really getting to know the couple ahead of their wedding. As I always say to them, it's an hour or so of having a bit of fun with the camera in a location of their choice. Nothing formal or stuffy about it, and really it's a perfect way of showing the couple that there is nothing to be frightened off in terms of the photography on their big day. I show them poses and generally talk them through the sort of things we'd do at the wedding. I like to generate a really good rapport with my couples as it makes it a lot easier working with them and I can think of nothing worse than being a complete stranger at a wedding. To be honest, with my pre wedding shoots we spend time just chatting. Just like any weddings, the pre-wedding shoots can vary too in style. For instance last weekend we did one urban shoot in Newcastle upon Tyne using the architecture and lines of the buildings and bridges and then did one at the seaside. Two very different looks..... and today as this blog is being wrote I will be standing in a cemetery with a bride and groom who wanted something very very different! 

Neil, the groom from the seaside photoshoot (NEWP client and featured in the images), summed it up perfectly for me after his shoot when he said "I'm glad we did that. I was really worried about getting my photo taken at the wedding but this has really given me the confidence. I'm really looking forward to it now". Need I say more?

For more information on Jamie see http://memoriesandemotions.co.uk and to see some of Jamie's work with NEWP see http://www.newp.co.uk

Tales from the crypt...... the alternative pre wedding photoshoot captured today by Jamie..

North East Wedding Planners is the first professional plannng company to be awarded QWEST in the UK

 

Qwest is the UK's only independent quality assessor operating across all sectors of the wedding industry, dedicated to identifying Quality Wedding Establishments. Qwest professionals are assessed annually to monitor and maintain consistent high standards, whilst always striving for perfection through improvement and development.

Wedding specialists apply to be assessed in 16 categories covering all round business practice and ethics. Only those that meet the Qwest Standard and agree to abide by the Qwest Code of Conduct will achieve Quality Wedding Establishment Status.

Qwest is new to the industry and altho