Hi Caitriona, how did True Romance Weddings begin?
I was always a bit of an entrepreneur, going back to producing and selling magazines in primary school for 40p! I studied Art and Graphic Design in college before getting in to Event Management. I have always loved weddings, and was lucky enough to start working as a wedding and events co-ordinator for a number of hotels; but it was always in my mind to be my own boss. As many of my friends and colleagues would tell you; I live, sleep, eat and breathe weddings! True Romance Weddings started as a blog, and eventually grew to incorporate wedding stationery design and wedding planning, but it was only on a part-time basis. I found that working in hotels I didn’t have the time and energy to commit to it as much as I wanted. After years of waiting for ‘the right time’ to try and make it on my own, I decided that 2014 was the year to do it and took the plunge!
You also create gorgeous wedding stationery – what are your favourite trends at the moment?
I love to see couples that really inject their personality into their wedding theme, and you can tell when it is a theme that really means something to them, not just one they have picked out of a magazine. A friend of mine recently did her wedding invites on 7” vinyl records; her and her fiancé’s love of music was a huge element of their wedding and they did a great job incorporating it with the stationery. I also loved boxed invitations; you can just imagine the looks of delight when the guest receives a beautiful parcel in the post! Because so much in this world has gone digital, I believe there is nothing better than a beautiful invitation coming through the letter box and it is a tradition we should never lose.
When do you think couples should consider hiring a wedding planner?
There are many different instances. If you have no idea where to start with your wedding plans; if you are feeling completely overwhelmed by the process and are getting stressed out; if you both have very busy lives, jobs, kids etc; and especially if you are living abroad. A wedding planner is there to ease you into the process and guide you through the steps with the expertise that they have gained in venues, suppliers, trends and general wedding advice. I think there is a misconception that it is only for people with big budgets, but that’s not true at all. My fees are based on the individual’s budget and needs – be that for the entire wedding process or just for on the day co-ordination. I strive to help the couple to discover their own personal style too and to keep true to this throughout the process.
Everyone in the celeb world seems to be getting engaged right now! If you could plan a wedding for any of them, who would it be?
I would have to say that this year, it’s Lauren Conrad. ‘The Hills’ was my guilty pleasure, and I have always seen Lauren as a wonderful style icon. Not for taking risks, but for knowing her body type and personal style, and always dressing impeccably. She has tons of experience in event planning, fashion design and styling, plus she loves DIY! I think it will be a really fun wedding and it will be very Lauren.
What are your favourite wedding trends of 2014?
The rustic, natural look is very big at the moment and I love outdoor weddings – hopefully someday in Ireland we will be able to have outdoor ceremonies, both religious and secular. The thought of celebrating under the stars with lanterns hanging from trees is amazing, but I don’t know if we’ll ever have the weather to achieve that!
For the dress, it’s all about the back. Step away from the vintage lace, and embrace dresses with sheer illusion backs, embellished with sparkling diamantes and pearls. Your guests will be staring at your back for a long time during the ceremony – might as well give them something good to look at!
I also adore the official Pantone colour of the year for 2014, which is radiant orchid. I would predict that this among other bright, jewel tones will be big for summer, stepping away from pastels into more vivid colours such as canary yellow, cerulean blue and fuchsia pink. The wedding industry has proved that regardless of recessions, we still want to get married, and it’s time to celebrate that!
