Thursday, August 7, 2008

Little Fish Hook Top Award

We're Wedding Planner of the Year!



Little Fish Events, are thrilled to have been awarded ‘Wedding Planner of the Year’ for the second year running at the Yorkshire Brides Annual Industry Awards. The Awards, now in their third year, were launched to recognise and reward the bridal industry talent in and beyond the region. Yorkshire Brides is the North’s biggest and most prestigious designer wedding show, and this year they invited wedding suppliers to think about the cost of the big day on the environment with a challenge for eco-friendly entries. The top tier winners were announced at a Black Tie dinner and Little Fish were thrilled to receive recognition for their hard work and talent. A team of independent judges voted for the winners who collected their awards by celebrity stylist Bradley Taylor.

Winning entries included a couture bridal gown made with 100% natural silk; a tiara fashioned out of CDs; wedding stationery featuring planting seeds; and a storyboard detailing conflict free diamonds, eco hotels and email invites.

Commenting on the event, Yorkshire Brides show director Cathy McConaghy said: “We continue to receive top class entries year on year, making the job of judging even more difficult. It is great for wedding suppliers to gain the recognition they deserve and be given this prestigious accolade.”

“We decided to give our Awards an eco-friendly theme this year in direct response to demand by readers of the Yorkshire Brides magazine and wedding show visitors for more ethical products and services. We always look to raise the bar with the Awards and this year’s winners met the brief to create wedding products using locally sourcing, organic and locally grown produce and/or recyclable materials.”

Hannah Skinner, Company Director for Little Fish Events said “Completing this year’s entry was really challenging. Many suppliers are now offering eco options and green products, but pulling everything together into a creative unique storyboard was difficult. I am not sure quite how many hours I spent researching and designing!"

Hannah’s storyboard included all the major elements of a wedding day, from a stunning gown designed using organic kind silk, Jewellery from recycled gold using conflict free diamonds, an organic wedding breakfast menu using locally sourced fresh ingredients and a honeymoon based in a luxury eco-lodge right here in the UK.

“I decided upon a herb garden theme to tie everything together” Commented Hannah. “Instead of the usual cut flower centre pieces, I designed large urns overflowing with basil, mint, dill and rosemary. Wedding favours were miniature pots of herbs planted in recycled cans that the guests could take a way and transfer into their gardens. I even managed to find gorgeous pink glass dragonflies that added a quirky edge to the whole wedding style. They are fair trade and made in Cape Town by a project dedicated to improving the lives and working conditions of local people.

“I am over the moon that all the hard work has paid off and I’m now really interested in offering more eco and green choices to my brides. It’s amazing what ethical options are out there if you just take the time to look beneath the service. Weddings can be chic, stylish and responsible.”

Little Fish Events are delighted to announce that are a direct result of the awards, they will be designing a full range of stationery using 100% recycled card, paper and envelopes by the end of the summer. They will also be developing a Green Policy to reduce their waste, recycle and reuse where possible. This year they have planted two trees at the National Forest in the East Midlands to help offset their carbon footprint and look forward to doing the same in 2009.

Little Fish Events also picked up the runner up prize for Customer Service Award for a small or new business, which was voted for by the public.

Hannah has been running Little Fish Events since 2004 and assists busy brides and grooms all over the UK to make their wedding day memorable for all the right reasons. For more details on the services they offer, please visit the main website.