frighteningly good ideas...

Can you believe it's October?  And not just October, over half way through! Well with pumpkins creeping into shop windows along with ghostly white faces I had a hankering for designing something with a subtle Halloween edge.  And what better place to show it off than the Wedding Fair with a Difference, hosted by the lovely Save the Date team at the Roundhouse in Derby.

Having looked at the exhibitor listing, I knew the day was going to be wall to wall with fabulous quality suppliers, with a heavy emphasis on vintage theaming perfect for a summer garden party.  But what about the brides who have seen one too many Lacy table cloths?  What about those girls who want more pizazz than pastel? My cunning plan was to hook them in with a Little Fish feast of monochrome splendidness, all embellished with a sprinkle of black glitter and a smidging of zesty orange detail.  And do you know what?  I think I may have pulled it off!

Taking inspiration from our seasonal colours and my 'Yes Ma'am' design, I focused on all things British to finish off a tip top wedding with a modern edge.  of course, there was more than a little fun thrown in for good measure!

From top to bottom...

>>Photo Booth :: These moustaches went down so well, nobody could resist having a go!  They make great accessories either on the table or with a photo booth.

Tash on a stick :: £2
Double Layer sign :: From £2.65


>>Ribbon Wrap Invites :: Great for keeping your invitation, wedding information and RSVP card all wrapped up with a gorgeous Little Fish Events handmade embellishment
With three inserts, ribbon and heart :: £4.00


>>Snippet Thank You Cards :: Just send me little snippets of your favourite memories from the wedding day, so I can create these super cute thank you cards. Stylish and so personal!

Rounded corner single sided cards :: £1.10

Add ribbon :: plus 60p

>>Read All About It :: Personalised newspaper, featuring the story of how the bride and groom met and filled with chocolate fish and chips - serve them on the dance floor about 10pm as a scrumptious pick me up.
Newspaper provided as a PDF for you to print and fold :: £35

Printed and rolled ready to place :: £1.00 each.

Please add 25p for guest name personalisation.

Please note :: Prices exclude sweets


>>Tag You're It :: Double layer invitations with mini RSVP tag attached to the front - really unusual and gorgeous with the black sparkly backing card!
Double Layer Invites :: From £2.25


>>Thing-a-mi-bobs :: Without a doubt, every one's favourite item was the... well the... thing-a-mi-bobs.  No I don't know what they are called either, you made them at school when you were bored and used your thumbs and fingers to open and close them as you counted - I recreated them as a bride & groom 'pub quiz' and personalised them so they doubled as a place name. 

thing-a-mi-bobs provided as a PDf for you to print and fold :: £35

Printed and folded ready to place :: £1.50 each. 

Please add 25p for guest name personalisation.

>>Favours :: Ooh, a cup of tea, complete with a mini quotation card and finished in a black favour box with an orange 'all neat and tidy' bow. How very proper!

Favour box with all neat & tidy bow and single diamante :: £1.60

Hand tied tea bag (from a fabulous collection from Northern Tea Merchants) with mini poem card :: £1.60

>>Flying the Flag :: With confetti making some of out venue a little hot around the collar, why not offer your guests these mini flags instead.  All the colour and festivities, less litter!
Flag with embellishment and bead to the top :: £2.35

A big thank you to Black Eyed Susan, of Chatsworth Road, Chesterfield for her gorgeous blooms which were just stunning.  To the lovely Lynsey of Bimbo Design for manning the stand with me and getting up ridiculously early on a Sunday morning, and to Darren Cresswell, Photographer extraordinaire for making us laugh so hard we got cramp in our cheeks!

I hope you all enjoyed the stand on Sunday and today's Blog has given you a little sprinkling of inspiration on this chilly October Wednesday.

With Love, Hannah x

win a pair of tickets to the wedding event with a difference

I can not believe it's only six days until The Wedding Event with a Difference. Where does the time go? Hosted by the lovely Abbi & Lydia at Save The Date Magazine (if by any chance you have been living in Siberia and haven't logged on, then do so... immediately!) this is without a doubt the region's premier show.  If you're looking for unusual ideas, quirky finishing touches and quality at every turn, then head to Pride Park this Sunday with a pair of flat shoes in preparation for being 'wowed'.

And just to give your Monday morning a little sparkle, I have in my possession a pair of tickets to give away.  Hooray!  All you have to do is send one teeny tiny email naming three suppliers exhibiting on Sunday.  And to give you a head start (just in case the sight of Gary Barlow in tweed on Saturday night has left your head a little woolly... ooh) Little Fish Events is one of them.

You'll need to be quick off the mark though as I will be drawing one lucky winner from the hat on Thursday at 10am, so make sure you get your entries into hannah@littlefishevents.co.uk in plenty of time.

Just to whet your appetite, here are a few little teasers of what to expect:

:: The chance to have a go at designing your own wedding stationery with me at the Little Fish Event stand - the winning idea will have the design made into fifty invitations by me - for free!

:: Over 60 stands of incredible exhibitors demonstrating what they’re all about.

:: The uber chic Creative Corner where you can meet a range of highly unique and creative companies who are sure to inspire you.

:: Feeling peckish?  Then rest your feet at ‘The Kitchen’ and enjoy delicious food courtesy of the fabulous Fiona Herbert Catering Company.

:: Next stop – The Lyrical Lounge. Within a stylish tipi tent outside, you can enjoy a drink at the Belvoir Fruit Farms stand before taking a seat and listening to some amazing music from a range of very talented musicians.

:: If you're bringing (dragging!?) your man with you then the ‘Blokes Corner’ is a must. Not only are there the necessities for your big day such as suit hire and stag do accessories but you can enjoy a sample of real ale courtesy of Nutbrook Brewery and test out your gambling skills at the casino table.

:: Last but not least, there's three opportunities to enjoy the catwalk show (and rest your feet) with a great range of incredible dresses by talented designers, all showcased from boutiques and shops within the East Midlands.

For more information and to register for tickets, visit http://www.savethedatemagazine.co.uk/ and I very much look forward to seeing you there where I will be showcasing not one but two of my new designs launched last month.

Have a super week.  Love, Hannah 

no lion about for hannah this weekend!

It's been an action packed week at Fishy HQ.  Not only did I work my socks off finishing my lovely new website with Lynsey at Bimbo Design, but I was also beaving away in the studio to create a table bursting with gorgeous little treats to tempt couples at the Red Lion's Wedding Fair on Sunday.

It's been a long time since I stood at a wedding fair, but the beautiful Red Lion which proudly stands at the edge of the Peak District National Park has been beautifully extended and refurbished.  So armed with my portfolio bursting with new designs, I was more than happy for my wedding goodies to have an outing to one of the area's most picturesque hotels.

I took along my beautiful bunting design and went to town making invites, table stationery, an array of favours, table plans, signage and quirky little finishing touches.  I have pictured here just a few items that were well received.  If you would like more detail, or indeed wish to place an order, please contact me.

Happy planning! Love, Hannah


Clockwise from top:

>> All set up rand eady to meet the couples


>> Old fashioned lemonade bottles with personalised single layer tags - simply pop them in alphabetical order and detail the table your guest is to sit at on the tag.  A great idea if you want something a little less traditional than a standing table plan! From £1.25 (excluding lemonade).


>> Bedtime hot chocolate in mini jars with ribbon, marshmallows and matching tag.  From £2.70 each. Why not put them on the pillows in the hotel as a thank you for staying at the venue?


>> Speech lollypops with cellophane, ribbon and tag - serve them with the coffee and stop Great Auntie Marge and Cousin Winnifred from nattering!  From £2.50 each.


>> Love is brewing with these gorgeous little bunting boxes, hand-tied luxuary teabag and mini card. These are incredibly fiddleyto make, so please don't order 100... my fingers may fall off!  From £3.20 as shown, or from £1.50 without the box.