Saturday 27 October 2012

Simply Bows Real Life Bride Jennifer marries in Harrogate


What are your first names?
David and Jennifer

Where and when did you get engaged?
On a bridge in Brugges October 2010

What was your wedding date?
18th August 2012


Where did you get married?
Harrogate, North Yorkshire

Why did you choose your venue?
We wanted somewhere with a relaxed feel about it, where guests could relax feel at home. The Bridge is a privately owned hotel so it has a very personal feeling to it, plus the staff were really accommodating and friendly every time we visited.


Did you have a “theme”?
Not really, although the tables were all named after our favourite chocolates, Malteasers, Rolos etc and we used boxes of the chocolates as favours. We went through about 40 Chocolate Oranges before the day- it was so hard having them in the house!




What was your wedding colour scheme?
Blush pink, silver, and cornflower blue



Why did you choose Simply Bows and Chair Covers and what were they like to work with?
Alex really listened to what we wanted and worked with us to make sure the colours were an exact match, and she also came up with loads of new ideas we hadn’t thought of to decorate the tables. The chair covers looked amazing on the day, making the room look very elegant, and we received lots of compliments.



What sort of dress did you choose and where from?
It was a fitted lace dress with a very vintage feel to it and a fairly long train- the complete opposite of the dress I had in mind when I set out.

What did your bridesmaids wear?
Knee length cornflower blue dresses by debut at Debenhams, we went for something quite simple to suit their three very different shapes and personalities.


Who was your photographer?
Charlotte Hedgecock of Baroque photography and her partner, they were excellent- we hardly knew they were there but they managed to get loads of natural shots of us and our guests.



What “special touches” did you add to your day?
A family friend provided flowers for the church and did a great job, while another decorated the decking at the venue- it was so touching to have people we knew helping out in those ways.

What was your favourite part of the day?
Walking out following the ceremony and seeing all our guests for the first time (I was in a daze on the way in!)

Where did you go on honeymoon?
We had 2 weeks in Vancouver, Canada, a lifelong dream destination

What would be your top tip for another bride to be?
 Make sure you have some alone time with your new husband on the day- it’s so easy to let it all fly by and hardly see each other!

Tuesday 23 October 2012

Simply Supported By Theo Paphitis!

Simply Bows and Chair Covers has this week received yet another accolade after being chosen as one of Theo Paphitis’s top small businesses in his ‘Small Business Sunday’ challenge.



Each Sunday between 5pm and 7.30pm Theo, best known for appearing on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den series and being Chairman of Ryman Stationary, asks his quarter of a million followers on Twitter to send him details of their small businesses and why they deserve to be named as one of his top six of the week.

Using the hash-tag #SBS (Small Business Sunday) thousands of businesses contact Theo each week which he then reviews and chooses who he deems to be the best. Winners are then named via his Twitter account on Monday evening and added to his successful website, http://theopaphitissbs.com/ . This week (commencing 22.10.12,) Simply Bows and Chair Covers is one of the six chosen businesses.

Simply Bows and Chair Covers was established four years ago by North East-based entrepreneur, Sarah Pittendrigh, with the franchise operation launching in 2010. In just under two years, the company has set up 11 franchises in areas including Harrogate, Aberdeen, Cumbria, Dundee,Berkshireand around the North East.

Speaking about Theo Paphitis’s endorsement, Sarah said: “I was thrilled that Theo chose our company- what a fabulous seal of approval! I’ve had hundreds of messages from people all over the UK congratulating me and it really does provide a business boost- not only in the number of Twitter followers, but it has already also resulted in new enquiries.”



Next month (November), Sarah will represent the North East region in the finals of the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) Chamber Awards 2012 in the Most Promising New Business category thanks to her ongoing success and growth over a short period of time. Good luck!! To see how Sarah and the Simply Bows team get on keep an eye on our blog for more information :)

Friday 19 October 2012

Simply on trend for 2013: Vera Wang Bridal Collection

Just last week we gave you an insight into Anne Hathaway's top secret Valentino wedding gown (blog here if you missed it) and it appears Anne and her dress were bang on trend as the uber talented Vera Wang reveals her latest bridal collection....

Last year her wedding gowns were black and crimson but this year Vera Wang took us back to basics with white tight bodices and voluminous skirts decorated with delicate lacework, intimate bead-work and romantic ruffles just like our new range (another chance to see it here).

See some of Vera Wang's beautiful new designs for her Spring 2013 collection below... 










Wednesday 17 October 2012

Simply Super Reads for the Bride to be! (Hint list for the hubby to be....)

One of the most beautiful wedding books on the market is Vera Wang: Weddings and let's face it if money was no object, what bride doesn't dream of walking down the aisle in a gown by Vera Wang, the world's most sought after bridal designer? 



The celebrity designer single-handedly revolutionised the bridal industry with her chic, sophisticated, stylish designs, shares her vision and ideas on every aspect of the big wedding day in the amazing book!

We at Simply Bows HQ recently spotted that currently on Amazon you can pick this book up at a bargain price of £29.25... normally £45 and worth every penny! We then spotted a whole host of other wedding book beauties on offer too and thought now may be a good time to share them with you with Christmas coming up.... yes folks... less than 10 weeks to go! So go on...get on amazon and drop some hints to your hubby to be with these fab Christmas list additions!




Sunday 14 October 2012

Simply Bows Real Life Bride: Kirsty marries at Langley Castle...


What are your first names?
Sam & Kirsty


Where and when did you get engaged?
We got engaged on the 20th May in Paris. Sam was going to propose to me on the balcony of our hotel whilst watching the light show on the Eiffel Tower but I was tired and because I thought we had missed it (its hourly, I think) I wanted to go to bed and wouldn’t go out onto the balcony :/ So I ruined his lovely surprise so he asked me the next morning when I had just woken up so very nice surprise!!

What was your wedding date?
1st September 2012

Where did you get married?
Langley Castle for Civil Ceremony followed by a Blessing in The Chapel

Why did you choose your venue?
Because it was absolutely amazing!! And I always wanted to get married in a ‘princess castle’ and this most certainly was one of those!! Felt like a princess for the day! I remember the first time going to have a look around it, I got that excited, bouncing around like a little girl, that when I went to look in the window seat in the Drawing Room, I slipped and banged my knee ha ha!! I instantly knew when I drove up the drive and saw the Castle that it was ‘the one’ !

Did you have a “theme”?
I had a few themes I mixed together! From the very beginning I wanted Taupe, but initially wanted it with a hint of pink and vintage! When it came to looking for the Bridesmaid dresses I instantly knew the one I wanted, in fact I even tried it on when I was looking at wedding dresses. Initially I wanted in Taupe but when I saw it on my bridesmaids in the Teal colour I decided I loved it that much and it would be more striking to have. Plus no-one would expect me to go for this colour!! So my theme became Taupe and Teal. During one of my visits to Langley Castle I saw the peacocks which is where my ‘hint of peacock’ inspiration came from! I then decided to add a splash of purple into the evening reception colour scheme with peacock feathers in the centrepieces!! The flowers were made by Tricia Irving from Wigton and she did an amazing job of the centrepieces, bouquets, flower arches, pedestals etc. Also I had a bit of a diamond theme going on too! Basically ‘bling and sparkles’!

What was your wedding colour scheme?
Taupe & Teal with a hint of Peacock!

Why did you choose Simply Bows and Chair Covers and what were they like to work with?
Kristywas sooo friendly and excitable, after our initial appointment I knew I wanted to choose to work with her. She was fantastic the whole time, even with flaky me changing my mind on colours and bows. I eventually opted for simple white bows tied to one side for the ceremony room for a fairytale look, and chose Silver organza bows tied with pearl bands and sparkly sequined organza tablecloths for my evening reception.


What sort of dress did you choose and where from?
I chose a princess dress from Kokoa Bride in Penrith. I initially was after a fitted lace and sparkle dress but came across the one I chose and fell in love! And it came with a Taupe belt with flower design on which matched my theme perfectly and I decided, that as I was only going to do this once, I should just go for the dress of my dreams which I knew all along would be a big princess dress. My dress was a Mori Lee by Madeline Gardner dress. It has an embellished and very sparkly fitted bodice which I got altered so that it had a sweetheart neckline rather than the straight neckline it was before hand, with a taupe and cream and taupe flower sash, and the bottom is layers of tulle with lace and sparkly detailing on the bottom! The veil was a chapel length one covered in diamantes, again from Kokoa Bride. My shoes were stunning lace and pearl courts with diamante heels from Kokoa Bride too. The groom party all wore Grey Silk suits from Kokoa Bride, the groom wore a Taupe cravat while the rest wore Teal cravats to match the bridesmaid dresses perfectly. The two pageboys wore beige trousers and waistcoats from monsoon with taupe cravats.

What did your bridesmaids wear?
My bridesmaids wore Teal green satin dresses by Pheonix Gowns. These were long, v necked style with off the shoulder straps and looked stunning on the girls. They all wore pearl and diamante headbands and silver strappy sandals. My friend’s daughter was flower girl and wore a white and taupe dress from BHS with butterflies on and my 9 week daughter wore a lovely oranza ivory dress with butterflies on too, and an ivory headband that I customised myself with pearls and diamantes.

Who was your photographer?
Julie Winspear, and she was absolutely fantastic!

What “special touches” did you add to your day?
I put such a lot of detail into the smaller aspects of the wedding. I made my wedding invites myself, and wanted to carry on the rest of the stationary in a similar way. The wedding invites had a Taupe, pearl and diamond theme. The name cards were handmade using teal ribbon, taupe card and diamantes. The table plan was my pride and joy and was made using shimmer card, teal ribbon, diamante embellishments and teal and silver diamantes.


The table names were named after attraction in Paris (as we got engaged there). The favours were 3 chocolate roses in teal or purple organza bags. I wanted to use the pink, purple and green sweets out of the roses selection (from the Cadbury shop) but as Cadbury had stopped the green one, I bought individual fudge and wrapped each one in teal green tissue paper to keep with the colour scheme! The cakes were decorated with teal and taupe ribbon, the cupcakes were made in purple and teal cupcake cases and decorated with silver and teal decorations. 

The centrepieces all had peacock feathers displayed in with the flowers. I even had a peacock feather pen for the guest book. I also made a wedding post box using teal and taupe ribbon, pearl and diamante embellishments and of course a couple of peacock feathers!
We hired in a chocolate fountain with strawberries, fudge, marshmallows, profiteroles and Turkish delight!!
My dad also bought me a pink Disney princess cake as I am a ‘daddy’s princess’ haha! 


During the ceremony we had a ‘candle ceremony’ where the mothers of each family lit 2 small candles and me and Sam then lit a ‘unity’ candle with the 2 small candles to represent our two families coming together.
Another special touch was that the lads (groom, best man, ushers, fathers of the bride and groom, and brides uncles and brother in law) all changed into their ‘shiteshirts’ after the first dance, and came onto the dance floor together dancing to cheeky girls and you can leave your hat on which was very funny and a good surprise for all the guests! This was all planned out on the stag do!! The disco was supplied by Majestic Nights disco.


What was your favourite part of the day?
 All of it! Being with my family and friends; seeing how everything all came together;  the décor; the dressing up and getting ready; the weather; everything, and of course the wedding itself

Where did you go on honeymoon?
We are going to Dubai with our daughter and mother-in-law and meeting the father-in-law over there (he works in Saudi) so I call it a ‘familymoon’. Sam and I are hoping to have our ‘just us’ honeymoon with a renewal of vows next September in Mexico when Sophia is older and hopefully won’t feel as bad leaving her with grandparents!

What would be your top tip for another bride to be?
Just relax and enjoy the whole day. Everyone said to me it flies by so just chill and relax and they were right, it really does!!

Wednesday 10 October 2012

Simply London Calling!

London calling…!

Do you want to be your own boss, fit your working hours around your lifestyle and enjoy the perks of running your own business but with a ready-made, highly-regarded, national brand?

Due to a rapid growth in demand for our services in London and the South East, we’re now looking to recruit the ideal person- or people- to represent Simply Bows and Chair Covers in this area.


Until recently, as well as running my own franchise in County Durham, I was also managing London enquiries. However, due to a rapid growth in demand, this is no longer possible.


Since the start of the year, enquiries from London-based venues have dramatically increased. The London area is a ready-made market for the right franchisee as there is very little in the way of competition. 

We have already started to meet with people who are interested however we're yet to find the right person to represent the Simply Bows and Chair Covers brand and deal with some of the most exclusive hotels and venues in the UK. We really need someone with the skills, experience and understanding of the competitive London marketplace


If you are interested in becoming part of multi award-winning Simply Bows and Chair Covers, why not drop us an email or call for an informal chat? Speak to Sarah on 07595 549623 or email enquiries@simplybowsandchaircovers.co.uk

Monday 8 October 2012

Simply Valentino: Anne Hathaway's stunning bridal gown


Anne Hathaway recently married fiancee Adam Shulman in what is said to be a lavish and beautiful ceremony but alas, security was so tight we hardly caught a glimpse of the blushing bride in her specially designed Valentino wedding gown!

Fear not! Simply Bows and Chair Covers can now bring you an image released from the amazing designer showing us just what the before now, top secret dress looked like!

The off the shoulder bodice leads into a divine floaty, layered, diamante encrusted skirt hemmed with a soft blush pink colour to match a blush pink veil. Pink to make the boy's wink ;)




Wednesday 3 October 2012

Simply Swinging Sixties Wedding Theme: The Beatles!

A few weeks ago primary school teacher Rebecca Mowles married the love of her life, Mark Wright and chose a wedding theme that we at Simply Bows and Chair Covers had not came across before but were very intrigued to see how it turned out.... The Beatles!



Invites explained that all guests were required to dress in the swinging sixties dress code.. the more psychedelic patterns the better!

The groom wore a blue silk suit in the style of Paul McCartney and the best man wore a colourful custom-made suit replicating that of Ringo on the cover of the Beatle's 1967 Sergeant Pepper album!The ushers dressed as John Lennon and George Harrison. The Bride wore a 60's inspired gown and the bridesmaid's wore psychedelic dresses and carried sunflower's.


All the table names were well known Beatles songs, the wedding cake was Abbey Road themed and to wrap up the day the groom and the ushers took to the stage to perform a few Beatle's classics!

You gotta' love a bit of thought and imagination! Well done guys! A totally unique and fun theme. We love it!