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Welcome to Episode 4 of Season 2 of the Sugar Plum Bakes Wedding Business Podcast. I’m so excited to share this episode with you as I am hosting the fabulous Eleanor Rice, the editor of Your Day magazine. Eleanor oversees the editorial content across both the magazine’s digital and printed platforms. It was such a pleasure to host Eleanor and hear her talk passionately about the ethos and values of this new wedding magazine. Eleanor and her team are looking to share meaningful and inspiring content to their audience, where story telling is at the heart of what they do. The magazine contains gorgeous imagery and modern wedding inspiration for today’s couples planning their weddings. I love that sustainability and diversity is just part of the norm in the Your Day approach to seeking fresh content. On this episode, Eleanor shares some great advice to wedding suppliers as to how to get their businesses and their brands noticed. Very often, the way a small business owner looks to grow their brand is through exposure and great PR and Eleanor shares tips on what wedding suppliers can do to help boost their visibility. There is so much that wedding creatives can to do to help themselves and I am thankful to Eleanor for providing great advice on this topic. Your Day magazine is available to purchase online: https://yourdaymagazine.com/shop/ and is also available in many UK stores including Waterstones, WHSmith, and other high street magazine stockists. You can find out more about Your Day at their website: https://yourdaymagazine.com/ or seek them out on Instagram. Your Day is a quarterly magazine and they launched with their Spring edition first, the Autumn edition is due to be published very soon. During the episode, Eleanor also shares details of how you can contact them as they’d love to hear from new wedding creatives!

Welcome to Episode 3 of Season 2 of the Sugar Plum Bakes Wedding Business Podcast. On this episode I am chatting to the incredibly talented wedding stationer, Grania O’Brien of Ink & Paper. Grania made a career switch to embrace the beautiful and traditional craft of letterpress printing and during this episode she shares her story of how she’s grown her business into one that’s highly respected and one where her luxury wedding stationery is highly sought after. She shares advice on steps she’s taken that she believes have helped to get her where she is today. We talk about the importance of connecting with wedding suppliers through networking and overcoming the feeling of trepidation to  reach out to those in our own discipline - Grania is now part of a group stationers and calligraphers that celebrates  each other’s work, passes on referrals and is of a huge support to each other. These relationships are so important when you’re a solopreneur and can bring great comfort and encouragement when you’re working on your own.  Grania’s letterpress stationery is beautiful to look at and to hold - if you’d like to take a look at her work or connect with her, you can find her website: https://www.inkandpaperdesign.co.uk/ or seek her out on Instagram. Grania’s business is going from strength to strength and so much so that she’s also now part of a trio called Studio Between that provides gorgeous styling for events and weddings - you can take a look at their beautiful website here: https://www.studiobetween.co/ Thank you again to Grania for chatting with me - I hope you love listening to the episode. 

Welcome to Episode 2 of Season 2 of the Sugar Plum Bakes Wedding Business Podcast. On this episode, my guest is the wonderful Fen Bolodeoku, a fellow cake designer and artisan who caters for luxury weddings in the UK as well as overseas. Fen found her way into the world of weddings from a very different occupation as she used to be a practicing paediatrician. During our chat, Fen shares her experience of growing her wedding cake business from scratch and how she found her way to her signature style with heavenly sugar flowers. She also gives some great advice on how to find your confidence and not shy away from aspiring to be great! Fen says herself that “it’s easiest to dream big and edit rather than draft by fear!”  It really is an honour to have Fen on the podcast as she is such a talented artist and one of the kindest people that I’ve met in the wedding industry. Fen and I chat about things you can do to ensure that you include self care in your business practice as both believe that you need to fill your cup from time to time as trying to serve clients to the best of your ability will be difficult if you don’t also nurture yourself. If you love listening to this episode and would like to connect with Fen online, you can find her on her website: https://monanniecakes.com/ or on Instagram.

Welcome to Season 2 of the Sugar Plum Bakes Wedding Business Podcast. We are kicking off this new season with a bang with the phenomenal Rebecca Carpenter. She is an incredible destination wedding and elopement photographer as well as an educator. In fact she has just presented at Way Up North, a European photography conference, to over 300 people in Rome. In this podcast episode, she shares some great advice for people new to the wedding industry, and even those who are already established will hear tips and recommendations for how they can take their business to another level.  I’ve known Rebecca for a few years now and her star is constantly rising - she is an inspiration in how she works and how she has built up her wedding business to be one that’s highly sought after in a relatively short amount of time. She knows how to make her clients feel valued, people are her jam. And in return her clients adore her and she gives them an amazing experience be it photographing them for their wedding, elopement or engagement shoot. Make note, she doesn’t try to market herself to appeal to everyone, she endeavours to be her authentic self and attracts clients that really love her personality and her energy for life. So if you love listening to this episode you can check Rebecca out here: https://rebeccacarpenterphotography.com/ or on Instagram. If you’re looking to up-level your wedding photography business, then you may want to check out her shop and her stunning  Lightroom pre-sets : https://www.rebeccacarpentereducation.com/ The shop isn't just for photographers though as she has some beautifully designed pricing guides that could be customised by anyone in the wedding industry. Rebecca’s definitely one to watch and I’m really honoured that she took the time to chat to me for this podcast recording. 

Welcome to Episode 10, the final episode of Season 1 of the Sugar Plum Bakes Wedding Business Podcast.  I am rounding up this season with the gorgeous Charlotte Wood of Wild Wood London who is one of London’s top wedding and events florist. I am delighted to have Charlotte on the podcast as she shares her aspirational journey into establishing her floristry business. She comes from a background in fashion and I just love how that influences her style and her beautiful floral creations. I loved chatting to Charlotte and she shares a lot of tips and advice on how to have a positive mindset for running your wedding business and this comes through build up relationships and embracing a community over competition approach as well as always being willing to learn and improve your skills as well as being open to engaging with everyone.  I think Charlotte’s openness and kindness has been a key factor in how she’s managed to grow her business so quickly, but listening to Charlotte talk, you can tell she’s also very savvy with how she approaches her business operations and that she’s still so interested in learning and growing as an individual. As always, I genuinely hope that the content of this episode is helpful and makes you think about aspects of your business that you can improve. Thank you so much to Charlotte for being so generous with her advice and for being so much fun to talk to. If you want to connect with Charlotte, you can find her on Instagram and do check out her website https://wildwoodlondon.co.uk/. I can’t believe this is the end of the season, I’ve got more guests lined up for Season 2 so I’ll be back soon. In the meantime, if you’ve enjoyed listening to this podcast episode, I would love to hear what you think -  my DM’s are always open on Instagram and if you have time, I’d be so grateful if you could rate and review the show.  Thank you!  Vaani x

Welcome to Episode 9 So of the Sugar Plum Bakes Wedding Business Podcast. My guest is the fabulous Hannah Stubbs of Bonny & Clyde Design Studio, and we are talking all about websites. Hannah, with her husband Toby, offer brand and web design to creatives so I am really excited to have Hannah on the show to talk about this subject. I am really passionate about wedding suppliers having their own website to market themselves instead of using social media. For me personally, having your own website is key to securing a strong foothold in the wedding industry market. And it is also invaluable for helping you grow your wedding business.  On this episode, Hannah shares amazing advice on the essential pages to have on your website but also shares tips on how to get your website working for you. We also talk about some common mistakes that you want to avoid to ensure your website is the best that it can be.  A big thank you to Hannah for sharing her advice and knowledge so generously. Hannah and Toby are creating some magic right now for fellow wedding suppliers which is a real joy to see so do seek them out on their website: https://www.bonnyandclydedesign.com or on Instagram. And do check out Hannah’s beautiful wedding stationery: https://www.bonnyandclyde.co.uk/ If you have enjoyed listening to this podcast episode, I would love to hear what you think -  you can DM me on Instagram and if you have time, I’d be so grateful if you could rate and review the show.  Thank you!  Vaani x

Welcome to Episode 8 of the Sugar Plum Bakes Wedding Business Podcast. On this episode I interview Abigail Amankwa of M+H Cake Company. When I launched this podcast, I knew that I wanted to include a range of wedding creatives and being a cake designer myself, I wanted to have a fellow cake designer on the show. I chose Abigail because she is so inspirational. Abigail has got her cake products onto Not on the High Street and has achieved great PR through TV commercials and radio interviews. Her drive and motivation, especially through the year of 2020 is something that will inspire others. She is also savvy about how to run her business and shares advice and tips about how you can align your business with other great wedding suppliers. Thank you to Abigail for taking the time to talk openly and share her knowledge. I have loved having her on the show. If you want to connect with Abigail, you can find her on Instagram and if you’re interested in her biscuit and cake products, do check out her website https://www.mandhcake.com/ especially if you’re looking for a spot of cake tub indulgence! If you have enjoyed listening to this podcast episode, I would love to hear what you think -  you can DM me on Instagram and if you have time, I’d be so grateful if you could rate and review the show.  Thank you!  Vaani x

Welcome to Episode 7 of the Sugar Plum Bakes Wedding Business Podcast. On this episode I interview the very lovely Andri Benson of Always Andri. When I launched this podcast, I knew that I wanted to include an episode that discussed how to get involved in a styled shoot, but I also wanted to share advice on how to organise a styled shoot with confidence. So who better than Andri, a highly respected and experienced British wedding planner who has been working in the wedding industry for over a decade, to come talk about this with me. Andri was one of the first wedding creatives to organise a styled shoot in the UK and is incredible at organising collaborative styled shoots and editorials.  On this episode, Andri and I talk about some of the common pitfalls and mistakes people make when organising a styled shoot but more importantly we discuss steps and strategies that you can take to have a really incredible styled shoot. Ideally the main goal when partaking in any  styled shoot is to be able to use the experience and the content to elevate you and your business. During this episode you'll hear what you can do to ensure that you get the most out of a styled shoot. Andri really is a fountain of knowledge on the subject and she's published an e-book that shares tried and tested methods that will enable you to plan and organise a shoot with confidence. You can purchase Andri's book here: https://studio.alwaysandri.co.uk/ If you would like to connect with Andri, you can find her on her website or on Instagram.  Thank you again to Andri for talking openly and sharing her knowledge, it has been an honour to have her on the show. If you have enjoyed listening to this podcast episode, I would love to hear what you think -  you can DM me on Instagram and if you have time, I’d be so grateful if you could rate and review the show.  Thank you! Vaani x

Welcome to Episode 6 of the Sugar Plum Bakes Wedding Business Podcast. On this episode I talk a little more about my journey of starting my business from scratch. I launched my cake business 7 years ago and as someone who came from the Oil & Gas industry, a very different background to weddings, I had to learn a lot about running my own business. So in this episode I touch upon things that I’ve learnt, mistakes that I’ve made, and I also share tips and advice about some simple actions that you can take to make you and your business more visible. Certainly when we start out in business, we will be excited to be commissioned by anyone, but developing and honing a business that is consistent in its branding and its offering, and one that you love and feel proud of, will ensure that you attract the kind of clients that you want to work with.  As always, I hope that this episode is of benefit to you. If you’re looking for support and mentoring to get you and your wedding business to the next level, you can learn more about my services here: sugarplumbakes.com/mentoring/  I love to connect with fellow wedding creatives so you can also find me on Instagram - I’d love to hear what you thought of this show so drop me a DM! Vaani x

Welcome to Episode 5 of the Sugar Plum Bakes Wedding Business Podcast. On today’s episode, I am hosting the wonderful Valentina Ring, who is a highly respected and hugely admired member of the wedding industry. She owns and runs The Stars Inside, which is an international wedding and elopement planning, styling and design studio. Valentina is an exceptional storyteller and it’s this strength that she brings to her work leads to the most magical and detailed creations. Be it intimate weddings and elopements, or incredible styled shoots - she is a master of her craft. I feel so grateful to have had the chance to work with Valentina and have got to experience her processes firsthand, she really is a joy to work with. And Valentina is definitely the kindest person I  have met in weddings. And this super kind, super gentle soul is succeeding in growing her brand and her business by being herself and without having to be pushy with sales and advertising. Valentina is an open and proud introvert INFJ (Myers Briggs personality type), and all the more, I really wanted to give Val a spotlight on my podcast to share her story. I firmly believe that if you’re a quieter person, and indeed an introverted personality, that you can be seen, heard and noticed without having to be bold and outspoken to be seen. That you can be yourself, that you can speak gently and still attract the right audience for you. And this is what Valentina does so well, she is genuine and authentic and what she shares really resonates with the people that want to work with her. It is such an honour to have Valentina on the podcast. If you’d like to connect with her, you can find Val on Instagram and her website: thestarsinside.com and there you will find more information about her services and you will also find her lovely little shop too! Valentina also has her own podcast, so if you want to listen to more of her wonderful advice - you can find the link here.  If you have enjoyed listening to this podcast episode, I would love to hear what you think -  you can DM me on Instagram and if you have time, I’d be so grateful if you could rate and review the show.  Thank you! Vaani x

Welcome to Episode 4 of the Sugar Plum Bakes Wedding Business Podcast. On today’s episode I have the amazing Igor Demba, a highly renowned and experienced destination wedding photographer. It’s a huge honour to have him on the show as he shares his knowledge on how to build a luxury brand and how to attract your ideal client. He’s also super honest and open about pricing and money - a subject that isn’t talked about enough in the wedding industry, and he gives some great advice on how to establish your pricing. We talk about the balance of being a creative but also the need to run a profitable business too. Igor has won some incredible accolades including being named one of the Top Wedding Photographers of the World by Harpers Bazaar so if you want to learn from one of the best in the industry, and have aspirations to grow your wedding business - this is definitely a must-listen episode. Despite his success and accomplishments, Igor is humble and gracious, as well as generous with sharing his knowledge and expertise. So if you love listening to this episode, you can check out his website: https://www.igordemba.com/ and his Instagram. And you may also be interested in his mentoring or workshops. I adore Igor’s photography, so even if you just want to get lost in his imagery - I definitely recommend seeking him out online!

Welcome to another guest episode on the Sugar Plum Bakes Wedding Business Podcast. On this episode we have Ashleigh Li, the founder of Pink Palms Events. Ashleigh is a planner and stylist, and an LA-loving Liverpudlian who is injecting her love of colour into the wedding industry. In this episode we talk about colour association and the power of it and how you can use it to get your wedding business more visible. We also address the preconceptions and reservations people have about using colour. Ashleigh explains that with thought and consideration, that even just a subtle use of colour can be such a powerful tool for you, your business and your branding. So in an industry that is bustling and busy, if you are clever with your use of colour - you can really stand out from the crowd. Ashleigh demonstrates this so well with her own business and branding but she’s also generous with her knowledge and runs courses for suppliers as well as couples. These courses are for people who are wanting to incorporate design skilfully into their weddings and their businesses.  Because of her nursing background, Ashleigh is a very calm person and not much rattles her so she is absolutely great at doing her job of being a planner. And she uses her interior design experience to approach anything in the wedding business in a different way to other stylists that I’ve worked with. There’s a grounding, and an application of a fundamental colour theory that can be enlightening. Since recording the podcast,  I myself have been working with Ashleigh and I feel like it’s given me an understanding into my own creative process and given me confidence to really pursue some big goals for this year.  I’m really grateful to Ashleigh for coming on and sharing her knowledge. After listening to this episode, I’m sure you’re going to want to find her online. Ashleigh is on Instagram and her website is: https://www.pinkpalms.co.uk/ You can learn more about her courses that she offers for couples and suppliers here: https://www.bungalowbypinkpalms.com/links