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Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 00:04
Hello, folks, and a very warm welcome to the Supplier Spotlight podcast. My name is Liam Ball, I’m your magical wedding host. Otherwise known as the Gentleman Magician. And as I always say, this podcast exists to shine a light on some of the very best people and services in the wedding industry. suppliers who can bring clarity, confidence, and calm to one of what should be the most exciting and potentially overwhelming chapters of a couple’s life. Now, if you are enjoying the podcast, please do make sure to follow, like, subscribe, and share it with somebody who’s planning their own wedding, especially this one, because it really will make a difference. Now today’s guest is somebody super special. We have a bridal coach and wedding planning specialist, somebody who supports busy budget conscious DIY couples who want structure, creativity and confidence. Without any stress in their wedding planning. Now, this isn’t about handling everything over to a traditional planner, it’s about empowering couples. where they can have some guidance, get some accountability and also pick up practical tools so they can plan their own wedding well and actually enjoy the process. So it’s a pleasure to welcome from Creative Brides Callie Sexton. Hey, Callie, how’s it going?
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 01:23
No, hello. Thank you for having me. I’m excited to be here.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 01:26
Oh, we’re excited to have you. Do you know what? It’s it’s one of these things where I’m constantly looking now around at suppliers and thinking who’s got a bit of an edge or who’s got something a little bit different. And of course, you know, we’ve met a couple of times over at Wedcom. Which, for people who are listening, probably don’t know, it’s an annual conference for wedding professionals. And when you were telling me about what it is that you do, and of course, I’ve looked a bit more, I thought this sounds like something that is really interesting. Because of course, for a lot of people, the concept of hiring a wedding planner is just out of scope, isn’t it?
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 02:01
Absolutely, yeah. So yes, yeah, absolutely. So there’s um while that sort of went into what I did, I wanted to be able to support the couples That actually wanted a very hands-on role, but who needed that guidance and have the experience of someone that’s been there and done it, which is is the biggest reason why I created Coated Brides.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 02:21
Yeah. So so ha I mean how how is it that you moved into Quaker? To put it simply, and I think as you explained it to me, creative brides is essentially helping couples that are I think budgets conscious, but also want to plan their own wedding on a DIY basis, but still want For want of a better phrase, the help and expertise of a wedding planner. Is that about right?
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 02:48
Yes, so generally, what I have found out as the business has grown and developed is actually what this is based around is actually working couples. That have very limited time, which is like us all these days, it’s a very busy time, isn’t it? And they want to do it, but however. need someone to sort of guide them on the process so they’re not second guessing themselves. They can get their questions answered as and when. And so then I give them the knowledge and experience that I have in regards to planning, but not just that, in regards to Creating a day that’s very much so around them. So, yeah, we tend to, it’s very much so about the couple, showcasing their personality, showcasing their stories. So, it’s not typically your traditional The traditional wedding that is sort of been going for very many years and following traditions and things is very creative, very much so. Let’s see what we can create. It’s a way of saving money but also spending wisely, very much so the spending wisely comes into it. And sort of with creative side is what tended To happen if you’re going into sort of any DIY projects yourself. Say, for example, you’re making your invitations, you’ll go on the wonderful world of Pinterest like we all do. We all see these sadhius things, and then we create them, and they’re nothing like. what you have seen in the photos, because at the end of the day, you’re not aware of what type of quality card you need, you’re not aware of the type of printing, you’re not aware of all these things. So what I’ve done is I’ve bridged that gap and actually given my couples the opportunity to be able to get that information from someone that’s been there and done it for many years. And also we’ve got other exciting projects coming towards the end of this month in regards to kits and tutorials into people making their own bits and pieces themselves. Yeah, I’m really trying to make sure those couples are looked after. But given the tools and information they need to be able to create that professional image they want. But actually, from their own hands to enjoy that satisfaction of being like, I did that, you know, I created that, which is such a nice feeling.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 04:45
I think, I think, and that’s, yeah, that that that’s such a huge thing, isn’t it, for some people? You look at all the wedding stationery, things like the invites, all the stationery on the day, and it’s got this really cohesive element to it. Which, of course, you know, any graphics designer worth their salt could say, Yeah, I can knock that up in two minutes. But of course, you know, lay people to that world like you know, you and I as would have been might sit down and think, gosh, I. I’ve tried this and I’ve got five pieces of station where they all look different, and I don’t know what I did wrong. So, lots of really useful information. Sort of in terms of that. So, how did you move into this? I mean, at what point did you sit back and think, hang on, there’s a huge gap in the market here, and I know exactly how to fill it? Where did all of that inspiration come from?
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 05:34
Right. So there’s a few things, if I’m honest, that sort of made me go down this direction. So firstly, I am an event event planned A wedding planned and all that type of thing, hospitality, catering for many years. Coming out of that, when I had my daughter many years ago, I then started because I’ve always been a creative person, so I then started creating for spokescomes for weddings. and it very quickly turned into themes like Harry Potter or Marvel, all that was very in trend back then. I’ve even done quirky stuff like Walking Dead and stuff. And then COVID hit. And I was like, oh gosh. And obviously, at this particular time, working with these couples, I regularly was asked. questions about planning because my couples that I worked with knew my background, so I was automatically just giving advice why I was crafting to these couples. So then Covid hit and I was like, oh gosh, actually, hold on. I’ve got to put a bit of a spin on this because everything stops. You know, it’s a really shocking time for all of us in the wedding industry. And over that period of time, I educated myself to be able to right, hold on, I need to make tank affordable for people because um Things being affordable and accessible to everybody, no matter their budget, is really important to me. I um Educated myself of how to build an online platform, which means I can support more people at one time, which means I can make my services so much more affordable. You know, my monthly fee, for example, is less than your takeaway. So like very affordable, accessible services. So I educated myself on that. I’ve been building the platform for quite some time, making sure I’ve got things like your checklists, your planners, everything. our weekly live sessions, all the crafting tutorials. We do a lot of this live and in person anyway each week. And then I pivoted over to that. So that was the sort of Mechanics behind it, but in regards to the reason why I created Created Brides, I hated There’s a couple of things. Brutally honestly, I hated the fact that when people were planning their weddings, they were completely overwhelmed with the fact that everything cost a fortune. And I was like, it doesn’t need to be like that. And I wanted to educate people that it didn’t need to be like that. So that was one reason. Another reason was is when I planned my own wedding, I had challenges around family difficulties. you know, people very close to me that weren’t available or weren’t, you know, just that general challenges. I don’t know what it is about weddings, but sadly it tends to bring up the worst in some people. So there’s my sorts of challenges around and So I wanted to have an all-inclusive platform where the couples, particularly brides, because it is generally brides I work with, but but it is both both members. have a place where they’re safe and they’re able to get support and they’re able to to be honest and they’ve got unbiased um help from someone and someone that actually gets sick. So a lot around that as well. So yeah, it was a very I was holding a second, I can do all this and I love helping people. I am the most hopeless romantic in the world. Um you know, so it just seemed natural for me to do this and um show what is it’s brilliant. I absolutely love it. I’m so lucky to do what I do.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 08:46
It does sound like there’s been a great deal of thought that’s gone into what this business is going to be and what it’s going to offer. And of course, by the sounds of it, it’s still evolving. And I think one of the things that stuck out there for me is this isn’t just a service that people subscribe to where they get maybe a weekly email newsletter or a video or you know, they’re having to go on to the website and watch something and struggle. Is that if I heard rightly there, you’re having like weekly Zoom sessions where you all get together and say, right, this week we’re going to focus on this thing. So let’s all do it together. And you’re kind of like having online crafting sessions and that kind of thing, right?
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 09:25
Yeah, yeah. And that’s exactly that is exactly what it’s like. And um It is so funny because when I can draw this, I had this vision of this daughter, and my visions come to life, and it’s absolutely wonderful. I mean, my I get a text message from one of my couples after session being like, Oh my god, that really helped me today, and that’s exactly what I needed. Or or, for example, you know, a couple of my brides have been nervous about going out dress shopping, which is Really surprising to me, but actually that’s quite a common thing. And all the other brides have been like, You’ve got this and it’s there’s is a real community and a support network. And it’s literally all just coming to its own, you know. And another thing that has cropped up is a lot of couples a lot of couples feel like they can’t then talk about the wedding because family members get annoyed or frustrated or CIP hearing it. Well, do you know what? We have a weekly session where we we talk all wedded and it’s absolutely brilliant because everybody’s got each other’s back, everybody’s cheering each other on, everybody’s supporting each other, and it’s just brilliant. And yeah, the crafting sessions are definitely great because It’s just brilliant. Sometimes they even turn into a Zoom family session where, say, for example, we’re doing our wedding station a few weeks ago. And one of the couples had like a team of their family around the tables. It was like a conveyor belt over who was doing what. So all of a sudden it just becomes this community and And it’s just it is wonderful. It is really brilliant. It’s everything that I dreamed it to be. And yet, like you said, absolutely, it is still growing. There’s still so much to do. And it the future is really exciting, really.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 10:52
I mean, that that sounds great. I mean, I mean, my my certainly my experience dealing with couples that I deal with is that, you know, when they are having a a a DIY style wedding is that the more excited they are about it usually focuses or comes from two places. Number one, having somebody to actually talk to about it and build that excitement. But secondly, then those people kind of rallying around them and being like, Let’s do this and let’s make it fabulous and actually having, you know, sort of families and partners specifically. Getting in on it, you know, because I’ve I’ve also seen the opposite of it, where, you know, I’m speaking to a bride and she’s she’s kind of really getting into it. And, you know, her partner’s kind of maybe sat next to her. on a phone, you know, kind of looking up every two minutes, checking the football scores. And you kind of think to yourself Get excited about this day because it’s it’s going to be amazing. Um so so in in addition to obviously, all of the, I’m going to say, web based services and advices and helps that you give, are there any other things maybe sort of more one on one personal services that you offer?
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 12:04
Yes, so I do also coordinate. So a lot of my couples were saying to me, Oh, actually, Kelly, do you know what? You’re with us this whole process. Can you coordinate it? Well, which is something I’ve done in the past, so I was like, you know what, yeah, let’s bring that service back. So I don’t tend to coordinate massive quantities weddings as um but I do offer coordination and with my coordination I obviously you work with me within the members’ club anyway so I literally by the point of coordination where my coordination is very different I know your wedding inside out. So I know every detail. I know your timelines because we’ve been working on them for months beforehand. So and what that has done is that’s given me a real Real in-depth touch into the wedding. So, you really have by that point got absolutely nothing to worry about because it’s not traditional coordination where you’ve got a month to catch up on. Like I said, I know my couples and I know their vision and I’ve helped them create their vision. And it all sort of comes together. So yes, and we’re particularly with DIY, you know, there is lots of mechanics as into setting up the wedding in regards to whether you’re having guards and games outside that might need moving around. Because obviously, I work a lot on saving people money and spending wisely, I do a lot of repurposing. So, whether, I do say to people like if you’re going to have a flower arch, then move that into where you’re going to be centrally in the evening. So there’s a lot of mechanics into DIY weddings, which is what a lot of DIY people tend to forget about and they think, oh, God, what about the set off? or yeah about this or what about that? So I I with the process of planning, I educate on that and then as a coordination service, obviously that all comes into it, as well as obviously looking after the bridegroom and the guest members and all that sort of stuff. So yeah, I do offer that as well. And then And then also, like I said to you, that have been launched, which is something that was sort of the start of my business really, but the membership has evolved, is the craft kits. They’re coming out. They’re starting towards the end of the month, which is basically there’s going to be multiple ranges. And we’re launching the stationary, and it’s going to be where I you have a template, you could edit the template, I get all the printing done. I can provide you with all the materials that are to create the craft, to create the stationery, for example, the mounting paper, the valium, the ribbons, the wax seals, absolutely everything. You get it in a kit. With a step-by-step tutorial on how to create them, and you have the pleasure of creating them themselves. So I’m super excited about launching these. This is something that obviously I’ve tested with the members’ club, but now it’s Now there’s an opportunity for me to branch out and to let everybody else have a go as well. So that’s quite exciting as well. I’m looking forward to getting them out and just showing people. Joe, there’s a massive amount of pleasure in crafting Yes, there is. Yeah, and I wanted to give that pleasure to my couples. So I had a Marvel bouquet actually. I’ve created a Marvel bouquet, which is before I launched the Members Club.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 14:59
A marble bouquet.
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 15:01
A marvel, yeah, marvel as in Avengers, you know, a yes.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 15:04
So it’s Oh Marvel, okay, good. I was thinking I was thinking I’m thinking glass marbles. Okay, marvel. Right.
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 15:11
There you go. We’ve done seashells and things as well. But then anything is possible. So, because I created this and I got a message from the bride the next day, like. completely overwhelmed, so happy because she said you would never believe how many people that come up to me and said, Oh my God, I’ve never seen anything that quirky or that unusual And I was like, I want Obviously, that’s a massive satisfaction for me as a crafter. But I want to give that feeling that I got to my couples. I want them when they a bride when their guests come up to them said, Oh my God. Your bouquet is absolutely beautiful. I want them to be like, I did that, and have that satisfaction and that love and that massive feeling of just, yes, I bloody did this, you know, and I want to give that to them. And that’s Sort of, I just, yeah. Like I said to you, I’m like the most socking person in the world. If I can give people happiness and joy, then you know what? I’m in my element, really. So, yeah.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 16:04
I mean, I something you said there that r lots that you said there resonate to me, but one of them is is that how how how much of a great feeling crafting gives you, right? Because I’ve I mean, I I’m a little bit crafty myself from time to time. I will make things. I also make sort of leather products and bags and what have you, but mostly for my own use and needs. But there’s definitely a moment when somebody said to me, Oh, hey, I want to make this thing and I’ve got no idea. And I said, Well, let’s have a go and we’ll do it later. And they go, Oh. And then they’ll go away and try it and come back and they’ll go, Look, look, I made this thing. And usually, of course, you know, attempt number one straight out the gate is, oh, wow, it’s well done. It looks awful, but it’s well done And then they go and do another one and suddenly it’s ten times better. By the time they they’ve made the third, they’re a pro, but they’re they’re grinning because they’re like, I made this thing and it’s wonderful And of course, you’ve got that whole crafting process to go through. But what I’m also loving here is the concept that And we mentioned earlier, things like stationery, graphics designers, they’re just on it. And actually, what you’ve done there is you’ve not only provided the knowledge to bridge that gap, but you’ve bridged that whole gap by saying, hey, you do the designs. And figure out what you want, and then send it to me, and I’ll get all the base printing done, and then I’ll send all the stuff back to you. Yeah, that’s I mean, just just that alone is phenomenal because it’s going to give people so many more opportunities. I mean, I was thinking when you mentioned about the Marvel Bokeh. And it was quite a trend for a while, and I still see them at weddings, where people have got these beautiful, wonderful, traditional wedding cakes. But when you look on the back of it, you’ve got, you know, like the little cutout where it’s you know, Marvel or something. And, you know, I think being able to look at something like that and say, I want a wedding that’s going to have this ingredient in it but then knowing how to drop that into every part of the day so that there’s a constant recognition of that of that ingredient and thing that you’ve planned. And of course when you’re DIYing a wedding, right, you can think about all of those things that having thirty wonderfully professional, very experienced suppliers won’t come up with because they’re all acting independently and on their own.
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 18:25
Yeah, and they don’t have like they don’t have your personality. They don’t have no, if we’re doing it ourselves, it’s very personal. And one thing, you know, does happen is because it’s it’s a project for love. Does that make sense? For passion? And so so so much more is put into it. I mean, when we’re creating so we do a section for every new couple that come in and we do a visionary session where we create their wedding vision. And I talk to them about their personality because I’m like, let’s let’s this is about you guys. So, for example, a recent couple I onboarded on a couple of weeks ago they listed off all these things and they didn’t have at first, they were like, Oh, I don’t really know what to tell you. Like, there’s nothing and then afterwards we’d come up with the fact that we’ve incorporated um like a festival themed um a cold play concert type theme into their wedding. They and they got they go on trips around the country just to visit waterfalls. Well, I’m not gonna this is nuts. And I we have put it into their vision, but it’s something that I’m gonna design first this year. I’m trying to create a water feature that they can incorporate into their wedding because it’s so important to them. This year, this summer I’m going to be with my husband, who’s very creative as well. We’re going to come up with this idea of a portable water feature where they can have it as a backdrop or something like that because This is how passionate we are. We want to make this stuff and we want to be able to be like, hold on, that’s something. Let’s make Sanky unique. Let’s make Sank about you. So, yeah, we’re going to be playing about with that. I’m sure over the summer I will showcase how we’re getting on and I will document it so that if anybody else has these ideas and they can use it. you know, little things like this we’re incorporating all the time. We’ve you know, we’ve spoken about how some cup she might be quite nervous about walking down the aisle and I’m like, Do you know what? Let’s break the rules. Get your get your future husband to meet you halfway. That’s absolutely fine, you know. It’s really much so about really creating something that’s so special to them and to them as a couple. And this is what’s great about it, because at start, people don’t have that vision. And it’s only until I start asking the questions that make them think, Oh, actually, this could work, or oh, actually, I really like sunflowers or Does that make s and then it all comes together and they’re like, whoa and and that alone is a step when people are counting themselves they tend to have this idea in their head and maybe a little idea on a Pinterest board, but it’s never really dug deep. And I think that’s where a big amount of this sport goes because what happens is if we’ve got this what I call fuzzy vision, then we tend to keep buying bits and pieces and booking bits and pieces And then we realize it’s not actually true to how we want it to feel. And then, sadly, that’s money wasted or whatever else. That’s my job to keep you guys, keep my couples on track and also supportive and give them this knowledge from the start rather than it be added to as we go. So yeah, the visionary stuff is really good fun and really opens up the spot of the ideas to Couples.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 21:26
I mean, I’m a huge advocate for saying to couples at the very beginning of their journey, you know, have you both sat down together and talked about what you each independently envisid that this wedding is going to be, right? Because there’s this very real situation where you might both say, no, no, yeah, we’re definitely on the same page. We’ve both got the same idea. And it’s like, yeah, you might both be in the same idea, but standing back to back, and you can each see something the other one can’t, right? And until you’ve had that conversation. That’s not but of course, you’ve got a whole thing there that talks people through it. And I’ll tell you something else that’s just struck me here: is that there are so many elements of what you’re offering here for As you say, what is a very modest monthly fee, less than a takeaway, it really is less than my takeaways, anyway. Yeah, I know, even mine. Yeah, is that even people who are Absolutely dead certain that they want to hire a wedding planner. They want to spend the big bucks. They want to, you know, they’re not planning a DIY budget-centric wedding. but there is so much information that they can find and use within the service that you’re offering, right, that really it’s a coverall for pretty much anybody.
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 22:41
Yeah, it is really. And I think um so I mean I’ve got couples that are very heavily DIY, I’ve got couples that actually aren’t DIY and very much at all. I’ve had a couple that um have come in with no plan on DIYing, but then all of a sudden they’ve been like, Oh, actually this is quite interesting and then they’ve created their wedding stationery. So I think actually it’s just like you said, it’s opened up the doors. There are there’s so many angles to what I’m doing. I just sure I just want to help and support people and I want to take away that overwhelm, that stress. And Even if that is one service you want, yeah, we’ve got you covered. And having that community around you of people going through the same journey as you and being able to talk through anything, any questions. I mean, that’s where the community and the club comes in, sort of on its own, really.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 23:28
I mean, even even that all on its own, you know, if if you’re if you’re a a a bride or or a groom, you know, regardless sat there thinking, I’m I’m getting married in six months, a year, eighteen months, and and I’m dying to get really excited about this wedding day But, you know, my significant other is either not on the same page as me, or they’re too busy, or like we’re excited amongst ourselves, but in different ways. or you know people around us are so oppressive about talk and we’ve got nobody to talk to just that one thing on its own can can really Can make a difference to a wedding day. Now, something else you touched on earlier, of course, is wedding day coordination. And I’m obviously a huge advocate of wedding day coordination and and and that kind of thing. What what tools do you give people who who aren’t hiring a coordinator? Because of course the one thing that that You know, and I know, and most wedding professionals know is that couples spend so long planning their day, and then when it gets to the day, they suddenly have this realization of, oh my goodness. I’m the event manager at my own wedding, and I can’t do that because I’m central to the whole thing.
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 24:45
Yeah, exactly. And Joe, I cannot emphasise enough about how fast people’s wedding days go and the fact that, you know, being present No, this is a day that’s dedicated to you both. Yeah. And actually being present is so, so important because it just flies by. not been rude, you’ve spent a lot of money, you’ve got everybody around you that you love, you want to celebrate this new chapter of your life and to just be too busy worried about what time your suppliers are coming to set up. or that someone’s running late, or that um there isn’t cuttery on the tables, or which whichever, you know, these little things that sometimes do crop up who’s cutting the cake or whichever else. you know, um, to be worrying about that. I mean, I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want that. I wouldn’t want that hassle on my wedding, which is the reason you know, which is the reason we will see the benefit of a coordinator. So in regards to what tools I would say, so we we do have this conversation with our couples. It’s obviously completely up to them. If a couple is getting married at a venue, then sometimes a venue will have an on the day person. What I recommend to them is them making sure that their vision is communicated to them. We ask lots of questions around how available is that person? Is that Person going to be jumping on the bomb if there’s no member of staff that’s not come in, or are they going to be covering lunch breaks? Because do you know what? That does tend to happen, and I think couples Don’t realize that, then they’re not necessarily where a coordinator is there for you. You’re the couple. a venue post as such, or um is there for the venue. They are there to make sure the day runs correctly for the venue. They’re not necessarily there for you as a couple. I think that’s a bit of educational tools that you know I talk about and and rings my cuff off all over that yeah you’re dad right yeah at And then you know, it’s well say for example, if the toilet’s blocked up, they’re going to prioritise getting the toilet unblocked so that your guests have got a toilet. They’re not going to prioritise the fact that you’re dress is ripped and they need to sew it up. Or they’re not going to prioritize the fact that your supply or something’s happened and the electricity they’re they’re not you know. So that’s where that’s where we as coordinators are very different. If you can’t um if you’re not planning on having a coordinator, or um if my couples plan on not having a coordinator I try and explain to them that maybe to get a key person in their wedding party that they can trust, this is really strong emphasis on this, a person that they can really rely on and trust. To take that phone away, to maybe potentially be that person as a point of call on the day, because I can’t stress them enough. You don’t want the hassle of dealing with the nitty-gritty on the day, right? You just don’t want to. The whole day is meant to be. Yeah, it’s one day. You guys are meant to be enjoying it. So I do say potentially, if you can’t justify a coordinator, then you know, consider having that key person. What this tends to boil down to from my experience is actually when people then say to me, Oh, actually, will you coordinate? is when they’re like, Do you know what? No, I don’t want a member of my party, my wedding party, to do that. Actually, can you step in and take that job and that rollover? So, you know, there are lots of options in regards to coordination. It’s about doing your research and knowing what you want to achieve. So much more accessible for people than what they realize. If they’re budgeting it into their plan from the start, it’s it’s comf completely doable. From my experience, I get a lot of questions about, Oh, do I need a coordinator or do I not? I’m like, I’ve never had anybody say to me, Oh, it’s not a service I regret, like I I wish I didn’t have or whatever. It’s always something they come back and be like, I’m so case I had that backup. You know, that support network and things.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 28:25
Yeah. I mean, I’ve known friends and family who’ve got married. Um, and, you know, I’d I’ve always said to them, Do you need help running the day? And they’re like, No, no, no, no, no, no. We’ve th there’s somebody at the venue who will who will do that for us. And one thing, and you hit the nail that I always say, listen, that person at the venue, this isn’t their job, right? Their job encompasses 90% more stuff than what will happen on your day. and they are ultimately there to make sure that they are fulfilling the contractual obligation of the venue to provide a venue and if they’ve got time they’ll help you out. And even then, people will still say, No, no, no, no, no. I’ve spoken to them, they’re going to be brilliant. It’ll be fine. And then on the day, the day comes, the day goes, and I’ll say, How was the wedding? They go, you know what? It was brilliant. But we really, we really wish we’d taken that one piece of advice because there were so many times when the coordinator eventually came to us and said, Oh This has happened. What would you like to do? Or, oh, we just need to go and do this. Can you, can you work can you figure that out? Or, oh, gosh, that you’re going to need to make these decisions. And it’s like, we’re trying to enjoy our day, you know. And of course, that. It’s yeah, it really is a crazy thing. Now, what have been in your experience of running this business so far? And I’m very on board with it, right? Because I’m currently with my fiancé planning a wedding. And all of the things that you’re saying are ringing true. And of course, we knew that they would, but they’re still very much there where we kind of go and oh, yeah, no. We knew that, but we’ve just rediscovered it again. What would you say have been some of the best moments and stories that that You get somebody signing on, you get chatted to them, and they go, Well, we’re going to do this, and we’re going to do this, and we’re going to do this. You go, Oh my God, this is going to be absol Amazing. What are the standouts for you so far in your business?
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 30:20
Should I wait? I’m so lucky ’cause I get off my calls and I’m just like buzzing every time because there’s always little snippets of visions that I had. Abs So, Joe, this is so, so minor But it just made me smile because it was my first experience of actually the community coming together. So, one of my rides was Struggling to find a bridesmaid’s dress for her daughter, her daughter’s quite self-conscious, and it was just really, really challenging. And we were all discussing this And a daughter jumps in on a call and whatever else as well. And it was actually a recommendation by one of the other brides that found that dress for the daughter that she felt happy in. And I know that’s so tiny. But but actually it wasn’t then just me. It was a a network, a supported network. Does that make sense? And and now I’ve got I’ve got my brides like going to each other’s weddings is just nuts, you know, because it becomes such a supportive network. Um so for me, really that that understanding, that passion, that support for each other has definitely been something that I’ve loved taking away. I’ve had a couple of my ladies that have absolutely like no idea what Canva was and or whichever else and now they’re creating their own wedding website, you know, and they’re like and how I did that. You know, like it’s such an achievement. Or, you know, they’ve c they’ve all of a sudden it’s all coming together now for my twenty twenty six brides. And they’re looking at their stuff they’ve created, like their invitations, their name cards, their welcome signs and things. And they’re like, I’m in hand. You know, it’s sort of all coming together, and they’re sort of Fuzzying the fact that actually they’ve created all this stuff. So, and this stuff that they’re like, Yeah, I can’t tell you how many times they said to me, Well, I can’t do that. And I’m like, Well, yeah, you can, you can with the right guidance, which is why I’m here. And You know, it’s not just me. There is plans to bring other suppliers in because I can’t I can’t do everything myself. There’s not stuff that I specialize in. So yes, other suppliers will be doing other projects with us as the membership grows. We’ve got a cake lady that’s going to teach people how to make their own icing flowers and things. So actually, the idea is it’s really going to expand. And I have a really good network of people that are coming on board, and we are currently processing this to grow the membership. So this isn’t going to be just a A little thing. This will be from start to finish for weddings, really. And it’s going to be from, I mean, for example, I plan on teaching people how to make their own bespoke waistcoats. I mean, tailor it up, making Clothing is something that I’m really passionate about. I absolutely love it. I’ve done it in my past weddings. So, you know, this isn’t just a simple, this is down to actually, you tell me, let’s work on your vision. And if you want a funky tie, let’s make a funky tie. let’s create something really bespoke. So um yeah, it’s just growing all the time. And like I said, I love every minute. And as the membership’s growing, obviously we’re on a founders’ members stage at the moment, but as members growing, more and more tools are coming in and More and more things that make everybody’s life easier, like our checklists and our trackers and all this sort of stuff. And it’s I love it. Like every day I am just I’m just so so happy that all this is coming together. And I’m just so excited to see where it goes. The enjoyment that the couples are getting from it, and when I get a text message saying, Oh my god, that was absolutely brilliant tonight, thank you so much. And I’m like, I’ve just done my job, you know, but I’ve made someone’s life easier and taken away that overwhelm and stress. I can’t I just can’t ask for any more than that, really. It’s just I just yeah.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 33:57
You know, there’s there’s there was a phrase there that that kind of just jumped out to me when you see you know, somebody called me and I think, well, I’ve all I’ve done is my job, really. But actually, that’s not true. What you’ve done is you’ve taken a passion, you’ve taken something that you believe in, you’ve You’ve turned it into something that you know people can use, and you’re passionate and enthusiastic, and of course you you’ve got You’ve got more answers than most people have got questions for because you’ve done it. And you’re now at the point where if somebody asks you a question you’ve never heard before, you can go, oh, hang on. Yeah, I’d I’d do it this way. Let’s give that a go. Right? But I mean the the other thing as well is that So many times. I mean, it it’s funny you were talking about all these things, you know, like the making sugar flowers and making clothes and making waistcoats. And throughout my life, I’ve done all of those things.
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 34:52
Yeah.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 34:53
And and so many people have said to me, God, I couldn’t do half of what you can do And I always say, No, no, no, you you can, you just don’t know how to yet. You know, go go go learn how to do it ’cause nothing is that difficult. You know, not none of it is brain science. And you’ll suddenly discover that actually the human machine is capable of. Incomprehensible achievements, and you’re banged only by what you believe you can do.
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 35:24
Oh, you’re absolutely right. And um and Joe, the world is changing. We all know the world’s changing with AI and everything like this. And you know, I am future briefing creative brides. I feel that people potentially, you know, they are going to have a bit more time on their hands and not because of potentially jobs and things changing. And And I wanted to give people an opportunity for that community, for that enjoyment you get from crafting. Crafting is probably one of the best things for mental health that and being outside and having walks and things. um and I’m a big advoc advocate for support of mental health um because it’s something that I’ve lived in with my children and anxiety and things. So I do um Yeah, I do promote the fact that crafting actually brings you out as that and it gives you something else to focus on. I’ve seen like I said, I’ve seen it in real life. Um I wanted to be able to it j there’s just so many avenues that where this creative side comes in. It’s a it’s a part of life that I think for a while we’ve slightly lost because life’s just too busy. Um so to to be able to have an excuse, a really good excuse to craft, you know, so I it all it all’s just come together and um And that’s great because weddings are stressful, they are overwhelming, we have got a lot of people. And if we can then just get stuck into a project, that tends to be slightly more Okay, because it gets dismissed because we’re creating this project together and like I said, the community comes in with that encouragement as well. So there’s so many um There’s so many ways it’s supportive, really.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 37:05
I mean, I I often say to people, you know, that when when you’re when you’re planning a wedding day and you’ve never done it before, because of course most people haven’t and most people will never do it again. your brain is immediately focusing on the day, the whole day, start to finish in 18 months. And suddenly, that feels massively overwhelming. Whereas in actual fact Every day is broken down into minutiae of elements, and you just do one of those at a time, and suddenly, before you know it, you’re halfway to planning a wedding day. What would you say in your experience, then, are the biggest areas where people start to feel that overwhelm without realizing that there’s an easier way of doing it?
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 37:52
I think a budget obviously always comes in. Like down probably from my experience, I think budget is probably one of the biggest stresses But we how we’re quite honest about budget and I always promote being real. So when we speak about actually we do the second section of what we do is about budgeting. And we talk about things like actually let’s be real. How much honestly can we put away? As in, say, for example, if we’ve got one hundred pounds free of our wages every single month, right? We need to make sure we’re honest about that and not over exaggerating and saying, oh, I can put away five hundred pounds a month, but I really can’t because that’s then going to affect the budget. And even with things like if family members are chipping in, I can’t you know, this happens quite a lot, family members, you know, I’ll pay for that. Well That’s great. But we then do work on right, we need to know how much they’re willing to put in, or is it a particular thing they want to pay for? And when you’re going to be getting that because there’s there’s so many times I see a lot of stress where couples know mum and dad said they’re going to pay for catering, but then they don’t know when they’re booking catering or when it’s going to does that make sense? So we get that information sorted from straight away. So that’s obviously one of the biggest stresses. The other thing that crops up is people are great at the very beginning of wedding planning. They’re on cloud nine, aren’t they? It’s really exciting. They’re like 100 miles an hour. The venue’s book, the photographer’s book, this is book, that’s booked. And then all of a sudden they hit like a crash, like Edmink crashes. Their momentum, the overwhelm kicks in. Like they’re just like oh, hold on a second. So where I support with that is I’m the accountability person. So I’m like, right, this is where we need to be working on we work on the time lines, everything’s very clear from the start, so I’m then there to be able to be like, right, is this done? Like for example, the biggest thing that crops up is book in the notice of marriage. Because people don’t think about it, do they? So I’m like, is it booked yet? So, you know, what we do last, uh, a couple of weeks ago, on one of the calls, I’m like, right, ladies, have you booked your notes of marriage? They’re like, No. And I’m like, send the email right now. Right, we want together. And they’re like, Thank God you made me do that because it was dumb. You know, so so accountability is a big bit. And then also timelines for the day. A lot of people tend to come quite overwhelmed with Oh, what time do we get married? Or what time do we do this? And whatever else? So then the time lines tend to come in, and that’s definitely an area where a lot of question comes. From people that, oh, actually, does this work? Does that work? And, you know, are my guests going to be bored from this hour to this hour? And what are we going to do to fill it? Because, you know, a lot of our weddings all about the guests Experience. We want people to go away and be like, that was a bloody brilliant wedding. And so we obviously, the timelines definitely is where a bit of stress and overwhelm comes in, which is obviously where we come in and we discuss it. And we come up with little ideas if you’re worried about people being bored for a little while, which is where sort of entertainment and stuff comes, which I’m sure, Liam, you know better than anybody about. So, yeah. So, yeah, and them free areas definitely. And then actually, truthfully, one of the other biggest stresses are family stresses, which breaks my heart. But like I said, I’ve been through that. Yeah. And actually what was one of the reasons why I created Create Created Brides was because actually I want to be that support network where people are getting where they’re going to be listened to. Because actually, do you know what? The biggest thing is actually being listened to rather than it being shrugged off. Oh, don’t worry, it’ll pass. you know, it’s just them being silly. Well, actually, this is really personal because a wedding date is such an important and special moment. And If you have got someone that you really care about that is being dismissive or is being rude or doesn’t want to show up, it is personal. And you know what? It does hurt. So I take the time to make sure my couples are listened to because. Actually, as I say, a problem shared is a problem halves. And sometimes you just need someone to be like, do you know what? It’s okay for you to feel like this. Right. And then once that’s sort of set in, then I’m like, do you know what? Actually, the bigger picture is don’t forget this day is about you both, is about you as a couple. So then it’s bringing the perspective back in. But actually to be listened to is such a huge thing. So definitely, yeah, around the family and you know, you’re I can’t see how many times a maid of honours, for example, not even just in my community, in communities that I follow, a maid of honour, for example, isn’t going to the Hindu or, no, all of a sudden become tricky. And it’s like You know, so no, just being that support network when you have got these challenges that you don’t know how to deal with or you know, which are really personally personally upsetting, aren’t they, when you’re someone you really care about is really dismissive.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 42:35
Well, listen, I mean, all of this sounds fantastic. So I think we’ve strung people on for long enough. If people want to find you online on social media, where can they do that?
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 42:46
So believe it or not, believe it or not, TikTok seems to be my strongest platform for communication. Lots of reach outs and areas on there. But I am on Instagram and Facebook. And then just sort of on my webpage. on my website, obviously. And Joe, I’m really honest about this. If people need support, please reach out. I’m not, you know, it’s not just about you have to be my members. I’m really Really honest, and I want to help people. I hate to see people stressed and overwhelmed. So, even if you are having one question, kick me a message on one of my socials. I’m going to answer it. It is me. I’m honest. I’m here, and I really want to help people. So Don’t love that. Oh, I can’t reach out. Like, I want to help you. I don’t want people stressed over. So, if you have a question, please do reach out.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 43:29
Do you know? I really love that and I respect it. And the same, I’m constantly saying to people, look. If there’s something you want to know, drop me a message, right? It doesn’t matter if you haven’t hired me for your day. If I if I if I can throw you a quick 30-second response map that’s going to answer your question and tell you what you need to know Fabulous. And I love that. Listen, Callie, it’s been an absolute pleasure having you on the podcast. Thank you so much. And yeah, I’ll catch you again at a Wedcon near you soon.
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 43:54
I know. I’m sure there’ll be many more. Right. Thank you so much. It’s been a pleasure.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 43:57
Take care, Baba.
Kelly Sexton – Creative Brides – DIY Your Wedding Day • 43:58
Bye, bye.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician • 44:01
And there you go, folks. What an absolutely fascinating chat with lots and lots. Of brilliant insight. Now, I can tell you right now, it’s been such a genuinely practical and empowering conversation. And I know that there are going to be so many people. who could possibly listen to this and then suddenly realize that they can feel reassured knowing that they’ve got an outlet where they can go to get helpful advice and tips. And hints and cover all the bases for their wedding. As Callie said, you can find her online at creative-brides. com. Also on social media at DIY Weddings by Creative Brides. Also, Kelly hosts her own podcast as well. It’s on her website, The Truth About DIY Weddings. Pop along to the website and check it out. There’s also a YouTube channel of practical advice. I mean, this really isn’t just. a local Facebook community where you can go on and ask for help. This is a whole proper professional community of people who will really give you help, advice, and genuine insights. Into planning your day and making it as fabulous as it possibly can be. As always, folks, thank you so much for listening. Do please like, share, subscribe, and tell as many people as you can about this podcast. It really does make a difference. And until next time, do remember to choose your suppliers wisely. And I’ll see you on a future episode of the Supplier Spotlight Podcast. Take care.