We asked Siobhan Craven-Robins, London's Premier Wedding Planner and widely acknowledged as the UK's first wedding Coordinator, how she got her start in the wedding industry and why she loves her work.
"My background was 'loosely' in event planning: I worked for a cosmetic distribution company who would appoint overseas distributors and I would organise the launch event.
Deciding to go into Wedding Planning was really a 'blinding flash' moment on a Friday evening at the end of a long week. I had been wondering for some time how couples planned weddings in the UK if they were based abroad, and that set me on the road to find out what their options were. Simply, there weren't any! In 1996, there were no wedding planners or co-ordinators - just catering and production companies who could take on various aspects of a wedding, but not to the level of help that was required e.g. invitation reply monitoring, helping with bridal-wear, jewellery and hair and make-up as well as guiding couples through the process step-by-step.
I visited a few Wedding Fairs over the next months, talking to couples and polling them on what they had found difficult planning, where they needed help, how much they would pay for such help etc; and that formed the basis of my business plan.
When I launched my business at the end of 1996, I was the UK's first Wedding Co-ordinator. Interestingly, right from the outset, although a proportion of my clients were couples based abroad, the majority were couples based in the UK and needing help in planning their wedding due to being time short and little overwhelmed.
22 years on, I still enjoy it and feel lucky to be a part of an industry that is awash with talent and creativity."
Interested in learning more about Siobhan and our wedding planning courses?