Wedding Supplier Wednesday - Olivier Laudus Boutique

HAPPY WEDDING SUPPLIER WEDNESDAY! we hope you have had a lovely week so far?

Today we are featuring the amazing Olivier Laudus online wedding accessory boutique (www.olivierlaudus.com) offering luxury wedding accessories ranging from unique personalised wedding ring cushions to stylish bridal bags, jewellery, tiaras, headbands, decorative hair combs, flower clips, heart-shaped umbrellas and lots more! We caught up with Sangeeta Laudus, co–founder and manager of the day to day running of the business with her husband – Olivier Laudus – who the business is named after. Here is what she had to say:

I worked in the city as a finance lawyer for 14 years first in one of the large law firms and then in-house in an investment bank, but had been involved with the business since it was launched. I decided to come on board full-time last year to help Olivier grow the business and have loved every minute of it!

I mainly take care of our Boutique Collection of accessories and also meet clients for style consultations. Having loved accessories since I was very young, it’s a real pleasure to help brides pick pieces that suit them or make suggestions about pieces they might not have thought of. I think it’s all about finding the right balance and harmony between the jewellery, headpiece and the wedding dress as well as making sure the bride’s individual style shines through!

We are an online boutique (www.olivierlaudus.com) but our office is in North London and we also have use of a studio in Central London where we meet brides for style consultations.

We set the business up in 2004 with a unique collection of handmade wedding ring cushions which were showcased at the National Wedding Show at Olympia. The idea of creating a luxury ring cushion collection came simply because when we got married in 2002 we were unable to find a stylish cushion to present our wedding bands on. The collection was designed by Olivier, with cushions retailing around £70 to reflect the work that goes into them as each is individually hand beaded. Last year we launched a lower-priced collection faithful to the original concept of style and luxury but with simpler designs inspired by the vintage trend.

Olivier is an irrepressible entrepreneur and loves the thrill of running a business but the original reason we set up Olivier Laudus was because we fell in love with the ring cushion we had commissioned for our own wedding and wanted to share it with others.

We have been in the business now for coming up to 7 years so hopefully can share our experience and passion for what we do with our clients. We are also very customer focused and client care is really important to us and seems to be something the clients appreciate from all the testimonials and thank you cards we receive – one lady (the mother of the bride) even sent us a piece of wedding cake which I thought was a lovely gesture and well received.

The best bit about our working day: The variety is fantastic: running your own business you get involved in every part of it from processing and packing orders to dealing with magazines and writing expert articles so no two days are the same. I also love the client contact part of the job helping brides finding perfect accessories for their big day either on the phone or in person!

What a LOVELY couple - working together to achieve a shared goal. Something we appreciate over here at JKD! Thank you so much for allowing us to feature your awesome company!

If you would like to get in touch with with Sangeeta or Olivier or for more information, the full collection can be seen at www.olivierlaudus.com or call them on 020 8374 1239.

If we can help you with any bespoke Jewellery email us on jon@jonkeithdiamonds.co.uk or if you would like to feature on our Wedding Supplier Wednesday email lisa@jonkeithdiamonds.co.uk

Have a GREAT Wednesday and dont forget to check back Friday for some beautiful sparkles!

JKD

green with envy....

HAPPY FRIDAY!

We thought we would share this stunning Emerald ring with you today to kick start your weekend in style! This was a bespoke order at the end of last year for a VERY lucky lady who we are pleased to report was THRILLED!

Did you see our amazing feature on Fifties Wedding Blog? Thanks so much Charlie - and we even got a little badge!!

Finally - have you seen us in Wedding Ideas Magazine this month? Not only are we proud sponsors, but we were also featured as a Top Trend!! Thanks so much ladies!!!

And that is us this week - hope you all have lovely weekends!

Over and out....

JKD

Wedding Supplier Wednesday - Mark Colombus Photography

HAPPY WEDDING SUPPLIER WEDNESDAY!! we hope you are all having a lovely week? Today we are featuring the truly incredible Mark Colombus from Mark Colombus Photography, a Wedding photographer and specialist in contemporary photojournilism, based in London (but cover's the whole of the South East and further afield if needed)

Marks work speaks for itself, but lets here what he has to say:

I've always been in love with photography, a few years ago I was asked to photograph a friends wedding, I prepaid myself and totally enjoyed myself, I was actually surprised how much I loved photographing there wedding. So a couple of years ago I started up part time and have been building up ever since and now I have enough weddings booked for 2011 to be able to go full time YAY!!

I like to think of myself as the hassle free photographer - I know when organising a wedding it can be stressful with all the choices of photographers out there and then each photographer has all these different packages. NOT ME, I have the one price for me for the day, the client gets all the images edited in high res so if they want to print them there selves they can, simples, no hassle.

What’s the best bit about your working day?

This is a tricky question, I love it all! If I had to pick out a few moments that happen from every wedding that take my breath away they would be 1. The transition of the brides state of mind in the seconds leading up to and getting into her dress, I always find this a magical moment. 2. The 1st time the groom see's her, you know the moment, when he turns around and see's her walking down the aisle, his eyes widen and that nervous smile comes across his face. Its these micro expressions that are gone with in the blind of a eye, these are the moments of the day I love, and love to capture.

(erm - how cute is this!)

I'm currently giving away a amazing prize, a photoshoot worth £400. This is a great prize, they will be pampered and made up by a professional make-up artist, you will also be offered food and a few glasses of bubbly too. After the shoot you will receive the images in high resolution ready for you to print and a 20”x30” framed art canvas image of your choice. More info can be found on my blog http://www.markcolombus.com/go/prize/

With images like the above - I would get in quick on the competition! It looks amazing! For more of Mark's work check out site: www.markcolombus.com Blog: www.markcolombus.com/blog or call him on ph 07872 040 741

If we can help you with any bespoke jewellery email us on jon@jonkeithdiamonds.co.uk or if you want to feature on the blog email lisa@jonkeithdiamonds.co.uk

Have a GREAT day!

JKD

Wedding Ring Season!

HELLLLOOOO and HUGE CONGRATS to our new followers who got Engaged recently! Isnt it a lovely feeling!

We just thought we would let you know we dont bite - so drop us an email and let us know if we can help you with your Wedding Rings.

We offer trade prices to the general public so you might be pleasantly surprised!


We look forward to hearing from you soon!

JKD
jon@jonkeithdiamonds.co.uk

Wedding Supplier Wednesday - Karen Segal

Happy Wedding Supplier Wednesday! We hope you have had a lovely week so far! Today we are featuring the wonderful freelance Hair and Nail professional Karen Segal, who has been in the industry for in excess of 35 years, based in Berkhamsted Herts. Over to you Karen....

I decided to start my own business approximately 15 years ago with the encouragement of some very dear friends, who I thank to this day for the support they gave me. Without them I doubt I would have done it. I have managed to maintain a steady stream of clients ever since.

Having had so many years in the industry and following up with refresher training and having a keen eye for fashion trends I feel I can offer a personal service with honest opinions and suggestions on how best to achieve the goals my client desires; this honesty has both gained me clients and lost me a couple as I believe that being an independent is all abut your last job, if that is not a good reflection of my work I won't do it.

The best bit about my day is the end; when I can sit down and feel like I have achieved job satisfaction on a job well done

So ladies - do you need a manicure to show off your new piece of JKD sparkle? Karen is your lady! Drop her an email on karensegal@btconnect.com to make an appointment.

Have a nice day and check back on Friday, we have a real treat for you!

JKD

Oh yes - Valentines day!

Yes boys - Valentines day is JUST around the corner!! ONE MONTH TODAY!

And just think about how your girlfriend/Fiance/Wife spoiled you rotten over Christmas! Doesnt she deserve a treat? Well - you know what they say,

Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend!!!

Why dont you treat her to an awesome JKD gift voucher this year? The lady in your life will get to spend the day looking around a Diamond Polishers Workshop and be shown the tricks of the trade, and then design her very own piece of jewellery upto the value of your choice. It couldnt be easier! and believe me - she will love you forever!!

Or - do you know already what you would like to buy her? Is she a HUGE fan of Sex and The City (lets face it, what girl isnt!) and would she like her very own Black Diamond, just like Carrie Bradshaw? Well, how about these stunning Black Diamond Stud Earrings? Sure to bring a smile to every girls face?

Whichever way, we can help you make her VERY happy! and thats what you want, surely!

So, email me on jon@jonkeithdiamonds.co.uk or call 07904123297 and book your appointment NOW!

Look forward to hearing from you!

JKD

Wedding Supplier Wednesday - Common Farm Flowers

Happy Wedding Supplier Wednesday!

We hope you are all having a good day? We have a bit of a different Supplier for you today, with the lovely Georgie from Common Farm Flowers....and we cant wait for her to tell you all about it!

We are a 7 acre smallholding in South East Somerset which we are gradually turning over to the production of flowers for cutting. We grow a huge variety of wonderful flowers which we cut to order and make up into bouquets and posies which we post throughout the UK 12 months a year. We also supply weddings. We grow our flowers organically though we can't run to organic status yet but hope too soon.

Our business is not yet a year old though we've been making bouquets and selling sweet peas as a hobby for several years. We decided to start the business because we couldn't grow enough sweet peas to satisfy the demand from our barrow and honesty box outside the house and because when I was sent a bouquet of home-grown roses through the post by somebody else I looked at them and thought 'I could do better than that!' We are different from other florists/flower farmers in that we are both. We bring our creative flair to our planting. We grow flowers for their fragrance and their beauty, not for their ability to survive a week in cold storage.

Our flowers are picked to order so they are as fresh as they can possibly be when they arrive with the client. We do not buy anything in. Everything we use is grown by us at Common Farm.

The best bit about my working day is when I can escape outside to the flower fields. Today we planted twenty rose bushes which I ordered back in September. We'll be cutting them for posies and weddings this coming summer. I used to work in fashion in Paris, then I became a novelist. Now I'm a flower farmer and florist. My mother arranged flowers at the Dorchester Hotel in the 1960s and her garden's now listed in the Yellow Book. I like to think that there's a green fingered gene which the scientists have yet to identify. And that I could fashionista and write until I was blue in the face: in the end it was my fate to end up growing flowers to cut for my own floristry business.

Isnt this a brilliant little company?? Wishing you the Best of luck with it Georgie! For more info on Common Farm Flowers check them out on FACEBOOK.

If you would like to appear on our Wedding Supplier Wednesday then please email lisa@jonkeithdiamonds.co.uk. If we can help you with any bespoke jewellery please email jon@jonkeithdiamonds.co.uk or call 07904123297.

Have a nice week!

JKD