A Vintage Dream Begins...

Welcome to Vintage Dreams new blog area, in place as from August 08 ...
Our experiences of driving Wedding Cars , can sometimes be interesting, and mostly enjoyable. Until now you could only read Customer Feed back and Testimonials on our Website about us, but now I can tell it from our side .

My Daughter is also getting Married next July , and I am going to return to here from time to time to update how things are going every so often . Kelly & John finally decided in May 08 to name the day . I guess I am in a fortunate position as I get to meet Photographers and Videographers , Master of Ceremonies, and sometimes Florists and Musicians , we usually leave a Wedding as the reception gets underway , but it has been a privileged way of getting to know how various Wedding Professionals work , like insider information. So if any of my customers are reading this I am on your side of the fence now and know what its like, and you might like to know about our Journey through the Maze of Wedding suppliers leading up to July 09 , and this could be a good read and perhaps a benefit to others.

May 08
I gave my Daughter the names of a few Top Photographers that I have worked with , and made a point of avoiding some who I cant name , but I didn't want my Daughter to book a wrong'n, and John & Kelly went round to see some of them and as it was their decision who they booked, I left it completely up to them. I am happy that they booked Kevin Pengelly , www.pengellyphotography.co.uk I have worked with Kevin and Sabrina a few times and I have noticed that he is good at crowd control. A lot of people don't realise that its very necessary to organise the crowds after they come out from the Church , otherwise getting the Photography at the Church done can run late, bore people half to death ( honestly some photographers are like watching paint dry, and just don't know when to stop) and really annoy the Caterers. Sabrina keeps an eye out while Kevin is behind the Lens , and all top photographers do this, and that's watch encase any one blinks, or a sudden breeze can mess up the shot. Also its good to have a woman's eye on the couple as they pose just encase a tie has slipped sideways and so on. A good photographer will keep out of the shot that the Video man is doing , Videos cant be hurried or it looks amateurish , and Video Guys are further away usually , so when you have got a professional on the case you can tell the difference. Well done Kevin , looking forward to next July .

AS soon as possible after you name the day, you should arrange all the suppliers that are in short supply, if you leave it too long you can be dissapointed and you wont get the best, so I encouraged my Daughter and future Son-in-law , to find a Videographer, I gave them the names of three Top companies, and after visiting them all, they decided to book Humble Productions . I have worked with them and found David Ruddock and his team to be very energetic and willing to work, and this enthusiasm comes through. They are the only company that I have known to put a camerra in the Car and film out the front and over the back and to capture the Magic of the first moments of becoming Mr & Mrs , sometimes the couple can say thanks Mum & Dad or something appropriate as they sip Champagne, going to the reception, which looks "right" when you view it later. I know that this company expect to put in 40 hours of editing , which is a lot of hard slog believe me, and as my Daughter is using our Cars to get to the Village of the Marriage, and then change to Horse and Carriage , it will be busy for filming i,e, lots going on, so there will be up to three cameras involved in the making of the video. This company have in fact made proper films and I think that Kelly & John have chosen carefully and wisely, SO thankyou David for accepting the Job, and any enquiries should be made to www.humbleproductions.co.uk if you want to get a top Video of your Wedding .

Sunday 3rd August I took Rosie to Braxted Park to pick up Jade with her Father, and go to St Luke's in Tiptree to Marry Rob. Rob works in Australia where he met Jade , I believe there were 15 in all that flew over from Aussie for the wedding, which was a splendid affair at Braxted . A bit unusuall to hear all these Aussie accents around us, but Rosie showed them how a Wedding can be done , we popped the Cork at the Church and a little lad called Rory brought the Cork back over to me to win his 50p , so that I could put the Coin into it, he was wanting to get some English money , so he was happy after that. A beautiful Bride a handsome Groom and my privilege to be chosen as the Wedding Car supplier . Thank you once again to the Staff at Braxted Park for the recommendation.

Sat16th August
I only had the one Wedding to do on 16th August. Collecting from Chelmsford with Jasmine we went over to Quendon Hall so that Laura could marry Oliver . Bridesmaids all travelled with Laura and her Mum , it was an honour to be in such lovely company, all the Neighbours were out to wave Laura off on her way, you can always tell if someone has good neighbours . Quendon is a fantastic Venue, and as a surprise someone had booked a White Doves release, I took a couple of lucky photos , which will be on the Website soon.

19th August,

Wow, I had an email from The Wedding Network Website to tell me that we are finalists in the Retailer Of The Year Awards, this is run nationally , and brides are voting for their Chosen Company by going to www.theweddingnetwork.co.uk and placing their nominations, there are four finalists in Arrive in Style , so we have got three to beat , its not over yet . If you want to now vote for us, as Brides Choice 2008 ( The Big One) there is a Burgundy Coloured Banner on our Home page on this site, you just click and follow the link to nominate your Choice.

We have been "making dreams come true" for 9 years , it would be so nice to have our dream come true , we are so close.

Oct 14th

I hope That James Love reads this, James appeared with Nick Knowles on The Big Day on TV a wedding proggramme. He owns the Website, http://www.theweddingnetwork.co.uk/ and many of us suppliers pay to advertise on it. James set up the Retailer awards, and it looked to be a good idea. The evening which I attended with my Daughter, was expensive but promised to be outstanding, and having been selected as a national finalist , this was all good.

When the hard to hear Toastmaster read out the names of the finalists, he needed Glasses, he was getting it all wrong and needed promting, he left us off the list when he got to the Arrive in Style category, but someone from our table from "Critchlow Photography " went to find out why and the organisers told her we had been upgraded to the top slot. Retailer of the Year, Brides Choice 2008. Rubbish they called out our name as a Bridal Boutique , so what was that all about? I believe that the organisers of the Wedding Retailer awards, could not organise a Booze up in a Brewery if this is the best they can do . Three thoughts on this, Was it pre-ordained who would win ? or were they only counting votes ? was we left out due to spite ?, because we have become so well known for our Cars and Service to Weddings ? Or do they just not like us, because I complained after I had no replies to emails earlier in the year. For an internet based company , I think its pretty diabolical, and just damn lazy.

You try to Contact James at Love Media james@loveweddingmedia.co.uk you would be lucky to get a reply, try Tom Burrows, tom@theweddingnetwork.co.uk none of them can be bothered to reply and answer queries. Try phoning I did , once a week for three weeks, and each time someone was going to call back, but never did . Well yes after week four Tom did. All I wanted to know was about the seating plan for the big night , because their web site had not been updated for ages, and I was looking to buy tickets. Never mind we know for next time .

Sat 23rd August
All my drivers got back safely from the various destinations again last weekend.
Mick took Lily to Doddinghurst, where we were assigned as Bridesmaids Transport , as the Main Vehicle was a Carriage and Fresian Horses from Heritage Carriage Company .

Ted took Rosie to Shrub end and onto Layer de la Haye . There was a royal squabble going on with three of the small Children , because they all wanted to go in Rosie to the Church, instead of the Hire Car that was in place. So "Father Ted" being the most accommodating soul that he is, suggested that as there was plenty of time, he could take the children down to the Church and come back for the Bride . Which is what he did after first making sure there would be an adult at the church that he could leave them with , and everyone was happy, no tears, no grumpy children , a lovely happy Wedding apparently. Congratulations to Kerry and David .

Kevin and I took Jasmine & Daisy and helped Jenny Purcell become Mrs Moore, the Church was at East Hill and the Reception Prested Hall. Quite a short run for us for a change . A most enjoyable Day , a happy atmoshpere , a Beautiful Bride, and we decided that Chris is a Lucky Guy.

Sat 30th August Ted took Lily to The Mill Hotel in Sudbury , and collected Anna who was getting married at Smeetham Hall Barn, as it was a Civil Venue Wedding , Ted stayed for photos , but they then went inside as the groom said he couldn't be bothered with going out for a ride round , fine it saves petrol .

I took Rosie to Capel St Mary, and took Joanne and her Dad to the Local Church. The photographer was not around so I took a couple of photos outside the Home that Joanne grew up in , with the Car, and with a very proud Dad , before leaving . I sometimes do this, and I can print my Photos and post them over later.,,,, to be continued.