SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT: Devine Bride

PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF

Devine Bride is run by Laura Devine – hi! Iʼm a wedding planner based in East London and run a multi award winning blog as the backbone to my website offering planning tips and advice.

My tag line is ‘pick + mix wedding planningʼ; couples can pick and choose which elements they need help with, and weʼll take it from there.

I have personally planned and worked on some 170+ weddings and events to date, and I know whatʼs worked, whatʼs not, and whatʼs fun! Itʼs a celebration after all! From planning power hours to partial planning, help on the day to hire a bridesmaid, and everything in between! My speciality is difficult dry hire venues, and I do a lot of on the day coordination services. Whatever your concept or budget, I strive to make it happen, with the best trusted suppliers on board.

I tend to help couples who know what they want and what they are doing, who are generally quite creative and non-traditional, but just need a hand to bring their vision to life, hone in on the finer details of the planning, and make it all happen on the day.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO START YOUR BUSINESS?

The lack of on-demand and flexible yet creative wedding planners, who were upfront about their costs. I searched for something like this when I was planning my own wedding, but I couldnʼt quite find what I was looking for.

I was also looking for a way to utilise both my creative and business skills, learned at both art school and uni, after many years in boring corporate jobs. And quickly realised weddings, love, helping people, and parties really set my heart on fire!

HOW DOES YOUR TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE?

Days change every day! But my working week generally consists of…

– 3 days a week I work from The Wing in Fitzrovia, which I use as my office (when not in lockdown!)
– 2 days a week I usually freelance at venues or take on b2b wedding work
– My weekends are usually spent wedding-ing Mar-Oct
– In winter I work on a lot of corporate Christmas parties and events (usually Oct-Jan)
– …I sometimes see my husband on a Sunday! We quite often go for a brunch on a Sunday to catch up with each other properly
– It’s easiest though to follow what Iʼm up to in real time on Instagram stories!

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB?

Seeing how happy couples are on their wedding day, and knowing that Iʼve contributed to that – no matter how big or small. I love helping people and generally being of service and feeling useful.

AND WHAT IS THE WORST PART?

There isn’t really a worst part to be honest, but it can be quite tough working long hours at weekends, and missing out on friends birthdays etc. My husband works long hours during the week, so it can be quite difficult sometimes to coordinate to see each other during the busy summer months!

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOUʼVE BEEN GIVEN?

‘Fail to prepare, prepare to fail!ʼ That and, ‘just get on with it!ʼ

WHAT WOULD YOU WANT COUPLES TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT YOU DO?

My whole ethos is bespoke, flexible, and fun event design and management. Itʼs your day, your way, exactly as you imagined; Iʼm pretty flexible (plus Iʼm married myself, so Iʼm well aware how important all these things are *and* how it actually rolls on the day).

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR COUPLES PLANNING A WEDDING?

There are no rules, and you canʼt please everyone. Your wedding = your rules. Remember why youʼre doing it, and do what makes you happy. :)

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU DIDNʼT WORK IN THE WEDDING INDUSTRY?

I would love to be a pilot! Seriously! I’ve always had a dream of being a pilot and almost very nearly applied for the RAF once…! I think more realistically though, I would also love to try my hand at being a florist. But if all else failed, I’d go back to the the corporate business world working in events and management roles like I did before – but I’d be very bored.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR TIME OFF?

Eat, drink, and entertain! I love eating at new places around London and I love having friends and family over and hosting people too.

DREAM HOLIDAY?

We went on our absolute dream holiday for our honeymoon 4 years ago, and I’m not sure much else can ever top that to be honest! We went on a tour of French Polynesian Islands, stopping at Bora Bora, Mo’orea, and Tahiti, and flew back via LA and went to Disneyland and Santa Monica – we had THE BEST time and I’m so glad we spent so long frugally saving up for it, it was so worth it!

I love South America though, and would really like to see more of what it has to offer after getting a taste on a tour of Chile, Argentina and Brazil a couple of years ago…

But I’d be more than happy with a chilled weekend in Ibiza right now! I always prefer to go places I’ve never been before to explore and try new things, but I will never tire of Ibiza!