Thursday 29 August 2013

A Candid Newsflash!


Well, I'm back from holiday and have returned to my desk to the lovely news that I've been granted Member status of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations - whoop whoop and a big hurrah! Just call me Tamryn Lawrence MCIPR from now on...

The CIPR has various grades of membership and, should you wish, you can find out more about the experience required for the different levels here.

Anyway, we're very proud and really rather chuffed that Candid Apple is going from strength to strength - look out for lots of more fabulous newsflashes over the coming months because there's plenty of wonderful news to come...

Friday 16 August 2013

Trouble? What Trouble?

via Pinterest
Today is the 101st anniversary of the birth of the legendary, fabulous and butter-loving cooking heroine that is Julia Child. If you're not familiar with her story, I literally go down on my hands and knees to implore you to read her wonderful My Life In France. Even if you're not a foodie, Julia's love of life, her tenacity and her passion ooze out of the pages like cream from an eclair - as a book, it's a treat beyond compare.

So it seems appropriate to use a quote from the great Ms Child to illustrate today's point and my goodness, this is a corker of a quote.

Because, in the style of her incredible Boeuf Bourguignon recipe, this is absolutely spot on and she's right - nothing is too much trouble if it turns out the way it should.

This is why countless numbers of brides spend hours planning, crafting and arranging their wedding day. Yes, it might be easy to scoff at the seemingly excessive and obsessive effort but when it turns out well, really, what's to regret?

So, unsurprisingly, the same is true of our business endeavours. We can spend hours crafting plans, designing details, checking actions off lists and arranging (and attending) meetings, catch-ups and get-togethers. We can work long, odd or downright crazy hours. But, it's worth it in the end. It's worth it because we're heading in our own direction, we're steering our own ship towards our destination and my goodness, we're doing it our way.

Over the last few weeks, I have got in touch or met up with and fallen a little bit in love with some really amazing women. They're smart, strong, savvy people putting in effort beyond imagining and it's been flipping wonderful to spend time with them all. They all have projects on the go, ideas in mind and plans afoot that make them work harder and drive them forwards. Because, as Julia said and as we all know, nothing's too much trouble when it's going to be worth it.

And perhaps that's the lesson here. We can drive ourselves on and achieve amazing things when what we're aiming for is something we know to be right and wonderful. Like a bride planning her wedding to the man she loves, we need to check that our goals are the ones that really inspire us, that they're the ones that fire us up with belief and light us up in a way that can't be ignored.

Because, as the great Julia also said... "Life itself is the proper binge" so ditch half measures, restraint and moderation and just go for it. It'll be worth it in the end.


Sunday 4 August 2013

Be A Bit Brave...

via Pinterest
A short post for a Sunday evening (who wants to concentrate too much tonight?) but I wanted to just share this little story and the quote on this image seems so appropriate.

When I started my wedding planning business a whole decade ago, I guess I was a little bit brave. I took that leap, I plunged on in and I didn't sink. Yes, sometimes the water was a bit choppy but I met marvellous people, I went to fabulous places and I got to do things I never thought I would do. Did I think I'd end up on TV? No. Did I think I'd win awards, publish books and be asked to be godparent to one of my bride's children? No. But I went with it, tried new things, pushed myself and it all paid off.

Sometimes, you just have to be brave.

But last night, I met up with a truly fabulous wedding professional. I've wanted to meet her for ages, I love her style, her personality and I was so excited to finally get together. And I wasn't disappointed - she was amazing, everything I thought she would be and more.

We were talking, chatting, about weddings, business and everything else and then, from her bag, she produces a copy of one of my old company brochures from 2007.

And this, she said, was what gave her the courage to believe in her business idea. If I was doing it, she could too.

I cannot begin to describe how this made me feel. Honoured, humble, happy and proud. So flipping proud that I'd given someone else a little boost of bravery that set them off on the road to something amazing. It's a remarkable feeling, something so incredibly special, something I want to bottle and keep forever.

So be brave. You'll never regret it.