Something New!

Like really like it.

If this is the very first blog post you’re reading then let me say hello properly… My name is Emma Hla, I’m the founder of this digital wedding platform and I’ve been doing this gig for almost 4 years now.

I am completely smitten with wedding venues.

It’s usually the first big decision you make as an engaged couple about your wedding and from this foundation you build your incredible celebration. Whether you choose a grand country house, a chic city bar or a tipi in the middle of a field, you are all important to us and we absolutely want to help you in that search.

This site is such a big part of my life, so it’s quite important I feel aligned with it and proud of what it is. And… I am. Truly I am.

I have worked with the same designer since the very beginning and whilst the first look was perfection, this new version feels like an extension of me again. It reflects my own tastes, style and where I’m at now in my life and business.

Our new logo started life in the Lamplighter London studio. The key icon is signifies a lot, from unlocking your perfect venue to opening new doors as a couple. We’ve chosen a slightly more editorial look with a clean, crisp vibe but kept the warmth in the colours. I’m crushing on dirty pink in a major way and I’ll always be drawn to the dramatics, in this case our dark green and rose gold flourishes.

Apart from our sexier, grown-up look we have made some changes across the site so let me show you around a little…

The Venue Finder

The Venue Finder should feel very familiar but we’ve added some extra touches such as a Quick View function and larger image slides so you get a feel of the venue before you explore in more detail. You’ll also spot that we have a View Filters and Last Viewed buttons on the left-hand side on your desktop, or within the menu on mobile & tablets.

Have a little play around and get to grips with it all. I think you might like it.

Plan

Under our Plan menu tab you will find some great new features.

If you click into Planning Tips for example, then we have all of the features written by planning expert Katrina Otter Weddings so you can scan quickly and read the most relevant piece at your stage of planning. There are also three rather handy free downloads for you to grab – A Venue Checklist, A Budget Spreadsheet and an On-the-Day Schedule. This can simply be downloaded and opened on your desktop, if you have apps installed on your mobile or tablet it should prompt you to use the relevant one to your device.

We also have a new addition in the form of our Wedding Dress Finder courtesy of The Bridal Edit. TBE is the UK’s first Wedding Dress Finder and, much like our own directory, you can browse for your wedding dress by style. Laura, founder of The Bridal Edit, will be delivering some great tips, advice and inspiration focusing on the dress search so be sure to check into this page regularly. To get you started we have some of our own fave designers in our Bridal Shop Edit featuring Charlie Brear, Bo & Luca and Halfpenny London to name a few.

Speaking of the shop… We have another shop under our Gift List menu. Yep, we’ve scoured the Prezola website and personally chosen some gorgeous gifts whatever your style of wedding.

Consultancy

For those of you in the industry, you might know that I work with venues and suppliers as a consultant under Coco & Kat. You can find a little intro into our consultancy right here.

Blog

Our blog has had quite the dramatic makeover and I hope it will be a really useful and valuable browsing tool. At the top we have all the latest features and any items that we feel are big this month. Below this, you can choose one of four categories to explore or continue scrolling to see our features.

You can explore any tags we’ve used in a similar fashion, absorbing lots of content and topics in a really quick and visual way.

Feedback

Please feel free to let me know what you love, or indeed what you don’t love. If you spot any bugs then we absolutely want to know so we can squish them (in the nicest possible way). We have removed comments from blog pieces but you can find me at emma@cocoweddingvenues.co.uk or on our various social media platforms – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. On our Contact Us page we have a handy little form you can use to say hello too!

The reason we rebranded was to make sure we continue to speak to our couples and showcase venues in a truly stylish and beautiful way.

I sincerely hope we’ve managed to do this a second time around…

Thank you

I’d like to end by writing a note of heartfelt thanks to some very important people;

• Chiara, for kickstarting the new look.
• Victoria, for being my designer and the second beating heart of the Coco brand.
• Tamryn, for always being a source of inspiration and friendship.
• Hannah & Jo, for spending the day in Brighton with me to create these images and SO much more!
• Tanya & Sadaf, for making my stationery dreams come true.

Finally, thank you to my husband for being patient, kind-hearted, clever and the most loving man ever. I love building things with you – our home, our life and this website.

Photography Hannah Duffy Photography

Hair & Makeup Jo Adams

Notebook Elmo Paperstories

Bouquet Quince Brighton

Brand Sign Merrie & Bright