Claire do Monte is a London-based wedding planner who works across the UK specialising in the design of sophisticated, classic occasions with a contemporary edge that are notable for the inclusion of an abundance of tiny, personal details. Here we discuss her style and what attracts her VIP clients to her service…
Luxury to me means having the ability to express the unique love story and style of a couple through the weaving together of dozens of multi-sensory touches while focusing on the things that mean the most to them; I work closely with my couples to understand their unique vision and bring it to life…”
Claire do Monte
C&B: “Claire, the images from the weddings you organise are absolutely beautiful; who were your first clients?”
CdM: “My first clients were a gorgeous couple called Kara and Jason, who worked in the theatre and entertainment industry. As you can imagine, music was incredibly important to them resulting in an electric atmosphere, their guests continued to be wowed throughout the day with various bands and entertainment…”
C&B: “Which profile of couple do you most like to organise a wedding for – is there a specific area of business or lifestyle?”
CdM: “For me, my service really is for couples who want to produce an incredible guest experience, are very much ’style-led’ and who trust me to produce the most epic wedding…”
I’ve nearly two decades of experience working as a personal assistant for well-known high net-worth individuals who have very demanding, busy lives. This experience honed both my organisational and creative skills and coupled with the passion I have for weddings, it was the perfect combination…”
Claire do Monte
C&B: “Which style of venue do you like to use most, and why?”
CdM: “I love a weekend wedding, so I prefer a venue with various spaces that allows the couple to entertain over a weekend – they are always my favourite. Heckfield Place (pictured below) in Hampshire is definitely at the top of my list as it offers a truly bespoke approach to its events, and offers numerous indoor and outdoor spaces that keep guests entertained over a couple of days and nights…”
C&B: “On the subject of outdoor spaces, what are the major challenges associated with staging an outdoor wedding?”
CdM: “One of the biggest fears for couples planning an outdoor wedding is rain, especially in the UK – after all, nobody wants their special day to be blighted by bad weather. While rain on a wedding day can be stressful, it doesn’t have to ruin the day. We always have a ‘Plan B’ that includes having an indoor space or a marquee structure available, so we embrace it and stay positive…”
C&B: “Who are your favourite suppliers that you like to work with?”
CdM: “I have an amazing network of trusted suppliers that I like to have in my core recommended suppliers black book, but for me it’s important that each supplier suits the needs of my clients, it’s not a ‘one size fits all’, I hand pick my suppliers for each client ensuring they’re right for each of my couples – but that’s not to say I don’t like working with new suppliers, it’s important to keep evolving!”
C&B: “Which style of music is your favourite for setting the scene at the ceremony and the reception?”
CdM: “Music is super important for setting the scene and tempo of a wedding day. For a ceremony I enjoy a string quartet, it’s a gorgeous and calming way to start the proceedings of a wedding day. For the drinks reception, it’s nice to up the tempo to the next gear and I always find a wandering band (see below) are brilliant at doing this…”
C&B: “What are the most popular themes, currently, in terms of decor?”
CdM: “Every year there are always new concepts, but for me I tend not to follow them. When styling my clients weddings, the themes are always bespoke to each of my couples. I spend a lot of time getting to know my couples, their likes and dislikes, how they like to spend their time, their hobbies, favourite places to visit etc., so that I’m able to create something entirely unique to them…”
C&B: “What have you got coming up this year?”
CdM: “This year I have some incredible weddings, and the season actually started earlier this year. This summer’s weddings are full of colour and vibrancy which I am really excited for you to see via my website and Instagram page…”
WEBSITE: http://www.clairedomonteweddings.co.uk
