What could be more romantic than staying in a glorious Grade II listed townhouse in the heart of the Cotswolds? With wedding season upon us, both Olivier and I had failed to organise anything special to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary at the end of last month. Ironic as it sounds, we’re so passionate about making sure our brides have the perfect day that we sometimes forget to spend time doing things for us.

I only discovered the Cotswold House Hotel by chance when browing the Mr & Mrs Smith website (www.mrandmrssmith.com) the day before we were meant to be going away, but we couldn’t have found a more perfect place to get some much-needed R&R. The hotel states on its website that it is ‘one of the most beautiful hotels in the Cotswolds. Experience tranquility, sublime comfort, exceptional food and our stunning spa’, and I can certainly attest that these aren’t false claims. On arrival, it feels like you’re entering a private members’ club; the hotel is small and intimate but hugely welcoming. We opted to upgrade to a suite and were shocked at how stunning it was. There was a living area with stylish, natural decor, an enormous deep stone bath, and a gorgeous bedroom leading to a small patio area complete with table and chairs.

With the rain coming down in torrents, we were slightly disappointed that we couldn’t venture out to explore the quaint village of Chipping Camden, but with champagne afternoon tea in our suite and a Beatrix Potter DVD borrowed from the hotel’s collection (it seemed the perfect choice, we were in the Cotswolds after all!) we soon forgot about the weather. Later that evening we enjoyed dinner in the hotel’s fabulous restaurant. Our compliments went to the chef, Dave Watts, who had previously trained with Raymond Blanc. The food looked and tasted divine.

After spending the night, we reluctantly handed back our key the following morning, but not before taking advantage of the hotel’s spa, located at the bottom of the garden. We treated ourselves to a wonderful massage.

So, will we be back? Too right we will.

For more information, visit www.cotswoldhouse.com. We opted for the Celebration package which included a Royal afternoon tea, dinner in the restaurant, bottle of bubbly and a Bucks Fizz breakfast served in our suite the following morning.

Sangeeta x

Last month, as a belated birthday present, Olivier surprised me with afternoon tea and a night’s stay at the Brooklands Hotel in Surrey. I was thrilled when I saw the hotel’s website: modern and stylish in design with a fabulous spa – not to mention close proximity to London. Then I noticed that the rooms overlooked Mercedes-Benz World and a racing track and wondered to myself, is this a weekend for me, or for him!?

I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not a huge racing fan – unlike my lovely husband – but on arrival my concerns quickly disappeared. There was actually something quite exciting and glamorous about having a room with views of a race track. The hotel itself is also a dream; it’s been designed with such precision and style and we couldn’t fault the warm and welcoming service, the amazing facilities and fantastic food. In fact, I was sorry we were only there for one night!

The Brooklands Hotel is located on the site of the historic Brooklands racing track and is also home to the brand experience centre for Mercedes-Benz World (no, I didn’t realise such a place existed either!). I recall spending many Sundays looking on in dismay as Mr L watched hours of Formula One on TV when it’s been sunny outside, however, they do say don’t knock something until you’ve tried it, and off I went with him as the dutiful wife. Expecting to be in and out in minutes, I found myself enthralled by the place; there was something pretty special about seeing a model of Carl Benz’s original ‘motorvagen’ next to an SLS AMG (which came with a cool price tag of £168,000). Could Benz ever have imagined what his invention would lead to? So many around him said he would fail and there would be no demand for such a vehicle. I think the moral of his story is to believe in yourself, even when others doubt you. For Olivier, a new-found love of Mercs was born and less than a week after we arrived home, he traded in our sporty red Alpha Romeo for a Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

As I sat in the hotel’s open-air hot tub that evening, with wonderful views of the race track, it struck me just how perfect Brooklands is for a his-and-hers break before or after the big day, particularly for those with car-enthusiast hubbies-to-be. Not only is it a gorgeous hotel, but it’s full of interesting things to look at, including a nearby museum which is home to the Concorde. Mercedes-Benz World has a range of driving experiences, while the hotel offers a fantastic range of pampering spa treatments. I for one can’t wait to head back, and while I plan on kicking back in the spa, Mr L is planning to enjoy a go on the race track. Plus, with offers like these, we’d be mad not to… http://www.brooklandshotelsurrey.com/special-offers/activity/his-hers-spa-car-package.htm

Entrance to the hotel bar

The relaxation area in the hotel spa

For more information, check out http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/unitedkingdom/mpc/mpc_unitedkingdom_website/en/home_mpc/mercedes-benzworld.flash.htm

and… www.brooklandsmuseum.com

Sangeeta x

One of my resolutions for 2012 was to stop and reflect over the year that has passed before rushing headlong into this one. When you run your own business, have a busy day job and want to be there for family and friends there is always something more to be done and time is most definitely at a premium.

So, for my first blogpost, what could be more appropriate than to look back over the year that was? Not to mention, of course, publishing it around Chinese New Year. I think the timing feels just right.

The highlights

Our central London studio

For me, the ultimate achievement last year was opening our studio in central London. It had always been a dream of mine but not one I had ever really seriously entertained (as a cautious lawyer it was easier to think of the reasons not to do it). So, when we opened our doors in July it was a dream come true. We had been meeting clients for consultations on an ad hoc basis, so to finally have our own space to showcase our pieces – not to mention in a wonderful location just behind Selfridges – has been fantastic. It’s also been great to see Olivier meeting clients and getting great feedback from brides about how useful the whole process has been for them. There is obviously a lot more we want to do with the studio, such as offering refreshments and hosting special evenings for our clients with additional services and products. In fact, we are really looking forward to putting some of these plans into action this year.

The studio

Mentions in magazines, blogs and more…

I still remember when one of our ring cushions was first featured in a magazine in 2006 – I was so excited to see our name in print, I was smiling all week! To be honest, that excitement has not dissipated and we have been lucky over the years to have been featured in lots of lovely publications. Our press page showcases just some of these great features and the plan is to update it with some of our most recent cuttings and blogposts. We were particularly thrilled to see one of our pieces in Vogue Gioielli, and also to be featured by the number of wedding bloggers out there. Articles such as this one on English Wedding Blog (http://english-wedding.com/2011/04/affordable-bridal-accessories-from-a-business-thats-fit-for-a-princess have really made my year.

In fact, integrity – as those who know me will testify – is hugely important to me. We care a great deal about our customers and want to ensure they always get the best possible service from us. To be recognised in the wedding industry for such services really is the icing on the cake.

I was also thrilled to be asked to appear as an accessories expert on wedding planning website http://www.theweddingcommunity.com/56/Expert-Advice/Wedding-Jewellery-and-Accessories-Advice and I hope my monthly articles continue to help brides trying to perfect their wedding day look.

Twitter

How did we ever survive without Twitter? A simple concept, yet something so incredibly powerful. I have met so many wonderful people via Twitter that it would be impossible to name everyone – and this is without mentioning the people I haven’t met (yet!) but who I have spoken to virtually.

The studio launch

The studio launch

The studio launch

Our recent press day

The Secret Garden shoot

Through Twitter we were lucky enough to be involved in a fantastic styled shoot brought together by fabulous photographer Fiona Kelly. Rather than list all the individual companies involved in the shoot, I can point you in the direction of a wonderful write up on this wedding blog http://whimsicalwonderlandweddings.com/2011/07/an-ethereal-magical-grecian-secret-garden-bridal-shoot.html

We certainly hope to be involved in more collaborations later on in the year!

Our blog

The launch of this blog, together with the help of my good friend and wedding journalist Danielle Wilkins, was also a highlight. Our aim was to give something more to brides browsing our website, as well as showcase some of the wonderful suppliers we have met. It’s great to have Danielle on board and I know she can inspire and assist our brides along the way. Another reason we were keen to have her involved is to give the blog some impartiality – after all, I didn’t want it all to be about us. Hopefully it’s providing some useful inspiration, but if there is something you’d like to see more of, please let us know!

Our clients

So, why do we do what we do? Of course, it’s important for us to grow a successful business but it’s not just about that. We want to be able to offer beautiful finishing touches at affordable prices; to help brides look and feel amazing. We also want to give something back, which is why our charity ring cushion is so important to us… http://www.olivierlaudus.com/html/display_items.php?id=437&category=25&sub_cat=24&page_number=1&item_name=Sunflower

We are thrilled to receive so many thank you messages and cards from happy clients – we even received some wedding cake once! To be part of someone’s special day in this way is a privilege and, as competition within the accessories industry has increased so much over the years, we feel even more honoured when brides choose our products.

The not-so highlights

As with every business, there are challenges. The first package of products sent to Vogue in Milan for the shoot mentioned above was stolen in transit, in fact, we almost didn’t have time to get another box over before the shoot.

And while we have met so many amazing people in the wedding industry, there will always be a handful who aren’t quite so honest or pleasant to deal with. As someone who values integrity, I’ll admit that meeting people who come across as rude, as having an agenda, or even fake, is hard for me to cope with. However, there is a lesson to be learnt from it, I’m sure. I believe you should stay true to yourself, and that is what I intend to do.

Of course, there is also the old chestnut of not having enough time, and last year was no exception. Even now, I wish I had the magic formula to master my to-do list. There are things I could have done better, people I would have loved to have met, events that would have been wonderful to attend, exciting opportunities to follow up – but sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day.

On a more personal level, there was acute sadness for both Olivier and I. We started 2011 with the loss of my grandmother and it ended with the passing of Olivier’s grandmother in December. I don’t think I have ever experienced such a painful ache as I did for these special ladies. Both were so different, yet such fun characters who showed us the meaning of unconditional love.

There’s no denying 2011 was an incredibly busy year for us and, having written this, I realise the importance of looking back before moving forward. After all, if you don’t know where you have just come from, how do you know where it is you want to go?

Wishing you all a happy and prosperous 2012!

Sangeeta xx