Black love Wedding special
Cakes amd bakes with Geraldine Cumberbatch Page 18
Through the lens
Marv Brown catches your special day Page 20-21
Dress to impress with Yemi Osunkoya Page 25
16 | THE VOICE FEBRUARY 14 - 20, 2019
Wedding special
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Love is in the air
‘Tis the season of romance, and if you’re using it to plan your big day, The Voice has everything you need...
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T’S FEBRUARY and love is in the air. Valentine’s Day is one of the most popular days to get engaged. If you’ve already started thinking about your wedding day, you may like many others who want to celebrate the big event in a way that reflects your cultural heritage. The UK’s wedding services industry is worth millions of pounds. But unlike other industries that cater primarily to women, it seems to be doing little to market itself to black and minority ethnic (BAME) females, despite the fact that research shows they are significant consumers of hair, beauty and fashion products. And black brides are
practically non-existent from the pages of mainstream bridal magazines and websites. RESOURCES The lack of resources available to couples who want to infuse their big day with the cultural traditions and looks that are important to them and their families can mean that what is already a time consuming, confusing, and stressful process of planning a wedding becomes even more so. For example, where are the makeup specialists who know what works best for women with brown skin? Where will you find a DJ who knows a thing or two about old
school soca, reggae and soul? Where will you find caterers who can do a great job of reflecting the kind of cuisine that you grew up with? Or a wedding dress designer who understands that what you want is a dress that will flatter your curves without having you having to make a lot of alterations that cost you hundreds of pounds? That is why we have put together this special supplement to help you alleviate this kind of stress. On the following pages you’ll find information about caterers, hair stylist, videographers and other services who are there to help make your wedding day the success it deserves to be.
IN THIS TOGETHER: Your day should be unique and special to you both
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THE VOICE | 17
Wedding special
It’s all about the planning Hiring a professional can help you achieve your dream day
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LANNING A wedding can be an exciting time for couples about to get married. However, it can also be very stressful. Hiring a wedding planner can help to greatly reduce the stress that comes with planning a big day, and Elizabeth Flanders is one woman who has had a lot of experience helping couples prepare for their special occasion. Through her company Event Connoisseurs, founded last year, she has supported many couples to help their nuptials run smoothly. But her success should come as no surprise. Flanders brings over 20 years of event planning and management experience from the corporate world and working with private clients. She has also worked with the Caribbean High Commission based in the UK to deliver successful international events on their behalf.
“Our company takes the time to understand what clients really want,” she says. “I’m very creative and I place great emphasis on being able to bring concepts to life. Of course, we cannot do this on our own and that’s when we engage with a wide range of the best quality service providers, ensuring any special requirements are met and you have the event you visualised.” Flanders continues: “My most memorable wedding planning experience was for a wonderful couple that got married at Glaziers Hall in central London. “The bride said that everything was well organised, the venue looked amazing and we kept to time. “She also felt that I had a good range of resources at my disposal which enabled me to keep within budget and provide them with value for money. “The bride said the couple felt listened to and were able to come to me with any issues,
which were then quickly resolved. “Her guests thoroughly enjoyed the day and she felt that this was due to my attention to detail and dedication to making their day a memorable and enjoyable occasion.”
REQUIREMENTS However, Flanders is keen to point out that her company is about more than weddings. “Event Connoisseurs is here to support our clients with a wide range of special occasion events. “In my many years of working within this industry I have organised special occasion birthday celebrations; conferences and workshops; AGMs and staff awards; family fun days; a reception for an out-going High Commissioner; black tie receptions, weddings and vow renewals,” she says. “I will always meet with a client to discuss their requirements. This is a two-way process where
the client will be assessing my skills and expertise and we are both deciding whether this would be a compatible pairing. “We guarantee you a stressfree experience and time to fully participate and enjoy your function. Our focus is to anticipate, identify and meet your every event needs.” When looking for an event planner, Flanders advises that clients should always consider the following points: • Areas of expertise • Compatibility • Services offered • Agree what will and will not be included in the fee • A clear contract • Who will be assigned to deliver your event • How will they protect your event – do they have liability insurance, for example? •Their cancellation policy Speaking about future trends, Flanders says: “My prediction for the future is that the Caribbean as a destination for vow
MAGICAL: A wedding should be stress-free and enjoyable renewals, weddings and family reunions would be big business.” If you would like to work with Event Connoisseurs, you can get in touch by calling 0730 659 1234, emailing info@eventcon-
noisseurs.com or elizabeth@ eventconnoisseurs.com, or alternatively, visit their website at eventconnoisseurs.com. Visit Event Connoisseurs – by appointment only – at 20-22 Wenlock Rd, Hoxton, London N1.
18 | THE VOICE FEBRUARY 14 - 20, 2019
Wedding special
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The icing on the cake! You’ve got the venue and the dress – but what makes a great cake? Geraldine Cumberbatch of Demerara Cakes tells us all... Q: Weddings are a particularly important time of a couple’s life. When did you believe you had the ability to frame that special moment through your cake baking? A: It came about through seeing friends and family members getting married almost 10 years ago. There was a move away from the more traditional designs, but people wanted to keep traditional flavours, and even experiment with new tastes. I’d always baked, but at the time I had been developing my cake decorating skills. At the time, a former colleague asked me to make her wedding cake. She wanted a traditional fruit cake, but with a rose petal design, for a relatively small wedding. I remember baking the cake and hand cutting and frilling hundreds of sugar rose petals. It was a nervous time, as it was my very first wedding cake. You always want to get it exactly right, and ensure
that what you have delivered was what the bride and groom envisioned. Thankfully, the cake surpassed the bride and groom’s expectations! Q: Are there any special tricks of the trade you use in order to ensure the cake you create capture and really encapsulate the special day? A: Apart from photographs that have inspired the couple, I really try to get to know t h e bride and groom as much as possible. That way, subject to their agreement, I can really incorporate the couple into the cake and m a k e it all about
them. Sometimes this is done through small and subtle details, but for the happy couple, it can bring a greater meaning to their special day. Q: Talk about the best ever wedding cake you baked at an African Caribbean event that captured the day when everything just came together, what made it so special? A: There have been a few, but recently I was commissioned to bake a cake for a traditional Nigerian (Yoruba) wedding. I was given the brief fairly close to the wedding, but thankfully I knew the bride personally. I was given all the information I needed, which allowed me to create and really focus on the details, such as the gele for the bride figurine. The couple really loved the cake, and the mother of the bride commented that it encapsulated everything she had wanted. The best part was
getting to see the cake within the wedding, as I was also a guest. Q: Has it ever gone wrong? If so what happened? A: I designed and decorated a cake for a wedding in Jamaica, very early on. I learnt there and then why fondant icing is avoided in hot temperatures! The sugar started to melt, so the cake cutting took place fairly swiftly! Q: What should people consider when thinking about the type of cake they want? A: People should focus on what they like! There will be many aunties and uncles, and others who will have strong opinions about what type of cake you should have, but it’s your day and your cake. Sometimes, to allow for tradition, people will have a smaller Caribbean black cake, for example, for some of the older family members. I would strongly recommend taking the weather into account
STUNNING: Just some of Geraldine’s sweet creations as well. For example, chocolate ganache cakes tend to be punished by the hot weather. While it’s not impossible to have a chocolate or buttercream cake
in the middle of summer, you do need to make sure that there are facilities at your venue to keep them refrigerated while the wedding breakfast is taking place.
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‘I was compelled to help women’
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Wedding special
Hairstylist Jasmine Dale has put experience into her products
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ASMINE DALE has earned herself a name as a reputable, and experienced hairdresser and salon owner. This has led to her amassing a large and growing client base with her creative flair always superseding the expectations of her clients. Her unique approach to work with Afro hair is centred on an eye for every detail and creative flair to both natural hair care and chemically treated hair. Her ‘avant garde’ creations have graced many platforms and she has styled for wed-
dings, photo shoots and works extensively backstage on bridal and fashion show productions, where she undertakes the entire production ranging from the hairstyling to her expertise as a make-up artist. It is this range of experience that has enabled her to help women when things go wrong. Jasmine, inset left, said: “Over the years I’ve witnessed clients who have exposed themselves to years of incorrect use of chemical processing and also the incorrect use and care of natural hair care and its associated products. I’ve also
seen the emotional upset that hair damage and hair loss can cause. As a result I was compelled to bring a solution to the emotional and physical upset and to bring education and awareness of good hair care practice.” RESEARCH After undertaking extensive research Jasmine developed a hair care and hair restoration range of natural handmade products to restore and replenish the hair and scalp for both natural and chemically processed hair. They are suitable for all types of hair and can also be used by men. The entrepreneur was so passionate about the product she
has lent her name to it, confidently endorsing its restorative, rejuvenating properties. “The products achieve amazing results especially when used simultaneously,” she said. “They have already received many client testimonials about their ability to transform the hair and scalp.” Another project Jasmine is about to embark on is the launch of the Jasmine Hair Restoration workshops and a skincare range. “I’m dedicated to the improvement of the health and quality of hair and I believe passionately in a holistic approach towards my clients.”
SLEEK: Above, proper hair care means brides can avoid disasters on their big day; left, one of Jasmine’s many products
20 | THE VOICE FEBRUARY 14 - 20, 2019
Wedding special
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‘Videography just kind of happened’ He’s been making waves in the wedding industry for 10 years – but Marv Brown went in at the deep end...
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ARV BROWN is a director and content creator who has been making waves in the film and online media industry for 10 years. The founder and CEO of Marv Brown Films, a creative video production company based in London, he is widely recognised for his work with comedian Big Shaq – aka Michael Dapaah – and for directing the music video Man’s Not Hot, which to
date has amassed a staggering 314 million views and counting. Brown has also been lauded for his luxurious cinematic wedding films such as the viral #Lokkedin Wedding which became a viral sensation in 2016, with more than one million views on YouTube. Here he tells us about his work, but also his own recent wedding... Q: Weddings are a particularly important time of a couple’s life, so when did you believe
you had the ability to frame that special moment through your videography skills? A: I never intended on going into wedding videography, it just kind of happened. The first wedding I ever filmed was for a friend. He trusted my ability as a film maker. Having never done weddings before I threw myself in the deep end. I shot the wedding myself, but it didn’t feel too unfamiliar to me as I was used to cover-
ing events throughout my time at university, so I had a basic skillset to draw from. After that experience I saw the need for creative cinematography in the wedding industry and I saw this as another opportunity for me to explore. Q: Are there any special tricks of the trade you use in order to ensure the images you capture really encapsulate the special day? A: The special trick is in the ap-
proach to the wedding day. For me my greatest asset is my ability to tell stories. It’s catching the glisten in the groom’s eye when he first sees his wife walk down the isle, it’s the smirk on the bride’s face when the groom whispers something into her ear when nothing is really going on. It’s capturing the beaming smile on the mother’s face when her son mentions her in his speech. My job is to instinctively capture moments that eventually
creates the masterpiece that is their wedding film. Q: I understand you are married. Tell us firstly a little bit about yourself and your wife as a couple. Where did you first meet and how long have you been together? A: Bethel and I have been together for two years. We met through a mutual friend who had hired us separately to both work on a project. Q: How did the prepara-
FEBRUARY 14 - 20, 2019
@thevoicenews tions for your wedding go? A: We had an incredible wedding planner, Magali of La Jet Fete. She took a lot of the burden off us with regards to flying out to Greece, location scouting, sorting out travel and accommodation and more. She really made our vision come to life. Being in the wedding industry, I found favour with a lot of the vendors as I consider them personal friends of mine. With Bethel’s background of events and project management we were always super organised with excel spreadsheets and calendar reminders for everything. Most importantly we had fun. We literally made decisions on everything together (minus Bethel’s dress, of course, which of course I think she looked beautiful in). Q: Did you want a wedding that reflected your cultural heritage? A: I’m Jamaican and Bethel is from Eritrea. I personally had not ever seen a mix of Jamaica and Eritrea. With it being so special, we definitely wanted to celebrate the cultures coming together. It was important to us both to feature an aspect of Eritrean culture in the wedding and so the two cultural elements we
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THE VOICE | 21
Wedding special
chose to embrace was the traditional wear and the music. After our reception we changed into traditional wear and made our entrance to a playlist of Eritrean music. The best part was probably the reaction of our guests. CHEERING Everyone got involved and learnt the dance moves, they were cheering and clapping and really embraced the culture with us. It was a beautiful moment that we both treasure. Q: Did the day go as you wanted it to? A: The day was far beyond anything we could have ever imagined or dreamed of. People have asked if we would have done anything differently, and honestly, we look back at the day and just feel it was perfection. The day went so smoothly, of course with big thanks to our amazing wedding planner and team.
Find out more about Marv and his work by following @marvbrownfilms on Instagram or Twitter, or by emailing info@ marvbrownfilms.com
‘PERFECTION’: Marv Brown may be used to being behind the camera, but for his own wedding he and his wife Bethel were the centre of attention, pulling in special elements of both Jamaican and Eritrean culture
22 | THE VOICE FEBRUARY 14-20, 2019
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THE VOICE | 23
Wedding special
Fantastic Caribbean cuisine
McCalla’s have what it takes to make your day amazing
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F YOU’RE looking for authentic Caribbean cooking for your special day, that’s exactly what awaits you from McCalla’s Caribbean Cuisine Ltd. Providing delicious Caribbean fare since 2015, McCalla’s offer delicious food and drink for intimate events with as few as 50 guests to sizeable weddings with more than 500 guests across the UK and Europe. They are passionate about providing authenticity and great hospitality at a consistently high standard. They are keen to be recognised as the number one Caribbean event caterer in the UK – and they are going from strength to strength. The co-owners are a husband and wife team with strong family values which reflects in their service. Managing director Roxanne meticulously plans to meet the needs of the business.. Head chef Bob, a farmer from Jamaica, selects the best cuts of meat and cooks as he was taught by his mother, using a coal fire.
McCalla’s source fresh ingredients which helps provide a fresh Caribbean taste to their meals ensuring that each guest is absolutely amazed with a genuine representation of traditional Caribbean food. Some of their popular wedding menu dishes include ackee and saltfish vol au vents, honey chicken pops, plantain wedges with tomato salsa (vegan), escoveitch cod bites, mini patties, jerk prawn skewers, jerk halloumi skewers. For mains they offer three services: Traditional buffet Dishes include jerk chicken, curry goat, baked salmon and mac and cheese, served by their trained hospitality serving team. Family sharing bowls Serving bowls served directly to table. This service creates a relaxed setting at your wedding reception. The enjoyment of the food often gets the conversation around the table flowing, while McCalla’s hospitality team attentively ensure that the party’s
guests are provided with an exciting variety of dishes. A la carte – plated sit down meal Plated meals including their lamb shank, sweet potato mash, seasonal veg and sorrel jus dish – just one example of McCalla’s creativity and enjoyment in Caribbean/British fusion cuisine. McCalla’s are able to create bespoke packages to suit each client and can provide additional elements to wow guests on your special day, from serving a rum punch drinks reception to arranging table décor, linen, cutlery, crockery and glassware hire. Over the last two years they have incorporated their love for outdoor cooking into their wedding packages – and hope you’ll fall in love with them, too. If you are looking for a Caribbean caterer, contact McCalla’s Caribbean Cuisine Ltd today to discuss your catering vision by calling 020 8115 2155 or emailing info@mccallas.co.uk
FRESH AND EXCITING: McCalla’s Caribbean Cuisine Ltd offer an amazing array of authentic Caribbean cuisine, as well as dishes with a British twist to make any wedding party incredible
24 | THE VOICE FEBRUARY 14 - 20, 2019
Wedding special
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Looking Dapper Capture your big day and the memories in a personalised magazine
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OUPLES WHO are planning on getting married are always on the lookout for innovative ways to celebrate their big day. One of them that is growing in popularity is Dapper & Bride which produces personalised glossy wedding magazines. Its founder, Kysha Marie Buffong, tells us about the company’s journey...
Q: Tell us about the first wedding gig you ever did. Were you nervous? A: My first wedding gig, oddly enough, was by way of a funeral. I provided bereavement stationery for a couple who, at our consultation was so happy with what I had produced, asked if I also designed prints for weddings. Without thinking, I just said yes! It was a tight deadline, but it was a small, intimate destination wedding in Jamaica and I was so excited. With the stationery designed and approved it was sent off to print and deliv-
ery was scheduled the day before the couple were due to fly out. Easy enough, right? Nope – it could not have gone more wrong! The printers marked the stationery for delivery, but failed to load it on the courier van. My stress levels were at 1,000 per cent! Without alerting my clients, and with only half a day to fix it, I went straight into resolve mode, working closely with a local printer, who pulled off a miracle – at my expense, of course – and I was able to hand deliver the finished prints that same evening. Crisis averted! Q: Are there any special tricks of the trade you use to ensure your wedding magazines really encapsulate the special day? A: Every edition is stylish, bold and vibrant and, of course, it’s about love. Each publication is creatively edited, ensuring main events such as the feature story has the right flow and tone equal to any publication found on the shelf
of any newsagent, while professional, experienced photographers are on hand to provide couples with those all-important pre-engagement cover shoots.
“They are designed to complement your wedding” One of the key elements to making this work is keeping it all about the client. These magazines are designed to complement your wedding day, so incorporating wedding colours, themes and special touches are high on the list to ensure they fit seamlessly into the big day. Q: What should people consider when thinking about hir-
ing you to do their personalised wedding magazines? A: As a stand out product for any wedding, Dapper & Bride serves to give the couple a chance to be on the cover of their very own magazine, including featuring their exclusive cover story interview. Each magazine is personal to the couple featured. There is also the ability to combine their would-be on the day wedding stationery as a part of their publication. Wedding couples and planners are always on the lookout for creative and unique ideas to showcase on their big day, and Dapper & Bride is one of them. Couples can order one per guest or per family and there is no minimum order, so it’s great for both small and large weddings. Dapper & Bride also have a thank you magazine edition, which is a great alternative to a traditional photo album, showcasing your wedding highlights as a beautiful memento for the
SUIT UP: An example of a Dapper & Bride wedding magazine couple, family and friends. Additional products also include save the dates, wedding invitations and thank you cards, so we have you covered from start to finish.
Q: Where can people find you and your work? A: To find out more information, visit dapperandbride.com or email hello@dapperandbride. com.
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Bridal couture
THE VOICE | 25
Wedding special
Yemi Osunkoya is the name to remember if you want that special dress...
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T’S YOUR wedding day, you want to stand out, feel special. You want the dress to look fabulous from every angle. You might not have known it until now, but you want it to be designed by Yemi Osunkoya. The king of bridal couture, Osunkoya, right, explained to The Voice that he understands just what it takes to make a lady feel special on her big day, as it’s a talent he was blessed with from a young age. The only thing he doesn’t do is trousers. “I could draw from a very young age. I was very good at sketching, human figures specifically,” he enthused. “As I grew older I started putting my own ideas into the drawings I was doing. From a fashion point of view, I knew from a young age I would study fashion, so I did. I studied women’s
and menswear and I started in the early 1990s. “The way I was trained was really old school couture. I make a block for each client I do a designer dress for and I found out that doing casual wear was not viable and didn’t make sense.” He added: “I always wanted to design beautiful, classic, wearable clothes. I didn’t want to just create the avant-garde stuff, which I could, but it wasn’t what I wanted to do. It took about three years, but I realised that my best work and what would make great business sense was bridal evening wear, so that’s how I began.” With weddings being such a personal thing, was it an area of design within fashion that is arguably the most difficult to get right? “For me personally, I don’t ac-
tually find it that difficult because that is the way I came into it,” he said. “I came from the point of view that design ideas come from thinking of ways to enhance the figure of the person in front of me.
“I listen to the core elements and infuse my ideas” “That came naturally and I suppose is one of my unique selling points.” He added: “Also, I have created a niche in figure enhancement, so with my use of corsetry and pattern techniques and body structure I’m able to create a shape that my client might not necessarily have. Because
of all of the structural work that goes into the garment that people might not see, for someone that is straight up and down, I can create curves and someone who is big I can sink in. I just look at the person in front of me and see how I can bring it out.” As great as Osunkoya is, has there ever been a request he wasn’t able to meet? “I don’t do trousers,” he admitted. “So, if a client wanted some sort of bridal evening garment that required some sort of trousers, I wouldn’t be able to do that. But I suppose people come to me because I have a certain style and taste. If I see or think my client’s idea is going over the top or it might not suit them, I would suggest it in a polite way, but I would also then put in my ideas. I always listen to the core elements the client wants and infuse my ideas.” Check out more from Yemi at kosibah.com
ALL EYES ON ME: Yemi’s designs are simply breathtaking
26 | THE VOICE FEBRUARY 14 - 20, 2019
Wedding special
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All about that taste Make your wedding breakfast the talk of the town
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ITHOUT DOUBT, one of the most crucial parts of a wedding day is the food. Lunch or dinner, budget or expensive, the wedding breakfast (as it is traditionally called) is probably going to be one of the elements of the day that will be talked about by guests long after the day itself. So, by implication, it’s vital to choose the caterers wisely. Whether the day is going to be formal and elegant or relaxed and low key, there are a wide range of caterers in the market place who can fit the requirements of couples who want to make their big day really special. You may want to go for a barbecue in the garden or if you’re looking for something a bit more formal you might want to go for a silver service three course dinner. Either way, the meal is the part of the day where all your guests, young and old, and from both sets of friends and family – the bride and the groom’s – will sit down, relax, talk, share their memories of the couple and
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Whatever food you choose to serve on your big day, it’s important to choose your caterers wisely
celebrate with them. And of course, listen to the all-important speeches. By choosing the right caterer at the very start of your wedding planning you ensure that you have a team of people with the experience and skills to make this important part of the day go smoothly. CELEBRATE
If you are a couple that wants to celebrate your big day in a way that celebrates your African-Caribbean heritage, among the caterers you could look to is Palm Trees Caribbean Caterers and Events Décor. The company specialises in African, Caribbean and English cuisine. One of the company’s goals, included on its website, is that they will do “absolutely anything to make your day wonderful”. Palm Trees is a family run business established by husband and wife team Pedro and Beverley Griffith and their daughter Reanne. Its aim is to provide a onestop shop catering service
for couples on their big day. “If, as they say, a good partnership results in an excellent product, we have hit on a winning formula,” says Beverley. “Palm Trees has been awarded the coveted 5 stars certificate. This is a wonderful accolade and one which we are very proud of. We use only the highest quality fresh ingredients to produce fabulous dishes, which are then beautifully presented.” She continues: “Everything is prepared in our kitchen, but finished at your venue, so we can be sure you are served the most delicious food, specialising in a bespoke service. We offer a wide range of menus. “Reanne and her team specializes in creating timeless and beautiful decorations. We pride ourselves with paying attention to detail and providing excellent customer service. We understand how important it is to have everything perfect for your special event, so we aim to go beyond your expectations.” For more details visit palmtreescatering.com or call 07931 797 261.