EDITOR’S LETTER

Editor Magazines Live

With lots of sunshine over the summer, the weather gave everyone the opportunity to start venturing out, so it really feels like we are, at last, getting back to normal. That’s the message we are all hearing loud and clear and it’s vital that we continue supporting local hospitality and businesses. In this month’s issue of Live Ribble Valley, one person who is delighted to be returning to some sort of normality is international events organiser Julie Perry. Julie organised Wayne and Coleen Rooney’s five-day wedding extravaganza and, more recently, created a spectacular event to celebrate the 30th birthday of reality TV personality Olivia Attwood. The star-studded event, in Manchester, received huge coverage in the national press. In this, our September issue, you can read all about the events Julie has been involved in – including some here in the Ribble Valley.

As this is our wedding issue, it seems fitting that the Ribble Valley was recently named as the country’s marriage capital in the Sunday Times. With a host of beautiful venues within a few square miles, it comes as no surprise that the region has been recognised on a nationwide basis.

Also in this month’s magazine, we continue to meet inspirational people that have made their mark nationally, not least fell-runner Shaun Livesey who, at his peak, twice won the English Fell Running Championships and ran for England and GB. Northcote’s head chef Danny Young has recently been named as one of the nation’s Acorn Award winners – the coveted accolade recognises the talent of just 30 elite chefs under the age of 30. As always, we have some fabulous fashion, great lifestyle features and in our motoring section Paul Agnew reviews the latest electric cars from BMW and Porsche – the BMW iX3, a pure electric trailblazer and the Taycan Cross Turismo, a stunning super-car that ticks all the boxes. Enjoy!

Jan Woolley Editor

LANCASHIRE’S PREMIER GUIDE TO LUXURY LIVING

ISSUE 127

LANCASHIRE’S PREMIER GUIDE TO LUXURY LIVING

ISSUE 126

LANDING THE THREE FISHES

NIGEL HAWORTH EXCLUSIVE

SUMMER GARDEN PARTIES

GIN COCKTAILS

ON THE WEST END STAGE

MIA MCLOUGHLIN

GETTING TOUGH ON CRIME

NEW POLICE COMMISSIONER th

issue

Live Ribble Valley

Photography: Kirsten Platt kirstenplatt.co.uk Shot on location @ Mitton Hall mittonhallhotel.co.uk

Car supplied by Ribble Valley Wedding Cars rvweddingcars.co.uk Model: Melissa Gaffey

ENGLAND’S WEDDING HEAVEN

ROMANCE IN THE RIBBLE VALLEY

PARTY PLANNER TO THE STARS

JULIE PERRY

UK’S THIRTY UNDER THIRTY

TOP AWARD FOR HEAD CHEF DANNY YOUNG

FELL RUNNING LEGEND

SHAUN LIVESEY

All that they can be .

A SPRINGBOARD TO A LIFE OF PURPOSE

A leading Catholic co-educational boarding and day school in the Ribble Valley for pupils aged 3-18 years, with full and weekly boarding options available. 2021 | Open days

Sixth Form Open Evening | 23rd September Prep School Open Day | 9th October College Open Day | 6th November Scholarship sittings start in November 2021

Monochrome Style

When Gary and Caroline extended their Oldham home, they chose Kitchen Design Centre to create a timeless black and white kitchen that perfectly suited their period house.

They initially contacted three kitchen companies but weren’t keen on any of their designs. As soon as they met designer Paul Harrington at kitchen Design Centre’s Manchester Failsworth showroom they knew they’d found the right company. Paul immediately impressed with his ideas and the fact that he grasped exactly what they wanted.

The showroom gave them lots of inspiration, and they chose the units from a kitchen that was on display. The wide choice of displays on show impressed them and they were delighted and reassured with the amazing visual that Paul created of the finished design, especially because he’d worked from architect’s plans.

Caroline and Gary say, “we were delighted with Kitchen Design Centre from Paul right down to the fitters. Paul understood exactly what we were looking for and created a fantastic design. Our builders were behind at one stage but Kitchen Design Centre were really understanding, rearranging their schedule to fit us in and ensuring the installation ran smoothly.”

To read more about how we designed this kitchen and to view the video tour of it visit: www.kitchendesigncentre.com

Designer Paul Harrington says,

“This classic combination of black and white offers striking contrast and effortless style, working perfectly in Gary and Caroline’s home. It was great to work with them and create this stunning space.”

BARROWFORD

4-6 Gladstone Terrace Gisburn Road Barrowford BB9 8NL

BLACKBURN

Brownhill Roundabout Blackburn BB1 9AZ

FAILSWORTH MANCHESTER

Housing Units The Crescent Wickentree Lane Manchester M35 9AY

URMSTON MANCHESTER

19-23 Crofts Bank Road Urmston Manchester M41 0TZ

LIVERPOOL

36 Woolton Street Woolton Village Liverpool L25 5JD

0151 428 0020

Worldwide events organiser Julie Perry is well known for her wonderfully lavish weddings and glamorous parties

The ‘little black book’ of events organiser Julie Perry is crammed full with names of many highprofile clients – reality star Olivia Attwood and her footballer fiancé Bradley Dack, Manchester United defender Phil Jones and his wife Kaya and Wayne and Coleen Rooney, to name but a few, have all turned to Julie, who is renowned worldwide for creating lavish events and parties.

From a surprise, candlelit rooftop wedding to magical events staged in glamorous resorts across Europe, Julie has become the ‘go-to’ professional when it comes to organising stunning, extravagant celebrations.

“My business has evolved over three decades and, yes, my little black book reads like a chapter of Who’s Who! I am really well connected in the industry, so basically if a client comes to us with an idea, I know I can make it happen.”

From hiring Craig David, who flew in from Miami to sing at a high-profile wedding, commissioning a New York billboard for a couple who had just got engaged in Times Square, and chartering a private jet and super yacht for Wayne and Coleen Rooney’s five-day wedding in Portofino, Julie Perry Events has become a name synonymous with A-list glamour.

“Some clients come to me with just a date and an idea and want us to organise everything – from start to end, others like to be more involved,” says Julie, whose organisational skills are renowned. From stunning productions and lighting designs to bringing on board world-renowned musicians and celebrities, Julie recalls some of her most memorable events: “I have worked in the Ribble Valley many times and I absolutely love it – I have also organised events across the UK, US and Europe.

“There is nothing that can’t be done. I can create anything. I recently organised a 30th birthday party for a client who didn’t know that her partner was going to propose and put an engagement ring on her finger and marry her all in the same evening – it was awesome!

“We specified formal dress for guests on the 30th birthday invitation and organised all the dresses for the wedding ceremony, which took place on a rooftop decorated with a thousand candles – no-one knew it was happening apart from the groom and the bride’s mother.

“One of the guests tweeted and it went viral – the next day the couple were invited onto ITV’s This Morning!”

Working on a three-day wedding event in Tuscany recently for an English bride and Italian groom, Julie ‘dressed’ an ancient amphitheatre for the ceremony and transformed a gothic chapel into a New York-style nightclub for the evening’s entertainment.

For Olivia Attwood’s star-studded party in Manchester, the ‘Pastel & Camp’ theme attracted huge coverage in the national press: “It looked amazing!” she recalls. “Olivia’s dress was a stunning pale blue creation with a long detachable ruffle train – it was a fabulous event for us to be involved in,” adds Julie, who has also been secured to organise Olivia’s wedding next year.

Weddings and events abroad are a speciality for Julie Perry Events – the most notable perhaps being Wayne and Coleen Rooney’s five-day wedding celebration: “I remember waking up on the morning of the actual wedding and watching Sky news on the TV, which showed all the press vehicles lined up outside the hotel trying to get a glimpse of them. It was surreal!

STAR STUDDED EVENTS

Photography: @TheMancPhotographer

OLIVIA ATTWOOD’S STAR-STUDDED PARTY IN MANCHESTER ATTRACTED HUGE COVERAGE IN THE NATIONAL PRESS

“We chartered a private jet to fly all the guests to Italy. We had control of everything. The first day there was a masquerade ball with a Venetian theme on board a 230ft super yacht, which sailed around Portofino. Guests wore ball gowns and had custom-made masks.

I HAVE WORKED IN THE RIBBLE VALLEY MANY TIMES AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT – I ALSO ORGANISE EVENTS ACROSS THE UK, US AND EUROPE WE CHARTERED A PRIVATE JET TO FLY GUESTS TO ITALY. WE HAD CONTROL OF EVERYTHING. THE FIRST DAY THERE WAS A MASQUERADE BALL ON BOARD A 230FT SUPER YACHT

“The second day was a rehearsal dinner in Genoa, the third day was the civil ceremony in Portofino and the main wedding event at La Cervara, which was absolutely beautiful, and the fourth day was a Moroccan-themed after-party with Arabian style tents.

“As a wedding gift Coleen asked us to fly the Stereophonics over – Wayne’s favourite band. There was a final party on day five in Genoa.”

With clients having the ultimate confidence in Julie, she is renowned for her impeccable organisational skills and being well-connected: “What is nice is that once I have organised an event for a client they keep coming back. There is an element of longevity as I organise birthdays, engagements and weddings, christenings and children’s parties.

“I recently organised a party for two sisters whose birthday parties were hours apart. The younger one had a Disney themed party in the morning with walkaround characters and a castle while the older one had a Harry Potter Hogwarts theme in the afternoon. We had to turn it around really quickly with two separate themes and two lots of young guests.”

Other children’s party themes have included a teddy bear’s picnic, Alice in Wonderland and a Dreamworks film set.

“We never say no to any idea,” explains Julie, who is currently planning a huge event for Soccer Aid which takes place this month.

“One couple wanted their new puppy to carry the rings down the aisle. We had three weeks to train it. When the day came the bride and groom whistled for the puppy and down the aisle it trotted!

“We organised a wedding at Grosvenor House in London for a couple who had two dogs – we had diamond collars made for them for the occasion,” recalls Julie, whose company also organises fashion events, product launches and private celebrations in people’s own homes.

“We have organised a private proposal dinner for a couple, with a celebrity chef and silver service. Under one of the silver cloches was a five-carat diamond ring.

“And for a private client in the Ribble Valley we organised an event in an awesome marquee with a balcony where guests ate while overlooking a stunning fountain and bespoke mini-lake.”

For another event Julie sourced a marquee from Europe which took four weeks to erect: “There was also a lake in the garden and we put on an exclusive show of dancing water, where everything was timed and choreographed to music.

“Entertainment is the most important thing at an event. It’s what makes it magical and memorable!” n