Autumn 2008 £2.75
For planners, organisers and other specialist intermediaries
Couples’ gift list headache By Mary Ferguson GIFT list providers Wrapit have gone into administration – owing £1.5m to trade suppliers and leaving 60,000 gifts undelivered. And embarrassed couples are being forced to ring guests to tell them to contact credit cards companies to reclaim the money spent on presents. Run by Pepita Diamand and Peter Gerardi, the company had been trading six years, and was behind the successful Wrapit industry awards. But administrators KPMG were called in following unsuccessful attempts by the directors to find a buyer for the business, and they have confirmed that trade suppliers are owed around £1.5m. Couples and guests can make claims for missing presents by writing to the administrators, who will publish a full report in October. Wedding planner Siobhan Craven-Robins said: “One of my couples haven’t got their gifts yet and obviously this is really inconvenient and disappointing.
“It will put other couples off using a gift list as Wrapit were so high profile. “In my 13 years in the industry, I have seen other gift list companies who have folded , so from my point of view, I now question recommending such a service to my clients.” And Andy Hickey, co-director of The Alternative Wedding List, believes the situation with Wrapit may force couples to think twice about who they use for their gift list. He added: “It worries me that a business like Wrapit has been able to operate in such a way for so long, but I’m not worried that it will put people off using gift lists. “What it will do is force them to be more careful about who they use, and I expect couples will opt for department store lists, or notfor-profit lists like ours – the middle of the market will be flushed out.” I For more on the situation, Page 3
Planner Debbie in crash shock
Coronation Street star Tupele Dorgu has set up an entertainments business providing performances for wedding receptions. Tupele, who plays Kelly in the soap, has launched Sugarstorm with partner Mark Flanagan in Manchester, drawing on her connections from her time performing in the West End.
A SHAKEN wedding planner has described how she was caught up in a car crash on the way back from visiting clients. Debbie Diggle, director of Wedding Wonders, was travelling back from London to Hertfordshire when she was hit headon by a drink driver. She told Wedding Professional: “Both my car and the van are write-offs and I have been told that if I was driving a less substantial car, I would not be here to tell the tale.” Both Debbie and the driver were taken to hospital on spinal boards, but later released – the driver straight to the police station. Debbie added: “I’m badly bruised and battered but that’s not really surprising.”