The Most Curious Wedding Fair and the #jugglistmassive

The Most Curious Wedding Fair Spring 17 Shows kick off in almost a month to the day, and it is going to be an amazing explosion of creativity of the most exciting names, movers, makers, designers and shakers in the wedding industry. One hundred and sixty of them in all at the Truman Brewery – sixty in Norwich – and all there to inspire you creative and style-savvy brides.

This the show everyone is talking about and the one you don’t want to miss. But you know that already right? What you don’t know, is that behind all the swoony Instagram product posts, the shiny images of the catwalk shows, the industrial chic styled up venue and the achingly cool sneak peaks at the new designs and ideas to be unveiled just for you at the event, is the untold story of what we like to call the ‘Jugglist Massive’ #jugglistmassive.

most curious wedding team

We want to share the untold story of the multi-tasking mummas that make our show and indeed, who make much of the wedding industry and their families go round (and sometimes themselves – round the bend that is!).

Something that has struck us over the years at Most Curious is just how many inspirational and amazing girl-bosses there are out there in the wedding industry who are also mothers. I guess, let’s be frank, we’re the ones who create the babies – that is something we cannot delegate – and remain for the most part the bigger part in raising them, so yes, we can have it all, but that means we actually have to do it all.

jugglist massive wedding cake

It can be exhausting, but there is something awe inspiring in it too, a tribe of women managing to make magic in nap times and creating enterprises while cutting the crusts off sandwiches and wiping noses, growing businesses while they grow tiny and excellent humans at the same time.We don’t know if there is something in particular about the wedding industry that lends itself to ‘the juggle’, but many of our Most Curious family of exhibitors are made up of wonderful, dynamic women. Women who build amazing business, stroke their bumps at the shows with pride, set up with their new borns in slings, take bookings with toddlers running around and tired dads holding their little hands while mumma does her thing, or bored tweens waiting to move on to the next part of their weekend.

jugglist massive most curious kids

We have followed these mother’s journeys into sleepless nights and panic that they are disappearing from the scene while they feed their babies. We have seen them covered in baby spit/vomit/gunk and not feeling like a girl-boss at all, yet coping with work days that start well before the school run starts and emails that commence ‘just quickly while Alfie is asleep’ (and maybe even others ending ‘gotta go, little Betsy has just poo-ed all over the carpet’).

We stand with these women and we want to celebrate them, because Most Curious isn’t ‘just’ a wedding event, it’s a gathering of a wonderful community who support and empower each other. We count ourselves, as founders of Most Curious, amongst this gang too, and are proud to be a part of the #jugglistmassive.

And us, the Most Curious team, are also in this gang. A gang that we want to celebrate, salute and take a moment to pat on the back, and tell they are doing a great job, a gang that we have named the Jugglist Massive!

most curious wedding team2

Pictured from left to right above are Ann-Marie Faulkner, Head of Production, with her baby Woody, aged 3 months, Cat Brennan, Exhibitor Booker with her daughter Sophie, aged 9, Ellie Kime, Events Assistant and Becky Hoh-Hale, Founder of Most Curious Events, with her daughter Bella, aged 5 (and another baby on the way!).

To celebrate all of the women, and men too, who are juggling and running their own wedding business and being parents, we’re kicking off the Jugglist Massive campaign through this here wedding blog, and one of the pro-Jugglist’s out there, Love My Dress! Along with this photoshoot by our sponsor Matilda Delves (who defied all the odds and created some cool pics with 12 frazzled women and 15 sugared up children), we’ll be running a blog series of interviews with the Most Curious team (read these now on our blog) and some of our exhibitors, on the highs and lows, just why and how the heck they do it it all. You can tag your multi-tasking mumma/dadda Instagram pictures to let us know that you’re juggling too, by using the hashtag #jugglistmassive.

Keep going Jugglist Massive, the juggle is real and you’re smashing it.

team shot most curious

Here’s some snippets from interviews with our Jugglist Massive members over on the Most Curious blog right now keep you going…

Becky Hoh-Hale, Founder of Most Curious, Mum to Bella, 5, and expecting number 2 in August this year.

Your business is your baby, and your baby is your baby too! And both are demanding 24/7, neither one you can shut the door on and forget about till you arrive at the office again the next day. Your life is the office and your life is constant motherhood, you can not switch off from either!”

Follow Becky on Instagram @beckycurious

becky most curious

Cat Brennan, Exhibitor liaison (fancy) and general right hand lady at Most Curious, mum to Sophie, 9.

I do occasionally miss the simplicity of an office job and being able to switch off completely once work is over, but I actually wouldn’t trade it now if I could, because doing a job that you are passionate about really is the best thing you can do.”

Follow Cat on Instagram @catmostcurious

cat most curious

Ann-Marie Faulkner, Founder of AM Faulkner Bridal + Head of Production with Most Curious , mum to Woody Jude, four months.

“I think the main challenge is trying to get to everything done in a day whilst still giving as much attention to Woody and trying to keep the guilt under control! Lack of sleep is also a MAJOR challenge. I try to plan something fun once a week so I’m not stuck in the mundane routine of babycare/work/sleep/repeat.”

Follow Ann-Marie on Instagram @am_faulkner

ann marie faulkner

Penny Baldry, Founder of The Little Lending Company and Head of the Norwich Most Curious Show, brand newbie mum to Della, two weeks old. Image credit Darina Stoda

“In the 2 weeks of being a mumtrepreneur there have been some super highs and, I’ll be honest, some all time lows. As the sleep deprivation takes hold and the pressure to keep up to date with a bulging inbox is my every other thought it’s really blooming tough already.

But saying that, I think I was emailing on day 6 of Della being here (totally my choice as I flipping love what I do) but I felt that for that hour that everything was also falling into place just a little. Like I had the absolute best of both worlds as my tiny little girl slept next to me, my heart was bursting with love for her and the fact that I could still have a little head space for my biz. I know not every day will be like that, but on those days where I have it kind of together I think it’s going to be pretty brilliant.”

Follow Penny on Instagram @thelittlelendingco

penny baldry

Ellie Kime, Planner and Stylist at Ellie Kime Weddings, events assistant at Most Curious. Not yet a mumma but is well versed in the world of being a Jugglist.

“Every boss I’ve had in the industry so far has, without fail, been not only an incredible mentor to me but also an infallible mother simultaneously, and I think the two go well together – resulting in an often slightly frantic, über creative energy with constant sass and the strongest work ethic ever, provided in the comforting environment of a pair of always-welcoming arms.”

Follow Ellie in Instagram @elliekimeweddings

ellie most curious

Kate Halfpenny, Halfpenny London bridal, Mum to Sylvester, 2.

“I thought before I had a baby I was the headline in a juggling act, the more balls thrown at me the more I relished the Challenge, I definitely still thrive on being busy, but since the arrival of Sylvester it’s all about organisation and less balls. Prioritising and delegating are key to growing my little business. I am nothing without my incredible team!”

Follow Kate on Instagram @halfpennylondon

kate halfpenny and son sylvester

Dana Dallal, Dana Dallal Bridal, Mum to Axel, 8 weeks.

“Its still early days for us so we are trying to slowly get things done but right now, the strategy is to get someone to babysit in between feeds so I can get work done and also fit in a nap for myself sometimes. I think adjusting our expectations is key to avoiding disappointment and remembering that it does get easier. (at least I hope it does!)”

Follow Dana on Instagram @danadallalbridaldana dallal and

Claire Owen, Claire Owen Cakes, mum to Flo, 7, and Rory, 5

“My children actually do think I have a cool job!  And for me it’s so important to be a role model for both my daughter and my son – that women can do fulfilling work and be a good (I hope) parent.”

Follow Claire on Instagram @claireowencakes

Matilda Delve wedding photography Most Curious Fair family shoot 2017 124

Helaina Storey, Helaina Storey Wedding Design, Mum to Heath, 8, Poppy, 5, and Imogen, 2.

“I have to literally lock myself in the garden to make any important phone calls so that the person on the receiving end doesn’t think I work at a creche or a ZOO! The dread of where I imagine I will find felt tip or cornflakes or poo when I return is always a nerve wracking experience.”

Follow Helaina on Instagram @helainastoreyweddingdesign

Matilda Delve wedding photography Most Curious Fair family shoot 2017 108

Lauren Delpech, French Made Cakes, Mum to Luna, 9.

“Create strict boundaries. Structure your day so that you make time for both your business and your child and you, and stick to it! (she says..)”

Follow Lauren on Instagram @frenchmadelond

lauren luna

Megan Collins, Blossom & Crumb Cakes, Mum to Bertie, 5, Arthur, 3.

“The biggest challenge for me is mental. I find that everything seems to come with a side order of guilt! One important thing, is developing the ability to say no! I could so easily book out every evening and weekend with the business but you can’t live like that.”

Follow Megan on Instagram @blossomandcrumb

meghan

Yen Duong, Founder of Yen Jewellery, mum to Zak, 12, and Ella Mai, 9

Motherhood has taught me that I have the capacity to do so much more and achieve a juggling act beyond my own expectations. But.. be realistic and honest about your capacity and time limitations. Be kind to yourself.”

Follow Yen on Instagram @yenjewellery

yen

Zoe Lacey, The Golden Letter Paper Studio, Mum to Noah, 4.

“The challenges are working around childcare, sick days (you and them!), half terms and terribly timed summer holidays! Late nights and EARLY mornings!

But the positives are getting to take an afternoon off if I feel like it and hang out with my small person.”

zoey and noah

Advance tickets for the MOST CURIOUS wedding fair being held 17-19 March at The Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, London, can be purchased online for £8.50, or £20 for VIP tickets. We are also holding an event at St Andrews Hall in Norwich on 9th April – tickets £2.50 in advance online.

There are no photos with those IDs or post 681490 does not have any attached images!

We very much look forward to seeing you there,

Love Becky x

Becky Hoh-Hale

Becky Hoh-Hale View all Becky's articles

Becky Hoh-Hale is the founder of Most Curious Wedding Fair and when she's not doing that is writing about cool design and interiors. She enjoys being half Malaysian Chinese, house plants, good coffee and is waiting patiently for the next season of Stranger Things.

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