Weddings take place at Chilston Park Hotel on every day of the week and Fiona works a mixture of early and late shifts. “I am quite an organised person so love organising things, I love the people and I love the whole excitement of wedding co-ordinating – it’s so special to be part of their special day.”
Fiona is keen to point out that they are flexible for the wedding couple “we have had many unique requests – like incorporating snow machines in the room! Anything can be brought into the venue as long as it doesn’t cause any damage!” Fiona adds.
Fiona sums up why she thinks the weddings work so smoothly here: “The wedding team have been here so long we really work well together”
Clarity is key to helping the couples decide if Chilston Park Hotel is the venue for them but once Fiona has worked her magic the couple then entrust their special day with Kerrin.
Having worked in the leisure and hospitality industry for many years Kerrin is the epitome of the wedding profession. He is your rock on your wedding day, the man who holds everything together and ensures there are no slip ups. Kerrin is Fred Astaire to Fiona’s Ginger Rogers – they are a great double act and made the tricky task of event management seem like a stroll in the park.
Kerrin revels in the details of the day – he is a meticulous guy: “A typical wedding day for me starts at 10am when I go and see the bride and put her at her ease then check all table cards and place settings. I ensure I keep checking that the bride is okay then ensure the groom has all he needs when he arrives – a quick whiskey if needed! I chat with the registrar to go over details and organise the toast master plus organising the team” Kerrin is matter of fact in his list of tasks but it is clear that without these important checks and vital communication the day would not run according to plan.
The team can be any amount from 1 – 12 and a ratio of bar staff. I ensure the waitresses know who is who at the wedding – so who is the most important - and make sure they are ready for the silver service bread serving to start and serve the wedding breakfast properly - I direct the people to the tables. I also organise the menu plans for the kitchen and do a detailed seat plan so they know where any dietry requirements are needed.” At this point my pen is running out of ink but Kerrin’s list seems endless, “I invite the guests to move through from the breakfast room so the staff can clean down and get ready for the evening and I organise the cutting of the cake, ensure the band or DJ is organised, organise the first dance and oversee the buffet in the evening.”
It is a job he clearly loves “It’s an important job and I’m an important person on the day so it’s a good job I am a perfectionist! I have a certain way of doing things – don’t mess with my seating!” Kerrin jokes but I get the feeling that if I did, I would regret it.
Kerrin comes across as a pure professional in his role and that is what a wedding needs. I for one would want to know that my meddlesome little brother wouldn’t be able to move the bridesmaids name places to his table without the withering eyes of Kerrin boring through his sole and it would put me at my ease to know that Kerrin is strict with his timing. For someone else to take the worry out of your big day is the most important thing.
There are down sides to the job. Fiona said “We do get really, really busy but that is much better than drumming your fingers in the office” and Kerrin agrees there are some jobs a little more tiresome than others “Believe it or not, usually the longest job of the day is polishing the glasses because you have up to 96 people for one breakfast each with three glasses! The trick to a clear, clean glass is to use boiling water and dry tea towels” Kerrin added as a handy little tip.
So one of the keys to the wedding success of Chilston Park seems to be the wedding duo who are in love with each other as well as their jobs. Delving further into the way weddings work at Chilston I take to the kitchens and interview Soux Chef Zoe Carty.