SPRING INSTAMEET
Instagram. It doesn’t always have the best reputation.
Often criticised for it’s airbrushed images of unattainable lifestyles.
But for many of us, there’s more to the app than just those pretty little squares.
I have found Instagram to be a place of positivity, encouragement, opportunity and friendship. In fact, I have met some of my closest truest friends there.
That’s what inspired the ‘Instameets’. Why not bring these lovely, like-minded women who are dotted all over the world, together, and make them real life friends too. A day filled with all the things I love and hope they will love too.
This is the second Instameet I’ve hosted. The first one was a roaring success, with the tickets to our festive afternoon tea selling out in seconds. I knew we could make this one bigger and better.
This time, for our Spring Instameet, I welcomed eighty Instagrammers to my blossom-filled-home-county of Herefordshire.
I was soooo thrilled when I found the most spectacular venue in Lemore Manor, so spectacular in fact, that we’ll be tying the knot there later in the year too. EAK!!
Set in the rolling Herefordshire countryside, not far from the Welsh border. Lemore Manor is a stunningly beautiful 17th century Manor House where the only thing to outdo the property itself is the warm welcome and amazing service. We had exclusive use of the venue and 11 acres of grounds for 24 hours of the Instameet. It was perfect.
All eighty tickets sold out in minutes. So many amazing women brave enough to come alone and make new friends on the day. We even had guests fly over from France and Italy, I was blown away!
Before I share with you the details of the day, and more of the incredible captures by Lydia Harper, I’ll start with this video Ive shared this morning over on my YouTube Channel….
Thank you Adam Lyduch for capturing the day so beautifully. I think Adam was the only man in the house for the majority of the day, but what a guy! An absolute JOY to have around and so unbelievably talented too!
The images throughout this post have all been captured by Lydia Harper, my favourite photographer and a dear friend. As you’ll see Lids has a real gift and is always such a pleasure to share the day with. Lids and Adam made quite the team!
We started our day with ice-cold Elderflower Fizz on the terrace of Lemore Manor. The weather was on our side, a sunny spring day with a scattering of clouds. Everyone was given a name badge, with their name handwritten by my sweet and talented friend Lori Letters.
It was so lovely to see so many familiar faces and also to put faces to names. Lots of screams of excitement and bear hugs all round. The thing I love most about the Instameet is that it really doesn’t matter how old you are, if you’re a mum or not, if you have 2 followers or 200k, everyone is wonderful and in the same boat, positive and encouraging woman just there to enjoy the day.
After a chat on the sunny terrace we headed into the Jo Malone scented orangery for our brunch. The room looked seriously stunning. Huge long banqueting tables dressed with grey, blush and gold details with a scattering of Great British Blooms and candles.
The talented ladies at Couture Events helped to style the venue. They did the most fantastic job and the tables really were fresh out of Pinterest.
On each place setting was a kind of program, designed and printed by the team at Orphans Press. I absolutely LOVED how they made my usual “HUNTERS & HEELS” logo all pretty for spring. I’ve kept a few programs as a little souvenir of the day. The quality of all the printing they did for the event was second to none…just perfect!
Once everyone was seated I nervously stood up and said a few words. Public speaking really isn’t my favourite thing but it felt so good to welcome everyone to my home and to wish them the best day EVER!!
Then we tucked into our brunch, a delicious feast prepared by the Lemore Manor Chefs. Of course no brunch is complete without a cocktail, so we were all treated to Chase Cocktails through the day.
Brunch was served with a Pink Grapefruit Gin…..so refreshing and dangerously tasty! Needless to say, after brunch, any nerves had been washed away and the room was filled with chatter as everyone dug in to the gorgeous feast.
Then it was time for Bobbi Brown, for many, the highlight of the day.
We all gathered in the Coach House for a Masterclass with Pro Artist Ashley Griffiths. You might already know that I work for Bobbi Brown, and have done for 10 years, so I’ve known lovely Ashely for a long time. Yet every time she does this, I learn so many new things.
Ashley demo’d a really quick easy summer make-up on our pretty model Charlotte. With so many mums in the room the make-up was focused on looking fresh, fast. Needless to say that as soon as the doors of the Masterclass opened the crowd around the Bobbi Brown team was rather large. Everyone had the opportunity to visit the Artists throughout the day and all had a beautiful new Bobbi BrownCrushed Lip Colour in their Goody-Bags too.
The afternoon was filled with tea, more cocktails and plenty of time to chat and explore. Everywhere I looked there were little groups chatting, laughing, taking pictures. Such a happy day and truly a beautiful group of ladies getting to know each other.
Guests had the opportunity to visit Williams British Handmade Leather who make the most beautiful leather goods. Each guest could choose a leather keyring or bookmark and Sarah embossed it then and there with their initials or any words they liked.
They also had an opportunity to chat with Willy’s apple cider Vinegar. A local brand of ACV, famous for its many health and beauty benefits. Everyone got a bottle to take away so it was great to taste it and hear about how we can make it a healthy party of our lives.
My lovely friend Lucy from Capture By Lucy set up a flat-laying area. Lucy makes BRILLIANT flat-laying backdrops that you can roll up. I already have three and I knew people would love them. Perfect for us instagrammers who are’nt lucky enough to have perfect white washed floorboards.
Another highlight of the day was the Flower Crown Workshop with Great British Florist. So much more than just an online florist, these super talented and all-round lovely ladies are passionate about British Blooms, have a real gift floral design AND they can really work a room. They helped everyone create their very own flower crown from scratch.
The Coach House looked and smelled amazing as everyone sipped cocktails and busied away with their crowns. I love how nobody made the same one, everyones was unique and they made the prettiest pictures.
So with their make-up fresh and flower crowns firmly in place, our PhotoBooth suddenly became very busy. Who knew photo-booths were so much fun!?
The fabulous team at Silver Trailer Photo Booth set up in The Hen House. A gorgeous sparkly silver back drop (designed and printed by Orphans Studio). They were amazing, encouraging everyone to relax and be a bit crazy in front of the camera. The Silver Trailer photo-booth was a last minute decision but honestly I am so pleased they were there, another one of the highlights from the day.
As the sun set, we said goodbye to some of the guests who weren’t staying overnight at Lemore Manor. I hugged them goodbye, and realised that despite my best efforts, there was still so many people I felt I hadn’t spend enough time with. If I could do it all again I would make the whole day longer, so I could chat to everyone more. That said, everyone was really so so lovely and promised they had really enjoyed the day. Success!!
Each guest received a goodie bag filled with some of my favourite things. I hope they loved them! 🙂
Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Colour
White Company Summer Room Fragrance
Joules Mug
RubyLous Treat Co Cookie Dough
Fraser and Parsley Gold Bee Stationery
Chase GB Gin
Williams British Handmade Leather Keyring
Willy’s ACV
Tyrells Poshcorn
By 8pm, half the group had left. Those remaining slipped into their comfortable clothes, or in my case, just threw a hoodie over my dress and got ready for a ready for a cosy evening in the Manor.
For supper we had delicious wood fired pizza in the courtyard. Everyone got to choose their own toppings and take them away in boxes. It was exactly what we needed after a fun but busy day. We gathered around the tables and tucked into our pizza and a few bottles of wine by candlelight.
Most of us stayed up chatting until the early hours. Amazing how this group of women, most of whom had never met in real life, could chat for hours like long lost friends. I think thats the beauty of instagram. Somehow, you just connect with people, people perhaps you never would’ve met any other way. Like-minded, kind and encouraging women, that now, we can call real-life friends too.
Thank you again to everyone who came, so beautiful, kind and brave. You were so much fun to be around, and made it such a special day.
For everyone involved, the brands and suppliers. You were AMAZING!
For my wonderful friends and family for always supporting me and encouraging me to do these crazy things, I love you.
Now……on to the next……
