Making the decision to undergo a brand refresh has been a BIG decision for me, similar to the decision you’re making by taking the plunge and choosing a destination wedding.

One involves palm trees, a white sandy beach and the exchange of vows; the other, a white (and very blank!) sheet of paper and the shift of a brand.  Both are a step into the unknown.

A small business brand refresh is a huge investment of time, energy and emotions that requires planning, patience and long-term vision, just like the up-and-coming milestone in your life – your wedding.

Why a brand refresh?

You know that feeling when you’re in your favourite dress with your go-to lippy and those heels that you can wear all night, but then you catch yourself in the mirror and realise it’s time for a change?  That’s exactly how I was feeling about Forever Lovestruck.  It had been over two years since I’d designed the original website, and well, it just didn’t feel like ME anymore.

We were creating events beyond the original branding and it was definitely time for a refresh to better represent how the business has grown and developed over these last two hectic, but hugely rewarding years!

Since the launch of Forever Lovestruck in 2017, the most important aspect of our offering has been to always offer a bespoke service and superbly planned weddings, and that hasn’t changed one bit – I continue to invest a bundle of energy, love and time into each and every wedding, proposal and special event.  I love the reasons why our couples chose us to journey with them into married life and the time had come to give Forever Lovestruck the same amount of love and attention.

 

 

What I Kept…and Ditched!

The refresh hasn’t all been about ditching the old and in with the new!  A name change was never a consideration- I’ve kept Forever Lovestruck as it encapsulates everything our couples are about.  From the start of the process, I was very clear that I wanted to keep the teal and pink as my signature colours, however, I knew I needed a fresher look with a sophisticated, cleaner palette.  I also wanted to ‘lift’ the whole feel of the website and opted for a neutral, clean background – you can’t go wrong with white, right?!

One of the things I was most excited about was creating a new logo that would become synonymous with Forever Lovestruck and that would hint at the services offered.  The clever incorporation of the infinity symbol in the new logo does exactly that – it reflects our lovestruck couples who are embarking on their own ‘forever’ journey.

Final logo, brand mark and sample text

How I did it

Anybody who has started their own business from the ground up will know that working on your own website is a labour of love as essentially you are saying “This is me!  Please like me!”  It’s daunting, scary and opens you up to all sorts of vulnerabilities; but it’s also hugely creative, motivating and exciting.

I’d be lying if I said the prospect of designing new branding and website didn’t slightly fill me with dread – it’s a big step!  I bit the bullet and decided to invest and engage a specialist design agency.  I’ve worked with many designers over the years in my capacity as an Events Director in the UK, but of course, this time, it was all the more personal.  I needed someone who understood my business, my goals and aligned with my objectives.  A professional that reflected my ethos, my desires and ultimately understood my vision for Forever Lovestruck and the future – I needed a fairy godmother to translate my ideas, quirks and dreams and turn them into a reality.  Yup… it was a tall order!

After LOTS of research and several calls with design agencies from all over the world, I found a creative design agency that were a great fit – a boutique company in the United States who work with wedding professionals, almost exclusively.  It felt good to say goodbye to the old and step into my ‘refreshed’ Forever Lovestruck life.

 

And finally…

Going through the process of a brand refresh and having to think really carefully about what I wanted to show as a reflection of Forever Lovestruck took a lot longer than expected.  It took just over six months all told, but it’s certainly been well worth the wait!  It took a lot of research, thinking time, hundreds of cups of tea, and if there was an award for tweaking, I think I’d be in the running for first place!

I’m so excited to launch the new website  – a lot of love has been poured into every single page and I hope you love it just as much as I do!