Meet the Judges - Kat Williams of Rock n Roll Bride



Made U Look Photography

So, as far as wedding blogging royalty goes, it simply doesn't get much bigger or better than our final London judge - the one and only Kat Williams of Rock n Roll Bride founding-fame. Repeatedly acknowledged as one of the most influential bloggers in the country, ex-television producer Kat launched the blog in 2007 whilst planning her own wedding, and from there has grown her blog, which she describes as "a little haven of kick ass weddingness in a cookie cutter, pastel and often puke-worthy wedding world", to one of the biggest in the world, featured by every major wedding publication in the UK, as well as growing the brand to include a print magazine and blogging workshop the Blogcademy. Oooh and she is a multiple award winner too - *wowzers*

So as the queen of all that is quirky, unique, individual and awesome, who could be better placed to judge bridal NEXT!? With a mission to help ordinary people plan extraordinary weddings which reflect their individuality and personality, and she is always on the lookout for exciting weddingy newness which will fit that brief, and help you be you on your big day. A philosophy which just so happens to fit in pretty damn well with our own, as it so happens. Kat has kindly chatted to us about her own big day, what's coming up for Rock n Roll Bride and what she'll be looking for as a bridal NEXT! judge.

1) You started Rock n Roll Bride after planning your own wedding - describe your dress, and tell us would you do things differently if you were getting married this year?

My dress was by Maggie Sottero. It originally had a pink sash but we changed it for a black one... pretty radical in 2008! If we were getting married this year our wedding would be SO different! I think we'd probably have something super colourful and I'd get a dress custom made, maybe incorporating vintage pieces - I'd probably have something short and 50s-inspired with a rainbow petticoat of some description!

English Rose Weddings Photography

2) What was the most important thing when you were planning your wedding, and was this the same as what was the most important on the actual day itself?

The most important thing for us was that our day was stress-free. We wanted our guests to have fun and for noone to be stressed out about anything. Even when our original venue cancelled 3 months before the wedding (I KNOW!), we were determinded not to go crazy about it - the fact that we were getting married was the most important thing! The day went pretty smoothly. Looking back there were a few things that weren't perfect - my flowers were horrible and not what I wanted at all, and the band were a bit crap but it really didn't matter on the day - we were just so happy to be married!

3) Who excites you the most in the wedding industry right now?

The new kids on the block. I feel a lot of the industry has got very stale and samey again recently. When I first started the blog there were a lot of new designers and artists about doing fab things and really shaking up the industry, but over time that seems to have waned a little and again and now everyone has ended up doing the same thing. But there are a small group of breakthrough designers and artists who are turning things on its head and getting creative. I'm excited to see where the UK industry will be in 6 months time!

4) What will you be looking for at Bridal NEXT! ?

People doing new, exciting and different things. I'll be walking straight past the bunting, the mismatched crockery and the cupcakes.. sorry but I'm well over it!

5) What are you working on right now?

Well I'm off to New York next week for my first big 2 day blogging workshop, co-hosted by my blogging buddies Gala Darling & Nubby Twiglet. We have 30 attendees coming from all over the world - we've got people flying in from London, New Zealand, Australia, Canada as well as from all over the US! I'm SO NERVOUS but so excited at the same time! After this event our plan is to take it all over the world so watch this space, because we'll be bringing it to the UK very soon - I promise. Hey, what could be better than travelling the world with your BFFs all in the name of work?! I CANT THINK OF ANYTHING!

6) What is on your desk today?

Oh a lot of crap ha! Some Fuji Instax film which just got delivered the other day (i'm taking it to New York with me), a load of photos/frames/polaroids of me and my friends, my Butler & Wilson skull tiara (permanent feature!), my ridiculous phone, a couple of empty coffee mugs, my diary, some fish oil tablets and some carmex. Exciting huh?!