'I plan parties for celebs – why I refused Beckhams and who left me starstruck'
Oh, so you’re the other Liz Taylor,” says Prince Charles – as he then was – to me. I’m attending a prestigious Prince’s Trust lunch in Manchester, in my role as the charity’s first female board member in the North West. “No, I’m the Liz Taylor,” I tell him, with a straight face. He bursts into laughter – but it’s true, I’ve made a name for myself as the ultimate party planner. My reputation precedes me.
Over the years I’ve worked with royals many times, planning their lavish parties. I helped throw a Centrepoint charity ball in 2013, attended by Prince William – who famously sang on stage with Taylor Swift and Jon Bon Jovi. I’d received a call only three weeks earlier and was summoned to Kensington Palace the very next day. I pulled off a dinner for 250 VIP guests, followed by a concert in a marquee with a spectacular winter wonderland theme complete with life-size ballerina statues, snowflakes projections and glistening trees.
I don’t tend to get starstruck, even by future kings – they’re just normal people. The only exception is the Coronation Street cast. They’ve been on my telly since I was a little girl and I still have to keep my cool when I throw the ITV show’s anniversary parties and when I work with the Corrie stars, too. From Catherine Tyldesley and Alan Halsall to Jennie McAlpine and Suranne Jones – I’ve helped with everything from weddings to leaving parties.
She also planned Gary Neville's wedding
Mark Wright even mentioned Liz in his wedding speech (Getty Images for Atlantis The Ro)But my life hasn’t always been glitz and glamour. My party-planning journey started in 1986, when I was pregnant with my second daughter and in a marriage that wasn’t going exactly how I hoped. I’d been working at M&S as a management trainee for a decade but craved something bigger. So I quit.
I ended up meeting the director of sales at Holiday Inn almost by accident. I was pitching a personal shopping scheme for hotel guests and we got chatting. She wanted to promote the company’s new Manchester hotel to local business people and press with a Hollywood-themed party.
Corrie's Sue Cleaver says I'm A Celebrity stint helped her to push boundaries
I told her I could do it. I had no experience throwing parties. I just saw an opportunity and grabbed it. I filled their empty pool with black and silver balloons, with Chester Harriott – chef Ainsley’s dad – at a piano.
With no contacts in the party business world, I’d been ringing up suppliers and running in and out of shops. It was very basic and predictable – not something I’d do now – but impressive to many guests. From there things organically grew as different people passed on my details.
I’ve thrown actor Antony Cotton a birthday party on a train, secured Gary Barlow a Bentley for a charity auction, organised numerous parties for Manchester United and planned a three-day wedding with a £1.75 million budget. We turned the venue into a full-scale medieval village banquet. I’ll never forget the reactions when guests saw the transformation. It was magic.
The Winter Whites Ball, Kensington Palace arranged by Liz Taylor for Prince William (©www.kipcarroll.com)If a task seems impossible then I’m more motivated. I once got Harry Styles to deliver a cake to an 18th party, where the birthday girl was a huge fan. I went through a chain of friends of friends until I got to him. I had an entire vintage carousel built for a circus-themed party, and I threw a Narnia-themed bash where guests stepped through a wardrobe into the wonderland.
Selling the idea of a party is a big part of my job. I sat next to Eamonn Holmes at a Manchester United dinner and by the time the dessert arrived, I’d convinced him to let me throw a 50th for him. I then organised his wedding to Ruth Langsford, where Christopher Biggins dressed up as Susan Boyle – that brought the house down. It’s all about having the balls to make things happen.
My business is my name so I’m just as hands-on now as I was for that first party. If an event goes amazingly well, it’s my name on it, but if it goes tits-up, I’m to blame. I have five great women working for me, but I need an element of control – polishing cutlery, rearranging flowers and checking on the canapés. The girls say I can spot a spelling mistake on an invite before it’s even been written.
Taylor Swift and Jon Bon Jovi and Prince William rendition of 'Living on a prayer' at the Winter Whites Ball (©www.kipcarroll.com)I don’t really get to enjoy the parties and I definitely don’t drink, as I can’t take my eye off the ball for one second. The job also isn’t as glamorous as people think. It’s like assembling a big jigsaw. It’s all about logistics and planning every detail from the colour of the napkins to the band’s opening song. Tablecloths that don’t touch the floor are a major ick of mine.
There have been jobs I’ve turned down, including David and Victoria Beckham’s wedding. Their team asked me to sponsor the event – I’d have been working for free. I had to politely decline but I don’t have any regrets. I’ve seen the drama around Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz’s wedding and how the second set of wedding planners are countersuing the Peltz family. Sometimes these big weddings can be more trouble than they’re worth.
Liz also planned the The Marina Dalglish Appeal ball (Jay Cain photographer)I’ve had experience of stepping in at the last minute, too. I was brought in to take over the planning of Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan’s wedding three months before the big day. I arranged an initial meeting with Mark at the venue, over four hours’ drive from me. As I neared the venue he called to say he couldn’t make it as he’d been out the night before. I told him to f**k off and that if he didn’t turn up within an hour I wouldn’t be involved. He showed up.
I’ve found the rich and famous respect that I’m a strong woman. They don’t want a “yes” girl. Mark even mentioned me in his groom’s speech. “See that woman over there – that’s my wedding planner, you don’t mess with her,” he said.
Sue Cleaver feels 'more empowered' as she labels her 50s her 'happiest decade'
I’ve become expert in dealing with disasters with minimal disruption to guests. An outdoor dance floor started to collapse mid-party. Luckily, I saw the signs and encouraged an impromptu speech in a different area to distract guests while handymen fixed it. There was a kitchen fire just before another party – the fire brigade had put it out before the first guest arrived. When I threw a party for businessman John Whittaker on the Isle of Man, the band and dancers’ luggage got left in Manchester. I didn’t leave the airport alone until the situation was resolved.
Liz Taylor and the magician Dynamo - she has booked him for many events (Jay Cain photographer)I don’t take no for an answer and I tell my employees not to tell me they can’t do something. Instead they should say “I can’t do it this way, so what else can I try?” A girl who left the company said she’d been doing 55-hour weeks. I told her if you’re counting the hours you’re not in the right job. We work constantly to make clients’ dreams come true and my working day can start at 5am and finish at 3am.
But the most pressured parties are those of my own daughters. They didn’t want anything out of the ordinary but I felt an extra burden as their mum. Luckily, they were both very happy.
I may have planned a lot of happily ever afters, but I’ve been divorced three times and experienced real turmoil in my life. Party planning remains my constant partner. My joy comes from watching people’s faces light up when they see their dream theme come to life. It’s so special to be part of so many milestone moments and events people consider the best days of their lives. The thank you cards from customers, and the money I’ve helped raise at charity parties, inspire me on tough days.
I will keep going as long as possible – and continually remind myself I’m only as good as my last event.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
