Cover story

2:27pm Thursday 14th February 2008

Organising a wedding is a big commitment nowadays, and the last thing most people would think of is special chair covers. But according to Amy Green, they can bring glamour to the dullest venue, giving it the splendour which couples need for on their big day.

Before having her baby Lydia, now aged 14 months old, Ms Green worked in the sales office of the Randolph Hotel in Oxford.

She said: "I heard someone ask about chair covers and eventually she found someone from London who did them, and I saw what a transformation it made.

"I didn't want to go back to work full-time and I was looking for an opportunity. I thought that if no-one local was doing chair covers, there was an opening."

Business was slow to start with, but now word-of-mouth recommendations and wedding fair marketing mean she is fully booked for the next few months.

"At the beginning it was a bit slow. Chair covers aren't really something people think about when they're planning a wedding, but once they see them, they understand what a big difference it makes.

She works with the Oxford-based Four Pillars hotel group, but generally customers are individuals using a wide range of venues, from hotels and conference centres to marquees, village halls and community centres.

"People have plastic chairs, or use their own wooden chairs, which tend to be a bit shabby after a few years of use. The stark conference-style chairs can be in garish colours.

"Ours are crisp white linen to match the tablecloths, and you can match the wedding colour scheme with a sash and bow. It makes the room look more exciting so that when people walk in, they know something special is happening.

"When you consider that the average wedding budget is £10,000 to £12,000, it's not highly expensive - £3 fully fitted - and if you want to save money you can fit them yourself."

She believes they can be a money-saving trick, because they transform the otherwise unpromising venues on offer to couples with a tight budget.

"We are fully booked for May, June and most of July. I think a lot more wedding magazines are showing different ways of decorating rooms and more people know about chair covers."

She added: "All brides have a budget and weddings can get quite expensive nowadays. It's an affordable way to improve the overall look of a reception room."

The company, which she runs single-handed, also supplies covers for other special events such as birthdays, anniversary dinners, or corporate banquets.

Her own big day was last year at the Westwood Country Hotel, on Boars Hill. Did she use her own chair covers?

"Yes I did, and they made such a difference."

o Contact: Isis Chair Covers 01235 203642, www.isischaircovers.co.uk

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