My night at the Cosmopolitan Magazine Blog awards 2015

If you have to spend a whirlwind 24 hours in London, then spending them at a glitzy awards ceremony isn’t a bad way to do it! I may have returned home exhausted, with the sorest of heads and feet and no voice, but at least I had an amazing night, AND was also able to buy some M&S chocolate covered cornflake bars. Result!

After flying in to Gatwick airport, my day started off at my mum’s house, which is just half an hour on the train to London. So I was able to stop off there, have a little kip, be fed in ways that only West Indian mothers can and be pampered and spoilt. I loved seeing my mum and my aunt (my mum’s best friend) who popped in to see me, as did one of my oldest best friends, who popped in for a quick catch-up and hug. It was nice to have a little committee to see me off and make sure my hair was ok. As I was getting ready I had the joy of listening to this conversation.

My aunt: So what’s a blog then?

My mum: It’s the thing she writes on the internet. About weddings.

My aunt: Oh. (pause) That’s nice.

I was cracking up so much, I pencilled lip liner well above my lips. A great way to start off a fab night!

Ceremony time

I have never been to an awards ceremony in my life, well if you discount the time I was awarded a certificate for winning my school spelling competition. I was not disappointed, though. Held at the gorgeous Marylebone One, in its huge hall space (which is also a popular London wedding venue), it was a bit of a surprise to rock up to the entrance and find that a red carpet had been laid out, there was a camera crew filming and there were suited and booted security guards, with ear pieces and all, who actually asked your name and checked you in on their ipads! Wow, proper!

So in I went, remembering to close my mouth as I kept walking around with this silly O – shape on my face, like I’d never been to swanky awards before! Those who know me, will be surprised to hear that I was one of the first there, but I was. I quickly latched on to two fitness bloggers who had arrived together, and hung about with them for a while until more people arrived. The invitation did not allow for plus ones, so it was quite strange arriving somewhere by yourself and being in a room with people who you don’t know or who you only know via their blogs. But in the end, once the room had warmed up, literally, so had everyone and it was really easy talking to everyone and finding out who they were.

I loved meeting for the first time some of the wedding bloggers whose blogs I love and admire so much; Emily and Jess from Bespoke Bride, Louise from B. Loved, Clare from Bridal Musings and Erica from Mr and Mrs Unique. Top girls, really nice to meet them all.

I really loved meeting so many bloggers who weren’t in the bridal category as well. Gorgeous design vlogger Charli Marie who has a fab design blog and one super talented lady. Lauren who has the awesome ‘No bad dates, just good stories,‘ blog, which is so funny. You might have read about a story recently where a jilted date demanded back his three pound fifty for coffee that he spent on a girl who didn’t want a second date with him. Well, that was Lauren! She is a scream. Plus, Hedi a vegan and clean food blogger with a figure to-die-for, whose blog is full of the most amazing recipes and is beautifully written and photographed and English isn’t even her first language! And Helen, a fitness blogger veteran and all-round lovely woman. The room was just full of kick-ass female bloggers. I’ve never felt so inspired.

The highlights

There was so much going on, but in between meeting so many awesome women, this is what else I got up to and loved!

• Getting my hair styled by Remington’s super stylist Charley McEwen (charley.mcewen), using their new curl revolution hair tongs. I’ve actually never seen my hair look so good, and Remington aren’t even paying me to say this! This supreme talent styles the hair of the likes of Kellie Rowland and Nicole Scherzinger, for goodness sake! If you check out his Instagram page you’ll find a whole other host of celebs whose hair he styles. OMG! Touched by a hairdressing god!
• Drinking Kir Blushes. Yep, I’d never heard of it either but it was a drink made using Blossom Hill (the event sponsors) new Blush wine and blackcurrant cassis. Yum! And very pretty looking with a lovely fresh blackberry perched on the glass. I have no photo of course. I was way too busy drinking them to take photos of them!
• Eating  Devouring loads of yummy canapes and bite-sized desserts and cakes. I ate for me and all the guests who weren’t eating or couldn’t make it!
• Having professional photos taken in the Cosmo photo booth. It all started so well, until everyone got drunk!

By the time they announced that it was awards time, I genuinely had forgotten all about that part of the evening. I was having so much fun and such a good time that the awards were secondary. Cosmopolitan’s editor Farrah Storr gave us all a nice welcome and mentioned the importance of blogging and how overall 60,000 people voted. Wowsers! She then introduced Lilah Parsons, an MTV presenter and DJ to the stage, who hosted the awards. In the bridal category, the lovely Bespoke Bride girls got the highly commended award and the So You’re Getting Married team were the winners. High fives all round.

One thing that I loved about the awards was the way that everyone was cheering and clapping on all of the winners and highly commended bloggers. It was so supportive and loving and I know I’m not speaking for myself in saying that it was more than just being a gracious loser, because people were genuinely rooting and cheering for each other. Loved that. Bloggers are passionate people and it was nice to show that passion and support for others who do what you do. I did not win, but I didn’t lose either. Being there for me was enough! Or should I say, being there and getting a loads of goodie bags were enough! It felt very nice to be taking home a whole host of nice beauty products, a t-shirt (that fits someone else’s thinner body!) and a gorgeous Remington ceramic curling iron too. I’ve been sporting some lovely wavy hair since Thursday!

I didn’t want the night to end and I could have spent much more time talking, as always, but I had to catch my train back to Gatwick ready for a stupidly early flight the next morning to take me back to Malaga and my boys. In fact, I landed just in time to pick my little one up from pre-school.

Me: Did you miss mummy?

Him: No.

It’s fab having a glitzy night out, but it’s always good to be home, even when the little bugger didn’t miss me!

Mad Love to;

Lorraine Romain of Princess Bride Hair & Make Up who did all my pre-award beautifying from hair cut and style, make-up and nails. I would not have looked half as good without her magic hands!