World-renowned celebrity wedding planner Jane Dayus-Hinch, host of TV reality show Wedding SOS recently made an appearance in Red Deer at With this Ring Bridal Gala where she did a ‘Plan Your Wedding In A Day’ workshop.

Dayus-Hinch has been a wedding planner for 28 years and has done numerous weddings. “When I got to 1,000 weddings I stopped counting.”

In addition, she took 15 years worth of other courses relating to weddings. “I trained to be a photographer, I trained to be a florist, I trained to be a cake decorator, I did calligraphy. I did every single aspect of a wedding event so that if something goes wrong I can pick up a camera and do it, I can do the cake, I can do everything.”

After working for the Phillip Morris company organizing their grand prix each year she decided to switch gears and start to focus on weddings, however, the real reason she became a wedding planner came much earlier in her life.

When Dayus-Hinch was four her mother worked for a large company called Rubery Owens. Sir Alfred Owen was a large industrialist. Princess Margaret was coming to see the factory and Dayus-Hinch’s mother was asked if her daughter would present a bouquet to the princess. Mother agreed.

When Princess Margaret arrived she was instructed to curtsy before the princess and to give her the flowers. Four-year-old Dayus-Hinch looks around the room. Her mother nudges her, ‘give the princess the flowers’.

She continued to survey the room. Her mother then realized what was happening. ‘Give the flowers to the lady.’

Dayus-Hinch had been waiting for a true princess with the full gown, the tiara and the sparkles. She had been greatly disappointed.

Growing up, Dayus-Hinch lived across the street from a church. One day she and her mother set off across the street as a wedding was ending. A ‘princess’ came out, and it was a bride. “And that was it. I was hooked,” she said.

Dayus-Hinch worked in the UK as a wedding planner for many years before she was headhunted to host the Canadian show Wedding SOS.

When she agreed to do the show she was surprised by some of the details. She did not know that the show was in Canada, she did not know that she would only have 10 days to move to Toronto and she thought that she was only coming for six months. The show was in production for five years but has now stopped filming.

Dayus-Hinch took a year off but she has now filmed a pilot for a new show and the networks are currently considering it.

In addition to her television shows she has started up two ventures.

She has recently launched her new company JDH Weddings & Events. This is her launch for Canada, as apposed to being all UK-based. Here, brides come to her and she can do whatever it is that they need her to do.

“I do as much or as little as the brides want.”

Dayus-Hinch has also opened her new bridal store Royal Posh. It is located in downtown Oakville, Ont.

“As you come in you see all the dresses and everything for the bride, and then upstairs you have got my photographers, videographers, florists, décor and everything up there. The brides can come to me and find me there.

“And now we have the décor in Calgary so my second office will be in Calgary but this will be further down the line.”

After so many years in the business, Dayus-Hinch leaves brides with some advice. “Always, always, always have a plan A and a plan B.”

treid@reddeerexpress.com