Kate wasn't sure which direction to take after school, but after completing her BSc in Early Childhood Studies at the University of Bristol, she found her path in the world of hospitality.
She spent eight years at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London, starting as a Food and Beverage Coordinator and working her way up to Events Manager. Her work spanned everything from intimate meetings of eight people to weddings for 200 guests. Brides were often the most demanding clients — but working closely with them, and being part of one of the biggest days of their lives, was what she loved most about the job.
In 2012 Kate married Tim, and in 2014 their daughter Lottie was born. It was around this time that she left the Mandarin Oriental to join Planned2Perfection, a production company working with a range of clients and five-star hotels across London and the surrounding areas. One of her favourite projects was a surprise 40th birthday party — the husband wanted the full works, and the result was a spectacular event.
When their second daughter, Isabel, arrived in 2017, Kate and Tim decided it was time to leave London for the countryside — more space for the girls to grow up, and closer to Kate's family in Oxfordshire. The timing turned out to be perfect: just a month after the move, Karen was looking for a new member of the Oxford Creativity team. Kate joined shortly after, and has been part of the team ever since.
