Supplier Spotlight – Locke & Busby

This month Tracey and Andy from Locke & Busby light up the blog (sorry!) as they take on our quick-fire questions for May’s Supplier Spotlight feature!

Please introduce yourself:

We are Tracey and Andy, the husband and wife team behind Locke & Busby! We hire our light up letters and cinema signs for weddings and events – any events, big or small!

Your business…

1. What made you want to set up your business?

Our daughter Lex, a wedding photographer suggested Andy (a cabinet maker by trade) make some ‘LOVE’ letters… Lex photographed them, we took them to a wedding fair, and the rest is history! We have approx. 68 letters and cinema signs, including a ‘#’, a star, an exclamation mark, full stops… the list goes on, and if we haven’t got it, Andy can make it!

2. What’s the best part of your job?

When we deliver our items and get such lovely feedback and comments that they are the nicest letters and signs they’ve ever seen, even other suppliers!!

3. What’s the worst part of your job?

Turning up at midnight to start collections… or parking at London venues.

4. What’s the weirdest request you’ve ever had from a client?

We still think the bride wanting ‘TWERK’ at her wedding reception was unusual… but then we have ‘POOP’ coming up soon which is going to be a conversation starter… or stopper!

5. What’s been your favourite ever wedding you’ve worked on/at?

The surprise wedding in Northampton. Yes, surprise wedding! All the guests thought they were coming to a joint birthday party, but when they arrived at the venue the groom then revealed the surprise and walked them to the local church for the wedding ceremony and celebrations after! It was amazing to return at the end of the night and see everyone so happy, chilled out and just enjoying themselves.

6. You’re surrounded by beauty in your job, what do you find beautiful?

We just love all the creative florals that are happening at the moment, so much greenery now which is amazing. Also the different venues you get now in London and the South East are out of this world, there are so many historical, industrial and modern venues that are now being utilised for weddings. I particularly love Wilton’s Music Hall.

7. Best piece of advice to offer to those getting married?

Do what YOU want to do as a couple! Not what your parents want!! Enjoy the day and stop and take it all in, it goes so fast.

8. Anyone you particularly admire in the industry?

It has to be Lex Fleming of Fleming Photo Ltd. Not only because she loves to be creative with her photography but also for her get-up-and-go setting up the London Wedding Breakfast Club for suppliers working in the wedding industry to meet and network together. Secondly, Franck from Father of the Bride! Lol. Oh how I would have loved a Franck to plan our wedding..!

9. Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Try to be the best at what you do. Don’t spread yourself too thin!

10. What was your career plan B?

This is our plan B! Plan C is to have our own wedding venue and make it the best through the faults we have noticed in other venues.

You…

11. Where do you call home?

For Andy it’s still West Yorkshire. For me, Bromley, where our girls grew up… until I can either move to be beside the sea or very rural countryside of North Yorkshire.

12. What’s your favourite shop?

Tracey: Clarks, Sue Ryder or Waitrose
Andy: Calais Wine Superstore (!!)

13. Favourite restaurant?

Côte Brasserie, it’s just easy!  You know what you are getting!

14. Favourite film?

Tracey: School of Rock, I just love it and I love the soundtrack.
Andy: Anything black and white and British.

15. Cocktail of choice?

Tracey: Slow Comfortable Screw
Andy: Rusty Nail or Boilermakers

16. Your biggest extravagance?

Our holiday in 2017. We never holiday anywhere, work always comes first so that one particularly was a real treat. We spent 5 days in New York and cruised back on the Queen Mary 2. It was out of this world and we cannot wait to go again. Worth EVERY penny! Even the 7 days bar bill of £1500!

17. Do you collect anything?

Tracey: Shoes and make up
Andy: Tools

18. If you could buy any building, which would it be?

Andy has been a cabinet maker by trade all his working life and worked for a client in North Yorkshire on her farmhouse renovation once…. We spent the best week there, snowed in with no internet, TV, phone, nothing apart from power and underfloor heating. It was like The Shining without the typewriter or the axe! Heavenly. We had the best week ever! If we could EVER buy the farm, we would!

19. What’s the most romantic thing someone’s ever done for you?

Hmm. We are stuck on this one! After 37 years of marriage! Lol!

20. Where do you go to let your hair down?

Bitch N Switch with my school friends (we switch clothes, shoes, books and bitch about anything!) …Andy would probably say his workshop, but as he has no hair to let down… it’s debatable!

And finally…

21. Tell us something surprising about yourself!

Tracey: I am a jack of all trades and master of none! I have been a nurse, a secretary, worked for Estée Lauder and Clinique, and even worked on a shellfish stall! I have tried it all!
Andy: hard on the outside, soft on the inside.

22. Invisibility or flight?

Oh Invisibility! To have that power to see how things play out.

23. Any regrets in life?

Tracey: That I didn’t continue with my nursing career.
Andy: None

24. Tell us your favourite Instagram accounts at the moment!

Devine Bride (lol thank you Tracey!), Lex Fleming, London Wedding Breakfast Club and all of the wonderful creative people in it, cake makers, florists, dress designers, venues… so many, too many good ones to name!

25. If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

That everyone could live with peace, health and harmony. All just get along, cut others some slack and chill a bit!

Thank you so much to Tracey and Andy from Locke & Busby for taking part! Such an insight to see into the brains of a husband and wife team, too! And loved that they were so honest with their answers! (Although there may be a bribe disguised in the Instagram account question….!! Very kind, none the less! 😊)

And Tracey… it’s not too late to live your dream ❤️

I absolutely loved reading this as a different insight into the wedding industry from a family team, what’s been your favourite so far?