THE STATIONERS’ RETREAT IS BACK!
11–14th November 2024
An inspirational three-night retreat designed for creatively spirited female stationers, who want to forge relationships and learn from like-minded businesswomen.
Would you love to join an incredible squad of fellow stationers who all want to cheerlead and support each other?
Do you want to review your goals after a busy summer season and head into 2025 with actionable goals and a spring in your step?
Do you want to spend time with a wonderful bunch of stationers, all from different disciplines and different levels of expertise?
If the answer to any of the above is YES! Then we would love to invite you to join us on this years Stationers’ Retreat.
Scroll on down to secure your space now!
HELLO, AND WELCOME ...
We cannot wait to meet you in person on our 2024 Retreat.
Now in its third year this event is becoming the GO TO event for stationers, with women travelling from around the world to join us.
As wedding stationers ourselves we honestly believe that creating a space away from our studios and meeting like minded creatives is one of the BEST ways to stay inspired and reconnect with our love of paper and stationery after a busy wedding season.
Following the success of our 2022 & 2023 retreats, we have added a whole extra night for you to relax, unwind and spend a little time ON your business. There’s also pamper sessions and some pretty darn incredible food thrown into the mix.
We guarantee you will leave the retreat having made some wonderful new friends, feeling refreshed and excited for the year ahead and with some amazing inspiration on board, not to mention our legendary goodie bags, stacked to the brim with samples from some of the best suppliers in the country.
Meet your hosts…
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Freya Deabill - Deabill & Quince
Digital graphics guru Freya will be talking about the importance of good branding in your business, and will be on hand to answer any questions about running a luxury wedding stationery business.
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Grania O'Brien - Ink & Paper
Queen of luxury letterpress, Grania will be helping you deep dive into you, your business and that all-important work/life balance in an in-depth reflection and journalling workshop.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT ON THE STATIONERS RETREAT?
FOCUSED WORKSHOPS & TALKS
Alongside our incredible hosts, we have two incredible guest speakers joining us for 2024,
Elizabeth Hall from 1312 Consulting and Rachel from Salt & Scent Events both sharing incredible insights.
Our faves from G.F.Smith and Foilco will also be joining us in person for an incredible immersive papery talk.
MINI HEADSHOT PHOTOSHOOT
…with a THE most incredible small business photographer Nat Aubry, who will be with us shooting the retreat.
CREATIVE SESSION
A wonderful creative session spent with none other than candle artist Bianca from Bable London.
GOODIE BAGS
Full of stationery goodness with samples and discounts from our incredible group of sponsors.
(full list still being added to for 2024!)
DELICIOUS GOURMET FOOD
Served by our amazing private chef from Wild Fork West.
All dietaries catered for.
COUNTRY WALKS
Make the most of the beautiful Somerset countryside
and get to know your fellow retreat members with two energising walks.
PAMPER SESSION
Ceri from Beauty Tonic will be joining us once again for the duration of the Retreat.
Pre book a massage, facial, pedicure or manicure.
included in retreat price, value up to £65
OPEN Q&A
With your hosts, and a group of like minded stationers on all aspects of business and life.
FREE TIME
Relax in the hot tub, have a glass of fizz, catchup on emails, chat to fellow stationers,
simply have some downtime, the choice is yours.
JOIN THE WAITLIST!
TICKETS ONSALE FRIDAY 5TH MAY
OUR VENUE:
THE GRANGE, MIDSOMER NORTON
Following the success of our previous retreats, we are returning to our gorgeous venue just outside Bath, Somerset for a third year. We find The Grange works so well for us having various chill out areas, a hot tub, two games rooms, a cinema room, great working spaces and dining area to spread out in.
The recently refreshed shared bedrooms are comfy, fresh and clean, and there are also multiple bathrooms. The kitchen table is a fabulous place to share a quiet conversation, or you can take in the fresh air as you explore the beautiful grounds around the venue.
THE FOOD:
AWARD WINNING EVENT CATERERS, WILD FORK WEST
Run by a small team of chefs, wedding planners and bar managers Wild Fork West are one of the best renowned caterers in the South West. Focussing on dishes that hero togetherness and connections their style of food is perfect for our Retreat.
We will have our own private chef serving a mixture of wholesome comfort food on the first two nights, to a spectacular feasting menu where we can all get dressed up and enjoy seriously drool-worthy gourmet cuisine and a glass of wine on night three.
If you have any dietary requirements be safe in the knowledge that anyone and everyone can and will be catered for: just let us know when you book your space!
PAMPER TIME:
CERI, BEAUTY TONIC
One of our favourite parts of the retreat, a 40-minute session with Ceri of Beauty Tonic to feel totally relaxed and pampered. Set up in her own private room at The Grange, you can choose from a Massage, Pedicure, Manicure or a Facial to help you feel rejuvenated and relaxed.
Ceri’s pamper session is covered by your retreat ticket so just let us know when you sign up which treatment you would like, and we will schedule it in for you.
PHOTOGRAPHER FOR 2024 - NAT AUBRY
We will once again be joined by a talented photographer who will be onsite documenting the Retreat and taking headshots for anyone who would like them. Some of the 2023 shots below.
This year we have asked the INCREDIBLE Nat Aubry to join us, she has years of experience shooting small creative businesses and retreats so we KNOW its going to be amazing.
Headshots from the 2023 Retreat by @storiesbychloe
CREATIVE SESSION * BABLE LONDON *
CREATIVE SESSION * BABLE LONDON *
We are absolutely THRILLED to have snapped Bianca for a wonderful afternoon of candle painting. Bable Candles is one of the fastest growing small businesses in the UK this year and has recently been stocked in Oliver Bonas and Anthropologie!
FOCUSSED TALKS
Elizabeth Hall from 1312 Consulting and Rachel from Salt & Scent Events will both sharing incredible insights into the wedding industry talking about customer journeys and styling.
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1312 Consulting
Elizabeth will be holding an insightful talk on customer journeys within the wedding industry.
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Salt & Scent Events
Rachel will be with us on our fancy pants dinner night to talk about the importance of collaboration within the wedding industry and the basics of styling a table.
MEET OUR SPONSORS
We are thrilled that paper gods that are G.F.Smith have agreed to come on board again as main sponsors - the goodies they provide alone make your retreat space worthwhile!
Matt from G.F.Smith will yet again be joining us in person during the 2024 retreat with something a little different this time!
This year our ‘golden ticket’ has been sponsored by the unrivalled Metallic Elephant. Formed in 2007 with the purpose of supporting customers with hot foil presses for parts, dies and foiling advice they have steadily grown their premises and equipment to be one of the only UK companies to manufacture their own range of hot foil presses. Their drive is introducing customers to foiling and helping them do it successfully. Put simply they want to help you #makeitshiny!
WITH SUPPORT FROM:
We are thrilled that so many suppliers and fellow stationers want to be involved in the Retreat for our third year.
The wealth of knowledge, quality of samples, freebees and discounts which are on offer in our goodie bags and workshops are second to none.
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The Liquorice Press
One of the top printers in the UK, Liquorice embrace both traditional and cutting-edge techniques to produce exceptional printed pieces, turning great ideas into beautiful reality.
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PDA Card & Craft
Printers and online shop for many stationery businesses already PDA surprised us with discounts last year for our retreat goers!
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Keiyosa
Vipul & Shivani hand make some of the most stylish desk-wares in the UK. With sustainability at the core of everything they do from products to packaging we are thrilled they are treating us to a little gift in this years goodie bags!
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Deakin Creations
Deakin Creations have been supplying stationers with stamps, wax and impeccable customer service for many years. We are THRILLED they are on board to support us with samples and discounts for our goodie bags this year.
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Century Studios
An innovative and creative digital and litho printing company located in the North. Century Studios will be supporting us with samples and knowledge about their incredible printing processes.
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NORTHERN PRINTING Co
Built from first hand experiences working with stationery suppliers Abbie at Northern Printing Co has an incredible range of the highest spec finishing materials around. Tried and tested she’s one of our fave suppliers!
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Foilco
Foilco strive to inspire the use of the most varied and diverse range of stamping foils in the industry. It is their genuine aim to keep hot stamping foils as relevant and impactful as possible and will be supporting us with incredible samples.
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Magna Papers
One of our go to paper and envelope suppliers, Magna Papers are a staple in our UK supplier network. We are thrilled they are on board with us this year supplying samples.
IF THIS SOUNDS LIKE YOUR CUP OF TEA THEN DON’T DELAY:
Spaces are limited and strictly first come first serve. There is only 1 private room available.
We cannot WAIT for you to join us and start to plan even more incredible details for you.
TICKETS ONSALE FRIDAY 5TH MAY!
FAQs
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In a private period property 25 minutes south of the City of Bath. Details will be shared with those who successfully apply.
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Any female who works in the wedding stationery & calligraphy industry, and wants to spend time learning and being inspired by like-minded successful businesswomen.
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There will be space for 12 women alongside the three hosts.
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The Stationers’ retreat is a female only getaway. We have one private room available, otherwise you will be sharing a room with two or three other guests. If you book a space with a friend/colleague please let us know so we can put you together.
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Our caterers can work with any special dietary requirements, please let us know when you secure your space.
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Yes, there is space for up to 10 cars, last year a few of us car shared for the journey to and from the Retreat.
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Erm… YES!
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Due to high demand and limited availability your booking will be non-refundable. If the retreat is cancelled by the venue or organisers, you will be reimbursed in full.
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A few weeks ahead of the retreat, we will send you a welcome pack, schedule and packing list. Everything required for the workshops will be provided.
