“It is a wonderful venue with excellent facilities,” was a comment made by a conferencing guest to Granny Mouse recently.

For many conference seekers, a well-established hotel that offers value for money, delicious food, quality service and a variety of conferencing options, is on the checklist for a successful conference.

For companies based in and around the KZN Midlands, Granny Mouse Country House & Spa, nestled in the Caversham Valley, is not always seen as a venue to host a conference, but according to the national sales manager of Hulamin Containers, the reason for choosing Granny Mouse was simple, “The facilities at Granny Mouse were sufficient to accommodate the whole team and the deal offered was reasonable and I would definitely recommend it”.

Hulamin Containers manufactures a vast range of aluminium foil containers that are used to package food for ready meals, pies and bakery items. With their factory and head office based in Pietermaritzburg, it was only fitting that Hulamin Containers choose a quality location in the Midlands to host their national sales workshop.

The feedback from the sales team was that they most enjoyed, “The tranquillity of the Natal Midlands and the extremely friendly staff making everyone feel very welcome. They (Granny Mouse) also have very comfortable and well-appointed rooms”.

With every aspect of the Hotel, from the reservations to the banqueting, to the Spa, to the food and beverage department, as well as housekeeping, there are always those that stand out and go the extra mile. For the Hulamin Containers team, “The lady that was tasked to “look after us” was excellent and she ensured that everything ran smoothly. She was very friendly and always professional. However, the staff in general was also very accommodating for any special requests.”

For all those who host a conference, workshop, product launch or teambuilding, the aim of the outcome is success. For the Hulamin Containers sales team, this conference was one of the few times during the year that the whole sales team from the various parts of the country were able to interact on a one-on-one basis, achieving the aim of the workshop as a whole.

For the team at Granny Mouse, headed by the General Manager Sean Granger, conferences allow them to showcase more of what Granny Mouse offers. “We are so well-known for our wedding facilities and fine dining restaurant, and it is rewarding to receive positive responses from those who use our conference facilities as well. We strive to offer a wide spectrum of options for our guests and endeavor to provide quality service, so that each and every guest, conferencing team, wedding party or general patron, feels at home away from home. We also offer tailor made packages that we believe meet the criteria of value for money,” Granger said.

For more information or to book your next conference contact 033 234 4071.

For more about Hulamin Containers visit www.hulamincontainers.co.za

Rustic, simplistic, classic – these three words should be considered for your 2017 wedding.

Bulky, heavy decoration, should be done away with and simple décor should be brought in.

Table décor – A trend of recent, sees the inclusion of bare wooden tables, with minimal décor. A table runner and a few floral arrangements and candles for ambiance, displayed here and there, seems to be the order of the day.

Floral inspiration– think a palette of pastels. Peaches, pastel blues, greys, pinks with a pop of green intertwined, is what should be blooming from your bouquet. “Dahlia’s and carnations are the “in-thing”,” according to the Granny Mouse Banqueting Co-ordinator, Veronica Sookdin, who liaises with florists in the Midlands area. Bridesmaids can be seen wearing stunning jewellery like cuff wrist corsages as their bouquet, in colours that complement their dresses.  Another bouquet idea could be the use of herbs gathered together to form a fragrant bouquet, and these could be picked from your own garden.  Lavender works extremely well for this.

Dresses – peaches and pinks are the in thing for bridesmaid’s dresses, if paired with wine inspired colours such as plums – for winter – and dusky pinks mixed with pastel blues and greys for summer. However, these colours can be mixed up and suited to the Bride’s taste.

Wedding gown – a crisp white gown in a classic style is on trend. This year’s trend sees more detail on the shoulder and more covering over the décolletage area. However, this is subject to body shape and comfort.

Food – the food is always an important aspect of the day. Most hotels cater for weddings with packages that provide buffet or plated meals, however if you are wanting something specific and unique for your guests, then discuss this with your wedding co-ordinatior, banqueting manager or chef and determine what your options are. Unique ideas include sushi for starters, build-a-burger for a main and a pancake station for dessert or perhaps a donut display with toppings that will be the ideal gift to adults who are children at heart.

Cake- Naked cakes and layers. Depending on one’s theme, a cake that dons thin layers with cream, caramel or icing and berries, fruits and flowers is a cake trend that has been making waves over the past year and has filtered through to 2017.

For fruit lovers, chocolate dipped strawberries placed strategically into a tower, is also a trend.

Dessert tables are also a modern way of presenting this originally classic idea. Instead of having one cake and a dessert, couples are opting to have cakes displayed in different heights and styles on a table, which work as both the wedding cake and dessert. (weddingplanner.co.uk)

For all your wedding requirements, Granny Mouse Country House and Spa can create your modern wedding – the way you intended. They are also making weddings a highly social and interactive occasion by having the Midland’s first selfie frame situated near the Chapel, for fun photos to last a lifetime. Give them a call on 033 234 4071 or email banqueting@grannymouse.co.za