ONE MORE SLEEP!

One more sleep until BritMums Live! the UK’s biggest blogging event of the year!

Some of the speakers at BritMums Live this weekend!

With nearly 500 attendees and loads of sponsors (and freebies and cool experiences!), celebrity speakers, informative workshops, and of course the Brilliance in Blogging Awards Party and Ceremony on Friday night we’ve got an amazing weekend planned.

And I have been making lists and plans for myself:

1. I have a list of people I MUST make sure I say hello to, people I would really love to meet for the first time and people I always love to catch up with.

2. I have business cards.

3. I have several outfits hanging in my wardrobe I am trying to decide between (whatever goes with comfortable shoes, in other words). I will probably go with white linen trousers on Friday and cropped jeans on Saturday. And whatever tops go wth those.

4. I have decided to bring an iPad, so I can tweet and so I can more easily load the post announcing the Brilliance in Blogging Winners Friday night.

5. There will be notebooks and pens on the tables so I don’t need to worry about bringing those.

6. I will pack a snack like a cereal bar because I snack between meals. Yes, I admit to it!

7. I will bring a small bottle of water because I always get so thirsty at conferences (talking too much, perhaps…?!).

8. I’ve arranged for there to be enough food at home for my husband to make the meals while I’m away.

9. I’ve arranged for others to do the Friday afternoon school run.

10. I’ve made plans for being dropped off at the station on Friday.

11. Oh, and one more for this list: my lists! I can’t forget my list of expats who are coming to the expat dinner Friday night (if you’re an expat and want to come, just let me know!), my notes for the BiBs ceremony, and my notes for a few other parts of the conference where I will be working.

What else do I need to do?

I asked a few other bloggers what they’re doing to prepare for the UK’s biggest blogging event of the year, and here’s what they told me:

Sophie, from SuperAmazingMum and @superamazingmum:

Helen Willis, from Actually Mummy and @ActuallyMummy:

So what I am I doing? Erm, washing mostly. I can’t decide what to wear, so I’m washing everything just in case! I do have a gorgeous bespoke jacket that I ordered from I Unique, lovely lady, but it’s not sponsored and I paid for it with my own money!! It arrived yesterday, and I am just a teeny bit excited about wearing it.

Evenings, I planning to hang around all the popular people in the hopes that some of it will rub off on me. No, really I’m just wondering how I’m going to get to chat to all 500 attendees, because that’s what I’ll want to do – and drink wine, but that goes without saying, doesn’t it.

I have been very lazy about business cards, I have a few, but I’m going to run out! To be honest though, even if I bring them, I’ll probably forget to hand them round because for me it’s about meeting and making friends rather than finding new contacts. I’m planning to be very chilled and just soak up the atmosphere and advice. I’m even thinking that I won’t bring a notepad, because whilst I’m scribbling away furiously creating myself a long to-do list I will miss out on the peripheral stuff. You know, just people-watching, star-gazing, and laughing at the quips.

I plan to have fun!! And if I learn something new it’s a bonus. (There had better be good notes going round afterwards, I’ll be on the scrounge!)

Ruth Dawkins from DorkyMum and @dorkymum:

BritMums Live will be my first major blogging conference, so I can’t wait! Unfortunately, I can’t make the whole two days, but I’ll be heading to the Brewery for the BiBs on Friday night. The Fresh Voice category, in which I’m a finalist, is announced first so I’m hoping to hit the wine shortly after the result! On Saturday I’ll arrive about lunchtime, and I’m looking forward to having plenty of time to meet other bloggers and finally put some faces to names.

I’ll definitely be heading to the Blogging for Happiness workshop on Saturday afternoon, and I’m hoping that calms my nerves before I have to do one of the Blogger Keynotes at the end of the conference.

The lovely people at White Stuff have provided me with a dress to wear… but it has no pockets so I’m not sure if I’ll bother bringing along any blogger business cards. I might stick a couple in my bag, or I might just focus on chatting for fun, and leave the serious networking to other people.

Kylie Hodges from Not Even a Bag of Sugar and @kykaree:

I can’t believe Britmums Live is 2 days away. I’ve got my rucksack out and have decided on a frock for Friday night if I have time to do a quick superman change. As for the rest, I might have to do a Kate on Thin Ice and come in nothing! I’ve had all my clothes out this morning deliberating, and Joseph, 3, said, “oh mummy what a lot of dresses you have”, which is a total lie, thanks son! I have nothing at all to wear! I arrive in London early on Friday so might do a little shopping!

I have my faithful business cards at the ready. I had none last year and felt a bit embarrassed about it, so am pleased to have this sorted. I even redesigned my blog so it fits better with my cards!

For Friday night, after the Brilliance in Blogging awards, for which I am a finalist in the Inspire category, I am joining some other expats for a meal. For Saturday I am winging it, so please, look me up and invite me out!

I’m really excited to be speaking on Saturday too, hope to catch up with lots of you!

Andy Grant from Dad’s Cooking Tonight and @dadcooking2nite:

So BritMums Live is upon us and in my normal fashion I have managed to organise myself at the last minute.  A hotel room was negotiated yesterday, my business cards arrived yesterday and a train ticket was booked, yesterday.  Now all that remains to decide is what to wear, a nice little blue number I think, jeans and a shirt it is then.

Michelle Pannell, from Mummy From the Heart and @michelletwinmum:

I am all ready for the big day and have had my dress bought for at least a couple of months now. Having attended conferences before I know it is more important for me to be comfortable rather than glamorous, so I’ll be wearing flat sandals and a maxi dress on the Friday and jeans on Saturday.

I am busy thinking through what I might say at the session I am involved with (Crossing the Chasm, moving your blog to the next level) and the other panel members and I have been having lots of fun planning. It should be a really lively session!

After the BiBs on Friday I am intend to go with the flow, but the requirements for the evening are simply to be with good friends, eating yummy food and having a drink or two before falling into bed and doing it all again the next day!

Now it’s your turn bloggers… what are you doing to prepare for BritMumsLive and how do you plan to spend your time at the conference (and in the evenings!)?

About Michelle Garrett

Michelle Garrett is the author of The American Resident, where she blogs about making a life overseas, raising a blended family, herding cats, chasing chickens and attempting the Good Life in Essex. Michelle is a freelance writer.

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