Last night was the third annual MAD Blog Awards in London, which saw 120 or so bloggers dress up in their finest to celebrate the very best in British parent blogging.
We’ll be posting official pictures, video and updates in the days to come, but I wanted to say thanks to some of the people who generously shared their time and skills with us to help the evening run smoothly.
We were lucky to have a fab venue – the staff at the Radisson Edwardian Bloomsbury Street Hotel went out of their way to make sure we had a special evening, and everything ran more or less like clockwork.
Our finalists were treated to complimentary hair and make-up services from Arbonne and Regis UK, with the appointments organised by Jen, demonstrating the kind of planning skills that would make a military general jealous. Jen was also the mastermind who helped more than 30 of our finalists find outfits to wear to the awards ceremony – and those ladies looked GLAM, let me tell you.
Kate and Lindy did a brilliant job of looking after photos and video on the day, including a last-minute dash to an electrical store in the minutes before the event kicked off. Special mention to the wonderful Lindy, who did an emergency drive across the North of England on Thursday night when an urgent parcel was delivered to some random, wrong address. Mention should also be made of Gav, otherwise known as Mr Me the Man and the Baby, who spent Friday afternoon dashing across London to move a big orange sofa. As you do.
Pippa, Vic and Kelly did a wonderful job of live Tweeting during the evening, ensuring that bloggers and family members at home could keep up with the news from the ceremony. Kelly proved herself the kind of minion you can only dream of – helping with everything from packing gift bags to cutting out tiny circles of orange paper to decorate the tables.
Special mention goes to The Boy and Me for helping out during a moment of crisis when I was at risk of having a complete technology meltdown, and to our first presenter of the evening, TV personality and parenting coach Sue Atkins, who has been a wonderful support ever since the first MAD Blog Awards back in 2010 – thanks for being a part of our evening, Sue.
Myleene Klass, who was representing Start-Rite, charmed the entire room, posing for photos and sharing stories on everything from nail art to her work with Save the Children.
This year, we have had the most wonderful sponsors for the awards. Our finalists enjoyed review products, parties on yachts, lunch and shopping trips, and a whole host of special treats. Brabantia, Asus and Skoda ran fab competitions on the evening of the ceremony, too, which helped make the night extra special. Parentdish gets a special mention for rallying the whole team on Friday morning to prove that yes, you can fit 2 women, 3 banners and 100 gift bags into a mid-sized people carrier.
Most of all though, thanks to everyone who took part in the awards this year – I think they were our best yet. Everyone who nominated, and voted, and Tweeted and dressed up and celebrated was a big part of that success, and so a HUGE thanks to you all.
No hugging, though. That would just be taking it too far.
Cough.
[Edited to add: I sincerely apologise to Merry, for what I said to her at breakfast this morning. Even though it was 8am, and I’d had less than 10 hours sleep in 72 hours, there’s no excuse for bad language in response to the question “Can you explain why my Tots100 score changed two months ago?”]
I wish I could have been there, it sounds fabulous. One day…. Meanwhile I look forward to seeing the pictures. Congratulations on a wonderful event!
It was a really fun night – bloggers know how to have a good time!
It was an amazing evening and I feel very privileged to have been there. Thank you!!!
It was so lovely to have you there, thanks for coming along and joining us.
It was fabulous! Well done Sally. Lovely that you thanked everyone else and didn’t mention all the hard work you put in. Well done you 😉
Aw, well, I do have an awesome team 🙂
I learned a very important journalistic ploy from my dad, which is to never let the truth get in the way of a good story. I was all about the metric, not myself ;p I am a much maligned soul.
It was a great night and perfectly finished by our (now traditional) breakfast together.
Thank you so much for it all. Even the swearing.
Your Dad is very wise.
From everything I saw on Twitter and Instagram it looked absolutely fantastic, and made me very sorry that I didn’t make it. Well done on pulling it all off. X
Thanks Lucy, looked like you were having a fab time at home, though – congrats!
Thank you for the mention and you are most very welcome any time! All the team did an excellent job, but you really are an Evil Overlord. Thank you for a really fantastic time.
Aw, so pleased you had fun, thanks for coming 🙂
Thank you to everyone who helped but especially you Sally for everything you did… I won’t forget my first awards ceremony experience and I had a lovely evening.
Congrats on making the finals and thanks for the kind words – much appreciated 🙂
Ha ha, I love Merry. 🙂
In all seriousness, it was a fantastic night and I cannot thank you enough. x
Merry doesn’t need any encouragement *stern face*
Snigger. I have bought her in hama bead promises….
It was a great evening, thank you Sally for everything you’ve put into organising it over the last 12 months. You and the team really put your hearts into the whole thing, and it shows. Whatever panics were going on in the background were well-hidden, and I think everyone had a great time. It’s lovely to see a community come together in such a supportive way to celebrate blogging.
Thanks Ruth, it was such a fun night I think, so pleased you had a nice time.
I will happily pimp my husband out to you anytime you need him.
Someone who was stood next to me (cannot remember who) saw you hugging someone and said in a shocked voice ‘Sally hugs people?’. That made me giggle.
Was a lovely night & it kicked me into teaching Dylan some independence as well as bringing back my blogging mojo. Though that could have something to do with that shiny piece of glass currently sat next to me – that and the fact I want to bag best baby blog next year 😉
Yay for husband-pimping, say I.
Thank you Sally and team for all your hard work it was an amazing night. I felt so pampered having my hair and make up done was certainly a great treat. Thanks
Wendy, it was such fun to have you with us on the night, thanks for making the effort and you looked wonderful – I hope you had a good time.
Thank you Sally I had a really great night.
Sally!!! So privledged that I got two, yes two HUGS from you!! Ok, ok I *may* have forced myself upon you but hey… Privledged. An amazing evening, you guys were brilliant, I loved every second. Hope you are having a well deserved rest. Oh and can I speak to you about my Tots100 score???? 😉 xxx
Let us never speak of the hugging again 😉
Thanks so much for all your hard work organising it. Hope you are being kind to yourself with a few quiet days to recover now.
Thanks Ruth – I’m eating all the leftover sweets, which I think counts as ‘kind’
There were leftover sweets???? How is that possible after I virtually hoovered the floor looking for extras? (What? I had the munchies!)
Thank you Sally, and many apologies for anything I said or did that I can’t remember…
Sally, thank you for what was an amazing night – there were even sweets, proving that you really do think of everything!
I wanted to thank you in person but that cheeky Anniesaurus was humping your leg at the time…
*bows down to your many skills*
It sounds like it was such a fab night – I wish I’d been able to make it…if only to try and steal a hug! Seriously though, thank you so much for organising these awards Sally. Last years ceremony was amazing and this one sounds like it was even better. You and the team are amazing.
Thank you Sally – my mind boggling when I even start to think about how much organisation must go into the whole awards thingy-ma-jiggy.
It was amazing, you are amazing, the sponsors were amazing. The John Lewis crew have been awesome as have Skoda. It was the best night I’ve had that I can remember ever – so many happy like-minded people all in one room, all just thrilled to be there.
x
Sorry but there is a lie in this post. I have seen actual photographic proof of you hugging. And wearing a silly hat. Ha.
Thanks so much for organising such a brilliant night – I had a fantastic time
x
I was a very well dressed minion too 😀
Well I am now officially ‘well jel’….sounds absoloutely FABULOUS! I wonder if I will ever reach the dizzy heights of having my hair and make-up done?!
Looks like a great time was had by all. Would love to be able to make next years. Think you and your team did a fab job.
I have heard nothing but amazing words about the whole evening, I really enjoyed watching and reading the whole event on twitter, I must get there next year.
Congrats xxx
Thank you Sally, Evil Overlord extraordinaire, You did us all proud and it is you we need to thank! You have the MADs format looking so polished and simple which I’m sure is not at all. You made the best night for me, I may have thanked you with one too many hugs, now all over my blog!
Bloody amazing night… well done you, you clever clever woman for getting it all organised… Damn shame I didn’t get to meet you, but hopefully catch you in the twitter verse x
Thank you so much for a wonderful, wonderful evening Sally. I felt very special!! 🙂
Thank you for a wonderful fun filled evening. I was honoured to be there and it was a great way to spend my birthday. It was awesome meeting so many great people and catching up with lovely ones I already new. Thank you x