Last week we talked about my latest obsession: ‘bespoogling‘.  For those of you who missed that exciting instalment of A Warwickshire Wedding, I’ll recap by telling you that ‘bespoogling’ refers to the practice of using Google (or indeed any other search engine) to identify suppliers that are able to design and make or manufacture bespoke wedding wares according to customer specification.

This week I’ll be continuing with this theme but from a slightly different angle, namely ‘off-the-shelf’ goods which can be personalised.  To set the ball rolling, I thought you might enjoy seeing the gifts I presented to MoH and KoTD, aka Mrs Johns and Mrs Adams respectively.  I know that it is customary to present gifts to the key players on The Big Day, but I just couldn’t wait that long!  Mrs Moore-to-be can be a tad impatient once inspiration has struck.  The wedding itself is a case in point – this time last year I was on the cusp of persuading H2B to set the date for 2014.  But within a month, I had used my charms to persuade him that 2012 needed our wedding to complete the trinity of memorable events: The Diamond Jubilee, the Olympics and a wedding somewhere in the county of Warwickshire.

At their most basic, my gifts to MoH and KoTD are identical Emma Bridgewater mugs decorated with her trademark pink hearts.  But this Staffordshire based company, which has breathed new life into The Potteries and established itself as a market leader, is a savvy operator.  In addition to its extensive range of beautiful wares which evoke something of the essence of all that is quintessentially English, it also offers a personalisation service whereby pieces can be customised with hand painted names or brief messages.

This service represents a great hybrid between thoroughbred bespoke and standardised wares and was just what I was looking for as a way to express my thanks to MoH and KoTD.

Judging from these mug shots, my choice seems to have been a good one!

Later in the week, I’ll be waxing lyrical about another company that is also based deep in the heart of The Potteries but which specialises in something very different from ceramics. Curious?  Drop by on Wednesday morning and all will be revealed.