A WOMAN who started her wedding and event venue decorator business at home has vowed that the coronavirus pandemic will positively move her fortunes forward.

Carolyn Oliver, the director of Your day Your way Ltd, founded her business in 2014 and is now proposing to open in Thompson Street, Barry, despite the challenges the virus has thrown.

Ms Oliver, 59, provides a hire service for weddings and events - birthday parties, baby showers, anniversaries, LOL divorce parties, special occasions – and caters for cooperate events.

She supplies three of Cardiff’s large hotels - Cardiff Marriott, Future Inns Cardiff, and the Holiday Inn Cardiff.

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The business supplies chair covers and sash hire, centrepieces, prop hire, venue décor, themed events, and planning, starlight dance floor, selfie mirrors, DJs, hair stylists and make up and photography.

Ms Oliver has decided to commit to Barry town centre.

She said: “I have an ideal opportunity to move my business forward in the town I grew up in.

“With the current climate, Thompson street is a vibrant community and such a busy location, it is perfect for my business to move forward.

“2019 was an amazing year.

“2020 was going to be even better.

“December 2020 was totally booked up with Christmas events in the three hotels I supply.

“And weddings were coming in faster than I could imagine.

“I had a new team of workers lined up to take the workload of myself as I cannot be in two places at once.

“Then Covid-19 hit us.”

“It was panic,” she said.

“All my brides were mortified, supporting them was so hard, to see their day being cancelled and with extraordinarily little information on the future, how was the business I love with a passion going to survive?

“No income as this is my sole job, but I have received the phase one grant, the bounce back loan.

“I go in touch with Business Wales, huge support network for me there, lots of information and I was put in touch with Welsh Development Bank of Wales and was lucky enough to be given a small business loan.

“I applied for the Covid-19 recovery grant from Barry Town Council.

“I received that and I was able to get the signs made with this funding from local company, ABC designs Wales.”

She added: “As all events and weddings have been almost cancelled it has given me the opportunity to move my business forward in a positive way.

“My clients have been amazing and so supportive, and with the help of my amazing family and friends, I am moving forward in a positive way.

“If you are planning your wedding/party, we can make it truly special with our huge hire range.

“I have already engaged with the local community in Thompson Street, and have teamed up with Aspirations UK and Coffee Corner based on Broad Street, to provide micro weddings and parties. Its important to me to support local businesses.

“We are all suffering in these times and we need to keep each other motivated.”

All Covid-19 safety regulations will be in place when the new shop opens and bookings are being taken, via phone or Zoom video calls, while the shop is revamped.

Ms Oliver is looking to employ six to 10 enthusiastic people.

“2020/21 is going to one crazy busy year,” she said.

The shop will open from10am to 4pm Monday to Thursday; and Friday and Saturday by appointment only.

Email info@yourdayyourway.wales; visit www.yourdayyourway.wales; Facebook.com/yourdayyourway.barry; and instagram.com/yourdayyourway_weddings