Wow! After a huge build-up and a year of planning, the Northern Blog Awards 2018 is officially done!
And what a night it was...we laughed, we selfied, we ate, we drank, we cheered, we cried, we danced and we all left with more friends than we arrived with...
Northern Blog Awards 2018
For the second annual event, the #NBAs18 was held at the Midland Hotel Manchester and saw 240 of the North's top content creators join together in celebrating Northern talent, in one room. The atmosphere was amazing with everyone genuinely happy to be there, champion each other and open to meeting their fellow bloggers, vloggers, influencers as well as the amazing brand sponsors we had on board.
The Arrivals
The night started with a red carpet entrance, welcome Prosecco reception and photo against our official press board and The Word is Love lights, before being led through to the main room where our brand sponsors were set-up and ready to have fun with all the guests.
The Fun
With bubbles flowing, people mingling and music playing, the atmosphere was great from the word go. Our headline sponsors Christy were set-up with the bed of dreams and many of our guests enjoyed getting into bed with them, that's for sure! Bathroom Takeaway were back with their roll top bath, this time with bubbles inside the bath and out (!) and Booths invited us to take part in their #TeaLay race.
We had new sponsors La Redoute with us this year, who epitomised French style made easy with their wardrobe set-up and Manchester Airports Group had an Oscar-worthy photo back-drop with their Bullit cam.
Also new this year, were Skinbase who know us bloggers too well and brought their amazing selfie light and flower-wall backdrop and No Brainer Agency whose brainteasers have guests the opportunity to win a bottle of champagne.
The Awards ceremony
Our official Entertainment and Media Partner, Hits Radio UK provided our backing soundtrack for the evening and the most perfect Presenter and host, Kelly Pegg. As a content creator herself, Kelly was the perfect person to welcome us to the official proceedings and award our winners for the Northern Blog Awards 2018.
Sponsors and Inbound Marketing Agency, Six and Flow provided our live-stream for the evening and over 1200 people tuned-in to watch along with us and as the anticipation builded, our guests flicked through the official programme, provided by our Print Partner Instantprint.
I kicked us off with a welcome speech, taking attendees back to the beginning of WeBlogNorth, as well as a hint at where things are growing to with WeBlogUK and moved onto a tribute to dearly loved and Northern Blog Awards 2017 winner Rachael Bland, with the power of content.
Then it was onto announcing the first half of this year's winners - and what an amazing bunch of content creators they are!
Then it was time to enjoy our 3-course dinner and wine, courtesy of The Midland Hotel and it was a real treat. Next, Kelly rounded-off the final awards and introduced our next bunch of winners, including the Northern Blog Awards 2018 Best Newcomer and Content Creator of the Year. Then new to 2018, our "One's to Watch".
Time for a Boogie
We finished the night with more fun, more selfies, more drinks and a helluva lot of dancing - in fact, we ended up with a load of us up on stage, singing along to the Furious Styles Band, who really knew how to keep the party going.
Phew! What a night...too much to tell you, so why not check-out our first bunch of official photos below, courtesy of The Vain Photography.
Cheers! And 'til next year (watch this space for early bird tickets!).
