Most networking events don’t fail because people don’t attend. They fail because nothing in the room makes it easy for people to connect. That was the focus behind this client networking event hosted with Rostrum at Stem + Stem for 40 guests. The evening brought together a mix of existing clients, new relationships, and people who had only briefly met before. Rather than a formal presentation or structured agenda, the event was designed to encourage natural conversatio

What Makes a Good Networking Event? Lessons from a Taylor Wessing Wine Series Most client events are pleasant. Very few are memorable. The problem isn't effort or budget — it's that the same familiar formats rarely give guests a reason to properly engage with each other, or with the firm hosting them. People arrive, exchange pleasantries, drink something perfectly nice, and leave without having had a single conversation they'll remember on Monday morning. One of the most

I recently had the pleasure of hosting a daytime Women in Property networking event at Stem + Stem with guests from Cynergy Bank — and honestly, the daytime format felt like such a refreshing change. From 2:30pm to 5pm, the space was filled with conversation, laughter, and the kind of energy that only happens when a room full of ambitious, engaged women come together in the right environment. With 45 guests attending, the afternoon quickly became far more than a standard ne

Sometimes the easiest way to talk about money is with a glass of something good in hand. That was the thinking behind Pensions & Prosecco — an intimate evening we hosted at Rostrum in London, designed to make pensions feel a bit more approachable, and a lot less overwhelming. We kept it small. Just 20 guests. I was joined by finance journalist Katie Binns and Kellands Chartered Financial Planners, and together we created something that felt relaxed, open, and genuinely u

When it comes to corporate events, the wine isn’t the point. It’s what happens around it. At Elizabeth & Wine, I design corporate wine tastings that make people feel comfortable, engaged, and able to connect quickly — whether that’s clients meeting for the first time or teams coming together after a long day of meetings. These are not technical tastings. They’re structured, well-paced experiences that work in real corporate environments. A recent event with Hogan Lovell

I hosted a private networking evening for Rostrum at Lady of the Grapes, and what a night it was. Twenty-two guests, fully booked, surprising no on-the-day drop outs, and such a buzz that no one wanted to leave. The goal was simple: bring marketing leaders from law firms together, make introductions, and let conversation flow naturally over great wine and food. We tasted four standout wines: - Oxney English Sparkling: crafted by the brilliant Kristen, who swapped PR

Some corporate dinners feel transactional. Others stay with you. The difference is rarely the food or the venue. It’s the atmosphere around the table. When wine is used well, it shifts the dynamic. Not as the focus of the evening — but as the facilitator of conversation, curiosity and connection. Recently, I hosted a private milestone dinner in London for Hogan Lovells and Vodafone, celebrating a 10-year working partnership. Twelve guests. Senior. Relationship-led.

Last year, I hosted my largest event to date — a Wine Safari for 80 guests on the rooftop of Bank of New York Mellon. For the first time, I wasn’t pouring solo. I was joined by two brilliant women in wine: Corinne Seely, winemaker at Exton Park and former youngest female winemaker in Bordeaux Kirsty Woodgate, wine expert and long-time industry colleague Together, we led guests through a tasting journey of wines owned or made by women, from classic Margaux to sta

Ropes & Gray asked me to design a wine experience to mark 15 years of business in the UK, alongside the opening of new offices in Paris and Milan. This was a significant moment for the firm not just an anniversary. From the outset, the brief was clear: the wines needed to mean something. This wasn’t about showcasing prestige for its own sake; it was about telling the firm’s story through the glass. Elizabeth & Wine designed a tasting that mirrored the business journey:

This was a series of smaller, more considered tastings — built around a clear story. Taylor Wessing were celebrating 15 years in London, alongside the opening of two new offices in Paris and Milan. So the wines needed to do more than just taste good. They needed to connect the dots. An English sparkling to represent London. A French wine. An Italian wine. And a 15-year-old bottle to mark the milestone.

A recent event at the Farm Shop on Audley Street was a perfect reminder of how much craft and care sits behind truly good food and wine. Hand-cut charcuterie, farmhouse cheeses, and a line-up of bottles that sparked real conversation around the table. We started with Gusbourne’s Blanc de Blancs 2019, made by Mary Bridges, who became Head Winemaker at 30. It’s a gold-winning wine with serious pedigree (it was poured at Buckingham Palace during the London Olympics), and

Another brilliant Elizabeth & Wine tasting - this time with Kingsley Napley, exploring how thoughtful food and wine pairings can transform a table. We began with the cooler, more elegant cousin to Prosecco: Castelveder Franciacorta Rosé from Italy. From there, Samantha O’Keefe’s barrel-aged Sauvignon Blanc from Lismore (South Africa) brought texture and depth (a real standout). Our journey continued through Beaujolais with Nicole Chanrion’s vibrant Côte de Brouilly 2019

Throwback to a recent corporate wine tasting at Allen & Overy. With 10 new team members joining the firm, we spent the afternoon building confidence around wine — breaking down the jargon, decoding tasting notes, and exploring how food and wine pairing actually works in practice. We covered questions that come up again and again at corporate events and client dinners: • What wines work best with spicy food? • What should you serve with lamb (beyond simply “a red”)? • How

“Phenomenal.” When I founded my wine business, my goal was simple: to be taken seriously in the wine industry. At the first wine event I attended, no one took me seriously. Until I met Claire Allan from Huia, who showed me extraordinary kindness and helped me find the confidence to take those vital first steps in the world of wine. Today, I deliver corporate wine tastings and wine education events for some of the world’s largest financial services companies and leading

To celebrate International Women’s Day, global law firm Paul Hastings partnered with Elizabeth & Wine to host a memorable client event focused on one of my favourite topics: women in wine. The evening brought together key clients from the firm’s Energy & Infrastructure practice for an engaging and interactive wine tasting in the heart of Soho, at the Champagne bar inside the legendary Kettner’s. During the tasting, we went “behind the label” to explore the stories of fe

EssenceMediacom helps brands to break through in the new economy - and the company recently gathered an impressive group of 30 female leaders in brand, marketing and communications from organisations including Cancer Research UK (CRUK), Costa, TUI and NBCUniversal to mark International Women’s Day 2024. It really was an evening to remember as Essencemediacom took over Lady of the Grapes - a cute French wine bar founded by Carole Bryon on Covent Garden’s Maiden Lane. 90% of