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Sunday, December 29, 2013

Wedding Day Tour Guide.



Hello to all couples getting married within the next 12 months or so!  Yes in Washington State..we are past the one year mark of same-sex marriages being legal.  Time flies!  I want to bring everyone on board to what we offer for services.  

One product has taken a lot of time to develop and we have it included in our wedding planning packages in our "The Inquiring:  Wedding Day Tour Guide"  When I create the "Tour Guide" for a wedding, I always make copies for all of the people who have a role in the wedding.  That would include the venues, vendors, wedding party and participating family members.  Pretty much anyone who is working the wedding or if you think about who is going to be in the pictures taken that day.  The benefit is not having to herd wedding rabbits nearly as much when it is time for toasts, pictures, lining up for the ceremony and so much more.

Due to not wanting other vendors to see exactly what my timeline looks like unless they participate in a wedding I plan, I can't show you what it looks like but I'll do my best to describe it.  The "Wedding Day Tour Guide" provides information on all activities from 8:00 AM - midnight in 15 minute increments or less from setup time to breakdown.  All of the vendors (including those who might not actually be at the wedding) are listed with all of their contact information.  I refer to it as the "Who are ya goin' to call...?" section.  If there are any troubles at all, with one glance you've got all of the information you need.  Each vendor is given a color and the activities that they are involved are shaded with that particular vendor's color in a particular time slot.  It shows how long a vendor is going to be there and also when there's an important moment for them to be aware of.  A bartender wants to know well ahead of time when the toasts are going to take place.  A family member might want to know when he/she needs to be at a particular location for a picture.  I could go on and on.

You might think that you can do this easily enough, but what you don't know can and most probably will hurt you.  We have had years of experience planning weddings, know what needs to be set up first and when a vendor needs to be there so that the cake won't melt by the time the reception is well enough along to start serving cake.  We see trouble spots as we are preparing a timeline.  We even look at contracts to see that what you are expecting is actually in the contract.  

Basically, with the "Wedding Day Tour Guide" you are as close to having a 'Day-of"Coordinator as possible.  If you were to hire a "Day-of" Coordinator for $500.00 you are probably getting someone who is inexperienced.

Our clients are asked to have all of the planning finalized 30 days prior to their wedding day.  If there are changes within the last 30 days, additional charges will be applied.  Each week the "change fees" will be doubled starting at $25.00 per change.  

Here's something that really surprised me when I did my first independent wedding timeline when I was not the actual planner for the wedding.  Every time I looked up at the clock, I found myself thinking, "Now they're cutting the cake" or "Now they're having their first dance!"  That's how much we really get into knowing your wedding day like the back of our hands!  I didn't expect that, but it made me feel good that we had all of the bases covered.

Since I am not actually there on the wedding day, I do have a disclaimer that even with a "Wedding Day Tour Guide", I cannot guarantee how well the wedding day will go.  Everything needs to be executed and I cannot possibly know if there is going to be a power outage or when an unruly little ring bearer is going to send the wedding cake flying!  It is a wedding and you know how they can be sometimes.  They can take on a life of their own!

As always...

Wishing you the greatest of days!

Contact Greatest of Days



Saturday, December 14, 2013

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: The Media is Walking Down the Wrong Aisle When it ...

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: The Media is Walking Down the Wrong Aisle When it ...: In a perfect world, there comes a point in time after the news media repeatedly paints an industry with a broad brush (with old dried up pai...

The Media is Walking Down the Wrong Aisle When it Comes to Weddings!

In a perfect world, there comes a point in time after the news media repeatedly paints an industry with a broad brush (with old dried up paint), that one of two things happens.  They either realize it's ineffective and unhelpful or they finally revisit their medium to be able to paint something that ends up as a beautiful or informative piece of work.  I'm talking about the "news" media as in the "reports" from the major networks and those that piggyback on those reports about the wedding industry.  I really don't want to call them reports because they aren't supporting fact!  Their concerns are for creating a story, not stating facts or helping consumers that they are preying upon.  Those consumers happen to be the same people that the wedding industry serves.  The media is doing a great disservice to these consumers.

One major point that the media won't point out, is that when a couple is planning a wedding for hopefully the first and only time, there is going to be a huge revelation that is bigger and it comes before sticker shock.  It's the fact that there are so many more details involved in a wedding than they imagined.  Of course, they wouldn't realize that the typical wedding employs from beginning to end (including after the wedding) a total of 16-20 vendors and sometimes more!  This shock is as big as any shock they'll get but when you add dollars to each of those categories of services, a couple very likely is going to be overwhelmed. However, it needs to be remembered to not blame the messenger.

It's time that the wedding industry was represented in a way that truly would help those seeking their services.  It's not even yesterday's news that the media sensationalizes the cost of weddings without analyzing the costs associated with each wedding vendor's services.  Let's remember that people are not forced to seek vendors for any more services than they want.  Want and need can be different to every couple when they envision their wedding.  Dare I be the one to say that this generation of typical brides and grooms has never been taught the difference between want and need?  They tend to want something as if they were entitled to it whether it fits into their budget or not...after all it is their wedding day!  Shouldn't everyone just want to provide their services below cost so that they can have the type of wedding day they want?  Well, welcome to the real world!  You can't have it both ways.  If you want cheap, you can get cheap, but if you want perfection (which is different for every couple) more attention and/or staffing is necessary.   Yes, for those reporters who can probably afford anything they want, this is the world that we and our clients deal with in reality.  FYI!  Not many wedding vendors are living high off the hog.

It goes against most couples' judgment to hire a Wedding Planner to help them work within their budget and help the couple set their priorities.  I'm talking about professional planners who come closest to knowing the wedding industry like the backs of their hands as much as anyone.  For heaven's sake "Media", don't pretend that you know your stuff when you don't!  Wedding Planners live, eat and breathe weddings and have to know a great deal about ALL of the variants of the many vendor categories.

When the media talks about services for a wedding and reception they don't know the difference between apples from oranges.  We're not talking about a holiday dinner nor a nice dinner out.  There's no comparison in the level of service which is required for a wedding.  Do you have a lengthy consultation with the chef or restaurant owner before you dine at their establishment?  Do you have special linens ordered for a dinner out?  Do you request that the background music be adjusted to only the music that you like.  Do you insist that your table have a centerpiece that only matches your favorite colors?  Do you want a deluxe invitation to inform your guests for your dinner out?  Do you insist on place cards being at everyone's special place at the table?Do you basically want the restaurant to not have any other guests there that you don't know?  Do you ask them to replace the chairs with ones that are more to your liking or ask them to cover them up?  Do you have to have a reservation or not?  Do you have to select from the menu or request everything in the kitchen that day to be just what you want?  Caterers are not operating like a grocery store or a restaurant.  It's neither a la carte style nor is it just ordering what you feel like at that moment from a short order cook.  A caterers worst nightmare is to run out of food, but I'll bet you've heard it more than once at a regular restaurant that they ran out of the special for the day. 

I think instead of the media blasting the wedding industry, they should spend 6 months prior and during the wedding season working alongside a wedding vendor and then find time for marketing and taking care of the financial responsibilities for that vendor to see what keeps them working long after the open signed has been turned around or has been shut off.  And while they're at it, don't make any plans for weekends during the entire summer.  Also don't look puzzled when you ask that particular wedding vendor "Why in the heck do you do this?" and their response is "Because I love it!"

As always...

Wishing you the greatest of Days!


Janis Flagg opened and co-owns Greatest of Days in 2007 when asked by guests at a wedding reception if she planned weddings for a living.  This was after she kept excusing herself from the guests' table to go to the kitchen, speak with the bride and groom or check on the delay of the champagne toasts.  She had done numerous events and weddings for friends and families for over 20 years prior to that day, but a light bulb turned on due to that one question.  Greatest of Days still plans weddings on a case-by-case basis, teaches event planning classes to engaged couples, small businesses and organizations hosting events.  Janis founded and organized a wedding and vendors networking group and also officiates for non-denominational weddings.  Greatest of Days has also expanded to planning Celebration of Life events and finds it most rewarding.  Greatest of Days was one of the first Wedding Planners in Washington State to be interviewed and accepted to be listed as a vendor on the www.EnGaygedweddings.com site.  All submissions have to be approved and can be edited before appearing on this wedding resource for the LGBTQ community.


Next on the list is finishing a book! 





Where you'll find Greatest of Days.





Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Common Questions Received by an Event Planner


Common Questions Received by an Event Planner

Do you plan other types of events?
I plan many types of events, but primarily I've planned weddings.  I've planned reunions, anniversary celebrations, birthday parties, small business events, seminars, surprise parties, "Silly Suppers", client appreciation events and of course my monthly networking group meetings.  Celebration of Life Events are extra special just to be able to help a family in their grief.

Do you already have a vendor for ____?
Vendors will come up to me and say, "I suppose you already have a fill in the blank so you probably don't need to know about another fill in the blank.  The truth is, I need to know as many as possible and to know as much as I can about the style and quality of their work.  The reason for this is that every client has a different style, personality and budget and I want to match clients and vendors alike with those whom they will work well. That is the hardest part for me when I do a Day-of-Coordination.  Often I'm not familiar with the other "vendor's" work, style or personality if they aren't a wedding/event professional.


 Do you get bridezillas?
I spoke with one wedding expert who is an author and she said that  bridezillas are probably the same girl who at her 4th birthday was allowed to act like a brat and everyone caved into her every wish and demand.  I think she might be right to some degree.  But, honestly, I think zillas can come in any gender, age or role.  Bridezillas don't have the corner on undesirable behavior.  I fully expect that a bride is capable of losing her composure at some point and I give them a lot of slack.  I generally weed out the bridezillas without them even knowing it.  Hint:  Look at my About Page on my website!

How long have you been planning events?
I wasn't even 30 when I planned my first reunion and I was younger than that when I planned my own wedding.  Let's just say that my planning social events of one form or another spanned 20+ years before I even thought about creating a business in the wedding industry.  People will say, "At least now you're getting paid for it!"  I break it to them gently that it is like any other business.  You put in a lot of hard work building it, but it is so true that when you are able to do what you love to do, it doesn't feel like work.  Tiring maybe, but it really has to be your passion to be able to keep up with it.  I love it!  I started this adventure of entrepreneurship in 2007. As a child my favorite times were when we had guests over.  Almost every weekend, I'd ask if we could invite another family over for dinner or just get together to enjoy games or music.  

What is the hardest part about being an Event Coordinator?
Again, I know it's going to sound corny, but the hardest part for me is saying good-bye to your clients and wondering if you're ever going to see them again! As a Wedding Coordinator you spend so much time developing one of if not the most important days of their lives.  You can't help but get attached.  I compare it to teachers who always remember some students and wonder how they're doing. 

Another hard part about being a Wedding Coordinator is the Monday-morning quarterbacking. It can be especially prevalent in the wedding industry.  I think that part of it is that everyone is going through a let-down after the wedding and part of it is that no day is guaranteed to be perfect.  If anyone promises 110% perfection, I'd say run!  I think that the vendors and the clients all go through this Monday QB-ing to a certain extent.  We can be very tough on ourselves, but we soon learn how to recognize it when someone is being unreasonable and/or they were completely unaware of the total surroundings and circumstances taking place. Usually it is the latter.  We get a lot tougher as we go!

What is your favorite type of event to plan?
That's hard to say!  I really like each type of event as far as planning them goes.  Weddings are the most complex and the most fun.  I really enjoy all of the events because at that particular point in someone's life, their particular celebration is usually what is constantly on their mind for a period of time.  It's impossible not to love seeing their vision become a reality.  I have always liked a variety and there isn't any event that I don't get to meet wonderful and interesting people.  I can get bored easily, but varying the types of events that I plan can help that.  

As always...

Wishing you the greatest of days!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Dispel Myths About a Day of Wedding Coordinator

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Dispel Myths About a Day of Wedding Coordinator: Dispelling Myths about Day-of-Coordinator for Weddings! What is A Day-of-Coordinator and What Does A Day-of-Coordinator Do?   Wh...

Dispel Myths About a Day of Wedding Coordinator


Dispelling Myths about Day-of-Coordinator for Weddings!


What is A Day-of-Coordinator and What Does A Day-of-Coordinator Do? 

When I speak to people outside of the wedding industry, the look on their faces says it all when I ask them if they are familiar with what a Day-of-Coordinator (DOC) is.  It's usually a combination of a blank stare or I see in their eyes that "inquiring minds want to know" expression.

More Wedding Coordinators actually find themselves being hired for DOC's than for the Full-Planning of a weddings.  Every Coordinator is different yet similar in what they offer in this type of package.  It's many a Wedding Coordinator's dream to only do Full-Planning in comparison.  Don't get me wrong!  I do both!

Let's dispel some myths!

Myth #1:  A Day-of-Coordinator is a miracle worker!  According to some!
My mouth about dropped to the floor when I read somewhere that a person should hire a Day-of-Coordinator because they would keep people from getting drunk at a wedding!  Okay!  I'd hate to inform that person that that does not fall within a DOC's responsibility or capability.  Even bartenders can only try their best on this one.  Weddings are so unpredictable when it comes to guests' behavior.   I often say, "Only at weddings and funerals are people so unpredictable!"

Myth #2:  A Day-of-Coordinator only works on the day of the wedding.
Whether it is a request from a lead list or speaking to a bride in person for the first time, the most common misconception is that a Day-of-Coordination (DOC) is only for the day of the wedding.   Usually a bride wants to really make it clear that a Coordinator understands that it is only for the wedding day.  It isn't a case that they wouldn't like to have a Full-Planning package, but it is more of a statement of being afraid of spending the money, but they realize they need some help.  Contrary to the popular opinion, there really is no such thing as a "Day-of" anything for a wedding professional.  For instance, an average of 40-80 hours of work goes into a DOC before the wedding day! 

Myth #3:  A Day-of-Coordinator will find all the vendors you still need.
Seldom is this the case.  This is actually more in line with a Full-Planning option.  For this reason, many Coordinators have a planning package that falls somewhere in between the two options.  It is part of the reason I don't list my price.  No two brides are alike and neither are their weddings.  

Myth #4:  No Coordinator can possibly help a bride within a month of the wedding! 
Wrong!  We can.  The fact is, that we often get requests for DOC's within 3-6 months before a wedding. The closest I've had is about 6 weeks.  It's usually when a bride begins to feel overwhelmed and is honest with herself to realize she needs some help and wants to be able to enjoy her wedding day.  Depending on how deeply she has involved her family to help on the wedding day, many of them can also relax instead of work on the wedding day, too.  Sometimes life situations change and it really is important to hire someone to help.

So What Does A Day-of-Coordinator Do? 

1.  A DOC (from hereon out referred to as a Coordinator) will have a consultation with the bride and groom and really get to know them and their vision of their wedding.

2.  A Coordinator will get all of the contact information for the vendors, professional and non-professional alike and begin communicating with them almost immediately.  A Coordinator cannot do a legal review of vendor or venue contracts but can look for trouble spots or see if what the bride and groom want can happen within the parameters of the contract.

3.  A Coordinator will get the contact information of the bridal party so that they can be reached at any time to make sure everyone knows what they will be doing and they know to contact the Coordinator if they have any questions of problems.

4.  A Coordinator will get the contact information of the family members on both sides.  It is important to know right from the beginning any of the family dynamics such as divorces, step-parents, to prevent any awkward moments later on!  

5.  A Coordinator will almost immediately take a tour of the venue because this is where the biggest surprises can come up.  Assumptions are made that can lead to a lot of trouble.  Also, a layout will be developed for the space as it will be used for the wedding/reception or both.  One instance will stay in my mind forever.  A bride hired me for a DOC and upon visiting the venue, I knew that there wasn't a chair cover on the market at that time that would cover the black chairs at the venue.  Keep in mind that it was culturally undesirable to have black in the wedding.  She had ordered $600 worth of chair covers and sashes to rent.  Fortunately, she got her money back and we found a solution with wooden chairs with seat cushions that matched one of her wedding colors.  The best part is that this solution cost less that the chair covers and sashes.

6.  A Coordinator will create a timeline that will give everyone involved a clear picture of what will be happening and when.  These can vary from one Coordinator to the next as far how detailed they are, but they will allow for cushions of time to help things go according to plan as much as possible.

7.  A Coordinator will be able to handle the disasters and more often than not, in such a way that the bride will not even know that anything happened.  Lets say it depends on the magnitude of the disaster!   A venue I worked at often one summer will not be one that I will work at for a wedding any time soon unless changes are made.  Let's leave it at an electrical fire and 3 weddings with backed up plumbing!  

8.  A Coordinator will pay special attention to guests that she is informed of that might need some extra attention.  It can be as simple as attending to someone who is unable to walk through the buffet line.

9.  A Coordinator will act as the liaison between the client and the venue and any one working the wedding.  They will also be on the lookout for anything that might potentially keep a client from getting their damage deposit back.

10.  A Coordinator will be available first thing in the day to receive all deliveries until the very end.


One more thing to note.  Rehearsals are not always included in DOC packages.  So be sure to ask if that is included or if it will be a separate cost.

So there you have it!  A glimpse into the life of a Day-of-Coordinator! 

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Why is Greatest of Days Putting More Emphasis on P...

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Why is Greatest of Days Putting More Emphasis on P...: That's a fair question since we've primarily been known to plan weddings and small business events.  Many event planners don't w...

Why is Greatest of Days Putting More Emphasis on Planning and Designing Celebration of Life Events?

That's a fair question since we've primarily been known to plan weddings and small business events.  Many event planners don't want to place themselves in planning sad events.  It's not for everyone.  I choose to look at it as one of the nicest things you can do for grieving family or friends of their loved one.  The atmosphere does not lend itself to "bridezilla" behavior which gets old very quickly!

Everything is changing regarding how a person's life is celebrated after they have passed away.  People are even planning their own parties to take the place of a regular funeral for them.  Some people are deciding to not even have a celebration of life event for after they have passed away and making it happen before they pass away.

Funeral directors are being taught how to create a more festive atmosphere for their clients.  Is it just me or is this like mixing oil and water?  You tell me who is more into personalizing events and making them fun.  A funeral director or an event planner?  You know what my answer is going to be.

There are so many logistics to take care of when planning a Celebration of Life Event as with any event.  You need a venue, food and anything else that creates a one-of-a-kind celebration.

There is one thing that I hope never happens.  I hope we never see a competition of people wanting to outdo what other people have done for Celebration of Life Events.  The focus should be about honoring a life.  The best parts of that person's life.

Last but not least!  There's a good possibility that you are thinking the same thing that others have expressed to me about our name Greatest of Days!  Some of said, "You should change your name!"  At first this made me cringe thinking of all that that would entail.  I didn't have to think about it too long before I realized that it really is the perfect name.  The exact thing that Celebrations of Life should be focusing on are the greatest of days in that person's life!  Isn't that why people want this event in the first place?  That's what we intend to do for family and friends who step up and honor their loved one.

Wishing you the greatest of days.


Creating and Remembering the Greatest of Days!



Greatest of Days plans the following types of events south and east of Seattle, WA.  


Social Events:

Anniversaries
Bar Mitzvahs
Bat Mitzvahs
Graduation
Sweet 16
Retirement
Bon Voyage
Quinceaneras
Welcome Home
Milestone Birthdays
Celebration of Life Events
Weddings (on a case by case basis)


Business Events:


Employee Appreciation
Client Appreciation      
Product Launches
Grand Openings
Re-Branding 
Retirement
Book Signing
Special Promotions



Community Events:
Fundraising Events
Assist in Planning Festivals

People Who Don't RSVP for a Wedding..or Any Event!

These types of people hold a very special place in my heart.  Not the nicest part.  Definitely not from the bottom of my heart!   

Do they have an idea of the agony they cause for someone planning an event.  Not only does a person planning an event have added stress when they least need it, the RSVP count or lack of is costing them money.  Yes, MONEY!  Guessing on a final guest count is costly.  Nothing pains me more than seeing a couple a week away from their wedding looking like volunteers at a call bank for a fund raising for public television.  "We were wondering if we could count on you for your support?"  Well,  kind of like that!

A tip for those planning an event!  Make sure your last table number is for those who might possibly show up but haven't sent in an RSVP!  It's only fair that they not be served in the same manner as everyone else.  They should be the last ones the DJ calls to the buffet line.  Never should anyone who DID send in an RSVP be scraping the bottom of a chafing dish!  

Enjoy Table #0 for the ______.  Trying not to say "Zero's".




Greatest of Days plans the following types of events south and east of Seattle, WA.  


Social Events:

Anniversaries
Bar Mitzvahs
Bat Mitzvahs
Graduation
Sweet 16
Retirement
Bon Voyage
Quinceaneras
Welcome Home
Milestone Birthdays
Celebration of Life Events
Weddings (on a case by case basis)


Business Events:

Employee Appreciation
Client Appreciation      
Product Launches
Grand Openings
Re-Branding 
Retirement
Book Signing
Special Promotions


Community Events:
Fundraising Events
Assist in Planning Festivals

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Weddings and Money


Money Talk!  Wedding Vendors and Brides and Grooms, All!
 

Sometimes, well...I should say more often than not, money can be a difficult subject to talk about. Often it is considered to be a taboo subject, but when it comes to weddings it is a must-have conversation.  
 
From a wedding vendor's perspective
 
When planning a wedding one of the first questions that couples will often ask is "How much does it cost?"  Many times it is because they don't know of any other place to start a conversation.  So as wedding vendors, sometimes we need to take a chill pill.  My answer is that everything is so customized that an answer can only be developed after I've spoken with a potential client.  

So depending upon how you word it or the tone of voice you use, this is how wedding vendors could interpret that question!  Vendors will feel like this person wants to bleed them dry and don't really care about how much work they would put in to do a good job for them!  They can tend to feel that a couple is just price shopping and is not recognizing how their work could be completely different from another vendor's work.
 
From a wedding couple's perspective

So where does the subject of money become awkward to a potential client?  It probably would be when a wedding vendor is asking, "What is your budget?"  This also is a very important question, but often it is feared by brides and grooms to mean, "They're going to take it all if we tell them!" That's not true.  The budget determines what you can do and will force people to set their priorities.  
 
From both sides now...
 
The wedding industry sometimes gets accused of raising the prices for the "W" word.  I don't see that happening among vendors I know.  It is true that weddings are much more involved and complicated than other types of events, and they definitely have a more emotions involved than other types of events.  I think that in reality, it just feels to couples planning a wedding that everything costs a fortune because they are discovering that there are so many details that need to be taken care of and paid for than they ever imagined.  As in any consumer transaction, if you are respectful and appreciative, you will probably have a much better experience.  Quite possibly they'll throw in some extras.  If you approach a vendor with a defensive or aggressive attitude, they might just tell you to take your business elsewhere.  If they are going to be working with a grumpy client for a year, they would probably just as soon not have your business.
 
The average couple has no idea how much time goes into what professionals do for a wedding. They don't just show up on a wedding day.  How could they and why should they?  They haven't done this before and even if they have, things change constantly.  As with any profession, you are paying for a skill which is preceded by education, investments of time and money and followed by many hours of hard work.  One thing that I say with 90% certainty, wedding vendors are doing what they love to do.  That is priceless!  Also remember that they are running a business and wearing so many hats like any other business owner.  Seldom, does a wedding vendor get rich doing what they do.
 
A good thing to remember is that if everything was easy, always possible, took little time and we could learn everything there is to possibly learn, there wouldn't be any industries out there. The same holds true for the wedding industry.
 
One thing that we must never forget as wedding vendors.  It isn't just another bride, another groom, another mother, sister or friend we are dealing with.  This is a very emotional and probably one of the most anticipated day in their lives so far.  We can't always show our emotions but that doesn't mean that we can't show how much we care.

Wishing you the Greatest of Days!


Contact us if you would like to receive our weekly newsletter the "Wedding & Event Dialogue" 






Thursday, January 3, 2013


You've Got Questions?  We've Got Answers!
"What if my venue already has a Wedding Planner?  They said that they would do all of the planning."

We hear this a lot and it's not just venues.  It can also be caterers and sometimes DJ's who will say this. In reality, venue Coordinators/Wedding Planners are responsible for the venue and their staff's responsibilities on your wedding day.  They might even have vendors that they will recommend to you, but their approach to finding vendors for you can be very different. *The difference is really like comparing apples to oranges.  More than likely they would have a preferred vendor list whereas an independent Wedding Planner will search for a vast array of vendors that match your personality, style and budget and will look at your wedding from a much larger picture than just the wedding day. An independent Wedding Planner will help you from the very beginning all the way through to helping you with tasks that you still have in the weeks after the wedding.

An independent Wedding Planner becomes much more familiar with all of the dynamics of your wedding (including your family dynamics which has a huge effect) and an Independent Wedding Planner has by far the most consultations with a couple than any other vendor.  With our Full Planning Options (The Totally Pampered  and The Carefree and part of our Ala Carte options) we accompany our clients on as many consultations as our clients wish for us to be at. Some couples are thrilled with the very first one and others can't explore enough and go well beyond the average.  Only a few of the vendors who are integral to the success of a wedding are actually at the wedding
As a rule, venue Coordinators will tell you that they like it when a bride has hired an independent Wedding Planner.  An independent Wedding Planner makes their job easier.  They like it that they will have a contact person who is very familiar with weddings to contact at any time during business hours and they know they won't be receiving as many phone calls because a Wedding Planner knows the ropes if you will.  On your wedding day, we can help concentrate on the needs of the couple and whomever else you would like us to be aware of, i.e., elderly guests and so forth.  We help brides with all aspects of their wedding and not just what is visible on the day of the event.  We can match you with *the average of 16-20 vendor categories that are required for the average wedding usually averaging up to 3 consultations per category or more if necessary.   We try to find a vendor who will compliment your personality, style and budget.  We want our vendors to fall in love with you and you to fall in love with them!

Wishing you the Greatest of Days!


Greatest of Days was nominated in 2011 and 2012 for Best Wedding Planner in the King 5 Best of Western Washington Contest