Planning a Wedding is a Time and Money Balancing Act

Balancing Money and Time to Plan Your Wedding

1.  Truth #1.

The reason why weddings seem so expensive is because there are so many moving parts and elements that need to be put together.  They all cost money.

We all excel at different things and absolutely can't stand other types of chores, jobs, duties, etc.  The same goes for planning a wedding.  Why spend your valuable time on something you hate.  I know that with the DIY craze, it would be easy to fall into that trap that gets bigger and bigger.  The trap that comes from saying, "I can do that myself!"  Yes, maybe you can, but do you love doing it?  If not you're likely to add unnecessary stress.  

2.  Rephrase your stress points.

If you catch yourself saying, "I need to do this" or "I need to do that", rephrase it to "it would be preferable if I did this or that".  Surprisingly, it lowers the priority a little or even makes you think it's not necessary to do the "this or that" at all.

3.  It's okay to let go!

I've read somewhere that the average (usually a bride) spends the equivalent of 7-1/2 weeks of 40-hour work weeks planning a wedding.  That is a lot of time and energy.  It takes some of us longer than others to realize that it's okay to hire some things out and realize we can't possibly come close to being as talented as the professionals in all of the categories we need.

4.  Time Management and Planning.

The things that couples don't realize when they are planning a wedding is that a lot of the DIY projects take place very close to the wedding.  Especially the flowers, making your own cake, etc!  Regarding the flowers, it doesn't matter whether they are of the "wear and carry" or "decor" categories..they take up time when you least have it.  That's not even including the tasks that people procrastinate on, constant interruptions and all the mini celebrations that are taking place at that time.  

5.  You only get married once.  Ideally!

If it's difficult for you to think about hiring tasks out, think again.  You wouldn't expect to be able to put braces on your teeth by yourself.  We hope we only get married once so you shouldn't have to justify handing out some headaches.

6.  Invest where it counts.  Determine your "dreads!" 

You can hire people to do everything from addressing your invitations, keeping track of RSVP's, cleaning up after the wedding, childcare on site at your wedding, theft protection with coat-check companies who will guard your gifts and your guests' possessions.

My biggest suggestion would be to hire a "Day-of Coordinator".  (there really is no such thing which is to your advantage).  A "Day-of Coordinator" actually does most of what a Wedding Planner does except find vendors for you.  You will want to look for one who will contact all of your vendors, verify your contracts to see if your plan actually matches what is in the contract, will tour your venue, conduct a rehearsal (might cost extra) and do their best to inhibit behavior from anyone that could risk you not getting your deposit back.  They will create a realistic timeline so that they day flows smoothly since they know the wedding industry and what the vendors need to do a good job for you.

Wishing you the greatest of days!

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Do You Know Your Bride Type?

Let's shed a light on it!

Headlight

1.  Do you feel like a deer in the headlights?  Let's change that to dear in the headlights even though I think deer are very cute and sweet, too.  Maybe you feel blinded by fear or are paralyzed with indecision.  Maybe you have been stopped in your tracks by the bombardment of unwanted advice. Maybe you would just like to say "Beam me up Scotty!"

Spotlight

2.  Do you love all of the attention to be set on you?  You want nothing more than to be a prima donna, belle of the ball and it's all about you!  You are willing to push everyone aside so you can make your grand entrance during the whole planning process as well as the wedding.

Laser Beam

3.  Are you ultra focused and you know exactly what you want and you are afraid to let anyone help you?  Maybe you know exactly what you want and are blinded by the lack of a limitless budget.  You might even be doing some damage being so focused that you refuse to listen to suggestions to guide you away from costly mistakes.

Searchlight

4.  Do you feel like you need to find out who's going to get you?  Do you feel that everyone is going to rip you off?  Are you wondering where you will find the vendors that make you comfortable, match your style and fit your budget.  Maybe it feels like that there is no one out there who "gets" your vision.

Mood light 

5.  Do you want your wedding to ooze with ambience, romance and glistening light and sparkles everywhere?  You can never have enough bling.

Let's shine a light on why all of this matters!

Okay!  Why is all of this important for a wedding planner to know?  We need to know who we should suggest for vendors who get you!  I guess you could say we need to be able to find your "Vendor Type" not just find a vendor in any particular vendor category and not just someone who could do the job. Our goal is to match ideal vendors with ideal clients.  That is exactly why we like to know many vendors and stay from preferred vendor lists.

Mistakes That Increase Wedding Costs, Part 4

Mistakes That Increase Wedding Costs, Part 4

"Familiarize Yourself with the Wedding Industry"

You can read online and get very well acquainted with all of the popular websites that are geared for reader's nationwide and beyond, but it doesn't give you any clue as to what a wedding will cost in your area.  There are sites that purport to tell you that you can narrow right down to your zip code what your wedding will cost.  I don't trust surveys when it comes to these kinds of details.   I have never seen anyone spend as much as they say a wedding would cost in my particular zip code.  That's not to say that it couldn't happen, but on an average?  No.  No two weddings are alike and no two couples are alike!

1.  It's important to have a basic idea of what you want.  It's a safe place to start and you can always learn about substitutions to reduce costs.  

2.  Don't be surprised when you find substantial differences between vendors.  

If you don't hire a Wedding Planner who will do their best to match you with vendors within your budget, I would suggest that you get at least 3 different proposals within each category for your wedding.  For example, floral designers, caterers, venues, DJ's, photographers.  Cheapest is not always a good value nor is the most expensive always the best quality.  This is the area where Wedding Planners save you a lot of money and quite often it is equal to the their fee.

3.  Ask your friends (newlyweds love to talk about their wedding) and get an idea of what they spent.  You probably have seen pictures at least of what they had in the way of flowers.  If you attended a wedding, you might remember the venue and what food was served.  The details of the photographer, DJ and other vendors will require more detailed questions.

4. Determine what time of year is the busiest for weddings in your area.  For instance in the Pacific Northwest, June is not the busiest wedding month, but the average person who lives here assumes that June is a busy wedding month.  Not so.  Save money by having an "off-season" wedding.

5.  Don't just rely on wedding shows!  They are a good place to get an idea things you will have to plan on for a wedding. The booth spaces are very expensive for businesses and many quality vendors don't spend their money on the shows or they pick and choose which wedding shows to participate in.  It also varies for each vendor category on how beneficial the shows are.  You might want to determine if the shows have a good mix of vendors.  I don't find many clients at wedding shows because usually people going to a show use a wedding show to plan their wedding.  I don't recommend planning a wedding that way because you are not getting the in-depth consultations at a wedding show nor a really good comparison of things you want.  You might be more comfortable with open houses that are held by venues or caterers.  Just search Google for local wedding open houses, show cases, etc.

6.  Attend local wedding planning workshops hosted by wedding planners.  There's no substitute for education.  One thing I have heard repeatedly from vendors is that they wish prospective clients came to them with more education about their services.  Live seminars will give you the opportunity to ask questions and learn from others who are planning a wedding.  Many times different vendors will actually participate in the workshops.   

Wishing you the greatest of days!

Greatest of Days (Event/Wedding Planning/Wedding Officiating)

Since 2007

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Mistakes That Will Increase Your Wedding Costs, Part 3 "Making Assumption"

Mistakes That Will  Increase Your Wedding Costs, Part 3

"Making Assumptions"

This issue of assumptions is a big one on so many levels of planning!!

What first comes to my mind is wedding flowers.  The shorter the distance your flowers have to fly on a plane the better off your budget will be!  Nature only makes most flowers at certain times of the year and only in certain locations.  

The second thing that comes to my mind is, Venues.  Where do I begin because each venues can vary so much one from another.  The biggest word of caution would be when you hear the word provide.  That is the scariest word in wedding planning in my opinion.  That word provide can get you into so much trouble.  Why??  It doesn't always mean that whatever is provided necessarily comes with the price of the venue.  Look out for hidden fees!  I would suggest you read another of my blog posts to get an in-depth look at what I'm talking about here.  Here's a link to that blog post!  

Many formalwear companies for tuxedos and suits will offer the groom's tuxedo/suit for free if three or more groomsmen rent their formalwear from them for the wedding.  Don't go out and buy a tuxedo or suit if this can save you money.

DJ'S!!!!!  In my opinion this is the most important vendor at your wedding!  Again, this is the most important vendor at your wedding!  They will literally make or break your wedding day.  Get to know your DJ!  Will he or she be more like a club DJ?  That is not the kind you would want for your wedding reception who needs to be able to read the audience (your guests) who will be of all ages!  Does he address the issue of offensive language for young children and other guests who don't want to hear it.  Does he/she ask you many questions about your wedding?  They had better if they know what they are doing.  Do they ask about your story as a couple as well as individuals?

Photography:

If you hear yourself saying, "I have a friend", "We know someone who..". "My cousin is really good with a camera".........please swallow those words right back into your mouth.  Pictures are the only thing that you will have left as a tangible diary of your entire wedding day that will last forever.  Photography is equally art and science.  It literally refers to recording light.  An experienced wedding photographer will be worth their weight in gold.  Do yourself a favor and talk to many photographers because if they don't make you smile during a consultation or an engagement shoot, you might not be comfortable with them on your wedding day!

Feel free to go to our Greatest of Days website and find a hidden planning tip on each page of our website!

As always....

Wishing you the greatest of days!

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What You Need to Know When Other Vendors Offer to Plan Your Wedding!

When you speak to a wedding vendor for your wedding, there is something that should put you on alert.  It's not intentionally a bad thing, but beware.  When a wedding vendor other than a Wedding Planner says, "We can plan your wedding for you" they are only partially seeing the vision of your wedding and will not be able to intercede for you on your behalf like a Wedding Planner will throughout the planning process and on your wedding day.  I wouldn't pretend to be the professional to safely prepare your food or operate the equipment that a DJ has invested money and time in.  I wouldn't pretend to get your flowers done in nearly the amount of time a florist could.  I do know that a Wedding Planner sees all of the finer details that others just aren't used to looking for and knows how each segment is part of a complete picture.  Wedding Planners take away the worry wort factor.  We are on the lookout for what can go wrong, but hopefully a bride won't even know until after the wedding what was an issue.

A venue coordinator's primary responsibilities are to the venue and their staff.  A caterer's responsibilities are for the food and they seldom stay for the whole wedding reception especially off-site caterers.  A DJ is hired for a specific reason to provide music and facilitating entertainment and more than likely will be your emcee and seldom is able to leave his or her post.  

Why do they say that they can plan your wedding?  It's not necessarily just to make money, but I think that many of them really think that they can do Wedding Planning and that they are helping a bride!  Granted, they are extremely familiar with weddings and very professional in what they do.  However, I feel that these vendors are not doing a good service for the bride nor to themselves as vendors by saying that they can plan a bride's wedding. I want you to know what to look for when a vendor volunteers to plan your wedding.

This is the picture!  On the wedding day itself, these vendors and other have their own job to do.  They will have their own set up and tear-down to take care of and are not going to be able to take the time necessary to make sure that all of your contracted vendors are on schedule, know if they are having problems in traffic and then able to help them with their setup.  

Prior to the wedding day, what these vendors consider to be wedding planning is not going to include accompanying you to consultations with their selected vendors which is what a Wedding Planner will do for you.  They probably won't be selecting vendors based on your personality, style and budget for each and every category of vendor you need.  More than likely they are only thinking of half a dozen vendors when in reality it takes 16-20 vendors for the average, a not-many-frills wedding.  It's understandable that they think only of the vendors that are actually a part of the reception, because that is what people primarily think of as those involved in a wedding or what has to be planned for a wedding.  

There are so many vendors that are behind the scenes even months prior to the wedding and some who have a role only after a wedding.  Everything from invitations, finding selections of makeup artists or hair stylists that will come to the venue, a calligrapher, pre-marriage counselors, etc.  Will you want a caterer or florist coming with you to shop for wedding dresses?  Don't worry, they won't.  

There are also some very unique vendors that they probably have not run into.  Do they know multiple people who specialize in daycare at weddings?  Do they know 3 people who play bagpipes?  Do they know where to find and know how a business operates that has horse-drawn carriages?  Will they check to see if your venue is within trotting distance from a place where the horses can set up for your carriage ride to the venue.  They might know a harpist, but do they know one that can actually bring magic out of the harp and have everyone dancing to rock and roll music from the harp?  These categories might be on the more unusual side, but if somebody wants even the oddest category of a vendor, that is what we as planners thrive on.  We have an insatiable curiosity to know what is out there for making a wedding unique just in case a bride might ask for that type of vendor.

Sorry, but here are more questions.  Do they know the things that each of their suggested vendors needs to optimally perform their individual tasks?   Are they aware of all venue rules? Are they prepared for answering all of your questions at any time you have them about your wedding?  Will your vendor who says they can plan your wedding be willing to look at each and every contract.   Aside from consultations, are they going to be willing to meet each vendor prior to the wedding on those selected vendors' schedules at the venue to help them get familiar with the layout and where they are going to fit into the larger picture?  That would include the photographer, the DJ, the rental company at minimum.  Normally a client has to take time out of their busy schedules, but a Wedding Planner will do this save you a lot of time which you'd rather save for the honeymoon or money to stay in your paycheck. Wedding Planners primarily work on weddings while these other vendors also have other types of events that they do or concentrate on even more than weddings.  For example, many caterers and others count on Corporate events to be their bread and butter.  Many times those events are held during times when you really need some answers.

You know I love good vendors, but I have to love brides more.  Even better, I like knowing that a bride has someone to exclusively look out for all aspects before, during and after her wedding.  Yes there is work after a wedding.  Is there such a thing as a Lost and Found Manager?   A Wedding Planner is hired for the bride, her family and her guests so that they can relax and enjoy the party knowing that a complete team has been put together just for her with every minute detail considered in the planning process.

Wishing you the greatest of Days!

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