Wacky Wedding Planner

Destination Wedding Tips from the Planners Perspective

Recently I was asked to speak before our local Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) about destination wedding planning.  I prepared my first ever PowerPoint presentation and was pleasantly surprised at how easy and enjoyable this experience turned out to be.  Even though the night of the meeting was cold and rainy, attendance was higher than usual.

The meeting was held at the Westin Galleria in Edina and our gracious hostess, Julie Broder helped to make the evening perfect with fabulous foods and pleasant accommodations.  I learned quite a bit about their new hotel and have it on my radar as a preferred venue.

Since 2006 Fete Perfection has steadily grown in the destination wedding market having successfully planned and coordinated our first destination wedding at Grand View Lodge in Nisswa, MN - yes Grand View qualifies as a destination since the distance is over 150 miles which required 3 hours of travel, plus everyone was from out of town.

Since that very first wedding we have learned an awful lot about destination weddings and hopefully what I have to share will inspire you to either jump into this growing market or if you are a bride, plan your own destination wedding - with the help of Fete Perfection, of course!

Here is my best advice which applies to brides as well as planners:

1. Scouting locations is a must.  Don't rely on websites - they are biased and don't tell the whole story.
2. Contact the local Convention and Visitors Bureau for venue recommendations, assistance in securing discounted accommodations during your travels, member contacts who want your business and even personally guided tours while you are visiting locations.
3. When conducting your scouting trip, stay at least one night in each hotel being considered as your "host hotel" to observe the hotel from a guest perspective rather than just a 30 minute walk-through.
4. Read online reviews of the properties being considered.  Trip Advisor and Hotels all have reviews on their websites.  Trip Advisor tends to have more comprehensive reviews, but check out both.
5. Contact a trusted travel agent for their first hand experience - part of their business as a travel expert is attending Familiarization Tours of dozens of properties every year. They also have access to special airfares the general public does not.
6. Contact a local ABC member for advice and recommendations.  Other ABC members are usually very cooperative with each other and willing to share information with colleagues.
7. Consider a mid-week wedding - rental fees and minimums are less expensive than on Saturdays, the most popular day to marry.
8. Consider bringing a local photographer to your destination wedding, especially one who is trying to break into the destination market. Your photographer may be wiling to discount their usual pricing since they do not usually shoot mid-week weddings.
9. Buy wedding insurance - Wedsafe is a trust company offering reimbursements should almost any disaster strike -if the wedding is called off, however, there is no reimbursement for deposits and payments.
10. I've saved the best for last - consider Fete Perfection, your destination wedding specialist for all your planning needs - we even conduct site inspections for couples who are too busy to travel.

I hope this helps and if you have tips not mentioned, feel free to comment - we love your input.

Wedding Inspiration & Designs

The week of November 1 I will be traveling to Costa Rica for site inspections and to participate in a tabletop design photo shoot. I was immediately interested but worried about the logistics of decor and accessories being available, however after having about ten days to mull it over, tear through wedding magazines, books and online images I did agree.

Of course the tabletop design has to be wedding related and pertinent to weddings in Costa Rica. I did not want the obvious or "Clichéd" themes of shells, sand, flip flops etc so started researching Costa Rica and its culture.  Several broad ideas came to mind such as Rain Forest, Eco-System and native birds such as the Macaw.  My initial choice was then narrowed to the macaw and creating a table full of lush vibrant colors such as ocean blue, red and lime green seemed fairly simple.

While it is easy to see ideas in your mind, creating the idea in living color with texture and dimension is much more difficult.  I worked several days on pulling the Macaw theme together but it always boiled down to the one final element that said "Macaw" and unfortunately that meant a fake bird.  While the table linens, base plates, napkins, candles and other details were great together, adding the fake bird made everything look like a circus. Here's a photo of my initial inspiration.

Frustrated, I was ready to give up but as luck would have it, I came across a story in the travel section of our Sunday paper about sea glass.  That sparked new interest and design ideas and after additional research, shopping trips and consultations with my graphic designer, I think I'm ready to head to Costa Rica. Getting there is going to be interesting, especially since I'll be bringing an entire suitcase filled with colored glass, decor, centerpieces, linens and votives but I'm hoping my frequent flyer status on Northwest will get them to look the other way when it comes to an over-sized luggage.

So the moral of the story for anyone who may have hit a design block, stop looking at wedding inspiration boards, wedding blogs and wedding books.  Inspiration may hit where you least expect it.  Here is my inspiration found by reading the news.  Good luck and let me know if Fete Perfection can help you get over your design block.

. Photo courtesy of Sea Glass Blog - thank you.

Name Change After Your Wedding

I came across a frantic post from a newly married bride who was seeking assistance from "anyone" who could help.  She was recently married and leaving for her honeymoon. However she made a major mistake and one that could jeopardize her trip.  She booked her reservations in her new married name before she had legally changed her name.

She was now frantically contacting the county she was married in to get the status of her marriage certificate so she could begin the name change process.  As much as I understand the excitement of taking your husbands name, she should have been patient and waited until after her honeymoon to start using her new name. 

Modern day travel by air, train or cruise ship is more difficult than ever and to have your travel documents such as passport, driver's license or Visas reflect conflicting information guarantees you'll be bumped out of the security line and sent packing back home.  And it's become even more difficult as of October, 2009 with the advent of birthdates, middle names  and gender being required.

So to those ladies who can't wait to use your husbands last name, be patient, make the change legally and then enjoy your future together as Mr and Mrs.  Otherwise you may just end honeymooning at home.

Look for name change documents and requirements from your local county office and be certain to check and double check all spellings before booking your travel. If you need help, call me at Fete Perfection for more information.

Happy Trails...Amy

I Should Have Had a Wedding Planner!

I found this collage on Bridal Canvas and couldn't help but laugh.

AHHHHHHHHHHH, I should have had a wedding planner by jenniferborghevents

Brides who hire Fete Perfection never look like this, thank goodness!

Advice for New Wedding Planners

Debbie Orwat of Save The Date Event Planning in Colorado posted a great blog today.  She has advice for new wedding planners or those wishing to explore the business of wedding planning.  I endorse her advice wholeheartedly. Thank you Debbie.

Stress-free Venue Tours

Last winter, on what was probably the coldest night of the year, I assisted one of my couples with rehearsal dinner venue tours in downtown Minneapolis.  We had to see five places in ninety minutes.  If we didn't stay on schedule, our site coordinators would have gone home for the evening so needless to say, this was not a pleasant experience.  But from this experience a great idea was born and today I actually implemented the idea, very successfully I might add.

A great new couple I'm working with was on a mission to locate their wedding reception venue before weeks end.  I received word of their mission on Monday and had only Tuesday to tour because I'm leaving for a family wedding on Wednesday and will be gone the rest of the week.  Not wanting to disappoint them, I scheduled six site inspections over four hours all in downtown Minneapolis.  Have you been downtown lately?  It looks like the roadways from the 1800's with dirt, gravel and holes on all the major streets so guess what this does to traffic.  

Needless to say I was a little anxious about staying on schedule, finding parking and seeing all the great venues in four hours.  Memories of winter past came flooding back when inspiration hit - I called my couple and asked they meet at my studio and leave the rest to me.  They arrived at the designated hour and so did my luxury limousine and professional driver complete with refreshments for the occasion.  The moment we stepped inside and settled in I knew I made the right decision.  Hiring a car and driver to negotiate through the construction and traffic was brilliant and the best part, because we were dropped off right in front of the venue doors, our tours were quick and efficient and we stayed on schedule.  In fact we were a little early on some occasions so were able to squeeze in a few extra inspections we hadn't anticipated being able to see.

The most wonderful part however was seeing how thoroughly relaxed my couple was and I think they very much enjoyed the day. Oh by the way, they found their dream venue and they did this in style and with grace.  Thanks to RiverCity Limousine and Karen Trondson for your promptness and flexibility. 

This is just one of the unexpected services Fete Perfection offers to set ourselves apart from other wedding professionals, so if you are considering hiring a wedding planner consider Fete Perfection to exceed your expectations.

Ice Sculpture Centerpieces

I'm always on the lookout for creative and stylish ways to personalize weddings, so when I picked up the July/August issue of Special Events Magazine I was instantly drawn to the idea of individual ice sculptures on guest tables.  Even though the event featured in the magazine was a corporate fundraiser, ice sculpture centerpieces makes perfect sense for weddings as well.

Fete Perfection works with two of the most talented sculptors in the industry and I know if I asked, they would carve creations unique to the couple and the style of their wedding.  Of course the venue would have to be ideal for ice, so backyard tented weddings in July or August, not so.

I would also suggest having ice sculptures as centerpieces on about one third or one half of the guest tables.  Too much of a good thing is not a good thing.  I would suggest a mix of ice with floral and candlelight centerpieces. In addition, ice sculptures should be up-lit which adds drama and depth.

So next time we're either managing a tight budget or stylizing a wedding to fit the design and decor, I'm going to suggest ice sculpture centerpieces.  I think they'll be a big hit and certainly should be remembered long after the ice has melted.

We borrowed these images from the Events Department - thank you.

 

Destination Weddings - Budget Saving Tips

Why do destination weddings typically cost 40% less than the average local wedding?  Because, guest lists are typically much lower than local weddings.  I've had couples invite 150 guests but have 48 to 60 attend. Destination weddings by nature are smaller, intimate affairs and even though there are several events associated with the wedding, the savings can still be substantial.  Here are my suggestions for additional savings:

1. Plan your wedding in the off-season. Hotels and resorts greatly discount rooms to keep occupancy up. Personally, I love summer in the Caribbean because beaches are less crowded, the water is warmer and airfares are drastically reduced.  Great properties are willing to offer complimentary room upgrades as good public relations and wedding couples will often receive VIP treatment.
2. If you really want to leave the cold and snow be flexible with the month and week of your wedding.  For example, once you have narrowed your search down to two or three venues, make sure you let your sales managers know that you are willing to have your wedding during their slower weeks. Spring break or Easter is not slow time for destinations, but shortly after New Years, many resorts see a drastic decline in occupancy. 
3. Have a mid-week wedding.  Why not arrive on Sunday, get your legalities finalized on Monday, host a welcome reception on Tuesday, take a day off and then get married on Thursday?  Room rentals may be lowered or waived and food and beverage minimums are drastically reduced making your dream venue affordable on Thursday but out of reach on Saturday.
4. Use simple local decor for centerpieces - afterall isn't the ambiance for your wedding, the destination itself?
5. Hire live local entertainment.  Typically they charge up to 75% less than bands at home.
6. Make your food and beverage a cultural experience.  Find out what foods & beverages your destination is known for. Both will be more affordable, if it's abundant and easy to prepare.  It certainly will be fresher and offers a genuine local experience to your guests.
7. Wedding groups means revenue to properties.  Negotiate complimentary breakfasts or cocktail hour as an add-on for your guests.
8. Most couples host their wedding at the venue in which they are residing, therefore no transportation costs.
9. Bring your own photographer.  There are many excellent photographers wishing to break into destination weddings and will charge minimal fees or ask that their expenses are paid in order to gain experience and add to their portfolio.
10. Work with an experienced destination wedding specialist who already has all the resources and contacts at their fingertips.  This will save numerous phone calls and frustrations especially if you aren't used to "island" time. Also, they will have researched and read reviews of area destination weddings and can sort out "cookie cutter" weddings from those that truly are one-of-a-kind.
11. Contact the local Department of Tourism or Convention Bureau.  They can provide complimentary maps, entertainment guides and gifts for you to provide to your guests in their "welcome to our wedding" bags.
12. Consider VRBO or Vacation Rentals By Owner for weddings of 10 to 35 guests.  They offer fantastic, private accommodations usually under one roof, complete with housekeeping and private chef services.  These are private luxury homes or villas found all over the world.  I am a big fan of VRBO and have used this resource for my own family vacations.

Most guests appreciate the opportunity to plan their budget so they can make your destination wedding a vacation, so send Save-the-date invitations as early as possible and start working on a timeline.  What's a destination timeline like?  That's next...

Hiring a Wedding Planner - Questions to Ask

This is the first of a series of posts I hope will enlighten you as you plan your wedding.  Liene Stevens of Splendid Communications reminded me just today that education and information is an important aspect to planning a wedding and building trust with brides.  So regardless if Fete Perfection  has been hired or not, I hope that the information you receive from me will be invaluable, even if it's free.

If you have decided to hire a wedding planner for full service planning or day of coordination, scheduling an initial consultation is critical.  If possible, schedule this face-to-face rather than by phone.  There are times this may not be possible, especially if you are planning from another state but I recommend trying to coordinate a trip at the same time you begin your venue search.

Plan on spending a minimum of sixty to ninety minutes meeting.  Bring along a prepared list of questions and have your wedding planning notebook or organizer close by should you need to look for information or contracts.  After introductions, get comfortable and don't be shy about getting down to business. 

A thorough wedding planner will have done their own homework and perhaps may have provided a questionnaire or survey for completion in advance of your consultation.This will help them to know just a little about you before you arrive and hopefully can help to break the ice. I send my Budget Priorities Questionnaire and Bride & Groom Style Survey in anticipation of meeting potential clients so I know a little about them as a couple, their likes, dislikes, food preferences, personalities and budget priorities.

At this point in your consultation are you thinking "I can't get a word in edgewise" or "are you listening to what I'm saying?" If you find yourself in this position, I'm thinking she's not the planner for you.  Your planner should listen to your vision and dreams without taking over the conversation.  Communication and trust will be key over the next several months so building rapport early on is mandatory.

Here's my suggested list of questions to ask a potential planner:

• How many weddings have you planned?
• What do you enjoy the most out of your job?
• What do you like the least?
• Do you handle more than one wedding per day or per weekend?
• Who will be my lead Consultant/Planner.  What happens if they are sick or cannot be there on my wedding day?
• How do you help me manage my budget?
• Do you negotiate pricing and review vendor contracts?
• Do you accept kick-backs from vendors?
• What appointments do you attend with me?
• How many hours do you work on my wedding day?  Do you stay to the very end?  If not, why not?
• Do you belong to any associations?
• Will you be my advocate should I have a problem with a vendor?
• Can you counsel on etiquette and advise on matters of hot trends?

Finally, make sure you feel a genuine connection and that she understands your vision, challenges and budget.  Make sure too that she isn't bossy, critiques your ideas, has no references or will not sign a contract. After the planner has a clear understanding of your needs, she should prepare a proposal and send within 24 to 48 hours.

I hope you find benefit in this post and if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Love, Love, Love...Linens!

Other than traveling for destination weddings and networking events, my last three weeks have been spent selecting BEAUTIFUL linens from my favorite rental companies, Linen Effects and Aarcee Classic Events. Russ Mohr of Linen Effects and Allison Munsell of Aarcee never cease to amaze me with their eye, taste and knack for pulling together fabulous looks even without the benefit of being at the venue or seeing the centerpieces.

Because I work with many brides who want specialty linens and personalized decor, I see a wide-range of selections and looks but no two are ever alike.  Even with the bride whose colors may center around brown and lime green, or vivid orange and eggplant, the looks created by Russ and Allison are completely unique to that bride. 

I'm always excited to attend linen selection appointments and so to better prepare yourself for such appointments, I have my cheatsheet on how to do your homework before selecting linens.

1.  If possible, obtain a room diagram of your venue showing table size, quantity and placement.  This will help to quantify linen needs and color schemes if using more than one type of linen.
2.  Know your budget.  The average specialty linen rents for $35 excluding delivery, tax and installation.
3.  Bring photos or magazines showing colors and looks you like.
4.  Bring fabric or ribbon samples if you are set on specific shades of "insert color here"
5.  Bring your florists proposal.  This will help the designers to coordinate or contrast the looks.
6.  Bring your camera...chances are your fiance will not care enough about linens to attend the appointment, but he will care enough to want to see photos.
7.  Speaking of an entourage, don't bring them.  The more groupies you have, the more opinons you get...afterall isn't that why they're there in the first place?  Bring mom, future mom or maid of honor but leave the rest at home.  Surprise them on the wedding day.
8.  Ask for fabric swatches.  Most companies readily supply samples which you can bring to your next floral appointment. 
9.  Don't be rushed.  Allow at least an hour to look at the various selections and samples provided.  One or two will jump out at you and the rest wil quietly fade into the woodwork. 
10. Finally, savor the moment - the hard part is done.

Wedding Cakes

I love wedding cakes and judging by the time spent considering options, my couples do too.  One of the "perks" of my job is the opportunity to meet with very talented bakers and enjoy the fruits of their labor.  Several times each month I join one of my couples as we eat our way through the cities sampling delectable cakes, frosting's and fillings that eventually become the finished product...the wedding cake!

I have my favorites,  but that doesn't matter, what does is how happy my couple is with the samples provided during their tasting.  It seems that grooms are very engaged in the cake tasting aspect of planning and often are quite opinionated, which is great.  I love to see them asking questions and making suggestions.

So here are my suggestions for making the most out of your cake tasting:

1.  Bring photos of cakes you like.  It doesn't matter if you have 15 photos, bring them all.  Be ready to narrow down your selection to your top five and from there your top three.  Try to determine three things you like most about your top three.  For example is it the shape of the cake - is it the height - or is it the designs.  Whatever is drawing you to the cake, single it out if you can and be ready to explain the attraction to the baker.

2. Go hungry - do not go after you just had a full meal.  By the time you have finished sampling close to 25 different cakes you will be ready for a nap and you may never want to look at another piece of cake again.

3. Determine where cake is on your priority list.  If it's high, choose the cake and the baker that exceeded your expectations in every way, even if the cake exceeds your budget.  You can take dollars from another area with lower priority if needed. If on the other hand you view cake as a necessity and feel that all the cakes you tasted were wonderful and you truly cannot make a decision, chose the one that offers the most value.  Cakes range in price from about $3.25 per slice to $10 per slice and a Sylvia Weinstock cake can run in excess of $15,000.

4. Try to limit the tasting to you two, but if mom and dad hold the purse strings, the polite thing to do is invite them along.  One word of caution, the more bodies at a tasting, the more opinions you'll receive. As if tasting approximately 25 different cakes isn't bad enough, trying to get a consensuses among the 4 is torture.  Well it can be...I've seen it.

5. Take notes.  It's virtually impossible to remember all the little details and options discussed during a tasting so make notes of what you liked and didn't like.  Make notes about pricing, delivery fees, deposits and final payments.  If you have a wedding planner, check to see if they will attend and take notes for you. 

6. Finally, enjoy the experience.  Cake tastings can be a lot of fun and once the decision has been finalized you will feel ready to move onto your next task.

7.  Get to the gym as quickly as possible...you'll feel so much better.

Kickbacks, Commissions and the inside skinny

Liene Stevens of Blue Orchid Designs and The Smart Planner is a very classy and bright young lady with great advice for brides and planners alike.  I was fortunate to meet her last fall at a symposium in Orlando and will have the opportunity to attend one of her sessions in Indianapolis next month at Eventology.

Because I am often asked whether I accept "commissions" aka kickbacks {which I do not} I wanted to explain my position and reasoning in doing so.  However Liene did a much better job explaining why we feel this is unethical and a huge conflict of interest when she posted the following on her Blue Orchid Design blog in March, 2008.  Thanks Liene for these pearls.

Kickbacks, Commissions and Dirty Wedding Secrets

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

{Edited to add: The most interesting part of this post, in my opinion, is the discussion occurring in the comments section. Be sure to read through those and feel free to weigh in with your thoughts.}

Once a week Google Alerts delivers a list to my inbox of every place my companies, blog, website, etc have been mentioned on the web. I recently clicked on one of the links and it brought me to a popular bridal chat board that had a discussion happening about commissions collected by wedding vendors, specifically coordinators. Basically, a bride found out that her wedding planner had asked another vendor for a commission for the services they would be providing for the couple. My name came up in another bride's reply as a person who could potentially speak to this issue. So I am.

The inside world of weddings can be a convoluted and politically bumpy ride. If you want to remain uneducated and blissfully in the dark about this area of the industry, then stop reading now.

The Skinny
Kickbacks, which are often fancied up by substituting other names for them, are unethical. And they are very, very common in the wedding industry. Extremely common. Incredibly common. They happen all the time. Did I mention how common they are? Okay, just so there's not any misunderstanding and we're all on the same page here.

There is a myth floating around that if a planner has been in the industry for years, and has done a lot of weddings, that they are immune to these unethical ways. This is simply not true. You may be surprised to learn who is taking kickbacks or commissions from vendors as they often have a perceived (by the public, not the vendors) sterling reputation and may be charging on the higher end for their services.

Kickbacks, or commissions as they are more commonly referred to, are often paid by the vendor to the planner for the "privilege" of getting to work with them. Most often, the vendor will pay it because it essentially guarantees that the planner will continually refer them and send future business their way. It is a practice that is regarded by some as something they don't like but is "just the way things are done". Now, a smart vendor is not going to take a cut in their profit margin in order to pay the commission, so they will raise the price they are charging you for their goods or services by the 10% or fee amount that they will be paying to the planner. In this regard, the planner is being paid twice - by both you and by your vendors in theory, but by you both times in reality.

Hindsight is 20/20
Some planners are very quiet about this and some go ahead and state in their contracts that they may accept commissions. This is where it is imperative that you go over your contracts with a fine tooth comb prior to signing them. If there is any ambiguity as to what a clause means in layman's terms, ask before signing.

Not all wedding coordinators accept commissions and I think that in the stickiness and ugliness of this issue, it is important to remember that there are many coordinators who maintain high integrity and actually want the best for you. That said, there are a couple ways to know whether or not your planner charges vendors commissions. One is if they pressure you to go with any one particular company. If they know they are going to be increasing their income because certain vendors will pay their fees, they will insist you use them only. The second is simply to ask, both the planner and the vendors (assuming you have any lined up yet) if they do this. Whether or not you take them at their word and trust that they are telling you the truth is a matter of discernment on your part.

Moving Forward
So what do you do if you find out after the fact, as this bride did, that your coordinator was requiring commissions from your vendors? This is tough, and it really comes down to determining if they were in breach of their contract by doing so and if it is worth walking away from your non-refundable retainer because of it. In the long run, it may cost you less to cancel your contract and eat the retainer than it would to pay all markups that are covering the cost of commissions the planner is receiving.

Here is a brief synopses of some other industry practices that can and often cross into some seriously gray areas:

Preferred Vendor Lists
Most resorts and venues have a preferred vendor list that they include with their information packets. About 90% of these are paid lists, meaning that the vendors on there pay to be included. This is a gray area because it can technically be considered advertising. Often the transaction is recorded and the vendor is issued a receipt for their payments.

"Best Of" Lists
Most "best of" lists operate in a manner similar to preferred vendor lists. They are essentially advertising, and while the organization or publications promoting them may require that members be of a certain caliber, they are still only the "best of the best who are willing to pay". Some of the list sponsors disclose that they are paid listings and some do not. Almost all promote that they are by invitation only, and while some truly are, a space on some of the most prominent ones can simply be attained by a quick phone call to their sales department.

Awards
There are some awards that are legitimately awarded for quality and excellence, some are popularity contests, and some are more or less purchased by vendors who agree to advertise with the publication or organization awarding the recognition. I personally have no problem with a vendor using an award they've received for PR purposes, but I do think that the public needs to be better educated on which awards are akin to saying that you've been named Time Magazine's Person of the Year for 2006 and which are true recognition for talent and accomplishments.

These practices aren't unique to Arizona or New York or Hawaii. In 2006, Becker, a photographer based in Southern California, blogged about these same things happening in his area. He gave me permission to reprint the article and I include it in my info packets that I give to couples so they can get someone else's perspective on the matter. I believe that when more people are educated about what is happening behind the wedding scenes, and when more people are able to make informed decisions, the better off the wedding industry will be as a whole.

Posted by Liene at Blue Orchid Designs

So there you have it...my company, Fete Perfection does not accept kickbacks or commissions or whatever you want to call a referral fee.  And while many vendors offer this to us, we choose to have that same amount applied as a discount towards services contracted; which directly benefits our couples.  You win twice - you hire the best possible wedding professional and you receive a discount because you work with Fete Perfection.

Wedding Day Disaster...yep no planner hired

One of my friends and colleagues in Southern California, Jeannie Ward of the Wedding Jeannie posted this on her blog just today and with her permission I am re-posting.  The lesson here is clear and obvious...nuff said -

"My blog is a place where brides and grooms can come for good advice with a smile. Normally, I wouldn’t post anything with a negative tone, but I’m compelled to warn you about what can happen when you don’t hire an experienced wedding planner.

Recently a bride called me inquiring about hiring me. I was already booked for her day, but referred her to another planner that I know and trust. Her wedding was 45 days away and she still didn’t have a DJ. Even though I wasn’t her planner I referred a great DJ to her, and she hired him. 

Monday after the wedding, I heard from my valued DJ. The bride decided not to hire a planner because she didn’t want to pay the fee, and she was confident that her family members would take care of the details. Unfortunately they didn’t, and her wedding was not all she was wishing for. Here is a list of what went wrong, and how it could have been avoided.

• The bride was 30 minutes late for her own wedding. We make a detailed timeline of the entire day, from the time the make-up artist arrives, to the time the limo picks up the bridal party, etc. We even contact your hair and make-up artists to tell them what time they should start and finish, to keep the bride on time.

• The florist was late and didn’t have an assistant to help him. He was putting down the aisle runner and petals while the guests were seated and watched. A professional coordinator’s timeline is detailed. Each vendor (including the florist), is called two weeks before the event to discuss the duties and what time they need to start work and finish work. The florist is called again a few days before the wedding to confirm. I always have an assistant, and often times an intern. If a vendor is late and needs help to finish, we all jump in to get it done.

• Kneeling benches were to be used for the ceremony. The bride’s sister was to pick them up from the rental company and bring them. She didn’t do it! Her own sister didn’t do it. Prior to every wedding, I’m mentally prepared for every possible problem. I know what rental company is nearby, and could have had my assistant pick them up within ten minutes.

• Seating cards were to be placed outside of the ballroom. Assigned seating was the order of the day. The bride left this task to her beloved and responsible cousin. Guess what? She forgot them! It was a seating “free for all”. Important family members were relegated to the back of the room, because people who took the seats closest to the couple refused to move. We require that the seating cards are given to us the night of the rehearsal. We place them and assist guests in being seated.

• The ceremony was one hour late and the priest threatened to leave because he had another wedding to perform. He instructed the DJ to start the music and send the bride down the aisle immediately or he would leave. The bridal party was running around visiting with friends and would not stay lined up. The brides father couldn’t be found when it was time to start. The Bride had to walk down the aisle alone! This is absolutely heartbreaking. There are always two of us at every wedding. I stay with the bride and her maids, and my assistant stays with the groom and his men. We keep everyone in line. The latest I’ve ever started a wedding was 10 minutes.

• Photography is one of the most important aspects of your wedding. You get one opportunity to capture “moments” on film. The photographer at this wedding was eating hors’ doeuvres and sitting down. The DJ caught him sitting down on several occasions, not taking pictures. He had to continually hound him all night to do his job. It is not the job of the DJ to help with all of these problems. This couple was very lucky that this DJ is very caring and wanted the best for them. A coordinator would have made sure the photographer was doing his job. If necessary, my assistant would shadow him and keep him on his toes. It’s our job to oversee that the important shots are being captured.

• A video montage was to be played during the reception. The bride assured the DJ that there would be a projector and a screen provided. She forgot to inform the venue. No screen, no projector. Luckily the DJ had a backup projector in his vehicle. He convinced the venue manager to allow them to use their screen (additional fee for the couple). We do a final walk through with the venue to go over the timeline and flow for the day. The mistake would have been identified and corrected at that time.

In the long run, the couple were married. Isn’t that what really matters? Of course it is. But the bride was especially distressed about everything that went wrong. Most brides are sure that their family will “take care of them that day”. I can attest to the fact that when a family member has been assigned a duty, 8 times out of 10, they don’t deliver. It’s not that they don’t love you, but your wedding is not their priority. We see it happen every day. That’s why I carry in the trunk of my car, an extra sign in book, toasting glasses, garters in every color, place cards and pens.

We are trained floral designers. If the florist forgets grandpa’s boutonniere, I can make one in one minute. My emergency kit contains, florist’s wire, tape and pins. We can put together an amazing cake topper from flowers from your centerpieces in five minutes.

Pardon the sound of anger in this post. I am so heartbroken for this couple. For the cost of hiring an experienced planner, these problems could have been avoided. Let me break it down this way.

Wedding Coordinator- Month Of Package…$1500
Walking down the aisle with your dad….PRICELESS!!!"

Spotlight: Sadie's Fine Floral Design

 

I met Sadie Gardner over a year ago when she called to introduce herself as a possible valued wedding professional.  Little did I realize how valued she'd become in a very short time.  Sadie is a breath of fresh air with her energy, enthusiasm and overall excitement for our wedding biz.

Every couple I refer to Sadie books because they see the talent and deep commitment she has for their vision and offers creative ideas for difficult budgets.   Sadie also shares my dedication to reducing wedding waste every chance she gets.  She loves to design multi-purpose-previously-viewed floral displays; arrangements that can be set along window ledges or unique locations at ceremony sites and then move or repositioned these designs into new locations at the reception.  Her banker and tax accountant may not agree with her philosophy but it sits very well with brides and grooms looking to reduce wedding waste any chance they can.

Sadie recently rolled out a new program for all the Do-It-Yourself brides who feel they have the time and energy to tackle their own wedding flowers or a portion of their flowers.  Here is her announcement for the first ever class:

Sadie’s Fine Floral Design is proud to offer classes for Do-It-Yourself Brides to teach you the technical aspects of designing flowers for your wedding.  If you have already decided that you are going to do your wedding flowers yourself, we will teach you how to design your boutonnieres, corsages and bouquets as well as be able to answer any specific design questions you may have.  Class space is limited to 10 participants each so we may be able to offer you the individual attention you may require.

The first class offering is Saturday, February 21, 2009 from 12:00 – 4:00 pm.  We will also have supply kits you can purchase following the class that you can take home and use for the big event.  Class fee is $150.00 per person, which will cover the instruction, snacks and beverages as well as supplies to work with.  If you are interested, please e-mail sadie@sadiesfloral.com to sign up!

Wishing you much success with your new service and here's to a great 2009.   Here are some of Sadie's favorite photos.  Photo credit for the last two floral images Jennie Sewell of Sewell Photography.