Wedding & Event Planner & Coordinator

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Please ask for past event photos and/or references. Make sure that you are comfortable with the personality of whom you choose as well as their credentials. Check to see if the person or company is capable of meeting your needs. Business hours, location and level of service offered is important when choosing a vendor that you will be in contact with for any length of time.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Negotiate, negotiate,negotiate! Most vendors have set prices but are willing to work within your budget. Especially on weekdays or non peak season. It never hurts to ask them to price match another vendor or to modify their services to meet your needs and budget. They may also offer a referral bonus if you send them your friends, family etc.. Or may discount your service if you use them repeatedly for different occasions. Also visit the bridal expo and bridal fair attractions in your area. Many vendors have raffles and/or exclusive discounts that they will provide to the attendees, also you will meet several vendors face to face in one place. The entrance fee is usually very inexpensive and definitely worth the day trip.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. We try really hard to accommodate our clients, from style and service needs to a listening ear and realistic advice. By not charging a percentage of the budget and only charging based on actual services provided allows our clients to spend their budgets on what they really need, not a "one size fits all" price. With extensive restaurant, catering and industry background pairing your wedding menu with a great wine or providing you with a great florist is just the beginning!

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I wake up every morning thinking " I love what I do!" How many people can say that? Being selected to be part of such special occasions is so flattering. Just knowing how much money we can save you with preferred vendor discounts and helpful hints for decor etc.. is so fulfilling! When a bride or groom selects a planner/coordinator they have entrusted you with their most important day. Saving them money and stress so that they really get to ENJOY the day knowing we'll handle all the details. The smiles and thank yous at the end still gives me goosebumps.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. What are your rates?

Rates are based solely on services provided. Every wedding or event has several variables. From location, date, time, number of team members needed etc..
For example: Venue A may setup all your tables and chairs, provide linens, and place settings. Eliminating our company from providing these services.

BUT

Venue B does none of the above. Say you have a guest list of 200 people, which would require much more man power and hours to accomplish all the services which are already included with Venue A. We never want to charge you for services that you DON'T need due to the venue or vendors taking care of them already.

Customizing any package is highly recommended. Use our set packages as a guideline for what we offer. Only after knowing the basic details can we provide you with a fair and accurate quote.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. Wedding planners are NOT just someone who runs around making things pretty while ordering around their flamboyant assistant on a headset. In this industry knowledge is not just power but efficiency. The more we know about what vendors and venues have to offer will better our service to our clients. The logistics and schematics of planning and coordinating a successful event are HUGE! Capturing the vision of a client while staying within their budget is the absolute goal. We have already done the research eliminating the grunt work for you. What could take you hours of brutal nights until 2am on the internet searching for answers, we can usually accomplish in one or two phone calls. Not to mention usually getting it for a better price. We work with tried and true professionals who love to pass the savings on to our clients as a "thank you".

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. Commit to researching the true job description. Although very fun, it's a lot of hard work and can be very stressful at times. Weekends and late nights are to be expected and dependent on location the work can be very seasonal. Find a professional in the industry who may allow you to tag along a few times to see if it's really something you want to follow through with. As in any profession there will be many unexpected things below the surface and you should be aware of as many as you can to make an honest decision.