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| Nicole ready to send Kara down the aisle |
Not too long ago we had a potential bride who had inquired about our day-of coordinating package. We we very happy to speak with her in regards to all of her wedding details, style, theme, and what she was looking for in her wedding day. We then went over in detail all of our packages so that she could choose which package she felt would be best suited for her needs and gave her time to discuss it with her groom-to be. After a week went by, she kindly followed up and stated that "I really enjoyed talking with you and was very impressed by the services you offered. Unfortunately, at this time, I think I am going to hold off on hiring a wedding planner. When I met with the caterer this weekend to discuss menu planning, I was informed that the venue/caterer provides an on-site coordinator as part of the package." Fail.
I cannot express enough that at a wedding or any other big event, it is important to have someone who can keep things on schedule for you and your guests. Even though many event spaces employ wonderful banquet managers and on-site coordinators, a planner you have personally hired will have a deeper understanding of your vision, and what makes your event unique. But it goes beyond just the set up of the event, it is ensuring that your parents do not miss your cake cutting, your first dance, and making sure that you get to see everything in its beauty, just like all of the countless inspiration photos you had saved to your hard drive.
Question: The venue that I'm getting married at told me I don't need a consultant. Why would they say this?
As with all types of vendors, sometimes venues have had bad experiences with wedding planners. This is usually due to the planner not being professional or respectful of other vendors or the property. We pride ourselves on working as well with the vendors as we do with our clients. These are valuable relationships that we will be working with time and time again, and we foster strong business relationships. A vendor referral is the highest compliment you can be paid!
If you really must know why we became wedding planners, it was because of the dissapointment that we shared amongst our own weddings, and finding that it was not as "picture perfect" as we envisioned. A common problem amongst most venues is that the group sales manager that you have met with time and time again, is most often not the same person who will be there to oversee your day. So, all of the details and ideas that you shared are now being communicated on a piece a paper (excitement, smile, and sparkle in your eyes not included). In Lizas case, her venue communicated nothing in the event order to the manager that was overseeing her own wedding that day... so the big shark tank reveal when the bride and groom walked in. Forget it. Already exposed to her friends and family. In my case, the sugar flower on the top of my cake was completely cracked. Why did no one even try to fix it? And the mirrors on the tables that were listed NOT to be on the table (that was in the notes)... were there as I was walking through being announced, and yes I did notice. I am sure the picture the photogapher was taking as I was being introduced as Mr. & Mrs., was not the one they (nor I) had imagined. Fail. I am just warming up... caters/venue of whom broke three out of four glass beverage dispensers, only to replace them with three plastic ones from the Christmas Tree Shop. Why not all four?
Okay, so I am done ranting. Personally, I love all of the venues that we work with (and some will probably kill me for this post), but it brought back all of the nightmares that I had experienced on my own wedding day. If Liza could add to this, I am sure she would... but I probably kept it a little more "G" rated than she would have :)
nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington
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