Its officially that time of year again. The time of year where I set off to meet another group of ladies and gents looking to jump-start or enhance their Wedding Consulting business. The Summer session of the Wedding Consultant Certification Course at Cal Poly Pomona starts Wednesday, June 20th and continues on Wednesday evenings for 10 weeks (except July 4 & Aug 22).
I’m loving the updates I have received these last few weeks from previous students I have either bumped into or received Facebook and email messages from. One was even a random 6am sighting at the FlowerMart off for her first wedding that weekend! 🙂 Several of them have assisted me with my clients’ events. I am really looking forward to meeting this new set of planners.
Once again, we’re using Basecamp HQ to help streamline the overall class communication and project completions. Oh the fun summer nights we’ll have together; qualifying vendors, creating wedding inspirations, learning about business start up and strategies, attending Bridal Shows, setting event budgets, meeting some amazing event professionals, and working hard to support those dreaming to become a Wedding Planner.
It is interesting to me how many couples don’t opt for a wedding planner for their big day. I understand that with today’s limited budgets and resources, it somehow seems like a sometimes unnecessary expenditure. I understand that there are far too many horror stories of less than wonderful planners who actually added to the stress and complication of the day instead of being the tower of strength and support needed. I understand that it seems, at first, like an easy task to throw what will probably be one of the biggest events of your life together on lunch breaks and weekends. I understand that you have been offered help from your mom, sister, best friend, cousin, etc. So, why then could you possibly need a planner?
First, we must look at what passes for “wedding planning” in many circles. Many planners simply are there to tell the wedding party when to walk down the aisle and when the DJ should play your special song.
However, the ideal planner goes way beyond that. Here’s some characteristics of a great planner.
– They are a competent, trustworthy individual who listens to your vision and budgetary concerns to unveil a day that reaches far beyond your expectations.
– They utilize approved vendors who have a excellent reputations for providing quality (trust me, just because someone has a website with pretty pictures doesn’t mean they know what they are doing).
– They can even save you a lot of money (actually, most of the time the savings equal or exceed the cost of a good planner) in contracting vendors and your location by talking down hidden fees and escalated prices (because the same vendor or location is sometimes three times as much if it’s for a wedding).
– They take your stress and carry it on their shoulders so you can enjoy the day you envisioned.
– They problem solve and make quick saves on the big day of by utilizing their expertise, tact and an amazing stocked “emergency kit“.
– They, when necessary, become the friendly yet firm “bad guy” when your uncle’s rsvp includes his new girlfriend and her eight kids or when grandma steps in to tell the photographer what pictures she thinks are needed.
– They make sure you actually had a chance to eat the food you spent so much time choosing (most couples never even touch their food on the wedding day).
– They listen to your concerns and desires, because they understand that it’s your wedding, not theirs.
– They have a long track record of providing excellence (look them up and read their references and reviews)
Candice Bergen in "Bride Wars"
These are just a few things to consider. I think one of the main misconceptions is that wedding planners are only for celebrity weddings or weddings with big budgets. Nothing could be further from the truth. A good wedding planner will be able to work with any budget and help you stay on budget and on task. Wedding planners are less of a luxury item and more of a necessity for busy brides and grooms to help keep the planning process moving along smoothly.
Another misconception is that we have this very glamorous job. Sure, we get to go to fun hotels, attend tastings and be at fabulous events on the weekends but we are working and have a job to make sure the wedding goes perfectly. We are not eating and drinking and enjoying like the guests; we are working, and my team and I take that very seriously.
Oh, and we don’t wear heels like in the movie The Wedding Planner. We are on our feet 10+ hours and I wear the most comfortable shoes I can find (that are appropriate).
Need some support in making sure your day is fabulous? Contact me.
Continuing on in the next couple weeks of color, inspired by our newest addition to the course…Martha Stewart Wedding – ‘Colors’ Magazine, the next table design was a little more ‘out of the box’. Out of all the different ways this specific color scheme could have been interpreted, I think they did a great job capturing the essence of what this phrase usually means.
“Life’s a Peach”
Christina and Erika’s display was so cute it made me smile from ear-to-ear. Complete with a white picket fence, hand-cut outfits as name cards and a fruity spritzer, their interpretation of “Life’s a Peach” was so relaxing it made me want to do find a spot under a shady tree.
And so it continues. Another three weeks of some great designs from my students. We received our Martha Stewart Wedding – ‘Colors’ Magazine, so I decided to make the next round of tables inspired by a specific color. Every bride should have Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and …
“Something Blue”
Bernice and Vicki’s design of “Something Blue” spoke to their couple’s love for the beach. They chose an ocean blue and filled their display with a lot of varying textures. I loved their choice of favor, cute little rock candy to match the motif.
Armie and Rima’s design was very feminine, taking on a garden feel. They paired different shades of blue having a crisp white as their main accent. Miniature flower pots acted as place cards and butterflies helped the blues take flight.
Another couple displays from a few of my students last night. This week’s theme is in honor of Valentine’s Day. Look at what they came up with…
“Color of Love”Erika and Vicki’s display showed off their brides’ love for pink. Very playful with personalized Chocolate Bars as Place Cards and the big Trunk-of-Love with oversized heart pillows. They even gave their guests the ‘lets all get involved’ experience with the fruit and marshmallow fondue.
Ellen and Nancy’s design took on influences from Eastern cultures. They went with rich colors like red and gold, speaking to the romantic side of their couple. There was a lot of texture introduced in this display, with glitter crusted hearts, gold runner and lace doilies. A simple cala lily floral kept the design clean, focusing on all the little details of the table.
Its officially that time of year again. The time of year where I set off to meet another group of ladies and gents looking to jump-start or enhance their Wedding Consulting business. The Summer session of the Wedding Consultant Certification Course at Cal Poly Pomona starts Wednesday, June 20th and continues on Wednesday evenings for 10 weeks (except July 4 & Aug 22).
CharaNicole 