2nd in a two part series
Dear Industry Professionals :: A few words from a Wedding Planner
Written by, Cicely Rocha.Miller – Owner and Senior Consultant of Life Design Event Planning
#3 :: Client says, “I don’t need a wedding planner, the venue has one on site”.
I have had the opportunity to work with many amazing and wonderful Directors of Catering (DoC) or Onsite Event Coordinators (OEC) and honestly if it wasn’t for one in particular, I would not have been given the chance in the industry that I have now. To start off, I do want to mention one thing, wedding planners are here to help, make you look even better and relieve you of performing more than you are expected to. So many times, I hear from potential inquiries, “I don’t need a wedding planner, the venue has one on site” or “The Director of Catering said she would help me plan my wedding”. I need you to A. stop doing and or saying that and B. communicate to your clients that you are there on behalf of the venue first. Let me expand. The hundreds of hours that wedding planners put into making the clients day everything they imagined is not something that you get paid enough to do. I hope I am not being insulting because I have no idea what your salary is but the amount of work that you do currently is plenty. I constantly see DoCs buried in work. They have so many events they are juggling at once and it seems to be that way all year round. It puzzles me that you would want to communicate to your client that you will help them plan their wedding. What I see that ends up happening many times is that the client thinks they don’t need a planner because they have you, then the emails and phone calls start rolling in. “Do you think I should go with an ivory or white gown? Do you think this shade of flower will match your linen? Can you proof my invitation? Where do you think I should sit my divorced parents? What song should I walk down the aisle too? Why isn’t my {insert vendor here}calling me back?” and it goes on and on and on. Pretty soon, the client is more than you wanted to handle (not saying this is something you can’t handle, because I know and have seen you do it). So why not, from the get-go, suggest that a client hire a reputable planner from the beginning of their planning process. Express to the couple that you will do whatever needs to be done to make their day beautiful but you do have limitations and are ultimately responsible for the decisions made that is connected to your venue. Any DoC or OEC will tell you that when they have a positive experience with a planner they love it and do refer them. Help us make this true to all sites. It’s better for me, for the client and for you.
Top 12 List of Things I want to Change or Communicate Better in this Industry
12. The wedding day’s experience is just as important as the process of planning one.
11. Always come with solutions, not problems.
10. Invitations are important. They set the mood of the event and it gets the guests excited.
9. Wedding planners aren’t just about pretty tables.
8. DJ’s aren’t given enough credit for the job they do.
7. Videography should be included in the budget. Hearing someone laugh (or cry) is different than seeing it live.
6. Décor is important and gives an entire sense of style and feeling for the event. Guests may forget exactly what the flowers/rentals, lighting/etc. look like specifically but won’t ever forget how all those elements together made them feel.
5. All vendors should be fed at events but please make sure to do it in another private room and please don’t go through the buffet line.
4. Wedding planners need to stop being so bossy and controlling. Trust the vendors to do their jobs or don’t refer them. Do you really want to work with a vendor you don’t trust, you have to control or micromanage?
3. Be about “flexibility with structure” on the wedding day.
2. Lighting is everything for photographers so give them a little more light when they ask for it.
1. Give the married couple 10 minutes alone after the ceremony. They are forever united and took a huge step in their relationship and deserve a few moments to relish in the moment.
So, let me step off my soap box for now as my throat is a bit hoarse. Many thanks to Curtis, the members of the Wedding and Event Network and to the readers of this blog for enduring my rant. Again, if you want to discuss any of my thoughts further in person, over the phone, via twitter, Facebook, Skype or maybe in another group format I will buy the first round for everyone.
Thanks for listening and caring about what I had to write.
With all that Life has to offer, Cicely
by orangefish
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