Do you remember the last event or wedding reception you attended? What do you recall: The food? The entertainment? The “look” of the room? Just close your eyes and reflect for a moment; try to think of the things that were most memorable and pleasing.

Aha! I bet the pleasing part makes it a bit harder. No doubt that more than a few of you thought about the wedding with the DJ who thought he was Elvis, or the event with the cash bar (surprise!) -and you forgot your wallet.

The more events I do, the more I remember only what is remarkable. Remarkable can be fun, outstanding, unexpected and impressive. Remarkable can also be uncomfortable, annoying, disappointing and catastrophic. As your wedding and event planner, my goal is to make your event memorable for all the right reasons.

In terms of decor, remarkable doesn’t necessarily translate into expensive. Details that are well thought out can be seamlessly incorporated into event decor and the table top design thereby creating a look that is remarkable in a visual and textural sense. (If you’re wondering what I mean about ‘well thought out details” try to imagine a table top with so many tchotchkes – bells, cameras, scrolls, bags of chocolate kisses, etc. – it looks like the favor catalog threw up; and, yes, for some bizarre reason people still do this.)

Decor and design are most remarkable when they draw you in, and you experience the vibe as it was intended to be: exciting, chic and sexy, warm and inviting, modern, etc. The best designs are not limited to what can be seen; incorporating smells, tastes, physical contact, sights and sounds into the design actually creates a more memorable experience. In other words, the five senses overlap and influence each other, and combined they create the overall impression, which in turn becomes your memory of the experience.

This is why we ask our clients to describe their vision of the event. Even if they insist that they have no idea about what they want, they truly do… We ask them to imagine what it looks like - including colors and lighting, what time of day it is, how many people are present, how the space feels (intimate, modern, elegant, indoors or outdoors, etc.) and then we begin to design an event based on their  preferences and our interpretation of their style.

I must admit, sometimes the finer details do not become crystal clear until the very end.  It really is an organic process.  And it’s a challenge we face with every event: How do you know how far to go? Sometimes less is more, sometimes more is more.

In keeping with this topic, I thought you’d enjoy this short video featuring friend and colleague Rashida Erskine of BBJ Linen’s Orlando office. She offers some insightful recommendations and helpful tips for using linens to pull the look of your reception together with remarkable style.

{Our apologies; this video link has expired}

Please contact the BBJ Linen’s Orlando Office if you would like to meet with them. Ph. 407-857-6566   Or, feel free to contact us if we can be of assistance with fine-tuning your wedding or event design.  Call 877.55FLAIR or email Elisa: elisacsep {at} aflairforaffairs.com

© 2009 E. Delgardio All Rights Reserved

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I love, love, love this blog post by caterer Debi Brim; I’m so excited to be able to share it with our weditorial(tm) readers!

Do You REALLY Need a Wedding Planner? I say, “Heck, YEAH!”
by Debi Brim – Cater It Simple

In this era of cutting back and pinching pennies, it’s only natural for brides to look at what costs they can cut from the budget. And since most of us have been planning our wedding since we were, oh I don’t know …… FOUR!!!! …… we tend to think “oh, it’s just a wedding! Anyone can throw one of those together!” So it’s also natural to think a wedding planner is just an extra expense.

Want to know what I think? Well, I’m going to tell you anyway.

“In today’s economy” (a phrase I’ve come to hate more and more each day), it is more important than ever to have a wedding planner.

Planners are the ones who actually SAVE you money:

· They review your contracts to be sure that what you THINK you’re getting is what you’re actually getting.

· They have a huge Rolodex of wedding vendors and can match you up to the ones who can do what you want on the budget you have.

· When touring a venue, the bride is caught up in the emotion of the moment and is only seeing how pretty everything will look. The planner is looking at parking spaces, what condition the restrooms are and where they are located, how and where the bar and the caterer will set up, and are there enough outlets for the DJ and the caterer’s carving station?

· When a bride is talking to the caterer, the bride is in turmoil trying to decide between chicken and fish. The planner is asking what the server/guest ratio is and how much is the cost of each server?

Let me share some stories on how planners have helped brides.

- Bride hires wedding planner after selecting the venue but before signing the venue contract. When planner reviews the contract, she finds the bride has contracted for the use of the building ONLY. Bride thought she was getting tables, chairs, linens and lots of other things that the bride thought “were always included” at a reception. The planner saved the bride over $6000 on a bad contract. Well worth the $2000 the bride paid the planner.

- Bride decides to forego the professional planner and use her best friend, who after all, was a bridesmaid three times, so she knows ALL about planning weddings! The friend failed to take note of the facility’s $2000 fee for turning on the air conditioning and the newly married couple had to come up with this money at the very, VERY last minute, which was a severe cut into their honeymoon fund.

- The band hired by the bride was telling bride and planner where they would be setting up, what time they would be there and where the wives’ table would be. Planner corrected band member by showing him the already-decided place they would set up, giving him the actual time he would be there and asked him what he meant by a wives’ table? Band member says, “Oh the wives always come to all of our gigs.”

Planner told him this was not a “gig”, this was a wedding, the wives were not on the guest list, and there would be no wives table because there would be no wives. Band member began to argue the point. Planner fired the band and hired a professional DJ. Bride was relieved.

When times are good and people have good jobs, they don’t worry about costs as much. I’m not saying they don’t comparison shop, but they tend to buy bells and whistles instead of staying in a budget. It’s easy to plan a wedding when you’re not paying attention to every penny.

When times are tough, a couple just can’t afford last minute surprises. But they’ve never planned a party for 200+ people before and there are questions they just don’t know to ask. An event planner knows those questions and when he/she asks them, the bride saves money.

As a caterer, I’m always relieved to see a professional planner walk into the room. I know the details are going to be handled, things will run on schedule, and it will be a very pleasant event for everyone.

If you have a tight budget, you NEED a wedding planner. Today, more than ever, it’s the best investment you can make in your wedding.

Remember, it’s your wedding. You have ONE SHOT to get it right. Get a professional on your side who is going to be looking out for you on your very special day.

Debi Brim can be reached via email at info@cateritsimple.comhttp://www.cateritsimple.com/
http://www.cateritsimple.blogspot.com/
http://www.bannascookies.com/

Websites:

{Thank you Debi!!!}

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This weekend, I had the pleasure of working with a cute young couple who had a very tight wedding budget. I was confronted with a few challenges while coordinating their wedding, not the least of which was the fact that the friend who officiated their wedding was also playing the role of DJ/MC. And while I must commend the bride and groom for their efforts in organizing a complete playlist of music for the evening, here are some of the glitches we encountered:
- There was no prelude music for the ceremony
- There was no exit music for the recessional
- The first dance song ended up on the wrong iPod (and we had to track it down)
- The music selections for dinner were a bit unorthodox
- The pre-programmed music selections did not leave any room for ‘playing to the crowd’
…and so on…

Fortunately they had me to help keep things running smoothly, and overall things went very well; the couple had “their day, their way” and they seemed oblivious to glitches.

When I’m wearing my “Day-of” coordinator hat, I must be careful to provide support, not criticism. As a Planner, I would strongly advise against this type of scenario and take appropriate steps to illuminate and eliminate potential glitches. However, when circumstances dictate that I play the hand I’m dealt, that’s precisely what I do. And let’s face it: if the couple could have afforded a wedding planner, they likely could have afforded a professional DJ as well.

Ironically, I returned home to find an email from a colleague who provides exceptional DJ services. Obviously, fresh off a gig and needing to vent – here is his email to me (but it reads more like a plea to Brides & Grooms):

“Elisa – I wonder why brides don’t trust their DJ to play the right music? I have had way too many brides completely program their wedding music to the point that they have had to hear certain songs in a certain order and at certain times.”

“Most good DJ’s have the ability to read the crowd and know what to play when to play it. I understand that you may not want to hear a certain song or songs, but to totally program the entire function, just defeats the purpose of having a DJ. You might as well just bring your iPod. Oh that’s right, you would have to rent the speakers and no one would be able to talk on the mic and introduce you in…”

“If you trust your DJ to do that, then trust him/her to play the right music.
Most of us do this for a living. I personally do 75+ weddings a year, so I may have seen a wedding or two in my life. We don’t want you to be unhappy so we are going to do the best possible job we can. We are going to do a good job, trust us!”

I contemplated the situation he described and couldn’t help wonder why this is so… Where does it stem from? And then a thought occurred to me:

Picture the wedding I described – glitches and all – and then try to estimate how many of the 100 guests in attendance understood the entertainment arrangements. It’s quite possible that a few people (maybe more) were unaware that the DJ was not a hired professional. It’s also possible that an engaged couple or two were present, in which case they were likely wondering what to expect from their wedding DJ… Would they feel the need to dictate the entire evening to ensure their satisfaction? Hmmmm…. yes, I’d say that’s plausible.

© 2009 E. Delgardio All Rights Reserved

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According to The Wedding Report, wedding spending has declined significantly since 2007 – almost by 30% (averaged) overall. The vast majority of wedding vendors can attest to the a downsizing of wedding budgets, as well as a drop off in bookings (new clients). Consultants and Coordinators in particular have seen postponements and cancellations spike in recent months.

Everyone is feeling the pinch; while engaged couples are trying to save, Photographers, DJs, Consultants and Venues are trying to survive. Competition for new bookings is fierce, thus creating a buyer’s market which gives couples shopping for wedding vendors and services more purchasing power. But how can you spot a “true bargain”? I’d like to offer a few tips to help you make a sound investment:

1. Perform a Status Check – Do your homework to determine if the vendor’s company is healthy. A healthy company is “current”, meaning they have an up-to-date presence, including a website featuring pictures of current staff, projects and client testimonails. A company that is healthy is typically involved in Professional Associations, and may be known as a leader in their industry. Healthy companies are growing (even now) and are gearing up for a great 2009-2010 wedding season. Look for current blog posts, quick responses to emails and phone calls, and positive recommendations from others (friends, vendors, etc.).

Look for evidence of
a well established business
with a proven track record.

2. Beware of the high pressure sales pitch: The best vendors are eager for your business but not desperate.

3. Beware of Part-Timers: A part-timer (sometimes known as a ‘moonlighter’ or ‘weekend warrior’) may be able to offer a very competitive price, but do they have the equipment and experience to deliver the quality of product or service you are looking for? What is their stake in the success of your event and are they driven to ensure your complete satisfaction? Does the Vendor’s Contract protect both parties?

4. Beware of Start-Ups: The poor economy has spawned a huge number of start-up businesses; people who have lost jobs or need extra income are becoming entrepreneurs. On one hand, it’s beneficial to the market to have more affordable options, but who is the person behind the start-up? Do they have any experience with weddings? Will they grow tired of this new business venture in 6 or 9 months and leave you in the lurch? Is it worth the risk to hire someone with no track record?

5. Beware of “Free”: “Free” is a hook; it’s a term that often denotes an extra added value. Conversely, free also has no refund value, so like it or not, you’re stuck with it. (ex: “That free album you gave me was poor quality.” “The free candle centerpieces only lasted halfway through the reception.” …Get the picture?)

For additional pointers on what to look for when hiring a professional wedding planner and coordinator, please visit A Flair for Affairs website.

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