Posts Tagged ‘coordinators – wedding coordinator’

DJ #Fail

 

Unfortunately, I find myself revisiting topic of hiring professionals. In what is indisputably the craziest wedding DJ disaster (aka DJ #Fail) I have ever experienced, I must tell you about “DJ C”.

(Names and places are not important, the point of the post is: this really happened!)

“DJ C” started out with a fair amount of promise. I learned that he was hired by the Father of the Bride on a recommendation. On the wedding day, “DJ C” arrived on time, nicely dressed, with decent equipment. So far, so good.

Unbeknownst to us, the dj/mc started drinking before the guests even entered the dinner reception. He must have gotten a beer (or two) from the cash bar at the cocktail reception. By the time we were ready to introduce the wedding party into the reception, we began to sense that the “DJ C” was a little ‘off’. Only a short while later the bartender came to us and mentioned that the dj/mc had already purchased four drinks. We had no choice – “DJ C” was cut-off immediately – and we were only an hour or so into the reception! Drunk DJ

*I must stop momentarily to point out that I do not condone vendors drinking, nor do the establishments I work with. However, when we are dealing with a vendor we have never met before, we are typically not aware of their relationship with the client (friend, co-worker, etc.) – so we keep a watchful eye on them.

“DJ C” continued to act oddly, and in my opinion obnoxiously; the music was a bit too loud and I was incredibly annoyed that he kept repeating his own name (“I’m DJ C…!“), but we focused on managing the flow of the reception and keeping everything on track. We made it through parent dances and cake cutting, then said our farewells for the evening. All the formalities were complete, and the guests were dancing up a storm – exit the coordinators.

The next day:

Apparently, a few wedding guests* were buying and slipping the DJ/mc drinks and he got more intoxicated. Mother of the Bride told us how “DJ C” with microphone in hand, announced a special message to the groom: “Congratulations on marrying a nice piece of ass!” Further… three wedding guests* were actually friends of the DJ (aka crashers) – they flew under the radar due to open seating, and everyone just assumed they were invited by the other family. Last but not least, he kept trying to end the reception early.

So… to recap: DJ/mc came by way of a recommendation (not from a preferred vendor list offered by venue or coordinators), drank continuously during his shift (a no-no), brought his posse (who does that?), acted unprofessionally and made inappropriate comments, and tried to shortchange his clients by ending their evening early.

How much for a DJ?

This story gives me an opportunity to share a very informative article with you:

In the article “How Much Should Your Wedding DJ Cost?“, author Stacy Tamaki shares timeless tips on selecting a quality DJ/mc.
She also lists a number of mis-steps, including  a few I have witnessed over the years,  such as:  incorrectly pronouncing the bride or groom’s name during the introductions, dressing or acting inappropriately, hitting on guests, drinking on the job, using inappropriate language or using inappropriate humor.

Continue reading weditorial for universal tips on hiring qualified professionals and planning a sensational, emotional and unforgettable wedding!

Top Wedding Industry Experts Share Secrets to Success

 

Finally!! Someone (Vanessa Kiely) had the stellar idea to approach established wedding planners and designers from around the globe for the purpose of gathering information that is not readily available from any other source.

 

Questions are presented to the panel of experts and answers are shared in weekly reports via the WEDDING INDUSTRY EXPERTS website and email newsletters. (Why didn’t I think of this?!?)

Wedding Industry Expert logo
Suffice it to say I was beyond honored to be welcomed to the 2012 International Panel alongside such notables as Saundra Hadley, Lindsay Pitt, Kelly McWilliams, Bernadette Coveney Smith and numerous additional international planners and designers!

In a mere few short months the site is blossoming and recent additions include panels comprised of photographers, invitation designers, and more!

For a sampling of the original questions posed to our panel (the wedding planners and designers) just click the links below… Happy reading!

REPORT #1: Why did you become a Wedding Event Planner or Wedding Designer?

REPORT #2: What advice would you give someone thinking about becoming a Wedding Planner or Wedding Designer?

REPORT #3: Before you built your reputation as a leading Wedding Planner or Designer, how did …?

REPORT #4: When you first started your business, if you could have done one thing differently, what would it have been?

REPORT #5: What is the name of your business and why did you choose it? Do you have any advice for people trying to …?

REPORT #6: What type of people make the best Wedding Event Planners?

REPORT #7: What is the worst thing that has happened at a wedding and how did you deal with it?

REPORT #8: What do you do to prepare for a first meeting with a client?

REPORT #9: In your professional life, what are you most proud of?

REPORT #10: What is the most unexpected thing that has happened on the day of a client’s wedding?

Don’t miss upcoming reports! SUBSCRIBE to WEDDING INDUSTRY EXPERTS!

To learn more about the how Elisa is differentiated from other Wedding Planners and Coordinators, please click on over to HIRE ME for additional information.

Where NOT to Skimp: Key Wedding Elements

wedding rings

3 Wedding Things You Don’t Want to Skimp On

(Me:) What?  Only three things?  So unfair: I’m a wedding planner! – we know that EVERYTHING is important!   But, if you insist… I suppose I could narrow a few dozen things down to a few key elements.   And, it would take barely a breath for me me to rattle off a list; however, I’d prefer to share some ideas and experiences instead – because as we like to say: no two weddings are alike.

DIY wedding flowers

http://weddingfavorsunlimited.net

As founder and primary planner for my company, I have experienced hundreds of weddings and worked with such a wide array of couples that it’s difficult to even cast a client profile.   Nonetheless, I have noticed a few commonalities that I can share:

DIY Wedding (Type 1): Couples who have a very strict or tight budget need to watch expenses and will certainly benefit from help of a planner to advise them early on.  Of course you can save money by doing some things yourself, just be realistic about what is possible and what will send you over-the-edge.  I encourage these couples to invest in a seasoned planner / coordinator that can advise them and assist them the day of the wedding.  Don’t skimp on the venue, because food and built-in amenities (linens, interior space for contingency, staff, etc.) have tremendous value, and can make or break the entire day.  Don’t skimp on the photography because things such as limited hours (partial coverage), inexperience – which often times translates into timing issues on the wedding day, and inadequate or poor quality images & editing are not worth the expense.  Summary: Hire a planner to help you and for advice making wise budget decisions; secure a good venue to accommodate your guests comfortably and provide most necessities; hire the best qualified photographer you can afford.

An investment in experience is far wiser than savings gambled on inexperience.

Young & Fabulous (Type 2): Couples who enjoy the luxury of a larger budget have countless options and rarely skimp on anything.  They are able to plan an event with all the trimmings – spectacular décor, an amazing venue, the elaborate wedding cake, etc. However, even these couples eventually reach a point where they need to rein in costs.  For them, my advice is:  Be the best hosts you can be.  Don’t skimp on your bridal party – offer to pay for their accommodations, hair and make-up, and offset the costs of their attire.   Don’t skimp in any area that jeopardizes your guests’ comfort – anticipate their experience and make sure they are not too hot or too cold, or too far from one place to another.  Lastly, don’t skimp on taking care of your vendors – that’s an investment that will pay off in spades!   Summary:  If you have the money, invest it throughout.  The level of style and grace should be perfectly matched, and result in a great experience for all.    second wedding-beach wedding

Second Weddings and Blended Families (Type 3):  Almost without exception our second wedding clients are at least in their mid-thirties and beyond.  They are less inclined to host over-the-top events, or invest a lot in décor, and the guest lists tend to be less than one hundred.  Their priorities often center on quality, and we encourage them to splurge on Food and Beverage, Photography and/or Videography, Entertainment (wanting guests of all ages to have fun).   Summary: Set the tone for the wedding with a less traditional venue where guests can enjoy quality time and a lovely meal together; hire a great photographer to capture all the fun and memories; add an interactive element or unique entertainment to keep everyone amused and in the moment.

(c) 2012 E. Delgardio

Planner vs. Coordinator: A Discussion of Definitions

wedding planner wedding coordinator | by E Delgardio (c) 2012

Today I’m sharing an article by  Amanda Peterson, PBC, a fellow member of the  Association of Bridal Consultants and owner of Ocean Breeze Weddings and Events, LLC  based in Destin, FL.  (Hi Amanda!)

This article appeared in our ABC Florida newsletter and I was motivated to share it here on my blog for a number of reasons.  First and foremost, it centers on an important question that often comes up for discussion and debate: What is the difference between a Wedding Planner and a Wedding Coordinator?   Years ago – which could be defined as subsequent to the invention of TV but prior to the release of the movie “The Wedding Planner“, these terms were seen by most as interchangeable.  (And while you’re at it, you may as well throw into the mix: Wedding Consultant, Bridal Consultant and Wedding Specialist plus any other variations that may be familiar to you.)  So, while the topic is not new, it remains a hot-button issue among industry pros.   However, the good news is that as a result of all this talk, we – the event professionals – realize the true benefits of clarifying our roles so that we can align ourselves correctly with the duties and responsibilities of our chosen title.

The wedding industry has grown substantially over the past few years which says great things about the industry. However, with so many people entering this field, education and standardized verbiage becomes more of a necessity. This is especially true when it comes to titles to describe your duties or what services you provide. Several years ago, the Convention Industry Council started to ask the entire event industry to standardize many of their activities and verbiage so customers could more easily tell the difference in services. Most areas of the event industry have done so, but many in the wedding industry have no knowledge of this and confusion has arisen between services actually being provided. When titles are standardized, it helps stop the confusion of the brides wishing to purchase services. They can better ascertain the differences between wedding planning companies as well as venues with all inclusive packages. I have also noticed this confusion roll over when vendors in the industry do not understand the duties pertaining to particular titles. For instance, there was a DJ who insisted that a planner was to only coordinate the ceremony and not actually have anything to do with the reception. This DJ refused to discuss the reception timeline with the planner and insisted in only speaking with the bride since a DJ is the only one to coordinate a reception. This confusion about titles and duties of vendors could have easily been avoided if standardized titles were better known. Many people in the industry believe that the titles “planner” and “coordinator” mean the same thing and they use them interchangeably.

To help in this area, the below definitions are based on the same recognized standard titles and duties in the corporate world. The only difference is the added term “wedding” in front of the title and the definition tweaked to describe the duties for a wedding.

Wedding Planner: This is someone who helps the bride and groom with all aspects of planning their wedding and the exact duties will differ from company to company and package to package. However, in essence, a planner is someone who will oversee all aspects of the wedding as required including finding needed vendors such as a photographer or DJ, set up site visits for ceremony and reception sites, set up tastings for cake and catering, negotiate vendor contracts, organize and manage room blocks, works with the bride to formulate the wedding day timeline, coordinate the actual wedding ceremony, reception and the farewell of the bride and groom. The planners are there to oversee all vendors, set up, break down and essentially make sure everything the bride and groom have ordered is provided and they take care of any unforeseen tasks on the wedding day. The planner does the actual coordinating of all aspects of the wedding day – not only the ceremony. (In the corporate world a planner is the person whose job it is to arrange every aspect of planning and conducting a meeting or event. – The Convention Industry Manual – 7th Edition)

Wedding Coordinator: This is actually what many venue and smaller wedding companies with preplanned packages provide and call it a “wedding planner”. A wedding coordinator runs the rehearsal and makes sure everyone knows where to go and what to do for the ceremony. On the wedding day, they will line up the processional and get the wedding party down the aisle then make sure the recessional is organized. They sometimes also line up the wedding party for the reception entrance. That is usually it because a coordinator works only on the ceremony. Church representatives will also fit into this category of coordinator instead of actual planner. (In the corporate event world, a coordinator is the assistant to the planner.)

I hope this gets everyone in the wedding industry discussing different titles and their duties so we can join the other organizations with standardization. Once we can agree on duties of provider’s titles, maybe we can discuss how wedding companies and venues can show how their services differ. This way we can help each other with business instead of having brides think that a hotel wedding planner provides the same service as a wedding planning company.

~Amanda Peterson, PBC

wedding-planner-wedding-coordinator

“Did you say chosen title ?”  Yes.  The wedding and special events industry is somewhat unique in this respect:  People are free to call themselves whatever they choose.   This is certainly a contributing factor to the overall confusion, and it’s quite unfortunate that most consumers are unaware of this.   I give tremendous credit to professional associations such as ABC for creating and trademarking terminology to designate levels of achievement (i.e., Professional Bridal Consultant, Master Bridal Consultant).  Advancements of this type are very important, as they set the bar.   Personally, I hope to see more of this type of credentialing in the future.  How about you?

(c) 2012 E. Delgardio

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06 2012
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