Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Mistakes That Will Increase Your Wedding Costs, Pa...

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Mistakes That Will Increase Your Wedding Costs, Pa...: Mistakes That Will  Increase Your Wedding Costs, Part 3 "Making Assumptions" This issue of assumptions is a big one on so...

Mistakes That Will Increase Your Wedding Costs, Part 3 "Making Assumption"

Mistakes That Will  Increase Your Wedding Costs, Part 3

"Making Assumptions"

This issue of assumptions is a big one on so many levels of planning!!

What first comes to my mind is wedding flowers.  The shorter the distance your flowers have to fly on a plane the better off your budget will be!  Nature only makes most flowers at certain times of the year and only in certain locations.  

The second thing that comes to my mind is, Venues.  Where do I begin because each venues can vary so much one from another.  The biggest word of caution would be when you hear the word provide.  That is the scariest word in wedding planning in my opinion.  That word provide can get you into so much trouble.  Why??  It doesn't always mean that whatever is provided necessarily comes with the price of the venue.  Look out for hidden fees!  I would suggest you read another of my blog posts to get an in-depth look at what I'm talking about here.  Here's a link to that blog post!  

Many formalwear companies for tuxedos and suits will offer the groom's tuxedo/suit for free if three or more groomsmen rent their formalwear from them for the wedding.  Don't go out and buy a tuxedo or suit if this can save you money.

DJ'S!!!!!  In my opinion this is the most important vendor at your wedding!  Again, this is the most important vendor at your wedding!  They will literally make or break your wedding day.  Get to know your DJ!  Will he or she be more like a club DJ?  That is not the kind you would want for your wedding reception who needs to be able to read the audience (your guests) who will be of all ages!  Does he address the issue of offensive language for young children and other guests who don't want to hear it.  Does he/she ask you many questions about your wedding?  They had better if they know what they are doing.  Do they ask about your story as a couple as well as individuals?

Photography:

If you hear yourself saying, "I have a friend", "We know someone who..". "My cousin is really good with a camera".........please swallow those words right back into your mouth.  Pictures are the only thing that you will have left as a tangible diary of your entire wedding day that will last forever.  Photography is equally art and science.  It literally refers to recording light.  An experienced wedding photographer will be worth their weight in gold.  Do yourself a favor and talk to many photographers because if they don't make you smile during a consultation or an engagement shoot, you might not be comfortable with them on your wedding day!

Feel free to go to our Greatest of Days website and find a hidden planning tip on each page of our website!

As always....

Wishing you the greatest of days!

Please vote for us in the King 5 Best of Western Washington contest in the Wedding Planner category.  Thank you!!

http://best.king5.com/greatest-of-days/biz/627619

Mistakes That Will Increase Your Wedding Costs, Part 2

Mistakes That Will  Increase Your Wedding Costs, Part 2

"InDeCiSiOn"

This is something that can happen to anyone planning a wedding.  Most people would apply this behavior with the "Bridezilla" but there's a new term called "Chillzilla" (one who claims they don't really care or will say yes to anything).  I don't particularly like the latter term because this implies that they are temperamental, spineless or moody, and that's usually not the case.  So I will would prefer to create a completely different term for a bride or groom who displays this behavior...someday when I have time.   

There are two types of clients that can make wedding planning difficult.

1.  Bridezillas/Groomzillas who know what they want and do not want to accept the fact that their budget doesn't allow for everything they want.  When they become angry and blame everyone else for "destroying their dream", they tend to think that everyone should make an exception for them while not caring if a vendor would go out of business doing it!

2.  Bless or not bless their hearts, (temporarily called Chillzillas) but there are those just don't know what they want or can't decide between all of the options.  It's understandable, but when a bride or groom say, "I don't really care", that leaves us without a place to even start. This also can be expensive because time lost is money lost.  It can lead to changing one's mind a lot, too.  That doesn't make anyone happy!

My initial consultation form subtly lets me now what a client's personality type is.  That helps me help a client.  It also goes into style preferences, priorities and how they want to remember their wedding as well as their guests.  Once this indecisive client becomes comfortable with the fact that they do care more than they thought and aren't afraid to state what they want, the rest of the journey is easy!

Below, you will get something I don't just share with anyone!  Please let me know if this helps YOU!  This is one page from my initial consultation form.  I suggest that you choose among the following what is most important to you and rank them from 1-5 as to their importance to both of you as a couple.

Level of Importance     most <----------->least	Wedding and Reception Choices in Alphabetical Order
1    2     3      4      5	Alcohol
1    2     3      4      5	Attendant’s Dresses
1    2     3      4      5	Cake
1    2     3      4      5	Dancing
1    2     3      4      5	Decorations
1    2     3      4      5	DJ
1    2     3      4      5	Entertainment
1    2     3      4      5	Favors
1    2     3      4      5	Flowers for Aisle, Altar
1    2     3      4      5	Flowers for Tables
1    2     3      4      5	Flowers To Carry
1    2     3      4      5	Flowers To Wear
1    2     3      4      5	Food
1    2     3      4      5	Hair and Makeup
1    2     3      4      5	Honoring those who have passed away
1    2     3      4      5	Invitations and Save the Dates
1    2     3      4      5	Musicians/Vocalists
1    2     3      4      5	Photo Booth
1    2     3      4      5	Photography
1    2     3      4      5	Slide Show
1    2     3      4      5	Table Decorations
1    2     3      4      5	Transportation ( i.e. Limo, classic car, horse-drawn carriage, etc.)
1    2     3      4      5	Tuxedos
1    2     3      4      5	Veil
1    2     3      4      5	Venue
1    2     3      4      5	Videography
1    2     3      4      5	Wedding Dress
1    2     3      4      5
1    2     3      4      5
1    2     3      4      5
1    2     3      4      5
1    2     3      4      5

Feel free to go to our Greatest of Days website and find a hidden planning tip on each page of our website!

As always....

Wishing you the greatest of days!

Vote for us in the Best of Western Washington Contest in the Wedding Planner Category! Thank you!

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Mistakes That Will Increase Your Wedding Costs, Pa...

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Mistakes That Will Increase Your Wedding Costs, Pa...: Mistakes That Will  Increase Your Wedding Costs, Part 1 "Honeymoon" Everyone thinks about the wedding when it come...

Mistakes That Will Increase Your Wedding Costs, Part 1

Mistakes That Will  Increase Your Wedding Costs, Part 1

"Honeymoon"

Everyone thinks about the wedding when it comes to intense planning, but there's one thing that will keep money in your wallet for your wedding as much or more than anything.

It is the honeymoon!  You can save more money than many other items for your wedding combined by carefully planning your honeymoon.  Long before you even began thinking of planning a wedding, you've planned vacations or trips.  So you already know how much pricing fluctuates for various destinations at various times of the year.  

If you plan your wedding date that will coincide with a less expensive honeymoon you can be taking a lot of stress off of your wedding budget.

Feel free to go to our Greatest of Days website and find a hidden planning tip on each page of our website!

As always....

Wishing you the greatest of days!

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Reality TV Wedding Shows vs. Weddings in Reality!

Planning Weddings and Events with Less Stress: Reality TV Wedding Shows vs. Weddings in Reality!: Reality TV Wedding Shows vs. Weddings in Reality I'll admit that I don't make a habit of watching the "Reality TV&...