You Get What You Pay For

Recently a friend of mine asked for help in finding hotel rooms for a first time visit to Switzerland.   I recommended she contact a travel agent who I knew was originally from Switzerland and would be a wealth of information.

The agent recommended several hotels and booked them rooms.   When I asked her about the experience of working with the travel agent she was very complimentary of his knowledge but said “You know he was charging me more than the rate available on the internet.”

I would have expected to pay a little more when working with a travel agent then trying to do the bookings on my own.  The time saved alone would be worth it to me.  Working directly with people is expensive.  It’s why almost every business in the US has automated phone systems.  I’m all for  keeping costs down but sometimes I just want to talk to a company representative rather than search the website’s FAQ section or spend time pressing phone buttons and still not getting the info I need.

So what’s it worth to you to take advantage of someone’s expertise?  Travel is one of those areas where I think  it’s worth it to pay a little more to get the piece of mind to know that you’re not going to be sleeping on a cot in a non air conditioned hotel in the worst section of an unfamiliar city.   I can read all I want online, however, talking to an expert travel agent who’s been there/done that helps me to know that the money I’m spending on a vacation is going to be worth it.

As an example, my husband vacationed in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico last winter.   I did some online research and did all my own bookings.  Had I consulted with an experienced travel agent we would have known that it’s almost impossible to get out of the airport without being hassled to take a timeshare tour.  We would have known what the peso to dollar conversion rate should have been.  We would have known not to take the whale watching tour and we would have had recommendations for restaurants.  For all of that I would have gladly paid a premium for someone’s expertise.

“…..  But she’s got a great personality!”

In the last 5 years I have been very fortunate to work with some of the best photographers in the USA let alone NJ.  At one wedding the photographer was very concerned that the bride didn’t have the type of  personality he needs to make his photos work.  “You know me Kath” he said, “I need personality, someone who’s going to relax and let go.  You know how I work.”   At the time I knew what he meant – the bride was a little stiff.  However, being the pro that he is, he worked well with what he had and the pictures were amazing.

His comments got me to thinking about how the personality AND style of  your wedding photographer should match YOUR personality and style.  Say you’re looking at samples of a photographer’s work and you see some photos that you like.  Think about what those subjects had to do to get that shot (“OK John lean in like you’re going to kiss her but don’t kiss her – hold it right there.  No, don’t close your eyes, look right at her but softly – don’t blink.  Sorry, I know the sun is in your eyes….   Hold it, hold it.  Good!!”).  Some great shots are done without the subjects knowing there’s a camera anywhere near them.  Others are  set up and made to look like no one was holding a camera anywhere near them.  Are you willing to do what it takes to get that shot done??

Right now I have a core group of photographers that are my “go to” shooters.    Each one has a different personality and photographic style.    Tell me what type of person you are and what kind of photos you’re looking for and I’m confident I can find the right photographer for you at the right price.

Your photographer is going to be with you all day.  Make sure the person behind the camera is someone you want to spend that much time with  otherwise it’s going to be a really L O N G day for everyone and both of you might not like the results.

It IS What you Know!

Today I arrived in Indianapolis to attend my first Association of Bridal Consultants Annual Fall Conference.  My seat mate on the plane was a very nice man who is an education consultant to school districts throughout the US who have more students that are failing then are passing.  His career includes 22 years as a classroom teacher and he told me that he stills reads and studies constantly.  “Every good teacher ” he told me “is always learning.”  After observing in the classrooms, he works out a plan that is specific to each district, then he guides the team of teachers and administrators through the implementation process for his action plan.  In one of his districts the 7th graders went from having the lowest math scores in the district to among the highest.

As we were getting off the plane I realized that our work processes are very similar.  Granted, I’m not raising the education level of our nation’s youth, however, guiding clients through the process of planning their wedding is truly a milestone in their lives.  After a consultation with my clients I put my education and 25+ years of experience to work.  An action plan is formulated which is then implemented by guiding my clients and their family and friends through the process.

I still get a thrill when I learn something new.  That will never get old.  I’m looking forward to taking advantage of all this conference has to offer and to participating in other conferences, classes, and networking opportunities as they become available throughout my career as an event planner.  The more I can bring to the table for my clients, the better!!

It’s a Matter of Trust

Some of my clients don’t trust me.  What I mean is they don’t trust my expertise.  They have an idea in their head of what they want, when they want it and what it should cost. Sometimes there’s very little I can do to change their minds.

photo courtesy Storytale Wedding Photography

One of the biggest arguments I get is about transportation. When I started my own business the first company I signed on was a limo company that I had used when I had a corporate job.  They’re a little more expensive then other limo companies and, IMHO, worth every penny.  When I book them I don’t have to worry about anything.  I know their cars are immaculate, their drivers professional and their timing is spot on.  I get a discount which I share with my clients.  In 5 years I’ve had one complaint about a driver being a little cranky.

I had clients who decided at the last minute they wanted limo transportation for their wedding.  They thought the rates for my go to company were too high and found another company on their own.  While the final decision as to which vendors to use is always the clients I try to make sure they understand the consequences of choosing solely by price.  Their June wedding day was hot.  The air conditioning in the guys limo overheated on the way to the ceremony.  The drivers kept the cars idling during the ceremony to keep them cool and another one overheated.  The company only had one car to send as a replacement and it took over an hour for it to arrive.

Several years ago I had a client who only wanted the raw video footage from her wedding day.  Prep, ceremony, reception – nothing fancy, no music, no photo montage – just the video please.  She chose a company based solely on price.  I knew this company and begged her not to use them and gave her several other options – all were more expensive.  She went with her original choice and got her video within a week of the wedding.  She was very disappointed.  Some of the video was out of focus, most of it was grainy and the videographer didn’t get some of the footage she wanted.

I have quite a few options regarding floral professionals depending on (a) the budget and (b) the vision of the bride. Peonies are all over the bridal magazines.  What the magazines don’t tell you is that they have the shortest season of almost any flower.  A bride last year really wanted peonies in her bouquet for her August wedding.  While her floral designer and I did our best to dissuade her, she was insistent.  The designer was able to find a supplier who promised 6 stems for $250 (!).  When the flowers arrived they were in such poor condition that the florist couldn’t use them.

When putting together a timeline I work with all the professionals to make sure we get the most out of cocktail hour and 4 hour reception. A former client had it in her mind that things were going to be done in a certain order and there was no changing her mind.  She was 2 hours late for pictures and didn’t get to see any of her cocktail hour.  Her very expensive band barely had time to get everyone up and dancing because of the way she had truncated the schedule.  She almost missed the last dance because of the pictures she insisted on taking “under the moonlight”

The moral of the story is trust.  A qualified experienced planner will help you see through the mist and mirrors to decide which options are best for you.  Communication is key.  Managing your expectations helps too.  Champagne tastes on a beer budget are going to lead to disappointment on the big day which is something no one wants.  Listen to your professionals and communicate effectively so that there are no grey areas when it comes to the final product.  That’s how you get the happy ending!!

The Value of a Wedding Planner

The wedding industry is not immune to the current economy.  Venues and professionals are all seeing cutbacks in bookings.  I’ve spoken to photographers who are booking more “basic” packages than ever before.  Services like video are being cut out completely, DJs are replacing bands, and everyone is talking about how clients want to negotiate their prices downward.

It seems to me that while quite a few brides want a wedding planner it’s the first item to go as the budget shrinks and costs for other services rise.  There are lots of different kinds and levels of wedding planners from very expensive (think David Tutera and Colin Cowie) to not so expensive (think someone who has no actual experience but took a course, put up a website, and now calls themself a wedding planner) to all price points in between.

Keeping in mind that I’m a wedding planner – I can honestly say that having the right wedding planner adds value to your event.  How you might ask??  Let me give you some examples.

A recent full service clients saved almost $4,000 after I went over their contracts with all their vendors and professionals.  When her guest count fell short of their minimum guarantee I made sure they didn’t pay for meals no one will eat while still keeping the venue happy.

A day of event client paid more for her flowers and transportation services then she should have because she wouldn’t pay the minimal amount to add these services to her contract with me.  I am confident that I could have saved her close to $1000 when the additional services would have cost her much less than that.

Some of the professionals that I work with will add services at no charge or waive some fees for my clients. I’ve been able to negotiate deals with other professionals as well.  It’s all about relationships.

I had a consultation recently with a mother of the bride for day of event service.  I love the venue where the wedding will take place and really thought the consultation went well.  After receiving my service proposal she decided not to book my services because she felt she didn’t need the amount of work that I was proposing.  The items she felt she didn’t need were the very essence of my day of event service and she was looking to pay substantially less then what I proposed.  While I was disappointed I wished them well.  I heard after the fact that quite a few things didn’t go as planned ……

I truly believe that you get what you pay for.  In the past when I’ve tried to work with clients on pricing it’s bitten me in the butt big time.  All the wedding professionals I’ve spoken to agree that those who want to pay the least usually end up asking for the most.  Please keep this in mind when you’re looking to book the professionals for your event.  I will speak only for myself when I say if you’re price shopping I am not the planner for you.  I’m not saying my prices are higher than everyone else because they’re not, however, 25+ of experience comes at a higher price then someone who just took a course.

If you want value added to your wedding here at the Jersey Shore give me a call.  The consultation is free!  See?  You’re saving money already!!

Why You Need a Wedding Planner

I haven’t posted to my blog for quite a while because my husband and I have been in the process of selling our home, buying another one, and renovating it.  We closed on the new house in December 2008 and it took until March 2009 for the renovations to begin even though I had hired an architect and had plans by the time the contractor was hired before Christmas. We will be in by Father’s Day because we will be homeless if we’re not.

We had a consultation with a professional construction consultant.  For a reasonable hourly fee the consultant would help us interview contractors, go over our contracts with all the sub-contractors, make sure we had the proper permits, keep track of the work being done to make sure it was being done properly and represent us during inspections.  When I found out that we were going to be way over our original budget the first thing cut was the consultant.

We hired an extremely reputable general contractor whose references basically said he walks on water (I totally agree and would recommend him to anyone).  We told him we had to be in the new house by May 20th because that’s when we had to be out of our rental house.  He filled out all the permit applications for us and personally walked them to where they needed to go downtown.  After days of sitting on someone’s desk and countless phone calls we found out that our township (unbeknownst to all of us – including the contractor) had passed a new ordinance requiring a grading plan.  This plan insures that the run off from any new construction will not affect your neighbor’s property.  It took us an additional 30 days to hire an engineer, get the plan done, submit the new paperwork to the township and FINALLY get the permit we needed to start work.

That 30 days meant that we would not meet the May 20th deadline and would have to move again.  The 2nd rental had not had phone service for 6 years prior to us moving in.  It took me 6 days to get a land line and 10 days to get internet service.  I was on my cell phone for a minimum of 2 hours per day trying to get this done.  The internet service is still intermittent but at least it works most of the time.  The amount of time, effort and additional funds it took for the 2nd move is way more then what the consultant would have cost us and that does not include the cost of my sanity.  The loss of 30 days also means that we’ll be moving into our renovated house at the height of wedding season.  Instead of being able to enjoy the move and take my time in unpacking we’re going to be living out of boxes for weeks until I can get to them.

Hindsight is 20/20.  Since my husband and I don’t know a bloody thing about the construction industry I now see that hiring a professional construction consultant was a necessity not a luxury.  We would have gotten the benefit of his experience as he acted as our liaison.  We would have had access to his unbiased opinion as we made choices along the way.  He would have been able to recommend a more thorough architect and, perhaps, more cost effective subcontractors. He would have had their quotes reflect the real work to be done not just what the architect put in the plans so that we wouldn’t be so ridiculously over budget right now.

When I have an initial consultation with potential new clients part of our conversation centers around how planning a wedding is different and more stressful then anything you might have ever done before.  I try to explain that as an experienced professional planner I can bring value to them by helping guide them through the process and by saving time, money and stress. I can’t tell you how much I wish I’d followed my own advice!

You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know – Part II

I have several clients who are getting married at a very upscale location here at the Jersey Shore.  They pay a fee to rent the facility.  They knew they had to hire a caterer, entertainment, and a florist.  They didn’t know that tables, chairs and linens for cocktail hour (or outside of the dining room) were not included. This is an additional expense they were not anticipating and are only finding this out as they negotiate their contract with the caterer and florist.

Recently I read a posting on a DJs website whom I use often (well as often as he’s available – he’s a busy guy!).  The comment was from a bride who came to the realization that while her wedding day is very important to her and her fiance it’s just one day in their lives.  They do want their wedding day to be special but they don’t want the tears of frustration that have already been shed to turn to tears of anger.

Weddings can be stressful.  As happy a day as it’s supposed to be – stress does play a big part in wedding planning.  That’s one of the things you don’t know until you’re in the midst of it.  Things you thought would be easy turn out to be more difficult then anybody could have anticipated (“Why can’t Uncle Joe sit with Cousin Jeff and his wife?”).  Things that appeared in a magazine have a way of not being the same when you want the same thing (“But the summer issue of <name that bridal magazine> showed peonies in the bride’s bouquet for only $100!  Why is my bouquet going to cost 5x that???” (because peonies aren’t in season at the time of your wedding and will have to be imported and that’s IF the florist can get them).

If you had $25,000 to invest would you use your best friend’s brother’s college roommate to invest it because he used a dart and the stock chart to pick his investments once and made a profit or would you hire a professional to help you get the most out of that money??  If you’re spending $25,000 on your wedding would you know where to go and who to hire to get the most out of your investment? Or would you hire a professional wedding planner to help you manage your budget, learn the things you didn’t know you didn’t know, and get the most bang for your bucks?

Even as a professional wedding planner I learn new things that I didn’t know I didn’t know almost everyday. Do you know where to spend and where to save?  Do you know what else you don’t know you didn’t know??  Investing in a professional planner is easier then you might think.  Start with a consultation, ask as many questions as you can, ask for references, and get a proposal in writing then take it from there.  Then you’ll come to know what you didn’t know and change those tears of frustration to tears of joy!

Getting Your Exercise

Have you ever heard the phrase “He (she) gets his/her exercise by jumping to conclusions?”  It’s one of my favorites!  My ex-boss was famous for it.  Some people make assumptions – it’s almost like profiling – with the least amount of information.

For example, I get a lot of “my ___________ doesn’t like working with wedding planners” from my clients who have already chosen their professionals before hiring me.  This cracks me up!  While I’ve worked with plenty of professionals I’d rather not work with again I don’t assume that everyone in their industry behaves the same.  If I did I’d never hire another videographer.

I’ve had professionals come up to me after an event to express their hopes that we’ll work together again.  They had kept their assumptions to themselves before the event and gave me a chance to show them how All the Best is there to help not hinder them. I had one videographer (not the one referenced above) tell me he was apprehensive about working with a wedding planner because of past experiences. He told me that I was so easy to work with that he would recommend me to his clients.  Now that’s a compliment!!

I have a client who made the “my photographer doesn’t work with planners” statement to me the other day.   The funny thing is that the guy who said it isn’t even the shooter at her wedding – he’s sending one of his associates!  I have called this photographer three times and have yet to have the courtesy of a return phone call.  I’ve been as nice as pie when leaving messages trying to let him know that I’m there to help not hinder.  So far nothing and the wedding is in two days.

I have another client who is getting married at a beautiful venue here at the Jersey Shore.   She’s been going to area bridal shows to listen to bands and has taken the time to walk through the exhibitors area.  She stopped to speak to one professional who asked her where her wedding will take place and when told the name of the venue responded “Well I guess you don’t have to worry about a budget.”  WHAT???!!!  Does that mean now that you know the venue you’re going to jack up the price??  If her reception was at the Super 8 motel would you lower your price or not give her the time of day because you think she doesn’t have a big budget?  I am flabbergasted that a professional would make such an assumption based on just the reception location.

Personal experience trumps hearsay every time.  I always try to find out the details so I can draw my own conclusions.  A variety of references from people who have worked with the professional in the past is a great place to start.  Some people are like Chicken Little (going back to the ex-boss again) – the sky is always falling.  Most of the time the situation is not as dire or dramatic as originally presented.  Like any good detective I try to do my research before drawing any conclusions.  There are plenty of other ways to get your exercise other then jumping to conclusions!!

Money, Money, Money

While at a venue with a client the other day we got to walk through the ballroom while it was being set up for a wedding reception that evening. In the midst of the chaos was one of the wedding planners we’ve all seen on TV (come on you know you watch the Style channel) overseeing a sea of assistants working on the most outrageous decor!!  ALL of the linens were custom made, the centerpieces had a base of beautiful jewel colored flowers with branches reaching towards the ceiling with balls of red flowers & crystals dripping from them. The menus at each place setting were wrapped in 3 – count them 3 – bengaline napkins hand tied with a beaded ribbon and there were various sizes of gold candles everywhere.  There was a separate lounge seating area, custom drapes that covered the windows (and hid the beautiful view) and a huge dais for the wedding party.  Special lighting was another feature and a 12 pc band was scheduled to play.  We heard rumors that the cost for everything was over $150,000 for 200 people.  You can imagine how spectacular that room was going to look after all the candles had been lit and the lights were dimmed.

Now let’s take a deep breath and turn the page as I recall a recent article in our local newspaper about a wedding planner who can do your entire wedding, including vendors and her fee, for $10,000.  Yup, $10,000.00.

So what’s a bride to do??  I’ve got to tell you that my client, for the same amount of people, will not be spending $150,000.00 but will be spending more then $10,000.00. We’ve hired a fantastic decorator whose sample centerpieces just blew us away.  White orchids, roses and candles will be everywhere.  Charger plates, custom ice sculptures, specialty lighting and letter press stationery included.  But what about that $10,000 wedding??

My concern with that article, and that price, is that there was a lot of information missing.  What do you get for this $10,000?  What kind of food?  Where’s the event being held??  How many guests? Does it include a photographer, flowers, entertainment, invitations??  If so who gets to choose them?  If it’s the planner, what if the client doesn’t like her vendors???

I had a consultation with a lovely couple the other day.  Their budget for 150+ people was $15,000.00 and they wanted an outdoor weekend destination for their guests.  They asked how realistic their budget was and I tried to be honest.  I’ve had clients start out with that amount and when they realize what they can (or cannot get) the budget starts to slowly increase until they’ve spent $5,000 – $20,000 more then originally projected.  Either that or the guest list shrinks.

Why?  Because my experience, and research conducted by Brides Magazine, shows that brides want what they want and when they (finally) find it, they’re willing to pay for it.  Do you have to spend $150,000 to get it?  In my opinion absolutely not.  Will you get it if your budget is only $10,000?  Well that all depends on your willingness to compromise.

My hat is off to the planner who can do an entire wedding for $10,000.00.  I’d love to see a sample of her work.  The article showed a very happy bride and that price range does fill a big niche.  My hat is also off to the planner who did the $150,000 wedding.  She does a lot of high end weddings and does them very well. Should I ever have a client with that kind of budget I’ll tell them the same thing I tell all of my clients now -  if I’m not spending that kind of money (on whatever it is) then neither are you!  I try to make sure that my clients get the most bang for their buck (and trust me my single daughter knows this.  She’s already told me that the majority of her budget is going to be spent on a fabulous dress and her guests can eat hot dogs & beans.  It’s a bridge I’ll cross when the time comes……). Who knows what that $150,000 wedding would have cost or what it would have looked like if those clients tried to do all of that on their own.

So here’s my point (again) – hiring a wedding planner should save you money regardless of the size of your budget.  IMHO that’s the value of a good wedding planner!  Your wedding day is an investment in your future as a married couple. If you don’t know how to spend your money wisely – hire a qualified professional to help you.  It’s the only sane way!

Wedding Planning from a Wedding Planners Point of View

I hear it all the time “You’re a wedding planner??!!! I’d LOVE to be a wedding planner!!! I just did my daughter’s (or my own or my best friend’s) wedding. I had a BLAST I’d LOVE to do it again!! I have to laugh a little to myself whenever I hear this. The comments are made when the event is over not when they’re in the midst of the planning. It reminds me of childbirth – all the discomfort and pain of the last nine months is forgotten the moment that baby is born.

I wonder if they remember how the big disagreement between mother (or stepmother) and the bride was settled without causing any hard feelings? Who negotiated the contract with a vendor who kept saying “no”or “that will cost you more” by getting them to say “Yes!” or “We can include that in at no extra charge?” Who handled the call from the limo company while everyone was having their hair and make up done? How many florists did you contact before you found one that did great work at a reasonable price?

Weddings are expensive – let’s not kid ourselves. A good wedding planner should bring value to your event. They should be able to save you time and aggravation and bring a sense of order and calm to your wedding day. A good wedding planner should make you feel confident that your wedding day will go as smoothly as possible and that you’ve gotten the most for every dollar spent.  How much is peace of mind worth to you on the most important day of your life?

How much is your time worth? Do you really have the time to research all the reception sites in the area that can accommodate 200 people? Do you know which hotels will give the best room rates at which times of the year? Do you know how to negotiate a package with your professionals to get the most for your money? Even if a venue has their own wedding planner – is that planner going to help you at the ceremony site, put a timeline together for you and contact all your professionals prior to the big day? Keep in mind that a planner supplied by your venue is paid and employed by the venue – not by you.

Experience counts!! Just because your cousin’s photographer did a great job for her three years ago doesn’t mean that photographer is currently up to date on the latest technologies. The food at your best friend’s reception was phenomenal but did you know they’ve changed chefs and menus since then?? The DJ at your co-worker’s wedding did such a great job that you want to book him. When you call that company how do you know you’re getting the same DJ??

It is my experience that there are clients out there who really want and/or need a planner yet don’t hire one because they think it’s too expensive.  You don’t have to have a big, fat, fabulous event budget to hire a planner.  Having a planner is invaluable and I don’t just say that because I’m a planner.  I’ve had day of event clients say to me that they wish they’d hired All the Best Weddings & Celebrations  sooner.  I’ve had other clients wonder out loud what they would have done if we  hadn’t been there to help during the planning process or a day of event crisis.

All the Best does not offer specific packages and pricing because it’s felt that each event is unique and deserving of its own service proposal and fees.  There are lots of planners out there at various price points and offering various kinds of services.  Do the research and find the wedding planner that’s right for you. You’ll be glad you did!!