Jul 27, 2010 | Day-of Coordinating, Weddings
The bride was heading toward the altar when she discovered the cake wasn't there.
The bride came down the staircase of her parents’ home on her way to the altar in the back yard. In her rather emotional state, she just noticed that the wedding cake was not on the dining room table where she expected it to be. “Where is the cake?” she asked her wedding coordinator. “It’s on its way. Don’t worry,” was the reply. And by the time dinner was served, the cake was on the table. The bride and the groom were perfectly content.
Now, here’s what really happened: The mercury that day was over 90 degrees. A more experienced baker probably would have frozen the cake so that the buttercream frosting didn’t melt. But this baker just loaded the cake into her van and drove through the heat. By the time she reached the house, the cake had imploded. Someone buttonholed me before she went back to her kitchen, so I had a minute to talk to her. Needless to say, she was in a bit of a panic.
“What time do you have to have the cake here?” she asked me.
“You have exactly three hours,” I said.
“I’ll be back before then.” And she was. She ended up bringing a small wedding cake and a sheet cake, instead of the larger cake she had promised. But it was still a small miracle that she managed to deliver at all.
Now, when the bride came downstairs and saw that there was no cake, I knew that the cake had fallen and that the baker was, at that moment, frantically re-baking it. But there was no way I was going to let on to the bride that anything was wrong. She had been very stressed earlier in the day, and I didn’t want her worrying as she went to marry her sweetheart. Nor did I want to lie to her. So, I told her the minimum amount of information she needed to know and made sure she didn’t worry. Her family and friends didn’t have to deal with the situation. And, in the end, everyone was happy.
Jul 18, 2010 | Day-of Coordinating, Weddings
I just got the photos from the wedding I wrote about back in May. They are really nice photos and are all posted in my photo gallery. Click on the photo below to go straight to the pictures from this wedding. Many thanks to Christy Tyler for sharing her photos.
Photo courtesy of christytylerphotography.com.
May 31, 2010 | Day-of Coordinating, Weddings
Here is the lovely couple. Photo shamelessly borrowed from their wedding website.
I had the best time yesterday coordinating a wedding. The bride was a lovely Chinese-American woman. The groom was Cuban-American. They had a pretty simple church ceremony, but at the reception, their families’ heritages were on full display.
The reception had most of the usual traditions you would expect at a wedding. The bride and groom had their first dance together; the bride tossed her bouquet; and the groom tossed the garter. But after the first dance, the bride changed from her white wedding gown into a gorgeous red dress. (Red is a traditional lucky color in Chinese culture. Many Chinese brides wear red.) She also put on a heavily embroidered Chinese jacket called a kwa and some special jewelry. Then she and her new husband performed a traditional Chinese tea ceremony, which involved them serving tea to their parents and grandparents and receiving gifts from them. Her aunts made the special tea and her uncles read a description so everyone felt involved in the ceremony.
After the tea ceremony, the groom’s family’s culture came to the forefront. The groom’s mother is old friends with the leader of a hot Cuban salsa band. The band played a late-evening set that got the crowd out onto the dance floor to dance salsa, cha-cha, and cumbia. Everyone felt like celebrating–and there are some fine salsa dancers among the groom’s family and friends.
Finally, at the end of the evening, the groom had a surprise for everyone. He’s a big fan of Michael Jackson, and he came out dressed in a full MJ outfit to dance to “Billie Jean.” Let me tell you, this guy had all the moves. The night ended on a high note.
And where was your humble wedding coordinator during all this? I was in two places at once, most of the night. I was lining up the wedding party for their introductions; making sure the best man and matron of honor were in place to make their well-spoken toasts; getting a dad and a mom ready to dance with the bride and groom; moving chairs and tables for the tea ceremony; making sure the bride had changed in time for the tea ceremony and had remembered to put on her garter; telling the band leader when to start playing, and when to stop; keeping the bride from finding out that her new husband was going to do a surprise dance for her; informing the DJ, photographer, and videographer about the next event; working with the banquet hall staff; and making sure everyone was happy. It was a lot of work, but for such nice people, it was a pleasure.
I’m really looking forward to seeing the photos from this very special wedding. I’ll post them as soon as I get them so you can see for yourself how beautiful it was.
Apr 26, 2010 | Day-of Coordinating, wedding planning, Weddings
Together, we plan even the smallest detail. Courtesy of sprungphoto.com.
Sometimes it takes someone else’s chance comment to point out how one is different from others. I had that experience this week when I was chatting with the owner of a very nice event space. She asked what services I offer my clients, and when I described what I offer for day-of event coordinating, she couldn’t help saying, “That sounds like a lot more than day-of coordination!”
Here’s what I offer besides coordination on the day of a wedding: one planning meeting at the venue; a two-hour rehearsal; confirmation of all vendors; timeline for the day; floor plans, if needed; vendor referrals; and unlimited phone calls and e-mails. Also, unlike some others, I am happy to book a year in advance. What this means is that when you hire me to do day-of coordination of your wedding, you also get a consultant who will work with you through the entire process. By your wedding day, I am thoroughly familiar with what you want to have happen and I have been able to think it through. And for all that, I think my prices are quite reasonable, too.
Why do I offer so much for so little? I like to offer my clients the highest level of service and value for your money. In order to be fully prepared to coordinate a wedding, it is well worth my time to get to know my clients and get to know what you want and what you expect. And for a minimal investment of time, I can help you to refine and improve your plans so you can actually have the wedding you want.
Would you like to find out what I can do for you? Get in touch and I’ll tell you.
Jan 12, 2010 | Day-of Coordinating, wedding planning, Weddings
I must have had some good ideas this time last year. Here is another post that I think is worth another look:
I am asked sometimes why someone getting married should hire a wedding planner. “Can I do all the wedding planning myself?” I’ve been asked. My answer to that question is, “Yes and no.”
Beautiful wedding day. Photo by Magical Moments Photography.
Yes, you can probably do all the planning yourself. Given enough time, a few basic organizational skills, and the ability to see the project through to the end–qualities just about everyone has–you can certainly plan your wedding by yourself. If you are a very busy professional who travels a lot, for example, or someone who feels overwhelmed by large projects, then you are a good candidate for a full-service planner. Don’t get me wrong: Planning a wedding is a very large job that will take a good amount of your time and attention for as long as you have to work on it. Most people find the process momentarily frustrating at times. At the same time, it can be very rewarding. You might even find that it is a lot of fun. I certainly think it is.
On the other hand, when it comes to day-of wedding coordination, almost everyone needs someone to do the job. In the past when brides were typically younger, the mother of the bride often took care of coordinating the day of the wedding. Sometimes the Maid of Honor gets to do all the work. These days, though, most couples want to allow their families and friends to enjoy the wedding day and not have to be the one to deal with the stress of the details.
And even if your wedding is simple and straightforward, if you hire a day-of coordinator, you are also hiring a professional consultant who can help you with the planning. Not all planners work the way I do, I’m sure, but when I am working with a couple, I tell them that once they hire me, they can call me or send me an e-mail any time if they need guidance or a vendor referral or just someone to bounce an idea off of. My function is to make sure that the day of the wedding goes smoothly, and that means that I start working toward that goal as soon as I am hired. If I can prevent costly mistakes or solve a problem months in advance, then I am doing my job as day-of coordinator.
Maybe you have been to a wedding and thought it all went so smoothly that there was no need for a coordinator. That is actually the highest compliment you can pay to a day-of wedding coordinator. From the point of view of the guests, it should all look effortless, and that means that someone has put all the details together into a beautiful wedding day.
Jan 5, 2010 | Day-of Coordinating, wedding planning, Weddings
This is me, doing what I do best as a day-of coordinator: sweating the details so my clients don't have to. Photo courtesy of Artisan Events, Inc.
This post is from exactly a year ago. If you are newly engaged, I hope you will find it helpful.
If you have plans to get married this year, you are probably thinking–right about now–about hiring a wedding planner or a day-of wedding coordinator. If you’re getting married this year and are not thinking about any such thing, may I recommend that you do so before the best planners get booked up for the summer and fall seasons? I don’t know about anyone else, but I am almost fully booked for Saturdays in June already.
It’s not too difficult to hire a day-of coordinator. You will actually come up with more choices if you do an internet search for “wedding planner,” rather than “day-of wedding coordinator.” Any wedding planner worth her pay is also a day-of coordinator. Craigslist is another place to look. You can also place a free ad there for planners to respond to.
Once you have found a handful of prospects, it’s time to interview them. You can start with an e-mail, of course, but I don’t recommend that you hire anyone until you have met them in person. Sometimes this is impractical, of course, especially if you live in a different city from the one you are planning to marry in. In that case, be sure to have a detailed telephone conversation before signing a contract. Some of the things you may want to consider are: the planner’s experience and expertise; the planner’s personality and how it fits with yours; the kinds of ideas she or he can bring to the table; the fee charged and what you will get for what you pay.
Don’t necessarily think that the lowest price is the best deal. As with any vendor, you get what you pay for. Sometimes the person with the lowest price is the best one for the job, but other times someone with a very low price may not offer as many important services as someone who charges a little more. Get enough information on the services included in the fee so that you can tell the difference. Find out what the price range is by asking several coordinators. You don’t have to hire the most expensive one, but you will probably find one in the middle of the price range who has all the characteristics you want.
Before you hire, get references. Don’t just get names and phone numbers or e-mail addresses. Call those people or e-mail them and ask them questions about their experience with the coordinator. Ask them if they would recommend the person. Ask them if they think they got value for their money. Ask if there were any unresolved problems.
Finally, don’t pay anything until you have a signed contract with the coordinator. (This is actually good advice for hiring any vendor.) The coordinator will probably send you a contract, but don’t assume that this is a “take it or leave it” proposition. All contracts are negotiable. If there is a clause you think needs to be in the contract, ask to have it added. If you don’t like something, ask if it can be removed. You may have to give something in return, but it is always worth a try. Don’t be intimidated by legalese. If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask to have it clarified. And only sign the contract once you are sure you understand everything and agree with it. It takes some work, but it is always worth while to have a good contract in place. It protects both parties.
And once you have hired a wedding coordinator, keep them informed of your decisions. If they ask for information, get it to them as soon as possible. They are looking out for your best interests and need to know what you want and what you are doing so they can take care of all the details while you are busy getting married and enjoying yourself.
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