Dec 30, 2009 | Eco-Friendly Events, Parties and Special Events, wedding planning
What do you do with leftover mini-cakes? Photo by HappyBuddy Photo Art.
One thing that often gets overlooked in party and event planning is what happens after the party is over. If you are planning a wedding, party, or other large event, now would be a good time to think about what happens when the fun is done. Beyond the basic logistical question of who is going to transport stuff from one place to another, there are the considerations of what to do with left over items. Here are my thoughts on several of categories of those items.
Food: If you didn’t run out of food at your party (heaven forfend!), then there will be leftovers. It would be a shame to throw them out. In some places, a local food bank can pick up your extra food and distribute it to food pantries and shelters. (See the Feeding America food bank locator to find a local food bank.) Some states and municipalities do not allow this practice, though, and not all food banks are set up to handle it, so check with your food bank ahead of time. And unless you’re a food safety expert, don’t try it on your own. Even if you can’t distribute your leftovers to hungry strangers, you can probably find some friends and relatives who would be happy to take some of it. Prepare for this possibility by having appropriate containers available, and instruct your caterer how to distribute extra food. Whatever you do, talk to your caterer ahead of time!
Flowers and other decorations: The nicest way to take care of flowers and other centerpieces is to donate them to a local hospital or nursing home. As with donating food, this is both eco-friendly and socially responsible. Not only do flowers get a second use, but they may also brighten the day of someone who could use a little cheer. Perhaps you already have a relationship with an institution where you can send your flowers. At one wedding that I coordinated, they announced at the reception that all the flowers would go to the hospital where a family member had received treatment in his last illness. It seemed like a most fitting thing to do.
Favors: Extra party favors can be a real problem. This is one area where you will really need to plan ahead. For one thing, you will almost definitely have extra favors. If you plan for one per guest, there will be some guests who don’t take one, or who take one for a household, instead of one per person. But you don’t want to have too few, either. When deciding what kind of favor to give your guests, consider how easy the extras will be to get rid of. If you have a common item that is usable by anyone (like decorated pencils, for instance), then you can give away extras on Freecycle or to an organization that can use them (like your local school). Food favors are even more difficult to get rid of than catered food. Novelty items will probably be sitting in the back of your closet for years. You might need to turn to an organization like Special E in order to find a second use for some of these things. One couple I worked with gave away beeswax candles (tied with ribbons in their wedding colors, of course). There were plenty remaining at the end of the evening, but I imagine they were perfectly happy to have a supply of such a useful item.
So give some thought now to what happens when the party is over. You can save yourself some headaches, bring joy to friends and strangers, and keep things out of the landfill with just a little extra effort.
Dec 14, 2009 | Budget Planning, Parties and Special Events, wedding planning, Weddings
It’s time to rerun my budget event series for everyone who is getting ready to plan a wedding or party on a shoestring. Here is part one of the series, for those who missed it around this time last year:
Just because you are on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t have the event you want. It requires some extra work and maybe a few compromises, but you can still get married or have a bar mitzvah or throw the party for your parents’ anniversary and have a real celebration. Working on a budget is something I do a lot, so I’d like to share some of my insights with you.
It's about the money.
The first thing to do is to have an actual budget. This is sometimes an item that people put off, but I urge you to come up with a realistic budget as early in the planning process as you can. It will help to guide your choices as you plan your event. The main reason for procrastination, I think, is the simple fact that many people do not know how to go about preparing a budget. Here is my method:
Start with the total amount of money you are able to spend on the event. Be realistic about your ability to spend, including any contributions others have committed to making. It is not worthwhile to spend more on any event than you have. Unless your circumstances are unusual, it is not generally a good idea to go into debt for a wedding or other celebration. I also do not recommend spending everything you have for one day’s celebration.
Next, list all the things you intend to spend money on. Include everything you think you might need, and add a “just in case” category. For a wedding, your list might look something like this:
Band/musicians/DJ
Cake
Candles
Caterer/restaurant
Ceremony venue
Clothing
Contingency
Dish rental
Event planner
Favors
Flowers/décor
Furniture rental
Gifts
Guest directions
Invitations
Ketubah
License
Limo/transportation
Linen rental
Liquor/champagne
Menu
Officiant
Other rentals
Photographer
Place cards
Postage
Program book
Reception venue
Rings
RSVPs
Save-the date cards
Sound equipment
Table numbers
Tips
Unity candle or sand
Videographer
This is not to say that you have to include everything on the list. I don’t think I have ever worked on a wedding that spent money in each and every one of these categories. And some events require things that are not on this list. Pick the ones that pertain to your event and make a spreadsheet.
Now comes the hard part: Fill in a number next to each category and make sure the total does not exceed your total budget number. (Computer spreadsheet programs such as Excel make this job much easier.) But how do you know what number to put there? You will have to do some research. Talk to vendors and other professionals (such as an event planner). Poke around online to get a range of prices. Decide what things you can do yourself to save money and what things will require professional services. For example, you might make place cards and table numbers yourself at minimal cost, if you have the time. In a future post, I will take a look at some of the more difficult categories and consider ways to estimate and reduce costs in each. (Or you can see where this is still posted from March and July of 2009.)
The creative bride of this wedding made her own programs, place cards, and even her own flower arrangements.
Finally, if your cost estimate exceeds your resources, you will have to find places to cut. You may have to reconsider how you define what you need and remove some categories, or you might have to make do with smaller quantities or lesser quality on some things. You can also consider cutting the guest list. These decisions are not easy, but keep in mind that the most important thing about any celebration is not how opulent it looks but what happens between the people. If it’s a wedding, getting married is the most important thing that will happen. If it is an anniversary or birthday party, the important thing is to honor the ones who have reached a milestone. If you can manage a lavish entertainment in addition, consider it a bonus.
Dec 7, 2009 | Parties and Special Events, vendors
Okay, you are already wondering what on earth Theatre Building Chicago has to do with events. The answer is that this three-theatre space on Chicago’s north side also has a lovely lobby available for rental to private clients. They don’t promote it much and the hours are limited, but I think it is worth a look. The decor is funky-eclectic. And the staff is wonderful. They go far out of their way to make sure you have what you need. I have never worked in a venue where the staff was as helpful. There are also three theatres available for daytime rental by the day. You do have to work around whatever show happens to be in there, but (with the staff’s excellent help), it is easy to do lectures, presentations, and other events for which theatre-style seating is preferable. I highly recommend this venue for small daytime or weekday evening events.
Nov 18, 2009 | Family Parties, Parties and Special Events, wedding planning
No disappointments here! Photo by Magical Moments Photography.
How do you know which vendors are trustworthy? How can you be sure to hire people who will deliver? How do you avoid wedding scam artists? If you’re planning a party or a wedding, I am sure that these questions have crossed your mind.
Well, because of who I am, I will give you the self-promotional answer first and then some further thoughts: The easiest way to get trusted vendors is to hire an event planner who doesn’t take commissions from vendors and ask for her recommendations. Not only does a professional have to have good contacts, but also no vendor is going to take a chance by letting down a planner. Vendors rely on planners to recommend them to future clients, so they are less likely to let you down.
Not everyone can or needs to hire a professional planner, however. If you are hiring vendors on your own, here is how I find good ones. First, I ask around. Someone you know has the information you want. I found my favorite caterer via the recommendation of a friend of my mother-in-law. You never know who knows someone.
Then, always (and I do mean always) check references. Ask for the names and phone numbers or e-mail addresses of at least three recent clients. Don’t just get the information but also call or e-mail these people. They have agreed to be references so they won’t mind talking to you. Chances are, they are more than happy to tell you the good experiences they had with the vendor. Ask specific questions, such as:
- Did this person deliver on what they said they would do?
- Were they easy to work with?
- Did you have any difficulties with them?
- Do you think you got value for your money?
- Would you recommend this person?
You can also ask for a general description of the reference’s experience with the vendor. Almost any specific question you ask will probably give you some of the information you need.
Some people, I think, hesitate to ask for references, thinking somehow that it is a sign of a lack of trust. But when potential clients ask me for references, I am actually very glad. First, I know that my references will say good things about me. Second, it shows that the client has done her or his homework. Finally, I find that clients who ask for references end up trusting me a lot more. When they believe they can trust me, we work well together.
With a little time and effort, you can find trustworthy vendors who will make you happy with their work.
Sep 28, 2009 | Day-of Coordinating, Parties and Special Events, wedding planning
This bakery had a good contract--and good chocolate. Photo by Carasco Photography.
I want to share with you some information I give to many of my clients. It’s on a subject that is hardly glamorous, but is very, very important: Contracts. I’m not a contract lawyer, but this is what I have learned by experience.
When you are planning a big celebration, you will have to deal with a number of vendors, and each one of them should give you a contract. And each one will require a certain amount of your attention. You should read carefully each contract you are given. Make sure you agree with every point in it before you sign it. Because once you sign it, it becomes a legally binding document that might be very hard to get out of. It’s much better to negotiate it before you sign it.
And all contracts are negotiable, no matter what your vendor says. The point of a contract is to come to an agreement between parties, so don’t be afraid to negotiate your part of the agreement. I’m not saying that you can get everything you want into (or out of) every contract, but you don’t have to take whatever they give you without a murmur if you don’t like it.
Every contract should contain a certain minimum of information. It should have the vendor’s name, address, and phone number on it. If the vendor wants you to contact them some other way than by phone, that information should also be on the contract so it is easily available. The contract should also state clearly exactly what the vendor is going to do for you and when they are going to do it. Likewise, it should say how much you are expected to pay and when.
It is a good idea to include details in the contract: When and where will deliveries be made? Will the vendor only bring their goods to the venue or will they also set things up? If you change your mind and want something extra, what happens? And what will it cost? What happens if one party or the other fails to live up to the agreement? Finally, the contract should be signed and dated by both parties.
Florists and bakeries (in my experience) are notorious for offering incomplete contracts. Often, small shops don’t have the resources to put together complete contracts. In this case, you should not hesitate to hand write the missing information onto whatever they give you. It protects both of you.
I learned some of this from my dealings with a certain florist. What passed for a contract with the bride from this florist was just a list of floral options and prices with one of them circled. There was no information on delivery or set-up. I understood from the bride that the florist was going to bring all the floral arrangements into the venue and I would set them up. I even discussed delivery with the shop in the week before the wedding. Oddly, no one mentioned that the centerpieces weighed between 50 and 100 pounds, somewhat more than I can carry on my own. The owner of the shop showed up with the centerpieces, carried them down a flight of steps, and placed them where they belonged. I thought all was well. Five days after the wedding, I got an e-mail from the floral shop asking for additional payment because the owner had had to do extra work on the delivery. Fortunately, I had a copy of the contract (such as it was) and was able to explain that they should not expect to recoup their losses from me. It also might have been better if a complaint had been made on the spot so I could have solved the problem before it happened.
That experience is also one of the reasons I always insist on having copies of every contract that a bride has with her vendors. I can head off a lot of trouble if I know exactly what is expected of each vendor. So, read your contracts, make sure you agree with their contents, and send a copy on to your planner. You’ll be happy you did.
Sep 21, 2009 | Budget Planning, Family Parties, Parties and Special Events, wedding planning, Weddings
Everyone trusts the vendors when there is no funny business. Photo by Magical Moments Photography.
If you have looked recently at the page on my website that deals with Money Matters, you might have noticed at the bottom that I have my integrity pledge there. In case you’re not familiar with how this scheme I mention works, let me lay it out for you here.
When I first hung out my (virtual) shingle as an event planner, vendors started getting in touch with me. They wanted me to refer my clients to them, and for the privilege, they were willing to pay me–in hard, cold cash–an amount equivalent to 10% of what my clients paid them for their work. I understand that this can be quite a good revenue stream for an event planner, but I am not willing to sell out for the cash. I always insist that the vendor give my client the equivalent discount, instead. It costs the vendor the same amount and it allows me to offer my clients a little bonus.
Taking the commission (as they call it) has several drawbacks. I work for the person who is paying me. If I were to take both a fee from a client and a payment from a vendor, then I would have two masters with conflicting interests. I would lose the ability to help my client stay within their budget, since my own personal interest would be for them to spend more. I also might be tempted to refer clients to the vendor who offers me the largest percentage, rather than the vendor who does the best work or gives the best value for money.
I heard a very telling story from a woman I know who makes and sells eco-friendly event invitations. She told me that she had been taking her wares around to various event planners. She was discussing the commission amount with one planner. The planner pointed to a wall of invitation sample books and told her that those vendors all offered her a much higher commission. She clearly expected that this woman would offer her more. And that is a situation that can lead to bidding wars, which can not be good for the planner’s clients.
When I first started out as a planner, I was pretty sure I would never take these kickbacks from vendors. But the thing that really gave me the resolve came from a very unexpected place. I took a taxi home from the very first wedding I ever planned and coordinated. The cab driver was an older gentleman, and we chatted on the way home. Of course he asked me what I do and where I was coming from. When I told him that I am a wedding planner, the first thing he said was, “You don’t take those payments from the vendors, do you?” I assured him that I do not take them. And I have never been tempted to go back on my word.
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