Should Social Media be a part of your Wedding?

Whether we like it or not, social media is an integral part of our lives.  I once had a bride who used social media sites to detail her every wedding move.  The result.... by the time the special day came around, she was crazed with all the advice others were giving her and she was disappointed because nothing was a surprise to her guests.

Social media can be a great way for you to decide what friends and family know about your personal and professional life.  You may have a thousand friends following you, but are you prepared to invite them all to your wedding?  

There are social media etiquette points that should be adhered to when planning your wedding.  When you become engaged I recommend going the formal route by sending an announcement in the mail not by blasting it on social media.  While it may be less expensive to announce your engagement through social media it is far more special to receive an engagement announcement in the mail.  And while you might think it’s okay to detail your every move from selecting shoes to buying a wedding gown and picking flowers, your documentation can be seen as a bit self-centered and less about sharing excitement.

My advice to brides, refrain from over-documenting your wedding planning and actual wedding on social media sites.  Leave a little to the imagination and more for your wedding album.

Until next time ...

Cheers!

How many Bridesmaids will you have?

I recently came across this article from WeddingWay.com which lists Charleston, SC as the "Bridesmaid Capital of the United States" averaging over 5 bridesmaids in a typical wedding party.

I must say that I have seen more of a trend to smaller wedding parties and personally, I prefer it.  My opinion is to just let your friends and family enjoy the day without having the formal commitment of a role in the wedding.  Also, think about the budget, not only do your bridemaids have to spend more on dresses, hair and make-up, you have the extra expense of bouquets and gifts which can add up quickly.

My recommendation is to keep the bridal party small and just focus on a wonderful experience for all of your guests.

Until next time...

Cheers!

How much can you realistically expect to spend on a New York City wedding?

I am baffled by the amount of misinformation that is published regarding the cost of weddings.  As a result, brides are confused about what they realistically need to spend.  I do think it is time for a reality check.

What really made me feel the need to speak out was this article I recently saw in the New York Post: Why Your Wedding is Ridiculously Expensive?  As I started reading, I thought the article had promise as I agree that cost of weddings, especially in New York City, has been on the rise.  When I got to the quote that the average wedding cost in New York City is just over $16,000 I was floored that any publication could print such misinformation.  My current rule of thumb is that couples can expect to spend at least $1,000 per person.  While brides may scoff at this number,. when they start to add everything up they see it is a very real starting point.

Fortunately, there is some accurate information on the internet from reliable sources like the Knot who is quoted in this article on Slate.com: Average wedding cost.  Also, there are wonderful destinations that are far less expensive.  This is why I love planning weddings in Charleston and the Finger Lakes; you can get so much more for so much less.

Well, I have said my piece and would love to get feedback from other New York City planners about your thoughts.  I feel more wedding experts should speak up so that accurate information is provided to brides and grooms  

I look forward to hearing from all of you and...

Cheers!

How to Book Wedding Room Blocks

After my brides and grooms have chosen a date and confirmed their venue we take the next step in confirming hotel room blocks for guests.  While my team and I do this almost every day, the process for those who don’t have the pleasure of a planner can be a bit confusing.

Today I’m going to give you a few tips and tricks to securing rooms for your wedding guests.

The first thing you need to do is determine how many guests will need accommodations. Remember, if you’re expecting 100 guests it would generally mean about 50 rooms. However, keep in mind, unless your wedding is a destination you most likely can cut that number to 25.  And if your wedding is a destination, you want to make sure you have enough rooms for all your guests.

Once you know the number of rooms I recommend making a list of all the hotels in and around your wedding venue.  Start with calling the larger hotels and work your way down to the boutique hotels.  When calling the hotel ask to speak with the person in charge of room blocks.

Keep in mind there are several ways hotels will set aside rooms for your wedding.  There’s a thing called “the courtesy block” and one called a “financial guarantee”.  We always recommend staying away from the latter. We prefer a courtesy block allows you to set aside a certain number of rooms (usually 10 on the outset without putting any money down) at a reduced, fixed rate.  The hotel will require you to sign a “contract” but that contract usually states that within 30 days of your wedding they will release any un-booked rooms into the general population.  The latter (the financial guarantee) will ask you to sign a contract and either put a deposit down on each room. If all rooms are not booked you will have to pay a percentage regardless of whether or not the room was booked.  Now I don’t know about you, but I certainly do not want to pay for something I didn’t use.  So that’s why we always shy away from that option.

The great thing about a courtesy block is that as the rooms fill up you can often ask the hotel to add more to the block, of course subject to availability.

We always tell our clients to keep a few things in mind.  You can certainly go onto Hotels.com or other sites and find the same rooms and sometimes they may be at a reduced rate.  And sometimes the hotel will match that rate, but often they do not and in reality they have no control how a site like that buys up their inventory.  Another thing to keep in mind is that if you have someone with say, an AARP discount, they may not be able to get both the room block rate and their discount.  So if they want the bigger discount they may not be part of your block.

We also recommend giving your guests a choice of hotels with different rates.  Let’s face it, everyone’s budget is different so it’s nice to help your guests out.

Another thing to keep in mind is that while you may want all your rooms to be together, the hotels can’t guarantee it no matter how often you beg and plead for the rooms to be together.  So if your uncle is upset that your grandmother can’t be next to him you know why.

And finally, while it’s great to give gift bags or boxes as guests arrive to the hotel, keep in mind there may be an additional cost.  Most hotels will charge to distribute at the front desk and most dread when you want each to be placed or delivered to the room.  The reason, guests don’t show, they change rooms and then the hotel staff has to chase down where each guest is staying.

So while it may be a bit of work, I hope this helps you as you set forth and help to make your wedding guests stay a bit more comfortable.

Until next time…

Cheers!

Don't give in to pressure from a wedding vendor

I love what I do!  I truly do, so when people ask my occupation I’m all too happy to tell them.

Recently I was speaking with a bride and I asked all the typical questions.  When’s your wedding?  Where are you having it?  And who is she wearing?  So red carpet of me, I know.  But as a wedding planner I want to know!

She proceeded to tell me what I would equate to a horror story.  She and her mom went to a few wedding dress boutiques in Dallas.  She told me none of them really had what she wanted; however every time she told them she was getting married in September each proceeded to get a look of horror on their faces.  One in particular told her she was way behind the eight ball and she needed to get her wedding dress that day or she would risk not having a wedding dress on her wedding.  So, reluctantly she put a deposit on a dress she didn’t want.  The more she thought about it the more nervous she got and the more nervous she got the worried she got and until the point she wanted to change the wedding date so she didn’t feel so pressured.

Photo Courtesy of Lindsay Flanagan

Honestly I was mortified any wedding boutique would play this card.  I’ve planned weddings in 4 weeks, some in two months and never were my brides not able to find a dress that they felt like a bride in.  The woman at the boutique even talked her out of going with an Israeli designer telling her the dresses always get stuck in customs and she should go with the dress she tried on.  Now it is true some dresses take longer to make, some take longer to fit, but why put added stress on the Bride just to sell a dress.

There are few things wrong here.  First, as wedding professionals, our job is to ease any worry the bride might have.  That’s not to say we don’t manage their expectations by cautioning them on this and that.  Our job is not to cause more stress.  Second, this is the prime example of why wedding planners exist.  Our job is to take that burden of worry off their plate and to solve problems.

Out of curiosity, I called a NYC boutique who carries the particular wedding dress the bride liked just to see if the dress she liked could be ordered in the timeframe she needed.  Indeed it could be ordered and there would be no issues with customs or fittings.

Photo Courtesy of Maring Visuals

I’ve yet to find out how this story ends, but I can say this, shame on any wedding vendor who uses scare tactics to make a sale.  And shame on the wedding boutique in Dallas that did just that!  That’s taking advantage of the situation and putting unwanted fear when there should be none.  All wedding professionals should be just that, professional, kind and manage expectations without the use of fear.

Until next time…

Cheers!

Myths in wedding planning

Every so often I come across an article that I think is spot on and I feel needs to be shared with my readers and anyone planning a wedding.

I have to shre this article from the Huffington Post because I think it is so on target.  It discusses a number of misconceptions in the wedding industry and what is the reality.  With so much information on the internet, much of which is really not accurate, I think it is important to be able to see the truth.  Just click on the link below and you will see what I mean.

Wedding Planning Lies

I would love to hear your input on the article and some of your experiences planning a wedding.  Feel free to leave your comments.

Until next time...

Cheers.

Communication is key when planning any wedding

A couple of days ago I wrote about “Who to Please When Planning Your Wedding” and it occurred to me I never truly closed the loop on how to handle unruly family and friends when you are planning your wedding.

While I’m not a family therapist, and have no intention of becoming one, (although some days I do feel like I play the role) I often have to step in and iron out family matters and smooth over ruffled feathers.

Photo Courtesy of Maring Visuals

The truth is, families are complicated and they get even more complicated when planning a wedding.  The mothers want to feel like they are contributing, especially when there is a planner involved.  Some siblings want to help, but aren’t sure where they are needed.  And others members of the family really don’t care or perhaps they care too much.

So what is a bride to do when it comes to planning her wedding and dealing with family dynamics?  Communication is the key…While it may not solve all problems and while not everyone involved will truly understand, communication is the key to almost any relationship.

I often recommend to my brides and grooms who have sticky family relationships to sit down and clearly communicate what their vision is for their wedding.  Notice, I said “their”.  It’s because it is about the bride and the groom, that’s not to say others opinions shouldn’t be counted, but in the end it is about the bride and groom.  By clearly communicating what they desire it will hopefully be a springboard for how others will react and respect their choices.

Photo Courtesy of Fifth Avenue Digital

Also, by clearly communicating the roles they wish family members to take it will help set boundaries and in the end open the lines of communication.  I’m not saying there won’t be heated discussions here and there, but what I am saying is that if everyone comes together and clearly communicates their desires, their wants and their “don’t want’s” then it puts everyone on the same page and it creates mutual respect.

Again, I’m not a therapist, and I don’t pretend to be one, but after many years of planning weddings with hundreds of different personalities' the one thing I’ve learned is that if everyone is on the same page, whether they want to be or not, it does make planning a wedding a bit easier.

Until next time…

Cheers!

Tips for choosing the perfect wedding cake

One of my favorite quotes is the simple saying "You don't know what you don't know." Simple but very true, especially when it comes to wedding planning.

A big part of my job comes in educating my clients as most have not had to deal with the intricacies of planning a large event and there can be some real surprises.  I also like to use this blog as an educational tool for brides and grooms.

Certainly, one area that can be foreign to brides and grooms is ordering a bakery for the wedding cake. This is not a daily occurance so I am here to help the process.  By asking a few of these simple questions you can choose the right bakery for you.

Most brides want to know “how much”.  The cost of a cake varies based on ingredients and complexity of the design.  So when you inquire, rather than ask how much will a cake cost, ask your prospective bakery what is the price range.  Note that a large portion of the cost is in the design so the more intricate, the more you will pay.  I recommend that you have photos or a solid idea of what you want the cake to look like before contacting bakeries so they can provide accurate pricing information.

When it comes time for the tasting, not all bakeries will provide you with every single flavor to taste.  This can get costly and time consuming.  When making your tasting appointment guide them and let them know what flavors you like or don’t like.  This is also the time to let them know any allergies you might have.

Another good question to ask is who will be delivering the cake.  Will it be the baker themselves or do they have a company that they outsource?  If it’s the latter, I often recommend getting an emergency number of the bakery.  Mishaps happen and you may need to call on your baker to make some minor fixes to the cake should it get damaged in transport.  This is where your day of coordinator or wedding planner comes in.  Most likely they’ll handle the situation and you’ll be none the wiser, but if you’re planning the wedding and don’t have that luxury it’s nice to know they’ll be able to fix the cake in a jiffy.

Sometimes bakeries will put in faux layers or tiers for support.  I highly recommend asking your bakery if they will do this.  There’s nothing worse than trying to cut into the cake to find out that tier is fake!

I also recommend asking the bakery to provide a cake box for any left overs and for the top tier of your cake.  This way you can take your cake home and store it properly.

And finally, remember it’s not simply flower and eggs.  This is the livelihood of those who are making the cake.  Most likely these people have spent years perfecting their craft to be the best they can be.  There’s a reason they exist and a reason they’re good at what they do and they charge what they charge.

Go forth and eat tons of cake and until next time…

Cheers!

Wedding on New York Harbor

It has been a busy Summer at Shawn Rabideau Events!  As I mentioned, we opened our Charleston, SC office earlier this year and have been busy connecting with all of the wonderful vendors there.  I can't wait to start showing you photos of upcoming Charleston weddings.

For today I want to share a beautiful wedding I planned and designed at The Liberty Warehouse on New York Harbor last Summer.  It was a beautiful event with some fun details that I would like to share.

The day started with a ceremony at St. Francis Xavier Church in Manhattan.  This is such a beautiful setting for the ceremony that I really did not need to add decor elements to the ceremony.  

To add a personal touch, as guests left the ceremony they were greeted by traditional bagpipes who played in honor of the Groom's Heritage.

As I mentioned, I kept the decor elements clean and simple.  This is reflected in the Bride's bouquet that included pink and white blooms with roses, peonies and anemones.

Following the ceremony, guests were taken by Motorcoach to The Liberty Warehouse in Brooklyn.  While I have to say that as you approach this venue many guests would question where they are going, but once you get there, the setting is incredible.  With great views of New York harbor and Manhattan, it offered the perfect setting for a lively reception.

For the floral bright spring colors in pink, fuschia and peach were used to add life to the decor and the room.

I combined long and round tables with high and low arrangements create movement and give a wonderful flow to the room.  I then added lots of candlelight including hanging votives to create a romantic glow.

While storms did roll through during the evening, they created some great photo opportunities with spectacular skies and an amazing sunset.

To cap off the evening, as guests were leaving they were able to pick-up their favorite comfort food from the food truck we brought it. It was the perfect end to a great New York wedding.  I would like to thank all of the great vendors who brought this event together and Michael Justin Films for the photos featured here.

I am always excited to share a great wedding experience and hope you enjoy reading about them.

Until next time....

Cheers!

A few more tips on budgeting for your wedding

When planning your wedding knowing where to begin can often be the hardest part of the planning process.  Often I hear brides ask “how much is that going to cost”.  While cost is one of the most important parts of the wedding I often turn the question back to them asking them to prioritize their priorities.

You see, once a bride knows what’s important to her, she can then put a value on that item.  Determining the value as it relates to your wedding can be one of the most stressful parts of planning.  So I often caution clients to break down what’s at the top of their list.  For my clients I do the homework of determining what their priorities cost.  However, for those brides that have not hired a planner I highly recommend they do their homework.

Start out by contacting the venue first and foremost.  Detail out everything you want and work to get the best possible price.  While researching venues go to the next most important item on your list and research that cost and so on and so forth.

It’s very important to gather all the costs before signing any contracts.  Don’t let any one vendor pressure you into signing with them.  Once you start signing contracts and giving deposits it’s too late to turn back.  If you have hired a planner this is where you want to bring them in.  They are the ones who can and will negotiate the best possible price for you.

By gathering all your costs you can see exactly where each item fits into your budget.  This allows you the option to switch gears and change your expectations based on how the value of your “priority” fits into your overall wedding budget.

Take for example, I’m working with a client who has a fabulous venue.  Their most important items are photography and band.  I’ve cautioned them before signing anything to let us do the homework to determine what all of the other elements will cost.  This way they can decide how all of the elements can work within their given budget and how they can allocate more money to the items they deem most critical.

Once you feel comfortable with how things work into your budget you can sign on the dotted line.  After that, all the little details will fall into place.


Until next time…

Cheers!

Featured Vendor - Absolutely Charleston

Recently I began a series of features on my blog to highlight the great vendors I have had the pleasure of working with.  I would like to continue this with an amazing transportation company in Charleston, SC, Absolutely Charleston.  

In working with Absolutely Charleston I have found their service to be impeccable and their equipment top notch.  Recently I had an opportunity to tour their facility and see how they reconstruct and maintain their trolley fleet.  I was truly impressed and can see why they are so successful.  

So, I took the opportunity to ask them questions about not only their business, but also about transportation in Charleston and general information for brides.  Below you will find some great information that is useful for any bride, not just those coming to Charleston.

SR - Tell me a little about how Absolutely Charleston came to be?

AC - In the mid-1990s, Linda Wohlfeil Jones, a native of Charleston, launched the beginnings of Absolutely Charleston as a tour company with a few vans to assist with tour transportation.  In 2000 she sold the transportation side of her company to Walt Thorn. Walt 

took those few vans and started offering transportation services.  Eventually the fleet grew by adding minicoaches, trolleys and a vintage style bus.  Absolutely Charleston quickly started filling a need for Brides in the area for unique transportation and today we are a premier transportation provider, specializing in Weddings, and have the privilege of working with the area's top planners.  The current version of Absolutely Charleston is an organization comprised of City of Charleston-licensed Guides, a full service destination management company, and full service transportation provider who operates our own fleet of vehicles to accommodate weddings, corporate clients and social groups.

SR - What would you say sets you apart from other transportation companies in Charleston?

AC - The level of service and planning that we put into our events is unsurpassed. We go way above and beyond the average transportation provider when planning an event.  We spend a lot of time organizing the schedule so that there is a plan in place that really works day of.  We also stay informed of City policies and regulations that affect transportation so there are no surprises on event day.  In addition to the logistical planning that goes into preparing for an event, we also have an amazing fleet of vehicles that we are constantly maintaining and improving and even more importantly a team of drivers who are hires with a strong customer service focus, and trained specifically to work for our high end clientele. To ensure great service we also have onsite coordinators on our team that we dispatch out to large events that manage transportation specifically, so we take that whole worry off the planner, or bride's, mind, so they can focus on the more important details of the day. Lastly, we also prepare for any possible vehicle issues by having an emergency dispatcher with a standby vehicle at the office on busy event days, so in case any emergencies arise, we are prepared to solve the problem and ensure that there is not a service failure. 

SR - What are some of the challenges you face when getting around Charleston.

AC - Transportation in the Holy City is tricky for a few reasons:
1.  There are transportation restrictions, put in place by the City,which protect the residents in the historic district, that limit where large vehicle can go, and where they can pick up and drop off.  We must use city approved loading zones and there are specific areas we can't drive through or stop in.  All of this needs to be factored in during the planning process.
2.  We have many one way streets and even some cobblestone roads, which we have to plan for when working out a transportation route.
3.  There are many roads that are too small to travel in a large vehicle, or that you can't turn on to, of off of, due to limited turn radius in a large vehicle.
4.  We are such a busy tourist destination that there is vehicle and pedestrian traffic to consider, which needs to be factored in when planning a transportation schedule.

SR - What are some of your favorite wedding locations?  How about locations for photographs?

AC - Some of my personal favorite wedding locations are Lowndes Grove Plantation and Boone Hall Plantation.  Both of these venues are beautiful and have wonderful outdoor space with gorgeous scenery.  They give you the opportunity to have a traditional Southern fête with all of the historic charm of the plantation, complete with the old oak trees and the marsh in the background, and they can be dressed up so that each event there reflects the clients individual tastes!  Photos at these locations are beautiful as well, but many Brides like to travel into the historic district to get some unique photos.  I think Washington Park is the best location Downtown for photos, as it has brickwork, rod iron gates and a cobblestone street that runs just behind it.

                                                                                     

SR - What's the craziest and most outrageous request you have ever had?

AC - That’s a tough one…  I don’t really consider any request too outrageous to try and accommodate!  I will say that we have had requests to travel as far as Virginia with our trolleys to help with a wedding, and that we often get requests to transport pets, and have even had to pet-sit on a few occasions after the transfer.  As a team we are very customer service oriented and we will do almost anything to keep our clients happy on their big day!

SR - What changes have you seen in use of wedding transportation over the last few years?

AC - In the recent years I have found that more Couple’s are providing transportation for their Guests.  The focus used to be more on getting the Wedding Party where they needed to be, but in recent years, the Couples are really putting thought into getting their Guests moved around safely and efficiently.  This is so important in a city like Charleston where getting around, and parking can be complicated.  And of course, safely accommodating friends and family after a festive reception is a huge concern.

SR - What are a few things brides should ask when selecting a transportation company?  What a few things brides should ask that they don’t?

AC - I think when choosing a transportation provider, it is important to ask:
1.  How they prevent and plan for vehicle breakdowns?
2.  What is the driver's attire?
3.  Will the vehicle they book be taking other groups on runs during the down time on their event?
4.  Do they have a good working relationship with local planners?

The answers to these questions will give you a good idea if the transportation service is professional and reliable enough to trust on your big day!

SR - Any advice for brides and grooms during the planning process?

AC - I recommend getting transportation booked early!  If clients wait too long to secure transportation the top providers will be out of vehicles.  Transportation, while not one of the more glamorous aspects of an event, is so important to the flow of the day.  Transportation delays or mistakes, or poor scheduling, can result in ceremony delays, guest missing parts of the event, and stress for all parties involved.  Having a dependable and professional provider will make all the difference in client, planner and guest stress levels on the day of your wedding.

SR - What's the best possible advice you can give to a couple on their wedding day?

AC - Be in the moment once the day arrives.  At this point don’t stress over details, leave that to the professionals you have hired.  Really enjoy the day that you have spent so long planning; it is over in the blink of an eye!  No matter what happens, at the end of the day you will be married to the person you love!  

SR - How can brides and grooms find you? 

Website:  www.AbsolutelyCharleston.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AbsolutelyCharleston 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AbsoCharleston 

Thanks to Absolutely Charleston for their great insight. Until next time...

Cheers!

What do Wedding Planners really do?

I can't tell you how many times people tell me how fabulous my job must be.  Of course I think it's fabulous otherwise I wouldn't be doing it.  But truth be told it's not all rainbows, butterflies and ponies.

Like any profession there's good and bad.  Take for example flight attendants...Sure it seems fabulous flying around the world getting to see things you otherwise wouldn't normally get to.  Truth be told it's a hard job with odd hours, crazy requests, and demanding ungrateful people.

The same can be said of wedding planners.

Recently I had the opportunity to speak to a room full of "want to be" wedding planners at a college in the south. The professor asked that I give the reality of what it's like to be a wedding planner.  You see these kids (I can say that, as I now hit 40...) were all dreamy eyed, thinking planning weddings is like opening a box of Lucky Charms, Magically Delicious.

The reality, wedding planning is a hard job filled with many misconceptions.  So what do wedding planners really do?

First, let's get one things straight, 99% of wedding planners are small businesses.  This means that in reality, even when successful, they have to work their butts off to cover their overhead which includes insurance, rent, electric, employees, phone bills, transportation, PR, IT and the list goes on and on. 

Second, for many like myself, doing what we do is the only source of income.  Not everyone is lucky enough to have a spouse pick up the financial slack when times aren't plush and rosy.  So when I hear potential clients say I had no idea a wedding planner could be so expensive.  I remind them we may only take 10 weddings a year due to the hours demanded to plan each wedding.  If you take what a wedding planner charges for that one wedding and divide that by 12 months, then divide that by 4 weeks and then divide that by 30 days you begin to understand that planners charge what they do because it's their living.

Which brings me to my next point, how many hours we actually do work? So often potential clients truly don't understand the amount of work that goes into planning a wedding.  The planning process is normally anywhere from 10 to 13 months or more.  In that time a planner can easily write over a 1,000 emails that coincide with one particular wedding.  They can log about 48 hours or more of phone time and about two weeks straight full of meetings, all for one wedding.  We often work from the moment we wake usually about 5:30 / 6:00am until we go to bed by about 10:00 / 11:00pm.  And we do this on average 6 to 7 days a week depending on the season.  And let's not forget the amount of hours logged on the wedding week and day.

It's true that we play many roles wedding planner, negotiator, therapist, just to name a few.  All that comes with experience of the trials and tribulations of what we've learned over the course of many years of planning.  So when we sometimes say that a thought or proposal won't work or it isn't a good idea it's most likely because we've learned lessons the hard way or we've seen our clients learn lessons the hard way.  We are full of sound advice and don't recommend something just because we feel like it.

Courtesy of Fifth Avenue Digital

The amount of logistics that go into planning a wedding are mind numbing.  We have to think of every little detail and how that detail has consequences that could effect other details.  Take for example setting up the band near the dance floor.  A good planner knows to work with the band to make sure they don't spread out too much otherwise there might not be enough room for the Hora. A good planner will scan the room and make sure no spots are left in the dark, like the middle of the dance floor where dad is giving his tear filled speech.  A good planner will know enough to cross check the photographers contract to make sure they capture every moment and don't leave before the cake cutting.  So the reality is we create agendas, timelines and everything in between to make sure nothing is forgotten.

For each wedding we probably do as much research as one would do for their senior thesis in college. Looking into venues for your wedding can take up to as much as a weeks worth of emails and phone calls.  Then arranging the site visits can take another full day or two.  And then the negotiation of the contract can take another few days.  And this is all before looking for a photographer, band, caterer, hotel rooms for guests and much more.  And we do all this while balancing other clients expectations.

Speaking of expectations, I can't tell you how many times I hear from a family member how important this day is.  Not to be snarky, but do you really think we don't know this.  We know we have one shot to get this right. We have one shot to make a lasting impression to not only our client, but to 200 people attending the wedding. We know each and every wedding is as important as the next.

Courtesy of Lindsay Flanagan Photography

And finally, we do what we do because we love it.  We don't do it to get rich, we do it for the joy we bring each client and for the joy each client brings us.  I truly love what I do. I love the logistics and research.  I love that each client has different thoughts on how they want their wedding to be and I love that after the wedding I remain friends with them for years to come.

Courtesy of Michael Dade photography

This post merely scratches the surface of what planners do, but I think it gives you a better idea that to be a good wedding planner it requires us to have a passion for what we do.

Until next time...

Cheers!

Watch the tides

If you're looking to get married on the beach or have your reception on the beach the tide calendar is going to become your friend.  And any good wedding planner worth their weight (and price) had better look this information up before even entertaining the idea of a beach wedding on your specific date and time.

When looking at the tide calendar it is important to be very specific about your location as there are differences in the exact timing of low and high tide even within the same city.  I like using the site in the link below because you can be very specific about your location and get the information you need for planning.

http://www.saltwatertides.com/pickpred.html

The last thing you want is for you or guests to get swept away in a high tide.

Until next time…

Cheers!

Planning a Gay Wedding

In some respects its strange to say the phrase "gay wedding".  I catch myself saying it all the time and what I really want to say is "wedding".   Why can't we say "wedding" without giving it any further thought?  In due time across this country I predict we will soon just say "wedding".  Of course there are going to be those that object to gay weddings, but that number is getting smaller and smaller each day.  But enough of the politics…Weddings in my opinion have no place for politics.

There are a few exceptions of course like New York, Massachusetts and many other states where gay weddings aren't even given a second thought.  However, in some of the more conservative states like South Carolina I'm finding couples aren't really sure which vendors are gay friendly.  I can tell you this, most of the vendors I've talked to in Charleston, SC are so excited to have the opportunity to work with couples of any gender.  They see gay weddings as an opportunity to grow their business, and to be honest, if the money's green they'll take it.  But I think it's more than that, deep down, they see what we all see, two people in love who have the right to be recognized as married.

As a planner who has planned dozens of gay weddings I find planning gay weddings a bit more special and meaningful than those of their straight counterparts.  Personally it's because these are couples who have been together for 15, 20, 30 + years who otherwise never thought they would see the day when they could marry the person they love.  Now don't get me wrong, I love planning all weddings, gay or straight, but there's just something that tugs at my heart strings, maybe because I'm gay and I've been able to marry.

And as a wedding planner who has recently expanded his planning services to Charleston, SC, I find myself with a slight advantage to my counterparts here in Charleston because I have planned countless gay weddings.  For me, I treat gay or straight weddings all the same.  It's a moment when two people who are in love join to become one.  I treat each the same in their requests, in what's important and what's not important.  I treat each with the same devotion and regardless I know (for most) this is a onetime deal.

So I say this, if you're gay and looking to get married in the South you can certainly come to me, but also know, you have support in growing numbers from many wedding businesses that want you to hire them, because the reality is, they want you to be happy too.

Until next time…

Cheers!