On Site Coordinator VS. Wedding Planner

My good friend, Amber over at Amber Events posted an overview on the difference between on-site coordinators and wedding planners and I just had to share. Take a peek at the great outline put together by a venue in West Hollywood. I couldn't say it better myself, except I would add that even if you are sure you don't need more service then what the Venue Coordinator manages, many hotels and venues have high turnover. With this being said, it's important to keep in mind that you may have two or three different people you work with by the time your wedding day comes around. Most venues handle transition well and very professionally, but you should evaluate whether you are one of those people who can handle a potential change in a major player of your wedding team.

The Venue Event Director will

-Recommend Special event professionals that are familiar with and know the venue
-Act as menu consultant for all food and beverage selections
-Detail your banquet event order and wedding outlining all of your event specifics
-Create an "estimate of charges" outlining our financial commitments and deposit schedules
-Create a floor plan of your function space
-Arrange and attend your menu tasting
-Establish your guestroom block
-Oversee the ceremony and reception set ups
-Be the on-site liaison between your wedding coordinator and hotel operations staff
-Ensure a seamless transition to the hotel's banquet captain once the grand entrance has occurred

Your Hired Professional Wedding Coordinator Will:

-Assist with etiquette and protocol for invitations, family matters, ceremony and reception
-Create a "time line" for your wedding day, including the ceremony and reception
-Work with you to organize and coordinate your ceremony rehearsal.
-Remind Bridal party of all pertinent "call times" and "don't forgets" on the day of the wedding
-Confirm call times and details with all vendors several days prior to the wedding day
-Be the liaison with your family, bridal party, band/DJ, florist, photographer and other vendors to create a seamless operation
-Assist you with your gown and any additional needs of the bridal party
-Ensure the ladies have their corsages and bouquets, etc. and assist with the pinning of the mens' boutonnieres
-Set up programs, place cards, guest favors, guest book, champagne flutes, and all personal items
-line up and queue the bridal party and musicians at the time of the wedding ceremony
-Collect any personal items at the conclusion of the reception
-Assist you with "full service" or "day of" coordinating from your engagement to your honeymoon

John Derian Company

One of my amazing clients, just gave me the most lovely decoupage tray from the John Derian Company out of New York and I just had to share! These products are hand made by the artist and his team, but have the feel of a rare vintage find you would come across only after hours and hours of digging at a local flea market. I just love his work and if you have anyone from your mom to your maid of honor who treasure art that is inspired by the past, I think they would love anything from his collection as well. With items starting at $60, this would make a great gift of appreciation to anyone in your wedding party.

Let There Be Light

So often, my clients asked me the question, "why do I need lighting?" and while I find it to be possibly THE most important element when it comes to the design of your event, it is a very hard thing to articulate. It's the difference between having a candlelight dinner and dining under the harsh light of your kitchen. The difference between sitting in a bland banquet room or a room saturated in your vibrant wedding colors and the difference between a well designed, sophisticated event and one that is definitely missing something.

Most couples focus their priorities on the area that they notice the most at a wedding. Be it the over-the-top flowers, the crazy band or the delicious feast, every couple has a different detail they remember when they leave an event. Rarely, if ever, have I had a couple mention that they noticed the lighting as it is very much an atmospheric and background element, but when comparing a room side by side, one with and one without external lighting, there is no argument. Lighting can turn a room into a romantic escape, a funky lounge or even a crisp palette on which you can implement your design. You can add shapes, monograms and other little details with lighting, or if your budget is smaller, at the very minimum, highlight those amazing flowers you spent so long picking out. All in all, it can truly help you create the atmosphere you are looking for, whether it be a garden event with paper lanterns or a ballroom that just needs a few flaws hidden behind some mood lighting. Now, I'm not completely insensitive to budgets and given the economy, I would never suggest breaking the bank to add this element, but what I do suggest is cutting back in florals or other areas to just add some basic lighting to the room. A few uplights and some pinspotting can go a very long way when trying to warm up a boring ballroom.

And, if you still can't take my word for it, check out the amazing "Before and After" gallery on one of my favorite lighting designers' sites, Peterson Lighting, because of course, seeing is always believing.

The Perfect Match

Last night I had dinner with my past clients and now new friends, Jackie and Fred. It's been four months since her wedding, yet, we stay in fairly close communication and always look forward to seeing each other. One of the many great perks of being a wedding planner is that after the wedding is long over, more often than not, I have made new friends who I hope to stay in contact with for a long time to come. After reflecting on my lovely evening, I started thinking about some of the relationships I've made whether it be with brides, grooms and sometimes even parents of the couple, and it made me realize the importance of good chemistry when working with a couple on their one and only wedding day. This is not only true from my perspective, but from the couple's end as well.

When searching for a planner or any vendor, for that matter, so many couples get caught up in their to do list and timeline that they don't take the time to really find the right person for them. It is just a task to check off of the to do list and in the end they are often disappointed with their choice later to discover the perfect planner, photographer, caterer, or whatever the case may be. While, I know I contradict every bridal magazine and planning website out there, for the most part when my clients are selecting their team for the day, I say, "pay no attention to the timing on the to do list". Coming from a "planner", I often come up against resistance and sometimes am ignored, but those who do listen develop the perfect team to implement their wedding day. These are the couples that have the least amount of stress throughout the process as well as the couples who wake up on their wedding day without a care in the world, knowing they've hired the perfect planner, band, stylist, etc. who will stop at nothing to ensure everything is exactly as they have imagined.

I often tell my clients that planning a wedding is a lot like a relationship. You will go through emotional ups and downs, bouts of peace and moments of insanity and so many more emotions you can't even begin to envision when you start the process. Now, the last thing I'm suggesting is that you must be BFF with any of your vendors, including your planner, but it is very important to find that perfect match in someone who can ride the roller coaster with you right by your side. Someone who you have great chemistry with and someone you could imagine coming to if you have any issues be it family related or that your shoes came in two days before the wedding in the wrong size. So, no matter where you are in the planning process, take some time to really think about the decisions you are making. Don't just think about checking things off the to do list in whatever arbitrary timeframe that has been established by your source, but really spend the time to find the absolute perfect fit for yourself and your wedding. Make sure your vendors understand your vision, mesh well with your temperament and overall you trust them. Don't feel guilty if someone looks great on paper, you love one wedding from their portfolio, they are the least expensive option or your best friend loved them so you should too. If you don't have chemistry or it just doesn't feel right, look elsewhere. Believe me, and this is just the planner's perspective, but I would much rather have a potential client turn down my services from the very beginning rather than to spend months and months in a relationship with a couple who doesn't trust me. If you don't take the time to ensure everyone is the right fit, the roller coaster ride I call the wedding planning process, becomes so much more stressful than it ever needs to be.

Happy Planning!

Oh, and in case you are wondering, the picture above is of a PB&J best friend necklace which can be found at www.violetgumdrop.com. So cute and I thought appropriate since you and your planner should be as good together as whatever favorite combination you can imagine.

Wedding World Records

I came across this article today on MSN.com and thought it was a bit of fun facts for all you newly engaged out there! It's all about the biggest and most expensive wedding details on record from wedding cakes to wedding parties to the most dogs. At a time when most couples are cutting back either due to finances or because it is the tasteful thing to do in this economy, I thought this was an interesting read!

And, yes, yes, yes, I know I have been a very bad blogger, but my regular blogging will be back this week! I have lots of great events and planning tips planned so check back regularly! While, I know it's a terrible excuse, it truly has been a very busy holiday season and even busier engagement season. Congrats to all of the newly engaged couples out there, specifically to the ones I am now working with! It's such an exciting time and you should enjoy every minute of it!!!


Wedding World Records
From the most expensive wedding to the biggest wedding cake ever, these over-the-top nuptials will amaze you and offer key wedding-planning advice.
By The Knot Editors

Think you've been to some over-the-top weddings? Here are a few of the biggest, oldest, and most expensive all-time wedding records, plus our take on how these impressive feats can inspire your own wedding.

Biggest Wedding Cake Ever
The towering wedding cake for Don Corleone's daughter in The Godfather has nothing on the confection baked by a team of 58 chefs at Connecticut casino Mohegan Sun in 2004. The seven-tiered cake weighed more than 15,000 pounds (with nearly 5,000 pounds of frosting!) and required some cooking tools not found in most kitchens — it took two forklifts to raise each tier.

Our take: The vanilla and almond frosting sounds delicious, but these days, bigger wedding cakes aren't always better. Cupcake stands in lieu of a wedding cake have been popular for a few years, and the hottest trend in wedding cakes right now is serving small, two-tiered cakes that double as centerpieces on each table.

Most Expensive Wedding
Though a billionaire Indian steel baron threw a $60 million wedding for his daughter in 2004, factor in inflation and the most expensive wedding was a seven-day affair for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, and his bride, Princess Salama. The 1981 wedding, which would cost $100 million today, included a stadium big enough for 20,000 wedding guests built especially for the celebration.

Our take: Every couple that struggles to stick to their wedding budget can learn a valuable lesson here: The bigger the guest list, the bigger the bill. Invite 20,000 of your nearest and dearest, and a price tag in the millions is understandable. If you're looking for ways to save, though, start by cutting your guest list.

Longest Wedding Dress Train
Here's a real nightmare for the bride who worries about tripping on her train during her walk down the aisle: The longest wedding train ever was 4,468 feet long, made by a bridal salon in Cyprus.

Our take: Your wedding dress is once-in-a-lifetime attire, and eye-catching details are great for the bride who relishes being in the spotlight. But it could take hundreds of bridesmaids to manage nearly a mile of fabric. Consider less hazardous add-ons, like silk flowers, lace cutouts, or intricate beading.

Oldest Bride
The oldest women to say "I do" was Minnie Munro, who was 102 years old when she married a man nearly 20 years her junior.

Our take: Amazing story, and totally in line with a trends we've seen for a while now, couples are waiting until they're a little older to get married, especially if they're paying for their own wedding.

Oldest Bridesmaid
Next time you hear someone complain about being too old to be a bridesmaid, think about Edith Gulliford of the UK, who was a bridesmaid at the age of 105.

Our take: Your bridesmaids should be the friends and family members closest to you. If one of those people happens to be a centegenarian, all the better!

The Longest Engagement Ever
Octavio Guillen and Adriana Martinez from Mexico certainly didn't rush down the aisle. The pair married when they were both 82 years old, 67 years after getting engaged.

Our take: An extended engagement certainly has its benefits — some of the best wedding vendors book more than a year in advance, so you'd have lots of time to plan ahead. But when an engagement turns from years to decades, it's worth having a discussion about potential commitment issues.

Biggest Dog Wedding
Residents of Littleton, Colorado, witnessed something in May 2007 that's never been seen before or since: the union of 178 canine couples.

Our take: We love the idea of including a pet in your wedding, but hundreds of dogs make for pretty substantial postwedding cleanup. Stick to training your dog to walk your rings down the aisle.

Sources: Guinness World Records; Forbes.com