Open Letter to Wedding Vendors

I found this post recently on one of my dear friends blogs, and it is verbatim what I have been thinking lately, so I thought stealing borrowing, plagiarising, quoting her, would be the best way to say what I mean.

Photography by: Footstone Photography

This post has been brewing in me for a little while now. It is NOT
directed to any one person or situation in particular. But a
accumulation of occurrences.




As wedding engineers (er, planners), we get a plethora of wedding vendors
that contact us requesting to be on our referred vendor list.
Facebook messages, emails, cards, phone calls, and more. We have a process when
we recommend a vendor (and yes, we will occasionally recommend vendors that we
have not worked with before… as long as they have some stellar testimonials that
we check out).




We are also offered many things, one of which a little
“kick-back”. “Refer me and I’ll give you $50.” says wedding a
vendor.




Honestly that’s not our motivation when referring vendors. For the record, we
do not accept kick-backs of any kind. What we prefer is that
you (the wedding vendor) extend that $50 towards our client’s service package.
You look good, we look good. Win/Win.




However here’s the real needle in the haystack that I want to address in this
blog post.




What we really would love, (we = wedding planners) are for wedding
vendors that we recommend to do the following:

• Bring your A game and a little more. Seriously. Treat the
  clients that we bring to you with such great care that they want to be your
  Bestie as well.


• Want to work with US. That’s right. We bring you into the
  team-fold to spend all day with you on a Saturday (away from our family), we
  want you to work with us. If you have ever experienced working with the {wedding planning} team, you KNOW that we
  don’t ask you to do anything that we wouldn’t do ourselves. In fact, there is no
  such language as, “That’s not our job” at an event. We pitch in and work hard
  right along side of you.


• Watch each other’s backs. It takes a full vendor team to
  execute a fabulous wedding. Everyone doing their part and a little more. We all
  make mistakes (yes, us too). We’re human. Help us and we’ll help you.


• Be a little more flexible. You know that your job is going
  to be a little easier with us on site. Timelines and production schedules are
  complete. All vendors are contacted prior to the wedding. So don’t lump us with
  all your other DIY clients. We are professional. Time is money and we know what
  we are doing. A little flexibility goes a long way to repeat referrals.


• Have fun on the wedding day. We pull 17 hours sometimes.
  Often, we’re the first ones there for setup … to the ceremony … the reception
  and breaking out. We love what we do, but I won’t lie. Sometimes it can be a
  long hard work day. Bring a smile and a great attitude. The day will go by
  faster and easier.


• Communicate with us. Sometimes client’s don’t tell us
  everything. A rogue Father of the Bride goes off and plans special events during
  the reception as a surprise and we don’t know anything about it. Let us know
  ….


• Refer US. You read that correctly. Throw our name out there
  to YOUR clients. Ask them, “WHO is your wedding planner?” and
  tell them about us. Tell them why you like to work with us. You should know, we
  SELL YOU before our clients call you to meet. This is a tight wedding vendor
  circle and throwing back some love to us is just as important as us always
  referring you. One sided relationships almost never work. Think about
  it.

This blog post was from the heart and for educational purposes.

I Do!

So, I love Colbie Calliat, I just do... and when I heard this song, I knew it would be a winner for a wedding, and for me to play over and over and over again.



But really, what a great first dance, or a cake cutting, or introduction song, maybe even a recessional song.

Gainesville Indian Wedding

There are not too many weddings throughout the year for us that are 5-Days long, and include ceremonies and events for each of those days, however, Haritha and Peter's wedding included so much more us than ceremonies, it became a friendship during the planning, and we shared our lives during the year plus, and frankly, I had the best time working with her and her family on her wedding, I'd do it over again in a heart beat. (although, can we wait a few more months so I can recuperate)



Verve Studio was there with us for the majority of each event and captured the emotion the beauty and tradition so beautifully!

The Mehndi was gorgeous! Naza Designs in Pensacola was incredible! (Link below)

These shoes make me drool.

Aren't they going to make gorgeos babies!!!

More of the ceremony and receptions tomorrow!



Wedding Consultant & Planning Team:  Masterpiece Weddings

Transportation: Candies Limo

Photography: Verve Studio



Mehndi & Eidurukola Ceremony Venue: UF Hilton

Wedding Venue: Hippodrome State Theatre

Mandap, Lighting & Reception Decor: Keith Watson Productions

Hair: Graceful Strands

Makeup: Cliff Weir at Your Wedding Makeup

Henna Artists: Naza Design

Catering: Amrit Palace

Cake Artist: Dream Day Cakes

Live Cocktail Music: Gosia & Ali

Reception DJ: Jarad of Gnys Entertainment

Reception Venue: Florida Museum of Natural History on UF Campus

Cinematographers: Platinum Digital Video

Are you a Wedding Planner?

There are so many professionals that title themselves wedding consultant, I thought I'd run through the true professional differences.



Catering Manager aka Wedding Consultant: Your catering manager is there to make sure your menu is correct on the day of your wedding and the venue is properly staffed. The catering manager makes sure your place settings are set up correctly, and serve your food to your guests. They usually re-fill buffet, attend to beverage needs, and overall , just make sure the venue's rules are followed. If they want to attend all of your vendor meetings, go to the rehearsal organize and orchestrate that as well.... just make sure they know what they are doing. I am sure than make a mean Top Roast, but can they handle mean Aunt Martha?



Church Director aka Wedding Consultant: Your church director is there to make sure the rules of the church are followed, and it is their job to ensure that your wedding planner pulls all of their hair out. In addition, they know the minister's needs and where he likes to stand, talk, and rule the house of God.



Private Events Director aka Wedding Consultant: The Private Events Director handles the needs of an exclusive club, they make sure their members are treated as VIPs, however, they also make sure that the club member's events don't get in the way of the members golf game.



Florist/Designer aka Wedding Consultant: Obviously, handle your florals, sometimes rentals, linens, lighting, and design. Your floral designer can make sure you know the difference between and peonies and a carnation. But sometimes doesn't know the difference between Fuchsia and Raspberry.



Fashion Consultant aka Wedding Consultant: Sells you a dress. Rents you a tuxedo, knows the difference between Vera Wang and Oscar de la Renta. Or Calvin Klein and J. Crew. Has amazing taste in fashion and knows what not to wear.



None of these are Wedding Consultants, although they can call themselves a wedding consultant, because, well they consult the bride.... on very limited topics. And frankly most of them are as organized as your grandma's junk drawer. (no offense, Grandma).



But your real Wedding Consultant is there for you through all of these issues, and knows the difference between a Peonies and a Carnation and what time they should be delivered. We are there to organize and orchestrate through the tremendous amount of details and make sure it all happens perfectly.



Nuff Said.