Beyond Price

 Here I am sitting with a new couple and they hand me a print out, and ask if I can match this other "planners" price.  I looked over the short list of services and then went right to the price, smiled and said no.  I calmly stated that I provide more services for my day of and I wouldn't ever dream of not doing what I do on wedding day cause my experience has taught me better.  The couple proceeds to tell me how they found her on craigslist but can't find anything else about her.  I smiled again and said it might be cause this isn't her full time job or even 2nd job, it just might be a passion.  Nothing wrong with  passion but when you have someone else's day in your hands, you need a little bit more than passion.

The fact is that there are plenty of planners in the state and many of them are great and I would rather have a couple a planner they match with.  This is a person who needs to understand the things that stress you out, the things that calm you down and on wedding, can spend the whole day with couple.  If you don't match, you just don't.

I spoke with Carissa over at CR Socials about day of packages.  She said

 " I know I offer more than "day of" in my "day of package". I actually start about a

month before the wedding, plus emails and phone calls and meetings before that too"

As experienced planners, you know that there is a lot more than just showing up on the big day.  There is preparing and fulling understand the vision of the day ahead of you.  It is knowing that we can answer on behalf of the couple and know that we aren't just guessing. 

On wedding day, I easily put in 10+ hours and during the week prior, I am handing phone calls from the couple, their moms usually and at least one bridesmaid.  I get questioned by a best man every other wedding and then I am answering vendor questions.  Plus I know that if something was to happen, like if I got sick or had a death in the family or anything totally unexpected, my crew is ready to get the job done. I've had assistants who could take the whole event over and run it smoothly if need be and I have gotten rid of the ones that couldn't handle it.  Why, cause as the owner of ESTOccasions, I want my couples to be always at ease, no matter who is running the show. Last year at one event, I didn't feel good.  I had wedding after wedding and was fighting something off and once the event was running I had to sit down. The best thing was ESTOccasions didn't miss a beat.  My couple was happy and pleased with everything even though I personally sat down to catch my breath.

This is a topic we are going to discuss more and more but please as you start the process of picking wedding vendors, base your choice on more than just price.

Pick a photographer who's style you love, who provides what you want and need in a package and then fits your budget. 

Pick a florist who is going to give you the flowers you want, in a style that is YOU.  You can't compare orchids to carnations, you just can't.

Pick your catering because they know how to staff the size of your event, understanding your inner foodie and one that is willing to work with your budget. 

Pick a DJ who gets your guests dancing or maybe not dancing.  They shouldn't just be playing music because a GREAT DJ does so much more.

Of course working with a planner, they can direct you towards vendors who meet your style, budget and are a pleasure to work with.  If they don't fit your budget, a planner can show you ways to make cut backs and hopfully add those funds into getting the vendor you want.

Feeding the MONSTER

As you know, we reached out to our friends, and asked them to be guest bloggers.  Mr. David Field from Strawberry Road Creative stepped up right away.   We have enjoyed many creative moments with the master of Strawberry Road and I can easily say he is a joy to work with.  Enjoy his blog and then stay tuned for my comments:

Hello fans of ESTOccasions I'm your guest blogger today!  My name is Dave Field and I am Strawberry Road Creative, LLC, wedding photographer.  Kia has offered this space for me to talk about anything wedding that I want to!  So when I was offered the chance to post, I was mulling over topics and I came up with one that follows on the heels of her post yesterday.

There is a trend that I've noticed happening more and more.  This trend used to be exclusive to weddings without planners, but it's been creeping into weddings with planners.  I don't think it's the planner's fault either.  What I'm talking about is the "getting ready" monster.  Even the most well thought out "plan" can be destroyed by this insidious beast.  The life cycle of the monster is generally a few hours, but the damage it leaves behind is a schedule that has to be thrown out the window and sacrificing key elements you had your heart set on.  The place that the time that was lost getting ready generally comes from is pictures.

Let me explain how the monster is born.  It starts simple enough: maybe it's a late bridesmaid, or your "something blue" was left at your mom's house so you're 10 minutes late getting to hair and makeup and you're rushed.  It could also be the worst culprit of all, nobody is paying close attention to the clock, milling about between hotel rooms, texting, talking, you name it.  That last one is the one that leaves photographers and planners pulling their hair out and re-planning the day moment by moment.  Often times people end up blaming hair and makeup.  I can tell you honestly, I don't think it's ever been the fault of the people doing the hair and makeup, it's been the fault of the people getting their hair and makeup done.   The reason I think this is a terribly important thing to be aware of is that I have seen brides have to throw out an hour of post nuptials photography because they took too long getting ready or they had to throw out their "first look."  The monster stole the chance for me to make the images I wanted to give them.  Those images that are just a bit more than a snapshot.  Each of the pictures I've provided for this post were only possible because we had time.  Not a lot of time, but not rushed.  I understand that "things happen."  But please, don't feed the monster!

Now of course as a planner, I have to respond to this.  I know the monster and I've seen the monster and as a planner I do my best to avoid it.  I am always double checking and confirming details with our clients.  It is important that ALL of your vendors are on the same page when it comes to the plan of the day.  I don't like to use the word TIMELINE like other do, I tend to say GUIDELINE.  There are certain things that have to happen at a certain time and we make that happen.  We also make sure that when we have a little "free" time, we make up time where we lost it.  Having your vendors all on the same guideline is something that we thrive to do.  Your photographer, caterer, DJ, and videographer all need to work together and be working on YOUR schedule.  There are times that I can say I have redone a timeline 12 times to make sure everyone could do their job and everyone agreed for a prior wedding.  

The nice thing is that we, remind you about your something borrowed, something blue and on the off chance that you forgot it, we could go get it.  All of our planners come with assistants and this is one reason WHY.   You need to have people who are there working JUST for you. We also carry along the emerency something somethings!!!!

Thank you Mr. DAVID FIELD for stepping up and being our first guest.  As I end this post, I did ask Mr. Field what was his favorite time to shoot and he answered so perfectly, " Best time for photo is impossible to answer! Moments happen. Moments are better than staged for the most part."

Guess who's coming to dinner, wait I mean to blog??

I want to be a better blogger. ( I would also like to spend  more time laughing with  kids, learn how to rock climb, drive a super fast car around a track, & the one thing I have always wanted but anyways)  I had this crazy idea last year to write for one whole week and while it was fun, it didn't lead to productive blogging for the rest of they year. 2012 was a year of transition, and while my personal life changed a bit, I found peace & comfort in my business, and I dove in, head first, all except the blogging part.   So in an effort to add content, and to be better I found a great resource: MY VENDOR FRIENDS.   Some of you may consider this cheating for blog content but I look at it as being a tiny bit creative, and realizing that if I reach out to them, it will cause me to blog.  See, I'm already doing it.  Stay tuned for new content from not only myself but amazing talent vendors throughout the state of Connecticut and maybe beyond. 

Who will be the first GB tomorrow, well you will have to come back here to see.  

Going the Distance

The things you have to think about while planning a wedding can seem endless.  An important thing to consider is the distance between your ceremony venue and your reception venue.  The distance will be a factor in your timeline of the days events. 

It isn't always perfect but if you have a childhood church that you are looking to use for your big day, check out the venues within an half an hour of the location.  You may not find something you love, or you may be surprised with what you find.  Timing can always be an issue though.  Some church have set times for weddings and you will have to work with this. It is a good idea if you have a church you must be married in, that you set up a meeting. Check out their availability,and take this information with you to your venue walk thrus. Having a clear sense of dates and time will make your life easier.  It is a good idea to be a bit flexible on your date, if you can be, while it might not make a difference on your price for booking a church, it may for you venue.

If you are in love with a venue but it isn't close to any churches you know, then it is a good idea to ask the venue for a little assistance.  They would be a helpful resource of local churches that allow services for non church members. While it may not be what you first had in mind, always check out the venues ceremony locations if they have on.  You may fall in love with it.  If it doesn't have the spiritual feeling you were looking for, consider renting church pews from companies like General Eclectic  .

General Eclectic Church Pew Rentals

We personally find something intriguing about having pews set up outside in a garden, on the beach or even in a hotel ballroom.  

It does tend to be easier for your guests when your ceremony and reception are all in the same location, or very close by. Being close together also has its perks for you. Your time and your vendors time that you have paid for won't be spent traveling.  You may find yourself with more time for formal photographs, and even a little extra time to freshen up, and catch your breath before you start partying. 

You will have a lot to do on your wedding day and at least consider how much of your time you would like to spend celebrating instead of traveling between celebrating. 

Package Deal

We plan weddings and events throughout the year and as we are starting this journey with many of our 2013 couples, there is one question that keeps coming up, how do we feel about companies that offer multiple services.  Usually these tend to be DJ, Video and Photography all in one and there is of course an appeal to this, it is one stop shopping BUT you need to know what you are buying.

It is important to know the vendor you are working with and make sure they work with your  style, and vision of your wedding.  If you are looking for a DJ that is fun and out going or one that is reserved and not over the top, you should meet me.  You should meet your videographer since they will be following you around all day and the same goes for your photographer.  If the deal is amazing, and you are able to meet with all of your vendors that day, and they work for you, then go for it.  If you are meeting with just a salesperson who will assign you DJ, Video and Photographer, then you need to ask yourself if you are getting a deal that is worth it.  All three of these vendors play important roles in your big day and you should feel like you know the person you have hired.  

Also never feel like you have to take the whole package deal.  You may not need everything they are offering and that is okay. I've seen companies that offer these types of deals but you meet your vendors and have contact with them directly.  It will give you peace of mind to know that your vendors have the skills you want and a personality you want to work with.  

Allegry Alert

As I was meeting with one of my sweet brides this weekend, a really good question came up.  Turns out the happy couple has picked a cake flavor which includes nuts and as far as they know, no one has allergies but what to do about it.  Should the DJ make an accounment, should there be menu cards that let people know...what is the right step?..?

It is a known fact that anyone who suffers from a food allergy is on top of this.  For the happy couple it might be hard to know if any of their 180 guests suffer from any allergies but the important thing to remember is to make sure that all of the staff serving is asks and lets people know about common allergies like nuts or shellfish.  By all means be considerate of the issue, and do your best to inform the caterer of any known issues. 

It is an important thing to think about, when picking your menu but it might not affect your final decision.  Though you should do your best to make sure that the menu choices are clearly described and remind the caterer to have their waitstaff ask if there are any allergies.   My couple has picked a pistachio wedding cake and to be on the safe side, having the DJ announce the flavor might be a wise choice. 

What, Why & How we price

What, why and how much a vendor costs honestly depends on the service they provide.  When you are looking at vendors, the cost can be determined due to their experience, travel, the service, and the product, and of course most vendors won't charge the same amount.  I always make a point to remind my couples that you have to compare the skill level, experience, product, but not just the price when looking at DJ's, or photographers.  It is important to always know WHAT you are paying for.  

When it comes to ESTOccasions & estoPrints, WHAT you pay for really depends on WHAT you need.  A wedding of 50 people may have the same needs as a wedding of 175 but there it will be a different level on the planning side.  The differences change the pricing & we have no problem showing our couples what they are being charged for. We understand the cost of an entire wedding & making sure everything is clear leads to a less stressful planning process.

When we sit down for our couples free consultation, we ask what we ask to make sure we can give you a custom package for your wedding needs.  If your ceremony & reception site are close to each other or in the same venue, the cost is less for you.  If you need chair covers and switching an entire room over in 45 minutes, the cost is higher because we will bring in the staff to make it happen.  This is WHY we ask what we ask.  Our years of experience have taught us and showed us that our clients are happier when they are able to have a custom package instead of just a random set price.  Once we create a package, we don't suprise our clients with price changes.  It isn't okay in our books to give you a package and then change the pricing later on.  We also don't take kickbacks from our vendors.  We recommend vendors because they fit our couples style, budget and we feel they would be a good fit for them.

HOW we do this, well you first sign up for your FREE consultation & we then we sit and chat.  We ask about your upcoming wedding, what needs to be done, the look you are going for and what type of budget you are looking to stay within.  We take this information, use our years of experience and create a package just for you. 

Like I said before, vendors charge for different reasons.  The cost of flowers might be similar but the design & skill level is one of the reasons why pricing can be different.  Don't base your vendor choice ever on just price, it should be vendors you would like to be around on your wedding day, vendors who meet your style, needs, wants and have a price you are okay with it.