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.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
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.
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.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
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.
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.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Winter Weddings
Be understanding though if you are looking to book a winter wedding. Prices from vendors will of course be better but there is always the chance for a huge storm, or last minute guests who can't make it. As long as you prepare yourself mentally at least that things may change, you will be okay. It is a risk that I see more and more couples take just for the financial benefit. Make sure you venue can handle lack of power, and make sure your vendors have some sort of weather clause in their contracts too.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
How Pink?
When I was a little girl, my room was wallpapered with different shades of pink and I even had pink tiles behind my radiator. I had pink sheets, and I think I wore a lot of pink. This worked for many years of my childhood but then as I grew and my taste evolved.
Why am I discussing the color pink, well it isn't just about the color. I know color a lot since it is a huge part of everyone's wedding. We design our flowers off this, invites, napkins, dresses and so forth but I guess I wanted to remind my couples and couples who are just starting to work with a color not over do it. Pink might be your FAVORITE color in the world but what your soon to be spouses? Whenever you are sitting there designing through your wedding day, remember to pause and ask how much is too much? If you have more than your eyes can take in, then it might be time to scale back a tiny bit at least. Make your favorite color stand out by using contrasting color, or complementary colors.
Why am I discussing the color pink, well it isn't just about the color. I know color a lot since it is a huge part of everyone's wedding. We design our flowers off this, invites, napkins, dresses and so forth but I guess I wanted to remind my couples and couples who are just starting to work with a color not over do it. Pink might be your FAVORITE color in the world but what your soon to be spouses? Whenever you are sitting there designing through your wedding day, remember to pause and ask how much is too much? If you have more than your eyes can take in, then it might be time to scale back a tiny bit at least. Make your favorite color stand out by using contrasting color, or complementary colors.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Like it
Recently I had a couple who create a Facebook Event for their wedding. This was a first for me. They did have invitations but this was a chance to invite people to share in their ceremony and just their ceremony since the venue had a size limit.
Now while I fully understood this, it did make my heart beat a tiny bit faster when I learned of this. The venue a different reaction and their heart might have stopped for a second. They were thinking about the food aspect of it all. We didn't have an issue with inviting people to share in the ceremony but what if some of them came to the reception. I hate to turn people away and didn't want any misunderstandings of course either. For a venue to handle and extra person all of a sudden can be done, not recommended of course but I've seen it happen a few times. My assistant and I have ended up sharing a meal because we gave ours to an unexpected out of town guest who decided to drive up at the last minute.
In this instance though we could have ended up with about 35 additional people and didn't want any issues. To avoid issues, we put an announcement onto the program, thanking everyone for coming and about the private reception to follow. We felt it was the best way to handle it. We did get 3 additional people who decided to attend anyways and they were super sweet about everything though. They didn't demand a table and we ended up due to weather having a few people not make it, so it worked it out. If you are thinking about doing something like this and making it a public event, make sure you let your vendors know before hand, like your planner and venue. Also make it clear to them what they are being invited too, and don't leave reception information onto the event board. How do you feel about this?
Now while I fully understood this, it did make my heart beat a tiny bit faster when I learned of this. The venue a different reaction and their heart might have stopped for a second. They were thinking about the food aspect of it all. We didn't have an issue with inviting people to share in the ceremony but what if some of them came to the reception. I hate to turn people away and didn't want any misunderstandings of course either. For a venue to handle and extra person all of a sudden can be done, not recommended of course but I've seen it happen a few times. My assistant and I have ended up sharing a meal because we gave ours to an unexpected out of town guest who decided to drive up at the last minute. In this instance though we could have ended up with about 35 additional people and didn't want any issues. To avoid issues, we put an announcement onto the program, thanking everyone for coming and about the private reception to follow. We felt it was the best way to handle it. We did get 3 additional people who decided to attend anyways and they were super sweet about everything though. They didn't demand a table and we ended up due to weather having a few people not make it, so it worked it out. If you are thinking about doing something like this and making it a public event, make sure you let your vendors know before hand, like your planner and venue. Also make it clear to them what they are being invited too, and don't leave reception information onto the event board. How do you feel about this?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)