The Marriage of Vendor Services and You Wednesday, Oct 26 2011

In today’s often turbulent economy it is  becoming more and more common place for wedding and event vendors to diversify and offer services that not only help to stretch a clients already tight budget, but also ensures that they have more than just one reason for a bride to select their service over a colleague in an ever-increasing saturated competitive market.  Which is why we are seeing a “marriage” of services occurring within the industry.

Photographers are adding videography. DJ’s are adding lighting packages.  Caterers are offering custom cakes and desserts.  And Event Planners (i.e. Wedding Coordinators) are adding event design and floral services.  Makes sense as so much of one area of expertise spills into the other; which of course saves the client time, energy and a few dollars along with way.

The problem with diversification and the “marriage” of like services is that in  an effort to “have it all” bridal clients are assuming services that are not necessarily included and are making it the vendors problem to solve rather than their own.

I’m not saying that the vendor can’t or won’t be flexible.  What I am saying is that unless the clients’ contract explicitly reads “x, y and z” services, the assumption and presumption should not be made that those services are included.

Just because the vendor offers for example Event Planning and Decor Services does not mean that they are all-inclusive and that paying the price tag for one includes the other.  The diversity of services means that the vendor provides both; however the use of both is not required for that vendors’ services to be secured.

Time and time again vendors are being held hostage to the assumptions and desires of their clients because the client “thought” that the service they selected was “all-inclusive”.  I mention this as a cautionary tale to both bride and vendor alike.  Vendors, you must be as succinct as possible even to the extent of “spelling it out” for your client what level and length of service you are providing.  Your contract should state that what you are charging includes x, y and z; or just x and z; or whatever the case may be.  Brides, you too must do your part to ask the thorough questions, get the proper answers and READ your contracts BEFORE you sign them.  Once your signature is on the dotted line all bets are off as far as re-negotiating the vendors price and terms of service.

Personally I LOVE the marriage of services and enjoy being able to provide as much service as possible to my clients.  It allows me more opportunity to spend time with them, bond with them and really blow their socks off come wedding or event day.  I can however do without the confusion and ensuing frustration from time to time.

Readers, what are your thoughts on the matter?

2 Responses »

 

Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing Tuesday, Feb 21 2012

Reblogged from Postcards from Ambassador:

• 
• 
• 

‘Don’t you worry ’bout’ a thing.’

Wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t have to worry about a thing on your vacation? Guess what? You don’t.

By booking an all-inclusive vacation, you can put your worries aside. You get everything you need for just one rate!

All-inclusive resorts include not only room accommodations, but also unlimited food and beverages, on-site activities and entertainment, as well as tips, service charges, and taxes.  

Read more… 318 more words

We LOVE the simplicity and convenience that a Sandals Vacation has to offer; especially for those newlyweds that just want to get away from everything and everyone. Interested in a Sandals Beach Resort Honeymoon? We can help!

Leave a Response »

 

Catering Budget Expectations Vs. Reality Monday, Feb 20 2012

Today’s blog is written by our in-house Chef Melissa Hoenshell-Nissen in response to the many recent inquiries we’ve had recently from several brides to cater their upcoming wedding receptions.

We hope that this blog post gives you an opportunity to view your catering expectations from the other side of the coin (so to speak) and allows you a chance to rethink your expectations BEFORE you meet with the caterer of your choice.

______________________________________________________

Imagine with me if you will, your first date with your now fiancée.  You pour over the menu; the main thing you are looking at is the price of the entrée.  You don’t want to be the expensive date but you also don’t want to be labeled the notorious salad eater that we women usually are called.  You finally settle on it, you don’t even know what it is but you promise yourself you are going to like it because the price is just right.  It isn’t over twenty dollars and it isn’t a salad.  Add to that the drink you are going to enjoy and you are looking at about $18 dollars this gentleman is going to pay to take you to dinner.  You sigh a breath of relief because you have just sidestepped the two major labels, expensive and rabbit.

Fast forward to your meeting with the caterer for your wedding to this amazing man you went on that date with.  You contact or sit down with the caterer.  They gather as much information as they can from you to ensure that the food matches the overall theme of the day.  Of all the questions the caterer is going to ask, two of the most important questions are, how many guests are you planning on attending and what is your budget range.  You can easily answer the first question, we are having 200 guests, ok thinks that caterer, not a problem.  Then the caterer asks the ever important question, what you want to spend on these 200 guests.  You drop the bomb; you want this to cost no more than $1500.  I am sure you are wondering why I call it a bomb, the caterer didn’t explode, this seems reasonable, and it fits in our budget.  What you don’t see is the quick math equation the caterer is doing in their head.  That is $7.50 per person, back out all the fees that you will be charged so we stay in that $1500 budget and we are talking about $5.00 per person.  The caterer, being very graceful, moves on to see exactly what you want to serve with that $5.00 per person.  You then proceed to tell about how you absolutely love just a plain grilled chicken and he, being a carnivore, loves tri-tip so you want to give your guests the option. You envision your guests coming into a social/cocktail hour where there will be passed appetizers and the guests can get as many beverages from your open bar.  Then they will be ushered into a beautifully decorated ballroom and sit down to their seat where their previously decided on entrée will be served to them, amongst the other items that you had decided on, a salad, the starch and vegetable for the entrée, etc….  You finish describing how you see the food fitting into your wedding day.  You should notice by now the glazed over look that the caterer has on their face.  All they are thinking is “are you kidding?”, but they take a breath and tell you the truth.

This is where I want you to think back to that ever important first date and you scouring the menu to find the right priced item.  You had a number in your head that you didn’t want to go over on that date.  Take that number you settled on and then attach that to each of your guests to create a catering budget for your wedding.  Most caterers start out their menu pricing at $15++ per person and that is usually for a buffet with a single entrée choice, you want two choices, add $5.00 per person.  You want to add to that a social hour for the 200 guests, you are talking an additional $7.95++ per person and then adding to that a plated dinner, add another $2.00 per person.  You can now see that the new per person price is $29.95++ minimum.  That takes your catering budget from $1500.00 up to $6,000.00++.  I am sure you are wondering what that ++ is.  It is our way of saying there are two additional charges you have to pay that are not worked into your price per person.  Those typically are a service fee or gratuity, depending on the business and sales tax. A service fee is not gratuity for the event; it is usually a fee that covers the wear and tear on the equipment used.  Now some companies might work with you on their service fee, but it typically ranges from 15 to 20%.  The tax is unavoidable; it has to be charged because the business has to pay it.

Here is something to keep in mind when figuring out what to spend on your wedding day (keeping in mind that this is the first party that you and your new husband host as a married couple).  The average amount of money that YOU will spend on your guests to attend your wedding is $125.00.  Take that number and multiply it by your guests and there you have your overall budget for your wedding, not including your dress purchase and tux rentals.  That price per guest includes venue, table décor, seating, catering and beverage.  There are many programs that you can plug that total number into that will spit out how to break that big number up into different categories based on what the average bride spends percentage wise on the different categories.

What brides need to get out of this post is; it’s hard enough for you to have a decent meal for $5.00 so how do expect to feed 200 people a nice meal that fits with the theme of your wedding for that same amount of $5.00?  This is a struggle I have as a caterer.  I try my hardest to meet and match people’s dreams and expectations while staying within their budget but sometimes the number is too unrealistic.  We do work within budgets and we do have some solutions to keep your costs down as long as it benefits both of us.  I look forward to offering you some of these tips and tricks when you call us for your catering consult.

Leave a Response »

 

Cost vs. Worth Saturday, Jan 7 2012

I just love to see the excitement on the face of a client (bride, social, corporate or other) when they start to talk about their event vision.  The detail in which they describe what they desire is both inspiring and exciting; for us both.

As we start to discuss the event vision and design inevitably comes the question…..What does it cost?

Now I realize that every client is on a budget, yes even Donald Trump has one.  Who doesn’t these days? But there is another question here; a silent and invisible question.   What is it worth?

Recently we were asked to create an event design to celebrate a HUGE achievement that an organization accomplished.  They wanted the design to be “over the top”, lots of “bling”, lots of “WOW” and oh, it can’t look like a wedding.  No problem.  We can do that.  Let me preface that no budget range was given.

Fast forward to the presentation and the proposal.  It contained every must have; it was over the top, it had lots of “bling”, it didn’t look like a wedding and it packed a lot of WOW.  Now comes the sticker shock.  *Side note; dreams and reality are never the same, but that is another blog post in itself.

As I educated my client as to the charges of the custom design* the statement was made that the custom design was not “worth” the prices quoted.

*Note: Custom designs are those designs utilizing items unique and distinctive to the clients specific requirements.  These are not “cookie cutter” designs.

 

Let’s forget the fact that this statement was completely insulting and focus on the vernacular of cost vs.worth; as they are two separate things. Cost, is defined by Websters Dictionary as “the outlay or expenditure (as of effort or sacrifice) made to achieve an item.  Worth is defined this way; “the value of something measured by its’ qualities or by the esteem of which it is held”.   See the difference?

Cost is about price; Worth is about value and esteem.  They are not the same.

So the next time you tell someone, anyone, that the product or service they provide (in this case an event design) is not “worth” the price quoted, ask yourself these questions:

• What is it worth to you to have  the peace of mind for a team of trusted and talented event professionals (or anyone for that matter) perfectly design, assemble, and seamlessly execute your event dream and vision so that you could sit back relax and enjoy your event without all the stress of having to do the work yourself?
•  What is your time, talent  and energy worth?
• What is it worth to you to not have to worry at the end of a long event night about removing all the decor, linens and chair-covers, and can instead go straight home to a nice warm bed while the event pros put in several more hours completing this task after already working a 10-12 hour day?
• Do you work for free?

Yes, I understand that there is a cost to do business, to gain clientele.  We get that.  But just because a business may have the opportunity to reuse the items doesn’t necessarily mean that they will.  How long will this one of a kind design item sit in our inventory before it sees the light of day again?  There is a cost for this too.  Businesses have to make money; both the state and federal governments require it so that we can keep putting oil into our squeaky part of the economic wheel.  If for profit businesses have to store an item (or in this case 50 unique items) for a year or two before it is used again then the ROI (Return On Investment) is in the toilet and the business looses money; which correct me if I’m wrong defeats the purpose of being in business in the first place.

So there you have it.  They are in fact two separate things.  Let’s not confuse the matter.

Needless to say, we (the client and I) are returning to the drawing board to create an event design that meets everyone’s needs both financially and creatively.  In the end it is about finding a way to make it all happen so that everyone wins and now that we have a clearer idea of what their design and financial expectations are, it makes it possible for us to properly do our job.

 

2 Responses »

 

Unique Wedding Memorabilia Friday, Sep 23 2011

I recently returned from an industry conference in Las Vegas where I had honor and privilege to witness something new and different that really impressed me and I think will resonate with you too.

A Wedding Portrait.  Now this isn’t any wedding portrait.  It isn’t captured by your photographer or videographer.  It is captured in the memory of artist and painter (and our new friend) Sam Day.  Sam is a canvas artist and paints the scene of your wedding (or other special event) while the event is in progress. 

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then I think I’ll let the canvas he painted of our event in progress speak for itself. 

Event portrait painted by Sam Day

Sam is a talented and passionate artist in the Pacific Northwest – Seattle to be exact; however he is completely mobile and will travel just about anywhere to paint and create your unique memento.  

Wedding Guest frames are passe’, wedding guest books are rarely if ever opened; but THIS…this is a unique and personalized work of art that will grace your home for decades to come. 

Imagine the comments from family and friends each time they visit your home when they see this unique memento of your wedding day adorning the walls. 

The artist Sam Day and his canvas

Thank you Sam for the passion and personalization you bring to each canvas you paint!  We are thrilled to have met you and call you our friend.

 In LOVE with Sam’s canvas?  Follow him on Facebook.

 

 

Leave a Response »

 

A Word about Invitations Tuesday, Sep 6 2011

The team and I have been preparing quite a few wedding invitations recently (go figure, it’s wedding season), which of course brings up all sorts of questions about the etiquette behind them; so I thought it would be a good idea to address their “do’s and don’ts”.  If you recognize yourself, a family member or friend in any of these “don’t” situations refrain from beating them (or yourself) up over the matter.   Just chalk it up to a learning experience and move forward; it’s not like your nomination for the Noble Prize is in jeopardy.

Do

• Mail Save-the-Date cards 6-9 months in advance
• These should be mailed only to those out of area, out of state family members and friends who need the extra time to make the necesary travel and vacation arrangements.  Save yourself the extra expense of mailing these to your local guests.
• Allow yourself plenty of time to draft and organize your guest list.  A well thought out guest list takes several weeks, if not months to put together.  Be sure to involve family and friends when acquiring family address books, sorority|fraternity lists.  The last thing you want to do is add names to your list after the fact.  Take your time. If you find your guest list is getting out of hand, apply these guidelines to help trim the list.  Think of these categories as a “this is what your wedding is not”  If a guest falls into one of these categories, remove them from the list for now, prioritize them and add them later if you find you have the space for them;
• Family Reunion.  By this what I mean is that you shouldn’t invite your seventh cousin, ten times removed if you (a) haven’t seen them since you shared a playpen with them or (b) have not had ongoing relationship with them in the past 2-3 years.
• Office Party.  Never no never post a wedding invitation on the lunch room bulletin board.  Although you spend a large part of your day with your fellow associates, unless you have an outside relationship with them, they should NOT be invited; nor should they expect to be invited.
• High School Reunion.  Like the family reunion guideline, this is NOT the time to reassemble the old “gang” for the day; that’s what reunions are for.
• Kegger.  There is a difference between celebrating a life milestone event and getting completely toasted.  If your potential guest doesn’t know the difference, keep them off the list.  You’ll be doing them and yourself a favor.
• Obtain proper first names of all guests invited.  If you care enough to invite guests to your wedding, you will take the time to find out the names of each member of their family that you plan to include.
• It is equally important to use the proper social titles (i.e. Doctor, Honorable, Lieutenant) and suffixes (i.e. Sr, Jr, III).   Neglecting to use these honorifics would not only be inconsiderate, but highly offensive.
• Use the proper order when addressing the outer envelope
• Married couples with the same last name should be addressed as Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Smith
• Married couples with different last names should be addressed as Mrs. Susan Schmoe-Smith and Mr. Joseph Smith
• Unmarried couples living together would be addressed as:
• Miss Sandra Stephens
• Mr. Samuel Jones
• Remember to make sure you have enough enclosure cards and|or inserts (engagement photos) for each invitation.  Despite what you think, your guests feelings will be hurt if they find out they were denied an engagement photo along with their invitation when everyone else they’ve talked to got one.  On another note, if you are including photos make sure to give them to your wedding planner, calligrapher weeks in advance of stuffing and addressing to avoid any unnecessary mailing delays.
• Send children over the age of 18 living at home a seperate invitaton.  It is important to recognize these individuals as the adults that they are.
• Spell out all street names, cities and states.
• Additionally all house numbers lower than 20 should be spelled out, as should P.O. Box (Post Office Box), Circle, Drive, Street, Apartment etc.
• Take a sample invitation to the Post Office to determine necessary postage prior to mailing. 

Don’t

• Include Gift Registry information inside the wedding invitation.  Not only is this considered poor taste, but it is perceived as a solicitation for a gift rather than the desire for the guest to share in your joy for your wedding day.

Having said this, it IS appropriate to include this information in a shower invitation as the sole purpose of a shower is to give the bride gifts.

• Address invitations using mailing labels.  Despite all the advances in printing technology, a mailing label sends a subliminal message to the guest that you can not be bothered to hand address an invitation and are indifferent to their participation in your wedding day.  Handwritting the invitation has been, and will always be the correct thing to do…so set aside the time to hand address your invitations; and if necessary, have the bridesmaids help you out.  We usually recommend an “Invitation Addressing Party”.  Print your guest list in alpha order (with numerical values) and assign each bridesmaid to addresses invitations for their predetermined number of pages.   Once everyone is done (it should take 1 hour) reward the ladies with some wonderful appetizers and cocktails….margarita’s are always a wonderful choice.
• A word about numerical values:  Assign a number to each household on the guest list and place this number on the lower right hand corner of the response card.  This will help you to determined whom the unnamed guest is when you get the RSVP back without their name indicated.  Believe me, it happens.
• Use the phrase ” and Guest” or “and Family” on the outer envelope.  This can seriously backfire on you as “and Guest” or “and Family” can allow the invited guest free license to invite anyone within or outside their family to attend along with them.  Believe me, we’ve seen guests reply with (11) attendees, all of whom the bride and groom had no connection with at all.
• Forget to apply the proper amount of postage on both the invitation or RSVP.  Nothing is more tacky than a guest having to pay the postal carrier to recieve your invitation.
• Mail your invitations more than 6-8 weeks in advance.  Anything sooner and guests will no longer have a sense of urgency in responding and you run the risk of them forgetting the event all together.  Anything short of 6 weeks and your guests may not have the proper lead time with their employers to make the necessary vacation and travel time off.

Leave a Response »

 

The End of an Internship Tuesday, Aug 9 2011

Dear Readers;

It’s finally come to an end.  Our summer intern Deborah has left to return to college and hopefully continue her passionate pursuit of the Events|Hospitality Industry, but not without first leaving us her final blog post, observations and commentary on her experience this summer.   It is our heartfelt desire for you hopeful wedding planners out there is that her experiences will resonate with you and that you too will consider the matter wisely before entering this arena as so much depends on your understanding, talent and ability to meet your clients needs and exceed their expectations.  While we (event planners and the like) will get a “do-over” next weekend, the client will not; so the pressure is on.  The question is…..are you up for the challenge and rewards this industry has to offer?

 

 The Perspective From The Inside Looking Out

I dove into this summer internship at Agape’ Events with little to no experience basing the industry by the reality shows, bridal magazines, and my own imagination. Why wouldn’t I want to be a wedding planner? The wedding day is always so beautiful
and perfect. If I learned only one thing this summer it’s that the fairytale
wedding days are achieved with time, effort, care, and love. They are not
flawless but that’s where the coordinator steps in to make the day seem
stress-free for the bride, bridal party, and guests.

In order to make this happen I must wear many hats. Commercial
ironing of many fabric types and linens. Phone calls coming in and out speaking
to clients and venders. In office tasks such as creating spreadsheets and
documents for the BOMA Golf Tournament, design preview Christmas in July event,
and weddings. I inputted new brides in our system. I learned how to properly
put wedding invitations together, tie a bow on each, and formally handwrite
recipient addresses. I saw the timeline of events while being included from the
first consultation to the final meeting. I’ve experienced corporate events and
weddings, and the countless tasks of the day, even the last minute weather induced
changes.

Take a deep breath, there’s more. In the warehouse, our floral
designer taught me to make centerpieces and boutonnières. Décor on guest,
buffet, and beverage tables takes skill. Switching from heels to tennis shoes
to become the catering division. I served appetizers, bussed tables, and waited
on the guests. Joining our chef for a week, I learned the traits of the kitchen
from preparation, creation, and delivering. Gloves, bleach, and the commercial
dishwasher are my new friends. Meanwhile, I also caught onto the jargon and
lingo. Finally, who thinks about loading and unloading tables, chairs, crates,
coolers, and driving a push cart? It’s only part of the territory.

Did you think this career was cut and dried? Black and white?
Newsflash. It’s not.

Wearing the Agape’ Events shirt this summer brought me more than
these experiences and observations. It made a lifelong impact. It wasn’t only
my first internship and my first involvement in this industry, but a magnifying
glass to my dream coming true. Agape’ Events’ motto is “Work smarter, not harder.”
I’ll be returning to college to complete my undergraduate education. At this
stage I’m trying to see if this career is what God has for me. My number 1 goal
is to glorify Him no matter what I do.

Whether this is the path I end up choosing or not, I’m more
awake, alert, and aware of what this industry requires. I’ll hand over my shirt
but will keep my notes and memories.

To quote Renae, “You are an Agape’ girl.”

4 Responses »

 

An Interns First Event Saturday, Jul 30 2011

Dear Readers;

Here is Part II of the three part series of behind the scenes prospective our summer intern Deborah has been providing.  It quite accurately chronicles a “day in the life” of  an event planner; specifically of a wedding planner.  We hope you enjoy her observations and colorful commentary.

My First Wedding

It began at 9am the day of my first wedding. I arrived in shorts and a t-shirt, hair back in a bun, and flip flops. I carried my backpack with my ice water, Teddy Grahams, and my event attire. I was immediately put to work folding programs
while being introduced to the bride emergency kit. This bag had travel size toothbrushes, mouth wash, hairspray, deodorant, static relief, first aid kit,
Tide to Go, nail polish remover, etc. It was like watching a commercial where a
thousand items could easily fit into this tiny bag. Before we left for the
wedding venue I was alarmingly questioned if I had put on sunscreen. I hadn’t.
Sure enough the bottomless bag had sunscreen.

Once I was lathered I had to iron out a few details. A 14’x6’ pink satin detail. I was sent to the linens room for my first attempt with the industrial commercial iron. At that point I was feeling unconfident and rushed resulting in scorching the entire linen. The beautiful satin had become a rippled disaster.

It was approaching 10am and I got into the van full of gorgeous fresh flower centerpieces, mechanical votives, black satin table linens, pink organza overlays, silk chair sashes, Fat Max the tool box, and a spare table. Now we were ready to head to In The Beginning in Badger Canyon. But wait, we still needed to pick up paper
lanterns for the dance floor.

I hopped out of the van noticing the 18 tables already placed and proceeded to unload cheerfully and quickly too. First thing first. I learned to make the direction of the legs of the tables and the seams on each linen all uniform. Then I continued to dress
the tables with a floral centerpiece, 2 mechanical votives, 2 guest cameras, and a gift bag set at each person’s place.

Reaching noon I was taught how to tie a chair sash. That freed up the owner, Renae, to run to Macys to purchase bridesmaids shoes that were left behind. Her assistant Amber and I tied 120 chair sashes in the 85 degrees weather. Once it became fairly mindless Amber and I used that time to bond. We wanted them to look similar but didn’t need to be perfect because of the sashes zebra stripe pattern distraction.

Sweating and desiring shade, Amber and I got the ladder, tacks, fish line, and paper lanterns to tackle the hanging of the lanterns from the gazebo. This task sounds easy but it had its challenges. The string needed to be cut, the tacks needed to be placed, and the fight against the wind continued. A whirlwind of commotion was all happening at once from chasing the flying paper lanterns and dodging the photographer as he was shooting the bridal party. It got done just in time to switch roles.

Entering the bathroom I was a sticky, post-workout, behind the scenes mess. Exiting the bathroom I was freshly Baby Wiped, black top and slacks with heels, approachable, workable personnel.

Once transformed, it was time to learn the catering division. They arrived in a large Budget truck carrying the appetizers, buffet, and alcohol bar fixings that needed to be presentable and staffed.

It was reaching 5 o’clock, ceremony time, and guests were handing over their gifts, signing the guest book, offered umbrellas (to protect them from the sun and heat), and ushered down the aisle. Tick tock. The DJ came just minutes early to set up his equipment without allowing anytime for “testing”.
Bad idea. The brides CD was not compatible therefore taking embarrassing time
to problem solve. Once the tunes were in order, I queued up the ladies of the
bridal party and told them when to start walking to meet up with their respective groomsman coming from the other side.

Once the procession line was complete and everyone was in their place for the ceremony, I rushed over to the reception area. Clapping?! That couldn’t have been even 10 minutes. Ceremony has now come and gone. The guests were filing into the reception where the salsa bar and alcohol were ready and the staff were anticipating the 6 o’clock dinner bell.

During the transition came the hustle bustle of the moving of chairs from the ceremony area to the reception tables. Eight up! (meaning eight chairs per table) Luckily some young fit men were helping me-bonus.

While the evening continued I floated around making sure everyone had a chair, the candles were lit, and I was available for guest assistance. Energized, I went to the cake table and placed 250 customized shot glasses next to the 3 tier cake. All the guests were fed and Renae motioned for her team to get food catered by Agape’ Events.
Yippie! We sat down together for 15 minutes as I shoveled this mound of
delicious food into my mouth. It consisted of fajita stuffed chicken, beef
tender loin with wasabi sauce, tortillas, green salad, potato salad, pasta
salad, and fruit. (The plentiful amounts of leftovers were taken to Tri-Cities
Union Gospel Mission the next day.)

Toasting time. Wedding Cake time. First Dance time. Dollar to dance with bride time. Meanwhile, I was another hand dishing out cake, plates, forks, and shot glasses to their guests, and helping myself to a discard piece.

While guests were visiting, dancing, or leaving I was taking down the buffet and pipe-n-drape. Then I started clearing the tables of empty stemware and trash trying to prevent the wind from creating extra work. From there I started untying and folding the chair sashes in their appropriate numbers and piles.

The family and guests were gone. Suddenly it had turned 9:30pm. I guess I missed the bubbly sendoff of the newlyweds. Sad. That’s the reality of working a wedding rather than attending a wedding.

Exhausted women were ready to depart the venue and the keys were not on site. With a little bit of maneuvering I made it back to the shop at 10pm ready to drive home and Renae asked me the closing question, “Do you still think this is fun?”

I answered with a grin on my face, “Yes.” Followed by her response, “You are sick.”

One Response »

 

Same Elements….Different Players Wednesday, Jul 13 2011

A word from the owner of Agape’ Events:

Each year dozens of talented, energetic and awe struck women (and a few men) venture into the Event Planning arena.  Most of whom have enjoyed countless events, from the bleachers so to speak; while only a handful ever really venture onto the field and play the game (excuse the sports analogy).  Nevertheless, we have been blessed to have two incredible talents join our team in the past six months; both desiring to be a Wedding and Event Planner, however they too fell prey to the illusion that this “job” is fun, fun, fun, fun, fun.  Don’t get me wrong – it IS fun, rewarding and fulfilling, but it is also a lot of very hard work; physically, mentally and emotionally.

Today’s post is written by my brilliant, talented and no longer doe-eyed assistant Amber.  Like Deborah, her eyes are now wide open to the disguised truth of the industry and she offers some insightful observations to what she has learned and loved so far.  Enjoy!     Renae

___________________________________________________________

Not all events we do are weddings.  In fact, in the time I have been working at
Agape’ Events, we have done more corporate and non-profit events than
weddings.  Whether it is decor,coordination, or just being a committee member….we’ve done it all and we do it often.

There are obvious differences between a wedding and a corporate fundraiser.   At
least I’ve never been at a benefit where there was someone in a bridal gown,
but then again—nothing shocks me anymore.  However, all events are made up of the same formula, they have a lot of details, take a lot of time, and are a lot of work…and once again, Agape’Events’ expertise is summoned {enter the team full force with capes andunderwear outside our pantyhose}.

Who could blame the group of business men from BOMA for needing a little assistance when it came to planning a major golf tournament fundraiser?  They have
businesses to run, families to take care of and well, lives.  But not us!
Sure we lack lives, but we don’t lack the expertise and specialization
to coordinate an awesome golf tournament.  So cards were exchanged, contracts were signed and life moved on as usual…well, for them.  We of course got right to work calling business connections for sponsorships and securing donations.  After weeks of committee meetings and a lot of telephone/email exchanges, my office had turned into a smaller version of an organized hoarder’s dream.  BBQ grill, golf and In-and-Out Burger paraphernalia, meat rubs, assorted beer and wines, and gift certificates piled in front of the only (not so) empty  spot in the office.

The day of the event, the weather was agreeable, decor was pristine, and the course was set for a golf tournament.  Then the 20 minute storm
came and slapped me in the face.  Golfers flooded the banquet room.
Players hovered over the registration mumbling their name for check-in,
asking questions about their hole assignments and the rules, and noting small
details such as a misspelling of a name or that a team member had changed.  Volunteers and sponsors were coming in at various directions asking questions and stating concerns and then, it all was done.  The golfers went out to tee off.  The room was empty again.  We set up the raffle items, dressed the tables, and finished up any last minute details. All was quiet and then the storm came back.  The players and a few extra dinner guests filled the room again.   Drinks, food and raffle tickets were plentiful and the auctionbegan.  In a nutshell, because I have indeed been in one, that was the event.

So yes, we do more than weddings, but aren’t we doing the same thing, just for a different event over and over again?  I started this post prepared to
share my experience and list all the ways weddings and corporate events are different…but really, events are all the same.

All right, all right the brides in the front row can sit down.

I know YOUR day is unique and special but when it comes to an event they all have
the same elements:

1. THE LEAD

The Bride and the head of committee are all the same.  They are the
client, the face of the event, the one to please and the one to take the
pressure off of.  This is usually the person that has tried to plan an event themselves then threw their hands up in the air and decided to hire a professional.

1. THE SUPPORTING CHARACTERS

Parents of the Bride and Groom and the Bridal Party are like the committee members.  They are consulted in most of the big decisions and are also ones to please.
They usually recognize the need for a professional planner and have
valuable input, however their main goal is usually to make sure the ‘the lead’
is kept satisfied.

1. THE AUDIENCE

The guest count is a HUGE factor for an event.  Who is invited?  Who RSVP’d?  How many place settings?  Will they be comfortable?  Will they get the ‘WOW factor’?  Every event needs a draw, something to attract people to come, stay and enjoy themselves.  These people are also contributors to the event, especially in fundraisers.  How much money can we raise?  Is the ticket price reasonable?  How long do we want them to stay?  How many favour bags do we
need?  It is all about who and how many are coming.

1. THE PROPS

Toasting glasses, flower girl baskets, serving knifes, unity accessories, guest books| raffle items, cash box, sign-in sheets, raffle tickets, banners etc.  All events have copious amounts of STUFF that all play vital roles.  And who keeps track of them?  We do.

1. RISING ACTION

Decorating, last minute details and anticipation.  This is right
before the event starts and usually is over quickly.

1. THE HEADLINER

Whether it is getting the bride down the aisle or the golfers out on the course…once it’s over, the event tends to flow on.  Headliners or peaks of the event seem to fluctuate from being a quick but steady storm to a dead silence.

1. THE FINAL BOW

It is done; people have eaten, drank and been merry.  They have left and
who is still left standing is the event team.  It’s time to tear down, clean the mess and pack it all up.  We’re tired, sweaty and our brains are fried, the light at the end of the tunnel is more like a faint tinkle in the distance.  We did it, and it is time to
go home.

You see?
The same elements just different people, different goals and different
venues, but the same outcome, it’s like the movie ‘Groundhog Day’ but someone
is either getting married or putting on a fundraiser.  We go through the motions because that is what we do although every event, because we know what we are doing, what works.  We know what to anticipate and the variety of problems that may arise.
We’ve done it all…except the big white bridal gown at a corporate fundraiser, I am still waiting on that one.

One Response »

 

An old wedding dream meets a new reality Tuesday, Jun 28 2011

With the wedding season in full swing we at Agape’ Events found ourselves in need of more personal to help with the flow of the season; hence the addition of our summer intern Deborah. 

Like many would-be Wedding Planners, Deborah had a vision of what this world was all about and well, let’s just say the reality was a bit of a shock.  So to commemorate her first few weeks, we thought it only fitting to have her write a blog based on her observations and prespective.  Hope you enjoy her viewpoint.

The perfect wedding. Lots of girls dream of their fairytale wedding and if that’s not enough some start envisioning their friends’ wedding days too! I was one of those millions of girls that have been perusing wedding gowns online and in shops, looking through magazines at bridesmaids dresses, picking out flowers, and, of course, the location. Lately there are also plenty of wedding related reality shows to dream to be on.

Before my internship at Agape’ Events…

My wedding is going to be outside at approximately 7pm lit by candles and little lights. My groom will see me for the first time as I walk down the aisle at the end of the processional. No questions asked. I will have hors d’oeuvres and desserts following the ceremony but staying away from the meals.

Three weeks into my internship at Agape’ Events…

My wedding could be beautiful inside to avoid uncomfortable temperatures, the wind, and the chance of rain. My groom doesn’t need to wait to see me till the ceremony. Photography requires about an hour and a half with both the bride and groom. If I wait to do any pictures until after the ceremony and before the reception then my guests could be growing bored and impatient while we are trying to enjoy yet hurry up one of the most important parts of the wedding. The photographer and groom will be near the altar as we are all queued to capture that first moment. We’ll then proceed to complete the posed pictures together before the ceremony. Now we can fully enjoy our guests. I’m still favoring the simple hors d’oeuvres and desserts idea without a meal.

My initial dreams and ideas have been modified after being behind the scenes.

The perfect job. I’ve dreamed about being a wedding planner for 7 years now for the same main reason as other girls – it’s a happy special event. Well, that’s true, but it’s also challenging once the reality kicks in. Every bride is different. Not every bride knows what she wants and is a decisive personality. Not every bride has a sense of cost. Not every bride and their mom will love me.

The view from the inside out is still exciting. It’s fun but HARD work!

Leave a Response »