Who Really Needs a Planner- Margaret & Todd

As we approach their one year anniversary, I have their interview to post on the blog.  Margaret & Todd did the full planning package with All Events Planned and we enjoyed every minute of working with them.  Here is the feedback from the bride & groom (husband & wife) and, as you can see from the feedback, they are a wonderful, detailed and thorough couple, which is the greatest kind of couple to work with when you are a planner!


First a few photos courtesy of Julie Hahn of Sugar Bush Design- 

Here is what Margaret & Todd Boyland had to say- 



Q: What made you decide to hire a wedding planner?
A: We recognized that we were getting married and having our reception at two reputable places that independently would be able to service all of our needs.  Our wedding ceremony location was University Circle’s Cleveland Botanical Gardens, (CBG), and our reception was at Signature of Solon both employ event planning professionals.  While we had confidence in their abilities we were concerned about the “transfer” between the two venues.  
Our number one priority while planning the wedding was to ensure the day of went smoothly and was an enjoyable memory for all.  As soon as the wedding festivities began and guest started arriving in town, we wanted to be able to enjoy their presence and not worry about a single detail, make any more decisions, or handle any unexpected problems.  
Having All Events Planned apart of our team ensured our wedding weekend would be a success.


Q: What types of things attracted you to each planner that you interviewed?
A: Brandi is honest and sincere with every aspect of her actions and words.  It was apparent how genuinely invested she became into all the details of our day.  Brandi might have asked a simple question, but heard the history and background that lead to the complete answer.  
Brandi was easily distinguishable among the other planners we interviewed.
She did not charge the outrageous $10,000 retainer fee that truly exists in the Cleveland market.
It should also be clear, All Event’s Planned does NOT make a percentage of each vendor’s cost.
Her price was set before ever meeting with us and hearing about the ‘level’ of our wedding.  
Have you ever had a big party at your home?  During that time did you spend much quality time with your significant other?  Were you committed to see that the food was served on time and warm.  For that matter were you the one in the kitchen coordinating the timing of dishes – and not apart of the actual party – but rather worked the whole time.  


Q: What was something that made you NOT want to hire a particular planner and on the same note what was something you found that made you WANT to hire a certain planner?
A: Meeting with the wedding coordinators, we didn’t know what to expect.  We were not prepared with a list of questions or concerns.  Our objective was simple: We want to plan our own wedding, we know we would need professional guidance along the way.  After all the planning work was done, our ‘job’ was to enjoy the wedding weekend.
• Starting my search for a planner nearly a year out – I found several were book for our July 24th date.
• One wedding planner clearly had a full time 9-5 job.  Her availability was immediately questionable and I  did not pursue a formal meeting.
• A highly regarded Cleveland wedding planner made clear that his $10,000 retainer needed to be paid after the initial meeting to continue any type of service.  


My experience with All Event Planned was different from our first contact.
• Brandi is a Full Time Planner who is available days or evenings.
• Brandi responded to immediate timely and were well thought out and well written responses.
• Brandi had excellent follow up after our meeting
• During our interview, Brandi laid out her abilities and asked about our expectation.  Brandi included every person in the conversation and did not focus too much attention on just one person.
The strongest tie breaker in the decision process was a personal – gut feeling.
Brandi and I possess many of the same character traits.
Brandi understood my expectations so clearly she was able to act as a ‘second me’ the day of the wedding.  


Q: What was the best thing your wedding planner did for you?  
A: Since Brandi was so involved with how decisions came to their resolution, she gave me confidence to stick to those decision when other vendors started to re-create new ideas.  The ideas and possibilities are ENDLESS – a florist will re-inspire and re-create a look that might influence the cake… all the while impacting the linens.  Collaborative efforts are a wonderful, but Brandi’s encouragement to continue to move forward once a big decision was made saved everyone from going back to the idea board.


Q: What was something your planner did that you would never have thought of doing?
A: Brandi allowed me to work a wedding with her as her assist.  This was incredible to see Brandi in action.  Every wedding is bound to have a ‘behind the scenes funny tale.’  This one involves handling unexpected wedding guest behavior.  During the dinner hour, the bar closed.  The bride and groom were paying for the wedding themselves and found this to be a cost saving measure.  One wedding guest was so appalled that she wasn’t able to drink a glass of wine during dinner, she decided to take the entire bottle of wine back to her table.  As expected this was displeasing to the bar tender who had explicated wishes of the bride and groom to follow.  Without a moments hesitation Brandi was able to quietly intervene and defuse the escalating situation.  Moments later Brandi was again challenged at the bar when a guest brought his own bottle of liquor and wanted to do shot- needing the help of the bar tender for shot glasses.  Again, Brandi’s professionalism and ease in these uncomfortable situations was reassuring how vested Brandi was in executing the bride and groom’s wishes. 
You can’t control the actions of others – and you never know what guests might do… Having someone else to professionally handle the unexpected gave me unbelievable confidence in Brandi’s abilities.


Q: Did you feel that your wedding planner was worth the cost?
A: WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINITY – YES!
The wedding industry as a whole capitalizes on “once in a lifetime memories” that often tip the pricing scale just a bit.  Brandi’s price is beyond ‘Fair’ when I consider all of her time.
Brandi was agreeable to meet at various locations for appointments with vendors.
She was the first to arrive to every appointment – and the last to leave.
Emails and phone calls were immediately responded – and were very thorough.
All Events Planned is a full service professional company with the values that only an owner/operator can possess.
It never crossed my mind that Brandi had other clients or personal obligations.  She was available and ready … Brandi often said “You are my client and I will arrange my schedule to meet your needs.”  She meant this with fullest sincerity.


Q: Was there anything you would have changed about your experience with your wedding planner?
A: I’ve only appreciated the services we received more and more with each wedding we attend as a “guest.”  Once you been through the planning, your eye will magnify all the tiny details.  When you see your friends and family struggle to make their day a success, it is sad.  The bride and groom should love every moment of their day.  When they have people to pay, problems to handle – anything but perfection and bliss is unfortunate.  This is reassuring that we selected a true professional wedding planner in Brandi Hamerstone to handle all concerns on our behalf.


Q: What was something you wish you would have known before hiring your planner OR what was something you wish you would have hired your wedding planner to do?
A: I might consider those with large families or bridal parties to include Brandi on the bridal shower or other pre-wedding festivities.  While Brandi could handle planning this event as a supplemental service, it allows Brandi to see the family dynamics and get to know important family members.  The inter-personal relationships among any family are important facts a good wedding planner will ask – and plan accordingly.


Q: Is there any situation where you could see why a bride would NOT want a wedding planner?
A: My parents were the ones who strongly encouraged having the help of a wedding planner.  At first I took this as a personal insult that I would fall short of pull off a great party.  Stepping back, I could see that I had one shot at making it great.  I needed to tap into all resources – just like any good business person.   Surround yourself with the best professionals and knowledge and you will succeed.  


Wonderful clients, with wonderful feedback.  Thank you both!
Here are some more spectacular photos from their incredible wedding!

www.alleventsplanned.com 

Who Really Needs a Planner- Erika & Aron

I am so glad to get started on these again.  I LOVE hearing back from my clients and getting their feedback.  I try to ask questions so they can give me insight on what they were thinking when they hired me and how they felt about the planning process.  It seems like every planner can get the "My Planner was the best, we loved her, she's amazing" feedback, but I like a little more than that.  

Erika and Aron contacted me to work as their planner, months before their wedding.  They own a local business Time for Results Personal Training (in Solon, Ohio).  They were an incredibly busy couple as most of our meetings were held before or immediately after a training session that they had with a client.  They had little time for planning but, just like everyone else, they wanted a beautiful and special wedding. Here are just a few photos from their special day at Crystal Brook Farms.  

Q: What made you decide to hire a wedding planner?

A: We hired a planner because we had a limited budget and no time to work on the details.  We knew a professional would help us stick to our budget, while taking care of the details we didn't have the time to tend to.

Q: What types of things attracted you to each planner that you interviewed?

A: We were looking for a planner on the east side who knew the local vendors and who could meet with us without spending a lot of time travelling.

Q: What was something that made you NOT want to hire a particular planner and on the same note what was something you found that made you WANT to hire a certain planner?

A: We didn't want a planner that also had another job.  We didn't feel that she could dedicate herself fully to us if her hours and interests were being spent elsewhere.  What helped us decide on Brandi was her professionalism, her attention to detail, her accessibility, and her ability to meet us where we work.  She also offered ideas on how to save money so that was an added bonus.

Q: What was the best thing your wedding planner did for you? 

A: Too many things to count!  Her fast follow up on ideas helped me make decisions quickly.  Her knowledge of local and web based vendors was also a huge timesaver.  The day of the wedding wouldn't have gone so smoothly if Brandi wasn't there taking care of absolutely everything. 

Q: What was something your planner did that you would never have thought of doing? 

A: The sand ceremony to mark the blending of our two families.  Bringing us our meals during dinner b/c we were too busy to think of eating.

Q: Did you feel that your wedding planner was worth the cost?

A: YES!

Q: Was there anything you would have changed about your experience with your wedding planner?

A: NO

  

Q: Is there any situation where you could see why a bride would NOT want a wedding planner?

A: Maybe because they think they want to control every aspect of their wedding without realizing all of the time and work involved.

Q: Any other input you have on your process with your wedding planner (me) any advice, ideas or feedback?

A: Our Wedding Planner (you) was amazing, and we will always have fond memories of our wedding day in large part b/c of her help!!!

They were a great couple to work with and if you are looking for personal training in the area

You can contact them through their site Time for Results Personal Training.

Here are some more photos from their wedding

All photos are credited to Open Image Studio 

Things Always Go Wrong.

I can't claim to have just learned this in 2010 but I definitely found out that no matter how long you have to plan and no matter how many planning meetings you manage, something will always go wrong.  Once you accept that, it will make your life easier.  Brides, you'll be able to relax knowing that something that will go wrong, will be covered by your planner.  Planners, you'll stay on your toes, knowing that when something inevitably goes wrong, you'll be ready for it.  


Well, what could go wrong, you ask?  Anything.  There is a never ending list of things that can go wrong.  Different venues represent different complications.  Different vendors mean different personalities to work with, which means LOTS of different things.  Different Brides will always mean new styles of planning, different levels of planning and different needs from your planning process.  While all of that information doesn't help you to KNOW what will go wrong, it at least lets you know that there are SO many areas you have to cover when working on a wedding, so you have to be detailed to be safe.  


For new wedding planners, this is where you lack based only on not having the experience with all of the different people, places and things but it still doesn't mean you can't do a good job, you just have to be even more detailed and more prepared.  


For experienced wedding planners it means that you always have to be prepared and there is no such thing as being totally certain of how to run any wedding.  You'll always have issues, but the more experience you have the easier things are to handle, the more likely you are to expect things and the calmer you'll be, when things do come up.


During this year, things came up that I can say I just found to come from out of left field.  After almost 10 years in the event industry, you'd think that I'd expect anything but that's just not possible.  You'll never be able to expect everything.  You can be prepared for anything but being "ready" for everything is unrealistic.  If you are hiring a planner that is claiming to know it all/done it all and they are insisting your event will be PERFECT, you might want to reconsider this person as they clearly have never worked a wedding.  


However, as a planner my job is to make it "seem" like the event went perfect.  The greatest comment that client's leave (and you'll find this type of comment on any good planners feedback page) is saying that "if anything did go wrong, they didn't know."  You never want them to know, you never want to stop any part of their day to seek them out for help, assistance or questions.  A good planner has to know that and be prepared to handle anything.  That's why you always want to have plenty of planning meetings as well as lots of documentation that review all of your details, timeline, setup and expectations.  


Okay, so you've been waiting for examples and I'll give you a few.


My classic example from one of my earlier weddings was hands down the best example I have when I'm asked about fixing a difficult situation.


A May wedding was being planned and due to the amount of rain, I asked the tent vendors to setup the tent a week early so we were sure that the reception ground had time to dry.  They setup the tent and we had a long week of time that the reception area should have been drying.  Well, when we went to setup the wedding, the staff was setting up tables and hurrying along to get the chairs up, linens on and settings out before the florist arrived.  Halfway through setup, we realized half the tables were "crooked" and I asked the staff to go back and setup again.  Well, come to find out that the week of drying, hadn't really dried anything out.  The ground was soaked, wet and mushy and the tables were sinking into the ground.  There was NO indoor space available so we had to work with the outdoor swamp space.  We ended up having spare wood planks for the  fire-pit that we had at an even the night before.  We broke them up and used them under each leg, of each table to stop the sinking.  The tables stayed up, but halfway through the event, everyone was covered in mud. Thankfully, it was a great group and most of them ended up barefoot and dancing through the night.  The bride had no idea the tables were sinking, that they had sunk into the ground at one point and she just enjoyed her time. 

There was really no way to be ready for that and had the wood not been in the truck, I'm not exactly sure what we would have done but now I know.  If this were to happen again, we'd know what to do.  Hopefully, it doesn't happen again.  Hopefully and now I know that a week isn't long enough to dry out a field.  Lesson learned.  


Other, shorter examples.
Problem- DJ not showing up (this situation proved that you should always take your planners recommendations, NOT use someone that you "found" that is "cheap)
Solution- Call vendors in the are and find a DJ available that evening, offer to pay them LOTS of money and have them show up, on time and ready to play the music that is on the music list that the planner SHOULD have on hand.  


Problem- Bride realizes the garter she had is lost and now she has nothing for the garter removal ceremony.
Solution- This is an easy one as you should always have a backup for everything in your "wedding emergency kit."


Problem- Limo service leaves hotel with all of your wedding guests, except Great Grandma and Grandpa.  
Solution


So, those are just a few, but the list is endless.  There is usually something that happens at each wedding that makes you, the planner, realize how lucky the bride was to have you there.  Sometimes, they never know, but that's the point.  


Happy Planning!