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Partners in Perfection
Written by: Maura Keller
The bridesmaids’ dresses are fashioned from the highest quality silk, specially ordered from Japan. The flowers in the bride’s bouquet are  some of the most extraordinary Australia has to offer. Regal white horses pull the gilded carriage, which houses the bride and groom in all their glory. And the band? A 25-piece orchestra that wows guests late into the evening.
This is the kind of wedding no mere mortal could coordinate. An event of this magnitude requires the expertise of a wedding consultant—someone who can turn your ultimate wedding fantasy into a magnificent reality.
Historically Speaking
Years ago it was assumed that only the wealthy could afford a wedding planner. The planner typically was an organizational pro who would assist the mother of the bride as she planned the wedding with little or no input from her betrothed daughter. The idea was that the bride should be surprised, on the day of her wedding, at all the details her mother and the planner had arranged.
Today the role of the wedding coordinator has changed dramatically. Whether handling a small event or an extravagant affair, the modern planner is much more likely to work closely with the bride, or the bride and groom together, to ensure that everything is as the couple has imagined it should be.
“In the past, the mother of the bride did more of the planning and working with the coordinator. Now brides are paying for many parts or all of the nuptial events. The dynamics of who has the final say have changed,” notes Mary Ann Webb of event planning firm Happenings by Mary Ann.
“We find that many couples enjoy planning the wedding together,” says Cynthia Davis of planning firm Engagements. At the same time, she adds, “Most couples are professionals, so they have very busy work lives and may have to travel for work. This means they are looking for a coordinator who can cut through the array of options and help them interpret their vision in a streamlined fashion.”
Tech Boon
No matter who assumes the role of the planner’s primary contact, advances in technology mean that wedding consultants can communicate with their clients anywhere.
“Today, e-mail is a life saver,” Webb says. “Sometimes I am e-mailing three to four brides in one afternoon. E-mail also creates a way to have everything discussed in writing. So both of us can go back and make sure that we are on the same page.”
Summer Hutchens-Colgin, professional bridal consultant of planning firm For Your Memories, agrees that technology offers enormous benefits where wedding coordination is concerned. “With webcams, I am able to meet a potential vendor in another country and the bride is able to see their work and make an educated decision. With my PPC phone, I am able to open attachments, send and receive e-mails, and even let a bride listen to MP3s of ceremony music.”
“Brides are busier than ever,” adds Shena Cherian, owner of Indian event-planning company design. “We recently had a bride who was getting married in Houston. Her job had her in China and she lived in San Francisco, which left very little time to be in Houston to meet vendors. We had to become creative to think of ways to meet with vendors with the bride. Thank goodness for technology advancements. We were able to do video conferencing with vendors and much of our work via e-mail.”
The Internet also has allowed brides greater access to wedding planning resources. “The Internet provides so many different vendors—from bridesmaid dresses to favors—right at the fingertips of the bride,” Webb says. “Since most brides have a full-time job, the Internet allows them to look at all sorts of things when a traditional store would be closed. The wedding designer can give them web sites to look for dresses, favors and bridesmaid’s gifts. It can save the bride so much time and money.”
Benefits Package
The benefits of hiring a wedding consultant are many. Not only do consultants do the busywork, they help you create the wedding of your dreams. The key is for you to describe those dreams in detail. Explain your vision to your planner, and bring in pictures from magazines or books that strike your fancy. Do you want a grand, traditional wedding complete with a horse-drawn carriage, soaring doves and a seven-piece string ensemble playing during the cocktail hour? Perhaps you would prefer an intimate affair with your closest family and friends gathered in a nearby park. Whatever your vision, your wedding consultant can help you bring it to light.
The job of the wedding coordinator, planner or consultant—these terms typically are used interchangeably—is to “provide a service that gives the bride and her family a wealth of valuable information to begin the planning process,” says JoAnn Woodward of event planning and wedding consulting firm Schwartz & Woodward. “Because we are doing weddings almost every weekend, we have relationships and the knowledge to direct brides to vendors and service providers that will meet their needs and budget parameters.”
Webb adds that the most important job of the wedding coordinator is to keep everything in perspective. “It is one day, although an important day, in the couple’s lives,” Webb says. “But it is not one that should cause them to be in financial difficulty for years to come.” Lynn Ellis, of E-Events, enjoys working with couples that have busy careers and feels that a consultant should be able to understand and empathize with the emotions of the couple and their family and be able to set their mind at ease. “A good planner knows when to compromise to get the best results and when to stand their ground,” she adds.
Not only can wedding consultants help select the best vendors and keep you within your established budget, but they also are adept at pulling together all wedding elements—from design to cultural tradition to family expectations—in one, harmonious happening.
“Weddings have become bigger, more unique, riddled with cultural traditions, and enhanced with trends. Who better to provide information about and assist with all these elements than an expert?” says Karen Brown, master bridal consultant with For Your Memories, and the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) Texas State Coordinator. “Wedding coordinating is about choreographing a beautiful event to the finest detail, based on the personalities of the couple. It is not about just providing a nice event for family and guests. It is about making every person in attendance feel that they are an important part of something special and memorable. It is about making every wedding better than the bride ever imagined and every wedding the best one the guests have ever attended.”
At Ease
In addition to acting as money managers, accountants and designers, wedding planners also fill the roles of stress reliever and personal assistant by scheduling and managing meetings with vendors and planning partners such as decorators and floral designers.
“A wedding planner helps ease stress and tension, and saves time and money,” says Haley Doyle of planning firm En Vogue Events. “Instead of the bride driving all over town to talk with 30 photographers and not liking a single one, a good planner can fit the needs and budget of their bride with vendors that are more compatible, so it is less time consuming. For some brides, we play the go-between for families with politics.”
Consultants also provide much-needed support when things don’t go quite as planned.
Last October, Schwartz & Woodward worked on a wedding that Woodward now refers to as Earth, Wind and Fire. The event was for a Houston couple who decided to have a destination wedding in Florida where the bride’s grandmother lives.
“We had planned this wedding for almost a year. It was to be a beach wedding with a hotel reception,” Woodward explains. “The weather several days leading up to the wedding was just picture perfect. Not a cloud in the sky. The day of the wedding the clouds started to roll in and the shells on the beach started flying.” Since “chewing shells” would not be an ideal activity at a wedding ceremony, Woodward notes, “We moved the sitting arrangement three times before moving to a cove area. They got through the ceremony and formal portraits before it started to drizzle.”
After covering the bride with a tablecloth to protect her gorgeous gown and hair from the rain, Woodward had everyone board a trolley and make their way back to the hotel. “I called my husband as I usually do to let him know we were on our way to the reception and he hesitated and then let me know that there was a fire at the hotel and they had to evacuate. No joke! I, of course, had to tell the bride and groom because there was no way to hide seven fire trucks and six emergency vehicles in front of the hotel.”
Over an hour and a half later, they were allowed back in the hotel. “We sprang into action to get their wedding reception back on track,” Woodward recounts. “This is a situation where having a consultant with them made all the difference in the world. The reception turned out gorgeous and they do have memories for a lifetime and a great story to tell their children.”
Smart Choice
What are some common mistakes experts see couples make when choosing a wedding coordinator?
“Many couples will let pictures on a Web site speak for the talent of a wedding planner, and I think this is a huge mistake,” Cherian says. “A good wedding planner adapts to your style and creates the special day that sits in your mind. What’s more important is how the coordinator will work with you. What type of reputation do they have with the vendors?”
According to Brown, experienced consultants have detailed database entries to help determine what will meet the bride’s vision and fit within her budget. “Time will not be wasted contacting or visiting with vendors that are not suitable,” Brown says. A couple who decides to forgo a professional coordinator, on the other hand, “can quickly fall into situations locking them to someone or something that is not in their best interest.” Brown likens the situation to trying to build your own home without a contractor. “It could certainly be done, but chances are it is not something you would enjoy in the process, and is best left to an experienced professional.”
Brides also need to determine a planner’s level of experience, and her familiarity with the very latest and best the market has to offer.
“Brides are being inundated with weddings, with everything from ‘Bridezillas’ and ‘Platinum Weddings’ on television to all the magazines and Web sites. And they all want things that have not been done before,” Cherian says. “We find ourselves focused on forecasting the trends just to stay ahead of the curve.”
When seeking out a suitable coordinator, it pays to do your homework. Teresa McOmber Rapoport, owner of planning firm Weddings by Teresa, says that one of the most common mistakes brides make when selecting a wedding coordinator is not finding out if the candidate has sufficient experience with wedding budgets, wedding etiquette and interpersonal relations.
“Some couples choose a family member or friend who has done one or two weddings, and find it hard to let her know of any problems,” McOmber Rapoport says. On top of that, the amateur planner is not able to enjoy the wedding day with the rest of the family, she adds.
McOmber Rapoport also notes that the number of weddings a planner is coordinating simultaneously, and the number of staff she has helping her, are both important factors. “If a person works with a one-person company and something happens, there is no one to assist if needed.”
Davis adds, “Not only do you want to pay attention to the number of years a consultant has been in business and the quality of their work, but you also want to determine how many events they have orchestrated over the years. You can see how well a consultant does based on the number of projects they’ve done.”
Finally, find someone who is passionate about her role as a wedding coordinator, because that passion will be evident in the quality of her work.
Doyle says her favorite part of being a wedding coordinator is when the bride’s father approaches her at the end of the night, and says something along these lines: “‘When my daughter and wife first told me they hired a wedding coordinator, I asked, “Why?” But after seeing how smoothly everything went tonight, and the amount of compliments we received and the fact that my wife was able to enjoy the day and not run around, you have made yourself priceless.’” The planner adds, “We love watching our bride’s vision come to life through our work.”
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