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it is so easy to get swept away: the beautiful pictures, the divine cakes, the enchanting gowns. In
our quest to spot the hottest new ideas in bridal
couture, reception entertainment, and dream destinations, we admit we love the trends too.
When it comes down to it, your wedding is not just about the
trends—it is about two unique people building a life together. The celebration you put together should ultimately reflect your lives, your story
and your future.
One of the best ways to craft that type of personal celebration
is to enlist the help of an event planner. While many people
imagine a planner following a checklist and keeping the day
moving smoothly (and that’s true), one of the most significant
benefits of hiring a consultant is to take advantage of this
person’s ability to help you shape your wedding to be representative
of the two people who are getting married.
Event Producer Scott Corridan of Corridan and Co. is one
of the most sought-after event professionals in the West, and
a firm believer in starting this process by getting to know his
clients.
“Part of my job is to make sure
that people are communicating
during the planning and the
actual event”
~ Victoria Canada
“What it does for me is it gives me an idea of who they really
are. When you start to talk about the things that interest the
couple, such as their families... their favorite vacations...
favorite restaurants, and the type of service they are accustomed
to, it takes the process away from (wanting) page 142 in a magazine.”
Inquiring about a bride’s favorite season, for example, will
yield valuable clues to what will ultimately make her happy onher wedding day. Aside from building an intimate relationship
with his clients, Corridan finds that drawing out the stories
gives him a unique ability to “build celebrations around those
stories.”
Whether it’s a wedding for privacy-seeking celebrities, a
project for Extreme Makeover: Wedding Edition, or an upscale
charity gala, Corridan’s fabulous parties have one thing in common:
they are a personalized reflection of the host or hostess. “No matter who you are, everyone has a story.”
Weaving those stories into the celebration is the hallmark of
local event planners as well. “It’s important that a couple not
feel boxed in by somebody else’s vision,” agrees wedding planner
Amy Mancuso, who brings in couples’ hobbies, professions and
vacation memories as potential elements of style.
Scottsdale event planners Victoria Canada and Charlee
Geisler have observed over the years that incorporating a
couple’s history and lifestyle is what distinguishes one wedding
from another. The right professional will go the extra mile for
his or her clients in an effort to bring their dreams to fruition.
In consultation with her clients, Canada is often able to
identify a “signature visual element or a certain style that...
can help a couple stay on track and achieve a look they love.”
Through thoughtfully planned décor, catering, entertainment,
floral design, and printed materials, a couple can work to make
the wedding unique and meaningful. Heading up the vendor
team with a professional bridal consultant takes much of the
legwork out of this process, allowing the guests of honor to
enjoy their own party.
For many consultants, managing a couple’s needs can also include
a “crisis management” role. Every planner we spoke withhad a story of averting a wedding crisis through quick thinking
and flexibility. From picking up the bride when her limo gets a
flat tire, to replacing a torn veil minutes before the ceremony, to
bringing in generators when the power goes out, handling the
behind-the-scenes drama is within the purview of the experienced
planner.
“It’s important that a couple not feel boxed in by somebody
else’s vision”
~ Amy Mancuso
Having a consultant as the head of your vendor team often
makes the difference between truly enjoying the celebration
and having it blow by in a blur of details. Reflects Geisler, “It is important to be involved in every part of the planning
process. This in turn gives the bride and groom a feeling of confidence
and eases their stress level.” After all, you are the guests
of honor—not just the host and hostess.
All of this stress-relief and bargaining power must surely
come at a steep price. Or does it? Many consultants offer different
levels of service, ranging from day-of coordination to
full-service management. Event planners work within your
budget and are not always an added line item. In fact, with the
consultant’s expertise, negotiating skills and relationships in the
industry, your wedding under the direction of a consultant may
actually come in with a lower bottom line.
Budget management is key when planning any event, particularly
one as emotionally charged as a wedding. Regardless
of budgets, savvy consultants are known for finding a way to let
couples have their cake and eat it too. As the planning progresses,
you just might decide that a rockin’ DJ is more important
than your original idea of flying in 1,000 orchids from Hawaii.
As adjustments occur, event planners coordinate the changes
among the many vendors involved. “What I am interested in
is pulling in as much style into your event as your budget will
allow,” says Corridan.
Among the many benefits of hiring an event planner is garnering
preferred vendors and the ability to negotiate the most
appropriate pricing for each facet of the event. For example,
most couples don’t know exactly how many hours of photography
will be needed on the day of their wedding. An experienced
coordinator will not only accurately calculate how much “coverage”
will be needed, but will also point clients to photographers
who specialize in the style that the couple desires most. This
process saves time as well as money. “It’s critical to assemble
a team that you know and trust (when planning a wedding),”
adds Mancuso.
Capturing a couple’s vision, managing the budget and coordinating
vendors are all significant responsibilities, but some of
their toughest work involves navigating the sometimes treacherous
waters of family relationships. “Part of my job is to make
sure that people are communicating during the planning and
the actual event,” explains Canada. “Because you (the consultant)
aren’t a family member, you can diffuse situations, offer
pep talks when needed, and smooth relationships among family
members.”
Says Mancuso, “If we do our job right, the guests hardly know
we’re there and the bride gets all of the kudos for a wonderful
wedding.” |
