Q&A

The 2024 Engagement Season runs from Thanksgiving Week to February 14th, Valentine's Day. This is the ideal time to start planning your wedding and booking vendors. While you can secure vendors for the 2024 Wedding Season, from May to September, your options will be more limited then.

Q&A

What happens after we get engaged?

Spread the News! Consider sending an engagement announcement. There are various wedding websites to help with this, along with planning bachelor and bachelorette parties, save the dates, and invitations. If you hire me, I can set up your own website.

Set a Budget. Discuss your budget with your partner and anyone else who will help pay. Clear boundaries are a healthy start to your planning and marriage.

With the budget in place, decide if you will hire a Full Planning Coordinator or manage the venue selection and details yourselves. Whether you have a coordinator or not, the next step is to choose a venue, which will depend on your guest count. Create a tentative guest list to help with venue selection.

Venue Selection will involve deciding on:

• Coordinator

• Tables and Chairs

• Catering

• Bar

• Linens

• Venue incentives (floral or coordination budget)

• Votive candles

• Table Numbers

• Glassware, China, and Silverware

• Cake Stand

• Napkins

Next, if you used a coordinator, they will assist with your needs and vendor recommendations.

Once the venue is booked, focus on catering and the DJ, as they play a crucial role in setting the event's atmosphere and keeping guests engaged. Good DJs tend to book quickly, so reserve one soon.

Finally, consider hiring a photographer to capture the visual memories. They also fill up fast during engagement season.

Rates:

With my wedding industry experience, we can reduce meetings. I provide support through video calls, texts, emails, and social media. I've collaborated with most venues, and all packages include these communication options.

Wedding Size: Rates stay consistent whether there are 50 or 200 guests. Staying organized with information sheets helps keep everything on track. In 2019, I coordinated 32 weddings, mostly with over 150 guests, and only needed help once with flowers.

If you have extra personal decor, we’ll discuss how to fit it into your package. I don’t have hidden fees or take commissions from vendor referrals.

Extras: All packages are all-inclusive, covering setup for dessert/cake tables and other special tables.

Q&A  Choosing a Coordinator:

When choosing vendors, consider the challenges they’ve faced and how they dealt with them. At every wedding, something goes wrong. For example, a DJ canceled at 6 AM, a cake was dropped, an officiant was in a car accident, and the catering arrived three hours late at two weddings I coordinated. I had to creatively solve issues, like providing glassware for 200 guests, all while ensuring the couple was unaware of any problems until the event was over.

Q&A Coordinator Go Bag, do they have one?

Items in my collection include: floral tape, floral clippers, safety pins (white and black), hem tape, cold tablets, Dramamine, Benadryl, hairspray, bobby pins, chargers, lighters, makeup remover, Tide Stick, glue dots, ribbon, straight pins, nail clippers, bling tape, fairy lights (in case of lighting issues), and a small vase, among others.

Challenges faced: A heatwave ruined floral orders for a wedding reception of 225 guests. We also deal with unpredictable winds, fire risks, COVID, and air quality concerns. Plus, there are family members who won’t talk but still need to be in family photos together.

Q&A Do I Need more than one Coordinator for the day of or planning process?

Being organized and experienced, we’ll complete our information sheets together ahead of time, ensuring a smooth and stress-free planning process. I have coordinated over 32 weddings in one season, handling weddings almost every weekend, with most having over 150 guests. I only needed an assistant once when I managed the floral arrangements myself. If you have a lot of personal decor, we’ll discuss your needs, and it will be included in your package. I don’t charge extra fees or take commissions from vendors. As a DIY enthusiast who understands budgets, I keep my rates lower than other companies that have multiple coordinators and overhead costs. I also have a backup coordinator in case of emergencies, but I prioritize your trust and connection with me throughout the planning process. I've heard many couples dislike having their coordinator switched last minute, and I aim to provide the continuity and care you deserve.