Friday, July 25, 2014

What to Expect from your Day-of-Coordination Service Wedding Package?


     
       Above: An Oliveaire Bride  vs.  Above: Did Not Get a Planner

If you have made the decision to hire a Wedding Planner to manage your Day-of Wedding Coordination, Congratulations, you are now a BLISS Bride.  Today, more and more brides are feeling the stress of their Wedding Day and are opting to let a professional take over to fine tune the details, and to oversee the execution of those details on the day of their Wedding.  By hiring a Day-of Wedding Coordinator, brides can feel relaxed in knowing that the details are handled and all they have to do is completely enjoy the best day of their life.  Since you have decided to give yourself the best wedding present, what should you expect from their Day-of Coordination Planner?  Here are some tips:

Define Expectations:
Remember they are being retained to oversee your day-of details.  This means that you as the bride, will coordinate and plan the details leading up to the Wedding.  A good Wedding Planner will organize all of your details in a flawless execution.  Planners work with a plethora of forms that detail every segment of the Wedding.  Have the planner show you their forms, which will be utilized in executing your event.
Also, a great planner will be there for you regarding your vendors.  There are many aspects with a vendor that you may not realize.  The Day-of Coordinator will contact your vendor & will then be your liaison so you will not have to worry about contacting these vendors before and on the day of.  A Planner will also make sure each vendor has what they need, will schedule them accordingly to your timeline and will make sure they are there on time and completely prepared. 
The best expectation of all is you do not have to worry about a thing on your Wedding Day.  Most Brides do not realize how many intricate details go into planning & executing a Wedding.  By the time it get’s close to the event, Brides who did not hire a Planner seem to want the day to be over with, instead of looking forward to their big day.  This is a day all about you and your new spouse, spending the happiest day of your life with close family and friends and enjoying every single moment of it.  The Planner is to make sure the event goes smoothly, and if there is a small issue, they are to make sure you do not know about it.
  
Hours of Service:
A Day-of-Coordination Package must include at least 11 hours of service.  Typically 1 hour is reserved for rehearsal and 10 hours are for the day of the event.  Use this time wisely!  Planners are extremely important during the beginning of the day.  If your ceremony is planned for 2pm and your make-up/hair, vendor set-up and pictures are scheduled for 11:00am, retain the service from 10:30am to 8:30pm.  If you are not done with the important details by 8:30pm, consider adding a couple of hours to your package.  An Event Assistant is typically included in the package as well. 

How to Choose the Right Planner:
There are some great seasoned planners that may cost more.  And then there are some planners starting out in the business that charge less.  I personally would want the best to take care of my Wedding, especially when so much is invested in it.  I would want someone with experience, so that when it came time to make hard decisions, they will draw from their past events and will make the right decision.  I would also want my planner to have a leadership quality so that clear directions are given to the vendors, and excellent service to my guests.  But most importantly, I would want to make sure that they have a well-trained Event Support team, so that my event is not dependent on just one person.

Cost:
A traditional Day-of-Coordination Package can cost from $2,500.00, for an experience planning company, to $1,200.00 for a novice.  If your event is a sophisticated, detail driven and vendor loaded program, I would opt for an experienced planner.  The $1,300.00 will be well worth paying for, if it means the best are orchestrating your event.  Some ethnic events, with traditions and cultural influence, may require longer hours and multiple days.  For such events, expect to pay slightly more.  The size of the event will impact the price.

What Not to Expect From a Planner:
Planners are there to oversee your vendors, in making sure that they are performing as they have been contracted to do, also making sure Aunt Mae gets her low sodium vegetarian meal, and your Bridesmaid is not lost when it comes time to take pictures.  Resourceful Planners are experts in all arenas of Wedding Planning.  However, they are not florists, photographers, cake decorators, chair cover installers, butlers or bellman.  They are quick to get a team that will deliver these types of services, but cannot be expected to put together your centerpieces on the day of your Wedding.  However, some planners may be able to offer such services for additional cost.  Remember you are paying at least $1,200.00 to your Planner.  If you are using her to add flowers to the table, or move Wedding inventory from the Church to the Reception venue, you are definitely overpaying.  Let your Planner manage the other vendors to most effectively accomplish these tasks.

Your Wedding Day is about you and your Groom.  There should not be any need for a Bride to micromanage her vendors, or stand by the placecard table assisting guests to find their escort cards.  If your budget allows, at a minimum, hire a “Day-of-Coordinator.”  I promise you that you will look back at your Wedding day and know the second most important person on your big day was your Wedding Planner.

 

BBFN (Bridal Bliss For Now), 
Olivia



Thursday, July 3, 2014

How to Write a Maid-Of-Honor Speech in 10 Easy Steps

                The moment you receive the exciting news that you have been chosen to be the Maid-Of-Honor, you are filled with so many happy emotions!  There are a lot of duties as a Maid-of-Honor that every girl looks forward to… helping choose her perfect dress, cake tastings, food tastings, helping her down the aisle and just being her emotional and supportive rock.  With this being said, there is an element of being the Maid-of-Honor that most are nervous about, and maybe even dread… The Maid-of-Honor Speech.  There is a lot of pressure that comes along with preparing and giving this speech, and I am here to make the process a lot easier!  Follow these 10 Easy Steps, and you will be writing a speech that you will be proud of, and one that might even bring a tear to the Bride & Groom!


1.       Do Not, I Repeat, Do Not Procrastinate

I know as the Maid-of-Honor you are busy with all of your fun and not-so-fun duties.  The Bride is counting on you to help her in every way possible, but she is also counting on you to write a meaningful and memorable speech.  With this being said… although you are busy, do not put off writing the speech until the week, or even the day before.  Trust me, when you have more time on your hands, the words will come together beautifully!     

2.       Know Your Audience

Knowing your Audience can be difficult, yet it is important to know the demographics of who you are speaking to.   Asking the Bride & Groom can be a great resource to review you on who will be attending the wedding, and what the best style of speech they would recommend.  Say your audience is mostly above the age of 50 and they are more of a serious group.  I would not recommend telling a lot of jokes, and I definitely wouldn’t recommend talking about those “good old college days”.  Knowing your audience will not only bring you a sense of comfort, but it will also help create a speech that the guests will appreciate.  

3.       Keep It Short & Sweet

Unfortunately, we see this mistake all of the time.  The Maid-of-Honor’s Speech is way too long, and you can tell she has lost the audience.  There is not a need to tell every moment you two had together...  You are standing there as the Maid-of-Honor, they all know how close you are.  So make it short and sweet and try to keep it at the most 2 to 3 minutes!

4.       Take This Seriously

Your Best Friend/Sister/Cousin/etc. has put you in this position because they trust you to take this speech seriously.  Be completely mature about the whole thing, and remember who is counting on you.  Although it may seem like a quick little speech, it is something the Bride is really looking forward to!

5.       Start with a Story

Starting with a quick story will set the mood for the rest of your speech.  If you would like your speech to be upbeat and funny, start with a silly (and appropriate) story of you and the Bride.  If you want the speech to be emotional, start with one that maybe brought you both together or a moment where you truly bonded.  Whatever this story may be, remember your audience, and make sure that it is one the couple will truly enjoy. 

6.       Go Down Memory Lane

Included with your initial story, also tell another story of a funny and/or touching moment you had with the Bride or with the couple.  This could be childhood memories, how you first met, when they first met, or a time you spent with both of them together.  Make it one that will touch their hearts and possibly make them laugh.  Whatever it is, make it a memory that they will appreciate reminiscing with you and their guests. 

7.       Why They’re Meant To Be

This is critical to any Maid-of-Honor Speech.  Letting them know what you see in both of them and how it makes them perfect together, can truly be a tear jerker.  This could be a story on how they met, a story on how they act together,  or maybe even the time that she came to you and told you he was the one.  Validating that they belong together is a beautiful moment for the couple and for your audience.

8.       Stay Calm, Cool & Collected 

Although you may feel a lot of pressure to deliver the perfect speech, just remember… there is no such thing as a perfect speech!  All you need to remember is to express your emotions, let them know how much they mean to you, and hey, if you’re confident in your humor, throw in a good joke or two.  Whatever your style may be, just stay calm, cool & collected, and know that the Bride has given you this position, which means she completely believes in you!

9.       Practice, Practice, Practice!

You may feel confident in your speaking abilities… or you may not… either way, practice is key!  Standing in front of a mirror, or speaking to your family/friends beforehand, will help tremendously, and can only boost your confidence!  If you have gone over it many times and still don’t seem to have grasped it completely, it doesn’t hurt to make notecards.  Notecards can be there for you as an outline and help guide you throughout your speech!  Whatever your style may be, practicing will go a long way, and you’ll be glad you did

10.   Most Importantly… Be Yourself!


The Bride loves you for who you are; so remember when writing and presenting your speech to be your complete self!  This is the most important advice I can give you when writing and giving your Maid-of-Honor speech… Give it your all and have it come from your big heart!  If you at least follow this step, I promise, it will come together perfectly!


BBFN (Bridal Bliss For Now),
Olivia