One must remember, there is nothing better than being “face to face” and carrying on a conversation that is more than 140 characters at a time.

At this evening’s NACE (National Association of Catering Executives) Hawaii chapter meeting, we not only learned more about social media and the constant changes to be aware of,  but more importantly, we had the opportunity to talk with new potential members and learn more about them on a personal level and re-connect with other event industry peers.

As a planner, we’re always helping our clients find vendors that are most suitable for them, and sitting down and “talking story’ it gives us invaluable insight into their passion for their business, but we also get to learn more about them on a personal level which actually helps you.

It is not uncommon to have some changes in wedding colors  and/or type of flowers used after bridal dresses are decided upon or needing to scale back due to budget restrictions.

It is unusual, however, to have a complete “re-design” of a wedding after 7-9 months of design concepts, purchasing decor elements around the original concept and changing only 2-4 months before the wedding date.

So what happens now?     First of all it depends on when it happens on whether it may be done.

It usually may be done, but additional expenses will be incurred to start from scratch.   Keep in mind that anywhere from 12-20 hours were already spent on floral design concepts based on your initial theme between your florist and wedding planner.

The florist only provides a total of four revisions and all additional time charged (reference the cost of revisions)  http://hawaiiweddingsandevents.com/weddingplannerblog/2012/04/the-cost-of-revisions/

Several years ago, we had one client that changed from a very vintage antique type theme to elegant with Swarovski crystals.   This was unfortunately done only 2 months prior to the wedding date which created alot of stress for everyone as we were now in the peak of wedding season with very limited time to schedule the florist, venue, linen vendor, ourselves and the couple who also had a busy schedule.  In the end, we were able to make the changes, but they ended up paying for additional design, additional consulting/meeting time with vendors as well as a second mock centerpiece.

What can you do to help avoid these additional fees?

1.   Create a visions board or use Pinterest to gather your ideas.

2.  Before working on floral design, decor elements and special linens relook at your visions and ensure that this is still what you are looking for your special day.

3.  If you’re still not quite certain, consult with your wedding planner about getting a florist locked in for your wedding date so you have someone, but don’t start working on the design until closer to the wedding date.     We often tell our clients that there is “toggle time” and then there is “decision time.”   Toggle time is when you gather your inspirations and keep going back and forth with your ideas.  Decision time is when we need a definitive answer so we my proceed full speed in getting everything accomplished for your wedding day.

4.  Understand that if you do end up completely changing your theme, you are going to incur additional costs.   Pretty much anything may be done, but there will be fees associated in making the changes.

Airlines implemented “change fees” many years ago to force travelers to really think about their travel plans and to ensure their dates, times, location, etc. were all correct before booking.     Similarly, more and more vendors are starting to implement a change fee after the 2nd, 3rd or 4th revision of a video edit, flower order, menu change, timeline modification, etc.

Why are they suddently charging for revisions?   The reason why these fees are starting to be implemented is due to an overwhelming increase in clients who constantly send changes” little by little” versus carefully reviewing all details and giving vendors one consolidated list of changes.

“Time is money” so the intention of this new practice is so that clients slow down and take the time to really think about what they want and thoroughly review all details.    The alternative to charging revision fees would be for vendors to increase their pricing to compensate for all of the extra hours they are putting in which in turn would penalize those that are considerate of their time.

Why only the first two?

Due to the amount of time that we devote to serving the client in this package, we limit the number of full service packages to only two per month/per Hawaii Weddings and Events coordinator.

Why would you offer another $500 savings off a package that already is super-value added?

1. We would like to reward couples that reserve their wedding date early.

2. From experience, we know we can be of better service to you if we are assisting from “beginning to end” as we can help avoid costly mistakes, ensure what you envision may be done within the set-up time allotted time and keep your stress level down during the planning process so you may enjoy your engagement.

Through the planning process we are able to get to know more about you and incorporate “special touches” into your wedding day that bring out your unique personalities.

3. We love to assist clients with their event design!

What are the applicable dates of this promotion?

We will starting reserving “First Two” packages on May 1, 2012 for weddings that are between January 2013 to August 2013.  We may also book September-December 2013 weddings, but we do not start working on files until 15 months in advance of wedding date.

What are the restrictions of this package?

The “For Sanity’s Sake” package is limited to two bookings within a given month, so please contact us directly to check current availability.

How many weddings do you do in a month?

It depends on the scope of services that we are providing, Hawaii Weddings and Events believes in quality, not quantity, as we want every bride to experience a beautiful Hawaii wedding.

We offer beach weddings, day-of wedding management, partnership planning and also consulting services such as budget review and event design.

Photo courtesy of Jose Roces (please note that some picture were taken before reception was completely set-up which is why one table does not have flowers yet as they were transferred from ceremony)

What is your target pricing?   The answer to this is going to be different for each and every on of you.  These are the things to consider:

1.   What is the value of your experience?    Are you relatively new to the field with limited experience or do you have years of experience under your belt?

2.  What is your market?     In weddings, there are those that focus on very simple beach weddings, those that only serve the luxury market, others that have the capacity to do weddings and other social and/or corporate events.

3.   How do you measure up to your competition?      So you’ve heard that your competitor charges $500 more for their services than you do.   Does this mean that you should automatically increase your pricing?    The answer is NO.     Why?

Let’s use the example of a DJ/Emcee.     There are various levels of DJ and emcee services.   One may be a higher priced, but keep in mind that they also use a Bose system, they have a special covering for their DJ booth to cover the cords, are a much more polished emcee who rehearses pronunciations in advance of the wedding day,, annually attend DJ conferences to keep abreast of current trends, offer extra services such as remixes, voiceovers, games and other activities, etc.       If you are not providing any more in terms of services, time or upgraded equipment, how can you justify increasing your pricing to match theirs?

Our rates and planning packages have evolved over the years.   We are not the lowest priced, and we’re definitely not the highest, but have developed our pricing based on what is fair and reasonable for the experience that we bring to the table and the amount of time we devote to the success of each and every event which is reflected in our reviews http://www.weddingwire.com/reviews/hawaii-weddings-and-events-honolulu/20e45160b6edc0ab.html

These are the reasons why:

1.   Hotel venues will typically re-review their rates every year and most often do increase by a certain percentage.    If you book early, you can lock in 2012 rates (excluding menu pricing) and may potentiall lock in current service charge rate

2.  Off-premise venues also re-review their rates every year due to rising property tax costs.  If you book early you will be locked into 2012 rates.

3.  Many vendors will adjust their rates every year due to cost of living allowances or new services.       By booking early, you not only save money, but you have more opportunities to secure the vendors that you want, versus getting who is left.

In speaking with other vendors, we’ve found that 2013 is going to be a very busy year.

We already know of one cake company that is already completely booked May, June and July and know of a florist that is locking in 2012 flower rates as an added incentive to book early.

This year we actually decided to focus more on full-service planning which allows us to better serve our valued clients by saving them from costly mistakes while still being able to keep a roof over our heads.

This new direction was the best decision we could make as our company’s core philosophy has always been ”service excellence” and when you’re doing back-to-back events you’re just not able to give everyone 100%.

By splitting our events between Dianna, Wai and Ramona, we’re all able to give the time and attention that our couples deserve.  We’re also able to keep a balance in our own personal lives which makes us more productive and fosters creativity which in turn better serves you.

As we are purposely not running at full capacity, we are usually able to help couples that realize less than 2 months out from their wedding day that things aren’t quite coming together as much as they thought.   We do still offer  “day of” wedding management which still includes 20-30 hours of pre-wedding work to cross check all details, review contracts, ensuring your timeline is realistic, reconfirming vendors and of course being your “go to” person on the wedding day.

We consider helping you with one of the MOST important days in your life an honor, it is not simply a job, but something that we have a deep passion for.     When a client gives you the creative freedom to do what you think will look or work best it makes the entire process even more special because you can try out new things.

When you trust your vendors and understand they have your best interest at heart, you’ll find that the whole experience will be beyond your expectations.

Our newest couple just booked us for May 2012 (yes, just two months away), and as their wedding date drew closer they found that things were not getting done and the coordinator who was a “friend of a friend” also had a new full time job.    Unfortunately, this has caused the couple a great deal of stress, they lost their non-refundable deposit with their old coordinator and we will be picking up the pieces and putting together all the pieces of their “wedding puzzle” to ensure everything is taken care of and they can sleep at night.

We’ve had this situation happen a few other times, so we want to share some tips with you so that the same thing does not happen to you.

1.   USEFUL INFORMATION:    Is the business licensed?  Do they have a certificate of insurance (many venues are now requiring this from all vendors?    Are there reviews from past brides (ie: Wedding Wire, Yelp, The Knot, etc.) that can give you insight on their experience level and how they helped the couple?

2.  SOUND REASONING:    Are they able to be your “voice of reason” to ensure you are making the best decisions?      Do you feel comfortable with them?    Is every answer “no problem?”     A professional will let you know if there are any challenges, what may or may not be done, alternative options or what the costs may be to achieve the goal.

3.  COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW THROUGH:   How many events do they take in a month?  How long will it take to follow up on requests?     Do they keep you posted on progress?

4.  HELPFUL FRAME:    Do they simply answer your questions, or do they help you with additional suggestions or recommendations you may not have thought of?    How do they help you keep on track with your planning?

5.  CLEAR VALUES:    What is their company core values?     Our core principle is service excellence and providing fair and reasonable pricing in consideration of the level of experience and the number of hours we devote to your special day.      We have also given back to our community by participating in “Wedding of a Lifetime” for three years and give our time to teach future event planners about our industry through our non-paid internship program.

6.  CREATIVE ALTERNATIVES:     Have they given you other ideas you may not have considered or alternative venues that may be better suited for your vision or budget?     Did they give you the option to customize a package that may be more suited for you?

Each couple has different personalities, needs and desires which is why there are a variety of vendors to choose from.   Our goal is to ensure that you are working with reputable and professional vendors so that you may have an Amazing, Fun and Stress-Free wedding day.

Ten years ago, only the rich and famous had a wedding planner.  In today’s busy world, every day people like you and me are hiring a wedding planner or day-of coordinator (there is a distinct difference).

We understand that when you’re trying to plan your wedding on a budget, a wedding planner or a day-of coordinator are usually the first to go.      We know that not every bride can afford a planner and we also understand that there are still many that either do not understand what a wedding planner or day-of coordinator really does.

So what does a wedding planner actually DO?

We provide a service.  Can you do this yourself?   Yes, much like you can change your own oil, do your own plumbing, or make your own invitations, cook your own dinner, it can be done, but do you want to do it?   What you pay for is the convenience of having someone else worry about it…..that is the very nature of hiring a professional in the service industry.

We do have many brides that are very detailed oriented with great ideas so they may only need someone to help tie it all together and we’re delighted to partner with them.

We also have others that have never been to a wedding, are self-admitted procrastinators or just too busy with work and school to devote much time to planning and need a wedding planner to guide them through the entire planning process.

Lastly, we have couples that inquire and say  “we don’t NEED a coordinator but the venue requires one.”   These are the ones that do not have an appreciation for our profession,  so we may decline the event as we would much rather save the date for a couple that WANTS a planner.

We are the unbiased and neutral party.   As we have no ties with your family members and friends, we are able to handle dysfunctional family situations gracefully and without drama.  We are able to bring your vision to fruition even if your mother or friends keep trying to create the wedding of their dreams and not yours.

We are looking at the big picture.   Unlike all of your other vendors who are focused in on their service or product, we are looking at the entire day.     As you are focusing on all the “little” details like ordering your cake topper, or sand ceremony vessels, or updating your guest list with two more guests, we are looking at the logistics to avoid “issues” on the wedding day.  How big is the cake topper?    Will it fit on the cake you ordered?    How heavy is the cake topper?  Does the top tier of the cake need to be reinforced so it doesn’t sink in?    Has the florist been advised that you no longer need flowers for the top tier of your cake?   Was a table and linen ordered for the sand ceremony at the ceremony sie?  Are the vessels wide or heavy enough that they don’t topple over in the wind?   Do we need to change the table size and linen size to accommodate those last two guests?

We are not a guest.  Yes, your friends and family “could” help on your wedding day but will get distracted.   Guests should be able to fully immerse themselves in your wedding and not worry about making sure the caterer is setting the food out, that the DJ is set to go with your next song selection, the cocktail waitresses are passing out your specialty drink, or that you have your garter belt on before the garter toss.  You don’t have to worry about us having a good time — trust me,  when we see you and your guests enjoying themselves, we do.

We are your “go to” person.   A groomsman broke a boutonnierre pin and doesn’t know what to do?     The cake arrived and the flower girl stuck her finger in it, what do you do?     The rubber on your mothers’ heel broke and you don’t have shoe glue?      The rental company forgot to bring your champagne flutes?    How would you handle it when the florist’s van breaks down on the way to the site and you need your bouquet in 30 minutes for your pre-bridal photos.?    Do you want to be the one that has to cut-off a guest that has had too much to drink?   Would you want to be dealing with these things while you’re getting your hair and make up done?     All of these situations have happened, but they were resolved by the wedding coordinator and the couple didn’t know anything about it.

We keep your best interests in mind.     What other vendor is going to try and save you money or at least ensure that you are getting a good value and not buying more than what you need?   We are your trusted advisor, we will give you honest and constructive feedback.    We will be your voice of reason if you do decide to splurge on something that costs $500 when you were worried about $50 the week before.

So as you are starting your planning, ask yourself the question……do we NEED a Hawaii wedding planner, or do we WANT one?