Wedding Planner Myths: You Do or I Do?

There are many preconceived myths about wedding planners. Couples do forget that when you hire a planner, you're actually tapping into their experience and contacts which in the long run will save you money and of course turn your dream into fairytale reality. I chanced upon a well written blog by Jen Wooster-McBride, a wedding planner from Ohio which describes the perceptions that many have about what we do.

You can get Jen's original's post here and also as below.

I recently set up a booth at a local bridal show. As I talked with the brides and grooms I began to realize there are many misconceptions about what a wedding planner (or bridal consultant) can do for you. I then asked a few of my Twitter friends and got some additional feedback. So without further ado here are some of the most common myths about wedding planners and the wedding planning process.

1.I don’t want someone planning my wedding for me- Let’s put it this way, when searching for your first home a real estate agent facilitates the process, guides you and offers advice. They don’t choose which house you buy. That’s your job. Well, wedding planning works the same way. It’s your wedding and every decision is yours to make. A wedding planner acts as your agent. They facilitate the process, take care of the technical aspects and offer advice. It is still and will always be YOUR day.


2.I can’t afford a wedding planner- Did you know it takes 400 hours for the average bride to plan a wedding. That is 10- 40 hour work weeks! Can you really afford to spend that kind of time? Not to mention a wedding planner can save you money through discounts, negotiation and by helping you eliminate unnecessary expenditures.


3.Day of coordination (or weekend) is just the wedding day- Quite simply- No. It depends on the package you purchase but a professional will not just show up on the day with no idea what is going on! A day of coordinator will work with you several months before the wedding to ensure all the details are wrapped up, create a detailed timeline, confirm your vendors, attend the rehearsal and be there on your wedding day to take care of any issues that arise.


4.There isn’t that much to do- My husband volunteered when I was in need of an extra set of hands for a recent wedding. Let’s just say the manual labor was more than he expected. After a full 12 hours he said it was one of the most exhausting work days he ever had. Did I mention he works in construction?


5.I am supposed to want to do this- For some brides, the wedding planning process is heaven. Pretty things they have dreamed about for years. For others it’s hell. Yes hell. It is OK if you don’t like doing the planning but still want to have a rockin’ wedding. A bridal consultant can ease the pain.


6.My friends and family are going to help me- Of course they are! That is what friends are for right? But on that day wouldn’t you rather they enjoy all the little details you have painstakingly picked out? As one of my twitter friends said, “Friends don’t let friends set up”. Or teardown. Leave that to the professionals so you can celebrate with your loved ones. After all isn’t that what weddings are really about?

2010: Bring It On!!

Hello World!

I just love the start of a new year. The smell of hope, love, potential proposals are lingering in the air. If you're one of the lucky girls to be recently engaged, then CONGRATULATIONS! FACT: the wedding planning journey is going to be full of ups, downs & in between.
Some of the things I realized when planning my own wedding were:-

• everyone has an opinion (take it with a pinch of salt, friends & family just love you to bits that they want to share their two cents)
• you will get into silly arguments with your fiance over something that you don't even remember why you're fighting in the first place
• whether you care to admit or not, you do momentarily turn into a 'bride-zilla' and drive everyone around you nuts

Having said that, this is the time to exercise your creative muscles and widen your circle of friendships. May 2010 bring you all lots of success, laughter, love and mouth-watering food. Yeah, isn't it obvious I'm a foodie. :)

Meanwhile, spread the love people!! xoxo


Sherly

Wedding Centrepieces

Floral arragements is quite the norm for wedding centrepiece options. They vary from simple chic arrangements to large exotic ones. Of recent times, brides are giving more attention to centrepieces as they are a big part of the overall wedding decoration. May your budget be little or large; the variety of ideas are endless.

Floral design by Wishing Tree

Pic by The Photoz

Floral design:
3 feet tall glass vases with bundles of calla lilies tied with blooms of lime green cymbidum placed in the vases. Also slanted calla lillies decorated lime green cymbidium orchids and hanging crystal beads tipped with lilac roses petals. At the bottom of the vases, light purple caspia ring with lilac roses and cream candles scattered around the arrangement.

Floral design by Wishing Tree

Pic by The Photoz

Floral design:

Light purple caspia in a vase, arranged with lilac roses and calla lilies and tied with dusty green ribbon and hanging crystals beads with lilac roses petals

Savvy Brides: Getting More for Less!

Congratulations on finding the one person you want to spend the rest of your life with, so the hardest part is over. Now, it’s about finding that someone to oversee all the wedding mayhem which shouldn’t be too difficult. Gone are the days where the young nervous bride timidly gets forced to choose something she doesn’t want whilst her mother dominantly hovers nearby. It’s understandable that brides are cutting their wedding budgets with the economic downturn, but the show still must go on.

So, the golden question that many brides-to-be ponder. “Why do I need to hire a planner?”

Honestly, this is very much an individual’s decision. Wedding planners are not as expensive as what most couples think. We work within your budget and provide everything from supporting the whole wedding process to only the actual wedding day. With the vast cultural diversity in Malaysia, mixed marriages are becoming quite common. Having to plan a simple wedding is a big feat itself, let alone the blending of two different cultures and at times even from opposite continents.

There are even career-focused brides or couples who need to alleviate the pressures of planning a wedding. As for younger brides, they normally look for assistance in personalizing their big day with whimsical, themed weddings.

Whatever you decide, we try to encourage the couple to be part of the planning process and mostly importantly to involve the family even if you’re paying. Any small gestures show that they’re much needed.

Pic by The Photoz