Full Circle Eventi

{You’re Engaged} | Wedding Planning Vendor Etiquette

lmoore

Jan 18 |12:16

Author: lmoore

Hi ladies. Since it is the time for booking and you are meeting tons of new vendors in hopes of finding the right one, I thought it a great time to chat about a little thing called etiquette. It’s often overlooked in our modern era, but still something that is greatly appreciated by everyone.

It pains me to watch shows like Bridezilla, where a bride feels “entitled” to be treated in a specific way just because it’s her wedding day. Believe me, we all want what’s going to make you happy, but that still comes with kindness. There is no need to scream or threaten vendors who are working their hardest to make you happy.

SO, here’s a little list of things to keep in mind when interacting with your vendors. Remember, we are here for you and together we can have an absolutely fantastic day!

Let’s be friends. It will make working together so much more fun!
Understand that we can’t read minds – although we would LOVE to, we need them to communicate openly and from the start.
Trust my advice! That’s why you hired me in the first place, right?
Never change or add things the week of the wedding.
“The golden rule” … it makes life so much more lovely!
Say “thank you.” I know my clients are happy, because they refer their friends, but they rarely say “thanks.”
FEED YOUR VENDORS WHEN IT’S DINNER TIME. oh and treat them like they are actual people with feelings. Because they are!
Only write in an email what you would say to me in person. Email sometimes gives people the courage to be rude.
Be respectful of our time – emails and bids take so much of our busy lives, and simple replies/acknowledgement are a must.
BE HONEST. Don’t be afraid to tell your vendor your REAL budget, ask the questions you’re REALLY thinking.
Meet deadlines. If a client doesn’t approve a proof on time, the vendor can’t produce on time.
You are the bride and everyone is already listening to you with all ears open. There is no need to shout or be rude. Trust that we are looking out for your best interest.
Realize it’s a team effort … As wedding vendors, we try our best to always have back up plans when things go wrong, but can’t always stop something from happening.

{You’re Engaged} | You’ve Got the Ring, Now What?

lmoore

Jan 17 |15:46

Come to Full Circle Eventi! Just joking…or am I! But really, he finally popped the question and after the excitement has begun to wear off, you’re starting the feel the two “P’s” – Panic and Pressure.

First, let’s take a deep breath and let us here at Full Circle Eventi give you a great big Congratulations! Then, let’s get down to business and put it all in Perspective. No point in losing your sanity during the wedding planning process. Here’s are a few guiding questions.

-How much are you willing to spend?

Budges are simply, NOT FUN! So let’s get it out of the way early and be able to have fun with the rest of your planning. The first thing to find out is who is going to contribute to the overall budget. Will you and your fiancé be splitting the cost of the wedding? Will either set of parents or other relatives be helping with the cost? Be is $30,000 or $300,000, your budget will never be enough, so it’s important to set out a plan of action to spend your money. Once you have the final numbers in, keep in mind that generally half of your budget will go to the venue, food and beverage. The rest is for the décor, photographers, dress, etc. Create a list of things that are most important to you and allocate the more money towards the things that will make you happiest over what anyone else suggests.

-When do you want to get married?

Are you a 2011, 2012, or 2013 bride? Are you a summer, winter, spring or fall bride? Answering these simple questions can have a HUGE impact on your planning process. As 2011 has already begun and many bride began planning their 2011 weddings late last year, choice venues may be hard to come by. The same holds true for many vendors you many fall in love with. However, if you’re thinking of a wedding date 8 months or more into the future, the longer you wait, the more breathing room you give yourself. But breathing room often comes with a cost…too much time often leads to second guessing yourself on all your event details. Sometimes having less time saves a lot of headache in the end.

-How many guests do you want?

The guest count can make or break any budget. For instance, a $20,000 budget is incredible for a guest count of 50, but completely unrealistic for a guest count of 400. One of the easiest ways to maintain the budget is to maintain the guest count. The earlier you are able to determine your realistic guest count, the easier it will be to shape your event, giving you more direction. If your guest count spirals out of control and you have a huge count with a small budget, you will need to get more creative in terms of food and décor. On the other hand with a smaller number of guests you’ll find more options within your budget. It goes without saying, but the venue you ultimately choose will have a lot to do with your guest count as well.

-Where do you want to get married?

Your place or mine? Are you going back home to your (or his) place of birth for the wedding? Or maybe somewhere more tropical, like Hawaii? Maybe you want to keep things local? No matter what you decided, it’s an important option to exercise early on, as wedding dates and locations are the first things to be snapped up! Popular dates will also put the pressure on, but once the date is locked in, the rest falls nicely into place. And until you know your wedding date, it’s rather hard to hire key players in your wedding – your vendors. You might consider hiring a wedding planner first, to help you with the location connection.

Once you’ve gathered all this information, dress shopping gets easier as well. Season, location, formality are all things that are reflected in your dress. The last thing you want to DRAG (and I mean drag) down the aisle at your seaside beach wedding is a $15,000 designer St. Pucchi full ballgown. Talk about heat stoke!

(C) StillMotion

I’ve said it once, but let me reiterate it again. The most important thing to do is set your priorities. If flowers and the look of your wedding are all that you care about, then make that a priority in your budget and pull funds from another element. Start with the big things that are important to you, it will make the other choices much easier and stress-free! You can do it!

Full Circle Eventi

{You’re Engaged} | Where Does the Money Go?

lmoore

Jan 11 |10:27

Author: lmoore

I just love questions! And recently you’ve been full of fabulous thoughts and keeping me on my toes. One reason we started the You’re Engaged Series is to answer all those brimming questions that pop up out of nowhere after the ring in on your finger.

I was asked about where the money goes. A client wanted to know exactly what are the biggest factors or areas to budget out for. And as I tell all my personal clients, that is entirely dependent on your personality and style. Sure there are budget estimators out there that tell you to budget 50% for you reception and food costs, but if you’re having a lunch style wedding or a cocktail wedding…you are certainly not going to use $40,000 of you budget. There are many ways to portion out the budget but the best way to approach it is to put money in areas that are important to you.

I do have a word of caution with that HOWEVER. Make sure you’re not sacrificing the comfort of your guests just to pay for décor you really want. Remember, be a gracious hostess!

So, what are the biggest areas to spend money, like I said, it all depends on you. For instance, if couples are big foodies – often the food cost for the wedding will be the biggest factor. They don’t want the $50 a plate chicken picatta they’ve been served at wedding after wedding. They want their guest to experience food in a new and innovative way, which could mean extra costs for high priced cuts of meat, limited seasonal items from their hometown area shipped in for the day, or an overkill of servers to ensure the service with the food is nothing less than spectacular.

On the other hand, I’ve had clients that spared no expense on entertainment for themselves and their guests. They’ve flown renowned pianist in to play stylistic music for their dinner, grooms who’ve made their baraat grand entrances in on elephants, photobooths, strolling tables, and candy girls to entertain their guest throughout the night.

One area that never fails to be a top expense is the venue. Whether all inclusive or separate from the food charge, memorable venues with breath taking views in Michigan, high end hotels chains, and exclusive venues like museums, prove to ask a pretty penny and take up a huge chunk of the budget.

Recently decor has become an increasing cost. As an event designer in Michigan, I’ve seen space after space, as have many of my brides. Since there are only so many venues in Michigan to choose from (around the country for that matter) the way in which a venue is decorated can change the entire appearance of the location. Hundreds of thousands of flowers, custom sewn linens and chair covers, as well as lighting all add up to a huge expense to transform a room from drab to fab!

Keep the questions coming! What are you biggest wedding expenses? Chime in below and leave us a comment or a thought if you liked the article!

{You’re Engaged} | Getting to Know Your Vendors

lmoore

Jan 10 |17:50

Author: lmoore

Getting to know you,
Getting to know all about you.
Getting to like you,
Getting to hope you like me.

A song many of us grew up with from the wonderful musical The King and I. If you didn’t know, I’m a musical theatre lover! This song came to mind after reading a recent article from one of many that end up in my inbox every day. The way in which wedding vendors, and the rest of the world for that matter, market in today’s technologically advance society is much different from decades past. And a lot of it had to do with you dear bride!

Many metro brides are familiar with famous and amazing shoe designer Christian Louboutin. If you’re not, I want to know what desolate part of the world you’ve been living in so I never get sucked in! (J lol) I am in love, no J’adore this man’s designs! They are simply stunning. And in the past, yes, his marketing centralized around traditional runway show and print advertising. But more recently, he and many other designers have begun a new trend of amusing shorts / commercials to promote their products.

“Catwalk shows were good in a period when they were restricted, but now billions of people are interested in having a relationship with a brand, so the emotional appeal is more important than before,” says Marina Garzoni.

That’s right. We have faces and you’ve asked to see them. We’re human. We’re social. You asked and we delivered. Wedding vendors are yearning to creating relationships with you every day, through Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. We want to hear your feedback and answer your questions; that’s what we’re here for. Now, more than ever before in history, you can get to know the team you’re hiring to help you with your wedding planning. But why is this important you ask? Reviews, comments and endorsements are only one way to find out what a vendor is all about. Reading their blogs, checking their Facebook pages, and following them on Twitter creates a personal connection, a friendship. And everyone would rather work with their friends than hire total strangers. So don’t be shy…get to know you’re vendors through various channels and find out the quirks that make them tick like Christian! What channels their creativity? It’s all there for you to read!

Yes, you’ve changed the face of marketing and in a very good way, so take advantage of the opportunities event designers, wedding planners, florist, and photographers are reaching out to you, cause we’re “Getting to hope you like me (us).” It will help you find the perfect vendors for you as well!

{Bridal Couture} | Wedding Gown Designer Ulla Maija Couture

lmoore

Jan 7 |10:40

Author: lmoore

So I am in love with this designer! Be it short and sweet or simple and elegant, it’s a different style that really caught my eye! You know me, I love my extreme and outrageously gorgeous wedding gowns that only the boldest Michigan bride would dare to wear, but there is something about the simplistic elegance of this dress that is both unique and striking!

Perfect for a destination wedding to the Keys during cold Chicago wedding month.

Ulla Maija Couture draws inspiration from designer gowns of the 1950′s & 60′s with references to European grandeur. Traditional, yet very sophisticated and stylish.

Short and sweet, but absolutely adorable. I can see this as a great reception party dress after the elaborate Persian wedding dress selection!

Hands down, my favorite! I see a sophisticated edgy bride pulling this off at her Chaldean wedding or perhaps shower. I love the lace detail and the one shoulder that falls into a sweetheart neckline.