Getting Through the Hard Times

Hi Everyone,

This year has really been a challenge so far. The economy sucks (excuse the word), but it really does. I feel so bad for all the people losing jobs, being laid off, not having insurance and wondering if the economy will ever pick back up. It is the same for Wedding Planners and everyone in the wedding industry. Yes, I know that there will always be Brides and Weddings, but the economy has hit all of them very hard.

It has been a challenge to me lately making sure my brides get what they want at a price that fits into the budget. I generally start with a bride 12 to 18 months before the wedding and they know what the budget is at that time, but then hours are cut or a layoff happens and the budget has shrunk in size and it is up to me to make sure I can still fit in everything they need and sacrifice some of the wants for them. I feel like I have shattered a few dreams lately and I do not like that feeling at all.

Finding the perfect venue and vendors for everything never seemed as difficult as it does today. I have cut the prices of my packages to help out with some of the expense. The hardest part is letting a bride know that as much as she wants something it can not happen unless she is willing to give up something else.

Wedding Planners have hearts and mine breaks for my brides when they can not afford something that they really want. I have begun to take the let's try it and see approach...

Switch to this to have that...let me explain a little so that you understand...

Go with the White table linen that your venue has or rent them at very low prices. White can be the backdrop for everything else. Overlays become expensive and adds to the budget. Think of ways to incorporate your color into the table without spending a fortune....

Rose petals (sprinkle them all over the table not just by the centerpieces)
Gems (acrylic and shiny, sprinkle them all around in your shades)
Leaves (Go outside and be creative in the size, either to sprinkle or to lay flat on the table)
Grass (think green...it is free and everyone will welcome you to cut the grass)
Flowers (be it silk or real hit the stores buy clearance, if real let them dry, instant wow)
Candles and votive holders (change from a white or ivory candle to the color of your wedding)

Check websites for clearance items (I do this for my brides)

I hope to write again soon on this blog and bring a few tips that might help. If you have any tips you would like to share email them to me and I will share them on my website as well as this blog.
Take care!

Wow, My first year as come and gone, it's great!

My first year as a Wedding/Event Planner was everything I dreamed it would be. I have to thank my family for all of the help they offered without getting paid. I feel bad I did work them hard, but in the end...each wedding I did was so beautiful and something we could all be proud of.
My brides...I have to say I adored each one. They were all so different and each wedding so different that it gave me so much insight into what brides are looking for. They want the elegance of a grand affair, but they want the price of a low budget affair and I worked so hard to make sure that what they wanted was done and on the budget they had to spend.

My son's wedding is my last one for this year and I have to say I am so excited! It is a winter theme, with the blues and silvers with glimmer whites and sparkle. The guest list grew some now around 160 guest, but with all the ways I have learned to save on everything it is alright, no stress, except for the fact that he is my baby boy.

I already have a few weddings booked for next year and I am just as excited to really starting to pull them together. My bride in CA. was here in July and we had a wonderful time together with her family at tastings, photographer and florist. Hers will be an outside wedding in April, working on the tent to make sure it will be big enough and securing a heat source as well, in Ohio it could be snowing in April.

If anyone is interested in setting up a consult, please visit my website www.partyplannersplus.vpweb.com and email me with info and we can put something together providing the date is available, or if you have any questions I can help try and answer them for you. Oh, I am selling Favor's on the website now...Bulk items on on there but if you need a smaller or larger quantity let me know...these are great prices!

Take care,
Nora
Party Planners plus