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Wedding Advice

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WHAT'S THE "T" ON WEDDING PLANNERS?

Elise Schmitz Wedding Planner Ottawa

Last week we played a little IG game. We asked you 5 questions and answered 3 of them in our last blog post. Two remain. And so i’m here again to break those down for you.

should you take your wedding planners advice as suggestion or fact?

If you do your back-ground homework, interview and find the right planner for you- you should take your planners advice as FACT. After all why would you choose to work with someone you don’t trust? A good planner will have the experience to help you understand what you want, how to get it or at the very least let you know why something isn’t attainable. It’s also your planners job to educate you in why things work the way they do, why things cost what they do and so on. I humbly request complete trust from my clients if they’re going to move forward in planning and designing with us. The advice I give is based on facts. But if you choose to sway another way and make decisions counter to our advice, you at least have the proper information to make an informed decision and we can course correct as needed on the fly. It’s all too familiar to us when clients have ideas and requests we know just wont work because we’ve tried them before- and it was a mistake we’ve learned from. Many clients forget the “human element” in events. There is always an organic flow to the days events and the ideas you may want to incorporate or timing you think something will take- changes when we include the “human element”.


I only have a small wedding of 50ppl, im super easy going about everything so I don't need a planner, right?!

Wrong! Even the smallest wedding has all the same basic logistics as any large 200 + guest list event. You might think your wedding may be less complicated but you still need all the same basic vendors everyone needs. Hair, makeup, decor, cake, transportation, dj, photographer, videographer, musicians, officiant, invitations, catering, venue, flowers, etc etc which all takes intentional planning. Don’t kid yourself, on your wedding day you’ll be stuck in a makeup chair or in front of a camera which mean you won’t have time to deal with any issues which may arise. I guarantee you won’t be able to find your cellphone to answer any vendor calls anyways;) Sure you can hope to rely on family members, but when the stakes are high and you’ve taken so much time in preparing the details, it’s best not to be disappointed if Aunt Becky forgot to put your placecards out or couldn’t find the box with your favors…

These insights really just scratch the surface of what wedding planners do. The tip of the iceberg. Each wedding planner is different so it’s important to understand how involved they will be on your wedding day and during the planning process.

So that officially wraps up “What’s the T”. Keep scrolling down to see last weeks Part 1 if you haven’t already had the pleasure ;)

Always keepin’ it real for you,

xox Eliza


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GUEST LIST 911

Your budget depends on it and choosing your guest list might be one of the biggest hurdles in the wedding planning process. It's no easy task and many clients ask this question expecting me to have the answer. It's a delicate matter and any advice I provide you is mearly food for thought as you know your friends and family best. So I'll let you now what I tell them...

 

HAVE THE BIG PICTURE TALK

Being newly engaged can be exciting and emotions can quickly get out of control and the big picture- lost from sight. Before you start talking about your wedding plans with friends and family it's important to discuss exactly how you "realistically" envision your wedding day. Doing this now will ensure there's no back tracking or quick thinking white lies.... I feel bad for using the words "white lies" but you know it, and I know it - it happens. No judgement here girl!

So ask yourself a few questions like; Do I want a large wedding? What's the overall vibe you'de like? Are you dreaming of an intimate wine country fete or a relaxed urban industrial gathering of friends? Or better yet...... ask your fiance...he/she might have some input;)

 

THE PRIORITIES TALK

Since you've collectively honed in on your vision it's time to talk priorities. It's the number one factor your wedding is built upon and how you'll be spending your hard earned moullah. So circling back; on the day of your wedding what is the most important element and whic details do you value most? Is it a killer diner menu? Location? Decor?....the list goes on, but pin pointing these elements on a scale of 1 to 10 are mucho important. This might lead you to realize your guest list must be reassessed. 

 

THE B TALK

Yeah I said it! The "B" word- budget. I hate the word, and it pains me just as much as you. But it's a uncomfortable yet responsible conversation every bride and groom needs to have. Know that the first budget you think is appropriate is probably not enough. We're constantly fed wedding inspo that unattainable and the sticker price can be shocking. but don't cheap out on those priorities we just talked about. Spend your money where you feel there is value. Good wedding planners can help you work those dollars and provide you with creative ideas on how to trick your guest into thinking you had more then you actually did. Once you have your budget nailed down ad that wiggle room and make sure you include tax and grat into your budget sheet. 

 

GOTTA CUT TALK

So your B talk ended up in the realization that you might not be able to invite everyone and their pet.....which is why I made this cool little chart! Enjoy, and happy chop-chop!

 

 

Guest List 911 Chart

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