Wedding Hats - For the Bride

I recently saw this picture of a bride in a white pantsuit with a big straw hat and thought "The hat makes this look fabulous!" 

Carolina Herrera

So I ask you: Would you forgo the usual wedding headpiece and veil to choose a stylish hat instead?

Photo credit

Bel Aire (Style 6248)

Photo Credit

Planning a Wedding in 6 Months or Less?

CALL ME!

You need a wedding planner to help you get everything done in 1/2 the time it takes the average bride to plan a wedding.

I do a lot of networking with other wedding professionals, which gives me an advantage over the bride who is going it alone. I can make a few calls to get you a list of the professionals and venues who are still available for your date.

I can take it a step further to save you time and money by only connecting you to those professionals that are within your budget. You don't have time to waste having conversations with anyone you can't afford to hire... and quite frankly, they don't want you to waste their time either. 

AND I can help you with all of the things you can't do while you are at work or in school.

Ready to talk? Meet me for coffee or a cocktail (my treat) to talk about everything you are trying to get done. Visit our website to set a date & time.

Philly Wedding Planning Bootcamp Returns

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND

In March 2012, Always Fabulous Events presented the very first Wedding Planning Bootcamp at The Brossman Center in Germantown. After it was over and the recap was posted on our blog, we were approached by more brides and wedding professionals asking when we would do it again.

THE WAIT IS OVER

We are hosting the next Wedding Planning Bootcamp this fall at Wyndham Garden Hotel near the Philadelphia Airport.

Learn the secrets to planning your dream wedding from establishing spending limits to choosing your wedding professionals. Get expert advice for hundreds of dollars LESS than you'd normally pay for individual consultations.

The cost to attend this workshop is $25 for the bride + 1 guest.

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL: Take $5 off the admission price - Now thru Sept 3.

For complete details and registration, visit http://phillywpbootcamp.eventbrite.com

Philly Wedding Planning Bootcamp 3.31.12

On March 31, 2012, Always Fabulous Events took over The Brossman Center @ Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia along with other local wedding industry experts to whip a few brides' MINDS into shape as they plan their weddings. 

The event space welcomed spring with apple green & hot pink linens, flowers, and lighting. Each registered guest received a swag bag full of goodies and a personalized wedding resource guide. 

As the hostess and event planner, I opened the event with information about planning the wedding budget. This included tips about having the initial conversations with everyone planning to make financial contributions to the wedding fund, how to set up a realistic budget, and the next steps to plan the wedding after the spending limits and priorities have been established. Then each wedding professional took a turn discussing their specific area of expertise. 

We learned a lot, had a few laughs, and ate amazingly delicious cake. 

We couldn't have done any of this without the support of our fabulous presenters and sponsors: 

Venue: Rita Faison of The Brossman Center @ LTSP

Lighting: Gene Durbano of DJs Available Sound & Light

Cake: Rafael Logrono of Rafael Logrono Cake Design

Filmography: Darrell Aubert of Aubert Films

Photography: Sarah Wimberley of FlickFoto

Invitations: Christina Carnevale of Paper Rock Scissors

Dance: Lynn MacKerell of Siti Dance Studio

Honeymoon Planning: Mattie Johnson of C'est Chic Vacations

Music: DJ 007 of Untouchable Entertainment Group

Linens: Gala Cloths

Flowers: Kremp Florist

And special thanks to all of our registered guests for coming out and being a fun group to work with. We look forward to doing another event like this later in the year. If you are interested in participating as a bride/groom, presenter, or sponsor, please email us at info@alwaysfabulousevents.com.

Highlights from Weddings Past

Contributing Photographers:

• Brandon Hall
• Casual Candids Photography
• Faith West Photography
• Monika Broz
• Photography by Kelly

And in this corner...

Recently, a past client came to me for help because she was unable to get in touch with one of the professionals who worked on her wedding and still had outstanding deliverables. She said her calls were not being returned and she was getting no reply to her emails. She finally sent a message to the professional's personal Facebook inbox. Guess what... he responded!

Happy ending? Not so much.

When the professional responded on Facebook, he said he would deliver the final product within a vague, but short time frame. When that time came and went, the newlywed client became more frustrated. She felt like she had been bamboozled and that her business wasn't important to him.

This is where I come in. Our new bride asked me to get in touch with this professional on her behalf because she didn't think she was getting anywhere with him on her own. Before contacting him, I reviewed their contract to determine the agreed upon timeline for delivering the final product. According to the contract, the product was to be delivered within 6 1/2 months or the professional would contact the client to discuss any delays. OK... not a huge problem. We were just a few days over 7 months since the wedding, so I asked the professional to contact the client to give her update.

I got a response within a couple of hours. Unfortunately, it wasn't what I expected. I was basically told to mind my business. Once I was removed from the line of communication, everything seemed to go downhill. Tempers boiled and the emails between the client and the professional became more and more heated. Ultimately, the client gave the professional 2 weeks to deliver. Equally aggravated, the professional blasted the client for being unappreciative of his craft and having unreasonable expectations. Ultimately, he told her he would send her video within a few days just so he would never have to speak to her again.

Having an impartial mediator such as a wedding planner, to deal with sticky situations like these, is like an insurance policy for your sanity. Just as you don't want to have to address craziness on your wedding day, you shouldn't have to stress about your wedding months after it is over. Wedding professionals should also appreciate this service because they don't have to worry about emotions getting in the way. Wedding professionals who work well with wedding planners also run a lower risk of getting a negative review from brides. Lastly, wedding professionals who work well with wedding planners also have a higher chance of being recommended in the future.

Please note that this scenario would have gone in a different direction if my client had hired this wedding professional based on my recommendation.

Ask the Wedding Planner: Cake & Punch

Hi Randi

My cousin is getting married... they want to get married in a church and have only certain people be invited to an intimate dinner for the reception. so my question is how do you word the invitations to let people know that there is no reception?

Also do you think it is tacky to have a card box at the church for people that come to the wedding and want to give a card?

Thanks Randi for your input.
MB


Hi MB

I would definitely advise against having a card box at the church if there is no reception at all.

Your cousin can do a cocktail hour (or cake and punch) at the church and then go to dinner after? This will eliminate the awkwardness of having no reception.

If she is doing cake & punch at the church, then the invitation can say "Cake and punch reception immediately following ceremony".

She can then add a reception card and a different RSVP card to the invitations for the intimate dinner. She may want to include a note to let them know that this is an exclusive dinner invitation so the people invited don't start asking others if they are going.

I hope this is helpful. I'd love to hear how it all turns out.

Have a FABULOUS day!
Randi

Before You Meet with a Wedding Planner...

Photo from Cinema.com

Believe it or not, you have to do a little bit of homework before you meet with a wedding planner. The planner will ask you a few qualifying questions in advance to determine whether or not you will be a good match.

1. What is your budget?
The answer to this question should never be "We don't have one." This is not a trick question. It's ok to give a range but even Donald Trump has a spending limit. This allows the wedding planner to start thinking about the possibilities for your wedding design, venues, professionals, etc.

2. How many guests will attend your wedding?
Naturally, this question will follow the budget question because it allows the wedding planner to know if your budget-to-guest ratio is realistic. If you set your budget at $5000 and invite 250 guests, then you probably can't afford some of the professionals in her rolodex.

3. Have you chosen any wedding professionals yet?
It's ok to say no. This helps the planner determine whether you have hired professionals they have worked with in the past or are familiar with. It also gives them a glimpse into the style of wedding you want.

4. Describe your dream wedding.
It helps to have pictures or examples of the features you like from flowers to colors and everything in between.

5. Who are the decision-makers for this event?
If your parents are sharing in the cost for your wedding, then they probably want to make some of the decisions too. Be sure to have this discussion with them in advance so everyone is on the same page and there are no surprises.

Win FREE Wedding Planning

This is not a joke... You are not getting punked

Always Fabulous Events is offering FREE wedding planning to one lucky couple in Philadelphia, Bucks, or Montgomery counties (PA). 

The selected couple will receive TWO (2) hours of wedding consultation time ($200 value).

OOO Miss Randi. How do I enter to win?

1. Send an email to info@alwaysfabulousevents.com with the subject "Plan My Wedding for Free". Include your name, wedding date, wedding location, phone number, and email address.
2. Your wedding must take place in the Greater Philadelphia area.
3. Your wedding must take place in October, November, or December 2010.
4. All entries must be received by 11:59PM on August 16, 2010.

The winner will be announced on August 20, 2010.

Do You Know Her?

She is in her 30s. She is college-educated and career-minded, but she has an active social life. She drinks Starbucks coffee every morning and martinis/cosmos when she goes out with her gal pals at night. She has great fashion sense and always looks great... even on "fat days". She is a "foodie" (that means she loves to eat fabulous food and doesn't mind trying new dishes).

Her parents have worked hard to maintain a high standard of living so their children would have the best that life can offer, but she is focused on making a name for herself in the business world. Because her education and career have been her focus for so long, she has waited to get married and start a family.

She is recently engaged and wants to have the best wedding anyone has ever seen. Her challenge is that she doesn't have enough time in her busy schedule to plan the wedding alone. She knows having a wedding planner is essential and wants to hire someone who reflects her personal style.

If you know this woman, please tell her to call me @ 866-653-9966. I am certain we have been looking for each other.

When hiring a wedding/event planner...

You should feel comfortable talking to this person and knowing that your ideas are clearly understood. You will be spending a lot of time together while you plan one of the most important days of your life.

Ask about their education and experience. Regardless of the answer, you need to know this before you sign an agreement to work together. This will allow you to set realistic expectations.

Most professional planners charge an hourly rate, a flat fee, or a percentage of your total budget. No matter how you are billed, make sure you get a written agreement that includes their fee, payment schedule, and each party's responsibility.

Come See Me @ The Bridal Event

I will be speaking at The Bridal Event by Bouche Productions this season. I'll offer wedding planning tips, help answer your budgeting questions, and provide advice for DIY projects. While you are there, check out the Bridal Boot Camp to get your body in your ideal wedding-dress condition.

The first show of the season will be Sunday, September 13, 2009 @ Crowne Plaza Valley Forge.

For the complete schedule and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.bridalevent.com/.

FREE Teleseminar: Yes, You Need a Wedding Planner

Join us on July 15th @ 8pm for a FREE teleseminar to learn the top 12 reasons why you need a professional wedding planner/consultant working on what could possibly be the biggest event of your life.

Small Wedding: Do you need a Wedding Planner?

Even if you are planning an intimate wedding, you should hire a wedding planner if:

• You work long hours and don't have time to visit venues and wedding professionals
• Planning major events stresses you out
• You are having a destination wedding
• You want someone to manage all aspects of the day of your wedding

A few other things a wedding planner can do for you include:

• Help you calculate your budget and stick to it
• Help you prioritize
• Recommend wedding professionals that suit your wedding style and budget
• Help you create your vision for the perfect wedding

You don't have to hire a wedding planner to plan your entire wedding. You can hire a wedding planner to help you with the parts that are too stressful or undesirable to you. If you want to plan your own wedding, then you can hire a wedding planner to manage your rehearsal, ceremony, and reception. If you can't afford to hire a wedding planner to be there on the day of your wedding, you can hire a wedding planner to help you get started or provide consultations along the way.

Come See Me

Come see me on stage as I give wedding planning tips at

The 10th Annual Fantasy Bridal Event
on Sunday, February 22 @ 2pm

Willow Grove Park
2500 Moreland Rd
Willow Grove, PA

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced that Always Fabulous Events has won the 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards™!

In its inaugural year, the Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and honors vendors from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. This year’s recipients represent the top three percent of WeddingWire’s vendor community, which includes over 100,000 wedding vendors from across the US. That means Always Fabulous Events is one of the very best wedding planners.

Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride’s Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through surveys and reviews.

“We are excited to launch this annual award program to honor high-performing vendors based solely on the experiences of our WeddingWire community,” according to Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s recipients have set the bar high, exhibiting excellent service and expertise in the wedding industry.”

Always Fabulous Events would like to thank our past clients for speaking on our behalf and helping us win the 2009 Bride’s Choice Award!

10 Steps to a Fab Job as a Wedding Planner

If you are like most people, you have probably attended at least a few weddings. As the excitement of the wedding day approaches, many brides-to-be, along with their family and friends start thinking, "I wonder if I could be a professional wedding planner?"

If you have been wondering the same thing, the answer is almost certainly “yes.” That’s because today there are more opportunities for wedding planners than ever before. In our busy society many couples turn to a professional wedding planner to ensure their wedding is as stress free as possible.

As a wedding planner you can have a rewarding career that lets you use your creativity to organize the happiest day of people's lives.

As long as you have the desire, you can become a wedding planner. No special education or experience is necessary to break into this career and succeed. If wedding planning sounds like the career of your dreams, here are 10 steps to getting started, based on the FabJob Guide to Become a Wedding Planner.

1. Learn about weddings
There are numerous details involved in planning a wedding -- from selecting the date to choosing the reception menu. To teach yourself wedding planning, help out with as many weddings as possible, visit bridal shows, read wedding magazines and books, and conduct informational interviews. Talk with clergy of various faiths, recently married brides and others connected to the wedding business such as florists and caterers.

2. Develop your skills
Successful wedding planners have a number of traits in common. They are usually creative people with excellent interpersonal skills who love to plan events. While most of these traits come naturally to many wedding planners, an important skill that some need to develop is organizational ability. To help you stay organized, you can create timeline schedules and checklists, and use organizational tools such as a day planner or binder to keep track of all the wedding details and paperwork.

3. Create a portfolio
A portfolio is a collection of photographs that show people your skill at planning weddings. Offer your services to friends and family who are getting married in exchange for pictures for your portfolio. To show your creativity, you can also include photographs of table settings or room decorations you have created in your home, or pictures from your own wedding if you planned it yourself.

4. Find a job in the wedding industry
Even if you plan to start your own business, consider getting a job in the industry first. These positions can be used as a stepping-stone to gain valuable experience and contacts. Wedding coordinators are hired by hotels, country clubs, and churches across the country. Some exciting options include working as a wedding coordinator at an attraction such as Disneyland or at a resort in a location such as Banff, Hawaii, Las Vegas, or the Caribbean.
Many job opportunities for bridal consultants are available with companies that supply products and services for weddings including bridal shops, department stores with gift registries, florists, and caterers.

5. Set up your own business
Setting up a wedding planning business is similar to starting any home business. You’ll need to handle matters such as deciding whether to incorporate, setting up your office, and developing systems for getting paid.

There are many excellent resources available to help you start your business including the U.S. Small Business Administration in the United States and the Government of Canada’s Canada Business.

6. Decide what services you want to offer
Wedding planners offer a variety of services and packages based on their specific skills and interests. You might offer complete wedding planning services, wedding day co-ordination only, or consult with brides and grooms who want to plan their own weddings. Some wedding planners specialize in arranging "destination weddings" at resorts or on cruise ships.

7. Develop relationships with vendors
Vendors are suppliers of any product or service related to weddings, such as limousine companies, musicians, photographers, party supply companies, invitation printers, etc. Vendors can be a valued partner in planning a successful wedding.

8. Get clients
Supply business cards and brochures to the vendors you work with, and ask them to recommend your services to their customers who are getting married. Other ways to market your services include advertising, networking, and participating in bridal shows.

9. Consult with clients
Once you start getting calls from brides and grooms, arrange a client consultation meeting. Ask questions to find out what type of wedding they want, their budget, number of guests, etc. At this meeting you will discuss your fees, which might be an hourly rate such as $50 per hour or a flat fee. Explain how you can help the couple have the worry-free wedding of their dreams.

10. Be recognized as a professional
Successful wedding planners are always interested in learning new ideas to use with their clients. Consider joining a professional association for wedding planners to keep up with new developments in the industry. Clients will be impressed, especially if the organization certifies you as a professional wedding planner.

Based on the FabJob Guide to Become a Wedding Planner. The complete guide gives detailed advice on how you can get paid to plan weddings, be hired for a job in the wedding industry, or start your own wedding planning business.

Bride Wars

Becoming a bride can make you do some crazy things. This exceeds even MY jaded imagination. I can't help but to put this out there though... Would this even happen if they hired a wedding planner? Uh... no.

One-Time Wedding Consultation

My fabulous Southern colleague, Tabitha, posted yet another brilliant piece of advice on her blog. It is all about getting started with the wedding planning process when you have no idea where to begin.

Her advice: Book an appointment with a professional wedding planner for a one-time consultation.

This type of consultation may take a couple of hours so that your wedding planner/consultant can provide information and helpful tips to get you on the right track to planning the wedding of your dreams. Use this time ask as many questions as you need. Don't be shy.

If you need more help or decide you need to retain his/her services, be sure to schedule your next appointment before you leave.

Always Fabulous Events offers this service for $500. It includes 3 hours of consultation plus budget preparation.

Each One Teach One

Tonight, I spent the evening with a group of aspiring wedding planners at Temple University. I was invited to sit on a panel of established wedding planners to discuss some of the trials and tribulations in the real world of weddings. I was in great company. The other panel members included my colleagues Mark Kingsdorf, Sheila Corbet, and Phyllis Jablanowski. We answered questions ranging from "How do you figure out how much to charge?" to "How do you get a drunk bride or groom down the aisle?"

There were a few students who were very involved in the conversations. I expect to see more from these standouts in the near future.