While at a venue with a client the other day we got to walk through the ballroom while it was being set up for a wedding reception that evening. In the midst of the chaos was one of the wedding planners we’ve all seen on TV (come on you know you watch the Style channel) overseeing a sea of assistants working on the most outrageous decor!! ALL of the linens were custom made, the centerpieces had a base of beautiful jewel colored flowers with branches reaching towards the ceiling with balls of red flowers & crystals dripping from them. The menus at each place setting were wrapped in 3 – count them 3 – bengaline napkins hand tied with a beaded ribbon and there were various sizes of gold candles everywhere. There was a separate lounge seating area, custom drapes that covered the windows (and hid the beautiful view) and a huge dais for the wedding party. Special lighting was another feature and a 12 pc band was scheduled to play. We heard rumors that the cost for everything was over $150,000 for 200 people. You can imagine how spectacular that room was going to look after all the candles had been lit and the lights were dimmed.
Now let’s take a deep breath and turn the page as I recall a recent article in our local newspaper about a wedding planner who can do your entire wedding, including vendors and her fee, for $10,000. Yup, $10,000.00.
So what’s a bride to do?? I’ve got to tell you that my client, for the same amount of people, will not be spending $150,000.00 but will be spending more then $10,000.00. We’ve hired a fantastic floral designer whose sample centerpieces just blew us away. White orchids, roses and candles will be everywhere. Charger plates, custom ice sculptures, specialty lighting and letter press stationery included. But what about that $10,000 wedding??
My concern with that article, and that price, is that there was a lot of information missing. What do you get for this $10,000? What kind of food? Where’s the event being held?? How many guests? Does it include a photographer, flowers, entertainment, invitations?? If so who gets to choose them? If it’s the planner, what if the client doesn’t like her vendors???
I had a consultation with a lovely couple the other day. Their budget for 150+ people was $15,000.00 and they wanted an outdoor weekend destination for their guests. They asked how realistic their budget was and I tried to be honest. I’ve had clients start out with that amount and when they realize what they can (or cannot get) the budget starts to slowly increase until they’ve spent $5,000 – $20,000 more then originally projected. Either that or the guest list shrinks.
Why? Because my experience, and research conducted by Brides Magazine, shows that brides want what they want and when they (finally) find it, they’re willing to pay for it. Do you have to spend $150,000 to get it? In my opinion absolutely not. Will you get it if your budget is only $10,000? That all depends on your willingness to compromise.
My hat is off to the planner who can do an entire wedding for $10,000.00. I’d love to see a sample of her work. The article showed a very happy bride and that price range does fill a big niche. My hat is also off to the planner who did the $150,000 wedding. She does a lot of high end weddings and does them very well. Should I ever have a client with that kind of budget I’ll tell them the same thing I tell all of my clients now – if I’m not spending that kind of money (on whatever it is) then neither are you! I try to make sure that my clients get the most bang for their buck (and trust me my single daughter knows this. She’s already told me that the majority of her budget is going to be spent on a fabulous dress and her guests can eat hot dogs & beans. It’s a bridge I’ll cross when the time comes……). Who knows what that $150,000 wedding would have cost or what it would have looked like if those clients tried to do all of that on their own.
So here’s my point (again) – hiring a wedding planner should save you money regardless of the size of your budget. IMHO that’s the value of a good wedding planner! Your wedding day is an investment in your future as a married couple. If you don’t know how to spend your money wisely – hire a qualified professional to help you. It’s the only sane way!
So true! Love this post!