You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know – Part II
I have several clients who are getting married at a very upscale location here at the Jersey Shore. They pay a fee to rent the facility. They knew they had to hire a caterer, entertainment, and a florist. They didn’t know that tables, chairs and linens for cocktail hour (or outside of the dining room) were not included. This is an additional expense they were not anticipating and are only finding this out as they negotiate their contract with the caterer and florist.
Recently I read a posting on a DJs website whom I use often (well as often as he’s available – he’s a busy guy!). The comment was from a bride who came to the realization that while her wedding day is very important to her and her fiance it’s just one day in their lives. They do want their wedding day to be special but they don’t want the tears of frustration that have already been shed to turn to tears of anger.
Weddings can be stressful. As happy a day as it’s supposed to be – stress does play a big part in wedding planning. That’s one of the things you don’t know until you’re in the midst of it. Things you thought would be easy turn out to be more difficult then anybody could have anticipated (“Why can’t Uncle Joe sit with Cousin Jeff and his wife?”). Things that appeared in a magazine have a way of not being the same when you want the same thing (“But the summer issue of <name that bridal magazine> showed peonies in the bride’s bouquet for only $100! Why is my bouquet going to cost 5x that???” (because peonies aren’t in season at the time of your wedding and will have to be imported and that’s IF the florist can get them).
If you had $25,000 to invest would you use your best friend’s brother’s college roommate to invest it because he used a dart and the stock chart to pick his investments once and made a profit or would you hire a professional to help you get the most out of that money?? If you’re spending $25,000 on your wedding would you know where to go and who to hire to get the most out of your investment? Or would you hire a professional wedding planner to help you manage your budget, learn the things you didn’t know you didn’t know, and get the most bang for your bucks?
Even as a professional wedding planner I learn new things that I didn’t know I didn’t know almost everyday. Do you know where to spend and where to save? Do you know what else you don’t know you didn’t know?? Investing in a professional planner is easier then you might think. Start with a consultation, ask as many questions as you can, ask for references, and get a proposal in writing then take it from there. Then you’ll come to know what you didn’t know and change those tears of frustration to tears of joy!