Ask the Experts
Q: “When creating a one-of-a-kind wedding, do you struggle to find or suggest unique ideas?”- Lisa Kenward, PWP™, Lisa Kenward Events, Hilton Head Island, S.C.“I have never struggled to find unique ideas. This is what our company really excels at. I find ideas by reading a lot of design and décor magazines, going to museums, listening to music, seeing movies, looking at art, design, and architecture books. I fill the well whenever I can so that I have a lot of creative inspiration to draw from when something new comes along that requires my creativity. Keep a journal with you at all times to jot down ideas as they come to you. Leave room for photos to paste in or sketches if something great comes to you. Train yourself to be on the lookout for inspiration wherever you are.”- Merryl“I like to include something unique and personal in every wedding I create. I obtain the information I need by asking lots of questions and always listening to the clients' vision. Using ideas that are unique and personal to your couple will make the design process less stressful.”- Shelby“I love coming up with new ideas and finding fresh concepts for clients. After all, every client is different and should have a wedding that is unique. But I find that many brides select what they can see. And they tend to settle on things you have done in the past. The best you can hope is to convince them to freshen up used ideas to make them a little different.’”- Donnie “Honestly, I really don’t. I have a very long question-and-answer session with my clients at the first meeting. It gives me insight into what makes them tick—what they like and, most importantly, what they don’t like. From there, I use my expertise, creativity, and resources, which I am constantly learning and updating, to design their wedding into an experience that will be unforgettable for them and their guests. But this is where you, as the wedding consultant, need to do homework. Know the new products and services. Know what is trending. Know what different services cost. This way, you are already on the cutting edge and can detail the wedding in a unique way. But it takes a lot of time and a lot of money to do this. So the choice is up to you.”- FrankQ: “What’s the one thing you’d ask other industry professionals?”- Brittany Geisler, Sugar Branch Events, Irvine, Calif.“Ask them some of the things they wish they’d have done differently when they were starting out.”- Alan“I always think we learn by our mistakes, at least I do. So I always would love to know, ‘What was your biggest wedding nightmare, and how did you solve it?’”- Frank“I am always interested in finding out what new software, apps, articles, books, or online classes other industry professionals have found to be helpful to their business.”- MerryQ: “What is the one mistake coordinators make that affects you, and how would you remedy this?”- Brittany Geisler, Sugar Branch Events, Irvine, Calif.“One mistake coordinators/planners make is not investing in professional development. Being a successful wedding planner requires more than just being passionate about weddings. When one of us looks good in this industry, we all look good, and when one of us looks bad, we can all look bad. One way I try to remedy planners stepping into the industry with passion but no knowledge is to tell them about the benefits of becoming an Association of Bridal Consultants' member. On a local level, I teach affordable, introductory classes at the community college.”- Shelby“They offer dangerously low planning fees and then get kickbacks under the table to supplement. The client thinks they are getting a good deal, but the vendors doing the kickbacks are charging the client more. It is underhanded and bad business. And those of us who operate in a transparent manner, lose quality business from it. There is no remedy other than to educate clients, when they consult with you, on what to expect. Hopefully, you can show your business savvy, gain the trust of the client, and eliminate these types of unethical practices in the process.”- Donnie “The one mistake so many make is that they hang out their shingle before they truly are ready to be in this industry. So many do their own weddings, throw a mitzvah for one of their children, and poof, they are an event planner, with no training, no industry education, and without having done an ounce of research. Then they charge a very small fee, which is attractive to many, so they are hired, but they go out and make a lot of mistakes. When this happens, not just their business but our industry as a whole gets talked about and compared to this experience. This hurts experienced, successful consultants. Yet, prospects need to understand, ‘Buyer beware! You get what you pay for.’”- Frank
