What does a Bridal Consultant actually do?

Aaaahhhhhh......the romantic life of a wedding planner.......surrounded by love, and happy families during one of the happiest days of their lives.  It's all cherubs and rainbows and fluffy clouds accompanied by a harp played by an angel, right?

Well, there are definitely moment like that, but the nuts and bolts of coordinating a wedding is a complex juggling act between the bride and groom, their families, vendors, mother nature, and random acts of nuttiness.  We have had several people ask what we do for our clients that want full service.  I thought I would share an outline of what we do as bridal consultants on a regular basis.

Cutting Edge Consulting & Communication

• We offer expanded access 7 days a week to Bridget Ann Dooney for the Bride and the Bride’s Mother.  (I am ready for the occasional 3:00 a.m. phone calls!)
• Face to Face Consultation Appointments (as needed) customized for your individual needs (these are limited in number at our other levels of service)
• Ongoing Consultation via telephone, text, chat, or email from time of hire through the wedding 
• Creation of a customized Wedding Countdown Schedule for the Bride, Groom, and all decision makers and critical bridal party members 
• Creation of a wedding website
• Wedding Workbook Pro account accessible to decision makers and bridal couple.  *This allows instantaneous access on any computer or iPad for up to the minute updates on the event. - preventing a lot of the aforementioned 3:00 a.m. phone calls!) 
• Etiquette Advisement 
• Monthly reviews of the Wedding Countdown, Schedule, and Task List

The Venue 

•  Ceremony and Reception Venue Referrals  
• Arrange and attend Venue Tours – videotape of initial tour will be provided  
• Accompanied Ceremony and Reception Venue Tours after identifying top choices 
• Site Inspection at Venue to confirm design, access, layout, sound system, lighting, load in/out process, parking, valet, security, insurance, regulations, etc. 
• Site Inspection of the Venue within three weeks of wedding

Cuisine & Cake

• The food at your wedding can be such an enjoyable expression of you and your family.  We work closely with you to make sure that the style, presentation, and quality of food, cake and drink is to your specifications.  
• Menu Tasting with Caterers.  Assistance with Menu Selection and Details
• Communicate with the chef, banquet captain and catering staff to ensure superb, timely dinner service 
• Cake tastings and meetings.  Assistance in selecting cake. 
• Oversee cake delivery and set up 
• Consider weather and temperature factors for cake display area

Vendor Management

• One of the most important skills for a wedding coordinator is the ability to negotiate and execute contracts.  Bridget Ann Dooney has 15 years of negotiating, contract creation, and implementation experience.  At An Amazing Affair, we get the best and the most for our clients. 
• Unlimited Vendor Referrals in all Vendor Categories of only the Finest, Most Reliable Vendors in the Industry
• Arrange and attend all Vendor Appointments.  
• Accompanied Full “Vendor Appointment Days”
• Review of all Venue and Vendor Contracts and Arrangements – digitally storing all receipts, contracts, orders, and agreements for clients 
• Verbal and written confirmation of schedule and agreed upon services with each vendor one week prior to event. 
• Distribute your Final Wedding Day Itinerary to all vendors 
• Supervise all vendors as they load in/load out 
• Distribute final balances and gratuities to the vendors on your behalf

Vendors include, but are not limited to: Caterers , Officiants, Photographers, Videographers, Florists, Security, Valets, Sound & Lighting, Bands, Musicians, DJ’s, Transportation, Tailors, Printers, Press/Media, Rental Companies, Bakers, Dancers/Performers, Artists, Bridal & Tuxedo Shops, Travel Agents, Hotels.

Décor & Ambiance

• Full creative design for your ceremony and reception space with Max Gough and Bridget Ann Dooney.  
• Initial floral design meeting with sketching. 
• Preliminary floral design meeting with prototypes of centerpieces, bouquets, and other floral elements.  
• Prototype of tablescape 
• Meeting to adjust floral and décor design •Integrate sound, lighting, floral elements, pictures, art, design, music, color, and décor to create an overall feeling and mood 
• With Max’s experience in interior design and production, we can take your fantasies and dreams and make them real for your special day.   

Production & Music

Have you ever been to wedding where you were not able to hear the vows, or the Officiant?  Your guests will hear you loudly and clearly – we even have an in-house Sound and Light Production Manager, Bob Dooney. This is often an overlooked aspect of the coordinating process.  We think it is critical to your day.

• State-of-the-Art sound equipment to ensure that you will be heard.  
• State-of-the-Art lighting at the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception so that you will be seen!  This is also an important element of ambiance. 
• Coordinate with the photographer and videographer so that they will get the shots desired without interfering with the experience of the guests 
• Work with the couple in selecting processional, recessional, bridal party announcement, and first dance songs, along with any other song list requirements.
• Verify that ceremony musicians have the correct music for guest arrival, family seating, processional and recessional musical selections  
  Attend performances by any band or artist that will be considered for your event

• Sound and Light Production Manager will assess the quality of the sound equipment being used by the bands or musicians hired to ensure that they are up to our quality standards for sound.  

Style

• Complete Wedding Day Style Recommendations 
• If requested, one or more members of our creative team will accompany the bride for gown selection appointments, even out of town.  (*Two included in fee; there may be additional fees if more visits are required with air travel involved.) 
• Kevyn Emanuele, our Style Consultant, will work to bring the bride’s vision for the overall makeup artistry and hair for the wedding. 
• We will assist in the overall look of the formality of the wedding party, the Mother of the Bride and Mother of the Groom, and any other needs involving the fashion of the day. 
• Assist the Bride in determining rehearsal outfit, if there will be a second gown for the reception, or a going away outfit. 
• Advice on accessorizing for the Bride and Bridal Party available as well

Bridal Party Support 

• A phone meeting with the Maid of Honor, as well as one with the Best Man. Responsibilities of the position are reviewed, and any special requests of the bride or groom relating to the showers or Bachelor/Bachelorette parties are relayed tactfully.  
• Verify that Bridesmaid gowns are ordered by the deadline. 
• Verify that measurements are taken and tuxedos are ordered by the deadline.
• If desired, will assist with Bachelor and Bachelorette parties, and any showers planned. 
• Emergency Kits for Bridesmaids at Rehearsal and Day of the Wedding. 
• Daily communication via email messages to all Bridal Party members the full week before the wedding, and phone calls as needed 
• Make certain that everyone scheduled to give toasts, or blessings are cued and prepared

the Extras

• Negotiate with local hotels of your choice for a block of rooms and a special wedding rate 
• Assist with planning for events the day before and the day of the wedding for out of town guests.  
• Schedule limousines for any guests that need service 
• Assistance with Creative Welcome Gift Basket for Out of Town Guests
• Assistance with Day After Breakfast or Brunch  
• Decorate the Honeymoon Suite on Your Wedding Night if venue is within reasonable radius

the Rehearsal

• Oversee and run the rehearsal of the ceremony (as needed by the Officiant, or in the event the Officiant is unable to attend) 
• Refine and confirm the schedule for the ceremony 
• Finalize detailed outline of the Schedule for the ceremony 
• Line up the bridal party at Bride’s request 
• Confirmation Site inspection of the ceremony venue after rehearsal 
• Review seating responsibilities with ushers 
• Make note of any absent bridal party members and schedule to review with them prior to wedding

Day of the Wedding Services

We could write an exhaustive list of all the things we do on the day of the wedding.  Suffice to say that we do it all – from parking for the vendors to making sure no one drives impaired to making sure the dance floor is full.

• Site Manager 
• Vendor Manager 
• Schedule Manager 
• Bridal Party Support 
• Quality Control 
• Guest Greeter and Resource 
• Design Supervisor 
• Security Liaison 
• Emergency First Responder! 
• Atmosphere Monitor 
• Bride, Groom, and Parents Right Hand! 

Essentially, the first to arrive, the last to leave, and the point person for the entire day.

This is a basic outline of the services included in the Ultimate Wedding Package.  Of course, we tailor each bridal consulting package to the specifications and production needs of each and evey bride.  There may be more, there may be less.  

Your engagement is a once in a lifetime experience.  At An Amazing Affair, we will focus on making the entire engagement period, as well as the wedding event itself, a wonderful time to remember for you and your family.  We strive to take your visions and dreams and turn them into reality for your own unique occasion.  With our Ultimate Wedding Package, you can rest assured that we will handle every detail of your event and experience.  We will be there with you each step of the way from sketching of the preliminary ideas to the day of coordination to the champagne waiting in the Honeymoon Suite.

Contact us for pricing, and for even more details!  Email me at bridgetanndooney@anamazingaffair.com to start turning your dreams into reality.

Theme for your wedding? Or no theme? That is the question...

Or someone would say at a 'Hamlet" wedding!  

Themed weddings used to be the predilection of science fiction fans, renaissance faire addicts, and civil war reenactors.  Then the 'Gone with the Wind' devotees.  The historical fiction lovers.  The Disneyphiles.  The French Revolution libertines.  The Vampire and zombie wanna-bes.  

Now it seems to have boiled down to "themed" and "non themed".  (And - for those of you that think that a color scheme is a theme - I beg to differ.  It is a color scheme!)  And nearly everything and anything goes!  (Cole Porter theme, anyone?)  Themes can revolve around the bride and grooms favorite pastimes, their favorite cities or places, favorite movies, or events.  Favorite authors, books, historical time periods, music, types of travel, holidays, or food.  Or, as previously stated, anything goes!

There are passionate arguments for having a theme, and equally passionate arguments for making your theme simply 'your wedding'!  Here are some of the arguments put forth in favor of themed weddings and receptions:

  

1.  Themes make your wedding different and memorable.  Not many people can forget a Star Trek wedding conducted on a replica of the bridge of the Starship Enterprise.  Nor will many people forget a Zombie wedding.  How about a Moulin Rouge wedding?  Although the main components of ceremony/cocktail hour/reception will probably be followed, the theme adds a dramatic element that can be very memorable.  

2.  Themes make it easier to choose decorations, formality, dresses/attire, and music.    (How do you dance with music that goes with science fiction?  Hhhmmm.)  There are so many choices to make while planning a wedding.  Having a theme eliminates many options, so theoretically, choices will be easier.

3.  Themes definitely give you the opportunity to express what makes the two of you, as a couple, special (aside from your love and devotion to each other!).  

There are a few things to consider when choosing a theme wedding.  How far do you want to carry the theme?  From the "Save-the-Date" cards all the way through to the Thank You cards?  Will it be a part of the ceremony itself, or just the reception?  If you are getting married at a religious venue, are their limitations on decor or changes to the traditional ceremony to accommodate a theme?  If the theme is just going to be "sprinkled on top" of the reception, will it even make sense to the guests? Or just be a distraction from the main event?  

One of the main arguments against having a themed wedding is that a wedding is a theme in and of itself!  Many marrying couples prefer to have the essential fact that they found each other, and they are openly celebrating the creation of their new family, and commemorating their love for each other is the theme.  

If you are getting married, are you planning on having a theme?  For the already marrieds, did you have a theme?  If so, what was it, and how did it go?

In this blog, we will be discussing different theme options for couples in the future.  Feel free to contact us at An Amazing Affair to explore a theme for you and your wedding now though!  No need to wait!

Thanks for reading - have a great day!

Kids at the wedding? Or no kids at the wedding?

Romantic visions of girls with charming dresses with bows and sashes being chased across a lush green lawn by tuxedoed boys, bow ties askew, with gorgeous grown ups looking on holding champagne flutes and knowing grins on their faces.....that is the dream of kids at your wedding.  And this moment might happen.  Other moments might happen too - a child crying right during the exchange of vows, and no one beyond the first two rows can here you.  Toddlers and young children taking over the dance floor.  Temper tantrums.  Tipsy teens (inadvertently, of course).  Sugar crazies followed by sleeping sugar slumps. And, this is tough to say but true, spotlight stealers.  

Absolutely, your own children and your fiance's children should be there and when it is right for the kids, be a part of the proceedings.  But how do you decide on other people bringing their children?  If you do decide to have "No Kids", at what age are they able to come?  How do you address this in invitations and addressing of invitations?  And, worst of all, how do you handle it if you are having a "No Kids" wedding and someone shows up with their kids?  Argh.  

First of all, let me assure you that this is a choice that you and your fiance can make confidently and based on your desires entirely.  Do not allow anyone else to pressure you one way or the other.  The two of you need to decide privately, and then stand behind your decision.  In all likelihood, you will be spending somewhere between $25,000 to $40,000 (if not more) on this ceremonial life changing event.  You get to decide, and either decision is fine.  Your 6 year old nephew will have no lasting impact on his life one way or the other if he attends your wedding or not.  And the new parents that just cannot imagine leaving Junior or Junette with a sitter at just 9 months old - they will either get a sitter and thank you later, or they can stay home and you and your love will still get married and have an awesome time.

Second, if you dream of being surrounded by lovely children like an Estee Lauder perfume advertisement, you can do that too!!  You run the risk of having people get upset that children are there.  Too bad!  This is one issue where, as mentioned above, you and your fiance decide to suit yourselves.  So, your Uncle Herbert might leave the reception early because of all the young hooligans, or you may hear chatter that the kids are interfering with the dancing.  Oh well.  If you have the feeling and photos and ambiance you want, then that is all that matters.

So, here are some thoughts to consider while making the decision:

1.  Wedding days are long - even for adults.  

2.  The time of day and your venue may help make the decision.  An outdoor daytime wedding will handle the presence of children with less impact on other guests than a formal evening with dinner and dancing in a banquet hall. 

3.  Guests want to hear the vows and the ceremony (usually!).  Babies and children can interfere with this in a significant way.  Work with your wedding coordinator to have a separate room or area with a video feed so that parents that need to leave with a crying child can still watch the proceedings without ruining it for other guests.  Let your guests know that you have set up this special lounge for them.  

4.  If you are having your wedding at a hotel or a banquet facility, arrange a daycare room, and provide a Red Cross Certified babysitter for your guests to use as needed.  This can be a godsend for the parents of babies and toddlers, especially if they are traveling from out of town and have to bring their kids with them on the trip.

5.  If you are not having children at the wedding, include information regarding babysitting services in your area to your out of town guests.  Many hotels have recommended and approved sitters that will come right to the hotel.  Or www.care.com and www.sittercity.com have built good reputations for having skilled and reliable sitter services.

There really isn't a right or wrong answer regarding this issue.  Make your own choice.  Remember, as W. C. Fields said, "Never work with children or animals".  However, I believe he did both!

Let me know if you have any questions, or additional ideas on this issue!

Top Ten Reasons to hire a Wedding Coordinator

Here are our Top Ten Reasons why you should hire a wedding coordinator soon after your engagement!

1.  TIME

      Planning, shopping, comparing, deciding, tasting, reviewing, negotiating, creating, listing, writing, calling, driving, finding, reference checking, inviting, placating.....it all takes an enormous amount of time.  If you and your fiancé both work, the challenges of the time organizing a wedding can be daunting.  Whether it is a large or small wedding, many of the tasks involved take the same amount of time to complete.

2.  MONEY

    Weddings - especially in the Los Angeles area - are expensive.  Many brides and grooms have to eliminate whole elements of their dream wedding because they cannot afford to "have it all".  At An Amazing Affair, we have relationships with local talent and vendors for your wedding at the BEST price.  This allows you to have the wedding you desire without sacrificing what you want.   Many of our clients make up the difference in hiring us in their flower bill alone.

3.  SANITY

    We all have our family and friends to rely on during the entire wedding process.  However, there are times when it is wonderful to have an unbiased third party confidant to help with tough decisions, offer honest advice, and to be a liaison if tensions arise among the wedding party or families.

4.  DREAMS TO REALITY
     Do you have visions of fairy lights suspended over on open courtyard?  Personalized Photos for place card holders? Transforming a "banquet hall" into a magnificent woodland grotto?  AND - do you want it to look lush and beautiful rather than like a prom hall from the '80's?  We sit with brides and grooms and actually make sketches of their visions.  We then work with our talented production and lighting specialists to turn your vision into reality.

5.  ALL THE EXTRAS

    Did you want an Engagement Party, but never got around to pulling it off in time?  Did you think about writing a special letter to each bridesmaid to give her at the rehearsal dinner but forgot?  At An Amazing Affair, in addition to all of the "regular" wedding coordination services, we have thought of the sentimental extras that add depth and emotion to your engagement and wedding.  

6.  MESSAGE DELIVERY

    With our full services, we offer a 30 minute phone consultation with the Maid of Honor and the Best Man.  During this consultation, we let them know the responsibilities of the position, as well as delivering any requests and wishes regarding Bachelor and Bachelorette parties.  

7.  DO-IT-YOURSELF or LET-US-DO-IT-ALL

    At An Amazing Affair, we work with DIY brides and grooms as well as clients who wouldn't know a glue gun from a Bedazzler!  It is a misconception that DIY brides do not need a coordinator! 

8.  ENJOY THE WEDDING - ONE AND ALL!

     While your friends and family may offer to help with the day of the wedding, why not let everyone have the day off and just enjoy the moments, enjoy the time with you, relax into the ceremony and reception.  Let An Amazing Affair do the heavy lifting.

9.  DECISIONS

     Theme or no theme?  Kids or no kids?  Large party or small?  Buffet or family style or sit down dinner?  Open bar?  Wording on the invitations?  Daytime or evening?  Religious or secular?  DJ or band?  Champagne toast?  Favors or a candy bar?  Photo booth?  Lighting specialist?  Fascinator or veil?  We will give you the information you need to make the right decision for you and your family.

10.  PERSONALIZATION

    Yes, personalization.  Believe it or not, oftentimes more of your personality and your fiancé’s personality will shine through the rehearsal, ceremony, cocktail hour and reception when you turn over the planning to us.  Make the day your own......let us help.

 www.anamazingaffair.com