Why employ a professional wedding planner?

This is such great information.Written by: Mildred Purnell CEO of Meetings-Hotels.com

The big day is approaching and it's time to think about planning for the wedding! It is natural for couples to be confused over where to start. As you go deeper into your planning, you will experience more obstacles. As a result, consideration of hiring a professional wedding planner might arise. If this happens, here are some reasons why you should employ a professional wedding planner.

1) Wedding Planner Protects You From Hiring the Wrong Services

Since they are familiar with the industry, they know the best and reliable vendors, as some companies may not be as professional as they claim.

Some vendors might charge you higher rates for using their services. Instead, utilizing a wedding planner may help you to get a considerable reduction in rates since in most cases; vendors will offer planner?s clients lower rates.

2) Wedding Planners Typically Offer Tiered Services

Maybe you don’t need a wedding planner to plan your wedding. However, you might need to get some advice and reliable answers regarding vendors and services. A wedding planner can go several ways. For instance, you may hire a coordinator to act as an hourly consultant to answer your questions and to gain resources.

Another option is to opt for a wedding-day director to tie everything together as a comprehensive event planner. Make sure to analyze your needs and get help only for those areas to cut on cost.

3) Planning A Wedding Can Be Stressful

Weddings can be very stressful, especially if all the details are disorganized and there are too many of things to do. Trying to reorganize details and doing most of the work will require more time. Wedding planner can help to take your load off by helping you to organize your details more effectively. Basically, hiring a wedding planner allows you to have more free time to concentrate on other important things as they will do the searching, contacting, negotiating, arrangements, etc. All you need to do is to approve their work.

4) Save Money

Wedding Planners today are more affordable and competitive than they used to be allowing you have more options for the one that suits your budget. Plus, wedding planners are experienced with working within a budget. They are familiar with negotiating contract with vendors and suppliers to work around your budget by either taking advantage of discounts or bid for the lowest rate.

5) Weddings Are Uncontrollable Events

Problems do arise on the day of your wedding. Imagine walking down the aisle only to realize and be furious about the flowers on the table, which aren't the ones you've ordered. Or even friends who were hired to be the wedding planner, usually falls into guest role once the reception starts leaving the bride to manage the wedding. A bride's memory of her wedding day need not be filled with scenes of managing and directing the event. The bride and friend should be able to enjoy the wedding, not manage. This is why a wedding planner is needed.

Wedding is one of the most meaningful events in one’s life. To make it count, regardless whether you are planning for a big or small wedding ceremony, it does not hurt to get professional help to assist you in your plans to ensure peace of mind on your wedding day.

It is what it is...

and I wish more people would get that - especially unsuspecting brides. Here's a blog post that is right on by my friend and colleague The Wedding Diva, Linnyette Richardson-Hall.I AM???????? .....The title of today's post, "I AM??" harkens to my observation process, which is always in warp mode. I make my living by watching life happen around me, so over the years - this particular question has always fascinated me as I look at those around me in the industry. What I am about to say in the next few paragraphs is going to evoke a couple of different reactions from those who read it. You're either: A) Gonna LOVE every syllable and say "PREACH"! or B) You are going to think I have lost my mind. For me, it doesn't matter. It's the truth - and on many, many occasions..hearing the facts as they really are can be stinging, to say the least. I see it as an opportunity to absorb, learn and move forward towards being better....

I AM a creative person. For me, being the wedding planner has been one of the BEST outlets to showcase how my mind works and the sheer wonder of watching my thoughts play out into action. I think in terms of color, shape, light, shadow, logistics, numbers - in short, I meld the creative process with the hard reality of thinking to mold someone's vision into an EXPERIENCE. Over the years, all of that creativity and rational thinking have led to other "talents" which I've been able to grow and define. They are all symbiotic to my main role and I'm grateful for the opportunity to have discovered and honed those skills.

Here's the "rub" - I really believe that as individuals, we are all destined to do a series of "things". But there will be ONE trait, one talent, one skill, that will stand out and shine above the rest. That "component" is our calling, it is the area where we will excel the most. It will be the talent that appears to be effortless, we don't even have to think about how we do it...it just gets done. Now, here's where I drop the shoe off of the other foot..wait for it...wait for it.....

YOU CANNOT DO EVERYTHING. I'll repeat that: YOU CANNOT DO EVERYTHING. In the wedding industry, the saying "jack of all trades, master of none" is so evident. For some odd reason, people are thinking that they can take on a myriad of functions and do them all well. Well, guess what? You can't. There - I said it. Somebody had to. Let's get real - you can't be the wedding planner/florist/caterer/limousine service/dj/stationer....all rolled into one being or entity. All of those capacities require separate skill sets and their relevance needs to be taken into consideration. There are only 24 hours in a day and most of us are struggling to get by on just those, so it's simply amazing to me when I see situations like these emerge.

As the wedding planner, I really think that people somehow feel my job is easy. It's NOT. Trust me. And because I make it seem "effortless", they think that it can be added on to whatever they already do (hence my multi-task description in the previous paragraph) and it will generate more money/business for them. As Ed Lover would say, "C'mon SON!!" Pardon my slip into the vernacular - but it ain't gonna happen. At some point, something is going to suffer - you can't do 50 million things well. And with the "suffering" comes a reduction in standards, a loss of creativity and you're nothing more than a hamster on a wheel. You're running...but going absolutely nowhere.

Want to be successful in this industry? Know who you ARE. Understand your strengths AND weaknesses, then make the most of them. Can you bake like nobody's business? Great - be a baker!! Does your food make people just smile for days on end? Catering is your thing! When you spin those tunes or ripple your fingers across a keyboard, does it make people want to get up and dance? You, my friend, are the entertainer. Bottom line is this: It's time for people to start being the best at what they are and STOP being greedy. I know multiple streams of revenue are always key to staying in the black, but when you do too much, your "painting" will be a scribbled, jumbled mess instead of the beautiful art it should be.....

**drops the mic and exits stage left**

A Perfect Setting Christmas

Oh by gosh by golly! It wouldn't be Christmas if I didn't post my grown up Christmas list:“…Well heaven surely knows That packages and bows Can never heal A hurting human soul. No more lives torn apart, That wars would never start, And time would heal all hearts. And everyone would have a friend, And right would always win, And love would never end. This is my grown-up Christmas list.”

May God bless you this coming year. Thank you for your business and your continued support. Lord knows I appreciate it. daisy-pagan-sig.jpg

Wedding Planning Nightmare

Normally when I start a post I have a tip or suggestion. That isn't the case here. This is merely a post to beware. The wedding industry has a lot of people and vendors that are fly by nights. (Definition of fly by night: unscrupulous; "a shady operation" )In the last 2 weeks I have received 4 phone calls with similar scenarios that could be possible problems... BIG problems. Venues that have overbooked. Venues that have been sold. Employees that signed contracts then are no longer employed at that establishment. Last but not least; the financial contributors have backed out. One of the scenarios included 3 of the 4 problems mentioned here! Brides, take heed. Your wedding planning process needs to be thought out and have direction. Consult a wedding professional that has been in the industry for a while. If something seems too good to be true, more likely than not, it is. Your deposit (in most situations) is not refundable!! A reliable wedding professional can tell you something in 15 minutes that will take you 3 days of research.

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Planning a wedding

Engagement ring

It's official... my little girl has gotten engaged. Although I'm ecstatic, I realize that I'm joining the masses of the daunting task of planning a wedding with my little beloved. We've been down this road before planning her Quinceanero. We had lots of time and lots of planning. I'm hoping that because Whit was turning 15, her undeveloped taste is behind her. We had too many things to choose from and, although she is quite picky, I don't think her taste had developed for princessery. Yes, that's a word - and I just made it up. If I'm going to trust my planning guide - which I've used for years and tons of weddings, I know that the first order of business is the guest list. Without a guest list you can't move forward. We all know this right? Not one decision can be made until you know the number of guests you're planning on inviting.

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First impressions

Every event host is looking for an idea to wow their guests. Here's a tidbit to consider: valet services. Valet services Image courtesy of: All Secure Valet Services

Everyone (for the most part) likes to be waited on. Valet services can offer that bit of panache to your event that can separate you from all those other events that you've been to. You don't even have to sell the farm for valet services ... most parking attendants cost about the same as a bartender per hour. For an event of 100 guests you could expect to have 4 attendants to park your guest's cars for the first 90 minutes. Then keep 2 of them for the remaining part of the event. After all isn't it always about first impressions?

Centerpieces on a budget

Whether I’m initially contacted by a bride for planning, for an hourly consult or to rent my amazing facility, I always hear the one thing that holds true; “I never would have thought of that!” I take great pride when I hear those words. It proves that I am doing what my Purpose is on this earth. That said, I’d like to pass along a pearl of wisdom that I wrote for “The Look for Less” by Josie at PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com… one something that you may not have thought of.Everyone (or most, I would think) knows that you can repurpose the flowers from the Ceremony for some blank spots at the reception. But what about repurposing the centerpiece? What do I mean? Well, what about taking a minute and calling all of those near and dear to you… (Start the conversation by saying “I don’t have a lot of time to talk…” if you don’t you’ll be on the phone forever!) ask if they have a special cake plate, cake plateau, compote or riser. Cake plates Photos courtesy of: Amazon, Style Me Pretty, Country Living, Vintage Indie, The Haystack Needle Ask those very women to make their most special and favorite cookie recipe and fill those cake plates with 2-3 dozen of cookies. Use these as your centerpieces… they will be the hit… trust me! Not interested in having cookie centers but would like something edible? How about cakes or cup cakes?

Cake plates Photos courtesy of Clara French

If that doesn't stir any excitement, not to worry, you could also use the cake plates as flower or candle bases. You could also mix and match with some tables having cookies, some having cakes, some having candles and the others having flowers. Just be sure that you are tying the wedding colors into the centerpiece.

Cake plates Photos courtesy of: Martha Stewart, Country Living, Ilovelolliblog Lots of family and friends want to help with the daunting tasks of wedding planning but don’t know how to ask or where they can be of help. This is a perfect fit from all perspectives.

Cookie Favors

One of the wonderful things about Twitter is the tweets that give me informative tips of my industry. I received a tweet from @EmmalineBride with this tidbit about Williams-Sonoma's cookie cutters. It definitely caught my attention. I love anything that is personalized. These are just the bees knees. Cookie Cutter

Watch the video for quick tips of how-to. These would be adorable to add to your cake table in your event colors. I'm off to place my order....

New form of love

I think I may just be in love. I'm a crackberry baby but recently decided to try a new smartphone. I found my match.Solstice It was important to me that the touch screen wasn't hard on my 40 something year old eyes... If you're looking for a new phone. Give this one a try.

Fiiiinnnallly!!!

Have to start with the "WOOT-WOOT"... this is truly awesome! Turkey Hill in Columbia

Lancaster Online Article

It wasn't a traditional groundbreaking — officials unfurled a banner rather than tossed a symbolic shovelful of soil — but Wednesday's event at the site of the planned $14 million Turkey Hill Experience project in Columbia signaled a new era for a historic silk mill.

"This old shell of a building will be transformed. By the time it's opened in April 2011, we'll have 250,000 visitors a year coming to Columbia," said John Cox, Turkey Hill Dairy executive vice president, speaking at the event.

Featuring 26,000 square feet of dining areas and retail space, the new attraction, at Third and Linden streets, will showcase nine different interactive exhibit area allowing visitors to learn more about how dairies work, how ice cream is made and the history of the company.

Bob Adams, Experience center manager, said when visitors enter the attraction, they will proceed to a second-floor "hub" with three distinct spaces where they can learn how Turkey Hill makes its celebrated tea, relive the company's early days serving as a main dairy for Columbia Borough or enter through a gigantic ice cream container for an interactive walking tour on how the ice cream is made.

"This is going to be a visitors' destination, but on the western side of the county," Adams said. "By reusing the (former Little Prince silk mill) site, we're preserving farmland somewhere else."

Redeveloping an abandoned industrial site has not been without its problems. In September 2009, engineers discovered groundwater containing benzene, a known carcinogen, and two other industrial solvents, located about 30 feet beneath the surface of the 2.7-acre site.

Columbia Borough councilwoman Sandy Duncan said the borough oversaw a $250,000 cleanup of the site with the help of the state's Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Community and Economic Development.

That work delayed the project by a year.

"The next battery of tests after the cleanup showed everything was OK," she said. "The scientists and engineers have assured us that all issues have been resolved."

The borough sold the property in June for $950,000 to developer Bill Roberts of IBS Development Corp. of Harrisburg, Turkey Hill Dairy and Museum Partners.

The Turkey Hill Experience will work in Columbia, Borough Manager Norm Meiskey said, because the facility is going to be "absolute state-of-science," pulling visitors off of Route 30 when they might be driving between the attractions at Gettysburg and the Plain-community attractions in the eastern part of the county.

"This is going to be like Chocolate World at Hershey or maybe even something you would find at Disney World," Meiskey said. "When visitors come here to the Turkey Hill Experience they're going to want to come back … and they're going to want to come back to Columbia, too."

Get it in writing!!

Didn't get it in writing? It didn't happen!That's the scenario that we all want to avoid. Contracts are more than just a letter of commitment between two parties. Contracts protect the both of you. I've had clients that come to me 2-3 weeks before their event and say: "Gosh, if I'd known that xyz was going to happen I would have gotten it in writing." Then they look to me with puppy eyes and say; can you help? Depending on what the picture is is what will be the telltale of whether or not Perfect Settings can save the day. We have long, tried and true relationships with most event specialist in our area. But that is all besides the point! If the vendor is "throwing in" ANYTHING it's not uncouth to say; "could I bother you to add that as an addendum to my contract?" If they are committed and honest to what they just offered, they will not have a problem with jotting that down. Here's the worst (which actually happened): I'm hired for "day of" coordination. I show up at the reception facility right after the ceremony to find that the stage that was to be "lush like Shakespeare's A Mid Summer's Night Dream" was all but. There was a ficus tree, a bench, a lamppost, a trellis and a few ferns. I quickly find the decorator. I say something like: When is the stage being completed? She says, pan faced: What are you talking about? Me? (irritated since guests are about to walk through the door): "What happened to the Mid Summer's Night Dream?!" She looks at me in the most pained expression: "I decided that she didn't pay me enough for that so I decided last night that I wasn't going to do it." Are. You. Kidding. Me???!! My face must have shown that while my mouth was hanging open. Before I went any further I go to my trusty binder to find her contract. Sure enough... no mention of such Garden is there. Since I was "day of" (which is another topic) I wasn't there for the signing of this contract, nor was this decorator on my preferred list of vendors. After a VERY heated conversation she agrees to run to her shop and bring some more foliage out. End result: maybe something akin to a backyard garden. No Mid Summer's Night Dream here. It was more like a Mid Summer's Nightmare. As the bride came in to the reception facility it was the first thing she noticed. I say to her "this is your day... don't let the action of one person determine how your reception is going to go" She was almost in tears then I reassure her; "trust me, it was worse!" ... of course, the garden was what she was looking forward to the most. Some years later, I bump into this bride and ask what ever happened with the garden decor. "I didn't have a leg to stand on... it wasn't in writing and my wedding was long over" is what she said. How very true. So, get it in writing! Sign that contract

Fireworks... yay!

Fireworks What an awesome display of fireworks... from the rooftop we saw: Mountville's, Washington Boro's, Columbia cottages' (2 nights in a row + 2 families), Wrightsville's, Marrietta's, (some of) York's and one fabulously talented neighbor around the 2nd St. area's fireworks. It was like watching a tennis match... didn't know where to look next. In addition, a previous client put off sky lanterns that were spectacular!! My rooftop terrace has become a place that's more than just a pretty view. It's so serene and peaceful after a long day when you need to regroup. Maybe next year we will have a porch party!

Business Woman Magazine

Perfect Settings was in this month's Business Woman Magazine featuring none other than moi. Be sure to check it out and don't just skim the paragraphs!When it's available electronically, I'll be sure to post it here and on the press page.

Lots to do in Columbia

It's going to be a busy week here in Columbia ... here's a snippet from the Chamber's email blast:Friends, This coming weekend promises to be a busy one in this region. This Friday, June 25, is the fourth Friday of the month which means the art galleries in Columbia will be hosting their monthly Fourth Friday event from 5 - 9 PM. Take some time to visit the galleries, sample refreshments, and view the art work of local and guest artists. Cap your evening with a visit to Perfect Settings for an evening of jazz, or dine at a local restaurant.

Saturday, June 26, marks the 30th annual Antique, Art & Craft Show in Locust Street Park and down Locust Street in Columbia. The show will run from 9 AM to 3 PM. Free parking and shuttle service are available from Glatfelter Field on the east side of Columbia next to Anvil International. A variety of stand holders will be present. We are pleased to announce that the spaces are sold out for this year's show. All monies raised benefit the SVCC Visitors Center.

Complete your weekend by taking part in the Riverfest, scheduled for Sunday, June 27, from 4:30 to 9:30 PM. This event will be located at Front & Walnut Streets in Wrightsville. Featured activities include a motorcycle show, music by MidLife Krisis, and a ceremonial burning on three bridge piers. Your donation of $2 will benefit programs and initiatives of Rivertownes PA USA.

Gather family and friends for a fun-filled weekend.

Have a great week!

4th of July Weddings

4th of July weddings present the opportunity to infuse your reception with some good, old-fashioned patriotism. Such color schemes as the ones below blend elegance and class with the carefree fun often associated with the 4th of July holiday weekend. From BetsyWhite.com:

From Blog.WeddingWire.com:

From BehindtheKnot.com:

Also, 4th of July weddings give you an excuse to express your excitement with fireworks! Image from Oneperfectmoment.com

Even so, Independence Day weddings have one major drawback: cost. It is true that a 4th of July wedding may be convenient because your guests will be on holiday from work. This advantage is a double-edged sword, however, because it also means that other people, namely vendors and their employees, will also be reluctant to work on a holiday. The major consequence of this is that vendors will unfortunately be more expensive on the 4th of July than on the average day.