Glynn and Wes-Eisenhower House

 I had met Glynn very early in her engagement and was so excited to work with her to create her dream wedding.  Her simple but elegant style was perfect for under the tent at Eisenhower House. She had great food provided by Fine Catering by Russell Morin, a great band, Clique, and other great vendors such as Artistic Wedding Video, Luke's ENT for the photobooth. and PEAK event services provided all the rentals. A gorgeous day for a beautiful couple!  Congratulations Glynn and Wes!

Jenna and Dave-Regatta Place

      2021 was so busy, I barely had a chance to breathe. But now, as I sit a few weeks away from the 2022 season, I need to share all the wonderful weddings that Planned to Perfection got to be a part of!  We started off our season with Jenna and Dave at Regatta Place. This was such a fun couple! The groom's grandfather was the officiant and made the ceremony so special for them.  They had a fun photo booth, that their guests had a blast with and their DJ kept everyone the floor the entire evening. Congratulations Jenna and Dave!!! 

Wedding Planner vs Venue Coordinator

 I found this article helpful in explaining the difference between the two roles.

The Difference Between A Wedding Planner And Venue Coordinator

"Unless you’re in the wedding industry, the differences between the two aren’t commonly known."

By 

Summer McLane, Contributor

 

Alright ladies, let’s talk about the differences between venue coordinators and wedding planners. As a wedding planner, one of my biggest pet peeves is when a venue sells their in-house coordinator as an actual wedding planner. I’ve learned that unless you’re in the wedding industry, the differences between the two aren’t commonly known.

About 4 years ago, I received a frantic call from a bride who desperately needed help with her wedding which was 36 hours away. Yes…36 HOURS AWAY! When booking her venue, she said that the biggest selling point was that the venue came with a coordinator. She was told that hiring an outside planner would be a waste of money since she was already paying for one with her venue. Filling out a last-minute questionnaire from the venue, she thought it was odd that they asked who her coordinator for the day would be. She answered “you” with a smiley face. The next day, she received an email stating that the person who she had been working with for months wasn’t even going to be at her wedding. She was confused as to why the bride would think she’d be there…maybe because that’s what she was told? Luckily, I was able to step in and make magic happen.

Here are some of the key differences between a venue coordinator and a wedding planner:

1. Venue:

Venue Coordinator- They are responsible for everything that specifically deals with the venue. Tables, chairs, linens, food, etc. If the venue provides catering, their focus is to make sure that the kitchen and wait staff are scheduled according to their needs.

Wedding Planner- They are responsible for everything that comes with your venue AND making sure that your vendors know where and when they’re supposed to be. If the venue provides linens, it is the job of the wedding planner to choose the color based on the design of the wedding and to keep the quantities correct.

2. Vendors:

Venue Coordinator- The venue coordinator will most-likely provide a list of preferred vendors and that’s the extent of their involvement when it comes to interacting with the vendors.

Wedding Planner - Your wedding planner will schedule and attend your meetings with your vendors. They are the main point of contact between you and your vendors. If a vendor is lost or running late or is having an emergency, they’ll contact your wedding planner who will then put out the fire. Your wedding planner gives recommendations based on vendors they’ve worked with previously. They also review contracts; set up hotel room blocks, etc.

3. Timeline:

Venue Coordinator- Hotels that provide catering will have a timeline solely for their catering staff. Their timeline will center around when the food will be prepared and served. That’s it.

Wedding Planner - The wedding planner’s timeline details all aspects of the day from the time that the bride wakes up to the moment that the doors close. As a wedding planner, I have to know every single that is happening with every single person involved in the day. I schedule arrival times for all vendors, when the photos will be taken, what songs will be played for each dance, when the cake will be cut and when and where the sparkler send-off will be. We do it ALL.

4. Accessibility:

Venue Coordinator - You’re most likely sharing your venue coordinator with at least 100 other brides. This means delayed responses to phone calls and emails. This also means that you have to try to catch them during business hours.

Wedding Planner – Fortunately (and unfortunately), wedding planners are available almost 24/7. Of course there are exceptions but if you’re having an emergency, you can pick up the phone and send a quick text message. Your venue coordinator isn’t giving you their personal cell phone number.

5. Design.

Venue Coordinator – They’re not designing your wedding. Period.

Wedding Planner – They’ll design your ceremony and reception. They’ll choose your colors, linens, flowers, table set-up and design and so on and so on.

Brides, do not make the mistake of not hiring a wedding planner because your venue has a “wedding coordinator”. Planners do drastically different things and they’re more hands-on. Believe me, spend the money on a planner at the beginning so that you don’t have to find out in the middle of planning that you don’t actually have a planner, but a venue coordinator.

 

Michelle and Donald-Eisenhower House

      Michelle was getting married to Donald, with or without COVID! She wrote a letter to the Governor, she was focused on everything she needed to do to make her wedding go on safely and follow the state guidelines. We had Plan B and Plan C, and when it was time for Michelle's wedding, Rhode Island was in such a good spot, she got to have the guest count she had hoped for and the wedding she dreamed of. Michelle and I started planning her wedding before anyone knew what COVID was. She had picked Eisenhower House, but was unsure of all the extra's she needed to pull her ideas together. She chose Blackstone Caterers, New England Tent, Ryan Designs for tent décor, Le Isle Rose as a florist, Melody Piling Photography and PEAK Events. Together this team created a beautiful event, outstanding food and a happy couple at the end of the night.   Congratulations to Michelle and Donald.

Microweddings-What are they? Should I have one?

     Microweddings have increased immensely due to Covid 19 this year.  This is a smaller version of both the ceremony and the reception, typically no more than 50 guests.  It is a super intimate wedding based of guests that are usually family and only close friends. Many couples don't look at it as a way to cut costs, but to provide more for their guests that they may have not been able to offer initially.  It is the perfect compromise if a couple still wants to get married in 2020 and does not want to postpone.  A smaller wedding may offer the opportunity to be more creative.  You could possible afford more florals or linens and decor, or add some lighting. You could move to a top shelf bar offerings and possibly an extra dessert or late night snack. A microwedding provides an opportunity to spend more time with your guests because there are not as many people to greet. Whether or not to have a microwedding is a personal choice. Many people want the larger wedding and are opting to postpone to 2021, And with many strict guidelines still in place in Rhode Island, the postponement means a full dance floor and a bar that guests can enjoy. No matter what you choose, it is between you and your spouse and what fits for you.  We are always here to help and answer your questions. 

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Changing Your Wedding Plans? Be Considerate of Your Vendors

May 2, 2020 | Events around Rhode Island, Weddings | 0 comments

The coronavirus epidemic is affecting nearly every industry. And while some are able to make the necessary adjustments to keep some semblance of normalcy, the wedding industry has been completely upended.  Trying to hold a wedding with rules like social distancing, no gatherings of greater than ten people, wearing a mask at all times in public, and so on is virtually impossible.  And while a few are still going through with a (very small) ceremony, nearly every couple who has a wedding planned for the next few months has some dramatic changes in their future.  Everyone agrees that safety at this point is the priority, so going ahead with a large wedding is not only irresponsible, depending on where you are, it may even be illegal.

Many have chosen to postpone, some to hold a (very) small celebration now, and a bigger celebration later, but no matter which route you choose, these are significant changes that will require a good amount of time and effort.

First, you have to have some confidence that whatever new date you choose, things will be dramatically improved from the current situation, and right now there’s still a lot of uncertainty around that.  Then you have to think about the guests, their schedules and their ability to travel.

Then there’s the vendors.

The average wedding takes over a year to plan and involves over a dozen vendors. So now you’ll need to be communicating with each one individually them so everyone can agree on the new date, and potentially new terms.  It’s always best if you can give them multiple options.  And yes, new terms as there will be some changes.  Venue, number of guests, and so many other variables, there will definitely be changes.

But one reality that most people don’t stop to think about is that each vendor is really an independent businesses.  For many of them, weddings are their only source of income.  And likely your change (thorough no fault of your own) will cost your vendor dearly.  Either because they already have a wedding scheduled for the new date(s) you’ve chosen, or they would have had one schedule if they were to leave the date open. So either way, your new date means they’ve got one less wedding.

Most couples have enough stress over the changing of their date, and they don’t need more.  But try to keep in mind that these small businesses are likely losing an entire season to the virus.  Think about that.  How many businesses could keep their doors open losing essentially an entire year of income. And for most, this is their full time job. So they’re doing more work (juggling rescheduling and changes) and likely losing most of their income at the same time.  And of course they do it with a smile on their face, because they don’t want to add to your stress.

And most vendors we’ve talked to have said they’ll honor the original contract, with no additional “change” fee, and will work with the couples to find a new date that’s suitable to all.

So do something good for your vendors.  Write them a positive review, or a thank-you note.  Tell them you appreciate them.  They need to hear it.

Alannah and Michael-Oceancliff

     When Alannah's mom reached out to me and was concerned about all that needed to be done for her daughter's wedding and both the bride and groom were physicians with no time, I jumped into action!! All of the details that they had remaining for the wedding, including putting together timelines and making sure everything was perfect for the day of, was accomplished in no time. I wanted the couple to be able to show up for their wedding and not worry about one detail, just enjoying the moment and celebrating with their families.  Which is exactly what they were able to do. A traditional Peruvian table was added to the reception, which was quite meaningful for the grooms's family. It was a beautiful day, rich in tradition and love.  Congratulation Alannah and Michael!

Sarah and Justin-Newport Art Museum & The Lobster Bar

     Sarah and Justin, if I could summarize their wedding in one word it would be personalized. Sarah worked really hard to create a day that really reflected the two of them.  With having two completely different venues, one for the ceremony and one for the reception, really allowed guests to see the different sides of Newport. The Art Museum, is definitely a fun location, where guests could check out the art work prior to and after the ceremony. With all it's uniqueness, it presents a wonderful backdrop for photos. Having a friend as the officiant, they still included important pieces of their Greek heritage.
     What Sarah envisioned for her day and with the pieces that she purchased, we were able to create the Lobster Bar, into exactly what Sarah and Justin had hoped for. The best part was they had hired a Greek Band to play a short set as a surprise to all their family and friends.  Trying to get them set up and have them blend was a challenge for sure, but well worth it in the end seeing the joy on so many of their family and friends faces. Congratulations to Sarah and Justin!