I often start the planning and design process by asking my clients, ” so how much are you willing to spend to have the dream wedding that you seek”. No this is not a ploy to be nosey, the is a real serious question. and it always evokes real serious emotions. everyone has a budget…EVERYONE. So what’s yours. NO i’m not trying to cheapen the experience I am trying to get you to think about what that number would be to prevent you for having a nervous breakdown. What’s it worth to you.
At some point during your initial consultation, I’m going to ask “So, how much do you want to spend on your wedding” or some version of that question. The typical response I get is, “Well, what does it cost to plan a nice wedding”. To which I may respond with “62.7 billion dollars”.
What’s it worth
PAUSE FOR REACTION!
What is nice to me may not be the same as what is nice to you and since this is YOUR wedding, let’s focus on YOUR needs. SO… “How much do you want to spend on your wedding”?
The answer to this question does a few things for me:
- It allows me to build a picture of how “nice” this wedding can be. Is it Maybach nice, or is it B52 bus nice????
- It helps me to determine vendor selection – all vendors are not $$$ equal
- It also prepares me for what I ask next…
So, “ What elements of your wedding matter the most”?
- The Music?
- The Food?
- The Flowers?
- The Entertainment?
- The Dance floor?
- Etc…
What matters most
Everyone has their thing. You know, that thing that you are fixated on for your wedding day. Maybe you are the bride that loves lush abundant florals. Or maybe you are the groom that has to have the best DJ from the islands that plays at all of your favorite all-inclusive fetes. Or no, it’s the food. Three meal choices just won’t cut it, you need 7. Depending on your answer I can now start to prepare your budget. What matters most will have a heftier allocation than the items on your wedding day that doesn’t have the biggest impact on you. Which means I can determine if you will have phalaenopsis orchids in every arrangement or if we will ONLY have phalaenopsis orchids in your bridal bouquet. It will determine if you have custom chairs or use the venue chairs – let us all pray they are fabulous. It will determine if you use an ipod or a DJ (j/k). But you get the point.
So think about what matters most, then decide what it is worth to you. Now sit back and let your Wedding Planner get to work.
So, what is YOUR wedding worth?
