MORE ABOUT PLANNING
Stage 1
We would get involved now already through our first bridal consult which can be split into 2 1,5hr sessions or 1 x 3hr session. During our time together we will discuss all wedding matters, suppliers, the venue, the various areas of the venue that you can make use of, the timeline, the bar management, menu etc
We take this information and document it for you to ensure everyone has a blue print to refer back to. In this process we also make a very accurate forecast, based on your preferences, on what the wedding may amount to. This means you know, understand and can approve before any commitments are made to suppliers. If the amount presented exceeds what you had in mind to spend on the day we can take active measures to bring this down/relook decisions or shelf ‘nice to haves’ until a later stage when we can relook these.
Stage 2
Once you are happy with the budget we step into supplier enlistments. This protects you from initially overcommitting to certain suppliers/packages (being excited and eager we understand how easily and often this happens). The framework of the budget will guide you not only on overall spend but we will also be doing a cost comparison for each supplier. What this means is that we compare apples with apples to determine which supplier is giving you the most bang-for-your-buck. Eg if photographer 1, 2 and 3 all come in at R30k but 1 is giving you 600 images and will only be there for 8 hours, 2 is giving you 800 images and is there for 9 hrs and 3 is giving you 900 images and has given you a 10hr package – it makes it easy to see who is giving you more at a set budget. For every supplier we need to go through their contracts to make sure the clauses are also taking your needs/rights into consideration and not one-sided/dimensional.
Once every suppliers is recruited, signed off and deposit paid we step into the third stage which is styling.
Stage 3
Throughout this process we will be doing everything as set up in the above description but, in addition to drafting one account we also compare that account with the initial forecast we had presented in stage 1 of the wedding planning process. We can then actively ensure we are putting together the look and feel of the day at a budget you feel comfortable with.
Stage 4
Stage four is the preparation of the final closures and often, I find, the area clients did not initially anticipate because no one told you about the amount of questions you would be faced with closer to the wedding. This influx of questions and opinions from all suppliers often makes clients very anxious and uncertain about their preferences/choices of the day. We protect our clients by a) being able to address 70-80% of these questions without even needing to approach you and b) keeping your wishes in mind when relaying any decisions to suppliers so that you don’t need to make a compromise simply because it suits a supplier better.
Stage 5
The week and day of the wedding when we actively do all your logistical planning. Setup and breakdown schedules, MC debriefs, supplier debriefs and run the day to ensure good flow, time management, bar management, service to the floor etc. and
Stage 6
The closures of the wedding day – we want the week plus, after your wedding, to be that happy time for you to still bask in the memories of everything that had unfolded. Not having to deal with supplier final accounts etc. So we usually collect all these and negotiate where we believe something was done unjustly, to ensure you are protected as far as possible from unfair billing. We will present this to you appr 8-10 days after the wedding so that you do not have to be burdened by this so quickly after the wedding.