The wedding galleries that you see on this site are all real weddings. They’re real couples with their real friends & family at their real wedding celebrations.

I wish I could tell you that we wedding vendors are given ALL day at your venue to set up and style your wedding. That we have the time to tweak every fork, knife, spoon, napkin fold, menu insert, chair orientation, candle placement, sign orientation, family grouping, picture taken, and on and on. But, that’s not true. More often than not, we’re working with only a few hours before the start of the ceremony to get all of your spaces & details guest ready.

That’s why it’s critical to the overall success of your wedding day that you hire the real reals. Professionals who are tried & true in this industry, in their businesses, in their craft(s), and in REAL TIME execution of details. It should go without saying that the BEST way to get connected to reputable, reliable vendors is to hire an experienced wedding planner! Your wedding and your ability to sit back & enjoy the celebration shouldn’t be left to someone who just “makes things pretty.”

here are some notes to help you align with the true pros who Can combine “making things pretty” with Kick ass execution in the moment!

Price.

Experienced wedding vendors will NOT be the least expensive option. We’ve been in the industry long enough to value what we bring to the table. And we know what that value is worth to our ideal couples. If a vendor is touting years of experience yet isn’t even half the cost of other vendors in the same category, I highly recommend asking them why. There are unicorn newbies out there where you will get far more than you pay for. However, a good rule of thumb to keep in mind; years of experience, professionalism, and overall price will go hand-in-hand.

Portfolio.

I’ve partnered with almost 200 couples to design, plan, and coordinate their weddings. If I put every single one of those couples’ wedding galleries on my website to prove how experienced I am, it would be impossible for a potential couple to really click with me and the Pink Champagne Events’ aesthetic. Which is why I showcase only a handful of weddings at a time. Similarly, most trustworthy pros have a plethora of REAL client galleries not included on their website. Simply asking a potential vendor to see more of their full galleries will quickly separate those just getting into the business by showcasing styled or editorial shoots from those of us who have built a career making real magic happen in the moments we’re given on the wedding day.

Reviews.

As you can imagine, after syncing up with as many couples as I have, there are bound to be reviews in a multitude of locations! ie. Google, Yelp, WeddingWire, The Knot, etc…It’s important that you read as many of these vendor reviews as possible because: 1) the longer back the reviews date the more experience and knowledge a vendor has gained and 2) it shows you if/when a vendor may have faced adversity with a client or colleague, how they handled it (professionally, immaturely, acknowledged it all), and 3) it demonstrates the level of consistency you can expect with their product(s) and service(s) over an extended time.

Communication.

Like almost everyone I know, I text back & forth with my friends and family more than I actually talk to them. In person or on the phone! However, text is not the avenue of communication you want for your big day. The number of minute details, timing, logistics, and idea sharing back & forth is too important to trust to broken sentences and snippet updates here & there. Reputable vendors who offer a text option as a form of communication will only do so for the first couple of interactions. However, once you get past the initial back & forth you should expect the communication to move to more professional and reliable & recallable sources.

Boundaries.

During peak wedding season, it’s not uncommon for us to be away from our families, friends, and fur babies most weekends and several days throughout a normal work week. Knowing this time is dedicated to our couples and their celebrations, a wedding world vet will institute firm boundaries on our accessibility & availability, communication preferences, and the number of weddings & events we commit to. That allows us to stay in peak creation, problem solving, execution, and customer service mode without resentment for our couples or our craft.

Are you a tried & true wedding vendor that wants to add something else to this list? Comment below and share your thoughts!

Until next time,

Cheers!

Okay planning couples, let's have a serious chat about "day-of" wedding coordination and why it can't ever be "just the wedding day." Don't get me wrong, the presence of a good professional coordinator, on the actual day, is included in the namesake and is utterly priceless. However, every couple and every wedding is completely different! It takes time for said coordinator to truly understand your expectations and seamlessly execute YOUR vision and plans, with YOUR vendor team.

You've, no doubt, spent several months, and in some cases 1 year+, planning your big celebration. The main reason (or hopefully) for hiring a coordinator for your wedding day is so that you can enjoy the beginning of your marriage with those closest to you! Would you honestly trust someone who has NO idea what you've put in place, to execute your vision to perfection, while you sit back and sip champagne? Without first communicating with you about every aspect of the day? I'm willing to bet the answer is, "NO." In order to do that you have to establish a rapport and have a trusting relationship with a procured professional. THAT TAKES TIME! Even professionals who offer their services as hourly labor need to have some sort of pre-communication and "big picture" idea to work with.

In addition to communicating with everyone involved, beforehand, it's important for your coordinator to be included at the venue's final walk through (typically 30-45 days prior to your wedding day). Not only to fully understand how you expect the room to be set, but to clearly communicate that expectation to your vendors, well in advance of showtime. It is also at this point, that any changes to a standing rental order (i.e. tables, linens, chairs, centerpieces, etc...) are recognized, allowing plenty of time for those changes to take effect.

A professional coordinator needs to be fully informed, in advance, of any and all important times (i.e. ceremony start, reception start, venue access, etc...). You may have developed an extremely detailed timeline and shared it with vendors, friends, & family. Can you imagine if you didn't discuss any of that with your coordinator before the actual wedding day? He/she probably wouldn't arrive at the right time and/or be able to know if any of your vendors arrived at the right time. And, as detailed as your timeline may be, chances are, there are some "little" items missing that need to be vetted for your vendors to execute their individual responsibilities. For instance, what time should everyone line up for the ceremony? Who is cuing the musicians for song changes during the processional? Who is performing the welcome/blessing upon your introduction into the reception? When are you doing your first dance? Is it before or after you cut the cake? When is the band eating and taking a break? And on and on and on...

While I could talk for literal hours about why a "day-of" coordinator's responsibility really encompasses the month (or more!) before the wedding, I think you get the picture. As a side note to all of the above, I also highly recommend that you don't sacrifice the thousands of dollars you've spent thus far by skimping on the wedding day management of those dollars.

In an attempt to change the stigma and misconceptions of this commonly known service, when you contact Pink Champagne Events, you'll receive information about our "Wedding Day Planning + Coordination" services. I trust, based on several conversations with colleagues, that my fellow planners have already or will soon, change their service wording.

For more helpful hints to seamlessly communicate and transition your plans to your wedding day coordinator, check out this post.

Until next time,

Cheers!