Frequently Asked Questions
What is the smallest wedding budget you have had to work with?
The smallest wedding budget I have worked with is $3,000.
How many weddings have you done?
Through my training and on my own, I have completed 30 weddings.
How do you deal with family expectations of the wedding versus the bride’s expectations of the wedding?
I will listen and take into consideration of every suggestion from family members. I will provide the bride and groom suggestions on how to incorporate these ideas into their wedding. Every wedding decision is ultimately up to the bride and groom because it is their wedding.
What is the biggest wedding disaster you have had to deal with? How did you handle it?
The first wedding I had done on my own had many uncontrollable disasters. The first one being, the bride changed the photographer and rental vendor less than one week before the wedding. These vendors were not on my preferred vendors list.
The bride had done the floral arrangements on her own and they looked beautiful the night before. She put them in her refrigerator overnight. The refrigerator was set too cold, so the flowers froze then turned brown and wilted. We had ordered extra flowers that were not kept in the fridge so I quickly remade as many boutonnieres and bouquets as possible.
She had also chosen to use a DJ that was not on my preferred vendors list. The DJ showed up 30 minutes before the wedding and just barely got his things set up before the prelude music was supposed to begin. At the time when the DJ was suppose to announce the couple for the first time into the reception; he neglected to actually announce them. He played their song, but did not announce them. I then became emcee of the event and announced the couple at the climax of the song.
We had scheduled a rehearsal for the night before the wedding and no one came to the rehearsal. Fortunately, I had written itineraries for the ceremony and reception so the day of the wedding, the attendants was able to look them over to know what was going on.
The bride was insistent on having the reception outdoors. However, it was 45 degrees outside, and very windy. I took it upon myself to move the reception inside between the ceremony and reception.
The photographers snuck out and left before the father daughter dance and the cake cutting. I had a camera in my emergency kit, so I took the rest of the pictures for the night.
Can we customize our own package?
Yes! Our Amethyst package is our “a la carte” package. You may select anything from the service menu or if you need assistance with something that is not on our service menu, we can assist you with that as well.
Are you certified?
What type of formal training have you had?
The Wedding Planning Institute certification program consisted of online training, as well as hands on seminars taught by successful wedding coordinators. Once my certification was complete, I took it upon myself to take in brides who were trying to save money by hiring me at a much discounted price as a new wedding coordinator. I trained myself on planning and coordinating weddings as well as directing the day of the wedding. I learned things that people never tell you about wedding planning.
What kind of wedding organizations are you a part of?
I am a part of the LWPI (Lovegevity Wedding Planning Institute).
Do you have insurance?
Yes, I have full limited liability insurance.
What is your cancelation policy?
If, for some reason, the bride and groom no longer need the services of the wedding coordinator, the deposit is non-refundable. All of the tasks will be broken down by our A-la-carte menu and you will receive a refund from all services that have not yet been completed. Services that have been completed, however, are non-refundable.
*Events such as a death in the immediate family, hospitalization, etc. are negotiable and proper proof will be required. However, the final decision will be solely at the wedding coordinator’s discretion.
What is your initial deposit?
The initial deposits are different with every package and service. They range from 10%-20% of the service price.
Did you buy your business or did you start from scratch?
I started my business from scratch.
Do you do anything else besides weddings?
I am a full time mom and wife. However, weddings are my passion which is why I specialize in everything from the proposal planning to the post wedding brunch.
Do you have employees that work with you as assistance?
I have two assistance who work with me as needed.
How much time do you normally put into a wedding?
An average wedding takes approximately 250 hours to plan.
Do you attend every wedding?
No, not unless you purchase a package or service that includes “day of coordination.” Most of our packages do include this service, though.
What happens if you are ill or something has happened?
The only thing that will keep me away from a wedding is hospitalization or highly contagiously sick. In that case, I will send out my assistance to take care of your wedding. All assistance will be informed of every wedding aspect even if they are not assigned to the wedding in case of any emergency. There will always be a certified wedding planner on site.
Do you sell invitations?
I currently do not sell invitations. I do assist with stationary selection to match your wedding style and colors. I also provide an invitation concierge service. I have a preferred vendor whom I get all of my invitations from.
Who signs the vendor contracts? Do we pay you the fee for the entire event and then you pay each vendor or do we contract with vendors separately?
You contract with vendors separately. What I will do is deliver the deposit and payments to the vendors once you have signed the contract. Checks will be made out to the vendor. At no point will you write a check to me for payment of other vendors.
Are you present at all vendor meetings? Do you come to the tasting?
Some packages and services include this benefit. If you choose to opt out, that is fine. However it is a huge benefit for me to come to ensure the understanding of communication and that no one is left with any questions.
How many hours are included with each of your packages?
I do not normally work on an hourly rate because it is difficult to prove the hours put into each wedding. I base my ultra-inclusive package at the average time it takes to plan an entire wedding from start to finish, which is approximately 250 hours. I stem each package off of that system.
Do you make initial contact with all referred vendors and check price and availability or do you give us a list of vendors for us to call?
I can do both. It is whichever you prefer.
How many hours are you on site the day of the wedding?
It depends on what needs to be set up. I am available to only your wedding the entire day of the wedding. This is why I only do one wedding a week. I like to ensure that every wedding gets the attention it deserves.
Do you help with setup and tear down?
Yes, in any package that includes my services on the day of your wedding, I will set up and tear down the event.
Will you help with the processional and recessional?
Yes, depending on the services purchased, I will write out a step-by-step itinerary and direct every aspect from the processional to the recessional.
Will you bring an emergency kit?
Yes, my emergency kit is brought with me to every wedding. I have invested a lot of money into my kit since it is one of the main things that can save a wedding at anytime. I am always adding to it. If there is something that is needed at a wedding and I do not have it, I make sure to add it to my emergency kit before my next wedding.
Describe the best wedding you’ve ever managed. Why was it the best wedding?
The best wedding I have ever managed was my second wedding on my own. It was very helpful that the bride was always communicating with me. She would talk to me about personal things which helped me get to know her and what she likes. She also let me know everything she wanted and all of her expectations. I was able to live up to them since I knew what they were. I had also learned a lot from my first wedding which allowed me to be more organized in certain areas.
Do you charge for expenses or travel?
The only time I charge for expense or travel is for destination weddings. It is considered a destination wedding if the wedding is out of Oklahoma state border.
Does the fee include the day of the wedding?
It depends on which package or service you purchase.
How do you charge? Is it hourly, a flat rate or a percentage of my overall budget?
We provide flat rate packages, as well as hourly consultation rates.
How are the payments structured? When are they due?
We will work out a personalized payment structure whether it is in full or payments need to be made. You will also get to choose the dates that you pay. However, all final payments must be due 14 days prior to the wedding.
Is there anything you will not help with?
The only thing I will not do is the delivery and set up of the cake. Only the baker and designer of the cake can do that due to their expertise.
Are you present at the rehearsal?
Yes, as long as it is included in the package you have purchased.
Will you setup the personal items on each of the place settings?
Yes, any day-of package includes this.
Describe the most difficult wedding you’ve managed and why was it difficult?
I don’t like to say that any wedding is difficult. Every wedding simply has its own challenges whether it’s family cultures and beliefs, brides who change their vendors, vendors arriving late, or bridal parties who do not listen. If I must say, the most challenging wedding has to be my first one. What was so difficult was that the bride changed vendors on me at the last minute. She went against her contract. It is almost impossible to give you the perfect wedding if the bride does not communicate with the wedding coordinator.
Describe some problems you’ve had with vendors not fulfilling their contract and how you handled it.
It has happened twice during my first wedding when the DJ showed up late, and the photographers left early. The DJ ended up giving a small refund and the photographer gave the bride and groom an entirely edited disk of all of the pictures for free.
Will you help design the overall theme, decor and flow of the wedding ceremony & reception?
Our Chandelier, Diamond, and Sapphire packages include the design, décor, and flow of the wedding and reception. You may also add it to any package from our service menu.
Will you provide me with a detailed budget outline?
Most packages come with a detailed personalized budget outline. It is also one of our “a la carte” services and may be purchased alone or with other packages.
Will you assist with lodging arrangements for our out of town guests?
Some packages include out of town guest accommodations. We also offer it as an “a la carte” service so if that is something you would like to add to a package that does not come with it, you may. If you choose, you may also hire that service only.
