I feel so blessed with some of the gorgeous clients that I get to work with. There is one project I’m especially madly in love with. The bride is making decisions so easily and knows exactly what she wants and has realistic expectations on the budget. This couple have hired us to help with full service end to end wedding planning. I love jobs like this, they become less problematic as you have more control of getting it right from the start instead of fire fighting toward the end. Sometimes when we start a job after our clients have already planned some of it themselves, you often come across wastage and bookings that need to be amended. And it’s a little frustrating when money on anything is wasted.
For this particular event next year we have already booked most of our vendors, and we’ve left some of our biggest styling vendors until last so we have a better idea of how much budget we have left in the kitty. Styling a wedding is definitely much more fun than anything else, but for anyone to think that styling a wedding is just rehashing a mood board from Pinterest is mistaken. Sure, Pinterest is a great starting point. Life would be difficult without it. But if you don’t get the framework right before you start styling then you are bound to be up against it. As I was putting the finishing touches on my brief for the florist and decorator, aside from the huge amount of satisfaction I had – I was thinking how many couples without a planner have considered all this information prior to meeting their styling team.
Some of the things that we’ve had to prepare even before we speak to our stylists:
- Knowing what suppliers have on their books, and speaking to the right ones (with the right experience)
- The floor plan
- Power points locations
- Rigging point locations
- Existing lighting
- Bump in and dismantle windows and loading access
- Inspiration photos
- And and idea of what our clients adore (and can’t stand)
- A written list of elements that are mandatory and/or on the wish list: everything from seating charts to candles
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via MODWedding Talk about feast for the eyes. Gold flatware and vases with hydrangea, phalaenopsis, hanging chandeliers and magnolia leaf.
Secret Garden via indeeddecor.com I love this image because it’s not always possible to hang floral installations from the ceiling if there is no rigging point. These stands create the same effect. But, IMHO I would have opted to have a wider table because of my paranoia of a guest bumping the stand.
Aside from the above, having already spending so much time and loving on my client already her Pinterest board is much easier to understand. It’s been important for me to “get” why she has pinned each image. It may be for the most subtle reason and some kind of “it” factor that needs to be executed. Once I had a sense of where they were going with the creative direction, I had a good idea of vendors that would fit her vision. She could skip the painstakingly long vendor selection process as she has shortlisted 2 of those clever suppliers. I can’t wait for her to meet the decorator and florist tomorrow and see what comes to fruition. Stay tuned.
