Am I Worth My Fee?

Tags

Destination Weddings, Local Businesses, wedding industry, wedding planners, Wedding Planning Tips, Wedding Tips, weddings

With the Hilton Head/Bluffton Wedding Expo scheduled this month, I feel compelled to update my post ‘Value vs. Price’ written March 27, 2017, to ‘Am I Worth My Fee?’  If you are planning to attend the Expo, please keep in mind my comments and the comments noted from Jean from WeddingsFromTheHeart.net.  I am worth my fee and here is why…

As of January, 2018, I booked my 100th wedding; a milestone for myself and my business.  The 100 wedding couples selected me for a reason.  I’m not the most expensive nor am I the cheapest.  The destination and local clients place their trust in my Preferred Vendor List and are confident in my ability to get the job done.

Yes, your wedding day is a job, for me.  One of the responsibilities is to make sure you are happy and comfortable and not stressed about planning your day.  Your wedding is also my passion.  I love what I do.

My fee isn’t set by a randum number or amount.  My fee is calculated by the time/hours it takes me to create your wedding celebration and getting the key players (wedding professionals) together. My fee includes being there for you for your wedding rehearsal, on-site at your ceremony location and being there thru your reception.

‘It’ shouldn’t be about price.  ‘It’ should focus on your comfort level, confidence in the person to do what you ask them to do and it should be about trust.  Trusting someone that you hired to explain the pro and con of every decision, give honest answers to your questions and to be there on your wedding day implementing your decisions while stopping any family drama that develops.

Now, Jean from WeddingsFromTheHeart.net  writes about her experiences and response to her clients questions…

How much do you charge?”  That is usually the first question I get from a newly engaged bride or groom.

And it’s definitely a valid question.  However, my answer is “It depends.”

Now you’re probably thinking, “why does she give a vague ‘it depends’ answer when other planners can tell us a dollar amount?”

How can I (or they, for that matter) tell you the price without knowing any details of your wedding, without knowing what you want me/us to do for you?

There way too many variables from one wedding to the next that affect the level of service I can provide for any couple, and in turn, affects ‘how much I charge.’

Do you want to end up paying too much because you’re getting things you really don’t want, or end up paying too little and miss things that are truly important to you?  Of course not.

Some things (but not all) that affect price are:

• • The size of your wedding

– A wedding for 40-50 people is different than one for 250-300 people.

• How traditional or non-traditional your event will be

– Although traditional is in no way “cookie cutter,” non-traditional events can require more time and effort.

• How hands on or hands off you want me to be

– Do you want me to schedule vendor appointments for you, and join you at these appointments? Or do you just want me to provide you with names and contact information of vendors that would be a good fit for you?
– Do you want help with DIY projects?
– Do you need help locating unique resources and products to enhance your wedding?
The main services I provide are planning (partial to full-service), wedding weekend coordination, and hourly consulting. But (other than the hourly consults, because well, an hour is an hour, no one couple’s planning or coordination needs are the same as another couple’s.

Unlike so many other wedding planners, I do not have a price list to hand out, and am really surprised that others do.

So please don’t think I’m trying to be secretive when I don’t immediately answer the “How much do you charge” question. Instead, let’s get together (in person, or by phone-chat), and talk a bit about your wedding needs. That way we can develop service programs specifically for you (with pricing), based on you and the wedding you want.

The decision to have LKE as your wedding planner shouldn’t be solely decided upon due to price.   It’s not always about price.  Your decision to contract with me should be about the value of my services – knowledge, experience, education – a trusted professional that will guide you and help you have the wedding day that you envision.

Call me, let’s chat so I can answer your question, how much do you charge?

For more ideas and tips, follow me on my Facebook page! Lisa Kenward Events

Want to copy my post in your newsletter, blog or website? You can as long as you include: “Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (and surrounding areas) Accredited Wedding Planner, Lisa Kenward, writes the “Southern Weddings Blog” with her perspective on current topics for weddings and special events. http://www.LisaKenwardEvents.com

Wedding Planner or Wedding Coordinator… Which Is Right for You?

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Destination Weddings, wedding, wedding design, wedding industry, Wedding News, wedding planners, Wedding Planning Tips, Wedding Tips

Is your head spinning from the overload of wedding info?  Let me help you sort out one of the line items on your wedding planning list.  Do you need a wedding planner or a wedding coordinator?

I found the attached article below, online, written by Lindsay Goldenberg Jones.  Her insight of event responsibilities will help you understand the difference between a planner and a coordinator by breaking down pre-wedding details and day-of responsibilities.  And, lead you in the right direction so you can cross of one more detail from your long wedding check list.

Wedding Planner or Wedding Coordinator

 

For more ideas and tips, follow me on my Facebook page! Lisa Kenward Events

Want to copy my post in your newsletter, blog or website? You can as long as you include: “Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (and surrounding areas) Accredited Wedding Planner, Lisa Kenward, writes the “Southern Weddings Blog” with her perspective on current topics for weddings and special events. http://www.LisaKenwardEvents.com

Bridesmaids: Try On Your Dress

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Destination Weddings, Hilton Head, Local Businesses, wedding, wedding industry, Wedding Packages, wedding planner, wedding planning, Wedding Tips

Image the setting… It’s the morning of your wedding day and your bridesmaids arrive to your staging area early for hair and make-up application.  The room is buzzing with excitement and conversation.  You are relaxed, chatting with ‘your girls’ and the morning hours fly.  It’s now 3pm and time for you to get dressed for your ceremony.  Your bridesmaids follow your lead but one gal returns fifteen minutes later to tell you her dress doesn’t fit.  Do you believe this scenario?  It truly, 100 percent, happened.

Now what.  You have a bridesmaid that cannot fit into her dress and it’s 3:15pm and your ceremony starts at 5pm.  It’s too late to call for an alterations person to sew a panel into the dress.  Even if the tailor could sew another panel into the dress, where would they get the fabric?  There isn’t time to go shopping for another dress as the nearest store is 20 minutes away.  Time is ticking.

What would you do?  Tell the bridesmaid that she cannot walk down the aisle or send her to the nearest department store to find a similar style, color and fabric match dress?

The bride was calm but embarrassed and sent her friend to find another dress.

Lesson to learn:  Focus on every detail even the ones that seem so simple but can become complicated.

For more ideas and tips, follow me on my Facebook page! Lisa Kenward Events

Want to copy my post in your newsletter, blog or website? You can as long as you include: “Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (and surrounding areas) Accredited Wedding Planner, Lisa Kenward, writes the “Southern Weddings Blog” with her perspective on current topics for weddings and special events. http://www.LisaKenwardEvents.com

Venue Discount on Hilton Head Island

Tags

Destination Weddings, Hilton Head Island, wedding, wedding budget, wedding industry, wedding planners, wedding planning

Port Royal Golf Club is offering 1/2 off the rental fee of the Clubhouse venue…

I just received an email from Kim Brabham, Event Manager with the Port Royal Golf Club. Kim is discounting the cost of the venue rental with a “FLASH SALE” that promotes the Clubhouse.

Book your wedding by Saturday, September 30, 2017, and receive Half Off the Clubhouse facility and The West Lawn Ceremony Site fee. Up to $1850.00 in savings!

Standard Food minimums must be met, and all other discounts cannot be combined with Flash Sale.

Call Lisa Kenward Events for additional details and to schedule a tour of Hilton Head Island’s southern-style venue!

For more ideas and tips, follow me on my Facebook page! Lisa Kenward Events

Want to copy my post in your newsletter, blog or website? You can as long as you include: “Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (and surrounding areas) Accredited Wedding Planner, Lisa Kenward, writes the “Southern Weddings Blog” with her perspective on current topics for weddings and special events. http://www.LisaKenwardEvents.com

What are you Looking for?

Tags

Buy Local, destination brides, Destination Weddings, Hilton Head Island, Unique Events, unique wedding, wedding, wedding industry, wedding planners, wedding planning, Wedding Tips

I had the opportunity to talk with a destination bride yesterday to learn more about her plans (so far) for her wedding and to discuss how I could help.  The phone conversation focused around her questions – what can I do for her?

With 94 weddings planned since 2008, I was prepare to answer her questions and to explain why I felt I was the best wedding planner for her unique celebration.  Being thorough while answering her questions I also wanted to focus on:

• Couples are not into ‘trends’ they want ‘tasteful’ designs that reflect their personalities
• Couples want to share unique details focused on their relationship
• Clients will hire a wedding planner due to the wedding planners personality, honest, trust
• Couples want their event to be memorable – a positive memory
• Each event is a production – design, plan, set-up/break-down

Your wedding planner can be a great resource to assist in finding local talent, caterer, officiant, photographer, stationery, bakery, and the perfect venue – within your budget.

Value vs. Price

Tags

Destination Weddings, wedding industry, wedding planning, Wedding Tips, weddings

It’s the end of March – 2017 wedding season has begun.  With 2018 wedding inquiries appearing in my in-box from destination couples, I am noticing a pattern of questions that weren’t prevalent in 2017… How much do you charge?

Of course, the question was asked by the prior 78 couples that contracted to have their wedding planned, designed, coordinated by Lisa Kenward Events, but the question wasn’t the first question asked.   It’s not always about price.

Jean from WeddingsFromTheHeart.net  writes about her experiences and response to her clients questions…

How much do you charge?”  That is usually the first question I get from a newly engaged bride or groom.

And it’s definitely a valid question.  However, my answer is “It depends.”

Now you’re probably thinking, “why does she give a vague ‘it depends’ answer when other planners can tell us a dollar amount?”

How can I (or they, for that matter) tell you the price without knowing any details of your wedding, without knowing what you want me/us to do for you?

There way too many variables from one wedding to the next that affect the level of service I can provide for any couple, and in turn, affects ‘how much I charge.’

Do you want to end up paying too much because you’re getting things you really don’t want, or end up paying too little and miss things that are truly important to you?  Of course not.

Some things (but not all) that affect price are:

• • The size of your wedding

– A wedding for 40-50 people is different than one for 250-300 people.

• How traditional or non-traditional your event will be

– Although traditional is in no way “cookie cutter,” non-traditional events can require more time and effort.

• How hands on or hands off you want me to be

– Do you want me to schedule vendor appointments for you, and join you at these appointments? Or do you just want me to provide you with names and contact information of vendors that would be a good fit for you?
– Do you want help with DIY projects?
– Do you need help locating unique resources and products to enhance your wedding?
The main services I provide are planning (partial to full-service), wedding weekend coordination, and hourly consulting. But (other than the hourly consults, because well, an hour is an hour, no one couple’s planning or coordination needs are the same as another couple’s.

Unlike so many other wedding planners, I do not have a price list to hand out, and am really surprised that others do.

So please don’t think I’m trying to be secretive when I don’t immediately answer the “How much do you charge” question. Instead, let’s get together (in person, or by phone-chat), and talk a bit about your wedding needs. That way we can develop service programs specifically for you (with pricing), based on you and the wedding you want.

 

The decision to have LKE as your wedding planner shouldn’t be solely decided upon due to price.   It’s not always about price.  Your decision to contract with me should be about the value of my services – knowledge, experience, education – a trusted professional that will guide you and help you have the wedding day that you envision.

Call me, let’s chat so I can answer your question, how much do you charge?

For more ideas and tips, follow me on my Facebook page! Lisa Kenward Events

Want to copy my post in your newsletter, blog or website? You can as long as you include: “Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (and surrounding areas) Accredited Wedding Planner, Lisa Kenward, writes the “Southern Weddings Blog” with her perspective on current topics for weddings and special events. http://www.LisaKenwardEvents.com

 

If you call yourself a Wedding Planner…

Tags

Destination Weddings, Local Businesses, wedding industry, Wedding News, wedding planners, Wedding Tips

If you don’t already know, the wedding industry isn’t regulated which can be a good thing for both the client and the professionals offering a service.  And what you don’t know about wedding planners may impact your decision with whom you should contract with.  Here’s several insightful comments from Lacy Miller, an events and entertainment professional at SSL Entertainment and The Gracie & Lacy Show based in Charleston, SC.

Lacy Miller writes about how a Wedding Planner thinks, dresses, responds and juggles the tasks & responsibilities of each event.  Her descriptions and scenarios are light-hearted reflecting the passion and focus of many wedding planners.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/you-know-youre-event-planner-lacy-miller

When you select a wedding planner for your event, keep in mind Lacy’s comments and seek out a professional who is educated with a history of coordinating current events and has the skills and resources to get the job done.

For more ideas and tips, follow me on my Facebook page! Lisa Kenward Events

Want to copy my post in your newsletter, blog or website? You can as long as you include: “Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (and surrounding areas) Accredited Wedding Planner, Lisa Kenward, writes the “Southern Weddings Blog” with her perspective on current topics for weddings and special events. http://www.LisaKenwardEvents.com

Accredited Wedding Planner

Tags

Hilton Head Island, Local Businesses, wedding industry, wedding planners, weddings

In August, 2016, I shared my goal of applying for my Accredited Wedding Planner status with the Association of Bridal Consultants. My 2016 goal was to have the application and binder done by September, 2016. With many speed bumps during my progress to complete my application, I am proud to say that I mailed the binder on February 7th.  Oh, what a great feeling it is to have it DONE!! I walked into the post office with the biggest smile and left feeling relieved and proud of my accomplishments, so far. When my application and wedding binder (documenting prior weddings and publications along with community service) is approved, Lisa Kenward Events will be the only Accredited Wedding Planner in Beaufort County.

 

Update as of February 21, 2017…

Lisa Kenward has achieved the designation of Accredited Wedding Planner (AWP) with the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC). Lisa is owner and principal designer of Lisa Kenward Events, offering event planning, design and coordination services in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, Georgia, and beyond. She is the only Accredited Wedding Planner in Beaufort County. Her extensive experience with weddings and special events advanced her thru the education program with ABC. Lisa seamlessly leads her clients through the process of planning their wedding day, rehearsal dinner, pre-event activity or post-wedding event with elegance and style. She is also a member of the Lowcountry Wedding Professionals Networking Group on Hilton Head Island.

What Can An Independent Wedding Planner Do For You?

Tags

Destination Weddings, Hilton Head Island, wedding, wedding industry, wedding planners, Wedding Planning Tips, Wedding Tips

Since you probably haven’t been married before, you may not know what an independent professional wedding planner can do for you.  You have probably attended a few weddings before as a guest and had expectations… a ceremony, cocktails, dinner, dancing and a ‘thank-you’ gift. An independent wedding planner can do as much or as little as you need.  If they cannot or are not willing to perform the task you request, look elsewhere.  Consider your independent professional wedding planner your go-to person for unbiased answers to your million questions.

An independent wedding planner is a person that is hired by yourself to perform specific details and responsibilities prior to your wedding celebration and day-of.  This person – male or female – reports directly to you and is responsible for the logistics, deliveries, set-up/break-down, timeline and flow of your day.  They are on-site hours before your event and stay until you exit the venue that evening.  Every aspect/detail is noted on their timeline to ensure your wedding day event runs smoothly without any delays.  If there is a problem or delay or a ‘no-show’ your independent wedding planner is there to make a phone call to find a replacement.

An independent wedding planner/coordinator can share their knowledge of a venue, give you suggestions for florists, musicians, officiant, photographer, rental companies, transportation, etc., to help you find other wedding industry professionals.  The opinion of your independent wedding planner isn’t based on commission.  And, they do not direct staff at the venue but work along side the venue staff to ensure a positive result.

One of the many details not shared from couple to another is that the event will consume more hours of your day than thought.  Details that you hadn’t thought about will appear a week before your date and those details will need to be address, noted on your timeline, coordinated with the vendors and explained to your mother and mother-in-law.  Rely on a wedding coordinator who knows the questions to ask, will document the details and share the info to all parties.

Placing etiquette aside as ‘times have changed’ the expectation of a 2017 wedding couple vary and so do the responsibilities of a wedding planner. A traditional church wedding followed by a 4-hour reception isn’t the norm if you are planning a destination celebration.  Your walk down the aisle should be at a location that has meaning to you and your partner.  Search out a local independent wedding planner to ensure you day reflects your personality and expectations.

 

For more ideas and tips, follow me on my Facebook page! Lisa Kenward Events

Want to copy my post in your newsletter, blog or website? You can as long as you include: “Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (and surrounding areas) Professional Wedding Planner, Lisa Kenward, writes the “Southern Weddings Blog” with her perspective on current topics for weddings and special events. http://www.LisaKenwardEvents.com

The Value of a Preferred Vendors List

Tags

vendor reviews, wedding, wedding industry, wedding planners, wedding planning, Wedding Tips

The Preferred Vendor List (PVL) from your wedding planner can be your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, if you utilize the list to your advantage…

Every professional has a list of locals that they prefer to work with.  The reason behind the PVL comes from experience, research and many phone calls made by your wedding planner to find experienced vendors – florist, cake baker, officiant, venue, transportation, photographer – that are available on your wedding day, take pride in their work and return emails or voice mail messages within a timely fashion.  Contracting with a vendor without checking on their references could mean additional stress to you or a no-show on your wedding day.

• Don’t take the list for granted as the info will save you time – the internet will help you find a professional but can you tell by the business name what the owner offers? The PVL has the gathered information you need organized in specific categories with business names, contact info and phone numbers listed
• Already proven successful outcomes – your wedding planner has experience with these companies and has evaluated each company
• Local professionals ready to provide services – they can be found in local magazines, newspapers, Chamber of Commerce, and online presence; not just listed on the PVL
• References come from your wedding planner – experience matters along with a track record and positive review
• Their business name appears on the list for a reason – a professional in their field who responds to emails and phone calls in a timely fashion and provides exceptional service and a quality product

Did you know that some PVL are created as a “Pay to Play” document with those vendors paying fees to be listed on a PVL?  Ask your wedding planner if they receive compensation from those vendors on their PVL.  If payment is made, ask if the funds charged are passed onto to you.  Pay to Play agreements destroy the integrity of the wedding industry by eroding vendor ability to make a profit while providing high-quality products and services.

The Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) require each member to sign and follow an ethical contract noting to disclose any fee paid or payment received from any source in reference to an event booked.  Noting the fee paid or funds received to the client is an important detail that should be disclosed to each client.

For more ideas and tips, follow me on my Facebook page! Lisa Kenward Events

Want to copy my post in your newsletter, blog or website? You can as long as you include: “Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (and surrounding areas) Professional Wedding Planner, Lisa Kenward, writes the “Southern Weddings Blog” with her perspective on current topics for weddings and special events. http://www.LisaKenwardEvents.com