Tips in Choosing Your Wedding Planner

A wedding planner is a professional who plans, organizes, collaborates the weddings of couples who wish to marry. The wedding planner assists in the design, planning and and over all management of the wedding event. 

The professional wedding planner has the following responsibilities:

• ·     Initial consultation with the bride and groom, complimentary
• ·     Unlimited phone and email availability during business hours
• ·     At least three planning meetings between clients and planner
• ·     Preparation of  a detailed budget breakdown and management process of the budget during the planning period
• ·     Custom schedule/time line and checklists
• ·     Assistance with site tours, selection and booking of ceremony and reception venues
• ·     Assistance with menu selection
• ·     Assistance with selecting a color scheme, theme and style of the wedding
• ·     Assistance with selection of wedding attire and accessories, accompaniment to fitting if desired
• ·     Guidance in finding, negotiating, and booking suitable vendors. Assistance with scheduling appointments. We will accompany clients to a minimum of one meeting per vendor category.  (some vendors will require more meetings)
• ·     Baker
• ·     Caterer
• ·     Florist
• ·     Musicians
• ·     Photographer
• ·     Rental Facilities
• ·     Videographer
• ·     Wedding Attire (bridal shops) Alterations if needed
• ·     Officiate
• ·     Transportation
• ·     Ongoing updates and consultation with clients about vendors services/products
• ·     Coordination with vendors to ensure services/products are provided in a timely manner
• ·     Assistance with choosing invitations, printing
• ·     Assistance with tracking RSVP’s and who will be attending
• ·     Ceremony planning
• ·     Preparation of  itineraries to be provided to vendors
• ·     Final walk-through with client at selected venues the month of the wedding
• ·     Final time lines prepared the month of the wedding
• ·     Final phone consultation with vendors the month of the wedding
• ·     Final meeting covering all details with client, the month of wedding and the week prior to the wedding. This two hour planning meeting will include:
• ·     Ceremony planning, processional, recessional, placement, timing for music if applicable
• ·     Preparation of rehearsal and wedding day itinerary as a time line to be provided to client and vendors
• ·     Final walk-through with client at selected sites month of the wedding (meeting should include florist if possible)

Types of Wedding Planner

There are many types of modern wedding planner. Most of these professionals are multi taskers and take on several duties at the same time. Find out which of these types of wedding planner do you need most.

Exclusive Wedding Planner. This type of wedding planner is a professional who plans exclusively meaning the expertise of this professional is into planning, designing, concepts and devising the ways to achieve that plan. He/She knows which ideas are better, which are difficult to acquire and which ideas are feasible and attainable to the event.

Wedding Planner and Decorator. This type of wedding planner is both a planner and doer. He plans for wedding concepts and can create it with the right tools and supplies. They are mostly into site set up, floral decorations, ceiling and wall drapings and table arrangements and centerpieces.

Wedding Planner and Host. This type of wedding planner is excellent for program emcee. These are the professionals who can pull off a wedding program with their talents in speaking to the crowd using their wit and humor.

Overall Wedding Planner. If you have heard about Jack of All Trades, then this is the type of wedding planner who is an all around. He/She can do all of the above at any given point in time. But of course, no one can spread himself/herself too thinly in doing their work. There should be a focus of skills to achieve quality. 

Tips in Choosing the Best Wedding Planner for You

1. Ask questions. Don't hesitate to ask the wedding planner about his/her scope. Ask the following: 

• What are the inclusions of his/her services?
• What are the prices of the packages?
• What are the terms of payment?
• What are his/her experiences in the wedding industry?
• How long has he/she been to this job?

2. Ask more questions and samples of work. There are many wedding planners who are ready to cater your needs but there can only be one or a few who can meet your personality, style, and most of all budget. Do your research first before cashing out your down payment to them.

3. Security questions. This is very crucial for people who would search wedding planners online. There are a lot of fraud people just waiting for their next prey. If there's a doubt in your head, DON'T. You know that these people are fake with the following:

Photo courtesy: nextlevelvision.com

• They have no clear answers to your questions.
• They will evade some questions and mislead you with double meaning statements.
• They will pressure you to pay them immediately.
• They say nasty things to other wedding suppliers.
• They have no credibility online and no one can recommend or even recognize them.
• They will probe your private details and even credit cards and personal information.

With the easy access of information online today, there are also many if not millions of criminals online who are just waiting for an opportunity to make money by their fraudulent acts. It is imperative to be cautious always especially when it involves your hard-earned money.

I hope this post helps! For your wedding planning concerns, email me at leahjacobe@gmail.com

Happy Planning Your Wedding!!!

60th Birthday Party September 2011

I haven't written much about weddings these days. I've had to attend several events particularly birthday milestones. I am gradually blessed with a handful of event bookings since the start of the 3rd quarter. All my focus and energy are channeled in bringing about the best birthday bash for a one-year old kid and a sixty-year old woman this month of September.

First week of the month of September will all be geared up towards the 1950's theme birthday surprise. I had a lot of fun going to and fro in secret to tie all the loose ends of this party. Insofar, the best decoration ideas (and by best, I mean the most economical and most wacky choice for the event). Thanks to Google for the following photos in giving me ideas how to design the venue:

Ceiling decoration ideas--

Table Centerpiece ideas

Roughly, that's how things must look during the event, but of course the procurement of these things will not be so easy as materials like vinyl cds are not so affordable in my town these days. In order to add more funky look for this event, I decided to hang CD strings on the ceiling. This will be an alternative option for a disco ball since the reflective side of a cd is already illuminating different specs of light colors and this will also give a Retro feel knowing cd's are very much part of the 1950's to 1970's era. The balloons cost less if you buy in bulk directly from party suppliers. Plus they also provide you with unlimited options on balloon size and designs.You will need to invest on a $1 balloon pump, which can be used for a lifetime if well stored and kept after use. For the table centerpiece base, you can use $0.25 coffee mugs available in many bargain shops.

In lieu of the invite cards, I went scouting for prices at the cheapest printing stores and found out that one invitation card is way too expensive for our budget. So the best thing I did was to see samples from the printing press and made it myself. Good thing I only had to make 50 pieces of these invite cards. Of course, I had to choose a special paper, ribbons and a professional printer (available in internet shops) in order to come up with this masterpiece. With the availability of these things, I found out that the total cost for each invite cards is approximately 75% lesser of that sold in the market. Now, that's what I call a bargain! (I must also consider the fact that these printing press companies are paying the building rent, their employees, the investments on the machines, etc.. so they had to put on a higher mark-up on each card).

DIY Invitation card - outside appearance

Inside the inviation card

The other details of the party include choosing a location that will serve buffet with various food choices, tapping out sponsors for program equipment such as the laptop and projector for the audio and video presentation and many others. It is best to contact friends and family and ask them to contribute in the preparations of the party. I'm very sure if you ask them politely they'd comply with openness and enthusiasm... because everybody loves to party! 

Post party updates will be posted here soon! See at the RETRO Party! yeah!
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September 10 was the day of the surprise party for a mother celebrating her 60th birthday. She had no idea that her children was working with Leah Jacobe Events and Weddings to give her an unforgettable milestone birthday.

Retro Themed Birthday Cake by Sweet Advocate and souvenirs 

The Birthday celebrant to her surprise!

Table centerpiece by Leah Jacobe Events and Weddings

Playing the trivia game

Happy faces in a happy occasion

Guests with celebrant pictorials

Best Dressed Female Guest

Dance presentation for the celebrant

A song number from this melodious young singer

Happy Birthday Mama Fely

Leah Jacobe Events and Weddings conceptualized and coordinated the entire event from scratch. Thank you Mr. Glynn Alaba and Ms. Joan Alaba for entrusting this very wonderful birthday surprise for your mom to Leah Jacobe Events and Weddings. 

Credits to:

Sweet Advocate for the retro themed cake.

Grungero Mund for the photography

Leah Jacobe Events and Weddings team for invitation cards, souvenirs, program creation and hosting, party details, decorations, etc...