weddings and special events and private estates: Jimmy Choo

Sunday, January 11, 2015

What to Look for When Hiring an Event Planner, Plus Is Having Your Special Event or Wedding at an Estate the Right Choice for You?

Happy New Year!

Hiring a great event planner can save you time, money and unnecessary stress. Our goal, as a planner is for our clients to enjoy the planning process.

Here are a few questions to help you find the right person.

Is the planner available on your event day? Make sure that the event planner that you have been considering is available on your event day.

Does your event planner think that your budget is doable? Share your budget with your planner and make sure that he or she agrees that your numbers are realistic before you proceed.

Please note: if more than one planner advises you that the numbers are not realistic, please revisit your budget.

Do you connect with your planner's personality and creative style? You will be working with your planner closely and it is important that you are both on the same page and think similarly.

What is your planner's policy for returning emails and phone calls - the same or next day? A response should be communicated the same day or within 24 hours. Even if your planner is on another event, someone in their office should email or text you to let you know that they will follow-up as soon as possible - no one should have to wait more than a day.

How many years of event planning experience does your event planner have and does it relate to your type of event? Ensure that your planner is not going to learn their skills at your expense.

What are the reviews like for your planner? Google and Yelp reviews are very helpful. You need to know who you are hiring.

If would like to have your wedding or special event at a private estate, consider these questions before you take the leap.

Do you have a strict budget?
WE DON'T RECOMMEND HAVING A PRIVATE ESTATE EVENT WHEN A CLIENT IS ON A CHALLENGING BUDGET. PLANNING AN ESTATE EVENT IS NOT FOR EVERYONE, SINCE EVERYTHING FROM THE LIGHTING TO THE RENTALS MUST BE BROUGHT ONSITE. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT SOMEONE HAS TO HAVE AN UNLIMITED BUDGET, BUT THEIR BUDGET SHOULD HAVE FLEXIBILITY.

Are you planning a late night party (going after 11 pm or midnight) with a live band and/or DJ outdoors?
WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF BEAUTIFUL ESTATES THAT CAN GO LATER, I.E., BALLROOMS AND THEY ARE ISOLATED. HOWEVER, GENERALLY, MOST ESTATES RECEPTIONS CAN GO UNTIL 10 PM OR 11 PM.

Will your wedding or special event take place during the off-season?
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HAS GREAT WEATHER MAJORITY OF THE TIME, HOWEVER, IF YOUR EVENT IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE DURING THE FALL, WINTER OR SPRING, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A WEATHER CONTINGENCY PLAN IN PLACE. WE ALWAYS SUGGEST HAVING A CONTINGENCY PLAN IN PLACE TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE.

Do you have a high-guest count?
CONFIRM THAT THE ESTATE THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING CAN HANDLE YOUR GUEST COUNT. THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN TRYING TO PLAN A SIT DOWN DINNER FOR 250 GUESTS IN AN AREA THAT CAN ONLY HANDLE 150 GUESTS. THIS CAN BE COSTLY AND VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR YOU AND YOUR GUESTS.

For more information, please call our office at 818-246-2288.
XO

Estate Pick of the Week - A6981 Malibu

Our Picks of the Week -

Love colored bottles - it would be fun to paint table numbers on each one.

Biodegradable confetti.

Have a great week! XO, Gianna

Friday, February 7, 2014

Day of Wedding Coordinating, Valentine's Day Ideas, Plus Our Estate & Picks of the Week

Several times a week, we receive inquiries from new brides asking about day-of-wedding coordination. Since this is a very popular service, I thought it would be a great idea to address it.

The name of this package was created by wedding publications and blogs a few years ago. They helped to convince first-time brides that they can plan their wedding by themselves and then bring in a planner on the wedding day to "coordinate" so that everything can come together flawlessly.

Ask anyone who has ever planned a wedding and they will tell you that it takes a great deal of time (an average wedding from start to finish takes anywhere from 100 to 150 hours to plan).

Our company offers day-of-wedding coordination. The following describes in detail the services provided in our package:

1. An initial meeting to create your wedding timeline, in which we will confirm which projects have already been handled, review items that still need to be planned and answer any remaining client questions.

2. The development of a comprehensive wedding timeline. In order to create one with complete accuracy and include all updates, this will take approximately 3 hours.

3. A walk-through meeting at the venue to confirm logistics with event professionals and our client.

4. Phone and email support to our client.

5. Review the event professional agreements to confirm timing, price, load-in and load-out before our clients sign.

6. Confirm all of the event professionals to make sure that they have received the most current information and the latest timeline about 10 days before the wedding.

7. The wedding rehearsal - we collect all the important items for the wedding. These items can include the escort cards, final checks, seating chart, copy of the vows, and marriage license, to name a few examples. This way our bride and groom can relax and start enjoying their wedding weekend. We also direct the wedding rehearsal, unless the wedding takes place at a religious setting like a church or temple. In these cases, the onsite coordinator will conduct the rehearsal.

8. The wedding day - we spend approximately 10 hours to supervise the set-up, give cues for the musicians, bride and groom's entrance, first dance, event toasts, father-daughter and mother-son dance, plus the cake cutting.

We offer this package at a very special rate (we are only able to do five per year, since it takes up about 30 + planning hours) from $1650 to $1850. These packages only apply to weddings at hotels or private clubs.

There are some event planners who charge $500 for this same package, but for this fee there is a good chance that they might be trying to build up their portfolio and gain experience on your wedding.