How to Help Your Clients Save Money on Their Wedding Budgets

One of the main reasons a bride will choose to hire a wedding planner is because they expect the wedding planner to save them money to make their budget go further. In fact, great wedding planners are able to save the bride and groom more than they charge for their planning fee, making for some very happy newlyweds!

Here's a few tips you can use to help your clients save some money:

-Suggest they hold the wedding during the "off-peak" season-
Months like May, June, July, September, & October are VERY popular wedding months. That means venues and vendors often charge premium prices for weddings held during these times. Many times venues or vendors will have off-peak specials that can save the brides hundreds (sometimes even thousands) of dollars. Since weddings are hard to come by during months like December, January, and February, vendors are willing to greatly lower the prices of their packages just to fill up their schedule. If a bridal couple has a tight budget, being flexible on the actual wedding date can help them save a lot of money and make their wedding budget go further.

-Ditch the liquor-
Hard liquor, especially top shelf liquor, can cost a pretty penny by the time the final bill arrives. Instead, the bride can opt for a wine & beer bar which can help trim a large cost from the budget, especially if the guest list is quite large. If the bride and groom still wish to serve hard liquor but their budget is pretty tight, suggest having them simply serve a signature cocktail. This means guests can still indulge in a drink with hard liquor, but in a much more affordable manner for the bride and groom.

-Choose decor wisely-
The floral budget for a wedding can quickly get out of control, but if you help the bride and groom choose wisely, the wedding bouquets and centerpieces can still look amazing without costing an arm and leg. Here's the key: choose flowers that are in season and grown locally. Tropical or out-of-season flowers can cost a lot more due to the need to ship them in from another location. Instead, opt for flowers that are grown locally to help save hundreds on the floral bill. Also, focus mainly on the centerpieces because that is what the guests will see most of the night. If the budget is tight, opt for clusters of piller or votive candles placed on the gift table, staircase, or window sills instead of extra floral arrangements to help save money.

-Choose a venue that offers all-in-one services-
If the bride and groom choose a venue that offers a ceremony site along with all of the linens, plates, flatware, glasses and basic decor for the reception can help save more money than choosing a banquet hall where the bride and groom will have to supply all of these items themselves. Not only is it less work, but it can help their budget go further.

Before you take on your first clients, research the best ways in your area to help save your clients the most money without cutting out their style or theme.

Selling Your Services to Modern Brides

Most of the brides you will be serving are in their twenties or early thirties, and are considered those of Generation Y. This is a generation filled with the desire for instant gratification, uniqueness, and ease. Here are a few tips on how to market your services to brides of today:

1) Make it easy to do business with you.
Most research a bride will perform when attempting to find wedding planners and/or wedding vendors will be done on the Internet. Having an easy to use and informative website, blog, or social media profile can go a long way in getting you potential clients without you actively seeking them. List your website on local wedding directories or purchase small advertising spots on sites like The Knot, Wedding Wire, etc. Have multiple ways available to connect and contact you: phone, email, website submissions, etc. This will let people choose which means of communication will work best for them.

2) Provide a unique experience for each bride.
Bridal magazines these days are filled with informative articles on how to "personalize" the big day and make it unique to the bridal couples interests and personalities. When marketing your services, make sure you highlight your desire and ability to create a unique and personalized wedding for each client so they can truly feel special instead of just attending another cookie-cutter wedding.

3) Show them everything they will get with your service upfront.
In the age of instant gratification, it's extremely important to let a bride know everything she will get if she buys your services BEFORE you start going into details about how you will turn her dreams into reality. This lets her see all of the benefits and details she will get by hiring you and will often catch her attention before she loses interest.

4) Show them examples of weddings you've done for couples just like them.
Brides will want to see examples of weddings you've done. Show them photos of weddings you've done for couples that shared their similar budget or style. (Outdoor weddings for couples who are interested in an outdoor ceremony) This will help them envision what you will be able to do for their wedding.

The great thing about Generation Y-ers is that they love to share their good experiences with other people. Do a great job and you will receive great recommendations and references which can go a long way with finding your next clients.

Vendor Contract Negotiation

One of the biggest reasons a couple chooses to hire a wedding planner is because the wedding planners can use their industry connections & relationships, and an excellent ability at negotiating to get the couple a lower price on vendor services and packages. Here's a look at some tips for contract negotiation to help get your clients the best price possible:

Negotiate with the Right Person:
If the general manager of a venue is the person in charge of setting prices and making decisions on discounts, go straight to them. Even if you have established a good relationship with the venue design coordinator, it's harder to say "no" directly to a wedding planner who may indeed bring in more business than it is for the general manager to have the venue design coordinator just pass the "no" message on to you.

Be Knowledgable:
Before you enter into negotiation with a vendor over package and service prices, make sure you have a good understanding of the industry standard and the quality of work/amount of experience the vendor has. This will help you get a better understanding of if the price the vendor is suggesting is fair or not. Compare prices of other local vendors providing the same service and go from there.

Get Creative:
If the vendor seems to be stuck on the price they are offering, you may need to get creative. Try to get them to "throw in" something that won't cost them much for free. Or ask for a off-season discount- many vendors have special seasonal discounts during winter or the slower months of wedding season.

Be Ready to Deal:
You may have more negotiating power if you have something to offer in return. You can offer to place them on your "Preferred Vendors" list which may be displayed on your website or in your brochures/marketing materials. You may also say you can partner with them for a Bridal Show booth which will help you split the costs.

Services & Products, PT2 - How much should I charge?

Once you have figured out what services and packages you are going to offer, you will need to figure out a pricing system. Here are a few ideas:

Percentage of Wedding Budget:This type of pricing structure is quite popular among wedding planners. Typically a fee of 10-15% of the wedding budget is the common, but this will typically only work for full planning packages and for larger weddings. For instance, a wedding with a $25,000 budget and a fee of 15% will net the wedding planner $3750.00 for a full planning package, whereas a wedding with a budget of $5000 will only net the wedding planner $750.00. Even if there are only 50 guests, that's still a lot of work for a small amount of money.

Flat Fee:Flat fees are great for any type of package. This means that no matter what the budget for the wedding is, the fee will be the same. This helps brides know exactly what the price will be no matter how many times they need to change their wedding budget (and it will happen). Also, if the couple only needs some assistance and would prefer a partial planning service or Day-Of coordination, they will know exactly what it will cost them so they can work it into their budget.

While setting a full planning package at $2,999 is great for weddings under $30,000, you may feel like there is more work to be done with a wedding that has a budget of $100,000. If this is the case, you can explain to the bridal couple that because of the size and depth of the wedding, assistants will need to be brought on and so there will be an extra charge for the assistants.

Hourly Fee:
You may decided to charge hourly based on the number of hours you work on each wedding. While this will ensure you are fully paid for your time and effort, it may leave couples feeling uneasy if you are unsure of the number of hours it will take to plan a wedding. Giving an estimate at the beginning of the planning process is a must and it should be as close to accurate as possible. You may decide to charge $30 and as you get more established, move up to $40 or even $50 an hour. Some planners in large metropolitan areas actually command up to $150 per hour after years of experience!

Ultimately, it will come down to how much time and effort you put into each of your pacakges or services and what the rate is currently set at by your competitors. It helps to do some research to see how other wedding planners in your area are charging so you can figure out where you need to be with your pricing structure. As we said before, don't forget to set yourself apart and find a niche that you can take over and command a lot of business from your specialty. You'll be able to charge a premium if you offer something unique or something now one else can do.

*If you missed the first part of this series, check out Services & Products PT1*

Exhibiting at Bridal Shows

Bridal shows are great for business and can put you in front of hundreds to thousands of potential clients that are actively seeking wedding vendors, venues, & planners. As a wedding planner, using bridal shows as a tool for gaining clientele is a great way to quickly fill up your schedule with weddings. Here are some great tips for preparing for a bridal show or expo:

Find the Right Show to Exhibit at:

Many larger cities have a number of different shows throughout the year and each show can be ran by a different company. Some companies may hold two or three shows a year whereas some may only do one. The best bet is to first visit a show held by each company to see which one brings in the biggest crowd, offers the most to vendors, and is held at the best time of year (January, February, or September, October).

Once you have found a show that interests you, ask a few questions before paying your deposit. What is included in your fee (table, chairs, linens, etc)? How many vendors will be exhibiting at the show? How many of those vendors do the same thing that you do? How big is the booth area? When will you be allowed to set up? As a wedding planner, you will want to make sure that there are no more than 10 other wedding planners exhibiting or the cost may not be worth the reward of additional clients since there may be too much competition.

Make Your Booth Unique & Exciting:

You want your booth to stand out from the rest. It's best to find a location near an entrance or in a corner. Rent (or buy if you plan on exhibiting at a number of bridal shows) your own linens that are cohesive in color and theme with the rest of your booth. Invest in a sign. It doesn't have to be expensive, it just has to look nice and stand out. Balloons, lights, and plants often attract the attention of brides passing by. There will be a lot of vendors exhibiting at a bridal show so it's extremely important to stand out.

Have a Way to Capture Leads & Follow Up:

There are some great companies out there that help small businesses set up a campaign to capture lead information, and then follow up with them immediately by offering valuable free advice or tips to make a great impression. You can then begin a campaign (through emails & text messages) to build rapport with brides and grooms and keep your name at the top of their minds during their decision making process. Just because a bride and groom don't book on the day of the show, doesn't mean they won't. It's best to stay in contact with them, offering them great advice, free wedding planning worksheets, and even awesome discounts or promos to entice them to use your service. Check out 10x10 Marketing who specializes in wedding vendor marketing & follow-up campaigns for more information:
www.10x10marketing.com/pittsburgh/wedding-vendors
They are based in Pittsburgh but work with vendors all over the country.

Services & Products, PT 1- What type of packages should I offer?

Once you have taken a few courses or familiarized yourself with the wedding industry and wedding planning start to finish, you will need to start laying out your business. What types of packages or services will you offer and how much will you charge. For some, this aspect of business planning is very stressful. Trying to find a balance between what you feel comfortable doing, what you are able to offer, and how much you wish to command as a successful wedding planner can leave you with doubts as to whether that's what you are actually worth or if brides will even be willing to pay that much.

For the first part of this post, we are going to offer a few suggestions on packages, services, or products you can offer as a wedding planner. Take a look at these examples:

• Full Service Package- For this package you will plan the wedding along side the bride and groom from start to finish. Choosing a theme, color palette, decor designs, food selection, and location are just some of the tasks you will offer to the bride and groom in a full service package. While your particular details may fluctuate a bit, here's a look at an example full service wedding planning package: -Unlimited meetings, phone calls, and emails to plan and evaluate all wedding details
  -Assistance with event design, theme and décor concept development.
  -Customized budget according to your spending goals
  -Tracking of deposits, payments due and final balances
  -Décor personalized to the couple including invitations, floral design, stationary, favors, table design, etc.
  -Planning and scheduling of honeymoon and any needed flights and hotels
  -Suggested bridal wear according to personal style, figure and theme of the wedding
  -Scheduling and attendance to all dress fittings
  -Recommendations on all vendors, as well as scheduling and attending all vendor appointments
  -Contracting of all negotiations to optimize pricing
  -Reviewing of all vendor contracts and monitoring of all vendor obligations
  -Coordination of stuffing, stamping, addressing and mailing of wedding invitations
  -Ongoing phone calls, emails and meetings with vendors necessary to plan all details
  -Advice on wedding traditions, etiquette and protocol
  -Management of the guest list
  -Assistance with all wedding stationary including Save the Dates, Invitations, RSVPs, Place Cards, Menus, Programs, etc.
  -Organization of transportation needs and hotel accommodations for wedding party and out of town guests
  -Determination of availability and negotiation of discount rates for hotel room blocks
  -Scheduling of all wedding day transportation
  -Scheduling of hair and makeup for wedding day
  -Scheduling and attendance to bridal portrait, including arrangement of gown and bouquet delivery
  -Development of floor plan and seating chart for wedding day
  -Planning of ceremony and reception schedules, pew seating, processional and recessional
  -Distribution of detailed wedding itineraries to all wedding vendors
  -Pickup of all personal items for wedding day and delivery to ceremony and reception venue
  -Planning and execution of rehearsal dinner and wedding rehearsal
  -Detailed wedding day schedule and timeline for bridal party and family
  -Delivery of wedding gown to the ceremony site
  -Detailed wedding day timelines for wedding vendors, venue and banquet staff
  -Set up of chairs, arch, aisle runner, candles, programs, etc. at the ceremony site
  -Set up and decoration of reception area, including chairs, tables, and linens
  -Set up of guest book, place cards, engagement photos, bridal portrait, menus, candles, favors, etc. at reception site
  -Supervision of all vendor delivery and set up on day of wedding at ceremony and reception site, as well as any interference needed
  -Assist bride and wedding party in dressing room prior to ceremony
  -Organization and distribution of all personal wedding flowers
  -Behind the scene event management and troubleshooting, including our Wedding Day Emergency Kit
  -Coordination and timing of ushers, house party, attendants, bride and groom
  -Assistance with photographer order of pictures after the ceremony
  -Transport of personal items (and even flower arrangements) from the ceremony to the reception
  -Bustling of the wedding gown and arrangement of refreshments upon couple’s arrival to reception
  -Coordination of presentation of the bride and groom
  -Coordination of entertainment and all announcements of events (first dance, dances with family, champagne toasts, cake cutting, bouquet toss, etc.)
  -Monitoring of specially requested photographs and videography during the reception
  -Distribution of gratuities to the necessary vendors
  -Supervision of bride and groom exit and passing out exit favor to guests
  -Pickup and return of all personal items to the family at the end of the evening (gifts, cake topper and top of cake, bride’s bouquet, couple’s toasting glasses, cake serving utensils, etc.)
  -Return of all rental items including cake boards, linens, furniture, easels, etc.
  -Return of groom’s and groomsmen tuxedos to rental location
• Partial Service Package- This package is more for the brides and grooms who want to do a lot of the planning themselves but may not have the time to get everything done or they may not know where to start. You can offer vendor recommendations, a budget breakdown, a timeline/checklist, and a few consultations during the planning process. This package will highlight a few of the important services from the Full Service package but will be more budget friendly but help the bride when she absolutely needs it. You may decide to also include the Day-Of Services in this package but that will be determined by you.
• Day-Of Service Package- On the day of the wedding there will be a lot going on. Vendors will be setting up the venues, guests will need to be directed, and someone will need to ensure the day is running smoothly, handle any mishaps, and avert any disasters. Most brides DO NOT want to worry about this since they will be busy getting dressed and ready. That is where a wedding planner becomes invaluable. A Day-Of Package may offer some or all of the following:-A preliminary consultation with the couple 6-8 weeks before the wedding day to gather the information concerning vendors, wedding party, venues, etc.
  -Confirmation of vendor orders and coordination of vendor schedules for deliveries and set-up
  -Review & confirmation of Hotel room bookings for out-of-town guests and/or wedding party
  -Wedding Party Guides which will outline the day's schedule and expectations for each individual in the wedding party- these will be given to the wedding attendants ahead of time so they may look over the schedule & expectations and have any questions answered before the big day
  -Coordination & direction of the ceremony rehearsal the night before the wedding
  -Handling of all wedding day logistics & problem solving on behalf of the bride & groom
  -Running of local errands and assistance with last minute emergencies
  -Supervision and assistance with venue set-up for ceremony and reception (this includes setting up decorations, setting up guestbook & gift table, distributing favors, and other decorative details necessary on the wedding day)
  -Coordination & direction of ceremony activities such as processional, recessional, & receiving line
  -Assistance with distributing vendor fees & tips
  -Attendance at the entire reception to handle any questions, concerns or last minute tasks during the party
  -Clean up and tear down of venues as necessary. Delivery of any items that need to be returned once the reception is over.
• Hourly Consultations- Some brides and grooms may choose to hire you on an hourly basis to help them out only as they need it. It can be a great way to stick to a tight budget and still get the help and advice they require to keep their wedding planning going smoothly.
• Destination Weddings- Destination weddings take a lot more work to plan since they require planning everything from afar. Some brides just don't have the time to do all of the research and make all of the contacts with vendors that a destination wedding requires. That is why a destination wedding package can be very popular. These are essentially Full Service packages that also include travel fees and time.
• Invitation Service- Stuffing, addressing, and stamping envelopes can take a lot of time and some brides have no desire to do this with 200+ wedding invitations so this is a great additional service to offer. (Think a la carte services) You may even be trained in calligraphy which can bring in a premium since it can take a lot of time.
  
• Wedding Rentals- You may decide to purchase a number of things like pew bows, aisle runners, chair covers, centerpieces, candles, and other wedding decor (or you may just acquire them over time by donations from brides after their wedding is complete) which you can then rent out to other brides. They may or may not be actual clients which buy planning packages, so you may want to set up a different website or marketing campaign for the rentals themselves.

These are just a few ideas of the most common packages available. The possibilities and combinations are seemingly endless and feel free to leave a comment of something you would like to offer that's different from the rest! The key is to make sure you only offer what is in your comfort level.

Picking a Niche

One of the best ways to get rich from your wedding planning business is to pick a niche. While wedding planning itself may seem like a niche in the event planning industry, you can focus on a certain specialized wedding type in order to create any even more targeted niche, which can mean more money! If you become a specialist in a certain type of wedding, everyone in your area who wants to have that type of wedding will turn to you.

If you have a specialized knowledge of Indian weddings or Green weddings, you can use this to your advantage to create a niche that will turn you into an expert in no time. Here's a list of wedding niches you can work with:

• Green Weddings
• Small Weddings (under 100 guests)
• Themed Weddings
• Destination Weddings
• Budget Friendly Weddings
• Bi-Cultural Weddings
• Gay/Lesbian Weddings
• Specific Cultural Wedding (Indian, Jewish, etc.)
• Military Weddings
• Second Marriages

Once you have found a niche that you feel you can excel in, make sure to market your wedding planning business to focus around your niche. Your marketing campaign should focus on advertising to eco-friendly brides and grooms if you are choosing a Green wedding niche. Find forums, wedding planning websites, or magazines that talk about your specific niche and use that as your advertising media.