‘Why weddings?’

A wedding is a public declaration of love and commitment. No two weddings look the same - not just because the decor and color schemes are different, but because the way each couple expresses their love & commitment is unique - and this is what we are celebrating! I love seeing the individuality of each couple come out in the creation of the celebration.

‘What do you like most about your job?’

I love problem solving, making plans and getting people on board with them. I love having a couple tell me what they want and then getting to work out how to make that happen, within budget. I also love getting to help the caterers, florists, photographers (and sometimes family and the bridal party) see the vision, get excited about it, and execute it.

Also, if you are into Enneagram personality numbers, I’m a 1 & 2. There is some confusion as to which is predominant, but it’s safe to say I’m wired to help people, (and do the right thing).

‘Ok, I just got engaged, where do I start?’

1. Congratulations! Make sure you spend time being excited and in love!

2. Start reaching out to wedding planners. A lot of venues require one, and we can help guide you through the whole process including the next steps listed below! (Also, a venue coordinator is almost always different than a wedding planner)

3. Write a DRAFT guest list

4. Sit down with your fiance and work out what words you want to describe your wedding

   eg. fun or elegant? relaxed or formal? party? classic? unique? simple? extravagant?

5. Separately write a list of your ‘top priorities’ at the wedding. Eg. Have your dad walk you down the aisle, dancing, big dress speeches, a videographer, 10 bridesmaids, being barefoot. Pick 2-3 each as ‘must haves’ and work out how to settle any conflicts (eg. bride wants no white dress, groom wants bride to wear his mother’s white bridal dress)

6. Write a budget - an ideal and an absolute maximum that you can definitely not cross no matter what

7. Try to balance steps 3-6. An extravagant affair for 300 guests on a $5,000 budget will probably need some more discussion

8. If you haven’t hired a planner yet, now is a great time because we know the ins and outs and behind the scenes of venues and can suggest places and ideas you might not have heard of before! We know places that would suit your budget and can save you a LOT of googling and phone calls and can negotiate pricing on your behalf.

9. Pick a date and venue, keeping all the above in mind

10. Once you have your venue and vibe you can start dress shopping and choosing your bridal party! If you do this step first (you wouldn’t be the only one), you run the risk of spending more than your budgeted amount (like spending a bunch of money on a ball gown with a hoop skirt and having 15 bridesmaids for a simple beach wedding).

11. Plan the rest! Your timetable and order of what to do next will depend on the wedding you’re creating!

‘Why do I need a planner/coordinator?’

Maybe you don’t! The couples that hire me want help with working out what to organise and when, they want tips and suggestions to problem solve, or just to add some unique ideas. They normally haven’t organised logistics for a party of 100 or more, or maybe they just aren’t wired to love spreadsheets and timelines! The other side of it is actually enjoying your wedding day! Having a Day Of Coordinator takes a lot of stress off your shoulders . . . saving you from ‘where do I park’ texts from the caterers, or having people interrupt you on the dance floor asking where a broom is, or how you want the cut cake distributed. They can tell the groomsmen to shush, make sure your grandma has a seat, get there early to direct and set up and stay late to pack down. Having a person to run interference from Aunty Beatrice who wants to make sure you remember to thank Aunt Clarice for the flowers, or to tip and thank the vendors for you so you don’t need to carry envelopes of cash in your bra and know when the vendors are all leaving is also a good idea! Also a lot of venues require you to get one.

‘Why do you charge so much?’

Weddings take a lot of time and for-thought! Even if I am just doing ‘on the day’ I’ll be contacting all the vendors, producing a timeline for the day, distributing information to the vendors, and keeping them on track. I’ll be poring over your plans, looking for potential problems and creating Plan B and Plan C in case something unexpected comes up. I’ll be first there and last to leave. I’ll smile all day while dealing with multiple stressful surprises and problem solving on the spot. I’ll be making sure everyone is doing their job, checking teeth for lipstick, making sure the photographer isn’t missing any special shots. I’ve run through a hotel to find missing flowergirls (their older sister took them to a hotel room to hang out without telling anyone or the person they told forgot . . . still not sure), I’m wiping tears and have a ‘cold feet’ evacuation plan ready to go, I’ve settled family drama, I’ve rushed hairdressers and bridesmaids, I’ve cleaned out ‘getting ready’ areas and delivered forgotten items.

‘Why do you charge so little?’

Yes, I’m cheaper than some other wedding consultant/coordinators/planners out there. But just because I don’t charge as much as some doesn’t mean that you will get a lower quality service from me! I will be dedicating myself to making sure that you are well taken care of and that your day runs smoothly regardless of what package you select - on your wedding day I’m all in for you whether I’m just your Day Of Coordinator or you have booked my Full Planning Package.

‘Where is your accent from?’ - if an American asks.

I’m Australian! I’ve spent most of my life around Sydney, though I lived in Melbourne for 3 months, which I will bring up any time I get the chance. Sydney is SPECTACULAR - the harbour, the beaches, the coffee and the list goes on. You SHOULD visit! Yes, lots of animals could kill you, but stick to the city and beaches and you should be alright. Also . . . let’s not forget here you have BEARS and mountain lions and coyotes that travel in packs and set traps for humans (my place here backs onto open space and we have coyotes terrorising us every night).

‘Where is your accent from?’ - if an Aussie asks.

I moved to Colorado in 2017! I can’t tell that I sound different, but my family can hear it! I know I say American things now..like ‘trash’ and ‘couch’ - just so I’m understood, but it’s hard to switch back when I’m home to visit. I miss Australia a lot, but have been making the most of living here . . . road trips, enjoying four distinct seasons, getting cheap domestic flights (hello annual passes to Disneyland), eating in diners and bbq places.

‘Can you please tell me a crazy wedding story?’

I try not to tell stories about weddings to anyone who might know anyone who was involved - just in case they can put things together and work out who’s wedding it was. Seen as though this is on the internet I won’t tell any except one…but this story happened at a family member’s wedding so I hope she won’t mind. The father of the bride picked up the cake the bride had organised. When we opened the box at the outdoor venue, expecting to see a white cake with a love heart decoration on top of it. But instead we found a cake with yellow icing with an unrecognisable shape - if I HAD to guess I’d say it was a bunny? So! I called a friend and asked her to make some white icing, and got my husband to pick it up with some sprinkles & a spatula for me. I quickly scraped off all the icing, re-iced the cake with the new icing (my first time icing a cake) and called in a bridesmaid who was an artist to help make a heart on top!

‘You didn’t answer my question!’

Sorry! Just click the button below and ask the question in the contact form and I’ll get back to you asap!