As the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas has no shortage of event managers, wedding planners, catering directors, and party consultants. Literally thousands of parties happen every year, and we have some of the most lavish and over-the-top events and weddings in our city that the world has ever seen. And in these tough economic times, everyone is trying to cut corners and get the most bang for their buck.
As a Las Vegas Wedding Planner, I understand that. When my friends (I don’t like the term “clients”) come to me to help them plan their most special day, I try to make sure that they are given the best value possible from all the best florists, entertainers, caterers, and venues. A lot of time, the difference between two different types of vendors makes sense. When you choose a budget caterer over a quality caterer, you know you can’t expect Dom Perignon or salmon and steak. You can save money at the florist by choosing daisies instead of tulips instead of roses. Book your venue on a Wednesday, save money over Saturday night…
Where so many people get confused, however, is with the most important piece – the person coordinating ever detail and designing the entire look and feel of your wedding: the luxury designer. In the world of weddings, so many people think that what designers like Mindy Weiss, David Tutera, and yours truly do is essentially the same as the wedding planner that the hotel offers for a nominal charge. They could not be more wrong!
Firstly: the “wedding planner” that the hotel offers serve a purpose, but that purpose is usually to take care of the catering. Most of these planners are actually the catering managers of the hotels. I have worked as a catering manager for many hotels and have acted as a consultant to the business for a number of years and know what catering managers are good at and what they aren’t. They ‘re good a getting food on a plate and making sure the buffet stays stocked. They’re not good at little things (notice the sarcasm!) as making sure that the bride is where she needs to be and assuring that everything runs smoothly.
Here’s just a little list of what a luxury wedding designer offers that you won’t get from a catering manager at a hotel:
- Act as a liaison between all parties
- Attend all meetings with vendors/venue
- Develops timeline for entire day (on- and off-site)
- Conducts rehearsal and all additional elements
- Sets up all wedding elements (guest books, place cards, programs, etc.)
- Collects all gifts/decor and delivers to appropriate location at the end of the night
- Orders speciality linen, chairs, decorations, lighting, etc.
- Assists in finding perfect party favor
- Coordinates guest room and honeymoon suite details
- Plans food tastings
- Appointments for hair and makeup
- Create schedule of events with welcome letters for bridal party
- Assists in ordering menu cards, programs, and place cards
- Arranges site and vendor visits
- Helps get best products/services from vendors
- Helps you understand vendor contracts
- Provides all decorating and design input necessary to have a flawless event
As you’re getting ready for your big day, do you have the time or the desire to schedule the cake tasting and the florist meetings? Or do you just want to go taste some cake and know that you’ll have the perfect peonies at your reception? Do you want to write up a spreadsheet coordinating the dozens of vendors, party members, and schedules for the week of the wedding? And do you want to balance worrying about the flow of the evening and keeping your makeup perfect? (Did you schedule the makeup person, anyway?)
If you’d rather enjoy your wedding than worry about a cut-rate banquet manager, then you know it’s time to talk to a real luxury wedding planner. If you’d rather worry, let’s talk about an internship… 😉