Hello Again!

It is a well-known fact that there are popular wedding months in the year, and most people believe those months to be centered during the warm months of Spring and Summer.   While we do frequently see an increase of weddings during those months, I also know that the wedding industry is similar to the fashion industry in that it is subject to fads and trends.  Right now Fall weddings are the fad and traditional weddings are the trend.  The difference between the two is that fads change more quickly than trends.  How do I know these things?  I am a wedding planner!

I am often asked why a wedding planner is even a consideration to help with a wedding, especially when the mother of the bride stands ready, willing and able to take on the task.  Wedding planners can add cost to the wedding budget, and besides, people have weddings all the time with nary a wedding planner in sight.  What's the big deal?  I will try to address the "big deal" in this column and the columns to come.

Mother's are wonderful.  I love mine, I am one and I deal with amazing mothers all the time.  They are capable of incredible things-something I also witness on a daily basis.  But they are human.  When you think of asking Mother to be your wedding planner, please consider what you are asking of her.  You are asking her to accept the responsibility to insure that your special day, as well as all the events leading up to that day, are as flawless as possible.  She must be a knowledgeable authority on all the venues and vendors that you will need, and if she is not, then she will need to spend many hours researching the information.  You are asking her to be a resource on etiquette for all the invitations, wedding party, wedding families, and anyone that has anything to do with the wedding.  If there are conflicts with scheduling, vendors, families or between the bride and groom, she will need to help resolve those, also.  She will not be able to spend the quality time with the bride that both the mother and bride so desperately need, especially as the wedding date gets closer.  The wedding day will leave mother, daughter and other family members feeling as though she missed something-whether it be an important detail or those special moments that all families need during such a life-changing transition.  She will feel guilty over any mistake or over-sight that she might make for the rest of her life.  If you have less than a year to arrange all of this, you are asking her to accomplish very difficult, and very stressful, goals.

If your mother is like most, she will be willing to do most anything to help with her child's wedding.  Please consider what you are really asking of your mother when you ask her to be your wedding planner.  Wedding planners are not that expensive, and a good wedding planner might be able to save you some money by recommending quality low-cost alternatives unknown to families.  After all, we do this all the time!

'Til next month. . .
Greta Chaney