What I Actually Do and How Excel is Involved (Quite a Lot)

Actually, I swan around a lot and drink champagne all day (burp).  OK, I don't do this but what happens after you've signed our contract?  Here's the low-down on the realities of hiring Perfect Day.   


First off a Big Hello to Sally at The Point Hairdressers in Brighton, the town's best independent salon.  They offer offer hair styling services for weddings, which I recommend. Give them a call on 01273 819 538.


So, back to it.  What do I do?


OK, I start by...


...asking lots of questions over the course of one or two meetings: there's a sort of "wide to narrow" format, clarifying the "big" things - the size of the wedding, preferred location etc -  and then narrowing down to the finer details regarding colour, style and so on. This gives me a good idea of what I like to call my "vision", darling.  If neither of you has the first clue about any of this, no problemo, it's my job to present ideas to you at a later meeting.


After this, I toddle off to summarise what we've talked about and do a lot of this:

Oh OK.  What next?


These aren't just ordinary spreadsheets, these are Perfect Day spreadsheets and they have superpowers.  Our initial meeting will have clarified your wedding budget and which aspects of the wedding are of most significance.  I have a spreadsheet which lists "budget" vs "actual" spend and means that I keep a tight rein to make sure you don't go over budget.  How cool is that?


As an option, I offer a special service for busy people: I maintain a client account for customers to transfer a fixed sum into on a regular basis to the value of your wedding budget.  Invoices are then settled by Perfect Day without you having to worry about paying people on time.  


And then...


I do the research on finding:


A venue
A dress designer
Outfits for the Groom
Caterers
Florists
Cake maker
Photographers
Entertainment 
and so on...everything you need me to.


I will have vetted each of these key people/venues before presenting them to you and each choice specifically reflect what you have already told me you want (and don't want).  I short-list six of each and if none of them are suitable I start again.  Myth Buster:  I don't make decisions for you.  Ever.  Just thought that you should know that.


Hey, I didn't know that.  Do you come to meetings with us?


Yes. I accompany you on as many meetings to meet suppliers as you'd like. I organise times and dates, pick you up in my shiny car and we make a day of it - it's fun, it means that you don't have to drive and also that we can review all options afterwards; clients like this bit as it feels like they're being spoilt, which of course, they are. 


Remember, planning a wedding is seriously time-consuming and stressful so...here I am:

What about all those Things to Do? 


I create a Wedding Timeline which outlines in a lot of detail what needs to be done and when. This is our "bible" and nothing gets missed; this may mean a bit of nagging on my part but hey, I know you love me really.


Great.  Anything else?


Oh yes.  Don't forget that hiring a wedding planner to manage the nightmare that is your Guest List is worth the price of admission alone.  All invitees are asked to RSVP to me and I maintain another *cough* annoying spreadsheet to keep track of who's responded and who, for some reason, hasn't bothered to. So...worry not about who's coming to both the ceremony and the reception, the reception only, whether they're "gluten intolerant", a vegan, a Jedi Knight or any somesuch combination. 


Oh yes, part 2.  I also have spreadsheets for table planning and we can  sit together to work this out without driving you to complete wibbly wobbly distraction.


Will you manage our wedding day for us?


Yes, absolutely - if you're on a budget, hiring a wedding planner (pick me, please) to manage your special day is money well spent indeedy doody.   


Oddly, this doesn't involve spreadsheets but I suppose it could do if you're keen.  My wedding day schedules, although I say it myself are legendary and have featured on Radio 4.  OK, I made that last part up but I'm really really good at them and I miss nothing.

Someone organised this small family wedding right down to the second!

The Schedule gets put together about five weeks before the Big Day and is then tweaked; remember that I will already have confirmed all your bookings (and will do this again the day before) so all comings and goings are listed in 15 minute slots, including all contact details and important Things to Know.  If you ever see a wedding planner with a clipboard, it will no doubt be The Schedule that's on it. 


The benefit of this document is that you can rest assured that everything will be kept to time and that yes, you've guessed it, there is less stress for you and your family.  


Oh, And...


I have a Wedding Emergency Kit with Stuff in it.  It's a big holdall with four different types of painkillers, stain removers, batteries, safety pins, spare power cables, mints and hair grips; string, a torch, tampons, hairspray, water, pens, a screwdriver set, glue and quite frankly, the Kit is quite fab. 


So...these are just a few examples of what I actually do. Give me a call on 07816 684 756 if you'd like to meet.  I suppose, though, that one of the best ways I help people is simply by being there - I am your wedding best friend and I am available to talk and to meet up out-of-hours. Gosh, I'm so good I think I may just marry myself. 


Susan
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