The Wedding day: How long should I plan for Make-up and/or Hair Services?

Your wedding is a big event already, you want to ensure your day is Fun and Relaxed. Having mobile Beauty services come to you, along with all your friends/family at your side is just another enjoyable part of it all.

Candice from Michigan touched base and wrote us;

“I came across your site and I think your articles for brides are fantastic! I got married last year, and let’s just say the timeline was chaotic. I was over an hour late! Truth – because I didn’t plan out my morning the best. I tried to do salon services for Hair AND at home services for the Girls Makeup, and truly thought I didn’t need as much time as everyone told me. I was wrong.

I was reading your timeline posts and have a friend getting married in a few months (June). Would you be able to do a post in regards to Make-up and Hair timing? She’s under the impression that we can get everyone done (8 people)  in about 2 hours. I’ve told her that clearly is not the case, as was seen with my wedding debacle…Any help is appreciated so I can pass the info on.

Thanks so much and keep up the great work!”

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I think this is an excellent question, that many brides can get confused about….So let us start!

Remember, the very first portion of the day, starts with your Hair and Make-up and getting ready.

Booking MOBILE Services, is considered a Convenience and Luxury service, with your hired providers packing up and carting often suitcases worth of equipment, directly to you, in the comfort of your home, hotel, venue, at anytime of day. There is no traveling around to and from places. With that, services are in very high demand, with most mobile beauty service providers  generally booking about 1 year in advance.

Your Photos for the entire day start on the basics of your morning, with Hair and Makeup.

Remember that you are the CENTER of every image being taken throughout the entire day!

A fancy dress and expensive photographer will only take you so far, if you look liked you skimped on your beauty work, with faded makeup, frizzy hair and if you aren’t camera ready.

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We often get asked “How long does it all take?”

Well, that depends on a number of areas of the services being done. Each bridal party will differ as per the number of people for services and the elaborateness of each service being done that day.

A good game plan for the morning helps keep everything flowing smoothly and relaxed, no rushing around or running late at the end.

First and foremost, the most important part is your LEAVING BY TIME…

Regardless of services done, how many People etc. EVERYTHING for your entire morning is based and scheduled around this time! Customized per each bridal party and their direct needs to ensure everyone is ready to go by this time.

Generally speaking you want to allow for approx. 20-45 minutes, per person, per service. The Bride about 45 minutes to 1 hour as you are the most important and often there may be a few extra details for you being done. Be sure to check with your beauty providers though, as some may take longer, where as more seasoned professionals, may take a bit less time!

Now a days, majority of Bridal clients book both mobile Hair and Make-up services. Either as a team, or  via separate provider, having their main Stylist come out to them, and so forth. This not only is far more efficient but also a lot more organized for the day of….especially with groups of 4 or more anyways.

This leaves the Bride and entire bridal party free to relax, receive services as the morning passes, while one is in hair, another is in Make-up and still allows enough time for others and yourself to eat, get dressed, take pictures and so forth… there’s no traveling around to and from places. Everyone is free to sit and relax throughout the morning or afternoon.

Secondly, once you have your “leave by time” you want to backtrack about 30 minutes to 1 hour from this. THIS Now becomes the time you want everyone 100% completed by! This last hour is now reserved for a few things…

For those that plan to have a photographer present, they will often arrive about 30 minutes to 1 hour beforehand, This is where they will take images of your final Make-up/Hair moments for everyone, and your Veil pinning. They will also start with your detail shots of your jewelry, rings, shoes, etc. before you put everything on.

This last hour before you leave, is now reserved for You and your bridal parties dressing time. Time for pictures and gathering last minute stuff together before your limo arrives or you need to leave. This extra timeline is key, as to not cause that last bit of time turning into a chaotic mess of everyone running about, scrambling for last minute things, rushed dressing and more.

This time table is universal to most weddings, again all set around each client’s leave by time.

Once your trial is completed, your artists will then have a better idea on how much time is then needed to complete your look as well as your bridal party. They will then fine tune it from there and set you up with your Start and End times.

One last thought….if you’ve hired yourself a seasoned professional makeup artist and hair stylist (or a team of them) trust they know how long your services will take.  This is what they do! Don’t assume you know better and try and outsmart them by adjusting the timelines – 9 times out of 10 is always ends in chaos!  Trust they have your best interest at heart.

Yes, some mornings might be early start times as well, you are not alone in this, and many brides end up accommodating this due to their timelines, that’s just a fact. It’s one day, and sometimes in order to accommodate services and/or large group it might be necessary.  Don’t let this be a cause for concern, make the best of it and Pre-plan out the night before, if you know you will require an earlier morning start time.

Remember Your wedding day is a once of a lifetime experience, don’t cause it to be rushed or  filled with un-necessary chaos and stress by un-thought out planning.

This is your day, sit back and enjoy it.

Happy Planning!

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Got something on your mind you’d like to see addressed?

Let us know, we’d be happy to do a post for you covering your questions.

How the Date and Times you choose can affect your wedding day costs!

Today I wanted to touch on the subject of your Wedding date.

What is already, for most, an expensive event, can become even more costly depending on the time of year you choose, to the time of day you set your ceremony, but also the  day of the week you choose!

These seemingly minor details, can in fact, hugely effect the outcome of your planning details, from the prices of your venue rental, to which vendors might be available, and more.

As we’ve touched on this subject in a few other posts related to our Budgeting and Timeline sections, many Wedding vendors book about 1 year in advance for dates. With Venues, Photographers and Mobile Makeup/Hair often booking the first and fastest due to high demand.

Today I’m going to break these details down even further for you…So lets get to it shall we?

Time of Year – What month is best?

As we’ve mentioned in a few posts now, there is no such thing as an “off season” anymore!

Many bride’s ask this question to vendors in hopes that magical “discounts” will appear. This is often not the case at all; Just as your perfect wedding day might be held in June or August. Another bride’s prefect day might be in December or January. Some bride’s might prefer a Saturday wedding, where as another might choose a Monday…

The busiest portion of the year for all Bridal related vendors is April through October!

June and September are often very popular, and can cost you more due to the demand for dates available!

Remember many bride’s seeking these 2 months are hoping for sunny, yet “Not too hot” weather options.

June is also GRAD MONTH For most areas (and often starting in May too!), thus service providers like Mobile Makeup/Hair and all Salon locations often see triple the volume of clients, so finding those available is often far more limited. As are venue options and banquet halls due to the grad dinners taking place!

July and August are the BUSIEST Months of the Entire year. They are the first to book/close for just about EVERY Wedding vendor you seek to book, often at minimum 1 year out!!

I can’t tell you how many client’s we sadly have to turn away each season that are seeking Makeup/Hair services, due to us already being booked with other brides, typically from 3-6 months prior. Many of these clients are just starting to contact people in May for an August wedding, then left scrambling, frantic and stressed, once they find out no one is available… Most of us are already closed for the year by around March! Those of us specializing or with higher client traffic, reputable workmanship or awards won, etc. book up very fast, so if you have your heart set on a particular artist, best to book them early!

Months that are often less busy are the months of January, March and November. Vendors than would normally require a minimum booking requirement, may be more lenient to smaller orders and/or booking needs from brides with smaller parties or set-up needs.

However, many PHOTOGRAPHERS specifically, start running their Holiday specials during the fall months, for family sessions, boudoir and more, so dates for them can often be limiting in months like October, November and December.

Months that can often prove challenging for finding low cost options

Months such as February and December can often be far more costly due to Valentine’s day, Christmas and other holidays within.

With that, costs often go up on everything from Cakes, to Floral and more.

Also something to remember, you are now  basically competing with other couples and COMPANIES, For venue rentals due to holiday staff parties taking place!

Bad Timing

The weekend before tax time can often leave you with lowered guest attendance. Many may not have the funds to attend, or may need the extra time to work on their taxes.

Back to school time; Again, those with children heading back to school might be more limited on available time and money.

Around the holidays; Weddings right before Christmas can also have an effect, as many friends might be heading out to visit with family at this time of year.

Day of the Week

Mondays through Thursdays can often be far cheaper in cost! Not just venue rentals either.

We’ve seen a HUGE Rise in “weekday” weddings, especially during the Spring/Summer months.

Many people have holiday time, so taking off a day from work for most people is a totally do-able option.

The past few years we’ve seen a ton of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday weddings!

Thursdays are gaining in popularity too, as many tend to have evening, cocktail style, or boat cruise weddings. Weddings taking place in the evening or after work – Guest will often take the Friday off and get to enjoy a long weekend too!

Not to mention, for those with out of town guests attending, Hotel and Flights are often also far cheaper during the week!

Yes, I know, most bride’s envision that prefect sunny Saturday afternoon wedding. But for those looking to save some money, the drop in pricing can, for some places, be extensive, were taking like $1500 to $600 type of drop.

Holidays and/or long weekends can be DOUBLE the original pricing. Much like working your regular job on a holiday. Many vendors due charge a holiday fee!

Weekends: Saturdays can typically cost more than a Sunday wedding date as they are considered a main day, some venues boast upwards of a $3-5,000 difference just between your choice of these two days!

Time of the Day

Breakfast is often the cheapest meal of the day, again of course, depending on how extravagant you like to take things…

We saw a number of couples this year opting for earlier morning ceremony times like 9am, followed by elegant brunch or lunch style set ups with omelet stations, fresh fruit platters, chocolate fountains, pastries and more.

Ceremony times 11am to 3pm are the most in demand time frames, thus limiting vendor options since majority of client’s aim within this time frame.

Where you book

Look into choosing and booking a multipurpose venue. If you are able to plan out both your ceremony and reception at the same location, you stand to save additional costs on everything from site fees, transportation costs, double set up/take down fees and more.

Final tips:

Many vendors and companies do raise rates at year end in preparation for next year’s seasons, inflation/business costs and so forth. Those clients that do their research and connect with their top ideal vendors they wish to have for their wedding day, can often score  pricing/packages before they go up and all switch over for the new year – Saving them even more, but still getting exactly what they originally sought out without having to compromise quality, needs or budget!

Engagement season! – November through February – It’s the holidays, and engagements over Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentines day …..well, they take over. Not to mention bridal clients are often off work/school for the holidays and can get some planning done!

This is often when Bridal vendors see close to 60% or more of their bookings set in for the following season! Many of us receive hundreds of emails from newly engaged client’s looking to secure their dates and/or get this years current pricing options. Thus sadly those who wait out to long, by then, often most of the year is now fully booked!

I hope this post helps you out a bit more in finding and choosing your perfect fit for your chosen wedding day.

Happy Wedding Planning!

Updates and more!

Hello Everyone!

So It’s been a while since I’ve had the time to post on here…

Bridal Season has kept us Super Busy this year and traveling about the province a bunch, so as season starts to slowly quiet down a bit and we finish off our last dozen or so weddings, We’ll be getting back into our blogs.

With that, we’ve also been hard at work with a number of other projects this year, so we figured let’s start the re-blogging with a bunch of updates to let everyone know what we’ve been up to!

Firstly, we’d just like to say a Big THANK YOU to all our Bride’s from this year, you have all been so amazing to work with. We love what we do and thank you so much for letting us share in your big day!

2013 is booking and filling very fast right now, with some months now nearing full/closed! So for those reading this now, if you or someone you know is getting married and still hasn’t booked their Beauty services, we’d love to chat! Or you can visit the Bridal website for more details: www.brides-by-felicia.com

We are also happy to announce that I have finished switching over a large portion of our Pinterest account! Yay! I will soon be linking it up with my Facebook account and will of course post it to the Facebook group page as well for everyone.

The new one is slowly growing and is a dedicated spot for all our brides, clients and anyone else that would like to join us.

There you will find everything from Makeup and Hair images, to Decor and detail ideas, Cakes, Mehndi patterns,  and more…as well as a dedicated album for all our Offbeat brides – We wouldn’t leave you lovelies out! – ranging with ideas and imagery from all areas/themes.

With Fall/Winter here, I am also now back to my Teaching Schedule…. I am happy to announce, that I have expanded classes greatly this year and now include an online option to the PRO Artists around the globe. Though I will still be teaching locally as well, so don’t fret my local artists, I am still available for you guys too…. I will be looking at having the expanded winter schedule posted and live within a few weeks.

So, with that, I also have a New Site in the works that will also be going up soon. Which will offer a number of new areas for clients, as well as all the other work that I do outside of our Bridal Services.

I’ve also received a number of requests for some newly added subjects and other areas for the blog including things like; What are our Favorite products, Favorite Wedding related videos and more, so I’ll be including many new areas over the next little while.

My Facebook page too as seen a number of updates, feature bridal posts, image updates and more over the past few months. We encourage client’s and friends to join us there to keep up with all of the nifty things we’re up to.

We’ve also got some exciting plans in the works for 2013, from new magazine features, travel plans and more, so stay tuned! 🙂

You get what you pay for!!

Sadly this season, we are seeing more last minute requests come through for services than any other years, COMBINED!

This week alone, we’ve seen over a dozen emails come through from frantic brides, some mere weeks out from their wedding day, seeking services.

Why? Two main reasons seem to be the front runners:

#1 – The makeup/hair artist that they booked, many found on “Craigslist”,  just canceled on them, Some mere days before the wedding.

#2 – They procrastinated or just didn’t feel that how they were going to look in photos was really that important, but had a change of heart the week before the big day.

Now, in regards to #1 – I have a few concerns that immediately spring to mind when I hear these stories, over and over, year after year…

Sadly, 95% of these client’s we are unable to help due to already being booked. That just breaks my heart.

As covered in a few of our posts already, most PROFESSIONAL Vendors, book at least a minimum of 1 year in advance, with the  spring/summer months booking out and closing the first and fastest. Long weekends dates are in extremely high demand, seeing usually double or more the requests.

This also being the time when most last minute requests come in…. why? because that “person”  they originally booked is now “going to be away then” and just let them know.

Now, I don’t know who these artists are, but what I can tell you is that they were likely “a friend” or some hobby style  “weekend warrior”  Makeup artist/Hair Artist that the bride found offering $40 services, or even worse, less than, or often it’s a friend that’s offered it as a “gift”…

It is imperative that as a bride, you do your homework on the artists and vendors you plan to hire or to those doing your makeup/Hair services. Friend or otherwise, paid or free. Just because they may “do makeup” does not mean they are qualified for photography ready make-up and hair styles nor specialize in Bridal. Remember that these images now become your memories of that day. It’s a one shot deal.

Take time to go through their website, do they have one? If not well, that’s your first warning bell right there… If they are a serious artist, they would have a Website! With all the free website services available now, there’s just no excuse.

Looking at their online reviews  or their testimonial pages from clients, that’s at least a starting point.

Also, a good clue; Take note of response time to email replies back to you and/or  phone calls.  Is the artist responding within a reasonable amount of time?  Are your questions thoroughly answered or are they met with 1-2 sentence replies?

Most artists are out working Fridays through Sunday, providing services on weddings, thus majority of replies will be returned starting on Monday. However, if it took them a week or more to even reply to your initial inquiry, you need to look at that. What if there was a change in your day or something important, and you can’t even get a hold of them for over a week? No good…

Prices….The big hitter. WHAT are you getting for that cost?  You don’t always get the best value for your dollar.  Compare the services you are receiving with the cost.  Those that have had the experiences will tell you hands down after experiencing what they have, don’t go for the cheapest.  Those with higher levels of experience, specialized skills, Award winning services, etc. are of course going to cost you a bit more, this should be factored into your decision. You’re likely to get way more from a professional artist that focuses and specializes in the area of Bridal, as they know all the details about to go on behind the scenes to, that in most cases, a client may not have even thought of yet!!

Here’s a key hint; Most of us ladies have been to a makeup counter, we see, we know the prices on brands like Chanel, MAC and others, or the mascara that might run you $30!  My sanitizers cost more than $40, so I would be worried if their not even charging enough to cover their sanitizing products…The question then becomes, just what are they using on you to be running on those prices offered? Really stop and think about that.

Here’s a quick few  tips and examples to help spot a “Fake-up Artist” you might be about to hire:

Do they Have a Website? Is it informative or bare – leaving you with many questions?

Portfolio? Or do they just post an ad on craigslist that says they “do makeup” and “email me for pictures!”?  Someone who is committed to their business and sees it as a real career will spend the time to develop some kind of web presence where brides can view images, pricing, service information, reviews and more.

A secondary portion to the portfolio, do they show a good range of work? Brides, Mom’s, ethnicity ranges…soft looks, dramatic looks, and so on. Yes, there are some people that ONLY focus to one area of services/client’s (Example; Asian Weddings, South Asian Weddings, etc.) their portfolio may only be 1 sided.

If you are unsure, ask to see images relevant to you. Say, as an example you are a Caucasian bride, if the artist you are looking at has only South Asian client’s posted, don’t hesitate to ask to see their work on Caucasian client’s. Contrary to belief, some artist may NOT be able to apply the same on a select type of client, nor have experience in a certain area and as such do better and focus to one area only. So if in doubt, ask.

Are you required to sign a contract/Mutual Service agreement?

If not, that’s red-flags all over the place. How can you Protect yourself  if the artist doesn’t even  know how to protect themselves? Contracts are for protection of both sides!

Are they working straight out of a container? Double dipping that brush right into that concealer or foundation? Are they using DISPOSABLES!!!! Things like Mascaras and lip-glosses particularly should always be used with a disposable and never from the container’s original wands…. Are you watching them clean their brushes between client’s too?

There is no question you can find Makeup artists/Hairstylists out there who are offering you cheap services or even those willing to provide makeup and hair services for free.  But do you really want to take a chance on your wedding day?  You are going to be photographed more on your wedding day, than any other day in your life!  When the day is all said in done, these are the images people are looking back on 10 or 20+ years from now, you want to be confident knowing you looked your absolute best in them.

Time and time again,  we’ve seen horrible images, even sites dedicated to this very ideal showcasing  how a $2,000 dress and a $3,500 photography package won’t make a difference if you skimp on your Makeup and proper hairstyling and look like a hot mess!

Tattoo Covering for your Wedding Day

The wedding date is set, are you planning to rock out that tattoo you have or cover it up?

Though it’s not a request we see a lot of anymore, covering them can still be done.

However, now a days,  we see more brides that are wearing them proudly and even going as far as getting new services such as “tattoo bling” and “color brightening services” done via make-up techniques (Yes, all these services are available from us!)…I mean what was the point of getting something permanent if you are going to cover it up? Wear it proud and spruce up that dull looking tattoo. Why not re-vitalize it for the Big day?

Never the less, majority of our tattooed brides that we have had through over the years, do like to make one main a point, that majority of the times their friends/family know about the tattoo(s) anyways and it’s a part of who they are!

So today I wanted to discuss the reality of covering your tattoo up for your Big Day.

First thing to know is that Covering tattoos can be very time consuming! It is not just a quick 10 minute, slap-some-foundation-over-it type of thing.  It is also a fairly costly service. It takes a lot of products(s) in order to cover them and sometimes hours worth of time and a ton of patience.

You will also want to allot even more time for “getting ready services” on the day of to accommodate, pushing back your service times a fair bit more.

One of my Brides – Tattoo cover – As done by me & seen on her Wedding day
(Tattoo was in state of removal process)

Color enhancement on tattoo to brighten.

Next is having realistic expectations and understanding that although we can cover them, it is only make-up after all. We can do our best to camouflage the tattoo, but it will never look like you didn’t get tattooed, since there is direct and permanent damage to the skin itself.

It will, in most cases, be virtually undetectable in photos and to those who may not know of it/looking for it. But, depending on the tattoo, in some cases, can and will still be somewhat noticeable if up close.

Often it can take several layers to cover a tattoo. So this needs to be considered, especially in the case of those tattoo’s that may be in contact with attire and in risk of direct rubbing throughout your day. Though it is finished off with a sealer, there are still many factors that can hinder a cover and/or cause it to breakdown, regardless of Items used.

Numerous factoring agents can affect the application and it’s wear-ability including such things as; Selective color schemes of tattooed area, High movement areas and clothing interruptions, food and/or alcoholic beverages consumed, Heat and humidity, sweating, and general skin acceptance of products used.

As you see listed, alcohol consumption is listed, yes, drinking and Tattoo covers aren’t the best mix!

Allow me to explain this a bit better…

The consumption of alcohol in the days even preceding the event can and will often still have a negative effect on the lasting ability of the cover up being done for you that day.  Your body releases alcohol through the skin which can react with the products being used and cause the makeup to disappear or break down much sooner.

Alcohol should be avoided if at all possible or at least limited as it will also cause issues with your beauty makeup done as well!

Another thing to understand is that sometimes certain prescription drugs  in someone’s system may also effect the covering that is about to be done.

Your professional artist will be able to determine your best overall options if this is a service you may be considering.

After weighing your options, a secondary alternative is speaking with your photographer directly regarding your concerns. This is something we’ve seen of many clients, whose tattoos may not be practical to cover.

In many cases, or for smaller tattoos, they can easily and quickly remove your tattoos in a post-editing program from your final chosen images you select out. Again, your photographer will likely charge you an extra fee for this services and images might take a bit longer for return, but this is a happy medium and alternative for many clients. Thus giving the illusion of “no tattoo” in all your final images where it may appear.

So talk to your professional artist and photographer about your concerns, it’s often they can happily find you a solution to all your tattoo needs and any concerns!

For more information on Bridal services I offer;

Visit me at: www.brides-by-felicia.com

Why you should book your Wedding Vendors early…

Did you know that the highest number of engagements occur during the months of November through February?  With the prime question-popping holidays of Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and Valentine’s Day all one right after the other, it’s no wonder that we receive our highest number of bookings during that time. Hence why you will find, that by the time January rolls around for the start of the next bridal season, majority of your vendors will already be booked and closed by then, especially for Spring/Summer months!

Don’t want to compete with the huge rush of brides wanting to book all their vendors for their 2012 wedding?  Book BEFORE the engagement season takes over…

Typically, the first things to happen on the wedding day are Hair and Makeup services.  Whether this is first thing in the morning or first thing after lunch is up to you, but generally we get there before your photographer is due to arrive and long before all your other vendors.

This is why Beauty services are generally one of the first and fastest services to book up!! Especially those seeking the luxury and convenience of MOBILE Bridal services were your artists come to you in your home or at hotel location. As covered in our booking and timeline posts. These services generally book a minimum of 6 months to 1 year in advance. Spring/Summer months and all long weekend dates (Fridays included) generally averaging closer to the 1 year mark!

Here are some tips and things to consider about booking your vendors and why earlier is better.

Don’t believe what you see on TV.

With all these Bridal shows now, they’ll have you believing that you can plan a lavish event in mere weeks or a few short months. In most cases this is very untrue. What they don’t show you is the dozens of vendors hired in, to make everything a reality, dozens of teams hired on for just basics like set up and take down, let alone the actual details.

In the real world, it doesn’t quite work that way.  Wedding planning takes time, unless of course you don’t have a job and have unlimited time to juggle all your vendor appointments, fittings, taste tests, trials, and more…This is also why the average stat for engagement/planning stage is 14 months.

Your Stress is your own!

Yes, I know that sounds harsh, but let’s face it, if you hadn’t of procrastinated and waited until the mere month before the wedding, you wouldn’t be rushing around all drama like and taking it out on everyone. It’s because of you and it’s not fair for you to take that out on others.

The brides we see the most stressed out, are always the ones that left everything up until the mere few months before the date, now they scramble around work schedules, kids, school, etc. to get it together.

Somehow they thought they’d have plenty of time to book all their vendors, have all their appointments, make the decisions, then reconfirm all those details the week before? Really?

I can’t tell you how many brides we turn away every  year, who contact us in say July, for an August wedding. The busiest month(s) of the entire year and you left it until 3 weeks before the wedding? Sadly, by that point, they might as well go to the makeup counter or find someone on Craigslist, as all the professionals are likely booked MONTHS Prior, if not longer.

What happens then? STRESS – They begin to freak out, calling everyone they can find and mass messaging vendors  to find someone who isn’t already booked. Usually resulting in a family member or friend, with no idea about photography ready makeup, decor ideals, etc…. we then see a flood of “Help me” posts running rampant on the bridal forums.

In the rare instances we do still have artists open, or a vendor might be available still, the brides are already so stressed it can make for a very tense situation and thus many bridal vendors just based on that alone, will turn away a client!

Save money

In the case of last minute clients, that is a perfect example, on what’s likely to cost you more. Many vendors will now charge you more, there will be late booking fees and so on, in many cases FULL Payment is now due upfront! You now have created a stressful working environment for them, leaving them rushing around to accommodate you last minute for a trial or meet up, processing paperwork, rush bouquets, that list goes on.

You want your vendors to be able to provide you with the very best, not slap something together for you in 2 days. It’s not fair to you, or them. Sadly, you then see the brides that have the nerve to complain when a Vendor can’t meet the criteria’s in such a short time, can’t get the supplies requested, or doesn’t have an open booking at their convenience, due to having other client’s booked in MONTHS beforehand…I mean seriously think about that, the entire situation at hand rests solely with the bride at that point and the procrastination of a last minute booking.

So just remember, it does not matter what vendor it is you are seeking, booking them in advance is going to save you a lot of headaches in the end, give you ample time to plan, the ability to change things as needed and just overall make the experience a lot more enjoyable. It’s never fun feeling rushed, especially for a day where there is a lot of time and money being spent. This is your day, take the time you need to make it prefect for you. An experienced professional will have a game plan for any situation, and getting your hands on that knowledge early on will save you stress, time, and money in the end.

Yep, I’m Engaged…

Alright, so here’s my first personal post making an appearance today.

We are back from our week off, The New Year has begun and it’s busier than ever with bookings. We spent this past year so busy, beyond words, that yes our Blogging slowed. But…We’ve been hard at work behind the scenes and this was an amazing way to end a fabulous year, filled with amazing people.

After 10 years with the most amazing man and my best friend, I got engaged over the holidays. Yes it’s true.

It’s taken us a while to announce it to everyone as we are very private people, but word has been spreading fast and I wanted to share with you all personally…or at least via blog and facebook 😉

I have dedicated so many years to women planning their weddings.  I love what I do more than words can ever express.  I’m surrounded by it all the time, year round and now the realization has begun to register… it’s going to be ME now?!?! Wow, This should prove interesting…Here I sit about to join the army of women holding the title  of “Bride-To-Be” on the very forums I contribute to and the vendors I work with daily.

Funny enough, the number one question so far has been if I plan to do my own Make-up and Hair.

Truth be told, I would prefer to hand over this area, but those that know us or have worked with us in the past know that our standards for perfection are pretty high, for all our brides we see as well as would be for myself. I do however have a few people in mind that I will be chatting with, so I guess we’ll see.

At this time we have no concrete plans set yet or an official date, but what I can say is that after 10 years together, It’s going to be one heck of party…oh, and I won’t be wearing a white gown, I like a little color in my life 😉

A big thank you to all my friends and family for your support and congratulation messages. To all our vendors colleagues that have been so forth coming to make my big day special and most of all my fiancé Dylan. I’m the luckiest girl in the world!

Understanding your Contracts (Part 3) – The “Abuse” Clause

Due to the often unrealistic glamorization of many new “wedding shows” on television, there has seemingly been an increase in many brides “un-realistic” demands…Though it’s not to say for any bride that “they can’t have what they want” it comes down to the old renditions of how they treat others to achieve this…

With that, I present  a look into vendor’s “Abuse” clauses that are now being seen amidst the contract fine-print.

Generally speaking, We find brides branching off into two categories:

First, the brides that watch these shows during the course of their planning and are afraid of becoming a “bridezilla.”  Therefore out of this fear, choose not to speak up about their likes and dislikes, which can often lead to others walking all over them, un-necessary stresses,  inner party fighting and so on.

Secondly, a small few…and I do mean a VERY small few, can sometimes take the approach “Well, they can do that, why can’t I? It’s MY DAY!”  Thus resorting to ‘anger’ tactics to convey ideas, belittle others around them and so on in order to get what they want.

Now with that said,  Television is capitalizing on the stress levels of Brides during their planning, so many vendors now include an abuse clause that covers both sides of the equation for those involved in the contract.

Here’s a small snip of what an abuse clause might read like:

“We treat all client’s with the utmost respect, and ask that our clients and their wedding party, family and guests do the same. Sadly, sometimes there is someone who goes out of their way to be verbally or physically abusive to wedding professionals. At no time and under no circumstances whatsoever shall we tolerate abusive, violent, destructive, menacing, or harassing behavior from the client or any party acting on behalf of the client. If such behavior does occur, we will quietly and respectfully inform the client and/or members to handle the situation. However, if the abusive behavior does not stop, we will consider it a breach of contract, and remove ourselves from the premises immediately without providing any further services and all remaining fees will be due immediately and on the spot, regardless of further services not commenced and without any refund of monies paid.”

In the event that an abusive situation arises, be that from the direct contract holder, a bridesmaid, mother, drunken guests and so on; The vendor does reserve the right to “not put up with it” and hereby “quit” and walk out, should it not be dealt with in an acceptable manor for all involved.

This clause also doubles over from secondary term clauses that cite potential firing of a bride for anything from outrageous demands and changes, to changes to the terms booked for, that my compromise other bookings for that vendor and more…

In the case of a “deposit” paid forth these are a non-refundable retainer (unless otherwise stated) this payment made is to hold your date and secure your booking. Many vendors will then be deducting this amount paid out from your total and final pricing.

If this contract is breached, before the actual wedding date, your retainer fee is NOT likely to be returned!!

Namely on the principle that the vendor has likely already turned away other client’s seeking services, but also the time now spent out during emailing, phone calls and/or meet-ups with clients… Thus “Non Refundable.”

In the case of the wedding date itself, If a vendor has provided services up until this point or has traveled out to you, they may also reserve the rights to quit should an abusive or un-reasonable situation a rise. In which case all remaining fees are immediately due, regardless of the remaining service(s) that might need to be commenced!

So please be sure to read these areas carefully, as there is nothing funny about someone’s “drama,” either costing you money or ruining your big day!

Understanding your Contracts (Part 2) – Time Frame Clauses

Weddings are a serious business, not just for the ones getting married, but for us vendors specializing in this area and catering our services towards our client’s for that one special day!

With that in mind, Many vendors in this field are catering to hundreds of clients during this time, so that’s quite a bit of information, ideas, etc. being accommodated for.

The first area we will cover is the TIME LINE Clauses! Depending on the specific vendor, many contracts now include ‘time lines’ for the client’s.

This  includes things such as the arrival time and/or end time of services,  possible scheduling itineraries  for the days breakdown for photo taking, speeches and so on.

Schedules and timing is always in place so that we can keep the day moving as fluidly as possible for our clients and thus avoid any unnecessary stresses.

When a client neglects these time frames, it will, and can often throw the entire day off, including such things as your ceremony start times!

Worse yet are the “last minute” changes that may seem harmless, but often can be a landslide for all your other vendors involved in the day, their services being provided to you and even push forward onto your guests.

Many contracts do have “fine print” regarding this very matter in order to prevent these events. Being that “10 minutes late” can often slide the entire day forward and can find an easy blame on someone else, especially if it causes you to miss out on photos and other such things.

Though it’s not meant to be militant in nature, specific time frames are typically allotted for specific service areas. Trust your vendors in this area! We do this for a living, every day, and though every wedding is indeed “different”…the time-lines and generals regarding your services are ALWAYS The same!

If your vendor tells you an appropriate time line, this is likely your best option as they will typically plan for other outside time frames too, such as things like your dressing time, photos, travel times, etc… It’s always best to have a little extra time, under no recommendations should you ever look to shorten your vendors given time lines!

Read this area carefully in the contracts . Many vendors DO reserve the right to charge extra fees for ‘wait times’ should you make them wait longer than the agreed upon time frames;  An example of this is often the Limo drivers told to show at a certain time, but alas the Bride/Bridal party doesn’t arrive for another 30- 45 minutes! This then could cost you more money, not to mention the other vendors that might also be left waiting…

This now causes the ENTIRE Day to begin shifting and can now lead you to paying out more fees for violating your terms within the contracts you’ve signed. This may also lead to omitting certain areas of interests or cutting back on such things as your photo taking times.

Time line clauses will also carry forth to the finished products and “How long” the return on your final images may be…

So please be advised that we as vendors take your wedding day very seriously and aim with all our abilities to keep it as relaxed, fun and stress free as possible, so do heed our timelines suggested to you.

Next up, we’ll cover the “abuse ” clause.

Understanding your Wedding Contracts (Part 1)

The contracts from your vendors are one of the most important parts of the wedding process.

No matter what the job, how big or small, you NEED To have some form of paperwork/contract signed and in place.

The first thing that ALWAYS needs to be determined, BEFORE You ever sign a contract with anyone, is what is and isn’t included from the vendor and/or the services you are hiring!!!

This is the main area that I see allot of Brides make mistakes with and if something does happen to arise, they find themselves either out money for a service that might now be botched or canceled last minute, or now confused as they never got a clear idea on what was and wasn’t provided as part of the services and the contract that they signed!

Contracts are not only for our side of services, but they are primarily for YOUR Protection and a MUST in all your planning, from the bigger bookings like your Venue, Food and Photographer….to the smaller things like Beauty Services, Limo and so on.

Contracts are your leverage and guide on ALL Services that you are now paying for and any specific guidelines that may accompany them.

This then leaves you and your vendors an area of reference to return to, should there be any unanswered questions later on down the road during your planning, and/or any discrepancies within the booking.

With that said, there are a few very specific areas that I would like to address and thus will post them all separately for easier reference as I feel each area needs to be discussed individually.

I will cover 2 of these main contract clauses in detail, as I often see Bride’s running into problems later on from not reading them and/or understanding them correctly or just flat out neglecting them until it’s too late when a problem does arise…

Getting started – Booking The Venue

Here we would like to touch on the next big step in your wedding day planning, booking your Venue. This is one of your first recommended and most important bookings when planning your wedding to be.

We have put together some of the main and more important money saving points when first starting off with your planning when it comes down to booking your Vancouver Wedding Venues.

Firstly, you may have your heart set on the perfect date, BUT once you’ve found your perfect VENUE this will determine everything; including your date chosen and its possible availability or not. This includes both the date itself and the month in which your chosen venue has open availability to accommodate your booking.

The following key points are worth mentioning:

* Most Vancouver wedding venues book upwards of 1 year in advance, with the main season, May through September/Oct. booking the fastest.

* Saturdays typically cost more than a Sunday wedding date as they are considered a main day, some venues boast upwards of a $5,000 difference just between your choice of day!

* Holidays and/or long weekends can be DOUBLE the original pricing! This can also be true of your other vendors, example: Your Bridal flowers for a Valentine’s Day wedding.

* Many venues offer further savings for you when booked in the off season, typically November through January. You may also find additional savings for ‘weekday’ bookings…Fridays have seen a huge spike in bookings, with many people holding more cocktail style receptions and/or harbor boat cruises.

* Look into choosing and booking a multipurpose venue. If you are able to plan out both your ceremony and reception at the same location, you stand to save additional costs on everything from site fees, transportation costs, double set up/take down fees and more.

Lastly, do your homework, not all venues boast the same features (Even if you are promised them) I have seen and also attended weddings at even the most swankiest of places where everything falls apart, to some of the simplest backyard garden-style weddings becoming the most glamorous.

For a detailed listing of some of the most popular Vancouver Wedding venues, check out one of my all time favorite Bridal forums, BRIDE THINGS located in the “Links” side bar. They house one of the biggest online venue listings for the lower mainland!!

Booking your Wedding Day Services – The REAL Timeline!

This is probably the most mislead area on just about any Bridal site I come across, year after year, they change, never for the better either. Only to result in bride’s left frantic and scrambling last minute because they were following their websites “guidelines.”  Every year this breaks my heart, when I personally have to turn away dozens of  last minute brides seeking services.

So allow me to present a REALISTIC Vendor booking guideline, simple, easy and no stereotypes into which is the best vendors to book first…

Bridal season is Bridal season, plain and simple!

ALL Vendors be that photographers, Hair and makeup, Florists and Cake makers, DJ/Musicians, Officiants and so on,  are all working very hard during these few busy months providing services to sometimes upwards of HUNDREDS of bridal clients during the year.

Every month of the year is someone’s “ideal” time to get married, so even if you think you have an advantage with having a “winter wedding” for example, you are probably wrong.

It’s best to book at least 6 months in advance or as soon as possible, for ANY wedding day services especially for those with wedding dates in the spring/summer months as they tend to be the busiest and book VERY fast usually upwards of 8-12 months in advance!!

August is also the main month of the ENTIRE Year; you will find out that ALL main and professional level services providers in the wedding industry typically book about 1 year in advance for this month!!  This includes many of the “less important” ones I see listed on many sites that tell you to book them around 1-3 months before your date. Absolutely ridiculous!

By this time you should be doing all your finalizing and consultations with many of your vendors to insure everything is going according to your plans and specifications. This also leaves you time now to continue finishing any last minute details along the way without being bombarded with everything in the last month leading into your wedding day.

For those with weddings in the months of May and June, remember these are both  typical GRAD MONTHS as well, so all your Hair and Makeup services, be that through a freelance/mobile service provider or Salon services you will be faced against double the booking volumes!

Many of us also TRAVEL to provide services for our Bridal clients, especially during the summer months. So again, bookings will usually book farther in advance.

For example: I provide my Mobile Makeup/Hair services from Vancouver throughout the Fraser Valley areas, but also to clients residing in Whistler/Squamish areas, Vancouver Island, up into the Okanagan, out of Province and further. So our bookings for select months can book upwards of 1-2 YEARS in advance! Not the basic 1-3 months booking times that these main sites boast. This in turn leaves many disappointed brides when they realize that most service providers are already booked for their ENTIRE YEAR and now shutting down bookings and/or booking for the following year typically by around the month of June.

Statistics now show that the average engagement time frame is now up to 14 months, why?

Because during this time you will most likely be the busiest you’ve ever been: work, kids, school, planning a wedding, etc. Take your time to do your research, plan ahead…The result in the end will be well worth it!