Today I'd like to welcome Hester, owner of Emma Events in New York City for joining us today. Emma Events recently held a Wedding Planning 101 seminar titled "Selecting Vendors" in New York City. The seminar brought together some venues, catering, photography, floral, gown designer, and entertainment vendors Emma Events enjoys working with. Owner, Hester, of Emma Events had the following common vendor themes to share with us after the seminar.
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above photo courtesy of John Mazlish Photography | www.johnmazlishweddings.comWhen planning your wedding and selecting vendors:
1) Don't underestimate the value of having a "good connection" with the vendor you select. Vendors who enjoy working for you will do a better job and you will also feel more relaxed and have more fun on your wedding day knowing that you have a good rapport with your vendors! This is especially important with the venue, caterer, videographer, photographer, planner, and entertainment company you select.
2) Don't forget to remember who YOU are and what YOU want. With so many options and constantly changing wedding trends, you should remember to think about who you and your fiancé are. What style fits you? What interests you? It doesn’t have to be what is most popular or most trendy. You want people to remember your wedding for your own personal touch.
3) Price negotiation is possible now, but don’t overdo it. The tougher economic environment has made it more difficult for everyone including the vendors, so many vendors are willing to adjust their pricing packages to accommodate more limited budgets. However be careful how far you push it, because you don’t want to stretch your vendor so thin that they won’t enjoy working for you or put as much into your event versus another! It still holds true that get what you pay for.
4) Giving a budget estimate does not mean you will be charged that amount. Telling a vendor how much you want to spend does not necessarily mean you will have to spend that amount. It is just one of the factors that the vendors take into account when recommending their services to you. Often times vendors can take the amount you provide them and come up with creative ideas for you. For example, a florist can come up with a new or creative arrangement within that estimate that you might not have thought of. An entertainment specialist can give you different options given your budget by suggesting a different mix of musicians for different parts of your event (i.e. ceremony, cocktails and reception).
5) The wedding business is a very word-of-mouth business! You can often find the best value vendors by simply talking to your friends, colleagues, family, and other vendors! Buzz in this industry travels fast! Aside from searching online, reading magazines, and attending expos, don’t forget to ask those people you know who they recommend!
Emma Events is a full-service wedding planning business serving the tri-state area. Named after her first-born daughter, Emma, Hester started this business with the aim to treat each wedding as if she were planning her own daughter's wedding. This philosophy guides the way we work with our clients. At Emma Events, our goal is to provide a couple with unparalleled attention to detail and personalized care.
For more info on Emma Events, please visit our website at: www.emmaeventsnyc.com or contact Hester at 646.454.1219 or hester@emmaeventsnyc.com.
Vendors who participated in the seminar included:
Adriana Dyurich, Broadway Famous, Dibezi, Eclipse Info, Essential Catering, The Glazier Group,
John Mazlish Weddings, Lunessa, Ramscale, Romantic Garden, and Tumbador Chocolate
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Thank you so much Hester for joining us today and for sharing your expertise with my readers.