When it comes to interviewing possible bridal clients there is one thing every certified wedding and event planner must be: prepared. Being prepared means being on top of new and exciting wedding trends, and it means that planners must anticipate the questions brides-to-be are going to ask. Here are some of those questions; how would you answer them?

. How long have you been a planner?
. Are you a certified wedding and event planner?
. Is this your full-time job?
. How much do you charge?
. How many weddings have you planned?
. How many clients do you take on at one time?
. What is the largest wedding or event you have planned?
. Will you be at the wedding?
. Are you willing to travel to another region on the day of our wedding?
. Do you bring a staff with you?
. What are the best venues that fit our budget?
. (Once they choose a venue) Have you worked with this venue before?
. Can you help us with venue contracts?
. Can you get us discounts with vendors?
. Are you willing to stick to our budget and not guide us in a direction we can’t afford?
. How, and how often, may we contact you?
. Do you also plan honeymoons?

Suffice to say - brides are likely to add numerous questions to this list, but these are some common ones that every planner should expect to answer, and answer well. Remember that brides want to feel comfortable and feel heard. They’re likely going into this interview with a very specific vision in mind, and although your ideas may enhance their dreams - they’re still the clients’ dreams!

It’s important to remember, also, that although you’re the one being interviewed it’s a good time for you to get to know potential clients and try to figure out if you will work well with them. Trying to figure out how to say no? Read this great column by LWPI instructor Amanda Allen of MMD Events in Tampa, Florida: Insight from the Wedding Planning Institute: Saying No. To do a great job and end the day with a satisfied client you have to make sure your personalities mesh well!

What other important questions would you add to this list?

Today’s post is the second of three parts on budgeting for destination weddings. Our guest writer is Chezelle Rodriguez, the owner of Chezelle Dezines, an event-planning and graphic-design company in Puerto Rico. She specializes in destination weddings, and you can read more about Chezelle’s work in her Real Weddings From LWPI Graduates post.

Photo Courtesy of Saul Padua Photography

What Couples Often Overlook and What to Expect – Part II

Tips on How to Tackle that Budget Monster!

With the huge increase in the number of DIY couples who are making their own wedding invitations and favors, it’s obvious that they are looking for ways to cut down on wedding spending. There are plenty of cost-saving ideas online.

Take your scissors to the guest list early and stay firm. Some couples opt out of having children in their wedding for multiple reasons, including reducing their wedding budget. Some child meals can cost just as much as an adult dinner.

The general rule is to set aside 6 percent of a wedding budget for your gown, but you can get away with far less. When figuring the cost factor in alterations, dry cleaning (some wedding planners offer a steamer), underpinnings, veils and accessories.

Receptions:

Receptions typically take up about 40 percent of the wedding budget but can increase to 55 perecent depending on the venue and menu. Marrying in the off season helps. Timing is everything: Roughly 70 percent of weddings take place between May and October. With this said, however, event spaces and vendors are always eager for your business at other times of the year, which can help reduce your costs.

Call ahead and ask event spaces, hotels and vendors about their down time. You will be surprised to see discounts from about 40 percent off compared with peak season. This is very important when planning a destination wedding, especially since you might not be familiar with the seasonal quirks of the area. Plan your festivities to take place between Sunday and Thursday, the slow days at most resorts, and you might benefit from some considerable discounts. Saturday evening is the prime time for weddings and prices will soar! Also keep in mind that government-owned properties have the most reasonable fees and have beautiful unexpected places to marry.

BYOB!

Some venues allow you to bring your own liquor. This will save you a boatload of money, costing about $20 a person as opposed to $60 a person at a traditional venue. Negotiate bringing in the liquor or having a bar per consumption. In some cases this will save you thousands of dollars! When buying the liquor ask the store if they have a buy-back policy.

Photography:

Photography averages 7 percent to 10 percent of an overall budget. Beginning packages start at about $1,000, and an entire day’s booking is about $3,000. One quick way to cut down on that cost is to ask for a “shoot and burn” package (very popular with small weddings and elopements). What you get is a photographer for four hours and all the unedited, minimally retouched, high-resolution images on a DVD. This allows couples to share their photos with friends and family as well as on social networking Websites. I always tell my clients that if they absolutely love the style of the photographer then splurge. After the wedding is over all you have left are memories and the pictures!

Flowers and Décor:

Flowers and décor eat up about an 8 percent of your budget. Since in-season flowers will save you money, search online to see what will be available on your wedding day. Average costs of bouquets range from $100 to $500 depending on the flowers. The more types of flowers that go into the bouquet, the more expensive it will be. Spend the money on flowers where it will make more impact. A ceremony might last up to 30 minutes, while a reception will be four hours and where guests will spend the majority of their time. Alternating flowers with candles will give your reception a romantic feel that won’t weigh down your budget.

Another great way to reduce your budget is to rent Par 64 or Par 56 lights and bases. The right lighting can save you big dollars from having to transform a space with flowers and other decorations that can cost much more.

Cupcakes or Mini Cakes?

This trend is catching on fast, and I’ve seen my clients choose them instead of a traditional wedding cake. Venues often charge a cake-cutting fee ranging from $2.50 to $6 a slice.

Be sure to check out Part 1 and Part III of Chezelle’s great series!

Today’s post is the first of three parts on budgeting for destination weddings. Our guest writer is Chezelle Rodriguez, the owner of Chezelle Dezines, an event-planning and graphic-design company in Puerto Rico. She specializes in destination weddings, and you can read more about Chezelle’s work in her Real Weddings From LWPI Graduates post.

Photo Courtesy of Saul Padua Photography

What Couples Often Overlook and What to Expect

What is there to say about the hot trend of destination weddings? Most couples I’ve worked with say that if they had held their wedding in their hometown their guest list would have quickly grown. This is often the deciding factor to having a destination wedding: fewer guests and a wedding where they can enjoy being with friends and family over a long weekend rather than for just four hours.

Couples are always looking for smart ways to maximize their wedding dollars. And for good reason: The average cost of a wedding was $24,066 last year (according to The Wedding Report), a hefty price tag for an event that lasts just a few hours. Some couples are able to pull off a destination wedding that lasts days for a fraction of the cost.

When you use the word wedding as an adjective when speaking with venues and vendors, prices soar! Prioritizing is the key to maximizing your wedding dollars. Think about what is most important to you. Is it the food, décor, or the location? You should not have to go into debt to have a stylish wedding.

This three-part series is written to give you some good tips on budgeting for and planning your destination wedding.

The Benefits of Hiring a Certified Wedding and Event Planner

Having an onsite planner is key to planning a destination wedding! They can offer a lot of creative ideas and save you time, hassles, and they will be your eyes and ears on site. They also have preferred vendors that will be an asset to making your event flow seamlessly.

Couples use the Internet to do most of their wedding research, but you really need to inspect the site before booking it. A planner can show up at a site when it’s set up for an event and they will give you some insight on how the staff works and ideas that will help determine the décor.

Catering managers help you plan the logistics of your wedding but will only cover what is within the hotel walls. Destination weddings have many details that go outside of the hotel, for example, tourist excursions, dinners, transportation and much more.

Some local wedding planners have relationships with destination planners who will be on site the day of your wedding, saving you the cost of flying them in, booking their room, transportation and meals, which can go above the usual 5 percent that comes out of your wedding budget.

Be sure to check out Part II and Part III of Chezelle’s series on Destination Wedding Budgets!

Choosing bridesmaids should be an easy task, right? WRONG! I have had so many people come to me and say, “My fiancé wants me to have this person in the bridal party, but I don’t really know them.” This is becoming more and more common, especially when there are siblings involved. Typically if either the bride or groom has siblings, or close friends, they are considered shoe-ins for a spot in the bridal party. But why? When choosing who is going to play a part in your special day do you want someone you don’t know that well? No, you want to have someone who means something to you and has played a huge part in your life.

Remember, these are the people that will be around you throughout your whole wedding-planning experience. You want to pick someone that you get along with and can get along with you. There is a lot of responsibility and honor in being a bridesmaid, and you want to have someone who knows this responsibility and who will cherish and honor the role.

It can also be very expensive to be a bridesmaid: the functions that have to be attended, the gifts, the attire - all of these things have to be purchased by each member of the bridal party. Someone who may not have a personal connection with you may not be as willing to do this.

There are so many other roles that individuals who are not as close to you, but may want to still play a part in your big day, can hold. They can share scripture or give readings during the ceremony. They can also be ushers or hostesses. All of these are very important jobs that will allow them to still feel included.

Be sure to visit Shafonne’s website, read her new plus-size bride blog, follow her on Twitter, and read more about her in this LWPI Instructor Spotlight.

Photo Collage Courtesy of Shafonne Myers

So you have finally gotten through the tons of planning and have arrived at the altar. You have exchanged vows, and you are just about to lock lips and the question is running through your mind: “How are we going to do our first kiss?”

The first kiss is meant to be the first time that you and your fiancé show the world and your guests that you are officially husband and wife. It is a cherished moment that you don’t want tainted with a gratuitous open-mouthed, tongue-quenched, make-out session. Yes, I have seen them and yes, they are totally and utterly disgusting.

You definitely what to keep it nice, sensual and sophisticated. So I always recommend discussing how you both want the kiss to go and then practice it. You both will feel so much more comfortable on your big day in front of all your guests if you have practiced it. Trust me it will be FUN!

Be sure to visit Shafonne’s website, read her new plus-size bride blog, follow her on Twitter, and read more about her in this LWPI Instructor Spotlight.