If this is your first time working with events coordinators, following are helpful hints about how we prefer to do business.  Open communication builds positive professional collaborations!

How do I get started?  The first step is to contact us and provide some basic details about the event you'd like to plan.  Tell us the date, timeframe, number of guests, location, the desired theme or feel for the event, your primary objectives and, most importantly, your budget.

What if I don't know my budget?  This is a common response and our learned response is "Does half-a-million sound about right?"  Most often, the reply is, "Oh no, not that much!"  From there, our potential client is often able to par down to whatever amount feels managable. We are not used car salesmen with the objective of spending all of your money or haggle pricing.  We simply need parameters as building your proposal takes a good deal of time and resources (much more than most clients realize).  We are unable to provide a proposal without first knowing your budget.  We understand that this amount may be increased/decreased as we move along in the planning.

How do you decide what to include in my proposal?  Our proposal is not an end-all effort.  Instead, it is a beginning point.  We will include necessary items (things not provided by your facility, for example), things you've told us you want (lots of flowers, perhaps), things we think you'll like based on the mood/feel of the event you're hoping to create (candlelight, valet parking....) and we'll include several food and beverage menus.  We'll stick close to your budget and then end with a summary of additional items and related costs that you may wish to consider (i.e. for an extra $500, we can upgrade to hydrangea or, for an extra $1000, we can upgrade from beer and wine to a full bar).  Again, once you receive the proposal, we will work together to narrow or expand the options until we have an event that excites you.

Is it okay if I'm just shopping around?  Of course.  We shop around ourselves.  We ask only that you be respectful of our time and effort.  There is no charge for the initial proposal, although your non-refundable retainer is required before we make revisions, updates, etc.  Also, if you choose to incorporate our event ideas on your own or with the help of another cooordiator, you will be charged an event design fee to cover our time and expenses.  This fee will be shown on your proposal.  Lastly, please let us know once we are no longer being considered.

How do I know when we've made a deal?  When we receive your non-refundable retainer and signed Event Agreement, we will book your event on our calendar.  This retainer ensures that no other events or activities are scheduled which might conflict with successful execution of your event.  Unfortunately, we don't "pencil in" event dates.  Events are booked first come, first serve - subject to our approval and based on receipt of the retainer.

Does that mean that you'll only handle one event at a time?  Most often, yes; however, that's not a rule.  We closely monitor our event calendar and are careful to maintain a work load that is reasonable for our staff.  There are variety of factors involved in deciding which events we accept, but you can be assured that once you retain us, we will perform.  In 16 years, we've never missed an event *.

* - Unless you count the wedding on March 13, 1999, the day our owner gave birth.  She directed our staff from her labor and delivery room - a bit controlling perhaps - but we executed a flawless event and she executed a flawless birth!

When do I pay the balance?  After receipt of your retainer, your proposal will be updated and a payment schedule included.  Depending on the overall anticipated budget and our agreements with the various vendors hired for your event, additional payments may be required by specified dates.  The final payment is always due 10-14 days prior to the event - no exceptions.  Following your event, the estimate is adjusted to reflect any overage and may result in a credit or balance due.

How do I know I'll like our designs?  If desired, we will schedule a meeting during which you can see a setup of the tablescapes, taste foods from your selected menu, floral/centerpiece samples, dessert/cake samples, etc.  Ideally, we schedule this session over the course of 2-3 hours.  There may be a charge for certain items.

What if we want to cancel?  In case of cancellation, your retainer and paid deposits are non-refundable.  The event can be postponed within 30 days of the original date, subject to the availability of all vendors.

Do you have any recommendations for making our event a success?  Thanks for asking and, as a matter of fact, yes we do.  Here are a few:

First, although you have the option of using as much or as little of our services as you need, events tend to go better when we are the primary coordinator for all activities (or when we do only one thing...like staffing).  Otherwise, we find that it's easy to overlook a detail or have a breakdown in communication that affects some element of the event.  For example, we were charged with coordinating a wedding reception.  We worked with the couple on every aspect of the reception.  Well into the process, the couple turned us over to their wedding director.  On the day of the wedding, things ran behind schedule.  Guests arrive over an hour later and, to set things back on track, the director instructed us to skip the first dance, the champagne toast and a few other actitivies.  In our post-event follow-up, the bride was very upset by this decision.  We had followed the instructions of the person she put in charge, but there was obviously a breakdown in communication between the couple and their wedding director. In other instances, we'd just prefer to have everything under our control.  For example, we've had the experience of coordinating every element of the event except the food.  In the unfortunate case that the food runs out, we appear to be at fault as your guests often aren't aware which elements of the event we've handled and which ones the host has agreed to coordinate independently. 

Secondly, timely payments are appreciated.  Despite our excitement about booking your event and working with you, we do not "pencil in" dates, contract vendors, schedule staff, order equipment, etc. until we have received your payment.  Luckily, this is rarely an issue, but only because we tell you this on the front end.

Also, while we respect your desire to have a great event and encourage you to tweak the details until we come up with a plan that excites you, also note that your event coordinating fee is adjusted based on the time and resources we put in.  Remember this as you set your budget. 

Lastly, we know that emotions run high leading up to the day of the big event and we know that it's disappointing when things don't flow to the letter of the plan, however, please know that we always give our very best to your event.  In our 16 years experience, what we know for sure, is that there is some element of EVERY event that fails to come together perfectly.  Most often, it's a small thing that no one (except your event planner) will ever know.  If not, then take comfort that you have hired Event Experts.  And, by "expert", we mean that we have read about, witnessed or personally experienced virtually every snafu that can occur and we pride ourselves on quietly and efficiently working toward immediate solutions.  We are not only very resourceful but also excellent problem solvers and, as such, can often prevent the whole event from going to hell in a handbasket over rain showers, power failures, unruly guests, missing forks, overflowing toilets, no-show groomsmen or whatever.  You can be assured that we are on the task and working diligently behind the scenes.  Also note that we've never experienced a situation that called for yelling or throwing tantrums as an appropriate, professional solution.  We don't behave this way and neither should our clients or their guests.