Wedding Planner / Vendor / Client Issues

Sometimes, it is not easy being a wedding planner. It can be - as everyone says, pretty damn thankless. Just yesterday, we had some issues caused by a photographer and the client - already known for crying at the drop of a pin - was obviously NOT happy.

Here's the deal - we've never worked with this photographer previously and honestly, was not a big fan of said photographer's work. Furthermore, we've had some not-so-good feedback from photographer's ex-clients. But hey - professionally, if the client insists on using a certain vendor, we oblige and we still strive to deliver the best that we can.

So, we started negotiations and we finally got the contract and invoice signed between the photographer and the client - after numerous email threads that went back and forth. However, always careful and anal, no matter how long email threads are - we archive each and everyone of them. We learnt that this is one of the best ways to safeguard ourselves.

Anyway, this bride thought she was a bit of a smart-alec. Even after the contract was signed, she still insisted on discussing other terms with the photographer - ON HER OWN without the planners being notified NOR KEPT IN THE LOOP. Despite us telling the photographer - both verbally and via emails - to notify us should there be any direct discussions with the clients, the said photographer happily - either forgot or thought us planners to be unimportant.

Now, the wedding will be taking place this weekend. The bride called us crying to say that the photographer had gone back on his words and will not be photographing certain segments of the wedding this weekend. Of course, the call caught all of us off-guard as we had NO CLUE as to what happened and what was agreed and what was discussed and etc, etc, etc. You get my drift? She then went on accusing us of being careless with our arrangements and she was not happy and she went further still saying that she was very unhappy with her pre-wedding photos that were taken by the said photographer. That just cheesed me off!

Look, I usually dislike doing this especially so close to the wedding day. But sometimes, I think one has to do what is necessary to put everything into perspective in the right order! So we pulled out our neatly-archived emails and reminded the client that the photographer was someone she insisted upon, who wasn't on our recommendations list. More emails pulled out to show her the entire negotiation and discussion that we had carried out on her behalf with the photographer to safeguard her interests as a client.

To the photographer - we did the same. But we could only ensure that what was in his signed contract and invoice were delivered to the 't'. The verbal promises / empty promises he made privately with the client is honestly - something beyond our control! It will only turn into a battle of 'he said, she said' and God knows what else anyone said!

Moral of the story : Whether you are planning your own wedding or using a wedding planner, do insist on having everything that is agreed re-produced in black & white. This really does eliminate all the 'he said, she said, everyone said' problems. AND if you do hire a wedding planner - please, either let the planner do his/her job or make sure you keep the wedding planner in the loop for any additional discussion you may have with other vendors! BECAUSE - even if you may have forgotten to get the black & white - the wedding planner, will undoubtedly do so - to safeguard BOTH you and themselves.

** graphic at the top by GraphicLeftovers.com  

Handling Guests

As a wedding planner I am always amazed at how inconsiderate guests can be. I've organized a wedding where the guest list was limited because of the venue so the bride carefully picked her closest friends to share in the joy. You would think that these are the true friends who are here to celebrate with the couple.. Lo and behold during the wedding dinner the same "true" friends are bitching about her gown, her "goldfish" snatch, her everything. What is the point then to spend money of people who are superficial.

Inconsiderate in another sense are guests/ family who insist that the couple pick them up from the hotel/ airport/ shopping mall. Or guests who cancel or add on at the last minute. Or guests who complain about the heat/ mosquitoes/ food. People !! The wedding is about the couple. Would you please refrain from spoiling their big day ?

As a bride, I am only inviting my "true" friends (I hope) to the wedding. I'm being a bit anal about giving all my guests all the info they need to enjoy themselves. The one thing I hate is for people to be standing at the side of the road trying to decide what to do for the day or wondering what time is the wedding. I've already warned my guests (yes warned - they are suppose to be my "true" friends after all) that if they have any queries ask now and not during ... yes  DURING the wedding, I'm the bride and I'm the queen, and you will deal with my wedding planner. Yes even the wedding planner needs a wedding planner.

Who doesn't ? Do you really want to be worrying about the flowers , the decor, the food on your big day? You want to be drinking champagne, lounging by the pool and chilling with your mates. Anyone who thinks of planning their wedding without a planner is really ambitious.

** Photo of wedding by See Toh Kok Hoe

Joining Forces

Leticia & I first met back in early 2005. It was thanks to Kris, another industry friend and partner-in-crime who made this 'meeting' happen. He got us both on a radio interview together.

We've heard how bitchy the industry can get - but the two of us simply hit it off quite well from the get-go. Sometimes, it's difficult to say why or how. It's just good vibes. And likely - smart thinking from both parties.

I guess it was at this point, we were feeling that perhaps individually, it would be difficult for us to conquer the world. Hmmm...It was just a matter of the stars being aligned *eyelash batting*. In any case, we didn't waste time with the new-found friendship. It very quickly materialized into an "online love affair" - we exchanged trade secrets, we shared information about good vendors, bad vendors and the plain nasty ones, we passed on clients to one another when our dates were booked, we warned one another about potentially "psycho" clients... and really..... that "online love affair" of ours still exists right up till today - it must say something when I exchange more emails with Leticia than I do with my real lover.. and vice-versa!

We kept our own businesses running and even though we were supposedly competition - we actually didn't really see it that way. Simply because our working styles were quite different. They still are. Naturally, the types of clients we attract are very different too. She's the feminine, girly-girly type.... whilst I am more athletic and outdoorsy. As such, herein lie the differences between our portfolios - she features prim-and-proper weddings whereas I feature the breezy destination weddings which are usually outdoors. We are even bitchy in our own different ways! (That's right - we admit that we are. Plain and simple - you don't run your own businesses by being a push-over).

Where we synergize is through our "let's go get it" attitude and our very head-strong characters. We are both the types who would twitch with anxiety when the work platter is empty. And even if it was full, we would still be coming up with fantastic ideas and saying "Do you want to do it??" and the next thing you know - we're working ourselves halfway through a whole full platter of work. We don't give up easily and we are simply said - pretty damn strong. Not just "head-strong", but physically and mentally strong too. And you know what? We deliver.

So, believing that since two stubbornly head-strong characters could combine their efforts to make it work very well for their businesses, and having been encouraged by Tourism Malaysia, we sat down for coffee one day, and decided we were going to start an Association. Thinking (stupidly!) that the entire wedding industry, like us - also believes in the "United We Stand" concept. And thus - the birth of Association of Wedding Professionals (AWP) Malaysia in September 2008. The Association was the first venture that Leticia and I worked together on - and I have to say - even I was surprised at how well we worked together!

We're still working very hard on the Association and trying to sign-up more "believers". We are grateful and thankful of course, to those who had supported us in this endeavour. You could go to AWP's website to see all the good stuff that we had done for the Association and the members thus far.

We had not looked back since the founding of AWP. We've worked on numerous projects together and it was only a matter of time before we really joined forces - this time, to take on the Indochina market with The Wedding Planners. And there are numerous more projects in the pipeline that we are looking forward to doing together.

Because - one thing's for sure - why settle for one of the best when you can have two of the best?

**Photo taken at the AWP Launch on 4th September 2008