Q&A Monday: Careers and Employment

Wow. It's really Monday already? The past week flew by.

Ok so today's question is not really for brides-to-be. But it IS one that we get on an almost daily basis. (In fact, I got two emails today asking this same question.)

So without further ado, here's this week's Q & A Monday!

Question: I have always wanted to be a wedding planner. Do you have any positions available at your company?

Answer: The answer to this question is very complicated, so I'll have to answer it in steps.

First, yes, we do have several positions available. These are internship positions. (Which means non-paid.) We do not currently have any paid openings.

Now, with that being said, our internships are only available to a select group of individuals. These are individuals that make a good impression on us, and give off the air that they will represent our company well. These positions are also not available to those interested in starting their own event planning company. We are looking to add to our team, not train the competition.

For those still interested, here are several do's and dont's when inquiring about jobs with a wedding planner. (I know several prominent event planners have also written about this topic, and I wholeheartedly agree with and second everything they've published on this topic. But I just have to contribute my two cents as well, even though much of it is very similar!!)

1) Don't use the wedding planner's website contact form to submit your inquiry. We are currently in a recession. Everyone needs business. Imagine our disappointment to open up what looks like a potential lead in our inbox only to find it's someone inquiring about a job. So sad!

2) Please read over your email. Very carefully. If it sounds to us like a 16-year-old wrote it, we're probably not going to give you a call back.

3) Please do not send your email to "whom it may concern." Most planners have an "about-me" section. Find out who the owner of the company is and address your email to that person. Show you've done your homework.

4) Don't copy and paste the same email and send it to 15 event planners in town. Show the planner why you want to work with THEIR company above any others. Know something about the company, and express that in your email. Reading their blog is a good place to start.

5) Please double check your spelling and grammar. This is a professional business. Need I say more?

6) PLEASE please please don't tell us that you'd be great at this because you planned your own wedding. Every wedding planner I've ever talked to inwardly cringes when they hear this.

7) DO get some education. Join an association. (I'm a member of ABC and it has given me a wealth of information and tools to use as I continue to grow my business.)

8) DO be willing to work, unpaid, for as long as it takes to get your foot in the door. No event planner will be willing to pay a virtual stranger to help out at an event. There is too much at stake.

9) DO understand how seriously the owner takes their business. Wedding planning is our life's work. We've spent thousands of dollars and many years to build our businesses to the places they are today. We aren't willing to jeopardize that, and anyone who comes on board must be FULLY committed to upholding our business reputation.

10) Be persistent! If this is something you really want to do, work at it to make it happen. Just do it the smart way.

To read other planners' thoughts on this very topic, check out these posts:

"Becoming a Wedding Planner" by Saundra Hadley of Planning...Forever Events

"Why I Won't Hire You" by Terrica Skaggs of Fabuluxe Events

"Advice on Being a Wedding Planner" by Liene Stevens of Blue Orchid Designs

Q&A Monday: Beach Wedding Backup Plan

Question: I'm planning a beach wedding. What do you recommend as a back-up plan in case of rain?

Answer: A back-up plan is a must. If you're planning a beach wedding, especially here in Florida, keep in mind that the weather can be very unpredictable, sometimes changing from hour to hour. If you're planning a beach wedding, you have several options for your back-up plan.

1) Check to see if the beach you're planning to marry on has "pavilions" for rent. These pavilions are usually covered and have some sort of seating. These are usually reserved through the same state or city office you got your beach permit from. This is probably the simplest, quickest back-up option for beach weddings.

2) Consider renting a tent as your back-up plan. This plan usually takes a little more fore-though, as many rental companies require a few days notice to get a tent and an installation crew ready to go. However, if you're keeping an eye on the weather and rain is headed your way, putting a back-up tent on "hold" with a rental company is not a bad idea. Sometimes there's a deposit involved, which may be lost if you end up not needing the tent, but often that's a small price to pay for the peace of mind that comes with having a good back-up option.

3) Sometimes, being outdoors is not a good option at all. In severe winds, tents can have difficulty stading, and rain can blow in through a pavilion's open sides. If this is the case, consider moving the ceremony to the space where your reception will be held. It may mean a quick flip of the room to change from a ceremony set-up to a reception set-up, or it may mean that you've got your guests sitting at tables while you say your vows. However, if severe weather threatens, this very well may be your best bet.

4) If your wedding is very small, very casual, and very flexible, you have the option of changing your ceremony time or ceremony date. Especially here in Florida, we can have gorgeous mornings and then stormy afternoons, or vice versa. Keep a close eye on the weather predictions, and if your guests can quickly be notified, sometimes a change in time can be a viable alternative. If all your guests are from out of town, and are setting aside several days to celebrate with you, pushing the ceremony back a day might work too. If you go this route, be SURE to check with all your vendors to make sure a switch will work. Again, this option will be best for those with very small beach weddings, especially if there is no true "reception" planned, or maybe just a nice dinner afterward.

5) Finally, there's the "brave-the-rain" method. Maybe it's just sprinkling. Maybe the showers are off and on. But if your guests are as fun-loving and carefree as you are, a little rain never hurt anyone. Grab your umbrella in one hand, your bouquet in the other, and head down that aisle!

Above all, your best bet when planning a beach wedding is to be flexible. Beach brides tend to be spontaneous, and fun-loving, and this attitude will definitely serve you well if nature doesn't follow your well-laid plans! And remember, having a coordinator is a must. If a back-up plan must be executed, your coordinator will have the skill and connections to make that happen for you. Your coordinator will defintely be able to handle what could potentially be a very stressful situation!

Q & A Monday: Getting your Marriage License

Question: What's the process I need to go through to get my marriage license?

Answer: This is a question that, understandably, we get asked VERY often.

The procedure is generally pretty harmless, but you'll definitely want to "know before you go" so you don't forget anything.
1) You and your fiance must go to a Florida Courthouse.
(Note 1: It can be ANY courthouse in the state of Florida -- it does NOT have to be the county you are planning on getting married in.)
(Note 2: You and your fiance BOTH must be present.)
2) Bring two forms of identification.
One must be a picture ID (Driver's License, Passport, etc.) The other must be your social security card.
3) Bring $93.50 in cash.
Some court houses have gotten online and are now accepting charge cards, but not all. So either call first or play it safe and bring the cash.
4) Remember the waiting period.
Florida residents must go through a three-day waiting period before the license is considered valid. This means that if you applied on a Tuesday, your license would not be valid until Saturday. The waiting period is waived for non-Florida residents.
5. If you were previously married, bring proof that your previous marriage has ended.
In some counties, the date your divorce was finalized is sufficient. Others will ask to see a certified copy of your divorce decree. If you were widowed, please be prepared to provide the date of the death of your spouse.
6. Don't let the license expire!
It is valid for 60 days. If you don't use it within those 60 days, it expires and you would need to get another one to have a legal marriage ceremony.
7. Consider counseling.
If you participate in a state-approved counseling program, not only can you have the waiting period waived, but your fee will also be reduced.
8. Know your citizenship status.
Non-American citizens will have different procedures concerning identification necessary. Please contact your Clerk of Court for more info.

If you still have questions, the best person to contact would be your Clerk of the Court. Here is a list of all Florida Clerks of Court, and their contact info.

Q&A Monday

Question: I just discovered I have an extra $1,000 in my wedding budget. Where should I spend it for the maximum impact?

Answer: This is an excellent problem to have. Now, you could always put that money aside for your upcoming married life.

But... if you're desperate to spend it.... we HIGHLY recommend renting event lighting! Uplighting, pin spots, and gobos can turn an ordinary event into something truly spectacular. Imagine walking into a standard banquet room in a hotel, but instead of seeing the bland walls and ugly carpeting, you see that the room is washed in your wedding colors. The room has a glow to it, and you can feel the energy in the room.

Can lighting really make that big of a difference? Absolutely!

Check out these images from NashvilleEventLighting.com





Uplighting definitely sets the mood and sets your event apart from the rest. There are several awesome lighting vendors here in Northeast Florida that we love to recommend to our brides. But remember: Lighting is just one piece of the "event design puzzle." If you'd like customized assistance with your event design, please drop us a line!

Introducing our first weekly column: Q & A Monday

In the next month or so, the Flaire Weddings and Events blog is going to roll out some changes. I'm going to introduce some weekly columns, and our first one is going to be called "Q & A Monday." We'll post a question that we receive often, and post its answer as well. We'd also like to feature your wedding planning questions. We have a few questions lined up for our first several posts, but we need more for the upcoming weeks and months! Please comment on this post with a question you'd like to see addressed in this column, or feel free to email us here -- info@flairewedings.com to submit a more detailed, lengthy, or private question.

So, without further ado, here's our first Q & A Monday!

Question: "I've read in a lot of bridal magazines and planning books that you can save a lot of money by switching to a Friday or Sunday wedding. Have you found this to be true?"

Answer: Good question. The short answer is, yes, sometimes.

Now for the details. Certain things will usually not change in price, regardless of your wedding date. Invitations will cost the same amount per invite. Flowers will typically cost the same price per arrangement and bouquet. Your cake will usually cost the same amount, regardless of your wedding date. Notice that these are all products. Products tend to be priced the same amount, all the time. (There can be seasonal changes on some of these items, but not usually day-to-day changes.)

You can save money with SOME service-based wedding costs. For example, some DJ's I work with will charge a slightly lower rate for a Friday wedding, because now they have the option to earn income for 2 nights that week, instead of just one. Some photographers will do this as well, but not all because many feel they are giving you the same quality of service regardless of which day that service takes place.

The number one place you usually CAN save money is on your reception venue. Most Venues offer lower "Food and Beverage Minimums" for non-Saturday-evening events, because Saturday evening is considered the peak time to host an event. Now, if you are looking at a facility with a high F&B Minimum, this might be helpful. However, if you have a HUGE guest list and can already guarantee that you're going to be spending MUCH more than the F&B minimum, this is not much of a savings.
You can also save money on your venue if that venue charges a rental fee. Usually, those venues that charge a rental fee will offer other times of the week/year when that rental fee is lower.

So the true answer is that while money savings are possible, you're going to have to look very closely at your specific situation to see how the costs can be controlled.

For those brides considering hiring a planner, remember that a wedding planner will help you with budgeting, and can definitely recommend effective ways to cut costs based on his or her past experience.

Thanks for being with us here today on Q & A Monday, and don't forget: submit those questions you have so that we can keep this column updated!