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Our CEO, Alexis Alvarez, sat down with Melissa & Austin at US99 to talk about how couples can use phase-based wedding planning to save money and reduce stress.
Q: We’ve been talking with wedding planner Alexis Alvarez from Burst Event Co. about all the little things you can do to make your wedding a little more affordable and a little less stressful. So, what do you have for us today Alexis?
A: Today we are talking about planning your wedding in phases. This will help you simplify the process, get shiny object syndrome out of the way, and focus your planning so you’re not overspending or doing things out-of-order in a way that will cost you money and stress.
The first phase is booking all the key vendors you need to make your wedding day happen. So, you’ll need a place to get married - that’s your venue. You’ll need to feed people - that’s your caterer. You’re going to want some sort of documentation, so that’s usually photo, video, or both. You’ll need someone to legally marry you, so you’ll need an officiant. Then, we need some sort of entertainment like a DJ or band because your guests want to dance, especially now that dance floors are open!
Q: You’re speaking my language! What’s the next phase?
A: The next phase is design and logistics, so all things pretty and functional for your wedding day. We want it to look beautiful with floral and decor, yummy cake, hair and makeup, and all those pretty things.
But we also want it to be functional, so we want to answer the questions of who needs to be where, when, and how are they going to get there. That’s talking through photo locations, getting ready location, transportation, and room blocks for your guests, so that you have not just a pretty day but a functional one as well.
Q: Okay, and what’s the third phase?
A: The third phase is reconciliation. If you’ve hired a day-of or month-of coordinator, this is where they’re going to jump in. This phase is where we’ve done all the planning, and we’re going through it with a fine-tooth comb to make sure there aren’t any gaps that need to be filled. You’ll talk to vendors about what they need for their success; for example, does the DJ need a table, linen, or the wifi code? Which vendors require a meal? And then we’re tackling all the little things that couples are always afraid they’re going to forget like sending invitations, tracking RSVPs, ordering favors, and putting together welcome bags. All the tiny details that can only happen right before the wedding.
Q: Alright, what’s the fourth phase?
A: It’s the wedding day!
Q: That’s great! My sister-in-law is getting married on Saturday, so we need to know - what do we need to tackle on Saturday?
Hopefully, someone is in charge of vendor communication so your family isn’t having to do that. If not, assign someone as the main point of contact; ideally, not mom or someone that is in the wedding party. You want it to be someone that doesn’t need to be present in the moment.
The biggest thing on wedding day that I tell couples is that at this point, it’s time to let it go. If you’re not going to think about it on your 10th anniversary, just let it go and enjoy your day. We’re here to get married and celebrate, and everything else will fall into place.
Wondering if you need a Wedding Planner?