Lots of fun to be had by all…..

The season has finally begun for me after somewhat of a slow start. I’ve already had quite a few changes to my schedule for various reasons. The weather has affected a lot of people and of course the other important climate; the economic one.

Brides are being choosier as to where they want to spend their money and more emphasis is being put on the ceremony and the emotive value of the actual marriage celebration. I think this is a good thing. Of course, I would. It’s very stressful for people who are putting together their own wedding. And I think the major issue is that it all seems so easy until you have to do it. The small things get you.

It’s one thing to book a caterer, but then you need to decide who goes where, what shape of table, what colour linens, what are we drinking, when are we drinking it etc, etc, etc. This is even true for a small home wedding. Just where is the best place for the food to go, and who is looking after it during the day?

Often the best wedding gift you can give is help. If you know the couple are planning a wedding themselves at home, just see if you can help in any way. Simple things that ease the pressure. It could be as easy as, I’ll make sure the plates on the buffet stay replenished, or I’ll stack bottles of water for those trying to stay hydrated in the hot sun. I’ve officiated at weddings where the bride is running around madly in her gown, and it’s almost a welcome breather when she gets to take time out for the ceremony.

If your budget allows for a wedding planner, I do recommend that you use one. If not, then why not ask a good friend or family member to be your planner and bounce ideas off each other. Remember to choose someone that you can argue with, preferably someone that is NOT contributing financially to the event. That way you avoid them feeling that they have the right to override your decisions. On the other hand, don’t treat them as a ‘wedding employee’. No bridezilla tactics allowed!

The importance of contracts…

How many times have you had an elated couple contact you, decide that you are indeed ‘the one’ and never hear from them again? If you are like me and depend a lot on the internet for efficient and documented contact, you can run into ‘email silence’. This week alone I have had two brides who talked effusively on the telephone, one had the contract ‘in her hand, all signed’ , the other was ’so excited to have found me’. And now? They dropped off the face of the Earth.

It is vital to get the contract signed, the deposit paid and all the loose ends tied up as soon as possible. The smooth running of your weddings depends upon it. Now I cannot freely take another booking on those dates until I hear from the brides, and so it ties me up. I would hate to book someone else and then have the bride expect me to be available, so I have to get tough. No deposit, no contract = no booking.

I worry about those brides…do they think they booked me? Will they easily get another officiant if I am not available…what to do, what to do?  The reality. Contact. Send Emails, call their phones and leave messages. I politely inform them that I have another inquiry for that date, and could they please let me know if I am now free to take that booking or if I am still needed for their own ceremony. If I have no reply to 3 contacts, I consider myself free to book.

For the couples, please be efficient in your requests and make sure that communication with your officiant is clear and honest. If you found another officiant you prefer. Then please cancel your request with the first one.  It really is the well mannered way to proceed and the offficiant will certainly respect your considerations.

Booking a wedding..

I’m not sure what makes a couple choose one officiant over another. Cost is certainly a factor. Personality is another. I have heard many officiants remark that they have contact with large amounts of couples who are seeking the perfect person to help with their wedding, but they don’t seem to get the bookings.

Word of mouth is the out and out best way to get bookings. Brides in particular are open to suggestions from friends who got married and were happy with their officiant. The grooms tend to be not so worried about the person conducting the ceremony.  I had more inquiries to date last year than this year, but this year they are 99% booking. Whereas last year it was only 25%, which by the way, is an excellent turnaround rate for booking.

Active marketing is essential and there’s a great blog out there called ‘Rev it up’ for those who need marketing tips and pointers to increase their businesses. [revitup.typepad.com] the have many strategies for getting you noticed and also for providing  a better service to your couples. Taking the stress out of their day is what it’s all about. let’s make it easy for them!