"A Bride's Interview with Greatest of Days!"
How long have you been planning weddings?
I've had my business for over 4 years now and had planned many weddings, anniversary celebrations, family reunions, milestone birthdays, and even celebration of life events for years before that. It was the type of thing where friends and family would automatically say, "Janis can do it!" At a wedding I helped coordinate and design in 2007, some guests asked if I did wedding coordinating for a living, I realized it was time to make that dream come true. I love what I get to do!
What sets you apart from other wedding planners?
Some would say it is the fact that in addition to the free hour of consultation with the bride and groom, I also offer an a free one-hour consultation with family members who are paying for the wedding. This doesn't take away from the fact that it is your day, because that is most important. Others would say that I like to keep everyone comfortable with the planning process and put everyone at ease if a little road block comes up. Many people tell me that I have a calming effect on everyone involved.
I try to help people plan weddings in such a way that they can have a much shorter engagement time which saves on time, money and stress. This is made easier when someone chooses the full planning option.
I love challenges because it gives me an opportunity to be creative to solve a problem. I like to incorporate the bride and groom's personality, style and budget into solutions that make us glad that there was an issue that needed addressing. It's fun and it doesn't have to add to their expenses!
Another thing that sets me apart from other wedding planners is that with the full planning option, officiating is free if that is needed. Also with the full planning option, I pass along discounts that the vendors give to me, directly to the client. The only exception is if the wedding is for more than 250 people or a wedding is within 3 months.
This sounds wonderful, but are we going to be able to afford this?
The best thing to do is to go to my services page. You will want to keep in mind that these are guidelines and can be tailored to meet your specific needs.
Who do you work best with?
I love working with brides and grooms that have a sense of humor and have fun thinking outside of the box. I especially like it when I can work with brides and grooms who want to have someone plan their whole wedding (as compared to a Day-of Coordination) with them because I feel like I can more optimally create a team of vendors who are going to provide quality services that match the bride and groom's personality, style and budget. I like working with those who show mutual respect for me and those around them. I like my clients to appreciate my experience and sometimes my opinion when I am trying to do what is in their best interest. I listen, engage in a conversation that brings out a couple's vision of their wedding, but it is also my responsibility to point out potential problems. I may have to be the bearer of bad news if it is for their protection or if an idea lends itself to a problem for their wedding day. My main job is to listen constantly, to the point where my clients might wonder at a later date how I even knew about a particular preference or idea! I should say that I do Day-of-Coordinations. They're just less predictable and have a few more challenges than Full-Planning with fewer professionals, even though they cost less. One thing I like about Day-of-Coordinations is getting to know new vendors that I haven't worked with before. I've even been known to suggest to a bride and groom's friends or family members who show a tremendous talent in working for their wedding, how I might be able to help them follow their dreams just like I had with mine. I don't take time away from my duties except to give them a thumbs-up, but I have their contact information to help them.
Who is not going to benefit from your help for their wedding?
I would have to say it would be someone who is always missing appointments and doesn't give me advanced notice. My time is valuable, and I also worry if someone doesn't show up for an appointment. If this happens twice with the initial complimentary consultations, I don't make any additional contact with the bride except to see that she is okay. I've had to add charges for missed appointments. I choose to work with those who see our working relationship as one of mutual respect, and I like working with a bride who shows a high regard for her family and her attendants for her wedding. I prefer to work with brides who inform me of changes before the wedding day! Was that discreet enough to say I don't want bridezillas? (smile) Brides don't have the corner on that market. Zillas aren't always brides!
Will I lose control of my wedding if you are planning it for me?
I really like to listen closely to what a bride and groom want and will only make suggestions that I think you might like or not know about that would fit your theme or vision. I never want to have so much influence that it feels like you are losing control of your wedding but I don't want you to feel stranded at any point either. I look at myself as being a part of your team, and the bride and groom come before anyone else including the families. I am willing to be your advocate or liaison whether it be with a venue, vendor or even a family member.
When I make suggestions there is a good reason for them. I don’t want a scenario where something doesn’t go right on your wedding day when I had made a suggestion to prevent it. I do welcome as many questions as possible. There’s no such thing as a stupid question and always a solution to every problem.
Will you work with vendors I've already found or people I really want to work with?
If you already have vendors for your wedding, I enjoy working with them and will coordinate everyone's efforts to make your wedding as you want it. For certain vendors, I might want to know if they are licensed and I always look at your contracts, not for a legal review, but to look for possible trouble spots. It can be a little more challenging if you have people participating in your wedding that aren't professionals such as a DJ or a photographer. When we officiate, we more often than not, require that someone has hired a DJ or rented a professional sound system through a DJ unless the wedding takes place in a small room in an indoor home setting. If the weddings are extremely small, then it would have to be considered and signed into a contract.
Do you take credit cards and do you have payment plans?
We do accept credits cards though we seldom have to. This will possibly increase the cost of the services by a small percentage. We can process them at meetings or online. To reserve the date we need to have 50% down with a signed contract and the remaining amount is due 30 days before the wedding. If you wish to make payments, that can be arranged for the portion remaining after the initial deposit.
Do you take more than one wedding per day?
I don't take more than one wedding per day and would consider only 2 per weekend in some circumstances.
This sounds like everything we have been looking for. What happens next to start the process?
An email usually works best and you can email me at jan@greatestofdays.com or call me at 206-604-1908 to arrange for a complimentary get-acquainted consultation. I want to hear what your needs are and see if we are a good match and determine what planning package comes closest to fitting your style, personality and budget.
How can we find out more about your work with clients and vendors?
We have a couple more questions before we get started. Can we call you to discuss things further?
We encourage and require all of our clients to schedule a complimentary consultation to answer any questions you might have and to make sure that we are a good fit for one another. You can email me to tell me what phone number and time is best to call you to set up an appointment.
Thank you, and I hope I get the chance to meet you!
