Here, There & Everywhere My Weekend Of Weddings & Appraisal Appointments…

Yesterday morning I sent a text to both wedding parties to double check on whether they needed anything at the last minute prior to heading to my first wedding in Mansfield (one way 45-55 minutes from my home in West Fort Worth). 

Why do I do that? No other wedding officiant does and no other wedding officiant loans bridal bouquets, boutenniers,cake stands, pillars or anything not pertaining to their vendor role at the event.  I’m different because I’m committed to changing the wedding and events industry “one family at a time!”  My groom advised me that none of his five groomsmen had a boutenier and would it be too much trouble to double back and get some floral designs to loan? Since I was already at the exit for the venue- I quickly did the math on the drive time.  If I (“stepped on it!) I could possibly cut my 45 minutes to 30 each direction and it was 1:00 PM with the wedding starting at 2PM which left no margin for error)  so I agreed to “backtrack.”  Praying I didn’t have a blowout or accident and kicking myself for not bringing my emergency basket of bridal bouquets, bouteniers, safety pins, duct tape and super glue.

I’m OCD about being late which is always why I leave early.  Arriving back at the venue, my hands were shaking with the knowledge that I had only 2 minutes prior to the wedding ceremony AND I still had to attach boutenniers on the five groomsmen prior to taking my place.  My hands were bloody from trying to get this done “on the dash!” The phone call from the wedding coordinator who had no idea why I was running behind- gave me the “heads up” that only the groom and his groomsmen knew why I wasn’t early to the event.  This was primarily my reason for nervousness thinking the bride and the guests assumed I arrived at the last minute- I don’t I’m always early for this very reason.

    
   
It took some doing after realizing the groom had not counted himself making the total number of bouteniers 6 not 5.  I quickly ran around trying to find something to fashion into a boutenier.  Many of you recall the Laurie Melo Dream Event where a similar situation happened after the groom realized the wedding bouteniers were lost, I ran to my workroom and threw together several “on the fly.”  You see, at a wedding, there isn’t a floral designer “on site” so I’m the “save the day” type of wedding officiant who “works it out” for my client base Dream Event For Laurie Melo. Is a blog I wrote regarding the rehearsal and also what my team and I would be doing to ensure beauty and a stress free event. 

The primary reason I loan clients my inventory is based on their ability to pay for wedding flowers- they can’t afford this luxury on their own.  Loaned inventory is at MY DISCRETION and with the understanding that it is to be returned in the sake condition it was loaned in.  I have a continuing problem of not having my inventory returned to me in the same condition if at all lately.  Because of this and the Mineral Wells Event where one of my $289 bridal bouquets was “tossed” with the person who caught it wanting to keep it simply because “I caught it fair and square!”  If you haven’t paid for any item loaned to you by me- you are now required to sign a contract that not only will you not throw it but also if you fail to return an item at your event, I’m willing to wait to sign your license until you do.  Returning my property is solely the responsibility of the borrower.  Replacing inventory these past 5 years is expensive (to buy the flowers and supplies) and time consuming (it takes up to 8 hours to craft the bouquet and boutenier not to mention the bridesmaids, maid of honor, groomsmen, mother and father of the couple, etc.).

You guys get the point- I’m doing something for you no one else will and because of this I do not create custom designs at your suggestion.  If the colors I have on hand “aren’t to your fancy” you can buy your own or, make them yourself period.  No exceptions.  If there were not SO MANY asking these preposterous requests- I wouldn’t be writing this blog regarding borrowed items- Property of Wendy Wortham.

Now back to that first wedding.  Derek was overwhelmed that I would drive over an hour in order to cover the problem and, unlike many other folks, is planning to meet me in order to return the loaned items. This is the first time in five years that anyone has been thoughtful enough to think about the hundreds of other folks who borrow my property with a complete disregard of getting it returned to me.

Dashing off to my next wedding 55 minutes away in Burleson, I arrived to a friendly wedding coordinator who was anything but friendly at the rehearsal a few days ago.  Thank you Jesus that his attitude had taken a 360 because honestly I was worried about it ya all! 

  

  
  By the time I finally made it home last night- I was completely exhausted from driving and officiating after viewing a house somebody wondered if my Pawning Planners/Texas Twins Events Team could “help flip.”  The Pawning Planners Visit A Spooky House To See If It Has Any Value- It Is A Tear Down Folks!

The house was a disaster with raccoons living in it, a leak upstairs that had apparently been getting worse for years and black mold throughout the home on the wall, cabinets and doors with one of the rooms completely covered in mold where one of the walls had fallen in with the ceiling!  This house needed more than a little tender loving- it needed a backhoe and a bulldozer.  But, while we can’t please everybody and all the time to boot- we are willing to dig through your stuff, loan you my inventory and occasionally even evaluate a stranger than normal “flip” “swap” or “trade” because we are Two Sets Of Twins- The Pawning Planners.

Wendy M Wortham No Money? No Problem! We Take Trades-The Pawning Planners