OCD & Me- How The Pawning Planners Prepare For Your Event…
When I’m laying out a wedding- the details of where the bar will be, do we need handicap accessible tables and other issues that are often overlooked by my clients take first priority for me.
Planning and execution can often be disrupted by unexpected slip and falls, inlaws and outlaws, bee stings, big bites, broken teeth and many other things that no one (including me) would’ve or even could’ve “seen coming!”
If you asked my son, Robert Hafele who works as a photographer for Texas Twins Events & The Pawning Planners how many of our events went flawlessly and “without a hitch,” he would tell you none because something unexpected almost always happens and when you have a bride who wanted everything “perfect” you had better buckle up for a bumpy ride since many of the “incidents” were beyond my control from her dress not fitting to her hair and make up- if you’ve got a Bridezilla on your hands- the smallest details can be turned into “the end of the world!”
When you are planning the seating, it’s imperative to consider special needs of guests in wheelchairs or hearing/vision impaired guests who need to be comfortable and able to manuever you seating arrangements. I wrote a blog regarding this awhile back to give you a better idea-Wheelchair Accessible Events- Planning Your Party. Thinking of everything is key to proper planning and executing your event.
When planning your event- please consider the seating and take time to evaluate that you have at least 2 feet between the tables for your guests.
Planograms can come in handy when planning and I suggest anyone take at least a few minutes to consider the set up. What if your ceremony and reception are in the same building? You will need a minimum of 3 ft between the chairs for the couple to approach the altar with their wedding party.
The chairs used for the ceremony are “doubling” as seating for the receptiom? If you don’t have a team on hand to move and rearrange the chairs, I will request that the guests help by moving their chairs themselves if you have hired me to officiate but not to orchestrate and announce that there is a problem with the chairs my solutions are limited. I ask a lot of questions because after hundreds of events, I’ve had to resolve problems with very little time and an upset bride.
None of the “incidents” I’ve incurred were due to myself or my staff being late because we are always early and prepared but, if another vendor is late or fails to show or the bride broke her tooth- I’m often called on to resolve it since everyone who has met me was interviewed as to who they had helping at the event and more importantly, what my staff and I can do to resolve an unexpected issue while we are on location. From hemming a dress to assisting with a tie or even a bloody nose- we’ve seen it all and worked together as a team to overcome the unexpected.” We come prepared for everything you didn’t and often exceed client expectations when there is a problem because we have had years of experience.
However, if you or your family have a problem on location (no boutenniers or corsages, lost wedding vows, no pins for the corsages, etc) I come prepared to “fix the problem” because I’ve had all of the above and more happen in a 6 year window. No one expects something to go wrong except me. Being prepared or even over prepared is essential to exceeding your clients expectations!
Need a bilingual translator? Please tell me prior to the event! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve arrived at an event not knowing a translator was needed because a client “saw on your website that you are bilingual.” I’m not, my niece Stephaney Mahaney is and is available for a fee. Scheduling a translator must be done prior to your event date.
We’ve had our fair share of Bridezillas the past 6 years but who created these “monsters?” Was it the glossy magazines, Pinterest, Instagram or their dreams of the “Perfect Wedding?” If I’m loaning you inventory, I won’t be buying it creating something you found online at no cost- custom orders or creations are at the buyers expense. Loaned inventory consists of what I have in stock.
If you have very little or no money- please don’t expect me to provide you a venue unless you are using the wedding at ministers location with cake and champagne package.” I’ve never heard of a minister offering a venue for 200 guests and while I do have a large home, cannot accommodate such a request. My goal is to have a venue at some point however, it will not be available at no cost.
Providing loaned inventory is at my discretion and for booked clients. Please do not contact me because “you heard” that I have bouquets, bouteniers, columns, cake platters, etc.” Creating an inventory for my clients who have little or no money was an expensive endeavor at my expense and I don’t loan anything to strangers. The advantage of hiring myself or my staff is that we do things no other wedding vendor would for families who have no money. Loaned inventory is a courtesy for hiring me as your wedding officiant, funeral clergy, event coordinator, etc.
My reason for creating an inventory was based entirely on my experiences with Pawning Planners clients. Texas Twins Events clients can afford to pay for services and therefore, rarely borrow inventory.
Please don’t #Cindyism “pay for a singer and expect a choir” by hiring me to officiate and assuming that my team is “part of the deal.” My twin sister often comes up with her RedneckReality #Cindyisms from her observations on location. “Paying for a preacher and expecting a congregation” isn’t a given when hiring myself or my staff.
If you hire me to officiate, free photography or videography, set up and tear down, etc.” Isn’t part of the deal. If you can pay for services, you can pay my photography team. My team are there to assist me and not to act as “free labor” serving food, putting chair covers and bows, unloading chairs and tables, etc. I usually have 2-3 people with me to ensure that if something goes wrong, I have help. Free photography is only available for clients booked through The Pawning Planners who cannot afford to pay for services. Like everyone else- my staff expect to be compensated for their contribution to your event. After numerous requests of having my photographers on site at your event for 3-5 hours without being paid- this needs to be addressed.
Dream Events for Pawning Planners clients who often benefit from no cost photography are 1-2 hour photography packages. Requests for photography that exceed this window are at the clients expense. Film development is expensive and only at no cost for Pawning Planners Clients.
Texas Twins Events clients who paid for photography receive a disc that they can use to print their own film with. The disc is a courtesy and while clients didn’t pay for the disc when hiring my photography team, again it’s something we do as a courtesy since many of our clients have very little money. You would be hard pressed to find any photographer willing to provide a disc at NO COST but, I go above and beyond which is why year after year we continue to grow a large and varied base of clients by referrals.
I’m hoping this blog addresses the differences between my clients while giving you “guidelines” for your planning process and while I would like to help everyone who contacts me, I’m operating a business that has expenses with a staff that likes to be compensated and needed to address the numerous requests for “freebies” because you heard we help people.
We do but nothing is free to me and nothing is free to you-putting some skin in the game is a requirement by either paying for services or, trading. If you have no money and no trade-contact me through The Pawning Planners and I will evaluate whether or not you qualify for a sponsored event.
Sponsored events are paid for through sales of Pawning Planners Apparel and sales of flipped and refurbished items sold at my sister site- Visit My Treasure Chest Of Flipped Items- Texas Twins Treasures!
Coming up with solutions for my client base has never been easy which is why Texas Twins Events/Texas Twins Treasures/ The Pawning Planners all “work together” to open a window for low to middle class consumers who had nowhere to turn. My desire to help families that no one else was willing to help has been an adventure that my family and I shared as a team and the story continues at my latest site- The Pawning Planners- How We Changed The Wedding And Events Industry One Family At A Time From Fort Worth, Texas!
Wendy M Wortham