Specializing in Oahu Destination and Temecula Winery Weddings for Southern California Couples
As a Hawaii destination wedding specialist, I've learned a thing or two over the years when it comes to creating a totally synergistic relationship between myself and my couples, especially when we don't get a chance to work together in person. I absolutely love providing top notch service to my clients and when I have the privilege to work for those who "get it" and we fall into our respective roles, the client realizes the full benefit of the investment and we get to enjoy the best parts about planning a wedding - having fun together!
I understand if you are brides and grooms who are busy professionals - you hire your wedding consultant to plan your wedding since you don't have time for all of the details. Or, you may not have a clue where to start since you have no contacts in this area and know you need help. Whatever the reason, we are here to assist you...to be your right hand, your confidant, your note taker, errand runner, shoulder to cry on, sounding board, etc. But, these things still do require communication. Let's find the momentum together in our initial consultations to create that rapport and rhythm so we are both getting exactly what we need. I know you may be busy, but we can't do our jobs if we don't hear from you. Just as you would expect your consultant to respond to your emails or calls in a timely manner, the same goes for you, even if it is to say you are busy and will get back to us "x" day. At least we know you are still out there and we're not floating along on our own, especially when we may be working virtually and have planning milestones to meet. 
This goes hand-in-hand with #5, but this is an important one. I understand you may not have planned a wedding before, but having a wedding vision in mind and then throwing the dart at the board for what you are willing to spend and expecting the two to automatically match is not going to work. To be honest, most underestimate what the actual costs are. If you have a bottom line dollar amount - tell us THAT amount and we will work from there. It is a misconception that it is our goal to spend your entire budget, it's not. But, it does give us an accurate indication of where we need to be and how we tailor our recommendations. It is a waste of valuable planning time for us to recommend "$$$" category vendors when the budget is "$$" and vice-versa. If you play money games, you may end up missing out on booking someone or something you really want. Be straightforward and forthcoming so we can best serve you.
There is a reason we have deadlines for payments and decisions, especially when planning from afar. Not only does it make for a smoother and happier planning process, but you don't miss opportunities for booking what you have your heart set on. In a locale such as Hawaii, things take much longer there across the board, simply because it is an island with limited resources - and a slower lifestyle. Many resources need to be shipped in or ordered, which takes time. Meeting your deadlines is especially important for your final changes and final payments due to the distance involved and ensuring any special ordering can be accomplished by the wedding day, etc. Meet your informational deadlines, too. There may be quite a bit of behind the scenes work and coordination between all of the service providers involved that you may not be privy to in the weeks prior to your wedding day, so getting everything finalized when requested so your vendors can make final preparations is necessary. This is crucial to avoid important details being missed and you being stressed out in the days leading up to your wedding. Bottom line, be respectful of the deadlines given to you, most of which were outlined in the beginning of the process, so you and your consultant can have a stress-free wedding day. You are paying us to make sure you have a well-oiled machine for your big day, so making our job harder having to chase you down is not an ideal situation.
Now, the wedding day is here and all of the hard work you have put in has paid off. Your role on your wedding day? BE A BRIDE! Enjoy yourself, relax and celebrate this very special day with friends and family! If you followed steps 1-9 above, this should be a no-brainer! Nobody likes a stressed out bride (including your husband-to-be!) and the stress shows in your photos. If you are micro-managing the set-up or double checking everything we are handling on your behalf you will be so wrapped up in the minutia, and before you know it the day you have been waiting for will be over. Believe me, I know it is hard to let go (I was a bride once, too) but you will regret it if you don't. Don't lose sight of the fact that you deserve and have earned the right to be 100% present at your own wedding - mentally, physically and emotionally. And, if a minor mishap does occur, take a deep breath, smile, see that we are addressing it the best we can and move on. (Sometimes a mishap will occur and we will quickly fix it and move on without you knowing it!) The point is it is not worth ruining the entire day for. Unless it is a quick fix, the appropriate time to address any issues with us is once you return from your honeymoon, not during your wedding. |
| Rachel Robertson Photography |
This is SO important to have real ties and staff on the ground to the location you are serving and local insight and experience that living there would bring. It is one thing to have a handful of venues and vendors to work with, but to be able to counsel my clients on the best venues for the weather at that time of year (Hawaii does have a wet and dry season), or accounting for traffic in certain areas at certain times of day so your event can start on time is invaluable information. Of course, you could hire a locally-based consultant, but this brings me to point number two.
After years of experience with brides, there are some things that are still inevitable no matter how laid-back you are - wedding day stress! If you have just a few nerves or are a basketcase, it all comes from the same place - you want to make sure your wedding day is perfect and exactly how you envision it! So, here are some hints to help you accomplish just that if you are planning your own wedding...
