Eastman Events Signature Experience
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You’ve been waiting your whole life to find “the one”, scribbling their name in a notebook, daydreaming about the engagement and creating pinterest boards filled with stunning tablescapes. Now you have a ring on your finger and it’s time to turn those boards into reality. So you start researching and realize that the fantasy you have in your head might be a little more stressful than you had expected. After all it’s not all wine tastings and flower picking.
The two main reasons our clients choose to hire a wedding planner are: time and confidence. There are hundreds of decisions to make, lots of vendors to meet and manage. Our clients value their time and want to make sure it’s used wisely so they can enjoy the planning process.
The first thing couples want to know in our initial consultations is what Eastman Events does as a wedding planner and what they can expect the experience to be like when we work together. Every wedding planner has their own process, so make sure to ask each planner in your interviews, but let me guide you with a little insight into Eastman Events, LLC.
What is a Wedding Planner?
In short a wedding planner is someone who is responsible for assisting clients in planning their entire weddings and other wedding related activities. They source venues and vendors, negotiate vendor contracts, create design plans, coordinate wedding logistics, and ensure that wedding-day activities run smoothly. Based on the different packages available from a wedding planner some or all of those tasks may be handled by a wedding planner.
Our Process:
Eastman Events offers two services - Full Service and Event Management. Full service is our most popular package and is a custom package built out to exactly what you need. It’s the most personal and inclusive option we have and includes everything from the budgeting, creating a custom to do list, finding the venue, sourcing the vendors, styling and design and event management. Our full service option can even include other events if you need help planning the rehearsal dinner or a brunch.
We also offer event management which is sometimes referred to as Month-Of or Day-Of Wedding Management. This is the perfect option if you want to plan a majority of your wedding, but need a professional wedding coordinator in the background to offer advice and execute a seamless timeline on your wedding day so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy your perfect event. Our event management is unlike other planners though because we include up to two planning sessions throughout your engagement to help you stay on track.
Should you Hire a Wedding Planner?
You should consider hiring a wedding planner if you are feeling overwhelmed, need support, and especially when the plans are complex.
Our Process:
We offer a free initial consultation, so if you’re ready to start looking for your wedding planner or if you aren’t sure if you need one, connect with us and we’ll help you decide what would be best for your unique wedding. We prefer to book full service as soon as you get engaged, and event management approximately six months out from your wedding date.
1. Initial Consultation
This is a pre-hire interview where you will learn about our process and we’ll get to hear about your vision. We’ll learn about your story, personality, and passions. We’ll talk about your budget and set expectations for working with our team. It’s important that it’s a fit for both parties since we’ll be working together for as long as 18 months. If it’s a fit, then we’ll put together a custom proposal and a contract for you to review and sign.
We use Aisle Planner to organize each client, so you will get access to that platform with the proposal. You can sign the contract in the system and pay the deposit. We will use this system to organize all of the details of your wedding.
2. On-Boarding Meeting
Once the contract is signed, we start off with an on-boarding call. This is an important meeting to set expectations with anyone who will be involved. If you’ll be relying on your maid of honor to help with decisions, we want her to join. If your parents are helping to pay, then we want them to join. This call gets everyone on the same page. Consider it the foundation of everything we will do together.
During this meeting we will start off by setting expectations of working together. Then we dig into everything you want visually from wedding party fashions to florals and ceremony decor. Then we’ll discuss the budget. We discuss design and budget together and upfront so we help you understand what is realistic.
You’ll leave this meeting with our welcome packet filled with resources. Then, within a week, we’ll provide a custom monthly to-do list and a detailed budget. We’ll start the design plan too, as this will help guide our venue search, but we won’t finalize that until after the venue is selected.
3. Budget Review
Based on our initial discussions we will build an extensive, custom budget for you. You’ll have a chance to review the budget and timeline. We will set up a call to make changes and update as needed. We will always be transparent on the expected costs based on your dreams and priorities and then help guide you in the right direction to keep you within your desired budget range. Once you sign off, we’ll start working on the fun stuff.
4. Venue Search
Once the budget is nailed down then we will begin the venue search. Your venue is going to be the essence of your entire wedding so it's imperative that this portion of planning is not rushed. You work very closely with Eastman Events to choose the perfect location for your wedding day. We’ll give you some venues to consider initially and then we’ll set up tours and go with you to view the sites. After you decide on the venue we’ll handle the contract negotiations, and make sure you understand the terms of the agreement before you sign on the dotted line.
Note: you are responsible for signing all of your own contracts and paying your own deposits. We will review everything with you before you sign a contract and remind you when payments are due along the way.
5. Vendor Sourcing
After the venue is booked we will start gathering the rest of the vendor team. We’ll start with the vendors who usually only book one wedding per day: caterer, photographer, videographer, etc.
Then we will book the vendors in order of the most importance to you to accomplish your design style and goals: florist, rentals, stationary, etc.
Then we’ll think logistically to fill in the gaps on things like generators and bathrooms for example, if you are using a tent.
We usually recommend approximately 3 vendors in each category that we have pre-qualified for you that can work with your style and budget. That will save you time and eliminate guesswork when researching each vendor category.
6. Styling and Design
With your vendor team set, now we go back to the mood boards we started at the beginning. Eastman Events will dive deep into this now to pull the details together with your vendors and create a fully customized design plan. We will present the plan to you, edit based on your preferences and then share the full plan with the vendor team.
7. Logistics Coordinating
The big decisions have been made, so during the last few months we tie up the loose ends and make the smaller, more nitty gritty detail decisions. You can expect tastings and fittings and a few parties of your own (bridal shower, bachelor/ bachelorette parties, etc). You should really use this time to enjoy each other and being engaged, because the details are under control by our team.
Two months out Eastman Events will start working on the wedding day timeline incorporating details we’ve discussed in contracts and with the vendors. We’ll meet with you to discuss the flow of the event, responsible parties for various tasks, and expectations. The compiled timeline will be sent to all of the vendors for their review to make sure enough time has been allotted for their portions.
A month out we will start doing final checks to confirm details, and we’ll continue to check in as the wedding day nears.
A week out, the final timeline will be distributed to all vendors and responsible parties.
8. Wedding Week
By the time of the big wedding week, everything on our to-do list will have been checked off and you can rest easy knowing that Eastman Events has every detail under control and your best interest at heart. So enjoy that time with your fiance, family and friends.
On wedding day, our team will be there checking vendors in, helping with set up, troubleshooting anything that might come up, making sure you are comfortable, keeping everyone on time, and generally making sure the day is seamless.
We know that the movies make wedding planning look fun and easy. The beautiful details get people giddy and excited to do something so monumental with the person you love. Just remember, planning a wedding is new to you, and without experience it can be overwhelming. So consider entrusting this process to an expert who knows the wedding market, the vendors, and how to make dreams a reality. Remember it is okay to ask for help!
Take a deep breath, pour yourself a glass of wine, and rest easy knowing Eastman Events will handle the details while you enjoy the experience. If you’re in the tri-state area and looking for a wedding planner learn more about what I do, check out our FAQ, and get in touch if you think I’m the one for you!