:: Every Last Detail- Creative Wedding Management: Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Wedding Consultant?

In a nutshell, a wedding consultant is a professional whose training, expertise, and contacts will help to make your wedding as close to perfect as it possibly can be, thus allowing you and your family to relax and enjoy your wedding.

Why should I hire a wedding consultant?

People are often under the misconception that planning your own event and preparing the food, setup, decorating and cleanup will save money. In fact, it can sometimes cost more, not just in money, but in time and headaches as well. A good consultant can work with you and your budget, saving valuable time and money allowing you to enjoy the event.

• Provides Expertise: A consultant can help to plan, coordinate and direct the complete wedding including Day-of-Wedding troubleshooting. Coordinators will tell you, they wear many hats. They will counsel brides on what is possible within their budgets, offer advice on all aspects of the wedding and can do the actual legwork of selecting professional wedding vendors. In addition, they can manage the events of the wedding and reception, so the bride, groom, and wedding party can be worry-free to enjoy the day. Consultants are responsible for coordinating all wedding professionals as a team. Communication is a key factor in any successful event.

• Saves Time: The majority of the time it takes for a bride to plan and coordinate her wedding is spent on research. We have done the research and have the knowledge and expertise to locate a site or wedding professional to match the couple's personality, style and budget.

• Saves Money: Brides and grooms sometimes feel a consultant can be an additional expense that they cannot afford. In fact, a consultant can be your best investment, especially if you are on a strict budget. The consultant's fee should be considered as part of the budget and not an extra expense. An experienced consultant can help a couple avoid common mistakes and keep within the budget. Working with vendors can be costly if the right questions are not asked. A good consultant has researched several vendors in each category and the vendors in your consultant's preferred list should provide an excellent combination of value, quality, style and personality.

• Solves Problems and Saves Stress: Having a personal consultant coordinating and troubleshooting on your wedding day gives you and your family peace of mind so you can enjoy your special day worry-free. The careful planning and expert referrals by a consultant will virtually eliminate the risk of mishaps on a wedding day. However, in the unlikely event of a missed delivery or an attire problem (or another emergency), your consultant will have every resource to rectify the problem right at their fingertips. A well-trained consultant is an invaluable resource for you and your family saving you concern about any aspect of your important event.

What tools do you use in wedding planning?

• Software for Wedding Consultants: provides detailed reports, checklists, vendor and guest list management, vendor payment schedules, deadline notices, schedules and much more.

• Creation of worksheets, checklists and timelines designed by Every Last Detail.

• Knowledge gained and resources received from Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants.

• Resources from being a member of the Association of Bridal Consultants.

• Above all, the most important tools are organization, careful planning, attention to detail, genuine caring, professionalism, and being able to work well under stressful situations.

What happens at the initial consultation appointment?

A one-hour no cost and no obligation initial consultation is always happily provided at a time that is convenient to the couple. During the initial consultation, we will discuss the overall vision you have for your wedding and what type of services you desire. We will begin by detailing how we put a wedding together and then asking you to describe the style of wedding you have in mind. We encourage couples to ask as many questions as they can think of during this consultation, as most couples have never planned an event of this magnitude.

We always have a contract for services with us in case a couple is ready to make the decision to hire Every Last Detail, however, we do not expect you to make any decisions during this consultation. The consultation is provided free of charge to give you a better understanding of what services we can offer, a big picture of the wedding planning process, and to provide you with the comfort to know we are here to assist you!

What is your payment structure?

Every Last Detail offers a flat fee payment structure depending on the service you desire. We will generally ask for 1/3 of the total fee for the non-refundable retainer , 1/3 due half way through the wedding planning process and 1/3 due two weeks prior to the wedding.

Do you work with an assistant and do you have a back-up consultant in case of emergency?

No matter what size your wedding is, a general wedding day assistant is included with each package. Additionally, for assistance with larger weddings, elaborate setup on a short time schedule or setup at two locations, additional wedding day assistants may be retained as needed for particular tasks. In the event a personal emergency arises and Every Last Detail is unable to complete the contracted services, Every Last Detail will have secured a backup consultant. This ensures that no client is left unattended to. All backup consultants are professional and competent to step in and take over.

We will remove the burden from your shoulders throughout the months, so you truly enjoy your engagement and the end result of the detailed planning - a wedding that is truly a day to remember.