By Tanya Michelle Debose, This Is The Day Event Planning & Design, LLC
Years ago, most couples had two major choices when getting married: hold the ceremony at the local church and then shoot off to the large catering hall with the over-the-top Italianate decor, OR keep everyone situated in one place by hosting the nuptials and reception at a large hotel.
Today, couples have gone beyond simply crafting their own tear-jerking vows to designing wedding experiences that reflect their personal style and the colorful journey of their relationship.
With so many new ways to express oneself, planners have three major tasks to fulfill before creating an unforgettable plan for their clients: Listen, Listen, Listen. Planners need to be open to hearing their client’s wishes without judgement. Eventually you’ll have to sift through it all to determine feasibility and affordability, but before getting there you’ll need to make your client feel at ease to share their most creative or outlandish thoughts.
For some couples, it’s simply easing away from the traditional wedding colors of whites and pastels to deeper, richer colors for both the bride and bridal party that may better reflect their culture or ethnicity. For others, it’s a weekend-long celebration at a hot property, designed to create new bonds and memories for two families becoming one. Sometimes it’s making sure you stick to decor items that are all recyclable for your “green” client, or they’ve chosen a farm and you need to “make it work.”
From rustic to risqué, their ideas are endless. The beauty of it all comes when the challenge is presented to you and you discover something new and wonderful for your client, all because you remained faithful to the listening process.
Remember to keep those ears open and you’ll keep blowing your clients’ minds. You might even blow your own while you’re at it!
Tanya Michelle Debose is the Owner & Creative Director of This Is The Day Event Planning & Design, LLC
