Q & A’S « Lavish Wedding Design

Why do I need a Wedding Planner?
How do you determine your fees?
I want to be involved in the decisions and the process. Can I?
I have a small budget. Can I hire a Wedding Planner?
When is the best time to select a Wedding Planner?
There are so many Wedding Planners. How do I choose?
What is the difference between a “Wedding Planner”, and a “Wedding Designer”?
How many weddings do you take on each year?
I want to hire Lavish but I don’t live in Calgary. How does that work?
What makes Lavish different?

Q: Why do I need a Wedding Planner?

A: Most couples these days are busy busy busy! Wedding planning can be overwhelming and stressful when you do not have the time that is needed to put into it. Your wedding is such an important – and expensive – event in your life: it makes sense to hire a professional to assist you during the process. We have all of the connections, and have done all the research – we work with only the best wedding vendors and professionals, so you can rest assured that every member of your wedding team will be giving 100% to make your wedding spectacular. We also have experience dealing with any issues that occur during the wedding, big or small. And best of all – having a Wedding Planner means that you (AND your friends and family) can relax and enjoy all of the amazing experiences and emotions that come on your wedding day without being stressed.

There are a million other reasons, but chances are, if you’re reading this, you already know why you need a Wedding Planner! Give us a call. We can help!

Q: How do you determine your fees?

A: Our fees are reflective of our experience in the industry as well as the quality of experience that we provide for our couples. We offer an extraordinary planning + design experience. When couples decide to have a LAVISH wedding, they know that they are investing in peace of mind, and an unforgettable experience. For our Full Planning + Design clients, we charge a flat rate design fee plus a percentage of the total budget. For our Wedding Month Management clients, your quote is based on the location of your wedding, the number of guests attending, and the complexity of the decor and/or entertainment. If you are shopping for a Wedding Planner on the basis of price alone, we are probably not a good fit for y ou.

Q: I want to be involved in the decisions and the process. Can I?

A: Absolutely! This is your wedding! We’re here to guide you and provide more in-depth help wherever it’s needed. Ultimately, it’s your dream we’re trying to achieve! YOU decide your own level of involvement – it’s one of the things that we will talk a lot about during our initial meeting.

Q: I have a small budget. Can I hire a Wedding Planner?

A: Just as there are different dresses for every budget, there are different Planners for every budget. We specialize in luxury weddings: our full planning + design couples typically have a minimum wedding budget of $400+ per invited guest. If this is not you, that’s ok! Our Wedding Month Management program is the perfect solution for you.

Q: When is the best time to select a wedding planner?

A: Right now! We recommend that couples begin interviewing Wedding Planners as soon as possible. We book up quite quickly, especially for popular summer months. Ideally, it’s a good idea to hire your Planner as soon as you get engaged, before you select your venue or your photographer. However, we have been hired by couples who have their venue and many other vendors already selected. We’ve even been hired by couples who aren’t engaged yet. It’s never too early or too late!

Q: There are so many Wedding Planners. How do I choose?

A: Do your research, first and foremost! Start by looking at websites. Here are a few key items to look for:

Certification: Are they certified? Look for ABC (Association of Bridal Consultants) or WPIC (The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada) certification.
Associations: Do they belong to any? Are they local or international associations? How long have they been involved?
Experience: How many years have they been in business? How many weddings are in their portfolio? What credibility to they have?
Pricing: Do they offer a complimentary meeting so that you can learn more about them in a risk-free environment? Do their fees reflect the quality of wedding that you are dreaming of?
Availability: How many weddings does their company do each year? 10? or 60? We restrict the number of couples that we will accept so that we can ensure that each of our clients receives unparalled attention and a completely customized, personalized design.

During the meeting, trust your instincts! You should be comfortable and confident with your Wedding Planner. Do they make you feel at ease? Are they interested in what you have to say or do they mainly talk about themselves? Is it all about their ego, or do they seem geniunely interested in YOUR day? Are they meeting you in a professional location vs. a home office or coffee shop? Are they comfortable talking about their experience in the industry? Are they upfront about their pricing? You should leave your meeting with all of your questions answered and feeling as though you’ve already established the beginnings of a good relationship.

Q: What is the difference between a “Wedding Planner”, and a “Wedding Designer”?

A: At Lavish we offer luxurious wedding design to all of our full planning + design couples. We are well-respected within the industry for our design skills, and have won a national award for Wedding Design. Our couples are typically looking for that WOW factor – having a wedding that is stylish and professionally designed is a priority to them. There are only a few companies in Calgary that offer design services along with wedding planning. We work with our couples to create a design that is reflective of their style and vision, and help them pull all of their ideas together. Each of our full planning + design couples meet with their designer for an intensive “Design Meeting” – this is where we work our magic, getting to know all about your style and translating that into a wedding design. We also accept a limited number of “design only” clients on a case by case basis.

Q: How many weddings do you take on each year?

A: Mary works exclusively with a maximum of 10 couples per year. Lauren and Renee each accept approximately 15 weddings depending on the dates and time of year. Typically, none of our planners will accept more than 2 weddings in one month. This allows us to provide the absolute best client care to all of our couples. We feel that accepting any more than this would negatively affect our ability to provide each client with our full attention and prohibit us from doing our jobs properly.

Q: I want to hire Lavish but I don’t live in Calgary. How does that work?

A: We are happy to work with clients anywhere in the world. Thanks to our exclusive online workroom, access to Skype, and flexible travel schedules, we are able to provide the same level of service to all of our couples, no matter where they are located. We love to travel and enjoy working in new locations. Our network of industry professionals goes beyond borders, and is growing larger every day. Contact us to learn more about our availability for your wedding date.

Q: What makes Lavish different?

A: We focus on more than just your wedding day – we want the entire process of planning your wedding to be a joyful one for you and your families. We are nice, fun & energetic people. We are romantics, through and through. We are honest and care deeply about the ethics in our industry. We believe that “style” is something deeper than the brand of clothing that you wear. We choose our clients carefully, because we believe that it is neccesary to have a genuine connection between each Planner and the couple that they will be working with. We are artists, not just organizers. We live and breathe all things wedding. We are “yes” people. We are actively involved within our industry. We are dedicated to education – we attend conferences, seminars, workshops, and courses whenever we can. We take seriously the responsibility of creating an experience that you will remember, always. Unforgettable weddings for unforgettable couples – that’s what we believe.