The full planning package includes designing and planning every aspect of your wedding. It is perfect for busy brides who have no idea where to start with planning and have no time to figure it out. When you combine the package with our floral design and honeymoon planning services, it means a more cohesive wedding and fewer vendors for you to manage. This guide will walk you through the experience of working with Kelsey Gray Events to plan your wedding.
We will start by setting up an initial phone call or video chat consult to discuss your needs, answer your questions, and make sure that we are a good fit to work together. When it’s time to book I make it easy with e-contracts and payment options. Typically, you will pay for the package in 4-6 installments, depending on the length of your engagement.
In our first planning session, we will get more in-depth about the style and experience that you want for your wedding. Then we will create a detailed budget outlining how much we can spend in each vendor category and allocating money to whichever aspects of the wedding are most important to you. Whether you budget is $25,000, $250,000, or 2.5 million, everyone has some number in their head of what they expect so spend on their wedding, so I do believe that the budget planning session is an important part of planning. Many brides will book their venue before their planner, but it really is best to hire your planner and do the budget first. I’ve seen far too many couples who overspent on their venue because they didn’t realize the cost of other services like catering or flowers. They ended up either having to spend far more than originally planned or make cuts on other things that they really wanted.
When we are choosing a venue, I will start with an online search to narrow it down to those venues that meet our criteria and style for your wedding. I will present those to you and then we will choose your top two or three to go visit in person. When searching for the right venue we will consider not only the style and beauty of the property, but logistical aspects that will have a big impact on your event. Do they have enough parking or ease of access for guests? Will we be allowed in early enough to set-up everything needed? Do their packages include any extras like tables and chairs? Do they restrict vendors that we can use to only their pre-approved list?
Speaking of which, restriction of vendors by planners and venues is a big pet peeve of mine in the wedding industry. Like any other planner, I have a carefully maintained list of vendors who have proven themselves to be amazing. I also have a secret do-not-use list of vendors who have not proven themselves worthy of booking with my wonderful clients. However, I do not agree with restricting new vendors from working with us. If you find a vendor that you love, I will be happy to work with them to make your day magnificent.
When it comes time to booking vendors, I will be there every step of the way to not only recommend my favorite vendors, but to review any potential new vendors. I do a contract review on every vendor, and although I’m not a lawyer, I can help you look for potential problems in your vendor contract. For examples of the types of things I’m looking for, check out my contract series: what to look for in your catering contract, your florist contract, and your photography contracts.
Many people are surprised to find that hiring a wedding planner can actually save them money. While I don’t believe in just hiring the cheapest vendor available, I can help you negotiate the sea of options for vendors and determine if you are getting a fair price for the selected services. And sometimes I can even get you discounts, such as with my partnership with Minted. All of my clients receive 35% off save-the-dates and 25% off invitations at Minted, and they have some truly upscale options available for reasonable costs. Make the most of your planner and use my relationships in the industry to your advantage!
While we are working on booking your vendors, we will also be working on your design and theme for the wedding. I will review your Pinterest board as well as have an in-depth design discussion with you before presenting you with options. I typically like to present you with two options. The first is the safe option that I absolutely know you will love, and the second is usually a bolder option, a twist on your style to up-level the design to something new and never seen. Once we select your favorite, then we can schedule an in-person session with a rental company to select the specific linens, plates, silverware, etc., and put together a sample table.
If you’ve looked around my site for a bit then you know that I also offer floral design. This is not automatically included with the full planning package. It can be added, but it is certainly not required for you to book flowers with Kelsey Gray Events. However, I do love those weddings where I am able to do both the full design and the flowers. I feel like the design is so much more cohesive when the same person can execute the entire event.
Once all of your vendors are booked, we will likely hit a slow period in the planning process, especially if you have a long engagement. We can work on preliminary floor plans, choose songs for the ceremony and reception, and make a shot list for the photographer. But the real work picks up again when RSVPs come in. I recommend setting a RSVP deadline for 1 month before the wedding at the minimum. You’ll spend another week tracking down invitees who did not respond, and then we will be able to work on the final details such as the seating chart. I’ll get in touch with vendors to finalize their plans and the official day-of timeline, and then we will be ready to go!
On the day of the wedding itself, I will be on site from set-up through clean-up, which is typically about 10 hours. Together with your vendors we will execute a smooth event that you and your guests will love. I hesitate to describe anything as “perfect” or “flawless,” because hey, life happens. When life happens, I’ll be there to fix it. That’s why you hired a planner. You want a no-stress planning process and a beautiful, no-stress wedding day with an amazing guest experience. I’m here for you.
