Lady Whistlewed: How Planners Make the Impossible Possible

Ever wondered why even the most budget-conscious couples might want to engage a wedding planner? Join us in this illuminating episode as Laurie Hartwell, CEO of the CWP Society, and Krisy Thomas, Vice President and owner of Southern Sparkle Weddings, reveal the secrets behind a flawless wedding day. Drawing inspiration from the latest Lady Whistlewed column, "A Matrimonial Missive: Why the Ton's Wisest Betrothed Engage a Wedding Planner," we explore the intricate web of challenges that professional planners expertly navigate. Laurie and Krisy share compelling anecdotes, including a cautionary tale of a bride who deeply regretted not hiring a planner, illustrating the incredible value these experts bring to the table.

But that’s not all—get a glimpse into the Certified Wedding Planner Society (CWP Society) and its supportive community designed for both budding and seasoned wedding planners. Discover the various membership tiers—from free to certified—that offer a wealth of resources and opportunities for personal and professional growth. Laurie and Krisy also touch on the essential communication strategies planners must adopt to convey their value without spilling all their trade secrets. Tune in for an insightful conversation that debunks myths and celebrates the indispensable role of wedding planners in crafting memorable celebrations.

www.cwpsociety.com | info@cwpsociety.com | IG: @cwpsociety | FB: @cwpsociety

Transcript

Hiring a Wedding Planner

Speaker 1 0:00

You're listening to the Wedding Planner Profiles Podcast brought to you by the CWP Society.

Speaker 2 0:15

Welcome to the Wedding Planner Profiles Podcast brought to you by the CWP Society, where wedding planners and pros collaborate to raise the standards in the wedding industry. The CWP Society is the world's largest membership of wedding professionals, where wedding planners and pros collaborate to raise the standards in the wedding industry. The CWP Society is the world's largest membership of wedding professionals, as well as the Leading Wedding Planner Certification Program. My name is Lori Hartwell and I am the CEO of this organization, and I'm joined by my fabulous Vice President, chrissy Thomas, also the owner of Southern Sparkle Weddings. Hey, chrissy, how the heck are you?

Speaker 3 0:46

Hello, lori, I am doing fabulous. Thank you so much for asking. I am extremely excited to talk about the latest Lady Whistlewed column today. Have you listened to it or have you read it yet?

Speaker 2 1:00

Of course, the title for all of our listeners, if you have not yet caught it is called A Matrimonial Missive why the tons wisest betrothed engage a wedding planner? It is so exciting. It really talks about some of the things that are closest to our hearts, which is we think every single couple on this planet deserve and should hire a wedding planner. Let's listen to her latest musings.

Speaker 1 1:26

Dear gentle reader, it has come to this author's attention that the season of betrothals is upon us once more. As the birds sing their sweet melodies and the flowers bloom in abundance, so too do the hearts of young lovers yearn for matrimonial bliss. Yet I must implore those fortunate souls who find themselves engaged to consider a matter of utmost importance the procurement of a wedding planner or coordinator. Let it be known that the path to wedded harmony is oft strewn with challenges that may vex even the most level-headed of couples. From the selection of suitable attire to the arrangement of seating, assignment, displays, the myriad of decisions can overwhelm even the most stalwart of hearts. It is in these trying times that a skilled wedding planner proves invaluable. Consider, if you will, the plight of young Miss Amelia Rastinks who, in her haste to arrange her nuptials without assistance, found herself with a ballroom festooned in chartreuse, when she had expressly desired celadon. Such a faux pas could have been easily avoided with the guidance of a seasoned wedding planner. Or perhaps you recall the unfortunate incident at the Hetherington Affair, where the absence of a coordinator led to a most unseemly squabble between the string quartet and the local parish choir. The discordant notes still echo in the ears of those who were present.

Speaker 1 2:50

A wedding planner, dear reader, is not merely a frivolous expense for the idle, rich Nay. They are the unsung heroes of marital celebrations, ensuring that your special day unfolds with the grace and elegance befitting your union. They possess the power to transform your wildest dreams into reality, all while shielding you from the chaos that lurks behind the scenes. So I beseech you, dear engaged couples, to consider the wisdom in enlisting the aid of these miracle workers, For in doing so, you shall find yourselves free to bask in the glow of your love, unburdened by the minutiae that so often plague those who attempt to navigate these treacherous waters alone. Until next time, I bid you adieu and wish you all the joy and harmony that married life can offer Yours truly, Lady Whistlewed.

Speaker 2 3:41

All right, chrissy, we just listened to a really amazing column. Let's kind of go ahead and dissect this paragraph by paragraph. So first, I'm thinking you know she talks about how she's imploring these engaged couples to procure and hire a wedding planner or coordinator. How do you feel about this? What are your thoughts on this first part?

Speaker 3 4:06

I mean, she hit the nail right on the head. It could be because she mentions that it's something of the utmost importance. This is something that a lot of engaged couples don't think should be one of their first steps. I've even had some couples not even want this to be any of the steps of their planning process and throughout our entire column she really talks about some key points of why it's so important for engaged couples to hire a wedding planner or a coordinator. So I love that that's she's like this is important Done entire wedding planner. Let me tell you why.

Speaker 2 4:39

Exactly Because a lot of times what the alternative is, of course, is either the couple doesn't have any professional planner or coordinator at the wedding, or they think that it is okay to have a friend or a cousin or a sister or family member, whoever it is to kind of step in as one. And the truth is, professional wedding planners have a completely different perspective on events and we know and can anticipate so many of those things kind of going into it. We see all the problems written on the walls before the wedding day, which is why we go out of our way to solve all the problems before the wedding day even begins. And you know, it makes me sad that so many couples think that they can and should go at this all by themselves, without a professional.

Speaker 3 5:28

I think it's because and she actually mentioned this in her second paragraph with a wedding day, there's actually a lot of challenges that couples may not even realize, and I see that when I have my initial consultation with my couples and I'm running through the packages I offer and I'm running through them you know my services, why this is included in my package and a lot of the times they're like I didn't even think about that. This was not something I had planned. Even my couples, who I consider, you know, those type A couples where they are on top of it they've got their own checklist. They're coming prepared to this initial consultation. I am even shocking them with some of the challenges that they may not realize they're going to face.

Speaker 3 6:06

But that's the benefit of hiring me as your planner is, I'm aware of these challenges. I'm having a plan A, a plan B and possibly a plan C for all the challenges that you may face. So even for my couples who think, well, I can do it, I got it together, I'm really organized. I've got my kill it board and my binders and my checklist. As a wedding planner professional wedding planner we do this day in and day out.

Speaker 2 6:27

This is our industry that we love, so we know about all those hiccups and challenges that you may face and we know how to handle them as well. Yeah, and just because you are really smart and very much on top of things and you're incredibly organized as a human being doesn't mean that you know what goes into planning a wedding all the time. A lot of people think, oh well, it's just so easy. I mean, I read the couple of wedding magazines or I've seen all of the movies. That doesn't tell you anything. In fact, people like you and I, when we're watching these wedding movies, we're thinking, oh, I know what had to have gone into that.

Speaker 2 7:01

Or oh, they did all of that wrong. Why didn't they consult the wedding planner? It's just like it kind of ruins us in a sense, like we can't even enjoy weddings anymore. I mean, like it's so hard. But yeah, I think that a lot of times people think, well, I mean, I'm a nurse or I'm a doctor or I'm a lawyer or I'm, you know, super smart human being. Of course I can plan my own wedding, but there's so much more to it, wouldn't you say?

Speaker 3 7:27

And that's so funny that you mentioned that, lori, because I have combat that issue with the consultation, where they're like, well, my cousin is very organized and she's also very bossy, so I think she can handle it, and I'm like, oh, that's such a misconception because there is so much more that goes into planning your wedding. There's about 5,000 details, and those 5,000 details include people and professionals who need decisions to be made, who need a professional person to respond back to communication in a timely manner, and that's just like the vendors. And then let's add on the guests who have a bajillion questions on wedding day, your wedding party, even leading up, are asking you a million questions. There's just so many details it's like a spider web of details that goes into a wedding planning that just being organized and bossy isn't really going to get you very far. In fact, being bossy is not going to get you very far at all, except you know people are going to not want to work with you.

Speaker 2 8:24

They're not going to want to have anything to do with you. Whether you're a professional or just a friend of the family, no one's going to want to deal with you at all, absolutely.

Speaker 3 8:32

And let's be honest, lori, like this is honestly, it's a very overwhelming process for engaged couples. That and not just you know, with the decisions they have to make for wedding planning. But you are now starting a new chapter of your life with the love of your life. So there's other decisions outside of wedding planning that you need to make. You know your housing situation, what's your future looks like, if you're going to build a family, all those things kind of go into becoming someone's significant other.

Speaker 3 9:00

That, as a wedding planner, I really want you to enjoy this engagement process and, because there are so many decisions that you have to make outside of wedding planning, let me help you with the wedding planning stuff so that way you can stress about the other decisions. I will. I will be the one stressing you out about everything else. I will be the one taking off that stress from you. When it comes to wedding planning, it's just such a it's a period of life that I think engaged couples need to enjoy, and when you don't hire a wedding planner, it's more stressful than it needs to be Exactly.

Speaker 2 9:31

It's so, so true. And you know she Lady Whistlewed mentioned you know that planners are not just for the rich and that we are the unsung heroes of all matrimonial celebrations, Right? So let's kind of dive into that a little bit, because to me, one of the biggest misconceptions is, well, I can't afford one. And my thought is, yeah, you haven't even had your wedding yet. Well, I can't afford one, and my thought is, yeah, you haven't even had your wedding yet. If you had had your wedding already, you would have said there's no way I can afford not to have had one.

Importance of Hiring a Wedding Planner

Speaker 2 10:03

And so over 96% of couples who went through the entire planning process, as well as on wedding day, without a wedding planner or coordinator, say that they, if they had to do all over again, wish that they had had someone like you and I, a wedding planner. And so here's the problem with that you can't do a do over, you can't have a do over, you can't go back in time, you can't get in the time machine and head back and do the whole thing over again. So because of that, let's get it right the first time and just like you would hire. You know, a lot of people go way out of their way to hire a professional photographer, professional DJ, professional caterer. You should have a professional wedding coordinator or planner on your side to help walk you through all the steps, making sure that you're dotting all the I's and crossing all the T's leading up to the wedding day, and then have that person being there on the wedding day to ensure that everything is going to go beautifully and seamless and smooth and yummy and delicious.

Speaker 2 11:02

That's what it is that you really need, because I would want to remember my wedding day with the fondest of memories. I don't want to look back at it and go, oh my gosh, I wish I had either done this or didn't do this, or whatever it may be. I don't like having regrets, and I feel like so many couples 96% have regrets, and that breaks my heart a bit. There are planners that are incredibly affordable, but you also have to be careful there. If the price is too low, that tells me that this person is not experienced and that you might as well just ask your best friend to help you or your cousin to help you. You need to make sure that you're hiring someone who actually has credentials, who has the experience behind their back and under their feet so that they can be there to help you through all of those decision-making processes, because you want to make sure that you're not missing anything and you want to make sure that they are 100% prepared for what's about to come.

Speaker 3 12:07

Yeah, I'm so glad that you mentioned that because it is such a misconception that unless your budget is, you know, six figures, you can't afford a wedding planner. That's just not the case. You can't afford to not have a wedding planner be part of your day Because when you're thinking about it every other part of the day your catering, your photographer, the florals you're spending a lot of money. This is an investment to be with your family and friends and celebrate and you're kind of leaving that investment to chance when you're not having a professional, certified wedding planner guide all of those pieces of the day. You know where we actually we recently one of my planners actually received a phone call from someone who she had a consultation with. It went great and she decided to not hire our services and it was two days after her wedding and she said that the biggest mistake of my wedding was not hiring you.

Speaker 2 12:59

You're kidding.

Speaker 3 13:01

And it was. That's devastating to hear. She told her everything that went wrong and you know, we're very transparent and honest about things like when it comes to the budget. So, you know, my planner gave her a breakdown of, like I think this is in reality what you're going to, what every little section is going to cost, you know, based off what your style is, based off the vendors in our market and she said you were spot on with the budget. I kept thinking oh no, I'm going to spend less if I do it myself. She's like, in fact, I spent more than what you initially told me because I had to do a lot myself, because I had misordered things because of all these details, I had to rush ship things, because I was doing everything myself and not relying on professionals. I actually ended up spending more money than what you initially told me. You thought that was it.

Speaker 2 13:46

Oh no, this is awful.

Speaker 3 13:48

Literally, it makes my eyes water for this person. And she said I will promise you, I will tell you every single one of my engaged friends, I will recommend them to you and say do not make the same mistake that I made. She said everything turned out beautiful, it was wonderful, but I did not get to be present in the moment because I was too busy working, and that that is terrible. This is not a wedding day. This is not a day where you, as the engaged couple, should be working. It's not not your wedding day. This is the day where you should be soaking in all the moments of the day, celebrating with your friends and family. It's just so important.

Speaker 2 14:25

But people don't always think about that because they think it's just so easy. It's kind of like the movies it's not the movies. We have to make sure that we are protecting the integrity of the wedding day itself. And when we're not thinking of those things or we're thinking, oh, I'm sure it's not going to be as bad, you always have to think to yourself what's the worst thing I could do here? What's the worst thing I could do? And the worst thing you could do when you're planning a wedding is to not foresee those potential issues, those potential problems, and not hire that wedding planner and coordinator who can, who's already been through a million of these right, we already know what some of the most common problems are that happen. We can a lot of times fix and resolve those problems before they even have a chance to happen.

Speaker 2 15:14

There's so much that goes into it and I want I want couples to realize that being a wedding planner isn't rated number three of the most stressful jobs in the world because this is such a fun, easy experience. It's because it's so challenging, and it's even challenging for professionals, much less the couple who's going into it without the education and so and without the experience of doing so many of them. I implore couples to make sure that they're hiring wedding planners and but wedding planners those that are listening right now you have got to do a much better job on your websites and your social media to explain why we are needed and maybe talking about those percentages of the people that didn't hire a planner and wish they had. I mean, that's one of the pieces of information you should put on your website and on social media. But you also want to make sure that you're not giving away what it is that you do and all the secrets of how you do your job, which kind of leads me back to that hilarious podcast that you and I did.

Speaker 2 16:21

Chrissy called why Buy the Cow, and it was kind of that play on. Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free? You want to make sure that you're not saying here's all of the questions you should be asking your florist no, no, no, no, let's not do that. Or here's a checklist no, no, no, no, no. The only checklist you should be giving away is maybe a checklist on the order in which you should be hiring a wedding planner All the things that you should be looking at when you are interviewing a wedding planner or coordinator for your wedding. Give that checklist to your future couples, but don't give all of our trade secrets away on social media because you're trying to get noticed.

Speaker 3 17:05

All they're going to be thinking to themselves is well, thanks for that free definitely don't need now.

Speaker 2 17:07

I don't need you at all. Let me do the thing myself, like I wanted to anyway. Exactly exactly. You know, in that final paragraph of of lady whistle weds column she she talks about after she kind of mentioned we as planners transform their wildest dreams into a reality. And and you have had I've I've seen a lot of your pictures of where your couples, chrissy kind of walk into the reception and they just start crying and and smiles and hugs and it's just such a beautiful experience.

Speaker 2 17:35

But we don't always talk about after the wedding and the basking in the glow, right? Because a lot of times when a wedding planner is not hired, what happens is the couple spends their entire honeymoon fretting about all that went wrong on wedding day and so now you can't even enjoy your honeymoon and then they have to come back and now you're taking vendors to court or you are writing terrible reviews and you're not sitting in the experience. That took an entire year, sometimes a year and a half, to plan this amazing, huge event, one of the biggest events of your lifetime, right, you're not basking in that glow. What you're doing is now you're basking in the uh, oh, right.

Speaker 3 18:24

And that's the problem and I love for that. She mentioned this and I love, obviously, that lady whistle had mentioned this. But the after, like you said, the glow of your love should last past the wedding day and hopefully you know if all goes well. But, like you said, if you risk it, not you risk ruining your honeymoon, you risk having to come back from that honeymoon and deal with all the stresses of the follow-up from working with bad people. I've never thought about it like that.

Speaker 3 18:50

But it's not just that wedding day that's going to impact also you know, thinking even further your anniversary. When you're spending your anniversaries. Are you going to look back on your day and think, god, what a horrible day it was. I don't want that for any engaged couple. I want you to look back on your wedding year after year after year, with joy and happiness and how wonderful it was. And when you hire a certified wedding planner, you will do just that. Because I have couples who, well, after the wedding, they're right into it. Oh, we still people still talk about how wonderful the wedding was. I still recommend you to all of my friends. One of my first couples that ever worked with me.

Speaker 3 19:26

Our children actually go to school together and I see them every morning and she's like that's my wedding planner y'all, and she got married a decade ago, but she still thinks about how wonderful that day was and that's what all couples deserve, and I promise you you will get that when you hire a certified wedding planner.

Speaker 2 19:42

Yeah, it makes all the difference in the world, all the difference. Well, thank you, chrissy, for helping me break down the latest Whistle Wed column, and thank all of you for listening to the Wedding Planner Profiles podcast. If you're not yet a member of the CWP Society, I have to tell you we would love to welcome you into our amazing and our loving family. We have free memberships, premium memberships, certified memberships. Simply go to our website and check it all out and see what it is that we have to offer.

The CWP Society Membership Tiers

Speaker 1 20:13

And now a message from Lady Whistlewed herself. Dearest gentle listeners, it is I, lady Whistlewed, here to impart some crucial information that simply must not escape your notice. For those of you who find yourselves positively ravenous for the latest wedding industry insights and the most delicious society whispers, I implore you to make haste to CertifiedWeddingPlannerSocietycom, or, should you prefer, ladywhistlewedcom. It is there that you shall discover my most recent musings, penned with the sharpest of wits and the keenest of observations, on the wonderfully chaotic world of weddings. Now, to those of you who find yourselves entangled in the intricate web of the wedding industry, I extend a most tantalizing invitation. Web of the wedding industry, I extend a most tantalizing invitation.

Speaker 1 21:00

The Certified Wedding Planner Society, or CWP Society as it's known in certain circles, is ever so eager to welcome new members into its illustrious ranks. Whether you're a fresh-faced novice just embarking on your journey in the realm of wedding planning, or a battle-hardened veteran of countless nuptials, I assure you there is a place for you among us. The society, in its infinite wisdom, offers three tiers of membership to cater to your varying needs and lofty aspirations. 1. A free membership, open to any and all categories within the wedding industry. How delightfully egalitarian. 2. A premium membership replete with additional benefits and resources for the truly dedicated professional. 3. And the piece de resistance the certified membership, the gold standard for wedding planners committed to the pursuit of excellence.

Speaker 1 21:50

Each level, I'm told, comes with its own set of perks and opportunities, all meticulously designed to help you flourish in your chosen career. To explore these options in painstaking detail and find the perfect fit for your particular circumstances, I suggest you make your way to cwpsocietycom with all due haste. Do remember, dear listeners, that the CWP Society is far more than a mere professional organization. It is a veritable community of passionate individuals, all dedicated to the noble pursuit of creating truly unforgettable wedding experiences. They eagerly anticipate welcoming you into their family of wedding pros. Until we meet again in the pages of my next column, may your timelines remain as smooth as silk and your clients as delightful as a spring morning in Mayfair. Yours truly, Lady Whistlewed.