I Said YES, Now What?

Ron Wendt's 10 Tips For Wedding Planning

1) WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND AS AN EVENT PLANNER AND HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEENIN THE INDUSTRY? 

MY BUSINESS HAS GROWN AS THE NEEDS OF MY CLIENTS HAVE. IT’S BEEN A NATURAL EVOLUTION AS A PLANNER BECAUSE WE GET INVOLVED WITH ALL ASPECTS OF THE DAY, ESPECIALLY ALL OF THE AESTHETICS. WHEN I STARTED IN THIS INDUSTRY, OVER 20 YEARS AGO, THE RESOURCES TO TRANSFORM SPACES WERE SOMEWHAT LIMITED; NOWADAYS WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO A RENOVATION AND TO TURN A BARN INTO A PALACE IF THAT IS WHAT OUR CLIENTS REQUEST. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE ONLY REQUEST WAS THE COLOR DIRECTION OF THE FLOWERS. NOWADAYS A CLIENT MAY ASK FOR CUSTOM UPHOLSTERY AND CARPETING TO MATCH THE FLOWERS.

2) WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU RECOMMEND TO EVERY COUPLE AFTER THEY GET ENGAGED? 

FIRST I SAY ENJOY THAT MOMENT, THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL TIME IN YOUR LIVES. FOLLOWING THE ENGAGEMENT CELEBRATIONS, IT IS SMART FOR A COUPLE TO SIT DOWN AND JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER. ONCE WEDDING PLANNING STARTS IT’S A TRAIN THAT IS HARD TO STOP, AND COUPLES RECEIVE SO MANY WELL-INTENTIONED OPINIONS FROM FRIENDS, FAMILY AND STRANGERS IT CAN MAKE THINGS A BIT HECTIC. SO FOR COUPLES TO TAKE THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE TWO OF THEM ENVISION FOR THEIR WEDDING IS A SMART WAY TO START. THIS CONVERSATION ALLOWS EACH PARTNER TO KNOW WHAT MATTERS TO THE OTHER AND BE ON THE SAME PAGE SO THEY ARE BOTH PLANNING THE SAME WEDDING. 

3) WHEN IS A GOOD TIME FOR A PLANNER TO BE HIRED? DO YOU THINK A PLANNER IS NECESSARY FOR ALL COUPLES? 

HIRING A WEDDING PLANNER IS SMART AND WHEN TO HIRE ONE VARIES WITH EACH COUPLE. DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH AND MEETING WITH A FEW PLANNERS BEFORE MAKING YOUR FINAL SELECTION IS A GOOD IDEA. YOU WILL BE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WITH THIS PERSON SO FINDING SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS YOUR TASTES AND GETS ALONG WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IS A MUST. 

4) MANY TIMES THE GROOM IS NOT AS INTERESTED IN THE PLANNING. DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW TO GET HIM MORE INVOLVED? 

I HAVE LEARNED THAT IN DOING THIS LIST IT ALLOWS EACH PERSON TO FEEL PERSONALLY INVESTED IN THE ITEMS BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THE BOTH OF THEM PICKED AND THOUGHT ABOUT. IF THERE IS SOMETHING THE GROOM IS EXCITED ABOUT, ALLOW HIM TO LEAD, WHICH WILL HELP KEEP HIM INVOLVED. 

5) IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFIC COUPLES CAN TALK ABOUT DURING THIS TIME? 

WHAT I RECOMMEND FOR COUPLES IS TO MAKE A LIST FROM 1 TO 10 OF WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR WEDDING. ONE WILL BE THE MOST IMPORTANT AND TEN THE LEAST. THIS EXERCISE CAN BE FUN FOR COUPLES TO DO SEPARATELY AND COME TOGETHER TO COMPARE THEIR ANSWERS. MANY COUPLES ARE SURPRISED BY EACH OTHERS RESPONSES AND LEARN NEW THINGS ABOUT EACH OTHER.

THE END RESULT IS A TOP 10 LIST THAT WILL HELP GUIDE THE COUPLE THROUGHOUT THE WEDDING PROCESS IN MAKING DECISIONS AND BUDGETING FOR CERTAIN ITEMS. IF YOU KNOW WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT YOU CAN BUDGET A LITTLE MORE FOR THAT ITEM AND A LITTLE LESS FOR ONES YOU BOTH DO NOT CARE ABOUT. FOR EXAMPLE MAYBE HAVING AMAZING FOOD IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND MUSIC IS NOT, SO INVESTING MORE INTO FOOD IS AN EASY DECISION. 

6) I LOVE IT THAT YOU ASK YOUR COUPLES 10 QUESTIONS, WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND IS USUALLY TOP PRIORITY FOR THE COUPLE? 

MUSIC IS USUALLY SOMETHING THAT BOTH THE BRIDE AND GROOM CAN AGREE ABOUT. THE ANSWER I’VE HEARD MORE TIMES THAN NOT IS "I WANT THIS TO BE THE MOST AMAZING DAY OF MY LIFE”. IT’S A FULL ORDER TO FILL BUT I LIKE TO THINK WE ALWAYS ACCOMPLISH THE ORDER.

7) WHAT IS THE LEAST PRIORITY?

IT CHANGES WITH EVERY COUPLE. NO ONE COUPLE IS THE SAME AND WHAT WORKS FOR ONE DOESN’T ALWAYS WORK FOR THE OTHER. THIS IS WHY WE LIKE TO CUSTOM DESIGN EACH WEDDING WE WORK ON TO MATCH THE TASTES OF THE COUPLE. 

8) WHEN IS A GOOD TIME TO PICK A VENUE? 

NOW THAT YOU HAVE MADE YOUR LIST, FINDING AND SECURING A VENUE SHOULD BE THE NEXT STEPS A COUPLE TAKES. CHOOSING THE RIGHT VENUE WILL HELP GUIDE YOU IN DESIGNING THE LOOK OF YOUR EVENT WHETHER IT IS OUTSIDE, AT A HOTEL OR IN A TENT. 

9) HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE THE DESIGN AESTHETIC OF RON WENDT DESIGN?

I LIKE TO BELIEVE, AS MUCH AS I’M A MODERNIST, THAT I AM A CLASSIC TRADITIONALIST TOO. SO I ALWAYS LIKE TO HAVE BOTH ELEMENTS REFLECTED IN MY EVENTS.

10) WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE EVENTS YOU'VE EVER PRODUCED? 

WAS HIRED DO A VERY SPECIAL 3 DAY CELEBRATION IN PARIS FOR 30 GUESTS. LET’S JUST SAY EVERY NIGHT WAS MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN THE LAST.