We write many articles to help guide brides and others through the sometimes daunting task of planning a wedding. Coming across a blog or an article can be pretty helpful in times of uncertainty. But, how about having your specific questions answered by the experts? That is exactly what we will tackle in this article. We took to social media to ask our followers and newly engaged couples what burning questions they would ask wedding planners in Charleston. Let’s get started, and hopefully one of your wedding planning challenges will be addressed below!
Photos by Shelby Stewart and Leigh Hayward
Q: I’m an out of state Bride planning a destination wedding in Charleston… What will my planning journey look like with your team since I am not local?
A: We are very familiar with this situation! In fact, a high percentage of our brides are from states other than South Carolina. We have systems in place that allow us to do much of our planning with the client through virtual meetings and phone calls. Of course, we love it when our bride’s can come to our office to work together in person, giving us the opportunity to connect. But, we also have effective ways to accomplish tasks virtually when needed. We rely on email and phone call communication to get items checked off the list, and we always provide summaries and follow ups to keep you on track and to keep us all on the same page.
Photos by Shelby Stewart and Chelsea Paige
Q: What makes you unique as a planner in this industry?
A: There are many aspects of our company that we believe sets us apart from others. For example, we cater to every budget. Being a destination wedding place, Charleston’s wedding industry is booming, therefore, prices are constantly rising. However, we believe that everyone should get their dream Charleston wedding no matter what they can offer financially. We will always be realistic with our client’s who have a tight budget, but we also use our connections and knowledge of the industry to present our clients with economical options that still capture their vision.
Another aspect of our company that makes us unique is that we offer a range of packages. Many planners in the Charleston area only offer full service planning. We also offer full service planning, but we have learned that does not cater to every potential client. We have connected with many brides-to-be that have enjoyed the planning process and want to do some of it on their own. For this reason, we offer a partial planning package where we allow the client to choose two areas for us to plan fully for them. We even offer a third planning package for those clients who have booked every vendor but need help with rentals, flowers, and month-of coordination of vendors. This is our month of coordination package. We believe these three packages can offer something for everyone that is looking for a wedding planner at any level.
Photos by MCG Photography and Jolie Connor
We are also fortunate in that our lead planner, and owner of the business, has 20 years of experience in the wedding planning industry. This time has served us well in building relationships with vendors and different people in Charleston. Our company has built a well known reputation of trust and good work in the area, and we know who has a reputation of great work in the industry, that we trust to work with, and refer to our clients.
The thing that makes us the most unique in the wedding planning scene is that we have our own floral design team. Instead of having to hire an outside vendor to create the floral arrangements, we do everything from the bouquets to the centerpieces to the altar arrangements. One of the many benefits of this is that our team can be on site all day for the wedding, which allows for your arrangements to be multipurpose. For example, your altar arrangements can be moved in front of the band after the ceremony. The possibilities are endless, and our planning and floral team will be there every step of the way to bring your vision to life.
Photos by Jolie Connor and Chelsea Paige
Q: What is your “motto” throughout the planning process and your working relationship with the client?
A: We want everyone involved to have fun! We put many hours into each wedding, especially on the day of the event. We are the first ones to arrive and the last to leave, which means we typically work about 16-18 hours on the wedding day. Because of this, we want to have fun! We want planning your wedding to be fun for you as well! We all know how stressful of a time this can be, but as one of the most important days of your life, you should enjoy the journey. The way we ensure this is to break up the planning process as simply as possible by having the client make decisions one at a time. We want you to feel confident about your choices before moving on to the next step so that you don’t feel like there are any missed opportunities. This may be one of the most important aspects when planning your wedding. We strive to make this process as enjoyable as possible for our clients.
Photos by MCG Photography and Wild Cotton
We hope some of your pressing questions were answered here, and contact Engaging Events Charleston to learn more about our packages and services!