Trust us… we know planning a wedding can be physically and emotionally draining, (it’s so worth is though!) but if you need some extra hands on deck consider hiring a wedding planner! We talked with Beth Anderson, owner of Kismet Event Group about what you should know about hiring a wedding planner and what goes into designing a themed wedding in this week’s VOW!
Q: What does Kismet Event Group specialize in?
A: Kismet specializes in event and wedding planning. I have been a planner for the past 17 years and started Kismet Event Group in 2010.
Q: What makes Kismet stand out in terms of wedding planning options?
A: I believe that every wedding is different, which means every package is different. When I first meet with a bride, we go over everything they are looking for and what areas they need/want help in. From there I create a custom package that is just for them. All of my packages include unlimited meetings and unlimited hours on their wedding day. I want to make sure my clients feel 100% comfortable going into their day – and I also want to know every detail before I show up.
Q: What makes planning a wedding different than other events?
A: With weddings, it is all emotions. My team and I are able to take those emotional elements and make them memorial moments. We get to play with colors and designs, which you don’t always get to do with corporate events.
Q: What is an average day at Kismet like?
A: HAHA! I wish I knew what average was!
During the week it is a mix of meetings with vendors, client meetings and A LOT of emails! On a wedding day, I am normally on-site around 9am and don’t leave until the wedding is over and torn down – 1am or 2am typically. You need good shoes, a dress with pockets and plenty of caffeine to get through the day.
Q: What would you want a bride searching for her perfect wedding planner to know?
A: Meet with your planner – either in person or over the phone – to make sure they understand your vision. It is hard to work with someone if they do not understand the wedding that you are looking for. You also need to mix with them from a personality standpoint. You are going to be working with your planner for hours on end and they are going to know EVERYTHING about you, your family and your wedding. I love it when friendships are built between my clients and myself – that make the day extra special.
Q: What are some of your options for couples who want to be very involved in the planning process?
A: You should want to be included in your wedding process – but there will come a time where you will let go of certain things and trust the vendors that you have in place. Planning a wedding can be a full time job and if you have great vendors in place they can help take some of the stress off of your plate. Feel free to delegate to your vendors and if you have a good planner, they will make sure everything falls into place.
Q: Do you plan a lot of themed weddings?
A: Majority of my weddings do not have a your typical theme – circus, winter wonderland, etc. I like to work off of colors and feelings. I want my couples – and their guests – to have that “wow factor” when they see the venue for the first time. For me, it is the unexpected that I love. People go to weddings each weekend so how can we make “this” wedding different and feel like the couple. I love when I overhear wedding guests saying “this is so them”.
Q: What goes into planning a themed wedding that is different from other weddings?
A: With themed weddings everything you do needs to fit into the overall look and feel. If you are using a certain color, it needs to match in everything you do. You need to commit 100% to the theme in all elements so there is a consistent story.
All images courtesy of Kismet Event Group
