FTB Announces New Planner Program

In today's market, the corporate planner probably has a different title.  Whether they are in Human Resources, Administration, or just happened to 'volunteer' to coordinate the next company event, I can guarantee you it's not the only thing on their "To Do" list.  


Feel the Beat knows that our planners have busy schedules and a lot on their plate, leaving little time to battle with the details of upcoming events. With this in mind, we have created a Corporate Planner Program to assist our clients in planning great events quickly!  Sign up for our monthly Ezine to get tips on event planning like the newest event trends, local venue reviews, vendor spotlights, and advice on how to plan a great event on a budget.


We can also offer more detailed assistance in planning a timeline for events, finding the best vendor for your needs, negotiating contracts, and reaching company goals through creative entertainment options.  The difference between a good event and a great event is professional coordination and detailed planning.  With Feel the Beat's Planner Program, you can plan the event that you have always wanted without investing hours of your day and pushing other priorities to the side.   Plus, you can contact our Corporate Event Consultant, Lindsey Mason, for any questions or additional assistance.  We are here to help and would like to be of assistance to you in any way that we can.

Follow Lindsey on Twitter:  @FTBEvents

Planning a Wedding: First Lesson Learned

Okay,  so you may have noticed that it's been a while since my last post.  It's not that I haven't had interesting things to tell you about in my planning,  it's just that I was too embarrassed to put it all in writing!  Already, I have had a major reality check in my planning process.  Yes, I have experience in the event industry, but maybe all that was doing was giving me a false sense of security.

When Mark & I got engaged at the end of July and set our date for next fall, I immediately was comforted that I had over a year to plan everything.  Well, instead of taking advantage of the additional time,  I gathered a little bit of information and researched different venues - but it was not enough.  We set a date for our big event, checked some availability of places, and then went to the drawing board on what would work for our needs:
-Is there enough space?
-Is it convenient for guests to locate and get to?
-Do they allow candles, alcohol, outside catering, and any of the other details that are 'make or break' in the decision-making process?

So, we gathered this information, made our decision and called the venue of our choice back with the exciting news!  Well guess what...it had been two months since I had originally checked their availability and now - the date was booked.  This was pretty tough news, since we had already told all of our friends and family that the date was set and now we would need to either go back to the drawing board to choose another venue, or move the date.  Neither was an easy option!

We ended up needing to be armed with more information than I had researched yet.  If we use outside catering, will they provide linens and glassware? How much will it add to rent these items?  Will the rental price of the venue really be a deal if I have to rent to supplement a lot of items?  Who provides what and at what price?  I realized that to start planning anything, I needed to know a lot more about everything.

Suddenly I felt like I knew nothing about the wedding industry.  Where was all my knowledge of budgets and why was everything in Birmingham booking up when we were still 12 months out?!?  Panic started to set in and I knew I needed to move a little faster if I wanted to get the vendors that I liked at the right price for my budget.

So my advice to you is - talk to every vendor that you like - and start early.  Don't be afraid to call and chat with vendors about what you are looking for and be sure to get pricing from all of them!  Knowing as much as possible is going to give you the power and confidence to make better decisions.  Start collecting as much information at the beginning as you possibly can, so that you can make an educated decision - and make it quickly if you are under a deadline.  And of course, set your budget, and try to make room for a professional planner to help you.  Even though I feel comfortable planning events, it's all changed now that it's my wedding and I'm the bride.  Why didn't I believe this when everyone has said it?  It's so much easier to help someone else plan an event! So be sure to enlist help early and don't procrastinate!

First Things First - Getting Started on Planning for a Wedding

Even though I work with a variety of events on a daily basis, knowing where to start with my own wedding planning was still a bit overwhelming.  The real 'start' were conversations that Mark & I have had in the past about how we would like our wedding to feel.  What do we want our guests to see and experience?  What do we really want to focus on and what themes are important to us?  We started with those preferences which included - incorporating our love for the outdoors and respect for the environment, an intimate and personal feel, nice weather in Alabama, and conveniences like having the ceremony & reception in the same location - and started from there to build our "wedding vision".  I feel like it was really important to discuss these basics before we got into the nitty-gritty of the who, what, when, where, and of course, how, so we could come back to them if things started to get off-track.

Next, we started exploring the insane amount of resources available to brides.  There is a lot of information available online but I would also suggest visiting or calling any vendor that interests you to get more comprehensive and personalized information based on your specific needs.  I'll be honest - I'm an avid internet researcher and I know a lot of brides do their legwork online but websites don't always do the best job of getting the right information across to the bride.  I'm also a big fan of perusing the aisles of the bookstore or library for anything that catches my eye!

Want to make it easy from the get-go?  Talk to a professional event planner!  These people are unbelievable resources of information! There are different levels of planning assistance, so don't feel like a planner has to have control over the entire weekend.  These event experts can save you a lot of time and money by letting you know what will work and what doesn't and who is the best vendor to make it happen!  (I'll do another post soon on planners in the Birmingham area.)

Let's note here that a wedding can be as simple or as detailed as your prefer it to be.  If you start to get overwhelmed with all of the options, then the process is no longer fun, and it may be time to go back to the basics.  Enjoy this experience as much as possible - hopefully this is the only time you'll be planning a wedding!  But if nothing seems to be working out, just breathe - at the end of the day you will still be wed to the one you love!

Resources for Brides and Grooms: 

I really love the idea behind the Engaged! Library by Perfect Wedding Guide.  This is an actual location in Homewood where they have samples and idea books from hundreds of different vendors for you to look through.  Green Bonus: Less driving around town and wasting gas!  Just keep in mind, that while there is plenty to look through, not every vendor in town is showcased at the Engaged! Library.

**PRO Tip: Not everyone who picks up a camera, or a flower, or a microphone is a wedding professional but there are plenty of people who will say they are!  Do your research and get referrals before signing a contract with a vendor, especially if their pricing is much lower than others.  Your wedding day is NOT the day you want to get what you pay for!!

Professional organizations are a great way to find reputable vendors.  Each wedding industry - florists, photographers, bakers - all have their own certifications and organizations that will help you know who has the real credentials. Also, for a local source, check out www.ALWEP.com - this is a group of event professionals in Alabama that have plenty of experience making wedding dreams come true!

Print: 
Birmingham Bridal Directory, Tuscaloosa Bridal Directory, North Alabama Bridal Directory, etc.
Perfect Wedding Guide 

Local Magazines: 

Alabama Weddings

Birmingham Magazine - Bi-annual Bridal Edition

Books: 

Hmm... I need to do more research on this one!

Online: 
FindAlabamaWeddingVendors
Alabama Bridal.com
Green Bride Guide

Wedding Wire

Martha Stewart Weddings - I <3 their daily inspiration emails!

The Knot
Blogs (like this one!) and endless online resources

Bridal Shows: 
Southern Bridal Show, Perfect Wedding Guide, or just search for one in your area

Podcasts:
Get Real! with Alabama Wedding Vendors - interviews about wedding planning with local wedding vendors

Once you find a vendor that you like and trust, ask for their recommendations of other vendors based on your needs.  These professionals work together every weekend and they see how events come together (or not) firsthand.