In this post, I am going to discuss something near and dear to my heart … event planner software. I know having this level of emotion for something so mundane and inert may sound a bit crazy, but bear with me. I have been building and marketing wedding planning software and event planner software for the last year or so. With that said, it probably makes more sense as to my level of feelings for the topic.
This short post is directed at the wedding consultants and event planners out there who are looking for tools to help them serve their clients better and be more efficient and organized. Although many of you might think that being a wedding professional or event planner might be a breeze, think again. Your job is to please your clients and deliver the event of their dreams, and usually this is no small order. To accomplish this, you have to coordinate lots of vendors and hundreds of details while juggling multiple events at the same time. It’s a tough job, and only those with a passion for it do it well.
With that said, any tools or resources that can help planners become more efficient is a godsend. And event planner software is such a tool, so when considering this software, planners need to remember a few things.
1. Look for tools that work with your existing setup – There’s no need to go out and buy a computer to fit the software, as there are plenty of software options that are compatible with PCs and/or Macs.
2. Look for tools that help you with both events and your business – Calendars, guest/attendee list managers, venue managers and other tools for managing an event are great, but it’s also very helpful to have tools for managing your business details, including proposals, invoices, finances, budgets, contact and vendor lists, etc.
3. Look for tools that can grow with your business – Some software programs might work great right now, but will they expand as your business grows? Make sure the software you use can expand as your needs grow.
4. Pay for something that’s good – There are certain things you save money on, but business software isn’t one of them. It’s better to buy what you need and what will help you than to go cheap and discover that it won’t do half of what you want. Plus, a good piece of software can actually save you time and money, so it’s worth the investment.
5. Make sure the software has customer support – You never know when you might need some help or when the software develops a bug or two (all software has bugs now and then), so make sure the software you buy is backed by customer support.
P.S. Now that we’re talking about software, I wanted to recommend a nifty little piece of email software called Atomic Mail … very affordable and capable email software for marketing your products and services.
Getting your wedding decor just right can make all the difference in transforming your venue into a wedding wonderland, and flowers are often at the center of wedding decor. Beautiful floral arrangements can not only embellish your ceremony venue but also give your reception venue a breath of life and vibrancy.
If you’re anything like me, what I know about flowers is what my mom and grandmother told me as a child when I was being roped into weeding their flowerbeds. I can tell a rose from a mum from a tulip, but that’s probably the extent of my flower knowledge. With that said, it’s critical to hire a flower shop to give you the direction and guidance you need to make the right choices for your wedding.
To prep for your visits to your area flower shops, it’s best to have at least a general idea about your wedding colors. In fact, I would recommend that you don’t nail down your wedding colors until you talk to a florist or two, because the ideas and recommendations they may have can help you form a better opinion about your wedding colors and how flowers can bring those colors to the fore.
Also, when scouting out florists, make sure they have wedding experience, because preparing and delivering wedding flowers has its own set of demands and requirements. You should definitely ask for quotes based on your budget and even have them provide several options to you so that you have some choice among types of flowers and arrangements. The one nice thing about flowers is that this aspect of your wedding is entirely customizable, meaning that you can have any kind of flowers arranged in any way you want, so it’s always smart to have several meetings with a florist to confirm what you want and what will be delivered (and, again, make sure you get it all in writing and only put down a deposit of no more than half of the entire cost … and pay the other half upon delivery).
Finally, inquire if your flower shop is using flower shop software to keep them on track and organized. Flower shop software / florist software isn’t always used by shops, but those who use it may be able to provide you with more services (such as the ability to manage your account online, view delivery schedules and share ideas and photos with your florist via the flower shop software program). This isn’t a must, but it might give you additional confidence in hiring the flower shop that’s right for you.
Been a while since I last posted, but no time like the present to dole out some advice on reception music.
Groomasaurus Gal and I decided to forego any DJ or band and use mixes that we put together and play them via our iPod. This is an excellent choice for those brides and grooms who are music aficionados and want to control the flow of music themselves. (Just a side note … instead of making mixes on the iPod itself, I used professional DJ management software called Traktor to mix all my music beforehand). However, a few things to be aware of when taking this route.
Create several types of mixes – The mood of the party may change, so you need to have mixes for every mood and vibe and be able to change these out on the fly.
Create enough music for twice the allotted time you have – To ensure you have enough tunes, make sure you have at least twice what you need. So if your dinner lasts 2 hours, have enough dinner music for 4. If your reception dance time is 3 hours, have enough music for 6.
Choose music that you and your guests both like – Ideally you want everyone at your wedding to enjoy the music, so try to find music that everyone will respond to. And if musical tastes vary to the extreme, try to find some middle ground or even devote certain times of the evening to certain types of music.
If you don’t want to deal with selecting music and want to leave this to the professional, hiring a DJ is a great idea, and here are a few things to find out when you’re screening and hiring a professional DJ.
1) Do they have a specialty in weddings? Some DJs are great at playing clubs but don’t quite have the presence for weddings. Make sure your DJ has wedding experience and the presence to pull off a wedding.
2) Do they have the right equipment (and does it gel with your venue)? Ask about their equipment and their setup, and see if it is feasible for your venue.
3) Will they accommodate to your style of music and needs? Whatever style of music you want to have played (rock, country, pop, dance, etc.), find out if the DJ can play that style. Also, if you have any special requests or activities, ask if they can handle those.
4) Can they act as the emcee for the reception? Some DJs only play music, so if you need the DJ to serve as the emcee and announce the wedding party, make announcements throughout the night, etc, make this a requirement.
5) How do they charge and when does the clock start running? Many DJs will charge a flat fee for a setup and a certain number of hours. Also, find out what any overage/extra hours charges in case the party goes longer than expected.
6) Find out about deposits and cancellations – Ask if they require a deposit and if it is refundable. Also, find out if they allow cancellations and how late you can cancel.
7) Will they play your CDs? If you have specially requested music you want them to play, find out if they will play it or if they stick to their own program.
What will they be wearing? Your DJ is going to be front and center, so they need to dress the part. Learn about what they will wear and let them know about any special attire requests you may have.
That’s enough to get your started. Finally, if your a DJ and need help managing your business, here’s a site that describes DJ booking software and DJ management software products.
If you’re getting married and have started to explore wedding-related sites, you already know there are tons of sites out there that sell lots of absolute crap (and look more than a bit sketchy doing it). This is what makes Top Notch Gift Shop and the people there such a breath of fresh air.
First of all, they started their site as a home-based business back in 1999 (which is ancient for the Web, BTW, so they have a long track record) for much the same reason that I have started online businesses – because they didn’t like how existing sites were serving customers and thought they could do it much better. And even though they now operate out of a much bigger warehouse in northern CA, they still provide people with personal service and offer some great wedding gifts.
Whether you’re a bride and groom looking for gifts for bridesmaids, groomsmen and parents (or for each other), or if you’re a wedding guest looking for a gift for the happy couple, you will get some great ideas at Top Notch Gift Shop that you likely wouldn’t find elsewhere. For example, I was just browsing through their online store and found this awesome Dom Perignon Champagne Gift Basket for the happy couple as well as this nifty Groom’s Survival Kit (it has everything you need on your wedding night/weekend except the requisite protection). And, if you’re looking for bridesmaid gifts or groomsmen gifts, you’re sure to find something cool and unique on their site (heck, they even have Jeff Gordon steak brands for branding your ribeyes as well as cufflinks made from an actual seat from Yankee Stadium).
So, if you have a few minutes, wander on over to their site and give them a visit … you’ll definitely find something you didn’t know existed (and will definitely want to have).
(BTW, in case you are curious, this is not a sponsored post … I simply thought their site stuck out from all the fluff I see everyday online and was worth talking about.)
Not everybody changes their last name … my wife kept her last name (mostly because the end result would have given her initials that mirror an unfortunate acronym). However, most brides do change their name, as do some grooms (via hyphenation). But regardless of who you are, there’s quite a bit to do when changing your name, as discussed in this article on the name change process.
I spoke with the folks over at MissNowMrs.com, a Web-based service that takes care of all the name-change paperwork and details for you, and they said that you don’t really need to wait until after your wedding to begin the name change process. This process includes tracking down the dozens of required forms as well as completing and filing each and every state and U.S. government form and sending notification letters to all of your creditors. Sounds like a pain, huh?
Enter MissNowMrs.com. It was specifically created to save you the hours of time digging for information and forms, to offer you a fun, stress-free transition from Miss…to…Mrs.! Whether you are in the planning stages of your wedding, are now celebrating being a newlywed OR even if you have even been married for years, you can complete MissNowMrs.com’s 3 easy step solution: Questions, Forms, File! After you register with them, you have up to 6 months to access your online account with them, so that you can complete your forms at your leisure.
If you want an easier way to a new name, stop by their Web site or drop them a line at 800.301.9296.
You know how sometimes you speak to a person on the phone numerous times but never see their face and wonder what the heck that person looks like, or you read their words either here on the Web or in a book or magazine but would love to hear their voice to get a better sense of how they sound. Well, the Wedding Podcast Network is a great place to go to hear hundreds of experts in the wedding industry talk about the ins and outs of weddings … and as of this past weekend, you can hear me there, too.
They were kind enough to pick my brain for 45 mins or so and actually record and publish the session on their site for all the world to hear. The host Robert and I basically chatted about a groom’s place in planning a wedding and what we guys can help with, plus I shared some recent data on engaged couples that can help give grooms and brides a sense of what’s happening with other couples. Here’s the Groomasaurus podcast for grooms, and you can find lots of other great audio podcasts from true wedding celebrities on their Web site.
Also, if you’re a groom and are trying to come up with a unique way to make your half of the wedding attire come to life, there’s a site where you can actually design your own men’s custom dress shirts. It’s called Blank Label, and you should drop by and check it out … however, be careful, because you’ll find their online design tools addictive, and once your shirt is designed, you’ll definitely want at least one.
With the sheer tonnage of wedding-related resources and sites on the Web, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and find yourself spinning in circles. When we were planning our wedding, it was my job to be “technology guru” and find all the possible techy wedding resources that could help us, and, believe me, there’s an ungodly amount of stuff (and lots of it not so helpful).
However, amidst all the noise, I did find a great wedding forum site that’s really focused on helping out both brides/grooms as well as wedding vendors (including consultants, venues, caterers, florists, DJs, officiants, etc.) It’s called BridalTweet, and I think it stands head-and-shoulders above any of the forums you will find on bigger sites because it’s community of brides/grooms and vendors is really tight-knit and willing to go above and beyond to help each other out. Oh, and it’s free to sign up and use (a big plus).
Any brides or grooms who sign up on the site can immediately find lots of contests and giveaways; local vendors; free wedding advice via the forums; and really useful wedding ideas and inspiration. And for vendors, there’s free ways to promote your services; networking with other vendors; helpful business advice for vendors; and discussion forums where you can get great advice and share ideas with other vendors. Plus you can create or join topical groups, create your own blog and much more.
I encourage you to stop by BridalTweet today and discover a place where you can learn from other couples and vendors and join an online community that really cares.
When you think of weddings, the groom isn’t the first person you would associate with wedding planning … but sites like TheManRegistry.com are helping grooms get in the planning mode. I recently came into contact with the guys over at TheManRegistry.com, and they’ve created a pretty cool one-stop shop for everything a guy could possibly need while getting ready to take the plunge. While the main attraction of the site is a wedding registry for grooms, The Man registry also offers content, local wedding guides for men and groomsmen gifts. They’ve also got a pretty funny promo video, so check it out.
One of the coolest things about The Man Registry is that all of their products make great gift ideas – even if you aren’t buying for a groom, or if you’re a groom looking for cool stuff for your groomsmen. Chris Easter, one of the co-founders of TMR pointed out these three products as huge sellers during the Christmas holiday season:
RC Cooler – A real, working remote control beer cooler. This baby holds a 12 pack plus ice making trips to the kitchen or garage for beer a thing of the past.
NCAA Grill Toppers – Grill your favorite NCAA team’s logo right into the burger, steak or chicken that you’re grilling. Over 30 popular teams are available.
Countertop Slider Grill – Create perfect mini-burgers in your own home with this genius counter-top slider grill.
Just wanted to let you all know about a few helpful resources I’ve run into recently…
Christine Dyer has recently launched a free wedding directory and community called Bridal Tweet, where brides (and grooms, too) can receive free wedding gifts and favors, create their own page, post blog listings, chat with each other in helpful forums and much more. Excellent site, Christine.
I also recently sent out my wedding invitation in electronic style (part of our effort to save paper and reduce our wedding’s carbon footprint). We used a site called Pingg, which lets you send out invitations (both electronic and printed, if you desire) for all sorts of events, including weddings. I found the interface to be a tad limiting, as I wasn’t able to enter in as much copy in the actual email invitation as I would have liked. But I’m splitting hairs a bit, and overall it did the job, plus it has a nifty online RSVP tracking system that alerts me every day as to how many RSVPs came in over the previous 24 hours. Solid job.
Finally, there’s a very cool site for the budget-conscious bride called BrideShare. It implements community features to let brides reach out to each other who might want to share wedding decorations or other wedding items, split the cost of them or resell wedding items. Great way to conserve dollars and the environment.
Hi. My name is Jeff, and Groomasaurus Gal and I have decided to share the experience of planning a wedding together. We figured if we can do this without driving each other nuts, than our relationship can survive pretty much anything. And since I'm the talker in the relationship, I decided to document our wacky, unconventional journey toward the figurative altar.
Drop me a line
I'd love to hear any stories, ideas or tips you may have related to planning a wedding (this includes any superstar wedding vendors or must-have products that are too cool for school). Just e-mail me at groomasaurus {at} gmail {dot} com
Groomasaurus Gal and I used the My Wedding Workbook system to plan all our events. It's a complete, easy-to-use online wedding planner and gives you all the tools and resources in one place so you can plan your dream wedding.
And for wedding consultants, there's My Wedding Workbook Pro, the wedding planner software for professionals.
What will they be wearing? Your DJ is going to be front and center, so they need to dress the part. Learn about what they will wear and let them know about any special attire requests you may have.
