Monday, August 28, 2006

wedding planner #2- Susan

I was on such a high...seriously, after Shawn, nothing could touch me! I was so convinced that my budget was completely fine for the wedding we want to have and that of course, everyone would agree right? No. I was fine until I met Susan. I should have known when I walked into her 5th ave office that this was NOT going to be cheap. She has an amazing space, very modern, very very cool and she's an interesting lady, who has been doing this for a very long time. I thought she was a little over the top with her short short bonde hair with pink tips,but whatever, I thought she was going to be very fun to work with. I sat down and she asked the dreaded question..."what's the budget?" I wish wish wish I could've told her, $250,000 or even $150,000, but I couldn't. AND! I don't want that...That is NOT OK! It is not normal or ok to spend that much on a wedding...MY BUDGET is not normal...It's too high in my opinion, but I guess when you dive into the $77billion dollar industry that is weddings, things change a little.

Anyway, she asked, I told, she stopped. Her words were, "I wish I would have asked you that before you came here." He fees are around $25,000. Which in her opinion wouldn't leave much for my wedding and especially NOT in Manhattan. I don't believe everyone who gets married spends over $100,000 on their weddings...I just don't! COME ON!

I refuse to get married in a catering hall or ballroom of a hotel...NO way in hell, AND NOT IN JERSEY OR LONG ISLAND! I mean, if the St. Regis by some miracle decides to grant me my wish, then fine, but otherwise, no way. I made the mistake of buying NJ Weddings Magazine...wow! Can we say wedding factories! Holy crap! I'm sure they do an awesome job, but our wedding is so far from traditional that it would be wierd...

ANyway, she had some good ideas, but ultimately said she couldn't really help us, but that she really liked us and wished the best.

So it wasn't a total wash. We got one amazing idea from her and we are most likely using it, so hey, it was worth it.

One more meeting on Thursday with Francesca...She is in our budget...I asked. So we'll see, but I'm get more and more antsy to talk to Shawn again.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do you really even need a wedding planner? My sister just got married and me and a close friend had a blast helping her plan hers. Check out wedding sites online to steal tips and make lists, lists and more lists. Other than the wedding itself, you'll have some awesome memories of making the whole thing happen. We've got pictures to prove all the crazy, frustrating, hair-pulling-out moments but it was totally worth it! Good luck and congratulations!

Anonymous said...

Honestly...this sounds pretty ridiculous. My friends spent $40,000 on a wedding here in KC and they had everything they wanted. They didn't use a wedding planner either. Is everything harder in NYC? You have to hire someone to help you with everything and pay them horrendous amounts of money. Not my kind of place...

NotCarrie said...

WHOA! That's insane. Maybe I should be a wedding planner.

The Team said...

unforunately it IS harder here...take everything that exists down south and then tack 40% onto it in NYC...uhmm yeh...that'll jack up the price! ANd with hiring a wedding planner...I do events for a living...I do more events than I'd like to admit and the one event I want to enjoy is my wedding. I don't want to be worrying about the flowers and negotiating contracts. Whoever the planner will be will save my life in so many ways! He/she is a tiny part of the bill anyway...When it comes down to it, they'll probably save me their fee in contracts they negotiate. That is their job afterall.

benilhalk said...

Truly a nice article! My sister is getting married and she has hired a popular party planner for her big day. Currently they are helping my sister with venue hunting. She has prepared a list of best LA venues within her wedding budget and will book one from them.