I'm a wedding planner. Ask me anything!

[AngryLizard]

Okay, GO!

[AIJ Alom]

1. how much per hour ?

[AngryLizard]

4. $40/hr, $45/hr for just the day of

But I'm in L.A.

[Worst Username Ever]

2. I need to buy a ring that looks like it is worth 20K but can only spend

2K. Not sure how to swing this.

[AngryLizard]

8. Find a store that sells estate jewelry

My wedding ring set is from the 40s, is pretty much covered in diamonds, and cost a fraction of the price of new jewelry.

[miss_kitty]

19. That's excellent advice.

It saves people from being murdered over diamonds in Sierra Leone, to buy old jewelry

[AngryLizard]

25. Yeah, and I get nothing but compliments on it

Because it looks so different from everyone else's.

[Carni]

3. How do you get a gig like that?

Seriously!

[AngryLizard]

I've been into event planning for 15 years

since college. I lost my job a few months ago, and decided to go into business for myself. My husband runs his own business as well, so I've had a great mentor and role model.

[Carni]

26. I would love to have a job like that

Seriously!

[RoundRockD]

5. Do you still cry at weddings? n/t

[AngryLizard]

10. I get close almost every single time

The bride walking down the aisle KILLS me.

[helnwhls]

6. is it true that the more over the top the actual wedding

the poopier the marriage?

I noticed that my couple friends who have tame ceremonies are the ones who are still married.

[AngryLizard]

13. As an ex-psychology student

I do think there is something to be said about over-compensation. I don't know if I'd say that over-the-top weddings mean a crappy relationship, but I do tend to worry when it looks like there's for more emphasis on the wedding than on the marriage.


(edited cause I didn't originally write what I meant)

[bloodyjack]

7. Does wedding enforcement enter into your job description?

Also can you KEEP specific people from getting married?

</stupid questions>

[AngryLizard]

14. Luckily, I've never had to face a situation

Where, I was like, omigod, these people shouldn't get married. Well, once, maybe. But the jury's still out on that one.

[Bunny]

9. Describe your worst Bridezilla experience, please. n/t

[AngryLizard]

16. I've been really, really lucky

Like REALLY lucky. There have been tantrums, but not directed at me. I had a bride a few months ago who missed her hair appointment and threw everything off-schedule by an hour and a half. She was so freaked out she went on a crying jag for a little while. One bride who was upset about her hair. Another about her makeup. Stuff like that. I've found that the big things can be held off at the pass just by my being there to listen, DOUBLE-CHECKING EVERYTHING, and padding the schedule to take care of any emergencies. Last week, I literally helped a florist re-do the bride's bouquet because I knew she wanted larger roses. You just have to be nice about these things.

Have you guys been watching Oxygen's real weddings with the knot? There was this woman - she had the fireworks at her reception - who was just AWFUL. Notice how her planner stayed out of her way?

[wtmusic]

11. How much for a plate of cocktail weenies? n/t

[AngryLizard]

17. Roughly $2.00 per piece

But if you go to Costco, far, far less.

[flvegan]

12. I need to find a nice girl

Well, not TOO nice (hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink, know what I mean). Maybe you don't plan THAT far in advance.

[AngryLizard]

18. I have a couple of single friends

But they live in San Diego and Washington, DC, respectively. What are your stats?

[flvegan]

28. Damn.

I'm in Tampa, Florida. Thanks, though.

[AngryLizard]

30. Yeah, all the single people I know in Florida

are gay men! Let me know if you're ever willing to move, though...

[flamingyouth]

15. Describe the ugliest bridesmaids dresses you've seen

[AngryLizard]

20. The ugliest ones are the ones I'VE had to wear

The worst was this little house on the prarie lacy white thing with a carnation head wreath.

These days, brides are very much into having their chicks wear either something really classy that they can wear again, and/or something that's going to look good in pictures.

[flamingyouth]

22. I had to wear a green shiny thing once in the early '90s

It vaguely resembled a Hefty yard waste bag.

[AngryLizard]

23. Yeah, mine was in the early 90s, too

And I think she still believes they were GORGEOUS. No accounting for taste.

[AngryLizard]

21. Kick! This is fun.

[AngryLizard]

24. Still Fun. KICK!

[bleedingheart]

27. Do you think long engagments tend to make weddings more expensive?

I was engaged and married in 4 months...and no it wasn't catered by Smith and Wesson...

I found that in just 4 mos I was able to get a nice dress, the church and the banquet hall all lined up... but I didn't have too much time to waste on frou frou...so I ended up spending a lot less than other people but still had a nice wedding...including a polka band (my family wouldn't have it any other way)

[AngryLizard]

29. Yes.

Most people have long engagements so that they can save up for an expensive wedding. But I'm not of the opinion that your wedding has to be expensive in order to be nice. There are SO many ways to cut costs if you want to.

[AngryLizard]

31. Bring on the questions!

I'm writing up a timeline, so I need something else to multi-task. Bring it!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

32. 1. What was the tackiest wedding that you have ever been involved with---

in terms of clothes, ceremony, music, decorations, etc.?

2. What wedding cliche would you like to see abolished?

[AngryLizard]

33. It's never been a matter of tacky, just choices

I wouldn't have personally made. Faded cotton bridesmaid dresses. Centerpieces that consisted of big glass bowls with red candles and gold glitter floating in them. I'm not a big fan of the cash bar, but it happens. Invitations that include a gift registration list. As a wedding planner, depending on when I come into the process, I can nip a lot of that stuff in the bud.

2. AS an ex-single chick, I'm not a big fan of the bouquet throw. No chance that's going to disappear anytime soon, though. ALTHOUGH, a lot of people are foregoing the follow-up of having the garter catcher put it on the bouquet catcher.