We have video!

So some time ago, I lamented the lack of videography in our budget. And while some folks are having (or had) no video at their weddings, the majority vote is still for having it. Either you had it and you’re so happy you did, or you didn’t and it’s one of your biggest regrets. And those videos…. they haunted me. I became determined.

Then I found an inexpensive videographer through the hive and tried hooking up with them. Alas, this was not meant to be. The vendor never returned my inquiries and I got frustrated all over again.

One night, I actually snapped. I had come to far to just give up and there simply had to be a solution somewhere. I scoured the internet high and low for a while. And then I found this.

At this point I had already submitted pricing requests to 5 or 6 other vendors. The answer always came back with them already being booked (and no pricing info) or pricing information that was seriously out of my reach. Ho hum. Still, I was pretty immune at this point and I fired an inquiry off to Christina Keane.

What happened next is my own little video miracle! She was available…. and AFFORDABLE. It turns out, she is young and just starting out so her rates are within reach. We set a date to meet, I got her contract, and I wasted no time at all filling it out and returning it to her with my deposit.

Hive, we have video!

Tell me about your personal vendor triumphs. I want to share joy today!

Serendipty or insanity? The answer.

So here’s the thing. Not so very long ago, I was super excited with the prospect of helping someone start a business as well as getting some less expensive service on my wedding day. And the truth is, I’d kind of decided to go for it before I hit publish on that post. So I did (go for it, that is).

And I’m not saying that it necessarily was a bad idea. It just turns out that this particular vendor and I didn’t work out. And so I’d like to point out something important to all of you.

Please please please (I cannot possibly say please enough here) do not hire a vendor without a contract. Lucky for me, I learned my lesson a long time ago. (Remember my venue? Right.) But this girl was just starting her business and didn’t understand yet the importance a contract truly has. And that’s fine. But I’m still not hiring a vendor without a contract. Period.

Here is my PSA to the hive. A contract not only protects you, but it protects the vendor as well. It clearly lays out prices so both parties are always on the same page. And it outlines what happens if the customer’s needs change and/or the vendor’s needs change. That way there is never a question of “You said this would cost less!” or “I thought your wedding started at 5:00 not 2:00!” Or worse yet, a vendor never showing up, or showing up only to find another vendor doing their job. Seriously you all, this is important stuff.

A basic contract is easy for a vendor to draft up and should be a baseline requirement for any service you wish to have on your wedding day. You won’t get another chance at this day, so don’t take a gamble and let the chips fall where they may.

As for the original makeup artist? I truly wish her nothing but the best in life and for her business And I honestly hope no one ever has to learn a lesson about the importance of contracts the hard way.

Do you have contracts with all of your vendors?

Don’t forget to flush

So, a while ago the hive convinced me that videography is pretty important most of the time. And then, trough the hive, I discovered a videographer whose style is perfect and who was in my price range! I was sure it was serendipity. Well, and the awesomosity of Wedding Bee.

As you can see, I was excited. Ecstatic even. But I had one more hurdle to go. (Or so I thought.) I had to get Mr. Lox to buy into videography, quite literally. One weekend as we were setting off to go somewhere in the car together, I carefully brought it up to him. I tried to be neutral and honestly see where he is on the issue, because I truly didn’t want him to feel bullied or pushed into this. He listened and turned to me at the next red light. And asked how much.

I’m sure there were a lot of things I thought he might say here… “You want to spend more money???” or “Will you drop this already?” But instead he said… “How much will it cost?”

Okay, so this could still lead somewhere bad. So I quoted him the price from the vendor the hive sent me. He shrugged and told me sure, book them. He thought I was going to quote a much higher number. The price was fine. Go for it. I was surprised. When we got home I gave him another chance to change his mind when I asked if he wanted to see an example. He was game, so I showed him another bride’s video. He liked it! I was getting my videographer!

The next day I was so excited! I fired off an inquiry to the vendor first thing. And then I waited. And waited. And waited. I believe I then waited some more. Okay, I really only waited for five days. But seriously, five days without even a how-de-do? So I emailed again, gently reminding them that this was my second request.

You already got the waiting routine down. I waited another three days until I realized I wasn’t going to get an answer. Not ever. And my dream of a beautiful highlight video and ceremony and reception footage was in the crapper.

 

This is how I feel, pictured with the aforementioned crapper. Click for source.

 

 

I have since mounted a search. And it seems there are two kinds of videographers in my general vicinity. Those that I can afford but don’t like. And those that I like but can’t afford. Wait, I lied… there are three. The third is the kind I like and can afford but that can’t be bothered to get back to me. Three types then.

So now I’m just kind of sad and defeated. I get that I could have raw footage for cheap. But what I really want is some edited footage and then a gorgeous highlight video set to music. And if that’s not going to come, then I’d rather not spend on something else. And I can’t ask a friend. I mean, I could. But I don’t want to have someone staring at the day through a lens instead of experiencing it firsthand. So I think my dream has slipped through my fingers. And I am sad sad sad.

Did you ever have a vendor just completely flake out? Tell me I’m not alone here.

Serendipity or insanity?

I’m not sure yet if this is serendipity or insanity. Maybe the hive can help me decide?

The other day I was at one of my favorite craft shops (name removed to protect folks in the rest of this post). I shopped and shopped and shopped, and then headed for the checkout lines. When I got there, I was surprised to see one line had a customer just finishing up with no one behind her, and the others were all a few people deep. So I got in the short line smiling at my luck. Well, that and the fact that everything in my cart was on sale so it didn’t matter that I’d forgotten my coupon. Anyhow, the customer in front of me and the girl working the checkout were having a conversation which I really couldn’t help but eavesdrop in on.

They were talking about the cashier’s side business. The cashier was saying that they are trying to get more well-known, especially with brides. My interest was piqued. But I couldn’t tell what kind of business they were discussing. At first I thought it was something crafty, I mean we were in a craft store and all. Then I wasn’t so sure. Then the cashier was saying how they also do parties and lessons. And I was just no closer to figuring this out. Being nosey was totally backfiring on me!

Finally, the customer was getting ready to go, and she said how great they cashier’s eye makeup looked. For the record, it was awesome. Of course! The cashier is a makeup artist with a brand new business! And what is the one vendor I am still without? You know. A makeup artist.

So I told the girl about my wedding and got her information. That night, a quick search in Google revealed the business is definitely new. So new that it has no web presence yet. So I have no reviews or anything to try to sift through. But the timing on this is just so amazing. I mean, I’ve just been starting to sweat over this makeup thing. (Please don’t say DIY it. I’m so so hopeless.) I feel like fate, or the universe, or whatever has sort of dropped her in my lap.

So hive, the question is this: Is it the happiest accident that I found this girl? Or is it absolutely insane to book a vendor just starting out for a very important day? What do you think?

I am not a llama

(And isn’t that good to know? But I digress.)

So with our venue saga at last resolved,  I thought I’d take an opportunity to point out that I am not a constant drama llama.

And no, my name is NOT Alex. Click for source.

So right, onto a vendor we booked easily. Our officiant.

Now, I know so far this blog has been about paper flowers, craft supplies, and having an aisle to walk down. In fact, when I put it that way, I’m not at all proud of myself. Not even a little. I mean, yes… I want our wedding and subsequent party to be beautiful and memorable. But my single biggest priority, the one thing I’ve cared about above all others? Is the ceremony.

Now let’s stop and have a few facts about me. I’m a sucker for all weddings. Traditional vows, bridal marches, and father/daughter dances make me cry. But so do quirky additions, touches that have meaning to a couple, and personalized ceremonies. Silly readings, funny vows, ceremony components I’ve never seen before, and oh my the nontraditional music! I swoon. In fact lately, I’ve been crying over pop music string quartet samples on the internet. But that, my friends, is a story for another day. Back to ceremonies.

I knew from the very start that I wanted ours to be unique to us and to have special meaning. While traditional vows are gorgeous and super-rich in meaning, I wanted to stray off the beaten path. And if you add in the fact that I’ve said the traditional vows before, maybe it’s not so hard to understand. So Mr. Lox and I scoured through officiants on the internet until we came up with a handful that through reviews and examples and the perfect alignment of the moon seemed to be likely to meet our needs.

One sunny Monday we took a drive and met with one of these fine folks. And that was all she wrote. We clicked. She understood us. And before we left her home, she had already suggested at least two components for our ceremony that I was flat out in love with. One of which being the stones I’ve talked about before. So we got home, signed the contract, and snatched her up before anyone else had the chance. It was quick, it was easy, and it was llama free.

See? I’m not always a difficult customer! Did you find some vendors easier to book than others? Did you ever just click and hire the first person you met, or are you reading in abject horror at our implusiveness?

Blowing the Budget (except not really)

So, I think I’ve mentioned before that we’re on a budget here, right? I mean, we’re funding this shindig ourselves and all things wedding are unaccountably expensive. So yes, the money… she is tight. Which makes the next thing I’m about to say make absolutely no sense.

I hired another vendor. A not entirely necessary vendor. A vendor who does, in fact, charge money. That’s right, I hired a Day of Coordinator!

Now, before you think I’ve lost my very last marble, let me explain. It was 9 months before our wedding and already, I knew that there is tons of set up to do before the ceremony. Then there will be decorations to herd from the ceremony location (errrr, side of the restaurant) to the reception location (other side of the restaurant). There will be things to force on explain to the guests. There will be details to manage. I was starting to get dizzy thinking of how to do as much as possible myself and who I was going to ask to manage those details which cannot be managed solely by me. It was stressing me out. NINE MONTHS IN ADVANCE.

This will not be me. Click for source.

So I said to myself… “Self? If this is bothering you this much now, how bad will it actually be by the time the wedding gets here?” Myself made some discouraging faces and odd clucking sounds. Then I thought about how our timeline would work and who would tell the guests where to go and when, and how I would know my cake was on the right table… and I knew myself was right. It was time to hire someone to manage my details.

So what does this mean? It means I will still be picking vendors and coming up with sparkly ideas for our day. I will still attempt to wield a glue gun. I will still stress over music selections. But on the day of my wedding? Someone else will tend to those details. Someone else will make up a timeline and make everyone adhere to it. Someone else will make sure the cake looks right. (Ask me someday about the cake at my first wedding… I dare you!) Someone else will tell people to sign the guestbook. And me myself and I will be free as a bird to enjoy my day.

At least, that’s how it goes in my head. Hopefully the recommendation I got for this woman and the check wrote her will ensure that I’m right.

Has anyone else hired a Day of Coordinator? If not, did you wish you had? Or are you still going to (or not)? Tell me about it.