Time and time again I get asked how I "do" weddings every day. (no pun intended)
Truthfully, it can be challenging sometimes but for the most part it is exciting, rewarding and simply..a lot of fun.
It's a time in a couple's life that is very unique. They may have experiences that repeat themselves as they plan out their life; they may buy more than one home over the years, they may have more than one pet as time passes, they may travel to the same place over and over again...but planning their wedding day comes around only once to the two of them.
And it is in fact, a journey of sorts. A journey that becomes a learning experience like no other. It can be tough for them especially when purchasing the large quantity of products and services required for one single event is a task that most have never had to do. It can be scary and stressful for some trying to juggle their full time jobs, seek out a new home, appease both sets of families...and at the same time... be happily in love the whole time.
I find myself often discussing "the wedding" in its entirety with my clients rather than just talking about the flowers and décor. Being a certified wedding planner, I am always very interested in other aspects of their wedding day as well and connecting with the couple on a personal level tends to help relax them a little bit. Most come to me feeling quite overwhelmed and insecure even before we get started because let's face it, most people no very little about flowers and to think they have to put a plan together for a whole wedding day of flowers can be extremely daunting. I definitely try to keep it real, straight forward and frankly as simple as possible. I figure it's certainly not in my best interest to make them feel inadequate, unprepared or unknowledgeable when they are already nervous. No one needs to become a floral expert in one day and no question is a silly one. Validate them, their concerns, their questions and you will gain their trust. Which, by the way is what I am really selling. Trust. And many so desperately want to trust their vendors because they know they can't pull this off without their help and the help of so many others. Taking advantage of their vulnerability is certainly not cool in my books and definitely not my style at all. That's just cruel.
You're probably thinking, "Ah c'mon Ester, I've heard about those bridezillas.." Let me just put that terrible branding to rest once and for all. If a client who happens to be a bride, tends to be difficult or choosy or seemingly not happy with any suggestions you make, it's not because they are a bride necessarily. Believe me, I have several customers who are like that all the time. So more accurately the term should be customerzilla. If you are in any type of service industry, you will understand what I mean and you know the ones. Labeling brides so distastefully is a real shame. In my opinion, it's not a bride thing..it's a customer thing. and if you can't handle that kind of client, then you're not right for your industry. I take those moments as a challenge to overcome. Usually killing them with kindness and bringing down the stress stirring within them, allows their guard to soften and in the end, they are not as bad as they may first come across, brides, grooms and regular customers alike.
Weddings are special. For a couple, for a family, for friends, it's an event that stirs the deepest of emotions. There is something magical about them. I am not typically a froo-froo kind of person with my head in the clouds but I am admittedly a hopeless romantic. And perhaps that is exactly why I do weddings. I'm the one that waits for the big kiss at the end of a movie. I absolutely love that kind of ending.
For me, weddings mean more than just two people promising themselves to each other. Weddings signify hope in a cynical world, they signify honour in a deceitful world, they signify altruism in a grossly selfish world and they do signify love in a hateful and angry world.
As long as their are people willing to get married and maybe even plan a wedding celebration, there is hope for humanity.
My name is Ester and I do weddings.
