Decorating for weddings

I was in Dubuque yesterday, decorating for the Live Strong Lance Armstrong Gala to be held tonight.
I designed beautiful table centerpieces and was at the Grand River Center all day working on my creations. Many people popped in and out during the day, but the one comment that I seemed to hear the most was: "We have never seen the room look like this before! It is beautiful!"
Never?!!!!! I have a hard time believing that, but as my friend Amy pointed out, they probably hadn't seen anything so finished before. (If they thought the room was beautiful yesterday, just wait until Little Elf Event Producers finish with all of their room draping today---the room with look outstanding!)

The above comment (while it made me feel very nice), makes me feel very sad. Brides and grooms: getting married is an important occasion. You will probably not spend the amount of money or time and effort on another party in your lifetime like you are spending on your wedding. Don't you want it to be special? I am not talking about money, but effort and creativity. Show your individual style; make your wedding unique, create memories, not just let's-get-it-done whatever.

While I was working on a table, the facility wedding planner (that is what she calls herself, not my thoughts), walked a potential couple through the room. "This is where the cake goes, this is where we put the dance floor, we will set up your tables.....blah, blah, blah."
The groom asked, "Why do you put the cake in the corner?"
The facility coordinator (my choice of title) said, "That is where we always put it."

Whoa! Hold the line there folks! Whose wedding is this anyway? Why can't this couple put their cake where they want it? And why regulate the cake to the corner anyway---was it bad and needs a time out?

I felt so incredibly sad for this couple. Their wedding at that facility will be just like everyone else's wedding before them. A wedding planner? No! A facility coordinator. They get out their little templates and set the room like they have been taught. I am not sure if they know how to transform your ideas into reality. They are not planning your wedding, they execute the facilities floor plan. They are hired and paid by the venue where your wedding is being held. If you want a planner who will have your best interests at heart, then hire someone who cares solely for you. The Grand River coordinator boasted that they had 5 weddings last week. Do you honestly think that she had time to plan and coordinate and execute all 5 weddings to the desires and specifications of the 5 couples? Think again. One floor plan, one wedding---just 5 different color schemes and 10 different faces.

If you want your wedding to be separate from the norm---hire a wedding planner that cares about you, not the venue's table count.