Let there be peace!

One of the best compliments that I have received was from one of the owners of a large rental company when she asked me to assist her with her daughter's wedding celebration. Being in the business, Susie had seen many stressful situations and meltdowns in her showroom and she was hoping that she and her daughter could avoid these not-so-fun times. This what prompted her to call upon me!

With so many details, so many opinions, a long wish list and a limited budget AND the fact that we are bringing two families together who normally have not worked together before...all of these components can sometimes create awkward and stressful situations. As the event planner, I come to this celebration in a neutral position with the goal to make this celebration everything that the couple has imagined it would be and to fulfill those lifelong dreams of parents.

So often, I have found myself in the middle and I have become the mediator. When I work with my clients, I develop a very detailed tentative itinerary early on during the planning time. When I sit down to create the first draft of this complex event, I want to be sure that no one is feeling rushed, that everyone's comfort level has been met, that dreams are going to unfold and the that all the details are accounted for. This detailed itinerary allows us all to have a really good "peek"  of the special day...and it also allows us ample time to make revisions that may be needed.

Last year, I had another mother-daughter team with different ideas of how to prepare for the wedding day. It was the mother's dream to have her daughter and her bridal party get ready at their family home. This meant that a decent amount of time would be needed for commuting. It always makes me nervous to have bridal parties "in motion" the day of the wedding...I guess I am like a mother hen...I like all the "chicks" in one spot, together and relaxed AND where I can monitor them.

After much discussion and a little disappointment for the mother of the bride, it was decided that all the ladies would be getting ready at the hotel close to where the wedding ceremony and the reception would take place. Immediately, I sensed a big relief from the bride...the mother, not so much...that was until the day of the wedding THEN the mother of the bride told me, "This was the best idea ever!!! What was I thinking!!!"

Sometimes it is not until after the event that people put it all into prospective. My earlier client , Susie, told me after her daugher's wedding, "Carolyn, I have a new ad for you...there are three stick figures and you are in the middle and the bride is one side, the mother is on the other side. The bride tells Carolyn and Carolyn tells the mother...the mother tells Carolyn and Carolyn tells the bride!" Susie told me that with me holding the neutral ground in the middle to sort out details and to think rationally, it saved mother and daughter from many a heated discussion!

It is not only the creative process of event planning that I love , but probably even more rewarding is the problem solving that goes on. The ulimtate reward for me is creating unique and personalized events where come the day of the wedding, everyone is delighted and at peace with one another! 

...maybe it is because I lived and embraced the 70's ..but the price of PEACE...I think it is priceless!