The Knot Best of 2012 PICK!

We are proud to announce that The Wedding Dr.,Your Michigan Wedding and Event Planning Specialist has been named as one of           the Knot best of wedding's 2012!

Thank you to all of our clients this last year who made it possible. Looking forward to an awesome 2012! Hope to see you all looking and feeling your best on your wedding day. Be a guest at your wedding, hire a Wedding Planner today!

With lots of Love,
The Wedding Dr.
Calondra Hodgin
248.660.9119
Whatever you want your day to be the Dr. is in....

Wedding 911

You've probably heard Murphy's Law, which states that if something can go wrong, it most certainly will. That's sadly true for weddings especially, when so many details have to go right all at once. The months of planning have all led to one day, and it's a day that seems just too tempting a target for Murphy's Law not to strike.

But that doesn't mean you can't do anything about it, despite it, or to solve it, either. The truth is, a lot of common wedding day emergencies are easily avoidable. And many of the ones that aren't have quick, easy and cheap solutions.

Solutions for Stains and Blotches on The Wedding & Bridesmaids Dresses

There's probably nothing more likely to inspire panic in a bride than red wine on her wedding dress, either after but especially before the ceremony. Deal with it by dabbing the stained area with a white cloth, then pouring club soda over the stain, and dabbing some more. Don't try to rub the wine out, as this will only grind the liquid into the material.

For greasy food stains, soak up the oils by liberally sprinkling the area with talcum powder or baking soda.

Lipstick stains are intimidating, but they're not invincible. As with the food stain, soak up the oil with baking soda or talcum powder and brush away any excess once the powder has soaked up the grease. You can use a chalk or white acrylic paint to disguise any leftover discoloration.

Of course, the best cleaning is still done by a professional dry cleaner. If you've got time, it's better to hand the dress to professionals than attempt a triage.

Solutions for makeup and minor emergencies

Forewarned is forearmed. Expect some problem with the makeup (it's an emotional time, after all, and any one of a number of things can go wrong.) and pack accordingly. In a special box designated for the purpose, gather the following items together: concealer, lip color, foundation, a powder compact, makeup remover, non acetone fingernail polish remover, an emery board, mascara, and makeup remover. You should also include, just in case, a tube of super glue, a needle and thread, and a bottle of aspirin or ibuprofen. Travel sized versions of all these items are available very cheaply at almost any drug store. With your "first aid kit" so established, you'll be ready for any number of corrections, fixes, or triage.

One common emergency is the bride finding her hair isn't styled as she'd wanted the day of the wedding, either from hairdresser nervousness or her own confusion about directions. To avoid this painful, awkward situation, schedule a rehearsal session with the stylist about a month before the wedding, and take photos of all sides of the hairstyle you want. Then, the morning of the wedding, bring the pictures back and have your hair done exactly so.

For the groom's hair, get them to a haircut the day before or the day of the wedding. They might choose to go with their groomsmen, making an excursion together.

Solutions for Food and Drink Problems At the Wedding

If your guests turn out to be a hard-partying crowd, you might need to send a groomsman or family member out on a liquor and beer run. Make sure you know the location of the nearest package goods store. It's a good idea to set aside an emergency fund for just this occasion: a hundred bucks should more than cover the necessary bar reinforcements.

Dealing with a hungry crowd when the food is already gone is a trickier matter. If your catering agreement allows, you might order some more appetizers, or serve dessert earlier. In general, though, if a guest complains about the food, you shouldn't let it get you down. You've entertained a huge crowd, and there's never any such thing as ever pleasing anyone. So do what you can, but don't worry about it.

Avoiding Honeymoon Disasters

The secret to a smooth honeymoon is anticipating problems and eliminating them before they have a chance to trouble you and your new spouse. Make copies of your identification (including passports) and credit cards, and store them separately in your luggage and with family members. This will let you more easily replace them if they're lost.

If you're traveling overseas, get familiar with the destination by studying its news and contacting the city's chamber of commerce. The United States State Department frequently issues advisories about areas of the world where Americans should take caution while traveling. It's best to reference them before making any concrete honeymoon plans.

The Wedding Dr. - Detroit, Detroit, Michigan (MI) - Event Planner, Detroit, Wedding, Corporate, Coordinator, Michigan

The Wedding Dr. - Detroit, Detroit, Michigan (MI) - Event Planner, Detroit, Wedding, Corporate, Coordinator, Michigan

Is using a Wedding Planner right for you?

Hiring a Wedding Planner

Many couples who are getting married hire a wedding planner to handle all the details. This frees up their time for other things and makes the planning a little less chaotic. Considering the happy couple needs to choose locations for the ceremony and reception, handle caterers and menus, find flowers, cakes and photographers, the idea of handing these tasks over to a professional is quite liberating.

Let the wedding planner handle the details.

Why Hire a Wedding Planner?

Planning a wedding can be a stressful time, especially if all the details are disorganized. The last thing any couple wants to do is haggle over particulars and obsesses over details. A wedding planner can take care of any item, no matter how small. Since she knows the couple's price range, she can weed out any vendor who doesn't fall within the confines of the bride and groom's budget. In addition, she'll know the happy couple's likes and dislikes and will make sure even the most minor details are perfect.

The wedding planner will also have a time line. Any newly engaged couples can be overwhelmed with thoughts of what to do first and how far in advance it should be handled. Since she's done this many times before, the planner knows the proper sequence of events and how they should be handled.

Things to Consider

Any couple who is considering whether to hire a wedding planner will be interested in noting that a wedding planner will:

• Work according to an established timeline and let you know what should be done, at what time.

• Assist you in establishing a realistic budget that is tailored to meet your most important aspects of your special date.

• Haggle over prices and negotiate discounts so you can have what you want at the lowest price.

• Advise you when payments are due to each vendor.

• Help you select a menu that works for you as well as your guests. She or he will see that there are special foods for special diets, which cater to all age groups. She or he will also make sure that all food and drink items are of the very best quality for your budget.

• Help to select a tasteful wedding cake, within your price range.

• Handle decorations, table linens, flowers and favors to make sure all components are properly coordinated.

• Ensure that everything is orchestrated smoothly from the walk down the aisle to the tossing of the bouquet.

Choosing a Planner

Before hiring a wedding planner, be sure to interview her thoroughly. Find out how many weddings she's handled in the past and ask for references. Contact vendors to check on her reputation. Check with the Better Business Bureau to make sure she has a good record and see if you can peek in on one of her events. Make sure you establish a price in advance and, above all, get everything in writing. You'll probably want to interview several planners to be sure you find the one best suiting your needs.

When choosing a wedding planner there are a few things to consider in respect to rates. There are three ways that planners are paid:

1. Some planners offer "free" service and are paid by vendors with "kick backs". This occurs when the vendor provides a percentage of the service fee to the planner for bringing them the business. A word of caution: this may inhibit the planner's desire to send you to the best person in the business if the best person in the business is not giving them the highest "kick back".

2. Another form of payment is a percentage fee. Planners using this method generally charge anywhere from 15 - 20% of the total budget for their services. This method is primarily used when a planner is orchestrating an elaborate, large wedding and reception and typically when the event has a cost of more than $30,000.

3. Other planners offer flat rate fee services. These types of package include a specific amount of hours dedicated to specific activities. Some consider this a better way to go because they feel that the wedding planner will be less inclined to find the most expensive vendors; however a good planner makes it his or her job to keep the bride within her budget, period. No planner wants to get a reputation of taking a bride outside of her budget on her special day and a good one will work very hard to stay under budget and provide the bride with savings if at all possible without compromising quality and style.

While there are many different methods planners use for fees, you will find that most planners offer packages that include both flat fee and percentage based packages with a variation of services that will suit your bridal needs.

Generally speaking, if you are planning a large wedding with a budget exceeding the national average of $27K you will do better on a percentage fee based package. With flat fee packages there are usually limitations as to how many hours will be dedicated to a wedding with that rate and any hours over that amount are charged at an hourly rate. With percentage based packages there is usually an unlimited number of hours dedicated to this type of wedding and believe me, if it is a large wedding, it will be needed. There are many details to tend to.

Smaller weddings should go with a flat fee service. There are not as many hours that are needed and a couple could save some do re mi by going this route.

More Free Time

By hiring a wedding planner, you're freeing up your time for other things like finding that perfect wedding dress or attending engagement parties and showers.

Affordability

Wedding planners are no longer employees of the rich and famous. With affordable pricing, they're now the norm for couples of all walks of life. If you're overwhelmed with all that needs to be done for your wedding, why not hire a wedding planner?

In all actuality a wedding planner should be able to save the couple money in the end. Because of the repeat business wedding planners bring to wedding product and service providers; they are able to negotiate expert pricing.

In most cases, the savings experienced by the couple through their wedding planner's keen negotiating skills pay for the cost of hiring the planner, if not more. So in the end the bride (and groom) is left with a beautifully orchestrated wedding, planned by a professional, with less stress and the ability to focus on the joy of the occasion.

Who will handle the problems on Your Wedding Day

You don't want to hear vendors and your guests saying "Go to the Bride" or "Go to the Mother of the Bride" instead you can say "Go to the Wedding Planner!" This way you can enjoy the precious moments of your day. Don't be the bride that realizes how important having a Wedding Planner is when its too late. Hire me and have a stress-free day!

We work with two types of brides, which one are you?

Type 1 has trouble pulling things together, feels discouraged, disorganized, distracted, scattered, worried and panicked.

Type 2 is organized and efficient with her planning but still wonders how the day-of will turn out since it will be difficult for her to manage things when she is the star of the show!

The bottom-line is we work with brides who deserve a perfect wedding day and are worried about all of the things that may go wrong.

Why Hire a Wedding Planner

Planning a wedding can and should be one of the most wonderful experiences of your life. It can also be expensive, time consuming and stressful. The Wedding Dr will be your guide, working with you and your vision. A professional consultant, working with you, can handle the details and help you manage your budget by providing cost saving design ideas and vender negotiations. This is your time to sparkle and we will make sure that everything else is taken care of. Our attention to detail will guarantee a special day with spectacular memories that will last a lifetime.

Defining Your Vision
A wedding consultant will help you personalize your wedding by incorporating your style, story, family and friends into the celebration, from invitations to decor to cake design.

Event Designer
Your wedding consultant can help you create a beautifully decorated ceremony site and reception venue. Her experience, knowledge of design, and coordination of even the tiniest detail will achieve the maximum "WOW" impact you have envisioned.

Adviser
As an expert, the consultant knows weddings, from the socially correct invitation formats through the proper planning and organization of the reception. Your coordinator will also help you get the best price from your wedding venders through contract reviews and negotiations. 

Picking the Perfect Location and Vendors
Through extensive research and contacts in the wedding business, the consultant can match you with the right professionals, from venues to photographer. A consultant can also point out important factors to consider when choosing a wedding vendor.

Supervisor
Why should you worry about the details of planning your wedding? Your consultant will work with the other professionals you have chosen to make sure everything happens just as you want it without calling on your friends and family.

Financial planner
If you're working with a budget I can help you plan your dream wedding within your budget by suggesting ways to make your dollar go the farthest from flowers to postage rates. 

Mediator
Caught between families, "ex"-families and "step"-families? A wedding professional, as an independent third party, often can smooth ruffled feathers and mediate disagreements.

Eight Questions to ask before you hire a Wedding Professional

 8 Questions You Must Ask a Wedding Professional Before Booking Them

Hiring the right team is critical to planning your dream wedding…and it can also be quite stressful.

How do you find the right match for you? How do you know who to trust? Where do you go for advice?

First of all, this is not an easy task and it’s totally normal for couples to feel overwhelmed, frustrated or confused.

It’s not like you plan a wedding every day! This is all probably brand new to you, so be patient with yourself.

A few tips to finding the right ones for you…

 Do Your Homework. You’ll get much more out of a meeting or conversation with a wedding professional if you do a little background homework first.

Spend some time on the internet or talking to friends who’ve recently been married. Find out the average prices in your area and what services are available. Get an idea of what you like and don’t like. Wedding websites and chat rooms can be a great resource. This way when you meet with a wedding professional you’ll be able to ask better questions and have an idea of what to look out for.

 Meet With Them. An in person meeting is the best way to interview a potential wedding vendor. It lets you get the full experience of their personality, style and professionalism. If that’s not possible, have a phone conversation.

 Ask Questions. There are no stupid questions! Make sure you get clear, specific answers to your questions. If you aren't sure what something means, ask them to clarify. Keep asking questions until you completely understand.

If a wedding vendor has a problem with you asking questions, they probably aren’t the one for you. The best wedding professionals are patient, understanding and take the time to help you make the best choices for your wedding.

 Listen. Don’t just hear the words they say, really listen. Watch the vendor’s body language. Are they confident and comfortable with their response? Do they look and sound nervous? Do you get a “funny feeling” about them? Take all the sights, sounds and feelings into account along with their responses; if your gut tells you something isn’t right, it probably isn’t.

 Check References. Portfolios are hand-picked to show off the best work, but they may not represent the “average” wedding performance. Videos are edited for the optimum presentation. But real referrals from satisfied clients are hard to fake.

Call up both client and professional references. Ask questions and use those listening skills. Even if they give a rave review, you’ll often be able to “read between the lines” if there were any issues or problems.

Ask around and search the internet for reviews. Check the Better Business Bureau for any outstanding complaints against the business. Weigh all of this information into your choices.

Here are 8 Must Ask Questions to ask ALL your potential wedding professionals before booking:

1. How many weddings do you do per year? How much experience do you have?

This is an extremely important question. Ideally, your wedding professional should have ample experience specifically with weddings. Not only will they be more skilled in their craft, this also makes them a valuable source of information and ensures that your wedding day goes smoothly.

2. How much do you cost? Price is often relative, especially when you factor in experience, reputation and expert skill. Generally, the most talented professionals have a higher price tag because they are worth it.

3. How much is the deposit?

4. What specifically is included in that cost? Because packages often vary, it’s likely that you won’t be able to compare one vendor exactly to the next without doing a little figuring. The lowest cost isn’t necessarily the best deal; some higher quotes include services that you have to pay extra for in other packages. Make sure you take this into account.

5. What happens if I cancel? What happens if you cancel? Find out if your deposit is refundable under any conditions. Does the wedding professional have a back up plan if something happens to them?

6. Do you use a contract? If the answer is No, RUN! A contract is designed to protect both you and the wedding professional. Don’t settle for a verbal agreement that won’t hold up in court.

7. Are there any additional fees? Taxes, service charges and travel fees can add up quickly. Make sure you understand exactly what is included and if there are any other fees you’ll have to pay. This should be clearly defined in your contract.

8. Do you carry liability insurance? The answer you’re looking for here is Yes. This protects you in case an unfortunate accident should occur on your wedding day. It’s also a sign that this is a reputable business, since most “fly by night” operations don’t invest in insurance.

If chosen wisely, with the right wedding vendors you get expert help and advice…for free!