What we actually do in the first 30 days
We know that the initial start of the wedding planning process can be both exhilarating and daunting. I tell all of my couples and prospective couples that getting started is often the hardest part – finding the right “formula” for your target guest count, date, venue and budget to line up is no easy feat. But it’s also an incredibly exciting time and full of anticipation and emotion!!
Let’s talk about what those first 30 days of wedding planning with MFE look like…
Step 1: The Kickoff Call
We don't start with colors or florals. We start with a real conversation about working together and what to expect. It is so important to us that we are on the same page from the start with how we are going to treat one another (with respect), how we are going to communicate (with honesty), and how we are going to stay organized (always important)! We start by talking through working styles, communication preferences, sharing phone numbers (and giggling when one partner doesn’t know the other’s by heart).
We then dive into our “budget exercise”, which sounds a bit more intimidating than it really is ;) In this section of the Kick-Off Call, we dive into every single line item that we typically put on your wedding budget. It not only gives us a time to align on your priorities, but it also gives us time to pause and talk through each item in a bit more detail – Are florals a big priority? Do you want a band or a DJ? Who do you want officiating the wedding? Is this a single day or multi-day affair?
We think it’s imperative to align on your budget goals and realistic targets before diving into the vendor booking process so that we can help you maximize your investment and help you make informed decisions throughout the planning process. It’s always about priorities!
To culminate our call, we talk through the next steps, which usually include the couple sharing everything from existing venue contracts to Pinterest links and MFE compiling the full wedding planning folder… which leads me to Step 2.
Step 2: Building your planning folder
After we have the initial Kick-Off Call, our real work at Marian Frances Events begins. We take all of the information that we discussed on the call, and dive into creating your official Wedding Planning Folder.
This folder is organized into sub-categories and starts by containing an organizational structure with templates, blank slates, and examples to help demonstrate where we will ultimately head with the planning process. The folder is meant to be a place where couples can dump their thoughts, check in on progress, add ideas, or just know that it exists and is being taken care of by us.
We will send you your planning folder with instructions and suggestions on how to save and use it.
Step 3: Building Your Vendor Shortlist
After over a decade in the events and wedding industry, one of our firmest beliefs remains that a great vendor team is the backbone to a successful wedding or event! We love working alongside creatives and industry leaders who understand the importance of a collaborative process, executing a seamless day, and maintaining a positive attitude while doing it! We don’t recommend vendors based on any type of referral programs or incentives, but instead, we recommend them simply because we believe they are good people doing good work.
We also won’t send you a generic list of "top Charleston photographers." We send you three or four people who we think will actually be the right fit for you — your vibe, your budget, your personality — and explain a bit about each of them. But you are not confined to working off of this list! We are always open to new ideas, collaborating with new creative partners, and expanding that outreach.
Step 4: Assembling Your Vendor Team
We’ll collaborate to refine that shortlist of vendors across the categories and then begin outreach! We take a tiered approach to the vendor booking process and recommend we lock in some of the substantive ones first - venue/catering, photography, florals and entertainment. After those core categories are confirmed, we’ll move to things like beauty, rentals, paper goods, etc.
By the end of the first month, you're not looking at a blank slate anymore. You've got a venue direction, a shortlist of vendors, a real number attached to a real plan, and you've got us in your corner helping you get this wedding planning journey off the ground!
Our goal is to make the next 12+ months feel like something you're genuinely excited about, instead of a second job. This is our full-time job, not yours ;)
Currently booking 2028 weddings in Charleston and NYC, or elsewhere. Get in touch if you'd like to talk through what your first 30 days could look like!