Raising the Bar

Your wedding professionals should have the experience and know-how to anticipate the good, the bad and the ugly.

By: Jennifer McBride & Meghan Ely | Times-Dispatch
Published: September 12, 2010

Let’s face it, finding a groom isn’t easy.

He should be nice, smart and make you wobbly at the knees when he walks into a room. Employment with a general direction in life is a must, as well as being liked by small children and animals. Of course, additional points are awarded for cooking and general handyman skills.

So, the big question we must ask is why aren’t you holding your wedding pros to a similar standard?

Time and time again, we run into the same bridal quandary and we’re here to set the record straight—hiring your vendors goes far beyond what they actually do for a living. This is particularly important for any bride on a budget who has to be even that more particular as to where her money goes.

Photographers, for example, take pictures. The expectations shouldn’t just end there. They should also be able to think fast when a bridesmaid goes missing during the post-ceremony portraits. So if Uncle Bob just bought a nice new camera and offers to photograph the wedding, you may want to think twice.

Wedding entertainers set the tone for the evening, and if you placed the entire night into the hands of a friend of a friend who owns the latest iPod, then the only expectation you’ll ever have is that he or she remembers to bring your First Dance song. Showing up with a general playlist and the promise not to hit the bar needs to be tossed out the window.

Wedology 101 expert and owner of Choice Entertainment Bill Gilliam agrees. "Your expectations should extend way beyond good music—that’s the easy part!"

Need a wedding introduction to put all others to shame? Done and done, says Gilliam, who meets with the bride and groom in advance to plan the schedule of events, as well as offer distinctive ideas.

Above all, your wedding professionals should have the experience and know-how to anticipate the good, the bad and the ugly. If they can pin boutonnieres in less than 30 seconds, then they are that much closer to getting our stamp of approval.

As Gilliam explained, "Experience and personality make all of the difference in the world with these personal touches that will keep your guests engaged in what will be a truly memorable celebration."

It’s time to raise the bar, ladies, and raise it high. And if your fiance can’t do much more than boil a pot of water, we highly suggest registering for those cooking classes.

Jennifer McBride (left) is owner of McBride Events (www.mcbrideevents.com), a Richmond-based design and event planning company. Meghan Ely is the CEO and owner of OFD Consulting (www.ofdconsulting.com), a marketing/pr firm for wedding professionals, and the managing director of the Richmond Bridal Association. They love great ideas fueled by caffeine, and a good floor length linen. Visit www.wedology101.com to learn more about their seminar “The Reality of Being a Bride.”