Welcome to Vendor Week! Last week was BIG and I get that. I really do not want to overwhelm you because that is never fun… This 3rd week is built in to be a bit of a buffer and a catch-up week.
Some of you may have all your Vendors, which is great, you can wrap up the last 2 weeks of Assignments. I know some of you may still need a lot of help finding vendors. Over the next few days, I’m going to share some of my resources for finding, Interviewing, and Hiring Wedding Vendors.
Assignment:
Over the weekend, I would love for you to do a bit of housekeeping. Go back to the I’m Engaged ECourse and re-watch that Day 1 Video. In that video, I mention how you should go about researching your potential vendors through referrals. Think about all your friends who are married, or even the weddings you attended last year. Who were those vendors? Start asking around… Make a list of all the vendors you already have. You already did this yesterday, or for your last Jump Start Week Assignment. All these vendors should be listed on your Who Is Involved Worksheet. Our goal today is to collect a few leads for filling in the rest per category. Categories would be Caterers, Florists, Photographers, etc.
Day 1 | Action Plan
- Re-watch the I’m Engaged ECourse Day 1 Lecture
- Using the list of still needed vendors:
- Ask a recently married friend who he/she used
- Post in a Facebook Group looking for recommendations
- Visit my Preferred Oregon Vendors List
- GET A REFERRAL FOR AT LEAST ONE VENDOR IN EVERY CATEGORY YOU NEED
Plan to call 1 business per 4 categories needed starting on Monday. There will be one more post tonight for Team Points, and then you won’t hear from me until Monday morning 😉 Enjoy your weekend Team! I love all the great Guest List questions I’ve been getting in my inbox all week.
If you’re struggling or feel overwhelmed, I’m here. Reach out and send me an email.
Preferred Vendors | Oregon Dream Team Vendors
Vendor Dream Team Interview Book | Amazon Hard Copy or Etsy Instant Download
{Use your Coupon Code, INSPIRED for 20% Off in my whole Etsy Shop}
Vendor Interviews | Individual Interview Worksheet Downloads
I’ll also be available this week for Ask a Wedding Planner Wednesday to help catch you up on the first two weeks and we’ll schedule some 1on 1 Video Calls Woo! Way to go Team!
Day 2 | Action Plan
Today is an action day. You’re going to make some phone calls and send some emails. Hooray! You’re going to “pitch” your wedding to potential vendors and convince them why they want to work your wedding.
- How to Hire your Dream Team Wedding Vendors
- How to Interview Your Wedding Vendors
- Call today’s Vendors:
Phone Call Script
Hello, my name is ________________________. We’re hoping to set up an interview with you for our Wedding Date ___________________. Are you still available on that day?
They could already be booked. That makes the call very quick… If they are still available, schedule a date and time to meet in person.
Day 3 | Family Talks
Today, we talk a little bit about FAMILY. I’m sure you’re wondering, “Why is she bringing up family during Vendor Week?” but here is the truth: Your family is *working* your wedding too… If they have a committed job on your wedding day, an arrival time before the invitation, a task to complete during the reception, think second cousin parking cars in the field, they are technically a vendor {#mindblow}. But it’s true. We don’t often think of our friends and family being vendors in the sense that they work for us, and I absolutely don’t want you to run off telling all your bridesmaids that they work for you, but hear me out:
- Have you asked your escort to walk you down the aisle? – Important job, no contract
- Did you ask your Best Man to give a speech? – Important job, no contract
- Did you ask your Maid of Honor the host your Bridal Shower?– Important job, no contract
Is your Proposal Box to her a deposit for services to be given on the wedding day? BOOM. You’ve officially entered verbal contracts with family and friends. That means their presence is welcomed this week.
Verbal Contracts | Officially Asking Family & Friends
Leaving these jobs up to assumptions, meaning, “You *assume* the Best Man *assumes* he’s giving a speech” can be dangerous. Nobody will ask you if they’re doing an assumed job simply because they don’t want to be presumptuous. You might get to the rehearsal dinner and ask him about his speech only to hear, “Nobody told me to write a speech!” Start telling people everything you need them to do. Another example, it could be also be assumed that a Dad is just going to walk his daughter down the aisle, all alone. All the while you’re thinking you’ll have Mom do it because they’ve been divorced for years… That could be a huge awkward situation at the rehearsal if you never have the conversation that leads to a verbal contract… So here we go:
Assignment
Re-Read about Family Talks from the I’m Engaged Course and then Complete these Verbal Contract conversations throughout the next few days:
- Re- watch I’m Engaged ECourse Day 2 | Who is Involved Lecture
- Re-Read Family Talks Blog Post
- Ask your Escort to walk you down the aisle.
- Ask your Best Man to give a Speech/Toast. {There is a difference we’ll cover in P15}
- Ask your Maid of Honor to host or help host your Bridal Shower.
- Ask/Propose to your Flower Girl(s) and Ring Bearer(s)
- Ask your witnesses to sign your marriage license after the ceremony.
- Talk to your siblings {all of them} about their roles on the wedding day.
- Ask your grandparents if they want to walk down the aisle as a part of the processional or already be seated.
- Ask any cousins if they want a job on the wedding day {just build a list of the willing cousins, don’t give jobs yet}
- Begin filling in your Delegation Worksheet
- Complete your Who is Involved Worksheet & Wedding Roster
If you’re at home thinking about your wedding and who will do what, if you are assuming anyone will do something, or “already knows” they are, make it a point TODAY to say it out loud and write it down. You can work on asking all these people throughout the rest of this week if this seems overwhelming and too much talking for one day. 😊
Day 4 | It’s time to get ORGANIZED!
We’re officially ready to begin Wedding Planning with The Project Block System in a way that brings all the pieces together. We’re combining use of the Wedding Planning Binder, The Project Block Workbook, and this ECourse into a singular unit that you can call your own Back Office and Wedding Command Center. This is the where and when you begin being an Effective Team Leader and really take control of your entire event.
Assignment
Watch the Teachable Lecture on How to Setup Your Block Schedule System
Step 1: Download the Back-Office Command Center Suite
These new documents are meant to live outside of your binder, {or in their own mini binder} preferably posted on the wall where you can see them whenever you sit down to do wedding planning.
Step 2: Set Up your Wedding Planning Back Office at Home
Grab some sheet protectors or some of those document plaques so you can live that dry-erase life I love so much. Revisit my Amazon List for Back Office Supplies if necessary.
You’ll want your Planning List, PTW List, Prior to Wedding Action Plans Worksheet and Ingredient List to be reusable in some sort of dry-erase system.
Step 3: Decide on your Schedule
You get 3 Hours per day to work on your wedding. They do not have to be consecutive or even consistent. But the 3 Hour long Block do need to stay in order with Block 1 {Back Office} always being first. Ideally, you’ll be able to plan Monday through Thursday, but if not you can adjust the days.
Step 4: Update your Project Block Audit
You may have a few Project Blocks already started. Update your audit so you stay on track
Step 5: Get ready for tomorrow!
Feeling organized and structured yet?! I hope you’re as confident as I am in your ability to plan this wedding. You have all the tools you need and the structure to follow through. I’ll see you in Project Block 0.
Day 5 | Weekly Progress Check
Great job this week, Team! I hope you got in touch with a lot of great vendors.
Tomorrow, we begin Project Block planning using your new Daily Block Schedule. I hope everyone had some time to get situated. You also have all weekend.
Week 3 | Vendor Week Progress Check
Here are all the Posts you should have read through and completed by the end of this week: