Qualified & Quality Wedding Consultants Don't Come CHEAP

My friend Andy Ebon of The Wedding Marketing Blog, one of my must-reads on my blog list, posted an entry recently about a "Simple Defense Against Price Cutters".

It's a great article but it was this part that made the most impact on me. Andy writes...

"My friend, Robbie Schlosser (Magnolia Jazz Band) reminded me of an old strategy used by barbershops against their price slashing competition. 

Robbie recalled a barbershop sign-“Haircut $5″, and next door another shop advertised “We fix $5 haircuts”.  

And then, "With haircuts, one gets a second chance. With weddings, there is no ‘do-over.’ And with some categories of wedding services, the risk of failure is simply not worth the money ’saved."

Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge can tell you right here, right now, that Wedding Consultants fall into this category! The risk you take when working with a cheap price-cutter IS going to prove to be a "penny wise, pound foolish" experience. 

Generally, someone who is "cheap", not "inexpensive" or "affordable" but CHEAP is for a reason. And whether it's because they are sacrificing on either quality of product or service, do you really want to take the chance that it will be your wedding that is sacrificed. No? I didn't think so!

A Wedding Consultant wih a quality business is one that, at minimum, has (or works for one that has) a valid business license and liability insurance. They posses and maintain an inventory of the proper tools to plan and direct a wedding (like keeping a stocked wedding emergency kit). In addition to skills in budget planning, logistics, etc., they took some education program to learn and comprehend the procedures and nuances of event planning and current trends and administer that advice to you to help you plan a successful event. They also understand how to direct a smoothly run wedding and handle things calmly and graciously under fire. 

All these things require some investment in time and money. And yes, you will pay more for it!

I can't tell you how many times I have read horror stories of brides on various blogs that were the sorry result of choosing a cheap, newly married and sudden "Expert Day of Coordinator" they just "totally bonded with" on the "insert wedding website message board name here." So much money wasted by going for the CHEAP "buddy". Where was that buddy for you when you really needed them? It is heartbreaking to read these and worse, to hear them trying to rationalize their hurt.

If they had researched just a bit more to find the most highly qualified planner in a price range they could afford (even a well trained associate that works for a much more experienced planner) they would have learned ways to get even better value and style in their wedding for their budget, piece of mind that a professional is handling their event and a quality of service experience and you can' get that CHEAP my friends. 

Don't be "penny wise and pound foolish". In this economy, your dollars are more precious than ever so ensure that you spend them WISELY with a professional who will get it right the first time!