Annette Troescher, owner of Ladyhawk Events, describes her profession as filling multiple needs for a couple planning their wedding. “I’m the wedding planner, but I’m also a friend, a therapist and sometimes a family counselor,” says Annette.
A couple needs an objective person to be all these things; that’s why a wedding planner can become so crucial to the process. Shifting social climates means more often than not couples are juggling full-time jobs with personal lives, and adding the stress of planning a wedding to everything simply doesn’t work. The wedding planner is able to take much of the work off of a busy couple’s plate, from the initial research of local vendors to making sure things run smoothly the day of the wedding.
“A wedding planner is for peace of mind as well,” says Annette. “If you have a disagreement with family or your fiancée, you can call your event planner and we can talk you through things to come to a decision.” Annette describes the role of an event planner as like a general contractor: the planner handles the tasks of hiring and working out details like flowers and music. This allows the couple to focus on the larger picture without having to deal with each detail.
“Every couple is different, and everyone has their one thing that they care most about – whether it’s flowers, the cake or the venue,” says Annette. The event planner is able to pinpoint which details are most important to the couple and ensure that those will be perfect.
“We help the couple set their budget for each thing, and then present them with the top three best options that will suit their needs,” she says. “From there, all the bride has to do is pick the vendor instead of doing all the research and searching in the early stages.”
Although there are many planning tools on the Internet – including everything from checklists to timelines a couple should follow – these resources simply don’t take the place of an experienced and invested wedding planner. “There are all kinds of online planning
resources, but a wedding planner can make sure everything is spe-cialized to the couple, especially when hiring vendors,” says Annette. Once the vendors are secured, the planner also operates as a liaison among all parties involved. This lets the couple funnel all questions, requests and concerns through one person as opposed to having to contact each vendor individually. “As we build the team, the wedding planner can then work out the schedule of events for the wedding and sort out the details, and then pass the information along to the couple,” Annette says.
When everything is in place for the big day, the planner is the one responsible for putting out fires and making sure the wedding day runs smoothly. “When the day happens, we want the couple, their family and their friends to be able to be involved in enjoying the day, not running around stressing about things,” says Annette. With a wedding planner on the job, the bride and groom are free to enjoy the happiness of their wedding day with those closest to them.
Annette carries two emergency kits to every wedding, one for the groom and his party, and one for the bride and hers. These kits include everything from feminine hygiene products and ribbons for the women to cologne and spare shoelaces for the men. In addition,
Annette has her own kit filled with tools, duct tape, pins and even floral tape. “You never know what could happen,” she warns. “There are certain staples in my kits that are used after nearly every wedding.”
Because the majority of couples tend to work right up until the actual day of the wedding, it’s up to the event planner to be ready for just about anything.
For more information about Ladyhawk Events, you can call 513.675.3268, email ladyhawk@ladyhawk-events.com or visit their website at www.ladyhawk-events.com.