Planner - Laura Brezel
- Business: O Frabjous Day Events
- Location: Oakland, California CA
- Experience: 20
- Profile: O Frabjous Day Events
- Website: www.ofrabjousdayevents.com
1. Introduction: What's your story?
Hi! I'm Laura, the President and Planner of O Frabjous Day Events, and I am privileged to work with equality-minded couples to design and produce weddings that are a reflection of them.
2. What's your experience as a wedding planner? How many weddings have you planned?
I have been a certified wedding planner for over twenty years, and I love to apply my experience to create unique and heartfelt events.
I am a licensed and insured planner, and am proud to serve on the board of the local chapter of WIPA, the Wedding International Professionals Association.
3. What sorts of services do you offer (month-of coordination, full-service planning, or à la carte planning)?
Rather than expecting couples to conform to set packages, I tailor wedding services to the services you need. From full service planning and design to wedding management, as well as consulting, let's discuss what your needs are. For wedding management, services start a minimum of three months before the event.
4. How do payments work (a percentage of the wedding budget, a flat fee etc.)? What are the different packages that you offer and which one is your most popular package?
All fees are communicated upon the signing of the contract, and are a flat fee. If significant additional services are added during the planning process (for instance, if the couple decides they need more help and wants me to plan their rehearsal dinner), those can be discussed and added on with a contract amendment. Payments are processed through a secure third party system. All contracts have an initial retainer, usually 1/4 to 1/2 of the total, with subsequent payments scheduled over the planning process.
5. Who else is in your team and how many people on your staff will be at the wedding?
Depending on the size of your event, there may be one planner, or a planner with assistants onsite.
6. What happens if you're sick or otherwise unable to be there on the day of the wedding?
I work with a network of other licensed, insured, reliable planners, and in the highly unlikely event of my own illness, one of these planners would run the day.
7. How many meetings will you have with the couple and how will they be involved?
The number of meetings depends on the length of the planning process. Frequently, a monthly videoconference meeting is the standard, and helps keep the planning process on track, either by giving you updates with a full service planning agreement, or checking in on the planning timeline and providing guidance and accountability for a wedding management agreement. We always do a site visit to the venue together to confirm the vision and layout. Additional meetings in person when appropriate are also included.
Vendor selection is tailored to your needs. Some couples come to me with no vendors selected. Some with several. For any missing categories, I recommend excellent vendors who fit your style and budget. I review all vendor contracts, preferably before you sign them, to make sure you are getting the services you need for your wedding.
8. Will you handle the invitations, from wording and ordering to the addressing and mailing? What about guest list coordination and RSVPs?
Invitation service, from design, wording, and production can be part of a full service agreement. This can include guest list coordination and handling RSVPs. Most couples like to be involved in at least a portion of this themselves.
9. Do you handle rentals? Will you coordinate delivery, arrival and set up times with the photographer, the florist, the musicians and the caterer/banquet manager?
I recommend excellent rental companies and will help you choose the right items for your wedding. I coordinate the timing of all vendors involved.
10. Can you create a timeline that tells everyone involved in the planning process (other pros, members of the wedding party, to-be-weds and families) what to do and when to do it? How will you make sure everyone sticks to the schedule?
For every wedding, I create the complete timeline for the day. It starts with when the couple wakes up, and ends with when I leave the venue as the last one out. All working vendors are given a copy of the timeline, and tailored versions are given to the wedding party. I am famous for keeping timelines on schedule because I know how long it takes for portions of the day to happen, and I know how to build appropriate time into the day for breathing room.
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