Planner - Jennifer Troy
- Business: Glorious Galas
- Location: Greater Detroit, Michigan MI
- Experience: 7 Years
- Profile: Glorious Galas
- Website: www.gloriousgalas.com
1. Introduction: What's your story?
Hello! I'm Jennifer Troy, owner and Lead Event Specialist for Glorious Galas. My love for planning began with a surprise party I threw for my mom's 50th birthday. I planned the party, purchased the invitations, created a menu and solicited items from my aunts; I had my godparents take her out for dinner and a movie as a distraction--I even purchased the cake and decorated our home. Did I mention, I was just 18 years old?
I like to tell people that I'm in the business of love and joy. Planning events has a been a passion for years; There's nothing more enjoyable than seeing the fruition of months of planning and execution. It's what keeps me going in this wonderful business.
2. What's your experience as a wedding planner? How many weddings have you planned?
I love Facebook memories. It serves as a reminder of your evolution over time. For me, my memories remind me that I first began talking about becoming a planner back in 2007; though I didn't plan my first official event for another 7 years, I'm pleased to see the fruits of those initial thoughts coming to pass. As of September 2021, Glorious Galas has helped facilitate the weddings of over 30 couples!
3. What sorts of services do you offer (month-of coordination, full-service planning, or à la carte planning)?
The majority of our clientele have begun the planning process and need assistance with refinining their vision. To that end, we service both Month of Coordination and Full Service Planning. We don't currently offere a la carte planning, however we do offer consultation services, which allows for couples to ask all the questions that they want to of a planner without paying full price for a planner. These consultation services are only offered for a 2 hour maximum though.
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?
My packages are structured to begin with Month of Coordination, Partial Planning and Full Planning. Packages are based on current trends and industry standards for my service area. I tend to stay away from percentage based contracts, as those amounts can fluctuate as people go through the planning process.
My most popular package is my Palladium Package as it trends towards couples want to be more hands on with their planning process. The Palladium Package represents my partial planning package.
5. Who else is in your team and how many people on your staff will be at the wedding?
My team consists of myself, my husband and another planner. I tend to bring my husband because he has such a great repoire with other men (doesn't hurt to have the extra muscle if needed). I also have an amazing network of 5-6 other planners in the area that I collaborate with. We often serve as DOC's for each other to support one another.
6. What happens if you're sick or otherwise unable to be there on the day of the wedding?
One of the first things that I do when I contract a couple is to create their wedding binder. Each binder has a guide sheet, vendor list form and all ideas that they want to be executed. As we go through the planning process, I create a timeline that can easily be followed in the event that I'm ever ill and cannot attend the wedding. That's also why it's great to have a network of other coordinators in the area; We all know each others style and I have a template that lays out each step of the planning process so that anyone can pick up that binder and follow along. I also hold status meetings with my fellow coordinators at least monthly as the planning process moves forward so that everyone is abreast of each event that we have upcoming.
7. How many meetings will you have with the couple and how will they be involved?
Couples involvement is at their discretion. I've had couples who've given their vision and let me go crazy; others have been intiminately involved in every step. That is really a preference of the individuals.
For partial planning, we usually do a touch basis meeting once every six weeks until the last month before the wedding. We will then have 3 meetings, each one designed to tackle a specific portion of the wedding with the final meeting being before the wedding rehearsal so that all details are finalized.
Vendor selection has everything to do with the couples personalities, desires and vision. I have an extensive list of various vendors that I can recommend and can usually tell if a couple would work well with a particular one. I always begin my vendor selection process by giving the client 2-4 vendors for each need; we review websites and social media to get a feel for how the vendors work coincides with the clients desires. After they narrow down their selection to their top 1 & 2, I send emails of introduction and arrange a consultation--either phone or virtual. I keep my clients involved in every step, as I recognize that they need to be able to completely trust their vendors to execute their big day.
If a couple comes to me with a vendor pre-selected, I always either send an email or make a phone call of introduction. I think it's necessary to establish a relationship with any potential vendor that I may not have worked with before. We are both working for the same "team" and there's no better way to ensure success than to make sure that we are playing the same game.
8. Will you handle the invitations, from wording and ordering to the addressing and mailing? What about guest list coordination and RSVPs?
I can certainly assist with invitation selection and wording but I believe in allowing people to flourish in their calling. To that end, I refer couples to a stationer who can create and address their invitations to set a beautiful tone for their day. If mailing invitations is needed, I'm more than happy to assist with that.
Guest coordination and RSVP's are now easier than ever. I always encourage my couples to utilize online guest management formats and I will absolutely assist with overseeing their selected platform.
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?
This falls under the category of planning, in my opinion. There's no way to possibly execute a day without being aware of each vendor and their schedules. In order to create a harmonious flow for all vendors, I absolute coordinate every detail of rentals.
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?
Again, piggybacking off the last question--I absolutely create a timeline. It's one of the two things I'm most well known for in my area (the other is my massive bridal emergency kit). Going back to establishing a relationship with vendors, it's good to know how other people work. When you have that relationship, most vendors go above and beyond to do their part to make sure the event goes without a hitch--that includes sticking to their arrival and departure schedule.
Gallery
Awards
