Planner - Kimberly Mack
- Business: Dream Event Services
- Location: Cleveland, Ohio OH
- Experience: 20+ Years
- Profile: Dream Event Services
- Website: dreameventservices.com
1. Introduction: What's your story?
I am Kimberly Mack. I am an educator by training. Throughout my career, I constantly use my organizational skills and love of partying to make others relax and enjoy their events, just for fun. I began wedding planning over 20 years ago, helping out a friend whose wedding required some support. Instantly, I found a new love! After retiring from my 31-year career (do you ever really retire from education?) I parlayed those same organizational skills I used in teaching and administration into a post-retirement career. I am passionate about making my clients' day smooth, efficient, and relaxing so they may enjoy their day. My DreamTeam and I believe strongly in the 5 P's (Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance)
What Makes Us Different? This is YOUR DAY and IS ALL ABOUT YOU! We want to travel this journey WITH you not FOR you. Yes, we offer Full-Services, but find even the busiest clients want to do some aspects of their wedding for or by themselves. Planning is a part of the memory.
Our hard work and commitment have paid off: Dream Events Services was recently named as one of the Top 10 Wedding Planners in Cleveland!
2. What's your experience as a wedding planner? How many weddings have you planned?
Once I got the planning bug while still employed as an educator, I practiced my newly acquired craft on friends, relatives, church members, and anyone willing to take a chance on me. That was over 20 years ago. I am presently the Owner and Lead Consultant for the company I started in 2015. To this date, my team and I have planned over 50 weddings and events ranging in size from 50 to 300 guests. Principally located in Cleveland Ohio, we have and will travel to various locations. We will go wherever our clients are willing to take us. Our goal is for our clients to be able to enjoy their day.
3. What sorts of services do you offer (month-of coordination, full-service planning, or à la carte planning)?
We offer three packages, Wedding Day Management (formerly known as Day-Of services), Partial Planning, and Full-Service Planning. We also allow our clients to customize their packages. We want their experience to be uniquely theirs.
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?
We know money doesn't grow on trees. Payments are divided into installments, the first is our non-refundable retainer. The rest of the cost is divided into two or three more payments depending on the amount of time between booking and the wedding. Final payments are due one month prior to the wedding date.
5. Who else is in your team and how many people on your staff will be at the wedding?
I have a DreamTeam that can flex between 2 to 8 depending on the number of assistants needed. Generally, in addition to myself, there are at least 2 assistants with me. My lead assistant Stephanie has been with me from the beginning and has mastered the art of reading my mind.
6. What happens if you're sick or otherwise unable to be there on the day of the wedding?
Networking and working to support other colleagues allows for us to all benefit from each other. My network has pledged to assist each other in time of need. We consider ourselves colleagues, not competitors.
7. How many meetings will you have with the couple and how will they be involved?
Meetings depend on the client's needs, our need to meet with them, and their choice of services. The least amount of meetings is three for any of our services. Couples can choose to be involved as much or as little as they deem fit for them and/or their schedules. We believe this is their affair, they are the lead, and we are the followers. We support them with demonstrations, ideas, and our resources. It takes teamwork to make a dream work!
8. Will you handle the invitations, from wording and ordering to the addressing and mailing? What about guest list coordination and RSVPs?
We have templates with wording, addressing, and advice on writing them, along with reminders for mailing invitations. I have written BLOGS on the topics of who and how to invite guests. We are here to handle any situation our clients wish. Our only stipulation is if we are handling it (especially RSVPs and guest list management) the client may comment for our correction but not have editing privileges.
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?
The production list and timelines are an aspect we take seriously. A poor production list can produce a poor outcome and we are not having that! Prior to your wedding as a team, we discuss and organize the production logistics. That is anything arriving, leaving sitting, or standing is somewhere accounted for on the list. Next, we contact all service providers to ensure we are all on the same page. This ensures nothing is missed or forgotten. Each key stakeholder is emailed a copy of the event timeline three to four weeks prior to the event to peruse, correct, and make adjustments before the final timeline is produced. To ensure receipt both timelines are time and date stamped upon their being opened. Rentals are one of the items on our production list. All rental items are inventoried and checked for accuracy upon load-in. At load-out, all rental are again inventories and then packed for their return. There is a charge if we are to return rental items.
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?
Ultimately, the purpose of a timeline is to get and keep everyone on the same page. When given to those involved in a timely fashion it has been our experience special guests, the wedding party and other participants follow them. The problem comes when no one knows when they are supposed to be where. We solve that problem, EVERYONE INVOLVED receives the final timeline.
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