Ask an Expert: The Wedding Planner Edition | Part II

In part one of our Ask an Expert: Wedding Planner Edition, we sat down with Kasie Donoghue, Managing Director and Planner at EFD Creative – Event Planning & Design, for wedding planning 101- a crash course on everything there is to know about the when, why, and how of hiring a wedding planner. 

In part two of this series, we speak with Kasie again to learn more about EFD Creative’s commitment to ensuring all couples have the opportunity to get the planning support they want and need, and how their efforts are helping to change the face of the wedding planning game.

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Tell us about how EFD Creative has updated its services recently.

Rather than limit couples to an all-or-nothing sort of arrangement when it comes to our planning services, we recently began offering smaller-scale bundles of services called Mini Packs by EFD. These packages offer our nationally-recognized wedding planning services in smaller, bite-size chunks. They’re designed to be more streamlined and cost effective for both cost-conscious couples and those that might just want a little bit of help with one or two aspects of their planning process.  

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What inspired you to start offering your Mini Packs?

We saw two gaping holes in the wedding planning market. The first was for couples who had committed to planning their nuptials themselves, but who’d hit a snag or a bump in the road and could’ve really used a quick piece of professional guidance or support to get them back on track. The second was that the industry tends to cater to the “high-end couple,” and there weren’t as many options for more budget-conscious couples. Our Mini Packs solve both of those problems. We offer packages for every stage of the planning process so a couple can get the help they need where they need it—and at a fraction of the price.

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Are clients able to mix and match the packs to group services that pertain to their unique needs?

Yes, couples are allowed to mix and match and, honestly, about 95% of them do. For example, we were recently approached by a bride who had booked her venue and all of her vendors except the hotel block and transportation for her guests. We stepped in to help her with these last few tasks and that was it! Or, it was supposed to be. The bride and groom had such a great experience that they ended up returning to us for our Timeline Development Package as well!

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Is there a fan favorite? Why do you think that is? 

Our Timeline Development Package is definitely the fan favorite. This package includes working one-on-one with an experienced wedding planner to create a personalized by-the-minute game plan for your wedding day, starting from the moment your eyes open through the end-of-day wrap up. And, we do mean down to the minute—sometimes these plans are PAGES long!

Discussing the day-of-ceremony timeline plans with a wedding planner is hugely beneficial for couples—it gives them control over the pace of the day with the added touch of an expert’s insight into small things that make a big difference—like how long it really takes to move an entire wedding party from point A to point B.

Having a strong sense of timing for your big day is also important for your vendors. Oftentimes, their services build upon each other to help create that seamless feeling—for example, your photographer should know when you plan to do hair and makeup, and the venue should be ready for any on-site photos. Keeping all your vendors on the same page (literally) will help them better serve you, and clarity surrounding day-of logistics also ensures that no details slip through the cracks. I think this package is so popular primarily for the peace of mind and organization that it provides. It helps couples feel 100% more prepared.  

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How have couples been utilizing Mini Packs to help them cope with the new demands of celebrating a wedding during the pandemic? 

We’ve seen a lot of couples who planned their entire wedding before having to postpone and learning that some of their vendors aren’t available on the new date. Couples have been using our Mini Packs (especially our Vendor Selection option) to help them fill these sort of gaps. The Day of Ceremony and Reception package has also been a great tool for couples who transitioned their big, hotel wedding to their own backyard and needed “all hands on deck” style help to make sure that the day’s events ran smoothly.

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How are Mini Packs, or the concept of a-la-carte planning services, changing the traditional wedding planning industry?

I think the main way that mini packs are changing the industry is that they are making wedding planning services available to everyone, including the cost-minded couple. They’re also giving couples a newfound freedom in their planning process. Mini Packs give them unprecedented access to expert advice, and it allows them to manage the parts of the process that they want to manage and delegate the parts that they don’t.

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To learn more about EFD Creative and to view the entire scope of their Mini Pack offerings, visit https://www.efdcreative-events.com/.

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