The Bridge Lemont Wedding Podcast
Conversations to provide value to brides and grooms planning their wedding to make sure their wedding day is the best it can be!
The Bridge Lemont Wedding Podcast
E3 - Wedding Planning Mastery with Liz: The Love Therapist and Behind-the-scenes Superhero
Walking down the aisle to start our forever feels effortless, thanks to Liz from Liza Loret. Isn’t it amazing how someone you meet while planning your wedding can become such a huge part of your journey? Liz, our wedding coordinator and unofficial ‘therapist,’ guided us through the twists and turns of planning with grace, offering priceless advice on budgeting, problem-solving, and keeping everything on track.
When planning your wedding, you need someone who can juggle it all—handling logistics while soothing nerves. Liz is that person. From ensuring the day ran flawlessly to tackling hidden costs in some coordination packages, she made our wedding a dream come true. Her dedication to her couples shines through in everything she does, and we share stories that show just how far she goes for her clients.
Liz’s passion goes beyond weddings. She’s growing her team, designing innovative tools like a silent paging system for couples, and constantly looking for ways to improve. Tune in to hear about her wildest wedding adventures, from navigating an unpredictable groom to turning disasters into unforgettable moments. Laugh, learn, and celebrate the magic of wedding planning with Liz in this episode!
Hello everyone, welcome to another episode of the Bridge Le Mans wedding podcast where we talk about all things wedding related to provide knowledge and valuable information to couples planning their wedding to help make their wedding day the best it can be. So today's episode we are with the lovely Liz, with Liza Lorette. She is one of our top coordinators that we suggest to our couples. So, liz, if you want to do a little introduction on who you are, how you got into the business and how long you've been doing this, just a little bit of all that info, yeah.
Speaker 2:So I always had a niche, I feel like, for wedding planning, just planning in general. You know, I grew up in the month, basically born and raised, but as I was kind of continuing my professional career, I got into wedding planning in the city and I got really involved with it, loved it. But then I had another opportunity come for project management, for food and bed manufacturing, so I thought let's give this a try. So as I continued doing that, I decided that I was still missing the wedding planning atmosphere. So I created my own business on the side and just thought let's just try this out and see how it's going to go. It's been eight years and I continue, obviously to still work a full-time job but also take on 30 plus weddings a year.
Speaker 1:It's a hobby. I think you're crazy for doing that, but hey.
Speaker 2:Very crazy.
Speaker 1:A lot of people take it.
Speaker 3:It's a hobby but you wouldn't know, it's a hobby because she's so committed.
Speaker 2:Yes, but I do love it. It's kind of nice and rewarding, even though I'm so exhausted sometimes. But seeing the reaction from the couples and seeing even the parents of the groom, parents of the bride, come up to me and say thank you so much and just tears, that instantly is like all right, this is cool, I'm going to keep doing it.
Speaker 3:Do you know off the top of your head how many weddings you've had?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so actually I was calculating that this by the end of this year under Liza Lorette, I will have done 96 weddings. Wow, yes.
Speaker 1:Wow, that's awesome. You had a break in your coordination technically and. I think Kevin and I were like your first wedding back, so someone has suggested you to us and we reached out. I think they like gave us your cell phone number or something and we just kind of cold texted or called you and yeah. So yeah, liz has Liz was our coordinator for our wedding. So I mean she's clearly important to us and we value her.
Speaker 3:I think you did an awesome job with our wedding. I remember I remember leading up to the wedding, like I didn't do any of the planning at all, but Alyssa did all the planning, liz assisted with the planning and it was something where I think the day or two before it was just like this is so nice to not have to worry about anything Like it's just like we focus on us and then we have literally, we didn't worry about like anything besides the way it should be getting married yeah.
Speaker 1:And that's always the goal, so important yeah.
Speaker 2:Always the goal and honestly, I think every year I've taken a step back and reflected what I want to do better or what can I change. And now I'm incorporating in timelines of like buffers, basically, and not only buffers, but quiet alone time. I call it no paparazzi time, so that way the couple can escape, even if it's just for 10 minutes. Just swallow, just take it in. You are a married couple, yeah, so that's what I always try to do and thrive if the timeline permits, obviously. So I mean.
Speaker 1:I remember for our day we we were supposed to go outside and take more photos in Naperville when we got there and we ended up saying you know what, no, we don't want to. I mean, we did get more photos done inside the venue, but it was more just like in the moment photos versus like let's go get staged over here. And I think that that was like a really good moment that let us kind of take it in before the week. Then we getting like called in and all that stuff and like getting the party started.
Speaker 3:So it was a quiet moment. Yeah, it wasn't something where, like, we're going to be outside for 30 or 40 minutes taking photos. It's like I'm pretty sure we spent 10 minutes in the reception room by ourselves with our photographer and just doing some quick shots, and that was that, some of those shots are on our wall right now, Like and it was super cold out too.
Speaker 1:When you guys got there as well, we're just like we don't need to rush snow I remember which turned out beautiful for your backyard pictures oh yeah.
Speaker 2:But, I know it was really cold.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh yeah. Yeah, I was happy we did that, but so, in your words, what would you say?
Speaker 2:your role as a coordinator is oh, I would say therapist risk assessment, just yeah, like just being the go to. You know, how I always talk to my couples is that there's no general list of everything that I do. Every couple is different. I love all of my type a couples, especially the brides, because they have everything all put together and I'm just kind of leading them down the path. But then I'd be able to focus on other stuff. They may not know some things, obviously not getting married before. So I think like just kind of you're kind of everything. There's not just like three things you're. I definitely think a therapist is number one, though out of all of it I've had to mitigate a lot of conversations between parents, family members, just hard, tough conversations that you really shouldn't be happening.
Speaker 2:But, I help.
Speaker 3:And that's what that's. What we love about Liz, too, is it's one of those things where not every coordinator is going to be very rarely able to be a coordinator that will do that.
Speaker 1:So Liz takes everybody into, like it's very personal for Liz, so there's a lot of connection involved and I think you're still like your friends with a lot of the couples.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, I want to have a party with like, all of my like 50 or 60 couples I want to feel it out. I don't know if my husband's on board with it yet, but just like invite everybody, get a caterer and like all of my couples stuff up yeah.
Speaker 3:Your husband would feel so awkward.
Speaker 1:I know I'll just leave you such an introvert and love him, but like he'd be like, what is this?
Speaker 2:Like this is just too much right now. Are these people?
Speaker 3:It was interesting because you've been such a big part of these people's most important day, like that's. That's a something that not a lot of people get to say, so well and it's hard to say goodbye, like I.
Speaker 2:Actually some of them that you know I get really close with and we have some really close bond and tough relationships like that they have to go through and we I've worked with them through that like saying goodbye like okay, this is like it, here's all your stuff. Like the week after bye, like how do you, how do you move on from?
Speaker 1:Yeah, like I feel attached, so talking about like from the week after, you're still in contact with a couple, so let's just talk about, like, at what point do you would you prefer couples to reach out to you to start? And then what do you do, as you kind of go through until their wedding day and then after?
Speaker 2:So I think obviously right now, just on availability, like reach out as soon as possible, but I like to start. You know, a day of coordinator usually doesn't technically and like if you look up a day of coordinator they get involved three months prior.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 2:I get involved, sometimes like 24 months out, which I have 2025 couples right now.
Speaker 3:Right so.
Speaker 2:I know I'm kind of like a day of coordinator plus and that's something like I'm personally working on from a brand perspective of like how I need to kind of leverage that, that I'm not just a day of coordinator and I don't think people really know they need me until they have me. So when I usually have couples reach out like usually the ones where we start getting nitty gritty, it's like nine to 12 months out, just because I don't want to take away the planning, but I want to know what you're doing, just be your quarterback, talk to you like, and almost guide a little bit, yeah, just guide, because sometimes, if you don't know, you're just booking just to like.
Speaker 2:Okay, I got to get photographer cater or DJ, everything done before the end of the year. But like you're rushing and you don't know, so like let me just like look into it, send me the contracts, let me just like see, make sure this is a good vibe, or ask me my opinion. And if not, like I always try to respect people, like I don't want to make it seem like I know so much and you don't, like I want them to enjoy the planning process too. So I kind of feel like how our relationship goes, that's how I figure it out, like who's going to be the ones that really need my hand. But right, nine to 12 months is usually the general rule of thumb for me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think it's so important for couples to understand you haven't planned a wedding before, or your wedding before, so having some guidance from someone who's helped plan hundreds of weddings basically, well, almost almost almost is.
Speaker 1:is it's okay to take their advice? Yes, it's okay not to know what to do, right, but and then, as you get closer to the weddings then so you said, nine to 12 months, you're starting to get really involved. And then, three months out, or what would you say, you start to like really meet with the couples and go start solidifying timelines, like that sort of stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean. For example, I just sent an email out to my May, june and July couples. I've been corresponding with them and they have unlimited access to me. They can text me anytime. I always encourage them like I know you're going through TikTaka 2 AM, just text me.
Speaker 3:If you want to know if you can do it at the bridge.
Speaker 2:Just text me instead of an email to them, like just let me know, like logistically, if this makes sense and I'll tell you my honest truth, cause I rarely say no like anything to personalize a day, let's do it. But I emailed all those couples for May, june and July just saying like all right, like let's start getting, like let's relax for the holidays by wanting to get you some things on the calendar, like let's start meeting. I usually want to do timeline about six months out. That doesn't mean it's a hundred percent timeline, it's just I call it kind of like the foundation Laying out all the logistics. Let's see everything. I want to take everything out of your brain put it on paper.
Speaker 2:It's a workable document, so it's like a Google document We'd. I just ask don't share it to any vendors just because it's not final. So I don't want, like your vendors, to have version one, two, three come the final day and be completely confused.
Speaker 2:So we kind of just work through that and that way, leading up to the day we have and we're working through this like whole document that shows holistically, like from start to finish I mean you've seen it all the detail, items like decor and then how many guests per table, all of your vendors, plan, et cetera.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, it's great, yeah, cause I know it's six months out. You probably haven't stepped out your invitations yet. So having a timeline and figuring out the big things at that point very important, especially like you have to look at your contracts with your different vendors, cause you should know start and end times for your vendors when your ceremony is at all of that stuff when, like when photography starts versus when it ends, and so you can start getting the nitty gritty of that, the big things essentially so, and also like transportation.
Speaker 2:Believe it or not, I'm realizing like transportation, hair and makeup too. They really require you to have like your start and finish times, like when you're booking like nine months to 12 months out, and a lot of my couples are reaching out to me actually a little sooner, and I'm like, oh, okay, yeah, let's do this, like let's make the timeline, but they're needing that information, which you can always change, for you know, if you need to right, it's just good to have it when you start those logistics For sure, for sure, especially before you're sending out your invites.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, making sure everything's correct in that sense, when you're working with a couple, do you?
Speaker 3:how often do you do budgeting aspects with them? Cause I know that that's a huge thing. Before you're signing contracts, like, you kind of need to know a number, and I think that that's a big thing where I don't want to say a lot of couples don't know their number, but if you're planning your wedding, you should not be accepting the whole like, oh, we have money saved for your wedding. If you do have help from family paying for a wedding, you need to know. You can't just start signing contracts everywhere. So how are you involved with that process, if at all?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I would say maybe about 20% of my weddings. It's we talk about budgets and it's not so much about what their holistic, like big budget cause. Let's be real, everybody goes over it. But more so, talking about like okay, like, where are you at? Like, are you DIYing things? Like, how can I help? Like, where are you feeling the gap? Like, sometimes you know there's a lot of instances where they've booked maybe two thirds of their vendors, but they're like we're on a budget. I don't know options, and that's where, like, I can get creative. Like, let me give you some other options. Maybe a florist that's like, maybe not as expensive. Or maybe you know you can utilize my rentals and like that'll help with decor. Or maybe, like, what are the things are you most passionate about? Like, do you want to get rid of a vendor?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think priorities at the beginning, if you don't care about flowers, like what are we talking about here? Like just do the bare minimum.
Speaker 1:Like if you Like, just get your bouquet Right.
Speaker 3:Like if you're not that worried about the food, like you know, it's just something where, at the beginning, I think that's important to spell out. And if you're, it's like kind of you don't want to be driving without a map situation.
Speaker 2:And like just taking the flower. Like, if you want flowers, maybe don't do centerpieces for flowers for every 20 tables. Do half of them and have the other ones be candles, or repurpose your bridal bouquets and your bridesmaid bouquets as centerpieces, like just stuff like that to help kind of figure out the budget.
Speaker 2:That's where usually I come in A lot of the time. Like you know, when they book me I'm usually sometimes either the first vendor, like after the venue, or sometimes I'm the last one, so the budget's kind of already out the door by the time they give me anyways.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, so with your packages, then you have different tiers, is it all the same?
Speaker 2:Like you, give the same for everybody, right? One package, that's all I was originally going to do, three, and then I decided to change it because I'm just a naturally giving person.
Speaker 1:You're always going to do it all. I'm always going to do it all.
Speaker 2:I'm like, oh, I can't clean up because it's not in your packet, like no, like I'm not going to leave you high and dry.
Speaker 3:I'm going to clean up.
Speaker 2:So I feel that's where it goes back to. Every couple is so different. There's certain ones that I'm not going to have to do as much that I can overextend and do stuff, so why have a package that's so specific on things? Right, it's just you get me, you get all of me. I'm here from the beginning to the end.
Speaker 1:So and ideally people are booking you, but if someone is looking for a coordinator and they're seeing packages, what's your suggestion to them, like what's important to look at and look for? Does it vary based on other vendors you have or what the venue?
Speaker 2:requires. That's what I think. Oh yeah, I mean I definitely always recommend like doing a consultation with anybody that you like saw interest in. I feel like it's almost I joke but it's like match. So you have to make sure you guys match together and you vibe well. I mean you're sharing this day with somebody that's like going to be the most important part of your life, like you've got to have someone by your side that you trust, and looking for just no hidden costs.
Speaker 2:And I'm not trying to like how do I put it Not bad talk any other day of coordinators or anything out there, but I have done my research. There's just a lot of like itemized list of everything they do and everything they don't do, and then just all these added costs that I see all these couple has to add onto it. Right, and that's just not an ideal. So I always tell couples like, if you're looking besides me, totally respect that, but just watch for that stuff. Like you know, I know for the bridge. Like the cleanup and pickup, that's a big thing and I really thrive on that. Like I actually get insulted if somebody else picks up other than me.
Speaker 3:Because, like, I want the couple, this is my job. This is my job.
Speaker 2:And I don't like cause. Family members like to get involved and I don't want to like tell them not to, but I'm like go like you've had a long day too.
Speaker 1:Like don't go, enjoy your whole journey, like this is the last half hour of your son or daughter's wedding, like this is what's giving me a wake right now, or I'm like let me work, I'm getting offensive with this right now, like you don't think I can handle it, so just stuff like that. Yeah, yeah, definitely so. Okay, so, from your perspective, what would you like? Why is it ideal to be a preferred vendor for a venue Like, so that you're maybe working in the same venues or you know that sort of?
Speaker 2:I just I don't know if I'm just biased, it's just it's nice because I can come here reoccurringly and I know the area Like it's like my second home, so I can constantly know the area and I know what the rules are, I know how it operates, I'm very familiar with it. So I think it's a plus side and it's just a lot easier for the day flow too. You know, obviously, when I have couples reach out to me and they have questions about their day that are specific to the bridge, like I always try to ask the best of my abilities, but then that's when I throw in the email and throw them on and fill out.
Speaker 2:You know the bridge and be like oh, this is yours.
Speaker 3:So I don't know this one.
Speaker 2:But I think it's just definitely it's an added benefit just for the four couples and for myself just to be here. I've recently got added to another vendor list, so I'm kind of excited about another venue downtown. But I mean both of them. I just it's nice to come back, right, right.
Speaker 1:so it's easier for you to continuously go back to the same places because it becomes almost like second nature and you know how it goes, you know how it runs. So it actually really benefits the clients, the couple, because now you know everything, like you know how it functions, you know where you're gonna set up, you know where you're going to come in, you know how the timelines work. So it benefits the couple quite a bit.
Speaker 2:So going with someone's preferred vendor list always ideal if you vibe with them and usually, like before the wedding, like the day before, I kind of put it in my head like okay, like usually I'm gonna do this task from 10 to 11, then I'm gonna go pick up the cake from 11 to 12, and I'm gonna do this, like I'd be able to predict that more, with a preferred vendor or a venue, because I'm here all the time.
Speaker 2:I know how things work and how things flow, but if it is at another venue or a new venue, I have to always make sure I allocate extra time for those tasks that I have to do because I don't know, like where does the cater like unload, or like. I have to get to kind of know the premises and understand the ways of working, so it's a little bit extra time for me and to work through the day too, and it almost becomes restrictive on what additional things you can do for the couple on that day, because now you're stuck doing different things or trying to figure out other things with the venue or whoever you're working with that day.
Speaker 2:And also, too, you feel like you know I'm a guest. Whenever I go to new venues I'm a guest and I think there's a few that I've been like a couple of times now and I think they nicely, I think may have gotten annoyed with it, but just like is this okay, is this all right? They're like you're asking too many questions. I'm like I don't wanna overstep because I know here I can kind of have that comfortable and like go behind closed doors and grab something if needed, or grab a chair, or like I can do that, but I don't wanna overstep somebody else's house. It's like you know you don't wanna break the rules and not have to come back. So I always try to like are you okay? Was everything great? And they're like you're fine, liz.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you never wanna overstep and then be like you're not allowed back, Like you can't be here anymore or whatever, so I get that yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so picking backing off of the preferred vendors situation. For those that haven't listened before, I always throw it in we don't take any sort of commission off of our preferred vendors. Some venues do.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 3:We do it because of how good they are at what they do and we would love it if every single couple went with only preferred vendors. But realistically we understand that that's not always gonna be the case. But can you speak to the? Just the importance of? Not the importance of, but how much smoother it goes when everybody has worked together.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean I think there's one wedding. I think in June of next year that I looked at all of the vendors that I have for that couple and they have. It's a preferred vendor for everything Flores, cater, dj, photographer, video. Like everybody that's been here, I've worked with them. It's like my dream team.
Speaker 3:And I am so excited I cannot wait for that one.
Speaker 2:I cannot wait Like I didn't realize, because you know they tell me as they book stuff. But I was like just glancing. I'm like this is gonna be awesome.
Speaker 2:It's just the flow, how people work. You know, I feel like and this goes back to my day job of being a project manager you have a team, we're putting together a team and like, if you don't have a good team or you don't have somebody that knows the rules and everything like that, you're spending more time getting them caught up rather than working or focusing on something else for the couple. So that's where I feel it's really relevant to choose a preferred vendor, just to have it. And I know, you know getting married 10 years ago, when I got married at my venue, they had a preferred list and because I'm just different and stubborn, I'm like I'm not gonna go off of their preferred list.
Speaker 3:I know better than this.
Speaker 2:So I totally like get why couples sometimes wanna kind of have something a little bit different, but now, being on the other side, there's so many advantages as a vendor working with similar people like Sean.
Speaker 1:Like if I have Sean on my DJ like, if that's number one. We're set for the entire night. He's my timekeeper.
Speaker 3:It's gonna be awesome.
Speaker 2:We're not gonna speak for Sean, but he kind of said the same thing about you, so You'll hear it in his this is it's really interesting when we have both the same consultations with couples, we'll both kind of go back and forth with each other and before I even talk to him, I'll have a couple and be like, oh my gosh, we just got off the phone with Sean. He's amazing. I'm like, yes, he is so great, like, and I gave a whole spiel, not just because I do it, because I do personally love him. And then they're like oh, they said the same. He said the same thing about you, oh, okay cool Makes me feel good, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:I think that's a huge thing for confidence as well with their day and feeling comfortable in their day is they know, like if they know that everyone's worked together before that's just a huge weight off their shoulders, like it's. The room for air significantly diminishes when it's a team full of people that have worked together before.
Speaker 1:So like couples listening to this right now. Think about yourself. Hiring totally different vendors Haven't worked together, maybe haven't even been here, and this like not I'm not trying to stress you all out, but the stress of that and the like almost like a weight on your shoulder, versus if you go with our preferred vendors who have like all worked together, that weight comes off you guys and it becomes like the day that's just about you and your spouse.
Speaker 3:So it's funny. We just hammered this home and I always feel like I need to explain. Say it again that we don't like, we don't get paid for using the vendors. It's like, it sounds like it.
Speaker 1:We just sell you guys so much, and it's because it actually benefits the venue too, because now we have the same people coming in. We aren't putting in a ton of extra time trying to explain different things to people, trying to meet with different people. They know how it works here, they know what to do. And when we look at the list and we see that it's our preferred vendors, we're like oh, we don't have to worry about this wedding. They got it. Like this is going to be a great wedding, the couple is going to be happy by the end of it, like we have less worry on our end?
Speaker 3:Yeah, and it's the complete opposite if we look at a list and it's like I haven't seen any of these people Like the room for like.
Speaker 1:I know we get a little nervous.
Speaker 3:We're like, ah yeah, the room for error, just becomes so high when it's people that haven't worked together.
Speaker 2:Well, and also too, like, if there's like one person, like a new photographer that hasn't been here, like to me, that's always fun. Yeah, I agree, I kind of play like a little bit of chauffeur too, especially when they come in, I pretend like I basically live here, which I do, and I'm like here, do you? Have five minutes, I'd love to show you around the bridge.
Speaker 1:Show you my home.
Speaker 2:Right, let me show you my home. So it's really it's kind of nice to have them come to and like get them in twine with it and then afterwards, like you know, I always make sure our vendors are like they have food, they have drinks, like we sit down, almost like a feast you know, at the table by the fire, but at end of the night they're always like I love this place, I love it.
Speaker 1:We love it. Yes, you're in, you're in. Yeah, I would say the biggest ones we like to look at when we're looking on our end is Cater, dj and coordinator. Who are those three? That kind of determines a lot about what we see as the vibe of that wedding and how that's gonna go. So, yeah, so now you know that picking our vendors benefits us not financially but mentally.
Speaker 3:Well, and that's like we want the best for our couples, like we know that.
Speaker 1:We're gonna get a five star review if he is. These people.
Speaker 3:That's not a hundred percent Right right, that's true, except for Sean, because he's the worst DJ I know Right.
Speaker 2:Totally.
Speaker 3:So in general, you've been doing this a while, but for the current time, right now, what have you been doing to kind of expand and improve what you do on a regular basis?
Speaker 2:You know, I always kind of take the end of the year to reflect and see what I want to do. I always say that I'm going to slow down, and then I never do. But I do want to like enhance a little bit and see what my options are. I did recently hire somebody to be part of my team, so you know they'll.
Speaker 1:Little tidbit. She also got married here, One of our first weddings.
Speaker 2:Yes. So it's really nice to have that, you know, for her too, because she's seen me and she's witnessed my services. So now she's on the other side of things. So it took me a while to really be like, okay, maybe I do need help, but I think, moving forward, you know I'm creating some cool things to be able for my couples. I guess I can share it. So I'm getting this like little device made. It's like a paging system so for my bride and something that like the groom can like put and is like tucks or even like the bride if she has like pocket, so that way if they're at their table and I'm not like readily available, it's a silent pager.
Speaker 3:Interesting that's really cool, yeah, my husband, me and my husband have been talking about this for years now. Believe it or not, it was something he actually came up with.
Speaker 2:I'm so excited to hear about this. I mean, you don't want it going off, but somebody, even not just the couple to wear, but even like the best man or made of honor or something, if they need something. If I'm not readily there at that moment because I'm doing 20 other things, it's just nice.
Speaker 3:Or even if you're just at your table and you want your drink, just like press the button.
Speaker 1:I'll get you a drink. That's something you won't get with anyone else. No, no, that is a full list.
Speaker 2:So that's just something out of like me thinking how can I? Continue to move forward and move forward. That's an example, but I'm sure I'll have more stuff in the new year, because I feel like usually my wedding season is from like May to December and then I go in like hibernation from like January to May. So that's my thinking, revamping what am I going to do different?
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh, and I just wanted to add one awesome thing about Liz that you also don't get from very many coordinators is she packs up her car at the end of the night and she takes your stuff home with her. She takes your honey moon. I think you're still doing that.
Speaker 2:I just had a couple pick up today at 3.15 before I came here.
Speaker 1:So I mean that is like not having to bring, like let's say, you have transportation like a bus or something not having to bring a bunch of stuff on your bus back to the hotel, or we're coordinating someone else having their car here, leaving their car here and then packing up that car. Who's going to have the keys? Yes, that's the Liz way.
Speaker 2:It works out really good too, like luckily we have a nice giant garage now, but I mean I designated like pickup lanes even in my garage.
Speaker 1:My husband is not loving me lately, but it's okay, it's like the end of the year, so I know, I know You're going to have a little bit of a slower season in January, february.
Speaker 2:And like it's great, yeah, maybe we'll see. So, yeah, it's really nice just to have that happen and that's run from the start. But actually going to the ultimately, my days are like going all over. It's no relax, like an ending, or yeah, like going to the 10th birthday in February in the garage. I always tell couples like go on your honey moon, like worry about me later. I also like also to, I don't have my couples pay me until after the wedding too.
Speaker 3:So they only owe me, as I'm more invested basically that they are.
Speaker 2:Right, Well, I also tell like go, I know you get cards, go cash those checks.
Speaker 1:Let me be your last vendor Like let's be real, like to see how much money you get, and then you can give me a little.
Speaker 2:No, right, you can give me a little bit more if you're feeling a little generous. No, but also too, sometimes there's also instances this is another thing I like reflect on that people have like occurring expenses that happen they don't know the day of like I had a wedding that they forgot to do like day of insurance, which really the venue didn't really specify it. So I'm like okay. So I contact the venue literally in my car on the way to the venue. It's like where do you get this day of insurance? And she gave me the link. I just quickly paid for it because the bride and groom were getting ready for their big day. So I just add that stuff. When I go to like White Castle, I add that to their expense.
Speaker 3:I do remember that being something I liked a lot.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was really nice so like and it was. I mean, I don't even think we used it very much but like it was nice, Did you?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I got coffee it was funny Like was like do you need, do you guys need anything? I'm like no, like we're fine.
Speaker 1:And it was like I think I did bring coffee, it was like five minutes later I'm like I'll take a right.
Speaker 2:Like just something. It's not like I'm like a bank, but I know you guys are good for it Just something it's nice at the end.
Speaker 1:It's just like you're going to give us a little Excel doc of like the things you spent money on and like that's yeah, like, or you had to go run a quick errand to grab something like the bride and groom don't have to worry about how am I going to give her money to do this right now, right, or like, I'm not going to give her my credit card, which is okay too, but some places like we'll check.
Speaker 2:So I usually like there's a couple that I picked up their cake, I picked up their donuts, like I just made my rounds and picked up a bunch of stuff and just add it to the expense, so like it just made sense.
Speaker 3:Speaking of running out and getting stuff, we know that you have a secret box of things that are prepared for any problem that you've ever had. As collectively within this box. What are some of the random box?
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's like wait, I'm like just my miscellaneous box.
Speaker 1:Well, what do you?
Speaker 3:call it. Yeah, it's like a safety box.
Speaker 1:It's the rolling one that you usually have.
Speaker 3:I have a few Okay. So I have an emergency bridal kit. There you go, Not a box, an emergency bridal kit which I should say it really cool.
Speaker 2:It's emergency wedding kit, because it definitely caters towards like everybody basically. So, yeah, I provide that the day of, so that's always at everybody's disposal in the bridal suite. But then I also have another box too. It's filled with like random stuff, like tools, twine, fishnet, like all this stuff that you don't even know that you need, Like fishing, like like hooks like 3M hook, like just random stuff, yeah Just you don't know what you need.
Speaker 2:So I have this like miscellaneous box that I always bring with me Extra candles, extra floating lighters I mean, I know my lighters are always floating around here.
Speaker 1:Now that I put stickers on them, I was saying I'm pretty sure I had. There's one behind the bar with the sticker with your name on it.
Speaker 2:I've recently done that. See, that's another one Thought about it. Yeah, I always grab it after this.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Just keeps growing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you just need a Liz box at the bridge.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, or an office Wink wink.
Speaker 1:Hey, this office doesn't get used to all that.
Speaker 3:on no I know, You're welcome to put stuff on that table or in that corner, kevin's got his screen set up.
Speaker 2:I do like that there's a microwave in here, though, so that's really nice.
Speaker 3:I'm sorry to say, but it doesn't work.
Speaker 1:The microwave doesn't work at all.
Speaker 3:I mean, I tried to eat lunch up here the other day and it didn't work so maybe.
Speaker 1:Well, we could just get a new one yeah we'll see. I feel like that's necessary.
Speaker 3:It should be a finance?
Speaker 1:Yeah, all right. What are your top like three tips for brides and grooms or couples in general?
Speaker 2:I would say probably try to make it about you too. I feel like weddings bring out the worst and the best in people. Sometimes parents Aunt Karen likes to get involved all these people and I think that adds a lot of stress. So I feel like always at the end of the day, like have it end with the both of you guys, like doing what you wanna do, like I know people sometimes also feel responsibility cause moms and dads are paying for it too and they wanna please. So there's a way to always add in that tradition but also just think it about the two of you. That's all it is. It goes by so quick. Make it just time for you to make sure it's about you too. That's it.
Speaker 2:Other tips I would say probably is just kind of make sure you're on the right trajectory. So I always provide timeline Well, kind of like a checklist for my couples when they book me. So I did another thing in my hibernation reflection I researched a lot of checklists for people and I just can't find one that was like applicable to the couples that I've experienced with.
Speaker 2:So I made my own. So I always hand that out and I have my couples be like I swear I'm looking at it, I'm checking off everything and everything like that. So I think just having some sort of checklist even if it's mine or somebody else's, I think they'll keep you on track and my checklist is not so much stuff getting off the list, but it's more so hey, it's six month out. Start thinking about, like doing a guest book. What would you want for a guest book? Not order a guest book. Just think about it, get it in your head, cause I know how all of us do. We look on social media, tiktok, we see all these things. We never act on it. Just start narrowing stuff down, so stuff like that. Try and think of any other helpful tips. I always love a good couple that usually is organized and gives me all of their decor stuff in bins with like little spreadsheets. I mean, if you don't create it, I will create it for you. So I always highly recommend it. I think it just it's nice to have it.
Speaker 2:I think once you put stuff in a bin, it's kind of like okay we're ready to move on, like I'm ready to hand this off to like Liz and do.
Speaker 1:You're wiping your hands and now you don't have to worry about it. Right, so much easier, so much easier. Yes.
Speaker 2:So those are my like top planning tips from my eyesight.
Speaker 1:And then what are some of the like? Are the coolest or some of the coolest things you've seen people do for their weddings? Like what has stood out to you.
Speaker 2:I actually made a list.
Speaker 1:Okay or not?
Speaker 2:You know, and I think my biggest thing is personalizing it.
Speaker 2:So, like how people can like personalize the day. So, like I know, we had a wedding over this past weekend. They didn't really want a big cake and I didn't really know the backstory until recently, but they didn't want a big cake. The dad was a cake lover. So when he got wind of this he's like the father of the groom he was like, absolutely not, you were having a cake. So he went and got a five tier cake, which is what we had here, which we haven't seen those in a while you posted. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1:It was beautiful. It was beautiful. I don't want to say the wrong vendor Was it?
Speaker 2:Orlin Park. Orlin Park, bakery.
Speaker 1:Orlin Park Bakery, if anyone's wondering.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, and it was really good too, just let me know it was so beautiful. It was awesome.
Speaker 1:It was like a traditional wedding cake, almost. Yes.
Speaker 2:To a point like even Dina was like is this real or is this one of the fake ones? But no, that's real.
Speaker 1:That's only cut here, right.
Speaker 2:I'm like no, that's real Dina. And after they went and they did the traditional cake cutting, instead of them eating the cake, he took a slice and brought it over to his dad and I'm like, okay, that's really cool, that's sweet, that's really cool, just stuff like that. I think like also like table number photos, like I had a bride do the table numbers based on their age of both the bride and the groom, which I thought that was horrible.
Speaker 2:That was horrible. There was different ones like donut wall. They handmade their wooden table numbers. I another couple do that. They have all the drinks on behalf of the pets. I love the petsters.
Speaker 3:That's a common one. I do have a couple.
Speaker 2:They thought about this for next year and I'm totally invested into it, so I've been sending them links of how we can do this. They wanna do building their own Lego like a escort card thing, so like as a guest book, basically. So people, you would have a bunch of like heads, bodies, legs, and during cocktail hour they're all making their own like Lego mini figure.
Speaker 3:Every table.
Speaker 2:So, not so it's during cocktail hour. So how we envision it instead of it being at like the wooden tables for welcome table over there, we'd have like these little kind of sets set up on the like high tops basically and every, and they take them and put them like 3D, like shelving and stuff and hang them in their house cause they're big Lego fans.
Speaker 1:Like this is amazing, that's so funny. Oh my God, I'm like I'm a mom of a five year old who's into Legos.
Speaker 2:I'm like I wanna be so involved with this. So I've like researched, I looked on like Facebook marketplace and we could do this like cause Legos can get expensive, so just stuff like that I love, like just the personality coming out, like I get to really get involved with my couples, like I think those are my favorite moments.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know we had like a couple who did like breweries, like they've gone to all these breweries and did like breweries, I think they got like not. They're not. I wanna say fifths, but that's hard alcohol. What are they, Grollers? Yeah, and they had like the breweries, and then they put floral inside those.
Speaker 3:Oh, those are cool.
Speaker 1:Or Kevin's favorite thing that he loves to see is like it's like a newspaper almost.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Like card and it has like information on the wedding, like programs. Yeah, it's like a program, but it's like really cool.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like it just places they've been Amount of days that they've been together, like just where people are traveling, little stories of how they met. Like it's just one of those things where, instead of someone picking up before the ceremony and saying like okay, it's this, this, this, this is the groomsman and this is the bride, these are the bridesmaids it's something where everyone grabs one little program, like that stuff is still part of it, but most of it is just cool stuff to read about the couple and I think that that's just.
Speaker 3:it just makes it way more personal, We'll like for all the guests.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, I have another one. They were going to do little notes at every table, so when guests take their seat, it's basically like a note to these individual guests saying how and why they're all seated together Like, what like do they have? In common.
Speaker 1:Wow, I don't think I could get that person.
Speaker 2:I know that's really cool though, like if you have like the awful work together or like we all went to, like you were his childhood friends, and this is my childhood friend, you know just, not only are you going through the work of figuring out who's sitting together, but you are going to put it on paper and explain it to them. But that's a conversation starter. For those people that's a lot.
Speaker 1:That's cool. Yeah, that's cool, that's unique, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm all for all of that. When they tell me these things, I'm like I am on board, so I'm going to be up. Tell me what I have to do. Yes, do I have to interview these people? I will do it.
Speaker 3:Yes, I think one of my favorite things on the opposite end is something that I really wish we did for our wedding and I'm super disappointed that we didn't is after the tone where like they have the recording of instead of a guest book where you're writing it down, like people pick up the phone throughout the night and they can record and like it just starts recording. Yeah, I just think that's the coolest thing.
Speaker 1:Well, I think it's cool. I looked back at our guest book one time.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 1:Once.
Speaker 2:And I just think it would be funny to have like all that People saying stuff and like having like a recording and it only gets more absurd as the evening goes on.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think that's good.
Speaker 2:We did. I didn't want. I was always different. I didn't want the traditional guest book for my wedding, so we did a cloth, oops, a cloth, and people signed the cloth like little squares, and then my mom put them together and stitched it and made into a blanket for us.
Speaker 1:That's really cool, yeah, so if you have someone that can sew there, you go.
Speaker 3:That is pretty cool, or quilt, or whatever you want to call it yeah, just another option.
Speaker 1:I used to sew.
Speaker 2:Oh gosh, I can never do that.
Speaker 1:I sewed my cousin a baby blanket. That was as far as I went. I tried to do clothes, couldn't do clothes. But, that's a lot. Yeah, oh yeah, I have a sewing machine in the basement Collecting dust. Yeah, no, well, we can wrap up with one last question what is the craziest wedding story situation anything that's happened to you?
Speaker 2:here or elsewhere, and I'm pretty sure they're probably gonna listen to this. So I can totally but they're my best friends now.
Speaker 3:So I'm allowed to say this Okay, no names.
Speaker 2:But maybe that's also me giving it away right now too, we won't ever drop names.
Speaker 3:We're never gonna mention specific weddings or any occurrences.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:I think more so.
Speaker 1:I think I maybe know what you're about to say.
Speaker 2:They were like one of my first couples yes, Love them to death and I just love it and I mean everybody kind of knew it was just a lot going on and also it was a good learning for me. I think by the end of the night my father like literally like the next day, had to check on my mental health because I was like totally not, I didn't drink, I didn't eat, I didn't do like anything, Like I didn't take time for myself, and I think I was like in a complete panic. I crashed on my apartment floor like 2 am and I don't think my husband knew what was going on.
Speaker 1:Like I can't I can't, I don't know how to do this.
Speaker 2:What is wrong? Like other people do this, why can't I do it? It was just a lot of running around and again it was very new Liz in the wedding industry and basically me knowing everything I know now, doing it all back then but not taking the time and understanding it all.
Speaker 3:So Like not having a process.
Speaker 2:Not having a process and just being a giver, naturally Again, which always sometimes bites me in the butt and I'm just like running around. It was a hot day. They got married, they had their ceremony elsewhere, on the way from their ceremony to the reception. Another note if people are listening, please do not drink so much alcohol. From your ceremony to reception Doesn't work. Like they completely got intoxicated and by they I'm calling out the groomspin and we had about two hours of photos in between so we had to, like that was our photo time. So they were on like a golf course, so they were taking photos in the golf course but like so intoxicated it is like 95 degrees out I'm trying to get them water. But also like where they were at it was like a half a mile away from like the reception. So I'm like running with like five or six glasses of water on the golf field trying to get these guys some water, and so I was trying to hydrate them. But that obviously also set up too and you know we kept going. We went to the reception.
Speaker 2:We get into the first dance, or not. First dance is the speeches, and I just remember oh, I can say this story because he's one of my best friends now the groom was like, basically because we had a videographer big bridal party. The groom was like, basically I wish people can see me, but he was like almost passing out while the father of the bride was giving his toast, Like he was like kind of like putting his head down and I'm like, oh my gosh, this is gonna capture on video. What do we do? And all of a sudden I think the bride was thinking what I was thinking and she literally went like this to me and like it's a timeout sign. I'm like what at timeout? How do we timeout?
Speaker 3:This isn't a basketball game. This is a new one.
Speaker 2:I don't know how to timeout a wedding. How do we do this? So, like I went to the DJ. I'm like can we do like a timeout? He's like what's a timeout? I'm like I don't even know, but like we need to like take a break because something's going on Meanwhile. Since they had so many groomsmen, they had a full head table. I didn't wanna be in the photo and video, but I was trying to throw down bread and water down the assembly line of the groomsmen to get the groom to wake up and they like eat food. Let's get you like going. So I remember when he stood up, he's like I don't feel too good. I'm like, oh no, okay. So then the bathroom was really far from this place and I didn't want anything to happen. So I was. I literally put my hands out Like if you have to go like here you go, because he's still the rest of the night to go Like and I didn't want him to puke on his tux. Meanwhile the bride is like and you don't remember this story.
Speaker 2:She told us this in one of our little meetings that we were planning our wedding and the bride is like incomplete, like not panic, but kind of like what is going on, and so I'm like, okay, we got this. So I just helped her with some things that she liked, just to help calm her down and helped the groom, and meanwhile, like the groom is like downstairs basically about to throw up and in the basement, like throwing up the bathroom, I have, like you know, the father I think it was the father of the groom he came out to me and he was like Liz, we're like behind on time here and I'm like I've got your son puking in the basement right now this is not my fault, but I mean I'll rest assured, he was fine.
Speaker 2:We literally took a 10 minute timeout which really benefited everybody and I give him a hundred percent credit because he literally puked and rallied. He was good, he did the first dances, Everything was great towards the end of the night, but it was a little bit chaotic, something I didn't expect. And now I mean it's been like nine years and they are my closest friends, their children grow up with my son.
Speaker 2:I was just over at her house this weekend, so they are the best people and I'm sure they do not care. We just laugh about it all the time when I bring it up and also they think I over exaggerate the story.
Speaker 3:I do, but it did happen. Different perspective, different perspective, different perspective.
Speaker 2:But that's probably one of my craziest. I think it was just because it was so memorable in one of my first stories.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, that's very enjoyable to have that happen to you, I'm sure.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, you do everything, you do everything oh yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So your role doesn't end at, you know, just coordinating. Yes, you are, you're there to catch.
Speaker 2:Oh yes, throw up. Can we say that Is it. I don't know, I don't know how much more committed you can be. Yeah, I tried to be, I just didn't. I wanted people to really get to know the story.
Speaker 1:That was good. That was good. All right, I think that's it then. So I don't. We don't have any more questions, so Well, thanks for coming, liz.
Speaker 3:No, thank you for having me we appreciate it, thank you.