An obstacle in the sales/service industry is always convincing your potential client why they should use you. One of my husband’s close friends once said to me: “why would I hire a wedding planner when I can do that myself?” I spent the next half hour “selling” him on how yes, he may be able to plan a wedding, but I can also hammer a nail into a wall… Does that mean I should install my own cabinets? I successfully converted him into a believer.
So, in the wedding planning industry we often run into the issue of venues having an on-site catering manager and the couple not seeing the need for their own personal event planner. That seems all fine and dandy when your wedding is a year away but trust US that it is far from the case when you are just 8 weeks away.
There are endless differences between a catering manager and an event planner. Take a look at Inside Weddings for proof! (Photo Courtesy of Isabel Lawrence Photographers and GetMarried.com)
So, with that said I want to give kudos to Mary Dann-McNamee for her amazing article in Inside Weddings on how a catering manager and a wedding planner differ. Here is my favorite excerpt: “A catering manager is employed by the venue and primarily specializes in food and beverage sales for the venue. They are usually there on your wedding day but often depart after the first course is served. A wedding planner, however is a personal consultant who is present in all aspects of the planning process, and will without hesitation mediate, negotiate, and co-create either with you or on your behalf.” The bottom line is: You employ the planner and you don’t employ the catering manager.
So, in other words, you own us the day of your wedding 
I highly recommend to all of you to read the article as it goes further into the comparison between the two and it is a very interesting read. And as always I am here to answer any questions you might have. Just Ask Ariana!
- Ariana G. Stecker of Iris Fields
www.irisfields.com
- Unique Post
Ariana Gordon Stecker
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Thanks for sharing Ariana! I think I’ll need to post this on my blog as well so I can do my little part to help educate (I’ll link to you of course).
Hi Juliet! We are always here to help….and thanks for the linkage!
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