Elizabeth Manor would like to congratulate Mr. and Mrs. Burton Beasley, III. They were united in the Great Hall of Elizabeth Manor Saturday May21, 2011. The ceremony began at 6:00 in the evening. The custom designed alter was decorated with beautiful arrangements chosen by the bride in colors of purples, lavenders, pinks, and shades of white accented by black draping.
The bride made her appearance dressed in a beautiful strapless white gown accented by delicate pink flowers. The groom and groomsmen and the brides attendants were dressed in black.
The bride and groom’s guests were entertained during a cocktail hour followed by the reception.
A special thanks to the vendors that played a very important role in this event. The food and cake were provided by Catering by Janet. The flowers were provided by Do A Little Floral.
Thank you Burton and Renee for allowing us to be a part of such a beautiful and special day and we wish you both the best of luck!
The Staff of Elizabeth Manor
Monday, May 23, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Budgeting 101
One of the most interesting things I have come across is the reaction I receive when I ask a potential client what their budget is. Most of the time there is dead silence. Then comes the famous words…”well we don’t have one”. What???? Are you kidding me? You do not have a budget? This is the first step in planning any event! That is like going to buy a house and telling the real estate agent...well I don’t have a budget. I can promise you the next question from the agent is have you been pre-qualified and for what amount. There is a huge difference between a $100,000.00 property and a $1,000,000.00 property. Without any indication as to what you can spend on a property the agent is not going to be able to help you efficiently.
I have had this same conversation with many vendors and they have all shared the same reaction with me based on their experiences. If you are the client and are planning an event, please keep in mind…without the proper information the vendor is NOT going to be able to assist you properly. There is nothing worse than a client telling me “we have no budget…the sky is the limit” and we begin discussing the cost of a “the sky is the limit” event and they realize they cannot afford it! They end up disappointed and embarrassed because they have put themselves in a very compromising situation.
Potential clients please know that we (the vendors) are professionals and you have to be willing to share certain information with us so we can help you accordingly. Without this information the consultation is fruitless. I know from my own personal experience that if I feel the client does not trust me enough to share their potential budget with me, I recommend they find another venue. I automatically begin to shut down if I hear these famous words.
I have had many clients come in and share with me their budgets right up front. With this vital information I am able to discuss with them what we as a venue can do for them. Most of the time, because of the fact they have been honest with me and felt they can trust me, I have offered more then what the particular package may include just due to the fact they are honest with me…. but most importantly they trust me as a professional. Most vendors are not in the habit of trying to squeeze as much money out of one client as possible. I know for a fact the vendors we associate with are trying to give our clients the best their budget will afford so that we will receive referrals from that client! Word of mouth and referrals are the BEST advertising!
So take it from me…all of you potential clients please set a budget and be willing to share that information with your vendors! If you don’t…you will be wasting your time! Until next time…take care!
I have had this same conversation with many vendors and they have all shared the same reaction with me based on their experiences. If you are the client and are planning an event, please keep in mind…without the proper information the vendor is NOT going to be able to assist you properly. There is nothing worse than a client telling me “we have no budget…the sky is the limit” and we begin discussing the cost of a “the sky is the limit” event and they realize they cannot afford it! They end up disappointed and embarrassed because they have put themselves in a very compromising situation.
Potential clients please know that we (the vendors) are professionals and you have to be willing to share certain information with us so we can help you accordingly. Without this information the consultation is fruitless. I know from my own personal experience that if I feel the client does not trust me enough to share their potential budget with me, I recommend they find another venue. I automatically begin to shut down if I hear these famous words.
I have had many clients come in and share with me their budgets right up front. With this vital information I am able to discuss with them what we as a venue can do for them. Most of the time, because of the fact they have been honest with me and felt they can trust me, I have offered more then what the particular package may include just due to the fact they are honest with me…. but most importantly they trust me as a professional. Most vendors are not in the habit of trying to squeeze as much money out of one client as possible. I know for a fact the vendors we associate with are trying to give our clients the best their budget will afford so that we will receive referrals from that client! Word of mouth and referrals are the BEST advertising!
So take it from me…all of you potential clients please set a budget and be willing to share that information with your vendors! If you don’t…you will be wasting your time! Until next time…take care!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Tamesha Holland & Chad Surratt Wedding
Tamesha Schrane Holland & Chad Ellery Surratt joined in holy matrimony on Saturday August 21, 2010. Their wedding took place in the Great Hall of Elizabeth Manor at six o'clock in the evening. After the ceremony, family and friends were greeted with refreshments & light snacks on the Main Floor Gathering Area of Elizabeth Manor. A plated dinner followed in the Banquet Facility provided by Catering by Janet. DJ Duane Blue set the mood and provided music for the celebration.
The Staff and Owners of Elizabeth Manor want to wish Tamesha & Chad the very best in the new life together. May all their dreams and wishes be fulfilled. Congratulations!
The Staff and Owners of Elizabeth Manor want to wish Tamesha & Chad the very best in the new life together. May all their dreams and wishes be fulfilled. Congratulations!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Food for Thought
Hello All,
Ok… so here is the situation. I am meeting with the bride and the mother of the bride along with the mother of the groom. So, can you guess where we are going on this adventure? I am standing in front of three ladies and all of them are heading in different directions. I will admit, it is a little unusual for the mother of the groom to be involved but in this situation the families are very close and the children have grown up together and now have decided to marry.
Each one of these ladies has a completely different idea of what is appropriate for this event. SO… as I stand there listening to these ladies strongly express their obvious different opinions, I am watching the face of the bride become less and less interested in this entire process. I have seen less pain on the face of a woman giving birth naturally. The mother of the bride made the one statement that makes my blood curdle "Well I am paying for the wedding so I want it this way". I have many brides tell me that have chosen to do things a certain way based on the fact the parents are paying for the wedding and if she goes against the grain, they may not pay for the wedding. In my personal opinion that is a very distasteful thing to say. So is the mother bribing the daughter or just trying every last thing she can to remain in control of her child until the wedding. Things should be given in love, not for a gain or obligation. It became so uncomfortable that I finally had to stop them from speaking for a moment. The conversation went as follows…
I looked at them all and told them "They all had wonderful ideas about the wedding. However, this day was about the bride and groom and no one else". Well the blood drained from the parents faces. Unfortunately, this happens quite often but it is the truth. Many parents try to relive their life through their children. I can understand this because often I try to encourage my nieces to do better and make the correct choices in life so they will not have to experience any negative repercussions from making the wrong choices. Despite the effort that is put forth, I do believe that people learn from mistakes and these mistakes help shape a person. Back to the subject at hand. I explained to these ladies the bride needs to be the one that is happy at the end of the day. I asked each of them to write down their ideas and share them with me. I also asked each of them to promise not to discuss the wedding until I had the opportunity to work on the event and meet with them again. After reviewing each ones ideas I began to work on a plan. I began to develop a road map for the event that would include ideas from each one based on proper etiquette and so forth.
I called the bride and we had a separate meeting about the wedding. I shared my ideas with her and there were a few minor things she wanted tweaked. She told me before she left how she appreciated the fact I had took control of the situation and became the mediator for them. I simply explained to her that was what I was supposed to do and I promised her we would get through this and the most important thing was that she be happy. At the next meeting I explained I had taken each ones ideas into consideration and this is what I came up with. I passed the itinerary to each of them and waited. Believe it or not there was very little resistance. Once again there was a small amount of discussion but the overall outcome is they agreed with what had been presented to them.
The moral of the story is “The bride was very happy”. Based on this experience I learned that sometime one has to be a mediator. The most important factor for a successful event is that the bride is happy with all of the decisions made. I completely understand how most mothers want what they may have not had for their own wedding, but with the changing of the times certain trends change. Ideas that may have been in vogue twenty years ago may not apply today. Compromises have to be made every day in life and in planning a wedding there will surely have to be compromise. Brides, be respectful and listen to your mother s advice and suggestions. Mothers listen to your daughter’s ideas for their perfect wedding and work together as a team. It will take a team effort to make this special day a complete success! Best of luck to all you brides during this wonderful and beautiful adventure.
Until next time!
Ok… so here is the situation. I am meeting with the bride and the mother of the bride along with the mother of the groom. So, can you guess where we are going on this adventure? I am standing in front of three ladies and all of them are heading in different directions. I will admit, it is a little unusual for the mother of the groom to be involved but in this situation the families are very close and the children have grown up together and now have decided to marry.
Each one of these ladies has a completely different idea of what is appropriate for this event. SO… as I stand there listening to these ladies strongly express their obvious different opinions, I am watching the face of the bride become less and less interested in this entire process. I have seen less pain on the face of a woman giving birth naturally. The mother of the bride made the one statement that makes my blood curdle "Well I am paying for the wedding so I want it this way". I have many brides tell me that have chosen to do things a certain way based on the fact the parents are paying for the wedding and if she goes against the grain, they may not pay for the wedding. In my personal opinion that is a very distasteful thing to say. So is the mother bribing the daughter or just trying every last thing she can to remain in control of her child until the wedding. Things should be given in love, not for a gain or obligation. It became so uncomfortable that I finally had to stop them from speaking for a moment. The conversation went as follows…
I looked at them all and told them "They all had wonderful ideas about the wedding. However, this day was about the bride and groom and no one else". Well the blood drained from the parents faces. Unfortunately, this happens quite often but it is the truth. Many parents try to relive their life through their children. I can understand this because often I try to encourage my nieces to do better and make the correct choices in life so they will not have to experience any negative repercussions from making the wrong choices. Despite the effort that is put forth, I do believe that people learn from mistakes and these mistakes help shape a person. Back to the subject at hand. I explained to these ladies the bride needs to be the one that is happy at the end of the day. I asked each of them to write down their ideas and share them with me. I also asked each of them to promise not to discuss the wedding until I had the opportunity to work on the event and meet with them again. After reviewing each ones ideas I began to work on a plan. I began to develop a road map for the event that would include ideas from each one based on proper etiquette and so forth.
I called the bride and we had a separate meeting about the wedding. I shared my ideas with her and there were a few minor things she wanted tweaked. She told me before she left how she appreciated the fact I had took control of the situation and became the mediator for them. I simply explained to her that was what I was supposed to do and I promised her we would get through this and the most important thing was that she be happy. At the next meeting I explained I had taken each ones ideas into consideration and this is what I came up with. I passed the itinerary to each of them and waited. Believe it or not there was very little resistance. Once again there was a small amount of discussion but the overall outcome is they agreed with what had been presented to them.
The moral of the story is “The bride was very happy”. Based on this experience I learned that sometime one has to be a mediator. The most important factor for a successful event is that the bride is happy with all of the decisions made. I completely understand how most mothers want what they may have not had for their own wedding, but with the changing of the times certain trends change. Ideas that may have been in vogue twenty years ago may not apply today. Compromises have to be made every day in life and in planning a wedding there will surely have to be compromise. Brides, be respectful and listen to your mother s advice and suggestions. Mothers listen to your daughter’s ideas for their perfect wedding and work together as a team. It will take a team effort to make this special day a complete success! Best of luck to all you brides during this wonderful and beautiful adventure.
Until next time!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Remember Your Gifts
When planning your wedding celebration, remember to take into consideration the fact that you will receive many gifts from family & friends that will assist in offsetting the total cost of your wedding. Gifts can come in several forms: cash, checks or merchandise. Many of the gifts will come from the guests that confirm and attend your celebration. However, you must remember that, quite often, even those guests that have to regretfully decline attending your wedding will most likely forward some form of gift for the newly married couple. These gifts can quite often equal a value between 50% - 80% of your wedding celebration expense. While we never advocate "counting your chickens before they hatch", you will recoup some of your wedding celebration expenses. Do not overextend your budget, but also, do not try to cut costs. You only get married once and you want your celebration to me as memorable and satisfying as possible.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Food For Thought
Don’t be left holding the bag…an “empty” one at that!
When selecting a venue for your wedding please make sure to ask the right questions and educate yourself on what services the venue will supply for your event and, most importantly, which ones they will not that will ultimately end up as additional charges for your event. If the venue provides an event director or coordinator, make sure you will have unlimited access to this person. Keep in mind that you will be working very closely with this person, so it is a must that your personalities do not clash. If a venue allows limited access to the director/coordinator, you may want to rethink your decision to use this venue. There are going to be many questions that you need answers to and many conversations you are going to have.
If the coordinator/director is hired outside of the venue, you need to make sure you have unlimited access to this person. You have to remember, this person is the professional and you will be depending on them for planning your event. The director/coordinator should be the one doing all of the “grunt work” for you such as finding the correct vendors (i.e.: a florist, caterer, photographer, etc).
Yes, there have been potential clients that have toured Elizabeth Manor and I suggested they find another venue based on the fact I could not see us working together in harmony. For whatever reason, I felt these particular clients and I would not be able to work closely without issue, and I would not compromise such an important day for any fee. I have not regretted that decision and still feel it was best for both the client and Elizabeth Manor.
Be wary of venues that only allow you to use certain vendors. In many cases these venues receive kick backs from their “preferred vendors”. So not only are they receiving their rental fee from you, but also usually a percentage of the money you are paying the vendors supplying other services and products for your event. I hear horror stories on a weekly bases from new clients who have put down their deposit (and lost it) because they have decided the “perfect venue” was no longer what it seemed. Once the money exchanged hands, phone calls stopped and communication was lost. For a first time bride especially, this is a very stressful and agonizing place to be. To feel abandoned during one of the most important times in their life.
There are many reputable venues in the area that are willing to go the extra mile for their clients! I strongly advise you to do your home work and educate yourself before making a final decision. It is your event, your money and you have the RIGHT to ask as many questions as necessary to make yourself comfortable with such an expensive investment.
Until next time….Dwayne
When selecting a venue for your wedding please make sure to ask the right questions and educate yourself on what services the venue will supply for your event and, most importantly, which ones they will not that will ultimately end up as additional charges for your event. If the venue provides an event director or coordinator, make sure you will have unlimited access to this person. Keep in mind that you will be working very closely with this person, so it is a must that your personalities do not clash. If a venue allows limited access to the director/coordinator, you may want to rethink your decision to use this venue. There are going to be many questions that you need answers to and many conversations you are going to have.
If the coordinator/director is hired outside of the venue, you need to make sure you have unlimited access to this person. You have to remember, this person is the professional and you will be depending on them for planning your event. The director/coordinator should be the one doing all of the “grunt work” for you such as finding the correct vendors (i.e.: a florist, caterer, photographer, etc).
Yes, there have been potential clients that have toured Elizabeth Manor and I suggested they find another venue based on the fact I could not see us working together in harmony. For whatever reason, I felt these particular clients and I would not be able to work closely without issue, and I would not compromise such an important day for any fee. I have not regretted that decision and still feel it was best for both the client and Elizabeth Manor.
Be wary of venues that only allow you to use certain vendors. In many cases these venues receive kick backs from their “preferred vendors”. So not only are they receiving their rental fee from you, but also usually a percentage of the money you are paying the vendors supplying other services and products for your event. I hear horror stories on a weekly bases from new clients who have put down their deposit (and lost it) because they have decided the “perfect venue” was no longer what it seemed. Once the money exchanged hands, phone calls stopped and communication was lost. For a first time bride especially, this is a very stressful and agonizing place to be. To feel abandoned during one of the most important times in their life.
There are many reputable venues in the area that are willing to go the extra mile for their clients! I strongly advise you to do your home work and educate yourself before making a final decision. It is your event, your money and you have the RIGHT to ask as many questions as necessary to make yourself comfortable with such an expensive investment.
Until next time….Dwayne
Friday, August 6, 2010
Food for Thought Educational Series
Dwayne Johnson, the Director of Special Events for Elizabeth Manor, will begin a new series of postings entitled "Food For Thought". This series will encompass informative & educational ideas and practices for planning the perfect event. Watch for these postings to begin Friday, August 13, 2010.
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