Saving for a wedding

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For some years now saving culture has been encouraged locally.  Whether you are saving up to buy a car or a down payment for a house, land, a trip, or it can even be a household item that you need. Many supermarkets overtime have adopted the culture of allowing you to pay in two to three installments for household items, which can be spread over a period of 2 to 3 months. That makes someone save and afford what they couldn’t otherwise immediately have done so. The beauty to such payment for household items is,  it’s not usually on higher purchase price. Hence the exact price on the item is what you pay for when done with installments. 

Some years now to encourage savings culture,  there has been the 52 week challenge that some have practiced, to keep money aside and at the end of the year have money for any project that they have in mind.

With weddings, it’s a day that we plan for in advance and so saving for it would be a wise idea. Years are gone when you rely on wedding committees to raise funds for your big day. Some still do but only a few manage to reach their target amounts through this method.  On many social media platforms there have been complaints of being added to a WhatsApp group from people you haven’t heard from for years to find they have put you in their wedding committee to help raise funds and also help meet the deficit that won’t easily be realized through crowdfunding.  It’s easy to contribute twice or even thrice what you set aside to spend when you find yourself in a wedding committee.

There are a lot of benefits to saving and funding your own wedding as either the bride and groom and for some with the financial support of both their families.  When you decide to save for your wedding on your own, you can easily work on the vision of your day without external influence or with little but still within your control.  There is an entitlement that comes with working with a wedding committee.  When someone gives money for your wedding they may largely influence a vendor, venue, or even numbers you invite as they feel they’re invested in your big day. If it’s okay with you, proceed. If not then keeping money aside for your wedding is the way to go for you.

There are many ways to save for a wedding.  One maybe through a fixed account. This can be determined with the date you have in mind whether the funds will have matured by then. A second way is there are trustworthy and reliable vendors for who you can book a date and slowly pay monthly towards the wedding day. You can do this and be left with the sum of money that’s equivalent to the final payment for each vendor. This will then leave you with a reasonable amount to pay on the week of your big day. Whether you save cash and pay up at the last moment or pay vendors on installments,  paying for your own wedding when there is no family financial support can be reasonable than burdening a wedding committee to crowdfund it.

Wedding Contracts During the pandemic.

Time does fly so fast. It's more than 3 years since I wrote about wedding contracts.  My emphasis back then was for the vendor to protect themselves from difficult clients who give them bad reviews. If they have a settlement agreement with them, which basically might have terms involved like non-disparagement type or a confidentiality clause that makes the matter settled and resolved remain between the two of you.

Now,  I would like to shift gears abit and address wedding contracts during the pandemic going forward.  I was reading how some Individuals with Insurance cover were surprised to find that their bills couldn't be paid due to an exciting clause in their policy that they  might have failed to pay attention to until now. The good side to everything is that the terms have being renegotiated and now COVID related illness is being covered by some companies with limitations in place.

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When a client hires a vendor and enters into contracts with them, be it a photographer,  wedding planner,  venue, caterer,  hotel, honeymoon package and the list goes on......

There is usually a booking fee charged which is nonrefundable or not; based on what the contract stipulates.  Why many hardly refund this amount is due to the fact that they have to turn away other businesses because you've booked with them.

The pandemic and government restrictions meant that there would be need for cancellations,  rescheduling of dates and reduced number of attendees.  Since weddings are not time sensitive, they can be rescheduled and held at a future date. This calls for good communication between wedding client and vendor.  My need to address this issue is due to the fact that we are still in a pandemic and  its impossible to predict another disruption or even lockdown.  You might not have been prepared then but going forward, there is need to make huge provisions for uncertainties. 

In some contracts I've seen the allowance to reschedule upto one year. Based on the agreement you had or have, complete cancellation and refund might be available.  This might sometimes mean, a new contract would subject you to higher fees if the prices go up and any other changes that might come about. You might even loose the negotiated discounts you enjoyed before.

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What the pandemic might have drawn our attention to in contract law is the Force Majeure clause in certain contracts.  Your vendor might have it stipulated or not in your previous contract, but going forward; it becomes the norm.

Due to the uncertainties with the pandemic,  it might be potentially difficult and impossible performing existing contractual obligations. Even though failure to honor your part would result in a breach of contract, the Force Majeure clause absolve from blame both parties incase a breach occurs.

Going forward, even though that clause now exists in many wedding contracts,  be sure to read the finer details to it. What would entail the contract being suspended or otherwise postponed for a certain prescribed period. 

Corona Weddings

You woke up with a cold or flu one morning and think it will go away. You start by putting your plans on hold for a suitable time or date in the future. A week, a month passes and the reality dawns on you: it wasn't a short term illness....it was chronic.  That's the new norm and life has to continue.
This is what Coronavirus has meant for all aspects of life. Weddings haven't been exempted from this either. The changes have somewhat meant: no large weddings at least into the foreseeable future.  With many ceremonies shorter and having upto 30 guests. That automatically means, you no longer have to explain why someone isn't invited to your wedding.
The pandemic also brought lockdown that affected alot of businesses.  The ones that had already been struggling with a difficult economy  and even the ones that had booked clients had similar fate. That meant from mid march to sometimes in June or July, it wasn't a guarantee in this industry of having work or the wedding couple enjoying their day.
I could go on with the challenges that have come up but that would be keeping things on the negative side. It's time to rebuild and hopefully,  the few months left in the year will get things off to a good start for 2021. For now, I'd like to readdress : the wedding contact and saving for the wedding.  Be on the look out for my next article.

The good versus the stressful Client

It's  raining around me. The seasons are back.  The past two days have been crazy almost raining the whole day but life has to go on, plans have to be adjusted and goals have to be achieved.  Years back there was a song I heard...or more like a rhyme

Rain rain go away, come again another day....

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We'd like to wish the rains away but there is beauty in it. No more dust for some days save for the mud. The cost of food goes down and you kind of get to wear warm clothes that have been kept safely in storage for some months now.

This reminds me of the wish I had in the past. To get the perfect client and a happy ever after themed event with everything in place and no mishaps whatsoever.  I would call this a perfect day, event or wedding but just like the wishful thinking about the rain, somethings hardly cooperate.

There is what would be considered a good Client to work with. Right from the start,  they are easy like a summer morning and when the event is over, you'd wish they replicate themselves in the next person you get to work with.

I've watched alot of bridezilla shows. It's not only hilarious but painful to watch. Quite a difficult turn of events for all involved.

Wikipedia defines a bridezilla as “a generic term used to describe a difficult, unpleasant, perfectionist bride who leaves aggravated family, friends and bridal vendors in her wake. A bridezilla is obsessed with her wedding as her perfect day and will disregard the feelings of her family, bridesmaids and even her groom in her quest for the perfect wedding 

These are clients we can't wish away but still deal with them. The best way is to learn how to manage them. We all can't avoid stress. Especially,  If the stress is being caused by a paying client.  In the world of social media some can ruin your business completely.  How do you dance to the tune of the music played by them and still do a successful event for them that will not compromising what you stand for?

Running a wedding business in Kenya

I have been in this industry  in Nairobi  since April  2008. Last year, in the month of August,  I took a break from it. I had a difficult  time trying  to figure out whether I want to stop or continue.  This, like  most projects am interested in are creative industry oriented.

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A lot changes every day and trends come and go. You're as good as the last job  you've done. Simply because you've had great successes in the past,  it's good to remember  that failure and disasters are always one event away.

One thing I've enjoyed a lot over the years is working with friends and family doing  their events. It's not an easy route to take as years of friendships can be destroyed  by just one event. It's a career that has brought me so much joy and stress in equal measure.

I must admit that for awhile  (some years to be  precise) I grew in this business purely through referrals but the changing  environment of marketing,  working through social media and expos has made my preferred marketing tool obsolete with time.

Wedding planner, just like any other wedding vendor realizes that the market is constantly changing and demands you update trends and whatever it takes to keep up with it. The trick then becomes how to do this and keep costs low while not compromising on quality work and still turn out profitable.

There was a duration that I loved out of the box kind of brides with creative  ideas, but time  and experience taught me that a majority of them want 100% needs met on less than 40% of your pay's worth.

Now am back after a year  of throwing  in the  towel. I've talked about the uncertainty of doing this business before and given up so many times over. It's not an easy time to do a business in the country basically with many people loosing jobs everyday.  More people seems to cut down on wedding  spending and new businesses in the wedding industry are established every other month with enthusiastic  entrepreneurs who hope to do better than those who've been in the market longer.

Every day, the question remains, how does a business sustain itself and make profits  with everything seemingly  working  against  it?

Jumpsuits wear at weddings

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Last week, I was writing on jumpsuits for brides and bridesmaids. Now, I'm interested in guest wear. There are weddings that are very strict on what to wear. Usually, the invitation might indicate this and it prepares you in choosing what to wear.

Whatever it is, the goal is to look good for the occasion. There was a time there was a general rule on what would be worn to weddings and what you had to keep away from. Now, the options are endless.

Can guests wear jumpsuits? I feel they can if they want to. Unless the wedding couple says something contrary in their invitation. If bridesmaids can, then why not? With jumpsuits, a good fitting one irrespective of the size is important. Accessories it right and you're good to go.

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Wedding Committee, personal savings or wedding loans

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How did you finance your wedding? How will you finance your upcoming wedding? That's a topic I'd like to tackle today. Many people have great ideas but how do you embark on financing the various aspects of your wedding.....

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If you decide to go the wedding committee way, there are a few things to consider that can help save on cash or basically the expenses involved in organizing a large committee. First: many people are busy today and have a schedule that might not be suitable to them attending meetings in town weekly. How about you use technology to your advantage? You could form a whatsapp group, add everyone that might be of help to you in raising the money, open a paybill account in safaricom and have people send money to it.

Second, I'm of the opinion it's your work to source for vendors, interview and select your choices. In the past, the committee would help you with that, now that life is busy for more people it's best you do your own work and update people online on the progress. Third, please be sensitive. Its your wedding and expenses are all yours. Its expensive raising cash with budgets that keep going up. If the committee raises for you 40% of the cash, find a way as the wedding couple along with your parents or close family to fill up the 60% or alternatively, adjust the budget to meet the amount raised.

The most ideal way to raise money for a wedding would be personal savings. Two people dating and planning to get married should slowly start keeping savings aside for the big day and honeymoon. Many places and wedding vendors allow that you can pay a deposit way in advance, build monthly payments and by the time the wedding month is approaching the amount left to pay is a fraction that is not overwhelming to clear. This way, it's less pressure on family and guests when they chip in last minute. Few people go this route however. It can either be due to lack of stable income, no saving culture exists for both couples or even reasons best known to the couple.

Finally, it's easy to get loans from kenya today. Its not only banks that can issue loans. There are many organizations that do this through mobile apps. Just make sure you both have an impressive credit history to be able to get from as many sources as possible. This can help those who might not have friends, that can even help you reach half your budget and the cash you have raised is minimal still needing more money to finance your big day.

After all is said and done, how much debt and strain would one want to go through  just to finance a wedding? That's a question that only the couple can respond to well and choose to live by the outcome of their choice.