Chit Chat with Tat… and Special Guest Michelle Rago

During such uncertain times of this pandemic, two Wedding Planners are better than one! Wedding Salon CEO, Tatiana Byron Marx sat down with distinguished event planner Michelle Rago to chat more about the event planning business in 2020 and tips for planning brides.

If you couldn’t make it, fear not, because here’s what you missed.

Michelle points out what we are all feeling, this year is truly unlike all others. She nods to her years of experience as her guiding light. Wedding and Event Planners learn so very much about the business throughout the years– our own Tatiana has been planning events since her undergrad years! Negotiating contracts and completely returning to the drawing board is going to be necessary in some cases, but a well-versed wedding planner will be able to take COVID related challenges head-on. 

It is highly recommended to use a wedding planner, especially during these times. The planner will act as a liaison between you and the vendors as far as contracting goes, especially in terms of cancellations and necessary modifications to be made due to COVID-19.

Although the wedding industry and standards for events seem to be forever changed, there are still ways to make your event spectacular. A potential challenge could be guest count- regulations may fluctuate in the coming months, meaning that there may be downsizing for weddings. Cutting down a guest list can be upsetting, but during the digital age, there are countless ways to ensure that those closest to you can be there on your special day. Enter: Zoom Weddings and Micro Weddings. These smaller gatherings may be novel, but are definitely a fantastic option. 

Michelle and Tat talk about how photographers and videographers can still be utilized with Micro Weddings and Zoom Weddings; unique and hearfelt gifts can be sent to guests watching from home to make them feel like they’re actually celebrating. One thing is for sure: constant contact is key. Whether you decide to go digital or print with save the dates, invitations or changes to your event, keeping correspondence with guests in a timely manner is a must. 

For those out there who are not looking to use a wedding planner for their wedding, Michelle recommends that you build a skeleton of your event first. Outlining who will be involved with the planning, your guest count, your location and other basic factors will help you. A solid foundation allows a full plan to come to fruition. Proceed with caution, though, planning an event is no easy task, but once you pull it off, the payoff is incredible. Tatiana adds that having a Plan B is just as important as Plan A! Getting the venue and vendors on board with an alternative plan early on in the planning process will alleviate worries later.

There are already countless different restrictions around the US on a state-to-state basis; Michelle talks about how she has upped her knowledge of policies and laws in 2020. Due to uncertainty throughout the country, Tatiana has cancelled all in-person events to make way for Wedding Salon’s new digital ones. 

Will the event industry ever be the same again? That is beyond unknown, but with professionals like Tatiana Byron Marx and Michelle Rago pioneering new practices and paving the way, events definitely have a place in all of our futures. 

Planning couples can find solace within Wedding Salon! With regularly scheduled webinars and Chit Chat with Tat sessions, the amount of live resources available to you during this time is quite extensive! Join us during our next webinar session on August 6 at 1PM EST to gather more helpful tips and information!