Tammie Hawkins' Smart Wedding Budget for Event Success

Event Planner Tammie Hawkins knows that a wedding that sticks to its budget is usually the most successful. She has years of experience working with her many clients to create a realistic budget, and follow that number through until the event is complete. To do this, she follows a breakdown of standard wedding costs, applying this formula to each event. While everyone desires different and unique items on their big day, starting with this cost formula works every time.

Hawkins instructs her clients to allot half of their budget toward the venue and catering of the wedding. This should include taxes, tip, and all staff needed. If a couple has a total budget of $28,000, then they should not spend more than $14,000 on the catering and venue. From this same example, the couple should also expect to spend 10%, or $2,800 on each of the following; flowers and décor, wedding attire, photography, and music. The remaining 10% of the budget will have to be used for things like the marriage license, wedding favors, transportation from the church, and invitations.

Again, Tammie Hawkins says this formula is not set in stone, and there may be increases and decreases to the allotment of each category. If the couple is getting married at a friend's home, or family is catering the reception, that will free up a great deal of the costs. However, if the bride is dead set on having an expensive couture gown, more money will need to come from a different area of the budget.

Tammie Hawkins Explains What Makes a Great Event Planner

Planning an event that is successful takes certain skills and fortunately Tammie Hawkins has these crucial abilities. As a noted Event Planner in Los Angeles, she has learned exactly what it takes to create and orchestrate events in her area, a city where there is a fierce amount of competition. The most important skill in her repertoire is organization. Without proper organizational abilities events will lose focus, details will be missed, and chaos will likely ensue.

Another skill that a quality Event Planner has is her ability to listen to the client's wishes. This sounds straightforward, but to do it well takes practice. Many times a client will say they want one thing, but mean something else. This means that the Event Planner has to use common sense, judgment, and ask the right questions to make sure they understand fully what the client wants for their event. Asking the right questions at the beginning will save the planner, the client, and any vendors involved a lot of time, money, and needless stress.

Being adaptable is vital for a quality event planner. It does not matter how well the meeting or event is planned, or how vigilant the planner is, random issues always creep up when they are least expected. All kinds of things can go wrong when planning an event, including natural disasters on the other side of the country that affect a shipment of special ordered candles. Tammie Hawkins offers an ability to adapt to any situation, and still provide an event that is top notch.