J.Lo
I watched The Wedding Planner in September. Half joking, but also, half seriously. I had a 180 person wedding coming up and asked myself, “What Would J Lo Do?” Putting together a large event, let alone a wedding, is pretty exhilarating. Anything can go wrong. And on top of that, it’s the most important day of their lives. It is what little girls dream about and plan while they are playing dress up, lining up their stuffed animals as their guests while they wed their Ken doll. So, obviously, the pressure is on.
Closely observing J. Lo in the opening scene, she keeps it together and keeps things moving along while dealing with a drunken family member and a crying bride second-guessing her decision. J.Lo's perfect hair and lavender power suit never fall out of place as she makes everything happen on time and perfectly with ease and grace. In addition to that, she creates a bond and trust between herself and the families involved.
Planning someone else’s wedding is extremely personal. You, a total stranger, become a voyeur. For the short time you are acquainted to the couple, you have to quickly understand family dynamics and all the preferences and dislikes of the bride and groom. That, my friends, is what makes you a great wedding planner. All the fluff, the flowers, china, the string quartet, that’s all the easy and fun part. Keeping everything together and having complete control is what sets you apart from all the other planners.
Getting to know the immediate family is an extra bonus. I want to get in there, nuzzle right up onto Grandma Marie’s bosom. I find that getting to know all the family quirks is going to give you a leg up on the big day. Diving right in and gently massaging them to open up to you so that you know by the time the wedding rolls around, who needs the most hand holding, who needs their Chardonnay glass full at all times, and to make sure Grandpa takes his insulin shot before the cake cutting ceremony. It is a dance of sorts, a tango. Super calculated, but filled with surprising improvisation.
You have two families coming together to celebrate the union of their most precious children. Right?!? Yes, but there are so many other things at play. Emotions are through the roof. Throw in an open bar, the highest expectations possible, and toss in 10s — sometimes 100s — of thousands of dollars. Basically, your ass is on the line.
And you know what? That’s why I love it. Call me a masochist. Don’t get me wrong; I love making a space look drop dead gorgeous and creating the day that the bride and groom will remember forever. Making something out of nothing is a creative challenge and like a puzzle. But, the real thrill is taking all those curve balls — drunk uncles, the scene stealing Mother of the Bride, broken restroom trailers, torrential rainstorms and so on. Keeping calm and dealing with everything as it comes is an art all in itself. Like a firm slap on the ass that stings so badly, but you take it and kind of like it...really like it.