Blissful Bay Weddings

Sometimes I feel like the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland – so much to do, so little time – and perhaps I am chasing my own tail.  Granted, I have a number of projects on the go & it can get a little daunting. 

The problem with me is that due to being a little impatient at times, I have had the tendancy to set tight timeframes to a task at hand & end up feeling very unsatisfied at the quality of my work when I have not allocated enough time to get it done in … so, I have decided not to set such tight constraints for myself.  The psychology involved around this train-of-thought has been astounding!  Once I took the pressure off myself, I was actually managing to complete my tasks to a high enough standard that keeps me & those around me happy.

In all fairness though, I have been swamped & I am hoping that the numerous tasks I have started will be complete soon before the next run of tasks are put in front of me.  Particularly my ‘Under 10k Wedding Budgets’ … which are still in limbo awaiting some tweaked prices from some of my vendors.  For those wonderful vendors that have submitted their costs, 3 claps for you, you are wonderful.

So what have I been doing with my time?

Let’s see:

• I run & own Blissful Bay Weddings from home – which entails a lot of networking with vendors in the wedding industry, setting up contacts, pricing & planning for wedding couples, regular social media networking etc; I’m sure those of you that have their own businesses will know what this entails.  Current projects on the go: Under 10k Wedding Budgets; Wedding Proposal Blogs; Wedding Expo & Industry write-ups for vendors in the Bay of Plenty;
• I work 2-3 days per week for Environment Bay of Plenty;
• My hubby & I have a small cattle business on our property, granted, I do not do any of the physical stuff, I just take care of the paperwork, again, this too can be time-consuming, especially at tax time;
• We have 4 children: 16yrs, 12yrs, 10yrs & 21mths, all very active & enjoy sports – enough said (perhaps this should have gone on the top of the list as my largest task);
• I am the Secretary for the 2012 Jamieson Family Reunion & on the following Sub-committees for the reunion: ICT; Events; Finance & Registrations.  This includes me setting up & maintaining our Website & FB Fan Page – check it out if you like : Jamieson Family Reunion ;
• I am the Treasurer of the Pyes Pa School Whanau Group & within this group I usually have a number of tasks allocated to me post Group meetings, every 6 weeks, over & above maintaining the groups Finances;
• Then there is of course our spiritual needs to consider – VIP;
• House Reno & Housework: our 140yr old villa that we relocated 2 years ago from Waiuku is Work In Progress.  If I were to have one ‘superficial’ wish, it would be to win a Landscaper.  Bar the vege garden & a couple of decorative gardens around the house, our house still looks like a ‘house in the middle of a paddock’.  We have a new kitchen & bathroom installed; all new plumbing & wiring; the bedrooms carpeted &  the remaining Kauri floors re-sanded & polyurethaned – so that is huge task complete.  But the whole interior was also re-gibed and still needs to be plastered & painted – we have about 75% to complete, & will have to install the new light fittings after that.  Not to mention the sash windows that still to be sanded & oiled & a couple of doors to replace & paint.  We also need a new driveway, garage with sleep out/office (so I can relocate from my 2m x 4m office space).  These things take time I know, but did I mention that I have a wee problem with patience … 
• And, I come from a large extended family.  It seems that I am the advocate for all things Events, which usually means I am often the one organising everything from family dinners/potlucks to Whanau Days, Sports Days & Family Reunions.  My sister-in-law & my mother have a frequently used saying: “If you want something done, give it to a busy person … give it to Jacqui” …

It is no wonder that I have 3 diaries with comprehensive lists: A work diary; an at home task & business diary; and a spiritual & family diary.  This might sound rather full-on, but it works for me.  But, like a budget, it’s not going to work unless you stick to it.

But amongst all this busyness, we still need to take time for our family & friends individually; whether it is to take time out to visit & have a cup of tea with mum & mum-in-law; popping out for coffee or lunch with sisters, family & in-laws; a few drinks & nibbles out with the girlfriends; family days or movie nights; & of course, some strategically set aside time for ‘date nights’ with the hubby.  These people are the ones we do ALL of the above for.  If our schedule becomes so busy that it chokes out this all important time with our loved ones, what was the point? 

I hope you have a little more insight on what I get up to.  We require different ‘hats’ for different tasks, & the ‘hat’ I love wearing is my Wedding ‘veil’ so to speak – it is a passion & I have enjoyed the ride so far.  So please be sure to continue following along my Blog – & I hope I can share with you some valuable if not, helpful information.

Jacqui

Hey y’all

My biggest apologies for not putting up any new blog posts for some time!!  But wait – 2010 is just around the corner & there will be a heap of new interesting wedding content to keep you busy reading, including a variety of wedding ideas with budgets under 10K from our Bay of Plenty vendors.

Hope all your wedding plans are all coming together well … & all the very best for a new decade ahead to all you Brides & Grooms to Be!

See you next year!!

Original by Etta James

Of Course the Bay of Plenty is a perfect to place to get married!!

The Bay of Plenty is well known for its beautiful beaches, gorgeous weather, spectacular scenery; & boasts a number of beachside & lakeside townships with great shopping boutiques, cafes, restaurants & entertainment.

The Bay of Plenty also boasts numerous Wedding Professionals & Services, from Romantic & ExclusiveVenues, Exotic & NativeFloral Designers & Talented Entertainers to Award-winning Cake Designers, Interesting & Enthusiastic Celebrants & Dedicated Wedding Planners - with all that and more in between.  There is nothing that cannot be supplied to you located right here in the Bay of Plenty to make your Wedding Day truly memorable.

Last year, the Bay of Plenty Region was the 5th most popular region in New Zealand with 1309 Registered Weddings.  In fact, in analysis of New Zealand Statistics, a ratio of 1:59 Weddings per population aged 20 – 44yrs occurred in the Bay of Plenty last year – so, big Up’s to the Bay of Plenty for being a popular & beautiful place to marry.

So come on people, there is so much to offer here in the Beautiful Bay of Plenty & one things for sure, you will fall in love with this awesome region & will be so pleased you chose to Wed here … you wont want to leave.

Be sure to keep an eye on this Website, a page is soon to be added with Wedding Pics had here in the truly Beautiful Bay of Plenty.

So after considerable research & analysis, it seems my endeavours of becoming a busy Wedding Planner is not all in Vain!

Typically, the Kiwi culture of being DIY’ers, & planning your own dream wedding was almost as exciting as the Big Day itself. Wedding Planners were typically recognised as being available to cater to only the wealthy & elite, however, this misconception is now very unfashionable. The reality is, Wedding Planners can save you a lot of money and time & ensure that your Wedding Day runs blissfully; how so?

1. Vendor Savings: Wedding Planners establish relationships with Wedding Vendors that often lead to discounts or Special offers that the Planner can make available to prospective Brides & Grooms;
2. Budgeting: Wedding Planners work with the couples to establish & stay within the parameters of a budget. The Wedding Planner is aware of all expenses that need to be taken into consideration so wedding couples are not left unawares about any unexpected expenses; the Wedding Planner will provide comprehensive check lists & Expense Reports to keep the budget on track;
   
3. One Stop Shop: Rather than having to “shop” around for suitable vendors & information regarding the Services they provide, your Wedding Planner will already have a comprehensive list & information on hand for you to view straight away; So you can browse before making a number of unnecessary trips to visit vendors that may not be to your preference.
4. Time Savers: Almost as precious as your finances is your time. The time that is needed to prepare for your Big Day can be overwhelmingly consuming. Visiting vendors, co-ordinating your bridal party & yourselves, as well as Of-the-Day Schedules & post-wedding priorities can & do take their toll on many couples. Imagine the amount of stress that is alleviated when a Wedding Planner takes over these daunting tasks leaving you & your partner the joy of only having to choose what you want for your Day & also allowing you to continue your usual routine without undue disruptions to your day-to-day living arrangements for the months leading up to your Wedding. Let’s face it, life is only getting busier & to have an experienced person take over the reins a bit is more of a ‘God-send’ rather than a financial liability. Do we not utilise the services of Housecleaners, Childcare givers, Mid-wives, Hairdressers & Beauty Therapists, not because we NEED them, but because they provide us with an invaluable service that we cherish & depend on? So too today with the trusty Wedding Planner.
5. Damage Control: Most people are non-confrontational, & let’s be honest, weddings can be an Abyss for brewing potential Family Disturbances, and certainly not what the Bridal couple care to have to deal with. Well meaning family members are inclined to want to have a say on how the Wedding deliberations should take place although it may not be what the Couple want. This is the perfect opportunity to mention you have a Wedding Planner and that all wedding processions need to go through go through them – a great scapegoat for any couple.
6. Wedding Etiquette: These days, almost anything goes, however, there are still some Wedding Rules that should still be applied, such as: Who knows how late is fashionably late for the Bride to arrive, speech sequences, what time is appropriate for the Bride & Groom to leave, Seating Arrangements, Who pays for what & Guest Mingling – amongst some. Your Wedding Planner will advise you of all these To Do’s and more.

So, taking all of the above into consideration, it’s no wonder the need for a Wedding Planner has become Top of the List to prospective Wedding Couples – they are most definitely a worth-while investment, but let’s not leave that to my Word, the Stats are out & this is how YOU all felt about the need to have a Wedding Planner.

Please note: These Stats were compiled by way of a Poll I had running on this Blog, Facebook Polls, Vizu Polls & a Survey that was distributed to Newly Weds & couples currently planning their wedding. Total Poll Stats totalled over 100 participants. So here we have it:

72%    - Yes, you would use a Wedding Planner

28%    - No, I would prefer to plan my own Wedding

Of the above Stats, the 72% that would use a planner, 45% assume that a Wedding Planner might be too expensive & have therefore not considered, although they would love a Wedding Planner. Perhaps considering the above, you have already ascertained that a Wedding Planner is a good example of funds well spent, or perhaps it may prompt you to seek further information on how much a Wedding Planner actually charges, it is likely far less than you think.

The 28% that would prefer to plan their own wedding, 72% would like to see a Website that offers services & Wedding Planning tips to help them with their Wedding Preparations. I am pleased to inform you that I am currently working on the design of such a Website that will provide a One-Stop Shop to all your wedding needs & I have catered to the feedback I received from you. I hope to have the Website running by November after I have meet with all my Vendors. Fingers crossed this continues to run to plan, it has been no easy feat to initiate but thanks to your support & the invaluable feedback I have received from you all, things are still moving forward.

Thank you all who participated in the Survey, I have also received a significant amount of Feedback on what prospective couples require in order to aid them on their Wedding Day. If you are planning on getting married, or know someone who is getting married, please feel free to contact me on my Contacts Form to inquire further on what I charge & very Special Offers I have available that is very affordable.

All the very best to you for all your Wedding Preparations!!

Arohanui, Jacqui

Complete this Poll to let me know if you would use a Wedding Planner to help you plan your wedding
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