Many of our past wedding clients and online Maui wedding viewers have been writing in asking whether we were OK after the tsunami scare. I am happy to report that Hawaii and Maui specifically was spared the worst of it and most locations were up and running just a few days after the surge. My wife’s family in Japan is also OK, however, as you can image, that nation is reeling right now. They can use all the positive energy and love that people have to give.

Now, another topic that’s been on my mind… bad Maui Wedding (not so) professionals.

Having lived in Hawaii for over 10 years now and having worked in Maui weddings for 8 of them, I have seen a lot of things that would downright shock most wedding couples.

Here are just a few:

• Photographers who show up in tank tops and ripped shorts (and reeking of BO);
• ministers who breeze through a ceremony in a matter of minutes just to rush down the beach and start another ceremony;
• wedding coordinators who are so hands-off, the itinerary is left squarely in the vendor’s hands to direct and guide;
• wedding coordinators who are so dictatorial that it’s embarrassingly cloying and mood destroying;
• hula dancers who can only be described as beginners (not in and of itself a problem, except for when the couple believes they’re going to have the pleasure of seeing someone learned and beautiful at their craft;
• ceremonies in the pouring rain without any effort to relocate or consider a plan B (probably because there never was a plan B).

There are so many more examples of weddings that made me sad for the couple.

How did couples fall for some of these so-called “professionals?” There are many possible reasons, but one that come to mind is that all of us — whether it’s the director of the CIA falling for a phishing scam or couples falling for scam artists — can fall in to a trap from time to time. We are all susceptible to buying into propositions that are too good to be true. That’s no different in the world of Hawaiian weddings. You’ll stumble across offers like:

“Free videos!”

“All inclusive wedding packages for just $300!”

“Free webcasts!”

“World-class photography for just $100!”

And then when you actually finally experience the service and see the product, you are reminded of the old saying: “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.”  And by then it’s too late;The only thing you can do is grin and bear it.

There is, however, some good news. For one, the recent recession has shaken up the wedding landscape on Maui, sending many of professionals with lacking ethics or skills closing shop and scrambling back to the mainland. Only the stronger survived and came out even stronger.

Secondly, there’s the Internet. In my early Maui wedding video days, the Internet was not quite as informative as it is today. Information on vendors — from user reviews to their professional associations — was not as readily available as it is today. There were no such sites as http://weddingwire.com or Google local reviews or http://tripadvisor.com.

Today, wedding couples have more ability to research and find information about the wedding professionals they are considering than ever before and that gives them power to make the right decision. From restaurants to caterers, videographers to photographers, the information is being compiled and there are not many rocks left to hide under for unscrupulous or unethical wedding vendors.

So, I encourage you to …

1. ask the vendors you are considering to provide you with samples of their most recent work,
2. ask them to explain their neutral or negative reviews,
3. ask them to see what their budget or “in-house” services REALLY look like;
4. compare those services to other professionals;
5. ask them whether they have a money-back guarantee (this separates the cream from the rest).

And most importantly, as  you’re talking with a Maui wedding professional, listen to your intuition on how you feel. Does it feel like the coordinator or photographer, or videographer VIBES with you? Does he/ she ask questions to understand your needs? Does he have a warm disposition or could he be faking it? Is the prospective wedding coordinator calm and informative or high energy and pushy (it would seem to me that the ideal organization person is someone cool at all times)?

Take your time in the process. Set aside dedicated time to research and call vendors. Get to know them, feel their Aloha and you will most likely be rewarded on your wedding day.

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Are you planning your Maui wedding, but are unsure of what tools to use to help in the daunting process?

Yes, there’s pen and paper, excel or even something super involved like MS Project. While the one is low tech and not efficient, the other expreme is too expensive and feature rich to be user-friendly. There’s been a happy medium missing.

The Examiner recently ran an article on a new project planner that might fit the bill: Tom’s Planner. The best part is: IT’S FREE because it is currently in beta!

http://www.examiner.com/x-9753-Chicago-Marriage-Examiner~y2010m1d13-Toms-Planner-draganddrop-software-helps-brides-plan-beyond-the-margins?cid=channel-rss-Relationships

I haven’t used it yet, but I will very soon! I’ll let you know how it goes.

In the meantime, go ahead and sign up at Tom’s Planner . With the various great reviews, I don’t think you’ll regret it!

Aloha and see you on Maui soon with a masterfully planned Hawaiian wedding.

Stephan

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You may have heard about Hurricane Felicia in the news recently barreling its way towards Hawaii. It ended up being WAY milder than we anyone feared, it does give pause.

Tropical Storm Felicia Affects Vacationers and Wedding Couples. Pic shot from my Lanai with my Blackberry.

While hurricanes, tropical storms, or even macro low pressure weather system are rare in the summer months (May-September) in Hawaii, every so often a storm like Felicia pops up and affects vacationers and wedding couples’ Maui plans. The probability of getting rained out increases in the winter months.

It therefore pays to consult with your coordinator or research backup plans on your own. Researching possible contingency plans, will give you a good idea what it costs to have a 100% fail-safe.

Like I said though, it might not be as important in the summer months: passing sprinkles, especially in windward areas (north shore Maui) and those affected by certain micro climate factors (Kapalua getting the the wind driven sprinkles, and Makena side having the Makena cloud effect) are usually brief and mild. Waiting it out or moving to another nearby beach are both typically sufficient options.

In the winter months, the risk increases and researching indoor backup plans becomes more important. Ask your wedding coordinator or call local restaurants and resorts about pricing. For good restaurant recommendations, checkout TripAdvisor.com.

Aloha,

Stephan

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Flipping through the New York Times recently, I came across an article that was apropos. Jilted by a Queens Wedding Vendor, Newlyweds Get Help From the State in the August 4th NY Times talks about a whole host of unsuspecting wedding couples in Queens, New York getting ripped off by a wedding photography company.

Some couples had been waiting over two years to receive their wedding photos, only to find out the company had gone bankrupt and their photos never to be recovered.

Yet other couples had their checks cashed by the company AFTER bankruptcy was declared! Talking about shady!

So many couples were affected, the government had to step in .

“Nearly two years later, Mrs. Ervolino still has no wedding album. But she and her husband — and about 550 other aggrieved couples — are finally getting some satisfaction. Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo threw the book at the owners of Queens Bridal, along with its sister companies, Q-Pid Corporation and Majestic Bridal Center, which also closed.”

And in the end the company agreed to pay $250,000 in restitution. That’s a little vindication, but if your wedding day photos are gone forever, you’d probably still be furious.

Definitely go ahead and read the NY Times Article on karmically backward wedding vendors. It may just help you avoid such a problem.

So what can we learn from this?

• Shop around and deal with trustworthy people: call the vendors and chat with them. Does the person on the other line have genuine interest in helping you and giving you solid advice? Or are they counting the seconds, just trying to “convert you” and hang up? Trust your gut and cross those vendors off the list who just frankly sound like a “douche.”
• Get Everything in Writing: if there was ever a question about deliverables down the line, voila, you got the agreement down on paper.
• Read the Fine Print: is the vendor pulling the old switcheroo on you? Read the fine print and understand what it means.
• Pay with a Credit Card: Credit cards offer consumers a level of protection that cash or check just can’t match. Some credit card companies are so good at disputing charges when it’s rightful, that using your credit card for almost all purchases is a no-brainer. I’m not saying that if wedding vendors who do not accept credit cards, they are shady. Not at all. I’m just saying those that allow you to use the plastic are confident in their product or service and also are an established business. CC processing costs monthly fees for the merchant, and those who can afford them can signal: “I’m an established business.”
• BBB seal: For the longest time, I wanted to avoid getting the BBB Accreditation, because of cost. I now understand that ANYTHING that help hold merchants and consumers accountable to their word, is a good thing. Our application is in the works and we hope to have that seal up on the site soon.

The economic downturn is definitely posing a world of hurt for people and businesses, no question. However, as with anything, there is always a silver lining and in this case, a rough market place means a serious shake-out in any industry. In the hospitality industry, those over-leveraged hotels that don’t manage well are empty and feel like a ghost-town, as opposed to those who practice hospitality fundamentals well and genuinely, and are liquid enough, well those hotels are doing OK. The latter will also come out of this economic crisis a lot stronger, whereas the others will fold.

The wedding business is no different. Those who are reputable and honest, wanting to provide lasting value for their clients will outlast those Johnny-come-latelies who just want to earn a quick buck come hell or high water.

And according to the New York Times article, for many vendors, hell is waiting.

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A friend forwarded this video to me and I just had to share it with you. There are many events at your wedding that you just won’t be able to control and others, well, you can at least lower the probability.

• Getting your dress caught in the car door and the driver stepping on the gas? Accident…
• The wind blowing your wedding dress up and over? It happens… it can happen on Maui, but what are you gonna do?
• Slipping and falling? Well… no doubt: accident.
• Fainting? Well it can happen, especially in the tropical climate like Maui. You can avoid it by remembering to hydrate and hydrate well, to breathe and to hold your sweetie’s hand.

Signup for the “59 Maui Wedding Secrets Revealed” Guide and get insider tips on making your Maui wedding be as smooth as possibly can be.

After all, when you’re live internet broadcasting your Maui wedding, you’ll want to cover your bases!

Aloha,
Stephan

	Stephan is known as the “Live Webcast Guy on Maui” and is the author of “59 Maui Wedding Secrets Revealed: The Essential Guide to Planning Your Perfect Maui Wedding.” Visit his blog and sign up free to get the latest information on live webcasts in Hawaii. Go to http://LiveMauiWebcasts.com

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