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Western New York Wedding Events by Lauren Marie

Western New York wedding planner Events by Lauren Marie is a mother-daughter team, with Lauren Marie at the full-front. Throw away any cookie-cutter ideas you have, because these two create unique designs for risk-taking couples and execute them flawlessly. Lauren moved to New York City from Buffalo to pursue her Big Apple dreams at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she obtained her degree.

Lauren’s love for wedding and event planning came long before her journey down the aisle. She’d always had a passion for decorating and throwing amazing parties. However, after her wedding, the every day 9-5 left her longing for a creative outlet and missing her beautiful hometown of Buffalo. She wanted to give every bride a chance at her fabulous wedding in the beautiful surroundings of Western New York, which led her to start Events by Lauren Marie.



Tips for Finding the Right Wedding Vendors

Now, she’s giving us the best wedding planning tips for Upstate New York couples. If you’re interested in setting trends, this is right up your alley. Picking a wedding planner is like picking your spouse. You should be just as selective and ensure there’s chemistry. 

When in doubt rely on reviews. Before you start your planner hunt, go to reviews, and look at a planner’s portfolio. Do you share a similar style? Perhaps you want a home wedding, but the portfolio only reflects weddings at elaborate venues. Booking your planner is the first step in your happily ever after!

Don’t be afraid to “date around”. It might take multiple phone calls or meetings to ensure you and your planner have chemistry.

Perfect! What should I look at, or ask for when I’m dating around? What if we just don’t vibe with a vendor? I don’t want to hurt any feelings…

Come to these dates prepared with questions. The more you ask, the better. Make sure you have a good understanding of what services will be provided by your planner. You should never feel pressured to book right on the spot. Your planner will be understating of this and respect that you are thoughtful in your decision making. 

I always tell my couples there is a vendor for every couple, but not every vendor is right for every couple. 

It’s important for you and your planner to share a similar point of view and the same voice. Couples who disagree with other vendors’ ideas may feel uncomfortable speaking up. They are afraid they might be offending the vendor and it makes the planning process uncomfortable. A planner is happy to speak on the couple’s behalf. Industry professionals understand it’s just the nature of the business. 

Trusting & What to Expect from your Wedding Planner

I am a bit of a control freak when it comes to my wedding, and it seems like all of my friends and family have an opinion. How could I possibly hand over the reins to my planner?

Make your planner aware if you want them to speak on your behalf with family and friends. It may be hard to tell your mom or best friend no. We are happy to be the bad guy if it makes your day stress-free. 

Trust your planner. A lot of decisions will be left up to your planner. You are busy with real life. Work, family, and social obligations, not to mention the additional events surrounding a wedding. The bachelorette and bridal shower. You hired a planner because this is what they dedicated their life to. Feel comfortable in knowing that everything is handled, and you do not need to micromanage. 

Keep in mind this is a planner’s livelihood. They have multiple clients. While they wish they could dedicate all their time and energy to one couple it wouldn’t be possible. A planner would not expect you to answer phone calls and emails at odd hours of the day and night. You can and should work out these details when you’re signing the contract. 

Investing in a Wedding Coordinator

How do I explain to my fiancé that a good wedding planner is 100% WORTH IT? 🙌🏼

You get what you pay for. A planner is an investment in peace of mind. Going with the cheapest planner does not mean you won’t be overpaying in other areas. A planner is there to put in the blood, sweat, and tears and work to get you the best price.

Make sure you are comfortable sharing financial details and family dynamics. Your planner doesn’t know what you don’t tell them. If you tell a planner, you have an unlimited budget but really can only spend 30K you need to be upfront and not shy away from talking about money. 

Remember your planner is going to be wearing a lot of hats; lawyer when dealing with contracts, financial advisor for your budget, designer, therapist and miracle-worker!

For couples who can’t include a full-service wedding planner in their budget, invest in a Day of Coordinator! This is a significantly more affordable option that no couple should be without on their wedding day because your hard work and months of planning should be enjoyed to the fullest. Your day-of coordinator is going to run the remaining month of your wedding. When you’re looking, find someone who listens, excels at note-taking, is highly organized, can think on the fly, and has the right staff size for your wedding.

While this will be a shorter relationship it is just as important to trust and share a comfort level with the planner. A lot of times your event manager will need to take a creative license. Don’t stress when this happens, it’s going to make your event better than you even envisioned. 

Make sure you reach out to Events by Lauren Marie through her directory listing right here & follow her socials!

If you’re a creative wedding vendor who wants to be showcased with our fabulous roster of local pros, learn how right here!

Special thanks to City Lights Studio and Onion Studio for the photos!

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