There’s no shortage of ways for today’s brides and grooms to go online to research, plan and commemorate their big day. From DIY wedding planners to wedding photo books, it’s all available 24/7. And that’s great, but can also be a tad overwhelming for busy couples who work full time.
That’s why a growing number of couples are budgeting for the help of a professional wedding planner. The good ones have their fingers on the pulse of what’s fresh, have great ideas for personalizing the couple’s wedding and already have solid relationships with vendors such as caterers, photographers and florists. So, when the big day arrives, the happy duo can truly be in the moment with each other and their guests, while their trusted team handles all the details.
What does all of this have to do with Skype? The fact is, Skype has often become the go-to tool for many event planners, designers and other professionals in the wedding industry. We caught up with two award-winning, sought-after wedding planners to find out how Skype helps them grow their businesses with couples all over the country.
If you’ve recently been married or are planning your big day, chances are you’ve heard of Lauren Chitwood of Lauren Chitwood Events and Tonia Adleta of Aribella Events. They are regularly featured in bridal magazines, with popular wedding bloggers and sites like Wedding Wire and The Knot.
Lauren Chitwood of Lauren Chitwood Events
While they run their businesses out of Louisville and Philadelphia respectively, up to 70% of the couples they work with are outside of their metro areas. This is where Skype comes in, as the next-best-thing to being in the room together, so they can really get to know the couple’s story and style.
Tonia Adleta of Aribella Events
We were curious about the logistics and how they actually utilize the app, and here are some things we learned.
Both Tonia and Lauren have been using Skype for six or more years and most of their clients already use the app as well.
Here’s something we didn’t expect: even when couples live in the same city as their wedding planner, they still hold many of their meetings over Skype because it saves time and requires no commuting. As Tonia Adleta told us, “It doesn’t take the place of all in-person meetings, but it definitely helps us use our time as effectively as possible.”
Both use more than just video calling. According to Lauren, “File sharing, screen sharing and group chats are amazing! It makes collaborating so much easier if you don’t have to toggle back and forth to emails during the call.”
Lauren told us she also uses Skype to communicate with vendors: “Sometimes a vendor is on site when I can’t make it, and it’s great to have a visual confirmation in real time for locations of equipment, parking, etc.”
Tablescape by Lauren Chitwood Events
One thing that surprised us is how far their teams travel to weddings they’re working on. For Lauren, most weddings are in the Southeast of the U.S., but may require air travel. For Tonia, she often travels internationally—both as a speaker and for destination weddings—so Skype really comes in handy when she’s out of the country and wants to avoid expensive call charges.
What came through loud and clear is how much both Tonia and Lauren love what they do and how professional and sophisticated the wedding industry has become. And, after all these years in the business, both wedding planners are still romantics at heart. “I love incorporating little details of a couple’s love story into the reception. It makes it more personal and makes their guests feel part of the journey,” Tonia told us.
Get-away vehicle from a carnival-themed wedding from Aribella Events
We raise a glass to all the happy couples out there who are tying the knot this summer. Remember to take Skype with you on your honeymoon!
Aribella Events’ photos courtesy of Sy Photography
***
We love to hear about the original ways in which you use Skype. If you’ve got a story to tell, just tag us #Skype in social media.
To learn more about the Skype features mentioned in this story, check out the links below:
For best performance, make sure you have the latest Skype app on all your devices. And to stay updated on all our news and updates, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.