Meet Superstar Wedding Planner Lisa Vorce!

The talented and creative Lisa Vorce has been featured in Martha Stewart, InStyle Weddings and Town & Country -- just to name a precious few publications! We caught up with this expert wedding planner, also known as the woman behind Oh, How Charming, for her take on some crucial wedding matters!

PW: Celebrity weddings are so glamorous! How can one recreate a star-like wedding on a more modest budget?

LV: You don't need to be a celebrity to have a glamorous wedding.  Focus on what is really important to you and spend your time and energy on those specific things.  What makes a glamorous party is being able to make it your own (infuse your own style and personality!), and being able to share it with your closest friends and family. It's not about how much money you're spending.

PW: Do celebrity brides go through the same angst we do when putting together their big day?

LV: Absolutely! A bride is a bride, and planning a wedding can be stressful no matter who you are.

PW: What is your favorite wedding theme?

LV: Hard to pick a favorite...but one of my favorites is a wedding I did a couple of years ago in Palm Springs. It was a "supper club" theme. We sub-floored a grassy knoll area at the Viceroy and put in 1500 square feet of gorgeous dark hard wood flooring. We brought in white leather banquettes, vintage table lamps, palm trees, etc to completely transform the area into a super sexy (and fairly authentic!) supper club. We had an old school big band play and all the guests came in fabulous 40's-inspired attire. It was such a blast!

PW: Least favorite?
 

LV: I truly don't have a least favorite. I'm so proud of every single event we've done. Each event is a true expression of each one of our clients. When I first meet with clients - I always tell them that I'm interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing me! I'm very choosy about who I work with. I put my heart and soul into each event and work 17 hour days - so it's important to me that we are a great fit for our clients (and vice versa!). Because of that, I don't think I'll ever have a "least favorite" wedding theme or event!

PW: Have you worked with any bridezillas?

LV: Oh yes! And...groomzillas too!

PW: How did you deal with them?

LV: You have to take a step back and realize some brides (and grooms) can temporarily lose their heads throughout the planning process. The stress and anxiety sometimes related to weddings can cause brides and grooms to say and do things that they would never do in normal circumstances. I typically try to diffuse any tense situations with a little humor. So far...it's worked quite successfully. If I can get my clients to laugh about the situation it helps snap them back into reality rather quickly!

PW: What key advice do you have for someone who is trying to plan their own wedding?

LV: Don't get caught up in what everyone else is doing! Prioritize and simplify. Pick a few core elements and rock them out. For example - simplify your florals but put them in an extraordinary vessel.  Scour the internet for inspiration. There are so many great resources available to DIY brides.

PW: What items/things are worth splurging for and where could we cut costs?

LV: This is really a personal thing for each client. What may be important to one client, could be the least important to another client. So -- early in the planning stages -- it's crucial to identify your priorities and the things that are most important to you. From there, you will be able to set your budget line items accordingly. If flowers are your thing...then splurge there and cut back on other things. If the bar is your top priority...then focus on that, and cut back elsewhere. You have to constantly keep your budget in check and balance things as you go. For example -- if you splurged on the florals, and need to cut back somewhere else -- perhaps switch from a band to a DJ. Or...serve wine & beer only at the bar, versus a full bar. It's all about making choices and adjustments along the way!

PW: What would you say are the biggest new trends in weddings?

LV: Oddly enough -- I actually very rarely follow the trends or pay attention to what everyone else is doing. I try to not to get too involved in that otherwise I feel like I will end up doing what everyone else is doing!! For me personally, what's "hot" for our studio in 2009 is textiles! We've been designing our events with textiles being the primary focus. Using fabrics and things like vintage wallpapers in alternative ways. Less focus on the traditional elements like florals, and more focus on non traditional elements. For example -- using hand torn fabrics as a "ribbon" treatment for a napkin, or using fabric swatches to create beautiful mosaic backdrops. In our business, you have to keep looking for creative and alternative uses for everyday things. It's my job to stay AHEAD of the trends!

PW: What are the main mistakes or oversights in wedding planning?

LV: One of the common mistakes I often see is brides and grooms not taking care of their guests. To have a truly successful event, you really need to think about the guests and make sure they are taken care of throughout the event. For example, if your guests will be sitting in the blazing hot sun during your ceremony, don't forget to offer them parasols. I always have a "comfort essentials" table set up at every event. If there are bugs, we have bug spray, if it's super sunny, we have sunscreen and parasols, if it's rough terrain, we have flip flops, if it's cold, we have wraps available. Your guests will be soooo grateful that you thought of these things!

PW: What has been your biggest pre-wedding challenge/last minute hurdle with a client?

LV: Knock on wood...we haven't really had any yet! I try to have our events wrapped up, confirmed and locked in approximately two weeks prior to the wedding. All final payments are due about 30 days prior. Getting everything paid for, confirmed, and finalized early tends to mitigate a ton of stress for my clients -- so they are relaxed and able to rest easy on the days leading up to their wedding. It also allows us to uncover any potential mishaps and correct them before it's too late. It's been a very successful formula for us and we're sticking with it!

PW: What tips do you give the bride and groom right before their big day?

LV: I tell them to surrender! Whatever happens, happens. I remind them they will never be able to get their big day back -- so it's important to be in the moment and relish every second of it.