Did anyone see The Battle of the Wedding Planners on TLC Friday? MOH/cousin & I happened to be watching TLC Friday night, after getting sucked into what seemed like a marathon of Say Yes to the Dress. The show starts & it shows 3 planners that with have their own theme, MOH/Cousin points at the TV and yells "that girls theme is bitch!" - it's fun watching TV with my cousin, because she doesn't watch TV that often and when she does she likes to talk to the people on the screen as if they can hear her. So here is the breakdown of what happened:
The cute couple is shown on the TV & says their budget is 15K, they live in L.A but are originally from New Jersey so they want a wedding with a "no-frills attitude that pays homage to their roots" & 3 wedding planners will present them with ideas for a wedding & in the end the couple picks what planner wins & get to plan their wedding. Now hold up, everyone that is planning a wedding knows that you can't just give a figure like that, you need to say how many guest are going to come, this makes a HUGE difference - 15K for 50 people or 15K for 350 people?!
This show had me yelling at the TV with my cousin, because they misrepresented what 15k can get you in L.A & I really hope that people who are actually planning a wedding in L.A don't watch this show for ideas because it is bull caca! They are show big fat liars for saying that the three options shown are $15k. The only one that could have been 15k is the Griffith Park option.
Planner #1: I recognized the Marvimon as soon as I saw it & f to the no would a wedding there cost 15K, unless you plan on serving Mc D's & wearing your mama's wedding dress. I did extensive research when looking for my L.A venue, so I know The Marimon cost 7k just to rent, but they require valet & other things so it's really 12k for the space, & that planner mentioned snake charmers & other things that would cost a lot- thanks to Miss Sprinkle on weddingbee who shared her budget recently for her wedding & gave us all an honest breakdown of her wedding and it was 40k. I would think a wedding there would cost a min of 20K for everything (again depends on guest list)
Planner # 2: Griffith Park. Now this one is a possible 15K wedding. It cost $300 to rent the space. I don't know the details of this place because it is all outside and that was not an option for us. I know it's possible to have a budget wedding here because I saw it on a wedding photographer's site *here*. The couple seemed to like it because "you didn't think you were in L.A" - A statement like that my friends is one of my pet peeves, I *hate* when people say it's so L.A, or that L.A is suppose to be a certain way, or that everyone is superficial because it is just not so. L.A is so diverse that there is no way you can say L.A is suppose to be like "this or that". To say that being at Griffith Park makes you feel you are not in L.A is pretty ignorant. But I digress..
Planner #3: The most ridiculous of the 3 for a 15K wedding was The London. The London is Gordon Ramsay's restaurant. The meals per person are around $100 so that alone (with tax & gratuity) is almost 15k not including decorations, favors, drinks, photography, space rental etc. They tried making it seem like the planner called in a lot of favors but it still wouldn't be a 15k wedding.
Although the couple said they wanted a "no-frills attitude and pays homage to their roots" they ended up choosing something they would consider to be "very L.A".
The cute couple is shown on the TV & says their budget is 15K, they live in L.A but are originally from New Jersey so they want a wedding with a "no-frills attitude that pays homage to their roots" & 3 wedding planners will present them with ideas for a wedding & in the end the couple picks what planner wins & get to plan their wedding. Now hold up, everyone that is planning a wedding knows that you can't just give a figure like that, you need to say how many guest are going to come, this makes a HUGE difference - 15K for 50 people or 15K for 350 people?!
This show had me yelling at the TV with my cousin, because they misrepresented what 15k can get you in L.A & I really hope that people who are actually planning a wedding in L.A don't watch this show for ideas because it is bull caca! They are show big fat liars for saying that the three options shown are $15k. The only one that could have been 15k is the Griffith Park option.
Planner #1: I recognized the Marvimon as soon as I saw it & f to the no would a wedding there cost 15K, unless you plan on serving Mc D's & wearing your mama's wedding dress. I did extensive research when looking for my L.A venue, so I know The Marimon cost 7k just to rent, but they require valet & other things so it's really 12k for the space, & that planner mentioned snake charmers & other things that would cost a lot- thanks to Miss Sprinkle on weddingbee who shared her budget recently for her wedding & gave us all an honest breakdown of her wedding and it was 40k. I would think a wedding there would cost a min of 20K for everything (again depends on guest list)
Planner # 2: Griffith Park. Now this one is a possible 15K wedding. It cost $300 to rent the space. I don't know the details of this place because it is all outside and that was not an option for us. I know it's possible to have a budget wedding here because I saw it on a wedding photographer's site *here*. The couple seemed to like it because "you didn't think you were in L.A" - A statement like that my friends is one of my pet peeves, I *hate* when people say it's so L.A, or that L.A is suppose to be a certain way, or that everyone is superficial because it is just not so. L.A is so diverse that there is no way you can say L.A is suppose to be like "this or that". To say that being at Griffith Park makes you feel you are not in L.A is pretty ignorant. But I digress..
Planner #3: The most ridiculous of the 3 for a 15K wedding was The London. The London is Gordon Ramsay's restaurant. The meals per person are around $100 so that alone (with tax & gratuity) is almost 15k not including decorations, favors, drinks, photography, space rental etc. They tried making it seem like the planner called in a lot of favors but it still wouldn't be a 15k wedding.
Although the couple said they wanted a "no-frills attitude and pays homage to their roots" they ended up choosing something they would consider to be "very L.A".
Posts
Effing hell. Marvimon my bum. I think your indignation covers it for ALL of us grappling with ~$15 budgets in this city. (also, I appreciated your digression. The sheer variety of landscapes and cultures is what MAKES Los Angeles great - heading into nature is not a step outside the city at all.)
ReplyDeleteThis sounds beyond wrong - shouldn't that be illegal? I hate how shows like that make brides feel guilty for not having a superglam + fancy wedding for $15K. It sends you the message that you aren't trying hard enough - you're not searching thoroughly, you're not negotiating well, or *something* is wrong with you.
ReplyDeleteI think this is why I prefer shows like "platinum weddings" - they show you pretty weddings without pretending that you could do the same on $15K.
I also love Platinum Weddings...and Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? I always wonder how much they are paying for things but they tend to avoid the figures unless you are watching Platinum Weddings in which case it is "Here is our $75,000 floral budget and something you will never be able to have!" :)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I saw the preview for that show and didn't watch it on tv but kinda glad I didn't since you gave me the recap. Thanks!
I didn't catch that but I'm sure I would have been yelling at the TV as well!
ReplyDeleteI succumb to the Say Yes to Dress marathons on Fridays too. But I haven't seen this new show.
ReplyDeleteI hear you, it makes us all look bad! When I started planning, I got a lot of sh%^ for how high my budget figures were. It took a lot of convincing and pricing comparisons to make family/friends realize that yes--chairs do indeed cost that much, and no, I'm not being lavish, just realistic in southern Califonria. Sorry, I rant. =)
I think we should all sit around the TV for the next program and yell at the screen.
CONSPIRACY THEORY! CONSPIRACY THEORY!
ReplyDeleteI was so lucky that you were watching it with me - I would have been HEARTBROKEN if/when getting married in LA to know the real price of those weddings!!!
OMG YOU FORGOT TO MENTION MY GHETTO COMMENT!!! AWESOME POST!!!
ReplyDeleteoh TLC...
ReplyDeleteWTH. Budget deception is not cool.
ReplyDeleteDuring the show the wedding planner actually said he was calling in a ton of favors from vendors and that he was promising them jobs for weddings coming up. this was not budget deception especially since they actually showed scenes of the planner promising vendors future jobs if they would help him on this one. Don't be bitter because a couple got a good deal for their wedding, and if you are sign up for a tv show and im sure you wouldn't be complaining then.
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous You can see my response here. http://westsidewedding.blogspot.com/2009/11/hater-comment-from-battle-of-wedding.html
ReplyDeleteShows like this actually DO only pay small fees. Although it is unrealistic for normal brides, they get away with paying so little because they are providing the companies with free advertising. Get used to it, televison always lies and makes things seem better than they are. Good luck ya'll with your wedding pans and tight budgets.
ReplyDelete