I stay out of sight until Christine has entered the church. I wait a few seconds more and then enter behind her. The church is full but I find some empty seats near the back. I see Rick looking backward. I think he might have seen me but I can’t be sure. Maybe he’s only looking at Christine.
Then, just before Christine reaches the front of the church a man enters, looks around, and spots the empty seats next to me. He comes over and sits next to me.
He’s big and well-built. I give him a cursory glance and smile as he sits beside me. He smiles back and then looks to the front of the church. He seems tense and focused as he looks to the front of the church.
I think he’s handsome and I wonder if the universe is sending me another opportunity. Maybe the universe has accepted that Rick and I are a lost cause and it’s decided to offer me another gift.
Grow up, my inner voice says sourly. You seem to think the universe
I need a wedding whisperer. I haven’t used one since the story about using a wedding whisperer blew up and destroyed my business the first time around.The bride has cold feet and I don’t know what to do.Even worse, I am the bride. I am the one with cold feet.Rick, the man of my dreams is waiting to marry me but I’m afraid.I know he hasn’t dated seriously and I wonder if he knows what he’s getting into. He’s only dated me seriously aside from Christine if his time with Christine could even be considered as serious dating.Before that, he was a hit-and-run man. I know why. He told me why and I can understand it. I also know that he’s moved on from that. He has changed for the better and he has ultimately chosen me over Christine. After everything came to light about her who wouldn’t have chosen someone else?But being nasty is not going to solve my problem now.Will he stick with me or
The Los Angeles Wedding Exhibition. The largest and most important annual wedding exhibition in Los Angeles. Anyone who is anyone in the industry is there and anyone who wants to be someone in the industry should be there.It’s the first year I’ve been able to rent a booth. My initial doubts about whether I can justify the cost and whether I’ll recover the investment from a brand awareness and income perspective remain to be seen. So far, it would appear that renting a booth was the right thing to do.I have had plenty of customers register with me for follow-up appointments and even a few confirmed bookings on the spot. All told, I’m on top of the world.Then I see her. My role model in the industry. Christine Jackson. She is the number one in the industry. I have admired her from afar for so long. While we are competitors, I hold her in the highest regard. There’s room enough for both of us and then some in the industry. I’v
I’ve been a wedding planner for a long time. I’m the best in the game and I’m not about to let a young upstart challenge for my crown. There’s one person who I come up against more and more and it’s her. Viola. I’ve lost a lot of business to her. I’m still doing great numbers and growing but I could grow so much faster if she wasn’t fishing in my pond.Who the hell does she think she is? I know this business inside out. There isn’t that much to it when you’re an expert. It’s easy to pinpoint the weak points in any wedding planner’s business. Hell, they’re the same weak spots as mine and that makes it even easier to take her down. Her assistant didn’t want to take my offer but that’s okay. It’s just one point of attack.When I’m finished, they’ll both be crawling to me.I look at the brochure I took from their booth and start to formulate my plan o
“Steve, this is really difficult. I can’t just increase the band’s fee. You know this wedding was booked months ago. I calculated the fee based on what I was paying you then. Whoever is offering you this, obviously has the budget to pay what they’re offering.”“I’ve spoken to the band,” Steve replies. “They want extra pay.”“Look, let’s talk about extra pay for the wedding after this one and all future weddings. Just not this one. I’ve cut my profit a lot already just to get this wedding. It’s important to me. Having this wedding is good for my resume.”“Well, it’s not good for our pockets,” Steve replies firmly.“Steve, c’mon. Where is this coming from? We’ve always been able to negotiate. Why the big push now?”“I only have a few hours and then the offer’s off the table.”“Well, can I a
I’m angry. I failed with Steve and his band.I take a few deep breaths and begin to relax. Getting a wedding planner’s band is just one part of their business. There are many other parts to go after. However, I push the thought of other parts of the business aside as I think about the concept of the ‘wedding whisperer’ that Steve let slip to me.I know there’s something important in it. It hovers just beyond my mental grasp like a carrot on a stick for the time being. I have to admit it’s a genius idea and I should be thinking of doing it myself. But there’s something else about it that I think is much more important than simply copying the idea.I grab the brochure that I took from Viola’s booth and study it. There’s not a word in the brochure about a wedding whisperer. Nothing that even alludes to it as a service.I check her website again. Nothing. Nowhere. The testimonials say nothing about it. How
Cold feet.No, I don’t mean cold feet as in the kind you get from being out in the cold or swimming in water that’s too cold or simply not dressing warm enough.I mean the other kind of cold feet.The worst kind.The kind that some women, and to a lesser extent, some men get just before their wedding. Yes, that kind.My biggest pet hate. Why? Because in my line of work, they can ruin everything.What is my line of work?I’m a wedding planner. Any wedding planner hates and fears cold feet. They can derail everything. The whole day. Ruin you financially and possibly your reputation too.I’ve been in this game a long time though and I’ve learned the hard way. When you’ve had enough cancellations because of cold feet you become hard. It becomes a matter of survival as well as doing what you love.I now insist on non-refundable deposits from clients. They sign a contract when they hire me a
I’ve never had this situation before. Ashley tells me that the bride has no proof. She’s not even sure who the groom might be cheating with if he is cheating.I calm Ashley enough that she stops crying and I try to make her feel better. I remind her of what a great job she has done for me every time I have needed her and that everything has been fine. I try to assure her that everything will be fine today too. I suggest that she rather goes home and does not attend the reception but she insists that she will.I am tempted to pull the groom to one side before the reception and tell him what I’ve been told and tell him to keep his dick in his pants at least for today figuratively speaking. But it’s no business of mine. If the bride is wrong and I bring this up, I could be sued, and so could Ashley. I would probably lose my whole reputation and my business, never mind the fact that I would have to refund the money I have been paid for this wedding.
He offers his arm and I link my arm through his. We wander away from the party into the gardens. There is still some time before the reception begins. I’m sure whatever he wishes to discuss will be over by then.“It’s a lovely evening,” he says sounding as if he is observing something working exactly the way it should.“I think it’s perfect,” I reply.“Nearly perfect.” His remark tells me that he thinks something is missing.“And what would make it perfect if I may ask?” I say looking up at him as we walk towards the beach.“Getting to know you better,” he replies confidently.I blush, thankful that it is night and there is little light for him to see how red my face is. My skin is a golden brown but despite its color, I’m sure he could see me blushing if there was enough light. Despite the cool breeze, I feel warmer than expected and I know it’s Rick&r