Ive spoken to the band, Steve replies. They want extra pay.
Look, lets talk about extra pay for the wedding after this one and all future weddings. Just not this one. Ive cut my profit a lot already just to get this wedding. Its important to me. Having this wedding is good for my resume.
Well, its not good for our pockets, Steve replies firmly.
Steve, cmon. Where is this coming from? Weve always been able to negotiate. Why the big push now?
I only have a few hours and then the offers off the table.
Well, can I ask who it is thats making this offer?
Does it matter? Its not going to change anything, Steve replies.
Sure, but Ill find out anyway.
Christine. Christine Jackson.
I feel my anger rise instantly. The woman who I idolized and held as a role model until recently. My heart tells me this is deliberate. Its not a coincidence. I almost swear but I bite my tongue.
Vi? Steve asks.
Yes. Okay, look. Ill pay you fifty percent more this weekend and from now on. Just dont do this to me again, okay?
Okay.
Promise me, Steve, I say firmly. I cant afford these kinds of problems so late before a wedding.
Okay, Steve says. Im sorry.
Do me a favor please.
Whats that? Steve asks.
Not a word of this to anyone okay? If this gets out, everyone else is going to demand more money and I cant pay it right now. Okay? Will you tell your band?
Sure. We can keep it quiet.
You better, I say.
Um, Vi, Steve says.
He wants to tell me something and seems hesitant about doing so.
What is it, Steve? I ask.
I let it slip that you use a wedding whisperer, Steve says.
What is a wedding whisperer? I ask, confused.
Ashley, Steve replies.
I hang my head. I dont know what to say. I have always thought of Ashley as a counselor. And Ive kept her a secret for so long. Everyone in my team knows about her but thats as far as it goes. It's something I dont advertise not even to my clients. No-one else in the game uses one, at least not that I know of and now the cat is out of the bag.
I want to scream at Steve but I hold back.
Vi? he asks prompting me to break my silence.
Im here, I reply.
Look, Im sorry. I didnt mean to make any problems or let your secrets slip. I was just trying to tell her how much better you are than her.
And yet, youll go and work for her because shes offering more money, I think to myself. I immediately feel guilty for the thought. I have known Steve for a long time. We have worked together for a long time too and I would have expected that he would approach me in a more professional manner about increasing their income.
I appreciate that, Steve, I say. Just dont say another word about it to her or anyone okay?
Sure. Im sorry, Steve says.
We end the call and I pace my living room angrily. I am livid. I want to call Christine and give her a piece of my mind but I resist the urge to do so. Im even angrier that she knows about the wedding whisperer. Im angry at her and Im angry at Steve.
For some reason, I have a bad feeling about the fact that Steve has told Christine about my wedding whisperer. I never advertise it to anyone as I dont think its something to advertise as something that sets me apart from other wedding planners. Sure, I charge for it but the fee is built into other fees when I provide a breakdown to clients.
Its not about the cost because Im still cheaper than people like Christine. Its about the fact that I dont think people will feel its nice to feel like theyre being pushed into a wedding if theyre having last-minute, second thoughts about getting married. The truth is that many people do have last-minute, second thoughts and its a silly thing really since they usually go ahead anyway and get married. But if they dont, just in case they dont, they stand to lose a lot of money which is non-refundable. Money paid for the caterer, the MC, the venue, the band and so much more. There is my reputation to think about too and Im not about to have a wedding canceled because someones having second thoughts. I do have a reputation to uphold. So, is it ethical? My own jurys still out on that but so far, its worked and everyones been happy.
Im sure Christine will be quick to copy the idea now that she knows about it. Especially since Ive managed to prevent Steve from leaving. Shell be pissed about that and will surely be looking for the next thing she can come at me with.
I guess shes taken a dislike to me because Im her competition. I cant imagine why though other than that I might have taken a client that she dearly wanted. A client like the one whose wedding I am doing this weekend.
Well, she can go after my band and whatever else she wants but its too late to take this client.
Better luck next time, bitch, I think to myself. I am quite amazed at how fast my view of her has gone from idol and role model to stomach twisting anger when I think of her or hear her name.
I wonder if shes going to go after my other resources as well now that she has failed with Steve. Rather than sit and fume, I decide to start finding alternate resources to step in at short notice if necessary. Thats the right thing to do.
CHRISTINE
Im angry. I failed with Steve and his band.
I take a few deep breaths and begin to relax. Getting a wedding planners 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 theres 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 its a genius idea and I should be thinking of doing it myself. But theres something else about it that I think is much more important than simply copying the idea.
I grab the brochure that I took from Violas booth and study it. Theres 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 can she keep it secret? Surely the clients should be impressed with the added value?
Why would clients keep it secret? Its not possible. Unless
Unless what? I know its there but I just cant grasp it. Frustrated, I finally try to push it away and focus on other work I have to do.
My assistant enters my office and I decide to bounce the idea off her.
Lacy?
Yes?
I want to bounce something off you. An idea to possibly improve our service and differentiate us from other wedding planners.
Okay, Lacy says as she sits down opposite me. What is it?
A wedding whisperer.
A what? Lacy asks not understanding what Im talking about.
A wedding whisperer. A person who I employ to encourage the bride or groom to put their last-minute fears of getting married away and go through with the wedding anyway.
Why on earth would you want to do that? Lacy asks.