I get some of my best laughs every morning while sipping my coffee and reviewing messages through my websites. Why? Well, I usually call Cindy and “go over” them while laughing together at some of the questions we receive.
I drive approximately 200-300 miles a week traveling to Appraisal Appointments & Client Meetings so Cindy and I spend a lot of time together.
Today we will go over why every event isn’t at a venue, why the chairs don’t match and why we sponsor certain families that meet my criteria at Appraisal Appointments- pack your sense of humor for this blog ya all!
Meeting clients can often be an eye opener because we have no idea what they are like and more importantly if they will have an inlaw or outlaw making outrageous demands. First meetings are like first dates, so I recently published a blog to give you a better idea-Client Meetings & Blind Dates? Wendy Wortham Explains.
Why is it so hard to convince people that I don’t provide chairs at an event? As a wedding officiant and coordinator, my “job is to show up and officiate or orchestrate the event.”
Loaning flowers, the cake stand, serving set, toasting glasses and photography and even on occasion- the clothes for a ceremony should be going above and beyond but for some families, “too much is never enough” as a few of the videos on location will show you today. Cindy loves the spontaneity of a video at client meetings because people are unpredictable.
Our busiest days of the week are weekdays to meet clients and appraise items. Weekends are often “reserved for events.” Six years after starting Texas Twins Events, both of our suv’s have logged over 125k miles each driving to clients homes and events.
This video taken prior to the chair “argument” involved dirt (we were at a park) and railroad tracks (the mother in law didn’t like them) as well as no one in the wedding party moving as I attempted to orchestrate the procession. Cindy pointedly videotapes the feet of a group ignoring instructions and deciding to argue with each other to give you a better idea of on site conflict-Why Isn’t Anyone Listening?
Amazingly, after a two hour rehearsal (they normally take 30-45 minutes) this family did manage to get their walk in order and even shake off the attitude for this wedding.
However, what wasn’t on video was me addressing the group regarding chairs and advising them of a refund while wishing them “luck” finding another wedding officiant willing to provide everything that I was at no additional cost. Sometimes a “wake up” call is in order and I’m happy to make that call when family members make my “job” impossible by continuing to argue or make suggestions causing conflict.
My twin sister loves it when I’m shocked about someone asking for something and assuming that I provide everything. Just when I think I’m un- shockable something new pops up on location.
Why don’t the chairs at your events match? Well, if I’m in a park, barn, backyard or north forty- I don’t provide the chairs, the guests bring their own.
I saw photos of a pretty nice venue- do you offer that at no cost? No. The photos of me at events inside a building or gazebo were rented by the couple and I’m also on staff at Belltower Chapel & Garden. Anytime you see Cindy or I at a building- the client booked through Texas Twins Events Budget Friendly Event Services.
Do you loan money on my item and offer event services at no cost too? No. We do not loan money and provide free services. I’m not a fairy Godmother, items taken in trade are bartered not pawned. The Pawning Planners take items in trade in exchange for event services and later sell them to recover costs associated with your event. You don’t get items back because you are bartering (in lieu of paying) for services.
The cake and champagne elopement package with complimentary photos has “up front” expenses that must be paid at the time of booking.
Pawning Planners can request the Elopement Package but they must meet the one month prior to the event deadline by submitting their trade and meeting us due to the timeline necessary to refurbish and sell their item to fund expenses.
Some of your clients “look country” while others look “sophisticated” and it appears that you have a lot of LBGT couples. What percentage of your client base is LBGT because I’m not comfortable with your affiliation. Well, I’m going to suggest that if you have a problem with my client base that you should book with someone else! Nearly half of my client base are LBGT couples and they are some of my favorite couples who appreciate what we do and often refer their friends and families to us.
We often have no idea from one week to the next where our journey will take us. We do know that several stops to Planet Fitness will be “thrown into the mix” as we round out our fifth month of a weight loss journey that has had a few “setbacks & successes.”
It’s hard to believe that just a few months ago, we filmed this update on our weight loss journey-Wendy and Cindy Have Had A Few Ups And Downs On Our Weight Loss Journey.
How do you know what you are looking for at an Appraisal Appointment? We don’t. Occasionally at Appraisal Appointments & Estate Liquidations, items of value are often hidden-Two Sets Of Twins-The Pawning Planners Search For Texas Twins Treasures On Location.
I was just on your Texas Twins Treasures website and noticed that you don’t ship furniture-why not? Well, most consumers don’t have a clue regarding packaging and shipping large items that’s why. If you want to hire a freight company- we are happy to meet them at our location but be advised that packaging items is at the buyers expense along with freight fees. Local pickup in Fort Worth, Texas is always available however.
Why can’t you just deliver the item? I’m only a few hours away in Oklahoma. Well, this question reminds me of last weeks “I need you to bring a truck and sell my storage items because I really need the money” email. Box trucks aren’t free and we are often busy at Appraisal Appointments and events making money. If you want to pay us to deliver your item, we will consider “working a delivery into our schedule” but remember, nothing is free for us and it isn’t free to you either. We are not a non profit business and already donate to numerous charitable organizations so free delivery is “off the table.”
What made you decide to help people with no money and sometimes even sponsor families? This question comes up all the time. My answer is far more complicated than you might guess. Unless you’ve been down and out or struggled from paycheck to paycheck- understanding the struggles and financial hurdles these families face “would never make any sense to you.” We’ve been in houses with dirt floors, we’ve been in houses missing Windows and doors-we’ve seen poverty!
What percentage of your clients book through The Pawning Planners? Twenty to forty percent of our clients use the option of bartering.
Families reaching out to us through The Pawning Planners may not have any money but they do have pride. They wanted to be able to “in some small way-help us to help them by giving us something in return.”
Sponsored families often help by volunteering at events or making food for the reception of a complete stranger because we helped them when no one else would.
Rich or poor, every family is treated with the same amount of courtesy and respect because we understand their story and we are dedicated to helping the people no one else would.
Why is your client base so diverse? I’ve noticed that you have mixed race couples, LBGT couples, and a virtual melting pot going on? Well, we do. Neither of my businesses discriminate and if it “looks like a melting pot” it’s because we welcome all races, all religious affiliations and all lifestyles.
Although many of my emails are funny-the majority are somewhat sad and give me the details of how hard they were trying to save up money for an event and then something happened to exhaust their funding.
Cindy and I are pretty funny because we bring a sense of humor on our adventure to “change the wedding and events industry one family at a time From Fort Worth, Texas” with my multigenerational “team” of family members.
We laugh with you and occasionally we cry upon realizing how hard you are trying to get by and how important your event is to you.
The reason we care is that we’ve been there ourselves years ago and (like you) had no one to help us. Maybe that makes us “different” from other vendors but, it also makes us far more dedicated…
Wendy M Wortham