Project Review

Assignment 1: Initial Project Proposal

Shantalya Edwards

Professor McKenzie

BUS 419

October 25, 2020

Project Proposal for Wedding

Every little girl dream of one day meeting their Prince Charming and then having their fairytale wedding. That is why I’m so excited that I’ve been chosen as a project manager for planning a wedding. The wedding is scheduled to take place in 12 months and entails a series of events, meetings, research, rehearsals, and networking to obtain optimal results. Being a project manager for a wedding requires extreme dedication and attention to detail because there isn’t much room for error and my client will most likely be very hands on. It is my responsibility to assist with establishing a timeline and budget and ensure that all vendors produce effectively. My project scope will include assisting with finding the venue and vendors, negotiating prices and contracts, and coordinating with all parties to ensure a seamless and beautiful day for the couple.

Project Goals

The main goal of being a project manager over a wedding is to alleviate as much stress off of the couple by making them confident in my abilities, assist with establishing a budget and staying within or below that budget, negotiating contracts, and managing vendors. The first step in the process would be meeting with the couple to understand what they are looking for and their vision for their day. By having this meeting, I then have set expectations, and this gives me a standard to uphold. This initial meeting also gives me the opportunity to assist with gathering a realistic budget or where we can remove or add to the budget. Knowing my client’s expectations and being on the same page with the budget are imperative to the project’s success.

Project Objectives

This project will have many objectives but they all will center around making the couple happy and the event being a day to remember, the vendors deliver exceptionally, and we keep to the scheduled date and time line, The second goal is to network and manage all vendors effectively. The couple has invested a huge amount of capital in the day so they rightfully have elevated expectation that their day will be treasured and one of the happiest days of their lives. I would have to ensure the couple that they are in great hands and that this project will be special and unique not only to them but to me as well so I will make sure that the event goes off without incident and on time.

Project Structure

The project structure is the key to success or failure. I would first put together a timeline that list what needs to be done by when to make this huge production into smaller assignments and they will all lead to the big day. Secondly, I would work with the couple to select all the vendors such as the venue, photographer, florist, cake designer, etc. This is crucial to the project’s success because everything has to be done in the precise order and having the right talent in place in sequential order. After securing my list of vendors I will assemble a team of coordinators to assist with managing the vendors. By assembling a team of coordinators this will assist with minimizing misunderstandings and confusion in addition to setting clear expectations. Each member of my project team will have specific vendors that they will work with to ensure timely completion of each assignment and that it stays within budget. The team will also negotiate contracts and ensure contract execution.

Key Customers

The vital customers in this project are the couple. Their expectations and experience on their wedding day are of upmost importance. With that being said, hearing their wants, opinions, and desires will always be valued and taken heed to. The customer’s/ couple has all the final authority on decision making and approving the lines, vendors, and contract brought forth by me. After contracting a project manager, the couple can be let go of the demanding process of planning of the wedding and appreciate the events that led to their extraordinary day.

Key Stakeholders

The key stakeholders for the project at hand would be whoever is sponsoring the extraordinary day and the venue owner. These stakeholders will be considered as the main sponsors due to the fact that they each have a critical effect on the wedding day and its success. The project sponsor’s main objective is to allocate a budget and dispense funds in a timely fashion. The second stakeholder is the venue owner of the location where the wedding is taking place, because they own the building, and the safety and care of their investment is their first priority. Without the venue this would significantly delay the project and hinder its success.