Just the other day, a good vendor friend of ours mentioned that she had no idea that planners handled so many of the details - to which we thought maybe we should share a bit more about the behind the scenes work that goes into a wedding. If we only share what fits into a small Instagram caption, how can clients and vendors alike learn about what planners do? So here is trip down the planning lane.
First, we will preface by saying that every wedding is very very different from the next and no two events are the same because of the variables from location, season, budget, vendor team, style, guest count etc. Second, no matter which “package” a couple books - our role is to help you plan ahead for each phase of planning and to help present solutions along the way.
From a full planning & design stand point we jump into planning details with a master planning session where we will get into many details from style inspirations, likes/dislikes, must-haves, preferences on food & beverage to the textures and palette that you envision and go into vendor recommendations so that we can curate a vendor team who will work seamlessly together on your event. Throughout the project we are going to walk you through the various phases and transitions of your event so everything from rehearsal, getting ready, set-up, decor, food & beverage service elements, reception formalities, open dancing, send off down to the strike (breakdown) of the event. The draft master timeline is our living document of your wedding so it will start with the foundation of sunset and hours of photography coverage then we work our way backwards to determine when you and your wedding party will need to be camera ready.
Planning comes in waves, so while some of our check-in calls may be spent on decor or invitations we may have a whole meeting on site logistics like restrooms rentals, power, heating/cooling, parking, lighting, garbage, neighborhood sound ordinances etc. Those logistics are so important when hosting events in a private space that doesn’t already have the built-in infrastructure that a typical venue would include. As we near your event, you will have less on your planning plate so you can instead focus on how you will spend time with your friends and family while they are here for your big day! We use a checklist so that our couples can see where they are in their planning process at any time.
Aside from your timeline, we put a lot of focus into your layout because this will be where all of the vendors working on your event will be able to ensure they have what they need factored into your space. If we know that for your live band they need 4 dedicated outlets or a minimum of 15 ft clearance for their stage set-up we can build around those details.
Your day is about the personal details, so our team will work with you on your ceremony processional order, song selections, vows, reception formalities, dances, toasts and more so that your whole day flows in fluidly and organically. The timeline should be created with not only your preferences but timing that works for your whole team so that everyone is set up for success and they can do their absolute best for you. Meaning we get feedback on the timeline as we build it but we are also able to improvise on the day-of as needed. If you are still bustling your dress - we have an announcement ready for the DJ to remind guests to refill their drink at the bar before they take their seat and we give the caterer a heads up not to pull lids yet; it’s all about communication!
Well friends that was a snapshot of the behind the scenes world of wedding planning but we could go on forever about all of our favorite planning milestones. In 2020 much of our work was focused on finding alternative dates or locations for couples, researching best practices for modifications and adjusting plans to the micro-wedding scale and we were glad that we were able to ease some of the stress for our couples. With 2021 being right around the corner we have a lot of excitement to bring in the new year and to get back to planning pretty gatherings again!
~ Happy Planning~
The 530 Bride