So when you think of what a wedding planner actually does, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Most people just think we show up and everything is magically done and that this is a glamorous job. Far from it.......
As a wedding planner, I spend hours behind the scene way before the actually wedding day making sure everything is in place for my clients wedding. Making sure everyone from the parents, wedding party and vendor partners have all the details and making sure everyone knows where they need to be and when.
I also have to make sure, my clients decor for the ceremony and reception is exactly how they want it and that my staff knows exactly what the day will entail so we don’t miss a beat. So here is what a typical day looks like for me on the day of the wedding.
I am usually up late making sure I have all my t’s crossed and I‘s dotted!
My wedding day timeline for a 4pm Ceremony:
This is a standard wedding day timeline for me!
5:00 am - Breakfast and a Shower
6:00 am - Dressed in my set-up attire
6:30 am - Packing up my car with items that need to be taken to the venue!
7:30 am On the road to the venue and a little stop at Starbucks for my coffee! (Depending on location and distance time to venue leave time might vary)
8:30-8:45am - Arrive at ceremony(reception) location to begin set up if not in same location, if in same location that’s even better.
9:30am - Make sure the bridal suite is prepared for the bridal party and the wedding party concierge is ready and knows all the details for making sure they have everything they need.
10:00 am - Contact vendor partners and make sure they will arrive in time for any setup they need to do.
11:00 am Greet the wedding party as they arrive to get ready, (I typically introduce their assistant weeks before, but if something changes last minute then I will introduce them to the person helping them that day.
11:30 am Check on Wedding Party to make sure they a doing ok.
12:00 pm finish setting up for the reception space if in same location if not leave to make sure my staff have everything set up as specified and assist with finishing up reception location.
12:30 pm Vendor partners arrive and direct them to were the need to setup
1:00 pm check on bride and groom
2:15 pm change into wedding ready attire.
3:00 pm walk through the ceremony and reception space to make sure everything is perfect and fix anything that is not.
3:30 pm Guest begin to arrive
4:00 pm Ceremony begins and per rehearsal I get everyone down the aisle.
4:15 Make sure everything is ready for Cocktail.
4:45-5:00 Cocktail Hour and pictures begins
6:00 pm make sure everyone is seated
6:10 pm Wedding Party introductions
6:30 pm Dinner begins
7:15 pm Cake Cutting
7:30 pm First Dance
7:30-8:00 pm Mother/Son Father/Daughter and any other special Dances.
8:10 pm The Party Begins
10:00 pm Bouquet and Garter toss
10:20 pm Party Continues
11:00 pm Wedding Couple Farewell, Time to pack everything up and make sure that the bride and grooms gifts and cards get placed in a designated persons car.
12:00 Time to go home.
I would typically get home about 1:00-1:30am and would wait until later that day to unpack my car.
As wedding planners we work long hard days, and we do things to keep the wedding flowing. Most of the things we do no one ever see because we don’t want the amazing time everyone is having interrupted. We put out fires when something goes wrong so the couple doesn’t know about it, Bring out umbrellas when it’s raining so their guest don’t get wet, I’ve even checked the restroom to make sure they were clean and straightened things up if necessary. I’ve fixed hems in dresses, provided first aid, (that’s why I keep a wedding day emergency kit) stepped in to bartend amongst other things. I’ve even had to step in and officiate a wedding because the person who was supposed to officiate fell ill at the last minute.
So to think that our jobs are meaningless, or to think it’s a glamorous job or easy believe me it’s not. Not to mention I spend time and money to perfect what I do, because it’s my profession and I value myself as well as my clients.
So don’t think we don’t work hard for our clients most of us who are professional will go out of our way to make sure our clients have the most beautiful, amazing wedding day they could ever dream of.
After the event, I personally send my clients a little thank note and gift for trusting and allowing me to be part of their day. I also send the amazing friendor that helped make the day amazing a small token of my appreciation for a job well done.
I wouldn’t be in business, if I didn’t do what I do well and my clients and the great friendors I work with make that possible..........