The Day of Your Wedding, Logistically Speaking!
Written by : Chanda Monique Eddens of A Monique Affair
The
days leading up to a bride’s wedding are usually filled with nerves and
excitement. As she begins the countdown, she dreams about the wedding design
and how amazing it will all look, but very often, the bride forgets to consider
the second most important thing: the logistics of the wedding day! Brides need
to remember that no one will be able to pay attention to your wedding’s most
unique details if the caterer, for instance, is not scheduled with enough time
to set up your tables and settings.
Hopefully
you have (or are hiring) a wedding planner, but if NOT, here are a few points
to keep in mind as you begin to build your wedding day timeline.
- Be sure to review all vendor contracts to see if they
have a required set up time. I’ve worked with a caterer who stated in their
contract that they needed 2 hours prior to the start of the event for set up.
{This is something to keep in mind, as it
may require additional rental time at your wedding venue}
- Check on the venue’s load in requirements. This is
especially important because you can’t have five vendors coming in at the same
time if there is only one ramp. {Tip: It’s always a good idea to have your
caterer load in first}
- Consider the drive time from the ceremony to the
reception. Will your florist & DJ have to do two set ups at each location?
If so, it might be a good idea to arrange for a longer cocktail hour after the
ceremony to allot for the set-up time.
- Break your timeline into 4 sections: (1) Wedding Morning,
(2) Ceremony Set –Up/Ceremony, (3) Reception Set-Up/Reception, (4)
Strike-Down/Pack-up!
- Make sure you are detailed as possible. Consider the
situation from all angles, as if you are a vendor, a wedding “helper”, and a
guest. The details will be like the bible of your day, and whoever is reading
it, should have no questions.
- Begin planning your timeline at least 3 weeks before your
wedding, and aim to finalize it two weeks before! It will take a few hours and
you might have to revise it, but it will give you a nice place to start!
If you take these steps into
consideration in relation to planning into your logistics, you will have a
smooth day!
“Have a coordinated day!”
Chanda Monique Eddens -
Daniels is a Certified Wedding Planner, Stylist and owner
of A Monique Affair
Monique
Affair providing Coordination & Design Services for Weddings & Social
Events throughout the San Francisco, Bay Area and Beyond.
