What Your Planner Wished you Knew
/It's no secret that wedding planning is a lot of work! Even the most organized of brides can't do it all themselves because everyone needs someone to run their day when they're busy having fun. Here's a few tips I always share with my couples!
Set a final point of contact other than yourself
Set a point of contact to help make decisions for you so you are free to enjoy the day while someone else takes care of any issues that pop up. Maybe your point of contact is your mother or your best friend. Someone who you authorize to make any kind of decision for you like deciding if you can pay for an extra hour of video or photo coverage, or what to do if an unexpected guest shows up (yes, that really does happen)!
Assume nothing
Every person has unique wedding experiences and expectations that they bring with them to a wedding event. Don't assume anything when it comes to your wedding planning. Don't assume that how you think all people enter a wedding ceremony is standard. Don't assume that how you think people enter a reception, pin a boutonniere, or even cut a cake is standard. Articulate any and everything you think should happen and want to happen. Expectations can't be met unless you articulate them all in detail.
The more you share, the better
This is sort of like not assuming anything, but one step more. Tell your planner ALL the things about your wedding goals, your family dynamics, your vision for your day, your vision for yourself on your day, and anything else you can think of. The more you share, the more your planner can help you make everything happen smoothly.
A tight timeline sets a day up for failure
Every single wedding day has something that goes wrong. Maybe it's as simple as a bridesmaid forgetting an earring back, maybe it's something bigger like the officiant getting lost on their way to the ceremony. Whatever it is, you have to plan for the worst to be able to get the best. A tight timeline with no wiggle room is a guarantee for failure.
