All the planning is over but you are now worried about how to actually make sure your day runs exactly how you envisioned – how do you do that? These handy tips will point you in the right direction to ensure nothing is forgotten.

If you don’t have a specialist On the Day wedding planner or Venue Coordinator there to work behind the scenes on your wedding it can be a very stressful thought – worrying about the what if’s and putting plans in place to make sure everything runs smoothly so you can relax and enjoy your day.

on the day coordination

Step 1: On the Day Wedding Timeline.

This document will bring together all the information from all your on the day suppliers into one document so you have visibility of everything happening on your wedding day. The more detail the better, so include everything!! Definitely get input from your photographer/videographer/catering team to make sure they are happy with timings etc. Don’t try and cram too much in because it will feel rushed and chaotic and even the most relaxed style of weddings still need a schedule, things don’t happen on their own!! Make sure you cross reference contracts and terms and conditions of all your suppliers so you know who will be on site and for how long etc. Do share this document as well, amongst your on the day suppliers but also give copies to a few key people such as ushers because you DO NOT want to be worrying about this on your wedding day!! So I know I have spoken about this lots on my Facebook page so do go and check out my live on this: https://www.facebook.com/emilyandrewevents/videos/799637790437870/  Go and have a listen as this live will take you through each element to include and how to create your own. if you are still struggling with this then give me a holla and I can drop you an example timings sheet to give you an idea.

Step 2: Wedding Day Suppliers Contact sheet.

Having all your contacts in one place will be really useful – just incase! I use a simple excel spreadsheet and simply add in names, emails, phone number (one that will be answered on the actual wedding day – an office number will be no use!), website address. Again, give a couple of copies to key people on the day as back up so if anything runs late/doesn’t arrive it doesn’t have to be you making that call to chase it all up. Make sure this list includes any emergency contacts for things like transport, generators, marquee, lighting, portable toilets, any accommodation you have booked – basically everything that is part of your day!

Step 3:  Contingency Planning for Your Wedding Day.

Being well prepared in the case of wet/windy/extremely hot weather is vital! I have a blog all about a wet weather contingency plan so go and have a read of that… https://emilyandrewevents.co.uk/planning-for-a-wet-marquee-wedding/ Again, make sure your on the day team know what the plan B is and who will instigate it.

Step 4: Wedding Day Documents.

In addition to the documents about there are some other key bits of paperwork you will need to hand for your wedding day which include:

  • Spare ceremony readings/copies of your vows
  • Copies of seating plans
  • List of dietary requirements and which table they are seated at
  • Spare copies of your group shot list
  • A list of reliable taxi numbers (just incase!)

It is also a great idea to have copies of all your contracts and agreements to hand (even if they are all on your phone) so that if anything needs double checking you have all the vital information available.

Step 5: Your Wedding Night Plans.

Ok, so forgive me if this one sounds a bit silly but it does happen and believe me it can cause all sorts of frustration… if you and your new husband/wife have booked a hotel room for the night of your wedding make sure you have checked in earlier in the day and left your luggage!! It’s no good turning up in the early hours of the morning after your wedding day as they could have locked the hotel up/given your room away both of which are not good scenarios!! I would definitely recommend asking a friend to drop your luggage off for you earlier in the day and collect the keys for you – just make sure it’s someone you trust!!

Step 6: The details not to forget on your wedding day.

I know there is so much to remember but lists really will help you! Colour code and delegate!! Do not try and do it all yourself. Pick the tasks that you personally want/need to do and leave someone else to do the rest. I always find it is the little things that can get forgotten like who is putting out the place names for the wedding breakfast, who is taking the Orders of Service to the church, who will be turning on the PA system, who is making sure the cake knife is in the right place when needed…. the list goes on. Bearing in mind this is probably the first time you will have organised a wedding there will be things which don’t go as smoothly as you would hope but preparation is key and doing a physical walk through of your day the week before your wedding will trigger things in your mind that you need to remember to arrange.

If this all still sounds like too much of an ordeal then I can help – pop across to my FREE Facebook group which is packed with tips and advice : https://www.facebook.com/groups/DIYandmarqueeweddings/

Or I can run through everything you need in one of my 2 hour Inspiration Sessions to check your schedule and contingency plans. Or, for a much more thorough service my On the Day Coordination service will give you complete peace of mind that a professional will be there all day to pull everything together and troubleshoot so you can relax and enjoy your special day. Email me if you would like any further details. Info@emilyandrewevents.co.uk.