Let's talk about running things the day of your wedding. First of all, if you are the people getting married, I highly recommend that you set things up so you and your loved ones will be the guests at your own weedding. While you probably may know all of the details about what needs to happen, downlaod, download, download. What i mean by that is to let at least one person who is not a member of the wedding party know all of the details of what needs to happen. That includes how the centerpieces need to be arranged, who needs what and who's who (i.e. who is holding a grudge against whom). The obvious answer is to pay a wedding coordinator to do that. That's a great idea and I hope to have a guest blgoger talk about her experience with her wedding coordinator. Unless you have tons of money to hire a wedding coordinator who will do everything, you will probably being doing a lot of the legwork that a coordinator will be implementing the day of. So whether the coordinator is a friend or someone you pay, you will still need to give them the tools to make sure they can do their job.
When I've coordinated wedding for friends these are the things I've needed:
The minute by minute play by play - This is the your Bible. It says when everything will happen. That includes not just when the ceremony is starting but when the wedding party needs to be at the ceremony space for photos, when vendors are delivering and setting things up, when the reception needs to wind down and when people are talking. This would include what items need to be set up where (i.e. candles at the altar, the microphone for speakers, and what needs to be in the rooms the wedding couple is getting ready in).
A vendor list WITH phone numbers - Your wedding coordinator is your enforcer. If a vendor is late in delivering, the wedding coordinator will need their phone number to kick their ass.
A list of important people WITH cell phone numbers - In this day and age most of us have cell phones. Coordinating involves cat herding. Make sure you ahve the right lasso for the cat herding. This means cell phones. This list doesn't need to include every guest but it should have people who need to be at the wedding or else the wedding wouldn't be able to happen. That includes readers, helpers, family, and anyone who will be participating in any way in the ceremony or the reception.
The Shot List - The photographer will take many many pictures during the wedding but this is to ensure that you will have ALL of the pictures you want. The coordinator should review the shot list with the photographer prior to the wedding and check in with them every so often to make sure they are taking the necessary photos.
A list of flowers - The weeding coordinator should check this off with the florist to make sure everyone who has a bouquet, boutonniere, or nosegay, gets one. This is also important if your florist is providing the centerpieces as well.
A seating map - This tells you what table is where. I highly recommend using names instead of numbers for the tables. That way, if tables get moved around you won't worry that table#12 is right nexto table #6. The seating chart should also have a list of who is sitting where. While table cards may be self evident, there will always be someone who asks.
Being the person who has gotten married and also the person who's run a wedding, it's really important that there's other peopel who know what's going on and other people that guests, vendors, and people in the wedding party can go to for answers. While the wedding couple will get those questions, it makes the day better to have someone else to send the questions to. The other thing I say is start early with putting this stuff together. Bring your coordinator along with you and talk through all of the details with them. Take care of your coordinator and they will take care of you.
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