While the bridal party and family are getting pampered preparing for the big day, there is a team of minions making the magic happen behind the scenes. (Don’t worry, we are cute minions, okay?) When people arrive at the venue, everything is in place, but this doesn’t happen by chance. To ensure that no detail goes unnoticed and to avoid answering unnecessary questions on the wedding day, having organized set up and tear down instructions is a must! Before the big day, make sure your wedding planner knows where all the moving pieces are coming from, where they are being placed, and whose car they are being put in to at the end of the night.

WHERE IS EVERYTHING COMING FROM?

Until you plan a wedding yourself, no one realizes how many moving parts must come together in order for the festivities to take place. Not only do you want to make sure you hire the right team for the job, you need to make sure everything has a designated location to go to and vendors know when to arrive. I’m referring to the tables, linens, chargers, goblets, centerpieces, candles, table numbers, seating chart, bar décor, and so much more. Some items are coming from rental companies, some from your mom’s best friend, and maybe the signs you are writing by hand. Create an inventory of what is coming to the venue and who is responsible for delivering it, and give their contact information to your wedding planner for any communication needed on the wedding day.

WHERE IS IT GOING?

Once everything arrives, someone needs to know where all of it is going. In order to avoid having countless humans asking the bride questions on the wedding day, give the wedding planner as many details as possible ahead of time! If she doesn’t know the answer to a question, then there is only one person communicating with the bride and not several. Design a floorplan for the venue space (sometimes the venue already has one and if not, there are several user-friendly programs online to create your own). I always tell the brides I work with that I want them to download their vision into my brain and then I will ensure their desires come to life! The more questions we can answer in regard to how things are set up before the wedding day, the less questions that need to be answered that day.

Who is Taking Everything Home?

After years of dreaming of your wedding and months of planning, before you know it the day will be over. (I hate to break it to you-but it’s true!) As you drive away after your grand departure, everything left at the venue needs a place to go. Are rental companies picking up tables and chairs that night? Is your mom taking your gifts home? Can flowers be sent with your guests? If you can have everything pre-decided where to go at the end of the night, this will allow you to come home from your honeymoon to only gifts in your living room and not piles of décor that need to be returned.

One of my many mottos in life is that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail! Planning out the details of your wedding will take a load of decision making off your plate, which in turn will allow you to enjoy every moment of your wedding day. You don’t want to have any headspace to be a decision maker on your wedding day, only to celebrate. By taking time in advance to get your thoughts organized and to communicate with your vendor team to know where to go when, you will be more than prepared on your wedding day!

Have I mentioned that planning weddings is my full-time job? One of the biggest benefits of hiring a wedding planner is that we already have systems in place and resources to make the wedding preparation as easy as possible. Reach out and ask about my template for set up and tear down instructions-you’ll want it on your big day!

Interested in some great wedding planning tips? Click here to explore our online shop!