Organizing a wedding
step by step: here are the first stages
My job is to organize weddings from the first step to the last dance!
I always begin by seeking a location. This, to me, is the cornerstone of my organization as the location affects all subsequent choices.
If the venue has no internal restaurant, the catering is decided almost synchronously and the photographer and videographer immediately afterward (the best ones are quickly booked out!).
The other suppliers come slightly later but, in the meantime, I begin to design the event step by step. Firstly, I determine the various moments:
Plan A
(good weather)
Plan B
(bad weather)
I also prepare some sketches to begin to figure out what the main setup will be like – church or ceremonial hall, seating chart, centerpieces, sugared almonds, party favors, cake cutting – which I then present to the couple, together with an estimate of the costs, also taking into account all the other expenses still to be defined (live music, DJ, open bar, vintage cars, party favors, etc.).
Optimizing these steps is strategic for me because the more complete the information I provide the couple — both in terms of the type of setup and the choice of suppliers and costs — the clearer and more precise the picture of the whole project will be and they will be able to tell me more easily and more quickly which services they want to confirm and any that need to be revised.
CUSTOMIZED BUDGET TEMPLATE
My work method involves using a budget template, which I customize for each wedding; all expenses relating to the confirmed suppliers and the various deposits/balances paid are recorded on this template. This document is always kept up-to-date and shared with the couple. Once the setup design has been determined, I prepare a descriptive summary with drawings, recapping the costs, and submit it to the couple in PDF format, to suspend and close the setup phase.
Two months before the weddig...
I prepare a time schedule in order to clearly manage the day, in which I will take part with my supporting staff: I rely on professional collaborators to help me best coordinate everything within the given timeframes.
The schedule contains a part reserved for me, relating to the staff (arrival times of all suppliers and their tasks organized chronologically, already agreed upon with each of them) and the various phases of the day. The latter is always shared with the couple, for example:
- 1 p.m. Bride starts preparing
- 2 p.m. Photographers arrive
- 5 p.m. Ceremony
- 6.30 p.m. Pre-dinner drinks
- 8.30 p.m. Dinner begins
- 11 p.m. Cake cutting
- 11.30 p.m. Dancing and open bar
- 2 a.m. Event closure
At the wedding, my presence is always guaranteed and, in addition to coordinating all the suppliers and preparing most of the outfitting, I always drop by to greet the bride in person during her preparations, delivering the bouquet and the other accessories included in the project (e.g. floral ring holder, flowers for hair, corsages for witnesses/bridesmaids, etc.).
To me, every wedding is a fairy tale come true. For you, it’s reality transformed into a fairy tale!
