Rehearsal Dinner Planning Guide

Wedding day is right around the corner! A ceremony rehearsal is always highly recommended and strongly encouraged to take place a day or two prior to the wedding day. During the wedding ceremony rehearsal everyone participating in the ceremony (i.e. formally walking down the aisle, performing readings or songs, leading special ceremonies, etc.) will have a chance to practice what is expected on the wedding day. Everyone will learn where to line up, who they will walk with, the pace to walk, where they will end up sitting or standing, what to do throughout the ceremony, and how/when to recess, or exit, at the conclusion of the ceremony. The ceremony rehearsal is also a great opportunity to share your wedding day timeline, ceremony details, and other pertinent information with your wedding party and other wedding day participants so that everyone goes into the wedding day knowing what to expect.

The wedding ceremony rehearsal is typically closely followed by a rehearsal dinner where the wedding party, close family members, and their significant others gather to enjoy connecting over a meal. As with any event, rehearsal dinners can look vastly different! Some are elaborate enough to rival the wedding, some are casual backyard BBQs, and of course there are plenty in between. No matter your rehearsal dinner vision, the following guide will help you manage the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the rehearsal dinner. Follow this guide or share it with the event host for a smooth rehearsal dinner planning experience! 

What is the purpose of rehearsal dinner?

A rehearsal dinner event is intended to gather your wedding party and loved ones in an intimate setting before the big day. This event provides the opportunity to connect with your loved ones and show appreciation for their support and participation in your wedding.

Note that a welcome party and a rehearsal dinner are two separate events. A welcome dinner is open to all guests attending the wedding, while a rehearsal dinner has a limited guest list. It is not necessary, but also not uncommon for both a welcome dinner (or welcome “happy hour”) and a rehearsal dinner to occur, especially for destination weddings or weddings where a large portion of the guest list have traveled to attend.

When should the rehearsal dinner take place?

Rehearsal dinner typically occurs directly following the wedding ceremony rehearsal. This means that it will take place either the night before or a few days prior to your wedding. While it is called “rehearsal dinner” it doesn’t necessarily have to be a dinner. A wedding ceremony rehearsal scheduled early in the day might be followed by a rehearsal brunch or lunch inlieu of a dinner. Less formal rehearsal gatherings, like a rehearsal “happy hour,” are likely to occur either before or after a standard dinner hour.

Pro-tip #1: Know your guests and plan accordingly. A group that enjoys drinking can benefit from the rehearsal dinner taking place two days before the wedding instead of the night before to minimize the risk of anyone feeling unwell the morning of your wedding. If this isn’t an option, limit the alcohol provided to wine and beer only.

Example rehearsal dinner planning timeline-

6 months prior to the wedding- 

Create a guest list for the rehearsal dinner

Decide on the general “feel” for your rehearsal dinner (formal, casual, something in between?)

Contact ceremony venue and confirm rehearsal date (note that some venues will not confirm this date until closer to the wedding, which would impact this planning timeline)

Find & book a venue to host the dinner

3 months prior to the wedding-

Consider how you want to invite your guests to rehearsal dinner

Order invitations

Book a florist

Book a photographer

2 months prior to the wedding- 

Send out invitations to rehearsal dinner (send these sooner if a lot of guests are traveling so they can book travel arrangements accordingly!)

Have a tasting with the venue & confirm the menu

Book a musician

1 month prior to the wedding-

Source wedding party gifts

Design & source a welcome sign, seating chart/place cards, printed menus, table numbers, etc.

Select personal attire for rehearsal dinner

Pro-tip: it is a good idea to wear your wedding shoes to the wedding ceremony rehearsal. If you will not have an opportunity to change your shoes between the ceremony rehearsal and dinner, plan your rehearsal dinner outfit accordingly!

1 day(ish) prior to the wedding- 

Host wedding ceremony rehearsal

Attend rehearsal dinner

Who hosts the rehearsal dinner?

While, traditionally a groom’s parents take on this task, the host can be anyone! Only the wedding party members should not host the rehearsal dinner, as this is an event to appreciate and celebrate them as much as it is to celebrate your upcoming wedding. Fortunately, it is common for someone to offer to host the rehearsal dinner. The cost of the rehearsal dinner is covered by the host, which can make asking someone to take on the responsibility of the rehearsal dinner awkward. If no one is volunteering, there are no rules saying you cannot host your own rehearsal dinner!

How should I invite people?

As always, there are no set rules. Mailing formal invitations when time and budget allow, but, baring the scale of the event, are not necessarily a must! Since the guest list is typically just those absolutely closest to you, invitations can easily be sent via email or evite hosting platform, especially for particularly tight planning windows and/or small guest lists! It is worth noting that individuals of older generations tend to be more committed to tradition and might consider formal invitations a requirement.

No matter how you choose to spread word about the party, the invitations do not need to be as robust as the wedding invitations. A one page invitation, detail card, and RSVP card (with pre stamped return envelope) is typically going to be the absolute most a rehearsal dinner invitation suite might include, though the standard is a simple postcard invitation.

Who should be invited?

Who you invite depends on the scale of the event you are planning to host. An intimate rehearsal dinner will typically have a guest list limited to the wedding party, wedding ceremony participants, close family members, and their significant others. A more elaborate rehearsal dinner might be open to all extended family in addition to the wedding party and wedding ceremony participants. In any situation, guests are expected to be granted a plus one when they have a significant other and/or have traveled from out of town with a wedding date.

What information should the invitations include?

As always, names, date, location, and time will need to be included on the rehearsal dinner invitation. The host should also specify what kind of refreshments can be expected (appetizers only, full dinner, hosted bar, BYOB, no alcohol, etc.) Be sure to include the time and location of the actual ceremony rehearsal, too!

The rehearsal dinner host may also want to include their name and that is totally fine! People will often word the invites “The parents/aunt/cousin/friend/etc. of X invite you to the wedding rehearsal of their daughter/son/other to [Fiance name here] [list time and location]. Dinner to follow [list time and location].”

Information at a glance:

• Couples’ names

• Event date

• Ceremony rehearsal time

• Ceremony rehearsal location

• “Dinner to follow at……”

• Rehearsal dinner time

• Rehearsal dinner location

Where should the rehearsal dinner be hosted?

It is rare, though not unheard of, for a wedding venue to offer their clients the option to host a rehearsal dinner on site following the wedding ceremony rehearsal. It is more typical for a rehearsal dinner to be hosted at a restaurant, venue, private residence, or park nearby. Most commonly rehearsal dinners are held at a restaurant near the wedding ceremony venue for a convenient guest commute following the wedding ceremony rehearsal. Choosing a private room in a restaurant simplifies the planning efforts since they tend to be very inclusive (i.e. in house catering, tables, chairs, flatware, plates, napkins, drinkware, bar, centerpieces, etc.). If a restaurant is not feasible, a backyard get together or park gathering is not out of the norm! The formality and scale of any rehearsal dinner depends on the host’s preference, and anyone considering alternative options to a restaurant or event venue is not necessarily committing to a more casual event. A rehearsal dinner held at a private residence or park has the same potential to be particularly fancy as it does particularly casual. The ultimate location selection depends on the size of the guest list, available options within a close proximity to the ceremony venue, event vision, and budget.

What should we do at the rehearsal dinner?

Eat, drink, and socialize! The rehearsal is a great opportunity to distribute gifts to the wedding party and close family members. It is also the perfect time to allow loved ones who will not be giving toasts at the wedding to say a few words to honor your marriage.

Is a full meal expected at the rehearsal dinner?

YES, guests typically assume rehearsal dinner will provide a meal unless told otherwise! While it is expected, you do not have to include one. You do, however, have to communicate this to guests so that they may plan accordingly.

Rehearsals are typically a nicer meal, but that doesn’t mean yours has to be. A backyard BBQ or quick pizza party is completely acceptable! If the host wants to go all out and provide a full 5 course, sit down dinner, that is fine, too. As long as they are paying for it, and you are comfortable with it, there are no right or wrong answers as to what should be served.

What should be included in the budget?

This completely depends on what the budget allows for and what the host chooses to include! Below are some typical things to consider budgeting for:

• Event Planner & Coordinator

• Venue

• Catering

• Tables, chairs, plates, cups, flatware, napkins, etc. 

• Bar

• Cake/dessert

• Invitations

• Decor

• Miscellaneous 

That being said, every rehearsal dinner looks different. One might be an event to rival the wedding while another might be a simple kickback with beers on the beach. It isn’t the details that make a rehearsal dinner- it is the intention, the connection, and the celebration!

32 Questions to Ask A wedding Coordinator & Everything Else to Know Before Booking

Planning a wedding takes time, vision, and a lot of determination. Wedding planning’s reputation of being a bit challenging isn’t unfounded, and that reputation is the exact reason wedding planners have jobs! Of course, there are still plenty of reasons couples might choose to forgo a wedding planner and bravely take on this task on their own. If you are one of those individuals to have planned their own wedding then KUDOS TO YOU!!! When the day comes, all of the effort will be worth it when you finally see everything you have worked and dreamed so hard for, come together. On your wedding day there are so many moving pieces that need to be managed while you are busy getting married and celebrating with your loved ones! Enter stage left: your wedding coordinator! A wedding coordinator will step in to take care of all the logistical elements to your wedding, allowing you the space and peace of mind to fully enjoy your special day.

Day-of wedding coordination packages come in many shapes and sizes, so it is important to find a professional who fits your unique needs. A quality coordinator will take the time to fully understand your wedding vision, the role you need them to play, and communicate whether or not they are able to accomplish your wedding needs. Feeling confident in the professional coordinator you ultimately select will put in the effort to execute your wedding plan perfectly to your instruction is an investment in peace of mind! When you find the perfect coordinator, you will walk into your wedding venue to find all of those pieces you’ve worked so hard to plan have fallen into place and breathe easier throughout your celebration knowing the management aspect of the day is in good hands.

In order to gauge if a particular professional coordinator has the ability to meet your needs and accomplish your wedding goals, there are several questions that can be asked prior to booking to effectively vet wedding coordinators you are interested in.

Please note- some of the following questions may be answered on a professional’s website or in initial email communications. Avoid information fatigue by carefully selecting questions to ask potential coordinators that are relevant to your needs and plans from the list below!

WEDDING COORDINATOR Vs. WEDDING PLANNER

A wedding planner lives up to their name! They plan your wedding, either for you or along side you depending on the professional and the level of support you require/prefer. While there are variations of service inclusions between professionals, they generally are there, at least in some capacity, for every step of wedding planning: design, budgeting, planning pacing and tracking, vendor research & selection, mapping logistics, building a floor plan, building a day-of timeline, acting as a liaison between you and the vendors, and, of course, they’re there to ensure your wedding reflects YOU! Wedding planners are typically booked early on in the wedding planning process OR if a couple has begun planning but find they need support to complete the wedding plan.

A wedding coordinator is present on your wedding day to ensure all of the wedding plans come together. A wedding coordinator is perfect for couples who have found their venue & all of their vendors, thought through the vast majority of wedding day logistics and simply need someone to step in on the actual wedding day to run the show so they and their loved ones can focus on celebrating and having fun instead of working. On a foundational level, a wedding coordinator’s primary function is to serve as a guru of, voice to, and advocate for your wedding plan. A wedding coordinator is the point person ensuring the timeline is running to plan, navigating all vendor logistics, and proactively approaches challenges so that they may be addressed and resolved with little to no one being the wiser. The day of coordinator and oversee the execution of the day while acting as the liaison between the plan, the vendors, and you. Usually a day-of coordinator is booked anytime from 1-18 months prior to a wedding and begins works closely with a couple anywhere from 1-4 weeks prior to a wedding to become familiar with the wedding plan so that they may collect adequate information to preform their role to the best of their abilities.

wedding coordination Services-

Standard Package-

• Collects pertinent wedding day details from client (i.e. floor plan, order lists, vendor contact information & contract parameters)

• Creates a Wedding Day Timeline

• Connects with wedding vendors prior to the wedding day

• Typical minimum connection includes:

• Distributing the timeline, floor plan, & other pertinent prior to your wedding

• Collecting copies of insurance (and other documents required by a venue) from vendors & passing this information along to the venue

• Serves as the event manager, ultimately becoming the voice and advocate of the timeline and logistical plan.

• The wedding coordinator is the liaison between the wedding timeline & plan, the vendors, you, and your guests. This typically includes  of all the vendors on the day of the wedding to ensure everyone arrives on time, sets up where they are supposed to, follows any house rules provided by a wedding venue, and acting as the liaison between the couple and vendors to follow the timeline

• Proactively faces challenges and problem solves through any hiccups that may occur  

Common, but not necessarily expected additional package inclusions-

• Attends a venue walkthrough prior to the wedding (especially if they are unfamiliar with the venue)

• Reminds clients of key deadlines

• Creates a floor or supports in creating a floor plan

• Communicating with vendors on your behalf regarding specific details pertaining to your wedding

• Organizes final meetings between you and the vendors where appropriate

• Schedules or reminds to schedule certain final meetings with vendors

• Provides proactive insight into what information to prepare for final vendor meetings

• Provides insight into what information is necessary to gather during any particular final vendor meeting

• Confirms contract details are inline with wedding day timeline, venue rules, and client expectation

• Coordinates Wedding Ceremony Rehearsal

• Coordinator collects wedding ceremony details (i.e. participant names, walking order, song choices, song cues, seating charts, etc.)

• Coordinator is physically present during wedding ceremony rehearsal to ensure everyone is informed of the plan & manage the wedding ceremony rehearsal by:

• Informing wedding ceremony participants of the plan

• Lining participants up

• Cuing participants for processional, ceremony key moments or special ceremonies, and recessional

• Providing an emergency bridal kit with a variety of items that commonly prove to be necessary at weddings

• Providing certain small decor items

• Decor set-up & breakdown (minimal decor set-up is often included, though anything beyond very basic decor set-up crosses over into the territory of a wedding decorator’s services. Wedding coordination and wedding decoration are two separate services provided by separate vendors. IF a wedding coordination team is able to provide event decorating, they will typically have higher priced packages in order to provide a larger staff to accomplish decor setup/breakdown and standard coordination efforts.)

Not common, but an asset if included-

• Assessing & offering feedback on vendor contracts

• Collecting final payment information from vendors including:

• Payment date with vendors

• Preferred payment method of vendors

• Number of vendor meal required (and dietary restrictions!)

• Reviewing order lists with rental companies, florists, caterers, etc. to ensure everything your event requires is accounted for

• Discussing details to ensure you’ve got everything for the day-of covered even outside of ceremony & reception prep, execution, & clean-up, including items like:

• Getting ready space amenities (i.e. number of mirrors, outlets, fridge access, cleaning plan)

• Food & drink plans

• Travel plans

• Parking logistics at varying locations

• Provide a specialized timeline for the wedding party and family members

• Full decor set-up and break down of small decor items

• Extensive & specific decor creation or inclusion (i.e. sign creation, menu & placard creation, large rentals including tables, chairs, etc., decor extending beyond table numbers & candle votives, etc.)Questions to ask a wedding coordinator before booking-

Questions to ask a Wedding Coordinator before booking

The Basics-

1. Are you available on my date?

2. How much do your services cost?

3. What services do you offer, what are the differences between your packages, and what package will be the best fit for my needs?

4. Are there any additional fees?

Experience & Expectations-

1. How long have you been a wedding coordinator?

2. How long have you been a wedding coordinator in my area?

3. How many weddings do you take on in a single weekend?

4. Will you personally be at my event?

5. What would you say your wedding coordinating “style” is? If a wedding planner or wedding coordinator is unsure how to answer this question, a good follow up question is: what tone do you take when advocating for your clients? (Hint: the goal of this question is to gain insight into whether or not someone’s work style in compatible with yours. Are you are quiet and need a firm advocate? Or are you calm and need someone to match that energy? Or are you anxiety prone and looking for someone that can satiate your worries? This is the chance to feel out if someone is a good fit for you!)

6. Tell me about a wedding that you are particularly proud of how. During this wedding, what were the greatest opportunities to showcase your skills?

7. What is your experience with problem solving? (Pro-tip: ask this question in this elementary language to allow space for the professional to provide their own answer without providing any specialized or guided vernacular. If we asked “Are you solutions-oriented when faced with challenges?” The answer is almost always going to be yes, but provides little insight when guided in this way).

8. Can you give me an example of something that went wrong at a wedding and how you handled it?

9. If we run into any issues throughout the planning process, what level of advocacy can we expect from since we are booking a day of coordination package?

10. How much access will I have to you throughout the planning period?

11. After I book, what are the next steps to working together?

12. When will we begin working together regularly?

Package Questions-

1. With the day of coordination package, do you offer any support prior to the wedding day?

2. Will you collect, organize, and distribute important information such as vendor insurance info, vendor balances & due dates, vendor meal requirements, etc?

3. Will you attend venue walk throughs, vendor meetings, etc. throughout the wedding planning?

4. Will you create a day of timeline?

5. Will you provide the other vendors with this timeline? If so, when will this timeline be created and sent to the other vendors?

6. Will you create a timeline to provide to the family and bridal party? If so, when will this be created and distributed?

7. How many assistants will be present on my wedding day?

8. Do you include decor set up and breakdown in your package? Are there any limitations to this?

9. Will you help manage vendors on the day-of including arrival, set-up, timeline management, and breakdown times?

10. How much communication do you typically have with the other vendors leading up to the wedding date?

11. Will you take care of payment for outstanding balances on the wedding day? How does this process typically look when working with you?

12. Do you provide an emergency bridal kit in case something unexpected arises?

13. What kind of items are in the emergency bridal kit?

14. Will the provide additional resources that may be beneficial to you throughout your planning process?

The Logistics-

1. Do you have insurance to provide to a venue if necessary?

2. Do you require a vendor meal(s)?

3. If we have any issues with vendors following the wedding are you able to advocate for us as a day of coordinator?

4. Do you have any references?

Things to consider when looking for a wedding coordinator-

1. You more or less get what you pay for- If someone quotes you $700 promising the same services another professional is quoting at $4k, there is likely a large difference in experience and service quality. This isn’t necessarily a guarantee that the quality of work will be significantly lower, but it is a very likely. Always check reviews- especially if something sounds too good to be true!

2. Day-of coordination vs. month-of coordination- While “month-of” coordination is often lumped into the “day of” coordination category as an upgrade, it is an entirely separate service that meets a different list of needs. Month-of coordination is ideal when there are intricate logistical details, extensive decor/design set up, or other unique features that might make a wedding deserving of more preparation time. A month of coordinator will begin working with you closely in the weeks immediately preceding your wedding to properly coordinate with vendors and manage the day successfully. They will need to create your timeline (or at least have the opportunity to review it), connect with vendors about arrival times and accurate contact information, discuss design detail with you, review order lists from other vendors, etc. There are a lot of small moving pieces, even with the simplest of weddings! Hiring the appropriate service for your unique event needs is key to ensuring everything comes together without a hitch!

3. Some day-of coordinators are strictly day-of only- It can be challenging to jump in essentially blind on the wedding day with nothing but a timeline and vendor contact list provided by the client, however -albeit rare- some small number of coordinators do this. They are typically a lower cost and don’t provide the same level of service of someone who spends time getting acquainted with the plan prior to the wedding. These coordinators are hard to find, because it truly is not a method that will consistently set the professional up for success, though is effective enough in the right setting. The professionals who offer this kind of service are typically either inexperienced and/or offer a very “bare-bones” approach to their day of coordination packages. If you feel that your wedding is extremely straightforward and are looking for a day-of service only, it is always a safer choice to select someone who will at least meet with you beforehand to discuss details. Even if it seems on paper that a true day-of only coordinator would be adequate, some level of preparation is still likely necessary to truly achieve your vision- there is a reason it is a rare form of service to find!

4. Not every package will include the same amount of support- As extension to the last point, coordinators have a very wide range of what will be included in their packages. Some wedding coordinators will do all of your decor set up and break down. Some will only communicate and coordinate with vendors and nothing more. A lot of wedding coordinators will do something in between. Make sure that you are realistically considering what kind of service you will need before booking!

Maximizing Coordination SErvices

What to do after booking to ensure you are getting the most out of your wedding coordination team.

• Ask how often you can expect your wedding coordinator to touch base. Day-of coordinators typically will reach out roughly a month prior to your wedding, but depending on the specific coordinator, the contracted parameters you’ve agreed to, and how far in advance you’ve booked they may reach out later or even intermittently throughout your planning process to check in. Knowing what to expect is key.

• Discuss what resources your day-of wedding coordinator will provide and familiarize yourself with what additional wedding planning support they offer. While it is typical for wedding coordinators contracts to limit support to the time period immediately preceding your wedding, many coordinators provide resources such as preferred vendor lists, planning tools/resources, and even planning feedback before the contracted services begin. Certain coordinators (our team included) make themselves available to answer questions regarding general vendor recommendations, reviewing vendor contracts, and discussing certain logistics. It is common for wedding coordinators to also offer wedding planning services, which makes them a wealth of information and incredible wedding planning resource, but be mindful of the services included in your coordinator’s package and aware that certain inquiries might extend beyond the service type you have agreed to. If what you are asking is beyond the bounds of your specific contract, the coordinator is likely to let you know and redirect you towards the appropriate vendor for whatever support you are requesting or give you the option to upgrade your package.

• Discuss what wedding day related information they require you to provide and when they need to receive this information. Wedding coordinators will typically need all of your vendor contact information, vendor contracts, “house rules” or venue protocols, a floor plan (unless they include the creation of this in their package), order forms from rentals, florals, caterers, etc., a list of decor you are personally providing, the ceremony information (i.e. walking order for the processional, seating plan for immediate family/VIPs, etc.), and a timeline (unless they include creation of one in their package). Depending on the specific coordinator you have booked, they may require more information.

• Proactively organize! Keep all vendor contact & contract information in an easy to access file for simplified sharing with your wedding coordinator. This will streamline the communication on this topic and allow for more time and focus preparing together with your coordinator to go towards the finer wedding day details.

Save the Dates, Invitations, and a bit on RSVPs

Sending out Save the Dates and Invitations are SUCH fun parts of wedding planning. For so many people this is the first step that makes everything feel real. Soak in these vital steps, and feel confident you are doing it right by reading the information below!

Before reading on, here are two super useful tips!

Pro-tip #1: A common mistake people make is ordering for guest count instead of household.

Mistake: ordering 250 invitations for 250 guests

Pro planning: ordering 1 invitation per household (i.e average household 3 people/house: 250 divided by 3 = ~83 Save the Dates and invitations)

Pro-tip #2: Order extra! You may want to invite additional people and you will probably want one for keepsake. While you still don’t need to order one for every single guest, rounding up is always good in case you make new friends, have people drop out that you want to replace, or just want a few extra for your own (or parents, family, close friends, etc.) keepsake! Another huge pro to this- the big name stationary sites base their discounts on round numbers, so ordering 100 vs. 84 will end up being less expensive.

Mistake- Ordering 84 save the dates/invitations for ~83 households.

Pro planning: Ordering 100 save the dates/invitations for ~83 house holds.

Save the Dates

Save the Dates are a great way to mentally prepare your guests for your upcoming wedding. You might not have all the details like time, location, attire, meal plan, etc. hammered out, but a Save the Date will let guests know the most basic information about the wedding to plan for. While these are helpful with communicating this information to guests, they do add some cost to your wedding and aren’t necessary for every situation.

When are Save the Dates REALLY needed?

Save the Dates can be useful for every wedding, but you don’t HAVE to have them for any wedding. If you are tight on money, time, or simply just don’t want them you can skip them altogether. Save the Dates are most useful when planning either a destination wedding or when planning a wedding where most of your guests will be traveling. In a situation where guests will need to be traveling it is useful to let everyone know ahead of time. Save the Dates allow guests the opportunity to save money/sent money aside for travel and gifts, communicate with work, and plan for childcare (if necessary).

When should I send my Save the Dates out?

Save the Dates can be sent whenever you have solidified a date and location. You can technically send them before a venue is booked if you are 100% positive of the city and date the wedding will be held, but it is best to send them once the venue is booked. Couples will often fall in love with a venue that isn’t available on their desired date, so they change the date to accommodate the venue. If the date you have chosen means a lot to you and you are positive you will be selecting a venue based on the date and not the other way around, go ahead and send the Save the Dates!

If you are having a lot of out of town guests or planning a destination wedding Save the Dates ideally will be sent a full year in advance. If your wedding is more intimate and still requires a majority of guests to travel, Save the Dates should be sent in the 6-8 month prior range, if possible. If you are planning a more intimate wedding in a shorter time span it may be more efficient to skip the Save the Dates, touch base personally with guests to give them a heads up, and send invitations a little sooner than you would typically.

What is the latest I should send a Save the Date?

This, again, will vary depending on the situation. The absolute latest in any situation that you should send a Save the Date is 2 months out from the wedding (and this still only works for a really intimate wedding with short planning period). For a larger wedding this deadline should be by the 4 month mark. For a larger travel heavy wedding this deadline should be 5 months out. If you can’t make this deadline, skip the Save the Dates altogether and just send an invitation. Even for an intimate wedding, 2 months would be cutting it pretty close. Keep in mind, you will need to confirm with the venue and caterers the final headcount about a month prior to the wedding so you need to have time for people to receive their Save the Date and invitation and then RSVP.

What information should my Save the Dates include?

Save the Dates are just a quick, formal heads up to guests that you will be hosting a wedding on a particular date in a certain city. At minimum the Save the Date should include your names, date, and city. A lot of couples will build a wedding website and include that on the Save the Date as well. Even if the wedding website isn’t 100% completed (and frankly at this point it probably won’t be) providing the link will give guests a resource to check in to for more information as it is made available. If you have your venue locked in you can also include this in the Save the Date.

What should my Save the Dates look like?

Like everything else with a wedding, this completely depends on what you want. A common trend is for people to use a photo from their engagement session as the background of their Save the Date. Another common trend is for people to make their Save the Dates magnets so people can keep them on their fridge or somewhere convenient to find the information.

Invitations

What information should I include in my invitations?

Invitations should be a quick snapshot of all the vital information guests need to know in order to show up to the right place at the right time on the right day. They should include the who, what, when, where, and why of the day (not necessarily in that order). Include both the bride(s) and/or groom(s) names. If someone other than yourselves are paying for a chunk, the majority, or all of the wedding it is common to word your invitation: “X and X invite you to the wedding of their [son/daughter/other- name] to [fiance name here].” The name and address of the venue is vital. They will also need to know what time to arrive. If you have a wedding website you can include the website and let people know that they can RSVP and find more info there. If you don’t have a wedding website, you’ll need to include an RSVP card and pre-stamped envelope for guests to send back. You’ll also need to include a meal card if necessary, attire expectation (even if super casual, let them know!! No one wants to show up in a ball gown when everyone else is in sun dresses!), whether kids are invited or not, hotel block information (even if you don’t have a room block, they will need to know!), transportation accommodations, and information on events surrounding the wedding (pre-wedding welcome event, after wedding brunch etc.). Again, if you have a wedding website, you can list all of this info on the website and have your invite include just the very basics.

Pro-tip: directing guests to a wedding website for more info is a great option if possible. You can update information as plans evolve, include an FAQ page so guests can refer to this instead of having everyone individually reach out to you with questions, and, last but certainly not least, you can have your registry on your website so when guests visit to RSVP they can conveniently purchase a gift.

What should my invitations look like?

Again, the aesthetics of the invitations completely depend on your taste. If possible, it is ideal to have your invitations aesthetic inline with your wedding. Chose colors, shapes, and fonts that are relatively similar to those that will be at your wedding. This will help with a few things. First, this will give guests an idea of what to expect. It can set the tone of formality and give them an idea into color scheme. If you don’t want people to dress in the same colors as your bridal party or vice versa, let them know! Either way, invitations are a great ay to start communicating what those colors will be. Second, photographers love to capture your invitation as a prop on the wedding day. Having this match the overall aesthetic will create for some more cohesive pictures. Again, this is just a suggestion. It is your wedding and there are no rules; do literally whatever you want.

When should I send my invitations?

This will vary depending on a few factors. Some things to consider: when do you need to confirm numbers with the caterer and venue? How many people will be traveling for your wedding? How many people are you inviting (the more people you invite, the more people you will need to track down to confirm RSVP status!!)? For reference, for an average wedding of 150 guests with 33% traveling domestically, you should send the invitations out 2.5 months prior to the wedding, with the RSVP date 1-1.5 months prior to the wedding depending on catering and venue requirements.

When should I have guests RSVP by?

For your own sake, it is best to set the RSVP date at least 1 month prior to your date. Guest count will alter your seat/table count, plate count, party favor count, etc. Never have I ever been a part of a wedding of any size where 100% of the guests RSVP on time on their own without a nudge. Giving yourself some extra time will help alleviate some of the planning that just can’t be done until the final headcount is in. While a month is the minimum, I highly recommend giving yourself at least 1.5 months so you have a full 2 weeks to track people down and get all RSVPs. If you are having a wedding with over 250 guests, give yourself a full 2 months. Even if you are having a wedding of 1,000 don’t give yourself more than 2 months, though. Expectedly, things happen in our guests lives and anything longer than 2 months will allow for too many unforeseeable variables in guests lives and you’ll have to do a lot of adjusting as people’s plans change.

Some great resources to purchase your Save the Dates and/or invitations

There are plenty of boutique vendors that can create incredible custom pieces for you. Everyone will have a different niche aesthetic. If you are looking for something on the less niche and more affordable end check out the following:

www.vistaprint.com

Why I love them- you can really create whatever look you are going for. There are some preset templates you can use if you are ~creatively challenged~ or you can fully customize your own cards if you’re into DIYing the design. Their prints are consistent and good quality. Another huge plus, they are CHEAP.

Pro-tip- Google discount codes before ordering! They are almost ALWAYS running a special. If you can’t find one, create an account BEFORE creating your cards. Save your design and then sit back and wait. Within a week they will email you a discount code.

www.minted.com

Why I love them- Their designs are lovely, their prints are consistent, and they give my clients a discount. Use my code: WEDPLLA for 35% off Save the Dates and 25% off all wedding things.

www.basicinvite.com

Why I love them- My very favorite thing about this site is they offer clear invitations for about $1 each. The next least expensive clear option I have found is $8/each. The price is unbeatable. They offer plenty of other designs or fully customizable blank slate options as well. The prints are consistent and good quality. They allow you to fully customize the invitations and Save the Dates.

Pro-tip- look for discount codes! They aren’t as common as Vistaprint discount codes, but their prices are already lower so it balances out. It is still worth looking for a code though!

Have additional questions? Feel free to reach out via email! theweddingplannerla@gmail.com

As always, happy planning!!

10 Ways to Stay Organized While Wedding Planning

Staying organized is key when it comes to wedding planning! While this may come more naturally for some than others, getting an early start to organization will help everyone equally. If you have found yourself already knee deep in wedding planning with no real organization plan, don’t fret! It is never too late to get on top of organization! Here are 10 great ways to get and stay organized throughout wedding planning!

1. Create a wedding email and check it often.

   Having an email specific to your wedding is helpful for two main reasons. First, this will help keep all of your wedding related emails organized and in one place. Second, once the wedding is over, this will save you from having promotional emails sent from vendors crowding your regular email’s inbox! Having a separate email will only work if you check it often, though!

2. Keep all of your wedding information in one spot.

   There are many ways to go about this. I have come across some amazing hard copy wedding planning journal style books, however, I highly recommend going digital. This allows you to easily edit or add information as your planning evolves. I personally love Google Docs for this. With this platform it is simple to keep your information organized, the documents are easy to send out if you need to share any of the information, you can save all of your contracts into your Google Doc wedding folder, and you can invite your fiancé, bridal party, parents, planner, or whoever else to edit relevant documents (think: to-do lists!!). No matter what platform you choose, it is immensely helpful to keep everything together in one space!

3. Make a planning timeline.

   Map out the days/months/years that you have to plan your wedding and then breakdown your vendor searches and planning process into smaller more manageable timeframes. Take into consideration what will be going on in your personal life during this time, and plan your planning around that! Mapping out your “plan of attack” for wedding planning will help you feel confident you are making progress, help you stay on top of your to-do list, and (hopefully) make the whole wedding planning process more fun!! Click here for more on creating a planning timeline.

4. Create a budget outline.

   I may be a little budget obsessed, but it is for good reason! Budget is important! Not-so-fun fact: I once had a friend blow their budget by $60k. That was 200% their initial budget. So how did that happen? The budget wasn’t being tracked and it wasn’t accurately assessed before vendors started being booked. Avoid this situation by creating a full budget breakdown BEFORE booking any vendors. Do some research to make sure your estimates are accurate and allocate money to the things you value most. This will guide every single aspect of your wedding planning, so it is important to get a head start on this early on! Make sure that you stay within budget (or consciously decide to extend the budget) by carefully tracking every expenditure. If you have multiple people funding the wedding, track who paid what, when and using which method. This will be important not only for tracking your budget, but also for tracking what outstanding balances you still have coming. Click here for more on creating a budget outline.

5. Create a Pinterest board(s).

   Wedding planning in the days of Pinterest has been a joy. There is a world of inspiration out there just waiting for you to tap into it. While scrolling through the millions of inspiration pictures your vision may change and that is okay! As your vision shifts, take away pins that are no longer inspiring to you. If you like something about a picture, make a note of what it is specifically that makes you want to incorporate this into your wedding. Pinterest boards are great to share with your wedding planner, florist, decorator, hair and makeup team, and baker, so keep is up to date and organized! Pro-tip: bare budget in mind when looking through Pinterest. Pinterest doesn’t filter for price, and it can be painful to fall in love with a dress or floral arrangement. That being said, just because something looks super expensive doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be. If you really love something, look into it! Maybe it is more attainable than you initially thought! Visit The Wedding Planner LA Pinterest page for inspiration!

6. Keep a running list of booked vendors.

   Have your basic vendor info all on one page so you can find the necessary info at a glance instead of shuffling through contracts. You can format this however works best for you, but it is super useful to include the following information for each vendor all compiled in one document:

   1. Service being provided

   2. Company name

   3. Contact person name

   4. Contact person email & phone number

   5. Number of hours booked (start and end time as soon as known!)

   6. Remaining balance, payment due date(s), and preferred payment method

   7. If they require a vendor meal & dietary restrictions if applicable (usually this will be your planner/coordination team, photographer, videographer, DJ/Musician, and anyone else onsite for longer than 5 hours).

   8. Instagram handle

7. Make lists.

   Lists are your friend. List out everything. Your big to-do list, smaller to-do list, wedding vendor research information, style inspiration, etc. Lists are great because you can track your progress and remember all of the little details that you have been or intend to work on.

8. Build a wedding website.

   This will save you SO. MUCH. WORK. A wedding website will do a lot of organizing for you. Have your registry on the website to easily track gifts. You can even track who you have already sent thank you cards to! Have guests RSVP on the website to easily track those. Provide useful information and updates about the wedding so you don’t have 50 guests calling to ask the same question. A wedding website is an incredibly useful tool

9. Send thank you cards as you receive gifts.

   Speaking of your registry and thank you cards, stay organized and save yourself a lot of time by writing thank you cards as you receive gifts. It is easier to track this if you have a wedding website, but even if you are going a less techy route, be sure to list the gifts you have received, immediately send a thank you, and track the thank you’s once you have sent them. Pro-tip: Trying to write 100 thank you’s at once is daunting and tiresome. Sending thank you’s as gifts come in will allow you the time to write a thoughtful response.

10. Create a seating chart.

    First, let me say, creating a draft of this is helpful if you find yourself randomly with a few extra hours in a day, but you cannot finalize your seating chart until you get your RSVPs back. Second, this topic deserves its own blog. Check back for that one soon! In the meantime, here are two very vague reasons why a seating chart is useful:

    1. Food service. If you are doing plated dinner, you need people committed to a seat so that they can have the meal they were intended. If you are doing food buffet style you need everyone evenly distributed so when table 1 is called there is a predictable amount of people coming over for the catering staff. If you are doing family style, you need to know exactly how many people will be at each table in order to distribute food properly.

    2. Think back to your days of eating lunch at your high school cafeteria. It’s the first day of school and everyone is figuring out who to sit with. There are large groups of people who all love each other and want to sit together so 20 of them crowd around one lunch bench. There are five kids who are kind of friends with some of those people and they want to hang out with them, but they don’t see room for themselves. They scatter and feel a little hurt they weren’t specifically invited to the big table. There is the kid who doesn’t really know anyone so they sit off by themselves in a corner and don’t socialize with anyone. There is also everyone in between. Get ahead of the drama by assigning seats. It will make everyones life easier in the long run

Select Your Vendors Like a Pro

Selecting vendors can be a daunting task. There are SO many options out there so how can you be sure you are making a good choice? It is challenging selecting vendors that fit in your budget or are worth stretching the budget for! There are a few specific steps I take when sifting through and vetting vendors before sending them to my clients. Follow these steps and you’ll be picking vendors like a pro!

***Before you get going on vendor research, I highly recommend making a full budget!! Making a full, realistic budget will help guide your vendor selection. See my full budget guide here***

Decide on a general vision for each specific vendor-

Before diving into the deep end of vendor research, have an idea of what you are after. A few things to shape this vision: budget, what you hope to get out of your contract with this vendor (i.e. how many hours, how many assistants, etc.), what “style” do you want (i.e. what kind of venue do you want, what style of photography do you like, what kind of food do you want, etc.).

1. Venue- indoor, outdoor, mix of both, beach, woods, mountains, all inclusive, DIY, somewhere in between, how late do you want to be there into the evening, will they be hosting other events in the space that day, will they take care of trash removal, do they provide restrooms, power, or any other basic amenities, do they provide tables, chairs, an arbor, a bar space,etc.? For reference, a wedding with 100 guests at a venue that provides only power and restrooms will cost about $7k in rentals, if you go with the most basic rental options. This should absolutely be factored in to your overall cost when selecting a venue.

2. Wedding Planner- do you want to be involved in wedding planning or do you want to think about it as little as possible? You will spend a lot of time with your wedding planner and your wedding planner needs to be able to see YOUR vision in order to create your special day. Make sure that this is someone you are ready and excited to spend time with!

3. Photographer- do you want light and airy, dark and moody, true to color, posed photos, raw emotions, or a mix, how many hours will you need them, do you need 2 photographers or will one suffice (2 are recommended for larger guest counts and spread out venues), do you want an engagement shoot, how many photos are you hoping to get back? Ask to see a full wedding album instead of just the highlights!

4. Videographer- what do you want included in the video? Montage of key events throughout the day, full vows, speeches, and special dances, or a combo of the above? Be sure to look through several examples so you have a clear idea of what your edit will include.

5. Caterer- what kind of food do you want, how will it be served, will they provide apps as well, do they offer plates, cups, and flatware rentals, how experienced are they with larger events, do they provide bussers?

6. DJ/Musician- will they make announcements for you throughout the event, how many sound systems will they bring (you will need 2-3 for most venues if you are doing ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception in different spaces), will they allow you to provide song requests, do they have experience playing to a crowd, can they provide a microphone for the ceremony and reception, how active are they on the mic? HINT: A sound system is the full set up which will include a set of speakers (1-2 speakers for ceremony cocktail hour, 2+ speakers for dinner/dancing), microphone (confirm this with your DJ! Some charge extra), amp, mixer, music device (usually a laptop), and dance floor lighting (where appropriate).

7. Bar- do you need a full service bar, or would you like to build your own bar and hire just the bartenders? Will your venue allow you to DIY the bar? If you are DIYing the bar, will you ned to rent the physical bar? Are you bartenders licensed?

8. Florist- do you want more “traditional” bouquets and centerpieces or would you like something else? Are you looking for other decor rental? A lot of florists also offer vases, candles, and other decor to add to your order. Be sure to look through their portfolios! If you have a go-to florist you typically use, but are looking for a different style, show them some examples of what you would like and see if it is something they have experience with or feel comfortable doing. A lot of florists will do special designs that are outside of their norm but not show examples of this work on their Instagram or website because it isn’t “on brand.”

9. Dessert- what kind of dessert do you want, how do you want your cake to look, how many tiers do you wants the cake to have, will they deliver or do your desserts need to be picked up?

10. Hair and makeup- up-do, hair down, braiding, something in between, heavy contour makeup, natural look, something in between? Be sure to look through portfolios and ask for a trial run day! Trial runs are very important! Not just to make sure you like the styles they come up with but also to see how long your hair and makeup are holding up throughout the day.

11. Rentals- does the company offer unique pieces that will work with your venue, are the rates competitive with other comparable companies in your area, what will they charge for delivery, do they offer same day delivery and pick up, can they extend delivery and pick up is necessary?

Do your own research-

Recommendations from friends or professionals are a great place to start, but doing your own research to make sure they are a good fit for you is vital. Just because a friend or professional has had a good experience with someone, doesn’t mean they are going to be a great fit for you! Friends of friends may offer discounts, but if these people are not professionals then you may be wasting $400 instead of feeling good about spending $800. Ask to see pictures or videos of these “friendors” in action! If they do this professionally on the side, ask for a website or review site link! I’ve seen plenty of vendors that recommend other vendors that they haven’t worked with for a long time. Business quality can change overtime so it is important to confirm the recommended company is still worth your while!

Diversify your Research sources-

Conduct research from a few different angles. A quick google search might not yield the kind of options that you are looking for. WeddingWire, The Knot, Thumbtack, Facebook wedding groups, and sites like these will give you more diverse vendor options! Depending on the type of vendor you are looking for search on Instagram, too!

Always cross reference reviews-

Reviews can vary from platform to platform so it is important to cross reference and be sure that you are getting the most recent takes on the company. Some insight into review companies: anyone can leave a company reviews on Google so companies may ask their friends to leave reviews to raise their overall rating. WeddingWire is similar, but it is more challenging to leave a review on, so friends are less likely to pad the reviews for vendors. Yelp has an algorithm that is meant to weed out “fake” reviews, but a lot of real reviews are taken down in the process (there are also a lot of theories on their marketing approach that can also affect the reviews that show). Be sure to scroll down on the Yelp pages to the “unrecommended” section to read reviews that aren’t weighted in overall.

Read reviews with a different perspective-

Even if you like the quote a company sends and they have five stars across review platforms, be sure to read the reviews and look for consistencies. For example, if I’m looking for DJ/MCs and I see a lot of five star reviews saying how the MC "is really active on the mic,” I’m not going to send that company to a couple who really just wants music and a few key announcements.

Schedule phone or in-person meetings before booking-

It is important to feel comfortable on your wedding day and your vendors a huge part of your comfort! You will spend so much time with certain vendors on your actual wedding day, and even the ones that you won’t, they will still interact with guests! If you have a vendor that runs a little high strung, they may create unnecessary anxiety on your special day. A great way to accommodate this is to make sure your personalities mesh beforehand!

Read through your contracts very, very closely-

This is a legally binding document that should protect you as well as the vendor. Make sure that there is fine print written in about what will happen in the event of cancelation (on either the couple AND vendors part). Numbers and dates should be firm (I.e. by what date will you get sneak peek pics back, when can you expect the full album back, how many photos can you expect back, etc. These examples are specific to photos, but all contracts should be quantitative and clear. This does not apply when booking a wedding planner if you don’t already have a venue secured). A contract that doesn’t protect you is definitely a red flag!! If you find any of these issues and bring them up to a vendor and they are unwilling to adjust the contract to protect you, that is a major red flag and a good sign that you should continue your search!

Other notable tips:

1. A vendor’s experience doesn’t necessarily chalk up to quality of service! Just because someone hasn’t been working weddings specifically for a long time doesn’t mean they should be immediately counted out. If you like their style, food, etc., they are well informed on the effort that weddings take, and they are ready to do what it takes to do an awesome job on your wedding they are still worth considering. If you unsure about them, ask your wedding planner or coordinator! They may be able to offer valuable insight to make sure you are making the best decisions for your wedding!

2. Break up your search into several days. It is easy to get burnt out on sifting through vendors. Packages start to run together, things that would normally stick out become easy to overlook, and the whole experience may become less enjoyable.

3. Be thorough! Don’t settle! You can find the perfect vendor out there for you!

Be sure to check out my preferred vendors list to kick start your search!

Useful links:

Budget planning tips: https://www.theweddingplannerla.com/blog/wedding-budgeting-the-first-step-to-planning

My preferred vendors: https://www.theweddingplannerla.com/resources

Day of Decor/Photo Op Props Checklist

As you think through your wedding day and are organizing the pieces you have bought or rented, work through this list to make sure you have accounted for everything! This will be particularly helpful as you are in those final stages and packing everything up to be moved to the venue! Remember, every wedding is unique and you may not want to incorporate some of these pieces. If you don’t want some piece, don’t force it just because it is on this list! If you have planned for other pieces, feel free to copy and paste this then add in your own specific bullet points.

Getting Ready Space:

• Food

• Something to serve food on

• Plates

• Napkins

• Drinks

• Something to serve drinks from

• Something to drink drinks from

• Signage

• Invitation/Save the Dates (for pictures)

• Speakers to play music from

• Phone or other device to play music from (pro tip: if you are getting ready in a place that won’t have wifi or cell reception download your playlist ahead of time!)

• Special hanger for dress

• Something to wear while getting ready

Ceremony:

• Altar flowers

• Altar Floor decor

• Aisle decor

• Ceremony programs

• Table for special ceremonies (i.e. sand ceremony, glass ceremony, wine ceremony, etc.)

• Decor for special ceremony table

• Signs (welcome, unplugged ceremony signs, etc.)

• Easel for signs

Cocktail Hour:

Gift table

• Linen

• Sign for gift table

• Card box

• Guest book

• Pen(s) for guest book

• Something to hold pens

• Decor for gift table

• Flowers for gift table

Appetizer table

• Linen

• Signs/labels for apps

• Serving utensils for apps

• Plates

• Forks

• Napkins

Self service drink station table

• Linen

• Drink dispenser

• Labels for beverages

• Cups

Bar

• Bar menu

• Flowers

Reception Area:

Seating chart

• Easel for seating chart

• Flowers to dress up easel

Place card table

• Linen

• Place cards

• Sign for place cards

• Flowers

• Other decor

Cake/dessert table

• Linen

• Display for cake

• Cake topper

• Serving set of cake knife and server

• Plates for cake

• Forks for cake

• Napkins

• Cake stand(s)

• Other display items for other desserts

• Other decor

• Flowers

Sweetheart table

• Linen

• Special plates

• Special cups

• Flatware

• Napkins

• Flowers for the top of table

• Other decor for top of table

• Flowers for front of table

• Other decor for front of table

Guest tables

• Linen

• Flowers

• Candles

• Table number

• Table number stands

• Other decor/personal touches

• Plates

• Flatware

• Drinkware

• Napkins

What Information to Share With a Wedding Coordinator

A wedding coordinator is immensely valuable. You are essentially investing in your peace of mind on the day of your wedding. With adequate prep, a great coordinator will walk into your wedding day ready to take care of the details and make sure that all of your hard work is brought together just the way you wanted it. In order to do this, though, there has to be ample communication between you and the coordinator leading up to the day of your wedding. Prior to your wedding good coordinator is going to work with you in the weeks leading up to your special day to thoroughly discuss your plans, vendor contracts, and vision to help you catch any missing details, find solutions to potential issues, and make informed suggestions on how to create the best flow possible for your wedding day. A coordinator will do their absolute best work when all necessary information is communicated!

What to share with your coordinator:

1. ALL vendor information- If you have booked a vendor because you are getting married, your wedding coordinator needs their information! Send each vendor’s company name, service they are providing, contact person’s name, email address, phone number, and contracted start and end times. Sharing this information will take a ton of pressure off you immediately. Instead of turning to you to fill in arrival time, start time, and strike time of all vendors, the coordinator can begin communicating directly with the vendors. Once the coordinator reaches out, those vendors begin to ask them logistical questions instead of you! As a coordinator, I prefer to have every vendor’s contract. Your coordinator may not necessarily need each one, but it is always best to have them on hand in case anything comes up before or during your wedding so that they can easily find information without having to bother you for basic information.

2. Order lists from vendors- If you have rentals, florals, food, or anything else being dropped off by vendors make sure the coordinator has a list of what needs to be accounted for. Every now and then pieces will be missing from orders. The coordinator can ensure those items are either brought by the rental company later, make sure you are reimbursed for the missing items (depending on time), and/or find replacement items from another company on the spot! *If you aren’t able to share this information, by sharing the contact info, the coordinator can collect the order lists from the vendors on their own!

3. Venue rules and regulations- typically the venue will share this information, but if you already have this information (you should receive it at the time of booking) share it with the coordinator! They may catch some logistical issues, such as trash removal, time restrictions, or other potential issues that can be avoided if thought through ahead of time. When wedding planning there is a ton of information coming at you from a lot of different vendors so it is easy to overlook some of these details. Your coordinator is there to advocate and problem solve with you, but they need all the tools to be able to do this to the best of their ability!

4. Getting ready information- Even if your coordinator won’t be onsite while you are getting ready, sharing this information is important. The photographer, videographer, hair and makeup teams, or even members of your bridal party may need this information. Instead of sharing with everyone individually, sharing with your coordinator streamlines this information into the timeline which will go out to everyone at once. Your coordinator may also catch some logistical issues with transportation, access to water or food, or other details that may have slipped through the cracks!

5. Any rough draft timeline you may have- I typically try to connect with my clients within a few weeks of booking to create a rough draft timeline, even if their wedding is months away. This helps with logistics when booking other vendors. If you already have a rough draft, share it with your coordinator! Most coordinators will help create your timeline, but if you already have one this is a great baseline for the coordinator to build off of. There are, of course, a lot of logistics to think through when mapping out a timeline, but this is YOUR wedding so the order that you want events is the most important thing for coordinators to consider. 

6. Floor plan- if you already have a floor plan, share it with your coordinator! This is the person that will be onsite to make sure everything is coming together while you are focused on getting ready and getting MARRIED!! In order to create the wedding you have worked so hard to put together, your coordinator needs the floor plan! Sometimes the venue will send this over, some coordinators will even help finalize this, but no matter how it is finalized they need a copy!!

7. Decor list & set-up plan- As intuitive as coordinators can be, they aren’t mind readers! You have worked so hard to create your overall aesthetic, so make sure that your efforts are put into practice. Let your coordinator know exactly what pieces of decor you have, where they belong, and how you’d like them arranged. Even if you have hired a decorator, communicate these pieces to your coordinator so you have an extra set of eyes on the project to make sure everything is being done the way you want! If you have a lot of decorations that you don’t have a predetermined vision for, let your coordinator know! They usually have a great eye for design and would be happy to bring this together- but they will need to know this is the case!

8. The name’s of everyone in your bridal party- The bridesmaids and groomsmen are not only likely participating in some key moments for your day, they are also your best friends and therefore a great ally to both you and your coordination team!

9. Ceremony plan & details - Your coordinator will need to know the names and order of everyone walking in the ceremony. They will also need to know who will be sitting, who will be standing, where those sitting will sit, the order in which those standing will stand, the music you plan to use for your ceremony, and which groups will be walking to which songs. They will also need to know about any special ceremonies you plan to have during your wedding ceremony.

10. Any and everything you know about your wedding! The coordinator needs all of the information in your brain to be in their brain! It sounds like a lot of information to share, BUT once they have this knowledge you can take a huge sigh of relief. Your coordinator can take it from there. They may need to ask you a few opinion questions on details after that point, but everything else logistics wise can be taken care of between the vendors!

You gave yourself a gift by hiring a coordinator! You don’t need to worry about anything once you let your coordinator take the reigns! All you need to do is give them all the information in order to maximize the services you have hired them to perform. So share, share, share, then sit back, relax and GET MARRIED!!