From starting day one at my internship for Whim Events making the floral centerpieces, arranging the styling details, and packing up the essentials for the wedding? there have been several things I have quickly learned about the wedding industry. And as an event management major in college, these lessons are insights to the industry that I don’t think any textbook could cover or bridal magazine would highlight. Which is why I came up with the 5 tips anyone planning their own wedding will want to think about from a rookie herself!

1.) You have to be flexible (and able to come up) with change

One of the first things I quickly learned is that many last minute details or issues pop up on the day of the wedding. Everything from forgetting to order the flowers for the cake or having the wrong quantity of rentals delivered; mistakes happen all the time and your wedding day is no exception. Being flexible to think up of solutions quickly that address the problem even if it is not exactly what you envisioned is vital in planning any event because ideally, if you hired a planner you would have never even know these issues existed!

 

2.) Invest in a planning or tool kit

The second thing I found to be important is to invest in an emergency kit- specifically for the unplanned problems mentioned in tip #1. Signage for the wedding may need to be strapped down because of the wind or “reserved” signs have to be stuck onto chairs, so having tools to make those things possible will make the set up process a lot easier (And take some very unneeded stress off)!

Some helpful items to keep in the kits include:

• Scissors or wire cutters

• Fishing Line

• Safety Pins

• Tape (an arrangements of sorts)

• Wire

• Tool Box

• Mini Stool

 

3.) Treat your vendors with respect

This might seem obvious, but you have to treat all your vendors with respect and understand their point of view. Everyone knows that your wedding day is very important and a lot of time and money went into the planning of it. However the same amount of time, effort, and money was also invested by the businesses you hired so understanding that certain prices cannot change or regulations ignored just because it is your wedding day. Treating vendors with respect will also make them more apt to pull strings to help complete your vision.

 

4.) Less is more – really

Most brides think that the more they put in the styling and floral arrangements of their wedding, the better it will look. However, too much decoration can become overwhelming and split the attention of the guest. Yet having fewer elements will keep the theme cohesive and allow each decoration to be highlighted and remembered after the wedding is over.

 

5.) Make sure your heart is in it

And lastly, the 5th tip I learned my first experience working in the wedding industry is that if you don’t have both the time and more importantly, passion for what you are doing, then it is best to hire a planner. A lot of details go into planning a wedding and it is important to stay on top of them. Your big day should also be as stress free as possible, so sometimes it might be worth sharing the reasonability of organizing your big day in order to truly focus on what’s important; starting the next chapter of your life with someone you love endlessly!

xo Vanessa