day-of wedding coordination Archives | danielle pasternak, wedding coordinator, wedding planner, scrantondanielle pasternak, wedding coordinator, wedding planner, scranton

Tag Archives: day-of wedding coordination

Coordination Service Breakdown: What is rehearsal direction?!

11.27.2012 / FAQs / no comments

As part of a new series, I’m happy to be explaining in further detail about services that are included as part of wedding coordination.

Today, we’re chatting about rehearsal direction.

Before I go any further, there may be some folks out there who don’t think they need a rehearsal. This may be true, but in most cases I HIGHLY recommend it. Did you get that? HIGHLY recommend it.

photo by amanda grace images

So, let’s first start with that question: DO YOU NEED TO HAVE A REHEARSAL?

This question is ultimately up to you, but I recommend it if you say ‘yes’ to any of the following:

You have a bridal party larger than 4 people including yourself and your partner.
You have any small children in your bridal party that aren’t just going to be held by an adult.
You have a ceremony that involves participation of your family and/or bridal party members.
You have a ceremony that involves several rituals and/or sections.
You have any readers or other participants involved with your ceremony.
You typically get nervous in front of crowds.

Some or all of the above will usually fall into a couple’s plans, but having a rehearsal helps take some of the stresses off – trust me.

Now…

Why do you need rehearsal direction?

As part of my coordination services, my team and I are more than happy to attend your rehearsal (not rehearsal dinner) to help direct the flow. Ultimately, we have four goals in doing this:

01. Keep you (and everyone else) on time for the rehearsal dinner and/or other events following the rehearsal.

Having several people in one room – and usually people that may not have seen each other in a while – can result in chats that go longer than anticipated. Having the DPNAK team there to help keep with the timeline is essential in keeping things moving and on time.

02. Be the voice of reason (and experience) amongst many different opinions.

Just as with #1, when you have a lot of people together, you will automatically have a lot of opinions. Chances are some of your bridal party will have recently been in a wedding and they will try and tell you how to do it which may or may not be the way you actually want to do it. We act as a middle person with the experience necessary to make sure everyone’s voices are respectfully heard but what was previously discussed (and desired) ends up being the final outcome.

03. Help you get what you want without you having to turn into a Bridezilla (or Groomzilla).

To go off of #3, when you have a lot of opinions coming at you, any time you disagree there is the opportunity that someone will assume you’re going into Bridezilla-mode – which again may or may not be true. With us there, you stay out of that seat.

04. Answer any questions that anyone has regarding the wedding day.

This is a GREAT opportunity for bridal party and family members to ask questions about the wedding day. This includes anything from limo pick-up times, hair appointments, dinner time – anything. We’re happy to answer any questions.

To summarize, rehearsal direction includes:

Up to two hours of dedicated services from the team
Lining up the bridal party, family members and other participants for the processional (a.k.a. the beginning part)
Assisting bridal party, family members and other participants with where to be during the ceremony
Answering any questions regarding the flow and structure of the ceremony – in addition to the Officiant
Overseeing all aspects of the ceremony (including the rings, vows, candle lighting, etc.)
Assisting with the recessional (a.k.a. the end part)
Lining up all participants for the receiving line
Explaining when the gents will arrive and what will happen when they do
Explaining how to usher family members and guests
Answering any questions regarding any part of the wedding day

In a nutshell, we’re there to help and make sure things go as smoothly as possible. Although I do always say, “a rocky rehearsal makes for wonderful wedding” so don’t worry if things don’t go perfectly. This is the time to iron out the kinks and make the mistakes before any one else is watching. ;)

Interested in our services? Get started by filling out this short form on our contact page and we’ll get back to you within just a few hours!

Cheers,

no comments

Let's pretend it's your wedding day… what would you do if…?

08.20.2011 / Tips + Advice / 2 comments

Ok, this article is not meant to scare you or give you ulcers. But, these things are possible happenings and they can ALL be avoided (or taken care of) with the help of a day-of coordinator. And please note, that I speak solely for myself. All coordinators/planners are different and you should always check before assuming that they are capable of doing what you need.

Anyway. Let’s get back on track.

It’s your wedding day (yay). Now, what would you do if…

… the limo showed up at the wrong location?
… the florist forgot your favorite uncle’s boutonniere?
… your dress bustle broke at the reception?
… no one knew what do to at the rehearsal?
… the photographer got lost on their way to the ceremony?
… the cake accidentally fell on the floor?
… a guest arrived that didn’t rsvp and they brought a date?
… some of your gifts went missing at the end of the night?

If you had a day-of wedding coordinator (a.k.a. me), you wouldn’t have to worry about any of it. It would have either been avoided, prevented, or taken care of without a problem.

Sounds nice, doesn’t it? (and your mother, sister, best friend, and grandma didn’t have to worry about it either)

Let’s go into those scenarios a bit further, shall we?

… the limo showed up at the wrong location?

Confirmations would have been made prior to the wedding day by the DOC (day-of coordinator) on exact pick up locations and times.

… the florist forgot your favorite uncle’s boutonniere?

Let’s admit it. Mistakes happen. I always have the phone number of the florist on-hand to call and rectify the situation as soon as possible. Besides that, flower corsages, bouquets and boutonnieres are all confirmed prior to the wedding date to ensure proper amounts and the correct delivery depending on the piece to avoid that type of situation.

… your dress bustle broke at the reception?

That’s an easy one. I carry a suitcase of emergency items that I have with me the entire day. Of course, there is a sewing kit in there full of everything we need to get that bustle to stay where it should. Safety pins are almost always used.

… no one knew what to do at the reception?

I’m there. I can help direct and guide you and your bridal party throughout the entire thing. This is especially helpful if you are having an outdoor ceremony wedding with no “set” structures or aisle. It’s also a huge help to your officiant who is mainly there to review your ceremony, not your processional or recessional.

… the photographer got lost on their way to the ceremony?

Once again, locations and times are confirmed. Plus, the photographer has my cell phone to call when lost, where I can easily give them directions to get them – err… un-lost.

… the cake accidentally fell on the floor?

This one is never fun. But it does happen. Thankfully, I have a great crew of bakers that are able to quickly improvise and pull something amazing together. And it’s done while you’re enjoying day and NOT worrying about the cake. Again, I’ll say – this one is never fun.

… a guest arrived that didn’t rsvp and they brought a date?

As your guest list is built and RSVPs start coming in, you will start making your seating chart. Once that is complete, I receive a copy to have on-hand so I know where, if necessary, we can fit two additional guests. From there, it’s a simple request to the venue to add two place settings.

… some of your gifts went missing at the end of the night?

This is truly an unfortunate thing to happen at a wedding, but it does happen. Throughout the night, I not only monitor the gift table and ensure that it is plain sight at all times. But I also make that those gifts and cards are either in a designated vehicle or hotel room at the end of the night so you do not have to worry about who has what.

{photo by Maggie J Photography}

2 comments

Kristen August 22, 2011 12:27 am

Great advice! My venue had a coordinator on site, and a few things went awry. The coordinator solved the issues, with the help of the moh, and I never knew! Till later, of course… :) Had I had a day of coordinator, the issues that happened wouldn’t have happened, and that is a resource I wish now I would’ve had! Thanks for sharing the “what ifs”-it needs to be aired and much thought put into considering a day of coordinator who is looking out for the bride’s interests, and to prevent stresses!

Jess October 31, 2011 9:34 pm

Wonderful blog post! I am a new wedding coordinator and have been trying to find a way to communicate to brides the importance of DOCs. I just love this! I’m going to put a link on my blog to this article. So helpful and wonderfully written. Thanks Danielle.

My (top) 4.5 pieces of advice I give to my brides…

07.08.2011 / Tips + Advice / one comment

Whenever I talk with a couple, particularly the bride, I like to give them advice. I know what you’re thinking – “isn’t that your job, Danielle?” Well yes, it is. But I want to share that advice with you. Because, frankly, I think it’s darn good advice.

1. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Now, I’m not talking about if the photographer doesn’t show up (more on that later). This goes for the things like, if the 2 year old ring bearer doesn’t walk down the aisle as angelically as you may have envisioned, or if not everyone realizes they are supposed to hang around to blow bubbles as you ecstatically exit the church. Along with this bit of advice includes the weather. It’s 100% out of everyone’s hands and the best thing you can do with your energy is have a solid PLAN B.

2. Make sure you eat and hydrate throughout the day. One of the biggest mistakes I see women make is not taking care of their bodies on the day of their wedding. Don’t skip lunch because of nerves. You don’t have to eat a big meal either, but please be sure to at least have some crackers, pretzels, or even some cookies and milk. It’s also super important to drink water. If you don’t believe me for the health aspect, I can at least tell you that your skin will show in pictures if you are dehydrated. Plus, you won’t always be able to sit and enjoy your dinner at the reception or hors d’oeuvres at the cocktail hour – so it’s best to not be famished.

3. Stop to enjoy the little moments. Your wedding day will be weeks, months, years (possibly) of planning and it will only last 24-hours, no matter what you do. It will be whirlwind ride and it will be amazing. Just please stop at certain moments to take it all in. One of my couples spent 15 minutes alone (just the two of them) after the ceremony just to absorb all that was going on and I LOVED that.

4. Hire professionals. This goes back to number one. When you are hiring your team of wedding artists, from photographers to florists to DJs/Bands to whatever, make sure they are professional and are capable of providing what you want. Prioritize your wants and needs, and invest in the right people that you feel comfortable with. If you don’t like your photographer, it WILL show in your photos. Also, ask for references or google them for reviews. They can say they’re wonderful, but look for the feedback of several different couples to really get a feel for what they did and didn’t like about them.

4a. You may not need a wedding planner, but a day-of coordinator is a MUST. Ok, I know I’m biased. But I can’t stress how much can potentially go astray during a wedding that you will NOT want to be dealing with. Hiring a DOC doesn’t mean you will be out of the loop on anything. In fact, you should stay in the driver’s seat the entire time. A DOC will simply take care of any questions, guide you along the way, handle any last-minute changes, and quietly put out any fires without you having to worry about how or who’s going to deal with it. Plus, they give you a complete peace-of-mind knowing that they are there. It’s completely up to you, but it’s beyond worth the investment here.

{photo by Amanda Grace Images}

Have a great weekend, everyone! And thank you to everyone’s feedback on the paint colors for our new apartment!

one comment

Stephanie Elizabeth {Fab You Bliss} July 8, 2011 3:37 pm

This is all REALLY great advice, especially hiring a DOC. I did it and it was the BEST money I spent. Have a great weekend!

up down

Jan / Feb / Mar / Apr / May / Jun / Jul / Aug / Sep / Oct / Nov / Dec