As a wedding coordinator, I’m often asked by family and friends, “What if something happens at the wedding? or “What if something goes wrong? Aren’t you worried the bride and groom will blame you? Or be angry?” My simple reply: “Something will happen at the wedding, and they will be happy I’m there to handle it!”
Couples who enlist the services of a planner {either for full planning or day-of} often do so because they are realistically aware of the fact that there are many things that they will be unable to control on their wedding day: the weather, unexpected illnesses, lost guests, forgotten items, incorrect linens, vendor mishaps, etc. As a wedding coordinator we also cannot prevent all of those situations, but we are able to trouble shoot them, so that even though there may be an “issue,” the birde and groom can still go on enjoying their day. The trick is not to expect that there will be no problems, but to relax in the knowledge that you have put a team in place to ensure that any situations will be handled, and that you can go on to enjoy the day!
I, on many occasions, have helped brides and grooms to trouble shoot their wedding “issues.” I have often been the runner-of-errands, making runs from the reception to fetch forgotten cake servers, a missing guest book, or a more comfortable pair of shoes. I’m a giver-of-directions, opener of locked buildings {when the venue doesn’t do it themselves} and a finder-of-the-bestman’s-tie. When the bakery delivers a sheet cake far too small to feed the group, I’m off to the bakery to pick something up!
Here are some more real-wedding examples from other coordinators {who were nice enough to share their stories!}:
April{Blu.Sky.Designs} Check out her blog for a real-wedding example of how mother nature sometimes has her own plans!
Emilie{Chere Amie} Read about how one MOB was MIA for the wedding due to an unexpected illness!
Melissa{Masterpiece Weddings} Melissa shares her stories of a Florist Faux Pas and a ‘Maids Jewelry Fix
Emilie also shared this great story with me:
“Once, the bride and groom forgot to mention to me that they had decided to get a shuttle for six of their spanish-only speaking guests. The shuttle got lost, and these out of town guests missed the wedding (by about 45 minutes). The bride was quite upset, but this gave us the opporunity to take 15 minutes out of cocktails to have a short, private ceremony for the missing guests … in spanish! The bride and groom were TOTAL troopers, and the day was a success because they went with the flow!”
I love that story! What a special moment they had, because someone was there to offer a solution to a not-so-great situation! If you’re tying the knot soon, one of the most important things you can do to ensure a great day, is to have realistic expectations. Picture perfect would be ideal {who wouldn’t love that!?} But it’s not realistic. Remember what the day is all about—remember the person, the love, and the commitment you’ve joined with friends and family to celebrate. And, whether it’s a professional coordinator, a family member, trusted friend, or mistress of ceremonies—make sure you have someone in place to take care of any issues, so you can sit back and enjoy your day–you’ll be glad you did {and you probably won’t hear about any of those little wedding “issues” until after it’s all said and done} which is exactly how it should be!
Do you have any wedding “issues” you experienced {or helped to trouble shoot?}
