Words of Wisdom
Photo: Nicole Erin
My many years experience in Wedding World have taught me a thing or two, and I have some advice to share.
1. I strongly encourage that couples invest in a planner or a day-of coordinator.
Many wedding venues do not even accept weddings that do not have a professional planner. The venue coordinator cannot undertake to sweat the small stuff and have your back; they are excellent at their job, but they work for the venue, not you. Same for most professional celebrants/officiants like myself, who are ceremony specialists and will not provide or pick up such things as florals or décor.
A planner will undertake tasks such as picking up florals and cake the morning-of, for example. A pro planner will undertake to set up and tear down décor and will generally ensure that all goes without a hitch. Many planners offer all-inclusive packages which are a life-saver for busy couples, a kind of one-stop-shop which can also save you money. Do your homework and research and pick a professional; the industry is rife with amateur and would-be ‘planners’ and I have seen some pretty hair-raising blunders and omissions… the last thing you need on your Big Day. It is also, imo, unfair to expect your mom or a friend to be your day-of watch-person; they want to relax and enjoy the wedding too!
2. I encourage couples to go local when it comes to vendors.
When items like florals, cake and décor are located locally, there are no worries about delayed deliveries from outside vendors. I especially encourage choosing local for a photographer and videographer. Both the weather and the light on the Island can be incredibly fickle and changeable, both can alter dramatically without warning; local photographers are experienced in handling this and can deal with pretty much any challenge thrown by Mother Nature. Ditto for locally based planners. Will an outside photographer or planner with little to no local knowledge, no matter how talented, know how to rustle up a last-minute Plan B in the event of weather challenges at an outdoors wedding, for example?
3. Speaking of Plan B, if you are having an outside wedding always always have a Plan B.
This is especially important for outside weddings, which are totally weather dependent. It is best to be prepared just in case. For the same reason, be sure you and your guests are shod and dressed suitably for the elements. No-one will know that you are sporting warm leggings under that gorgeous gown! And the Louboutin heels, while to-die-for, may not be suitable for an outdoor ceremony, maybe save those babies for the reception or dinner.