For the DIY planners one of the most important things you can do for yourself is have a game plan for your day. Whether it’s your wedding day, or an event, having the who, what, where, and when determined prior to the event is key.
If you are not planning on having a day of coordinator, identify the people who will be available to help set up, help during, and tear down after the event. Make sure there are one or two people that are comfortable giving direction to everyone else who is willing to help. You don’t want too many cooks in the kitchen, but you want to be sure those giving directions are comfortable with it.
Come prepared. Have boxes labeled with the content of what’s inside and where those items are being used. It makes the setup go quickly and smoothly. For example: if you have two different centerpiece themes, have the boxes labeled “Centerpiece 1” and “Centerpiece 2”. I like to tape a list of what’s in each box, along with directions, to the top/lid. For example, for my daughter’s wedding, I taped a piece of paper with a list like the one below:
Centerpiece #1:
Used on 10 tables at random.
One of each cylinder height will be placed in the middle with water filling at different heights. Three total cylinders per table.
Each cylinder will have a floating candle.
Each table will have a place sitting (charger, plate, napkin stuffed with flatware) and a koozie.
Note: florist will finish with greenery and blooms.
Having something like the list in the example above will assist the people helping you, and make sure your event is set up exactly how you want it, so you can enjoy your time prior to the start of the event.
Come with a detailed itinerary, one that’s down to the hour if possible, so you know when everything is happening. This is essential if your event is a wedding. Give yourself more time than needed to set up if you’re helping. If not, you still want to give those helping enough time to set up and then get ready themselves.
Have your vendor’s contact information, time of arrival, and set up location listed on one sheet. Doing this will once again help the people helping you make sure you don’t have to worry about anything prior to your event. If you have a day of coordinator, you’ll want to make sure they are listed at the top and identify them as the main contact so all other vendors know who to reach out to if they are having any issues (i.e. running late).
Having a plan is still important if you do hire a day of coordinator. Your plan will help the coordinator to stay on top of all the key details mentioned above! So again… having a plan is key.
(Photo by Judit Petter from Pexels)
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