It's A Game!

The team behind a wedding is a very interesting dynamic. There are so many different players who collaborate and may or may not have ever worked together. I guess you can compare it to an “all-star” game that different sports have at the end of the season. The fans are the bride and groom that vote for these players to perform on their wedding day. The coordinator is the coach who insures each player comes together cohesively. This is a very difficult job because you have photographers, videographers, DJs, the banquet captain, the cake/dessert company, the rental company, the officiant, the venue staff, the hair stylist, the makeup artist, the bridal party, and the families of the bride and groom. All the different vendors have their own way of doing things and each and every venue has different policies and service styles. Then you have the bride and groom who want things done a specific way as well. Everyone does a little correspondence ahead of time, but they never get a practice round before game day.

            It is the coordinator’s job to make sure that everyone follows the rules and plays per the requests of the bride and groom as well as proper etiquette and protocol. Sometimes when working with a less professional venue, a coordinator has to step in and start directing their staff!

            A comprehensive timeline is very key to ensuring that everyone is on the same page and communication is at its highest. A second or third string athlete may not be used to playing with the team, but if they know the play, things should run smoothly. It is the coordinator’s job to list every single detail down to the minute on the timeline so that there is no miscommunication and everyone always knows where to be. It also prompts the vendors to arrive and leave on time so that extra charges are not accrued.

            Timelines must be extremely specific with names of where key players are to be at certain times. Listing each individual that is to be present during a certain photo shoot makes certain that no one will be missing or there won’t be any surprise appearances in the shot. I worked at a wedding where the father of the groom jumped into the groomsmen’s pictures, and no one realized it because we didn’t verify the names on the timeline. We ended up having to do extra photos!

On a side note, comparing a wedding to an all-star game, may help get your groom on board ;-)

Excited for a wedding at the beautiful the La Venta Inn!  You wouldn't believe the view of this place!