Nov 30, 2015 | wedding planning
Good planning has great results! Photo courtesy of christytylerphotography.com.
Here’s one more thought for you on time management, and then you’ll know most of what I know. This one’s a doozy, though, and most people don’t like to admit that it’s true, so brace yourself:
There won’t be more time later. In fact, there will probably be less time later.
It’s always tempting to think that after some event or after some project is finished, there will be more time to work on whatever it is that you are putting off. The reason this is a fallacy is that if there isn’t enough time for everything now, then things are being put off. That means that on top of all the stuff that belongs in the future, you’re adding stuff from the present. And that means that there won’t be more time.
If you find this depressing (and some people do), just remember that you can do something about it: Get at least one thing off the list today. That is one thing fewer you’ll be doing in the future, when there’s less time for it.
Nov 23, 2015 | wedding planning
Good planning has great results! Photo by Ann Oleinik.
If you’re looking for Part I on time management, you can find it here. I have a few more thoughts on the subject that I hope you’ll find useful.
Once you have your overall timeline in place, try to stick to it. It might be tempting to jump around from project to project, but I find it works better to finish one thing before going on to the next. It helps you keep focus on what you’re doing so that you don’t overlook the details and it also gives you a nice feeling of accomplishment when you check a project off your list.
Another trick is to use tiny scraps of time to best advantage. If you have ten minutes while you’re waiting for an appointment, think of a small job you can get out of the way in time that might otherwise be wasted. Look up reviews for a make-up artist you’re interested in or scan Pinterest for decor ideas. Using these little bits of time can add up to a whole lot in the grand scheme.
But don’t worry! You can get it all done in time.
Nov 16, 2015 | Day-of Coordinating, wedding planning
Who makes sure the gifts all go home with the couple? I do, of course! Photo by Peter Coombs.
A venue manager remarked to me recently how unusual it is that I always stay until the very end of every wedding. She said, “Most planners leave at 10:00.” I’ve heard that before, and I think it is a mistake.
It’s true that from the time the dance floor opens until the end of the party, there isn’t much for a planner or coordinator to do. In fact, that might be the first time all night that I sit down. But I always find that there is plenty to do once the DJ stops and the bar closes. Here are some of the things I do:
- Remove the decor elements.
- Pack up gifts and make sure they get into the correct car.
- Call cabs for guests.
- Sort out the unused wine, beer, and liquor and send it home with the proper person.
- Make sure the centerpieces leave the venue.
- Help keep rental and non-rental property separated.
- Clear out extra favors.
- Make sure the cake top goes home with the couple.
That’s just a small sampling of the things I always find to do at the end of the party. Very often, these are things that the couple has not thought of in advance, so to take a lot of the pressure off of them, I just take care of them.
Nov 9, 2015 | Reviews, Weddings
Photo by T & S Hughes Photography.
It’s toot-my-horn Monday again. I have another really, really nice review on Yelp. If I don’t tell you all about it, who will? It’s such a good review, that I can’t excerpt it. Here it is in all its glory:
“Lisa was our day-of coordinator for our recent wedding at the Garfield Park conservatory. I can’t recommend her more highly! Lisa is very calming, unpretentious and down to earth, which I really appreciate among all the insanity of the wedding industrial complex. We planned the wedding ourselves but Lisa provided lots of helpful suggestions about vendors, transportation and more. She helped us develop our timeline, ran our rehearsal, coordinated with the other vendors, helped set up before the wedding, kept us on schedule during the event and was there to the very end making sure everything was packed up properly.”
Nov 2, 2015 | Non-Traditional Weddings, wedding planning
Anyone want to go bowling?
There aren’t as many committed bowlers out there as there used to be, but if you and your future spouse happen to be bowlers, why not get married at the lanes?
Plenty of bowling alleys have party rooms. The size of the room will limit the number of guests, of course, but that can work to your advantage. Having 150 of your nearest and dearest at your bowling party wedding could be a bit much, and keeping your wedding to a manageable size will also keep your costs under control.
I imagine a bowling alley wedding might go something like this: Ceremony in the party room first, then everyone goes to bowl a couple of games while cocktails and appetizers are served. After that, a buffet opens in the party room and everyone can eat. And then bowl some more.
I’m very far from the first person to think of this idea. If you do a search for “bowling alley wedding,” you’ll see that there are a lot of photos of people getting married in bowling alleys. The nice thing is that in such a venue, you can go upscale or you can have a more casual wedding.
However you do it, one thing is for sure: It will be a memorable wedding.
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