What Happens at a Walk-Through?

Here I am checking things off the list I made at the walk-through.

Whether I am doing full planning for my clients or coordinating the wedding, I always do a walk-through at the venue with them.  Lately, I’ve been getting more questions about the walk-through, so let me (ha!) walk you through the process.

Ideally, I like to have the couple, the caterer, and a representative from the venue all there at the same time.  I prefer not to have anyone else there.  Sometimes the couple will invite family members, members of the wedding party, the officiant, the DJ, the photographer, the florist, etc.  But I’ve noticed that the more people you have in the room, the longer it takes.  Yes, it’s great to have a meeting of the minds in person, and it’s one way to solve problems in advance.  But I can also accomplish the exact same end via email and phone once we’ve walked through the venue.

There are always certain decisions that need to be made at a walk-through:  Where do you want the ceremony set up?  Where and when do you want certain things to happen (toasts, cake cutting, dances)?  What are we going to do in case of bad weather?  Usually, the caterer has a long list of questions they need answered, and the venue has a shorter list.  I have all the same questions, so we go through the day step by step to ensure that everyone understands what is planned.

Out of this, I make a master schedule for the entire day, and someone (venue, caterer, or me) makes the ground plan and furniture layout.  (It all depends on the situation who does it, but it doesn’t matter as long as it gets done!)  I also make a list of the tasks I am responsible for on the wedding day, and a list of items I’ll need to keep track of.  I also usually end up with a list of questions for other vendors that I spend the next week or so getting answered.

In all of this, my function is to consolidate and organize and transmit the information to everyone who needs it.  I’m the central clearinghouse for everything.  And that’s why I always say, “Tell your planner everything you want and everything you are thinking.”  That way, I can make sure that things happen just the way you are imagining they will go.