For bridal couples planning out their wedding day, it’s easy to focus on the things that need to happen during the ceremony and reception. But there’s a lot more to the big day, from getting dressed to organizing the send-off. With a little advanced planning, you can help make sure everything goes smoothly.
Caitlynn Barth, director of weddings and social events at Legacy Stables & Events, shared some of the things she’s learned from her experience helping bridal couples keep things flowing smoothly, from getting dressed to the last guest leaving.
Arriving at the Venue
How early should the bridal party get to the venue to start getting ready? “I recommend getting there as early as the venue lets you in,” Barth says. “You’ve paid for the time and the space, so definitely make use of it!”
Often, groomsmen don’t come as early as the bridal party, because they don’t have as much to do to get ready. But it’s easy to underestimate the time it takes to put on a tuxedo and take pictures. Plan for the groomsmen to be at the venue about four hours before the wedding ceremony is scheduled to start. The groom’s quarters at Legacy Stables & Events, Robert’s Quarters, has plenty of space to hang out as well as a pool table and foosball table to help keep everyone entertained while waiting for the girls to get ready.
Be mindful that guests will start arriving as early as an hour before the ceremony is set to begin. The staff at Legacy Stables & Events refers to that as “hands-off time,” when everything is set up and ready to go. Staff is ready to park cars and greet guests. So be sure to coordinate with caterers and other vendors to make sure they’re prepared for this time as well.
Stay Focused on the Big Picture
One way to keep things running smoothly throughout the day is to make sure to plan in some buffer time around each big event (about 10 minutes). For example, if your ceremony should take about 20 minutes, schedule it for 30 minutes. This allows for those little things like hugging your grandma or a flower girl who refuses to walk down the aisle.
Another thing to be aware of is the smaller time suckers, the things that we at Legacy Stables & Events call the TikTok moments. Too often we see brides get wrapped up in creating tiny little moments throughout the day, because they’ve seen it on social media or it’s trending online. For example, it might seem like a great idea to decorate the bridal suite and display snacks on porcelain platters, but then when it’s time to go to the ceremony, you’re rushing around to grab all your belongings, sweating through the hair and makeup you just spent hours perfecting. Instead, bring disposables and the staff at Legacy Stables & Events will clean up.
The same can be said for all the other TikTok trends. Pick a couple of favorites, plan to spend time on those during the day, and the rest of the time just focus on enjoying the ceremony and reception, and all the people who have come to celebrate you.
Keep Guests Entertained
Even when things are going smoothly, there’s always some downtime for guests at a wedding, in the time between the ceremony and reception when the bridal party is busy taking pictures.
Serving cocktails and hors d’oeuvres during the usually one-hour time frame is pretty much a given. But you might also consider having cornhole or other lawn games available for a little extra fun for guests.
On the other hand, while some in your party might enjoy tearing up the dance floor until the last song plays, some of the guests might be ready to head home shortly after dinner. It can be a good idea to do a fake send-off early in the night. That way you get the photos while there are still a lot of people there, and everyone who came to your wedding gets a chance to participate in one of the fun group activities.
Planning Ahead for a Smooth Day
The best way to ensure things run as planned on your wedding day is to make sure to communicate with vendors ahead of time and talk with your wedding venue planner prior to the event. Most professional wedding vendors will have at least two meetings with a bridal couple prior to the wedding.
At Legacy Stables & Events, we create floor plans and a detailed Banquet Event Order for each client that includes the basic timeline. We work with you to learn what you have in mind, and from that, build a fully detailed day-of timeline that will help keep everything running like clockwork all day long.
Call today to learn more about the services offered at Legacy Stables & Events, and take a tour of our beautiful estate.
