The idea of a “Wedding Planner” has been popular for a while in the USA, and now more and more British couples are trusting professionals to plan every element of their big day
It’s understandable – organising a wedding is a daunting prospect. With so many things to consider, it can often feel like too much for one person (usually the bride). So the help and guidance of an experienced expert can be a real comfort.
At Elite Hotels, our Wedding Coordinators are the best of the best and can make even the most elaborate event run smoothly. We caught up with some of them during their busy day to get their perspective on the art of planning a wedding.
How many times will you typically meet with the bride and groom throughout the planning process?
Anything from 2-6 times between initial consultation and the day itself. The first visit usually discusses practical elements such as quantities and the all important wedding date, the 2nd visit normally involves bringing ‘mum and dad’ to show off the venue to them. Once everything is confirmed, some couples pop along to one of the wedding showcases hosted at the hotel. We’ll also see them at the menu tasting session a couple of months before the wedding. And of course, we’re there on the big day itself, making sure everything goes smoothly.’
Lauren Peters, Ashdown Park Hotel
How do you get couples to manage the seemingly overwhelming task ahead of them?
‘The packages offered by the hotels are excellent for this as they include everything from the room hire, to reception drinks, to the toastmaster and table plans. This makes it easier for the bride and groom to budget and also to organise their day. It’s actually excellent value when compared to arranging all the elements separately. Also, couples are able to call on us at any time to discuss their big day or to ask for assistance on any aspect of the planning. We’re always there to offer support.’
Gabriela McTear, The Grand Hotel
How many weddings have you coordinated?
‘I think I must have organised over 400 weddings in my 12 years at the hotel’
Garry Sampson, Tylney Hall Hotel
Have you ever had to ‘save the day’ during a wedding?
‘On one occasion, the Mother of the Bride wasn’t happy with the tables being numbered from 1-9 as she was concerned that guests would assume their importance would be in line with the table number they were on. The team at Tylney ended up having 9 number 1 tables but in 9 different languages. It was a last minute change that on the day was seemingly an insurmountable issue, but was easily solved by us.’
Garry Sampson, Tylney Hall Hotel
What is the one thing all brides forget or fail to take into consideration?
‘Most of the brides and grooms don’t take out insurance on their wedding, which the hotel always advises on doing, just in case something happens.’
Janet Large, Luton Hoo Hotel
Generally, what is a couple’s biggest fear leading up to the day?
‘It’s usually the same two things - weather and the numbers.’
All of our Coordinators!