Growing up, I loved basketball. Did it help that I was abnormally tall for my age and my dad (and coach!) could perpetually score me #33 for my jersey? Sure. Was I tremendously good? Not really, but I learned some hard lessons, and quick.
My dad taught me the fundamentals of basketball- and if that meant I had to shoot and make 10 foul shots in a row before calling it an evening, then that’s just what I did. In the same vein, my school was particularly proud of its basketball program and I can’t tell you how many times I had to put on those training glasses with the bottoms blacked out so I could learn to dribble without looking down.
My big lesson? Learn the fundamentals and the rest will follow.
The same is true for the wedding industry. From time to time, I dip my toe back into the reception planning pool and this weekend marked another wedding under my belt. Great weather, organized to a tee- I couldn’t have asked for a better day. And although things ran like clockwork, I found myself sticking to the following wedding day fundamentals:
1) Say thank you. G.B. Stern once said “Silent gratitude isn’t worth much to anyone.” If anyone complimented me on a job well done, I made it clear it was the work of many. When I bid adieu to my reception team consisting of various vendors, I was sure to sincerely let them know how fantastic they were. I also plan on following up with emails. The fact is- the wedding industry can be a thankless job. Brides, MOBs and the such will email/call and meet with you and as soon as you hear “I Do,” the relationship is over as you’re no longer needed. No need to make your vendors feel that way as well- take the time to thank them, and often.
2) Know the VIP tables. Assigned seating is a beautiful thing. It doesn’t matter what your role is at the wedding- take the time to learn where the VIPs are going to sit. Don’t limit yourself to the bride and groom- scope out the seats for the parents of the bride and groom, grandparents and any “need to know” people. And when they run low on their favorite drink? Fill ‘er up.
3) The ever important final check in. Let’s be honest- you have surely had moments where you felt like a wedding rock star- everything fell seemingly into place as the night began to wind down. There were hugs, tears and maybe even a tip. Then you suddenly get a call and the happy go lucky bride you left is no longer.
They say a good offense is a strong defense so even if the best wedding seems to be going well, never (ever!) forget to check in with the bride, groom and any decision makers to make sure everyone is happy at the end of the evening. They may be unhappy with something and they may not want to talk about it at that very moment- but you’re far less likely to be blindsided with an angry and unsuspecting voicemail on Monday morning if you simply check in with the VIPs.
So how many of the above fundamentals do you adhere to? Anything I left out? Feel free to leave in the comments below!
Until next time,
Meghan Ely is the owner of wedding marketing and wedding pr firm OFD Consulting. She is the exclusive wedding pr columnist to wedding marketing journal WedLock magazine and is a highly sought after speaker in the wedding industry. She loves ruffle table runners and Royal Wedding Tchotchkes. To learn how OFD Consulting can assist you with your wedding marketing and wedding pr, please contact us today.
