A day in the life…
Ever wondered what a wedding planner gets up to on the big day? Well here’s an insight into my work as an on-the-day coordinator (assisted by Hayley) for Anna and Gary’s Med-themed wedding in central London this Autumn.
09:00
Arrive at One Marylebone (www.onemarylebone.com) - a beautiful event space in a converted church in the heart of the big smoke. The ceremony, afternoon and evening receptions will all take place here – in the upstairs South and East Galleries.
Meet with the team from Cover it Up (www.cover-it-up.com) and oversee a draping installation to hide two doorways and divide one of the rooms in two.
Sign for delivery of chairs, cutlery and crockery and catering equipment for 120 guests and help the guys to unload.
09:45
Decorate the Registrar’s Room and guest’s bathrooms with flowers, vanilla scented candles (Anna’s favorite scent) and some rose petals.
10:00
Then we head to the Ceremony Room (South Gallery) to set out furniture and decorate the space with floral displays, bay trees, confetti and scented tea-lights.
10:15
Finally, decorate the hallways and cloakroom
10:45
Move into the East Gallery (space for evening meal) and set out 12 trestle tables – it’s actually harder than you’d think trying to get them in one long straight line! Then, iron and lay tablecloths.
11:30
Greet Lulu from Betty Blythe (www.bettyblythe.co.uk) and help her set out the picnic.
12:00
This is where we need to be in about three places at the same time! First, greet the Registrar, second, welcome the ceremony guests and third, greet the groom and take him to the Registrar’s Room.
12:25
Greet the bride (who actually arrives on time!) and take her to the Ceremony Room.
12:30
Cue the music and we’re off! Hayley prepares champagne and other drinks whilst the service is taking place in the Ceremony Room and I run over to Sainsbury’s to grab some more beers for the evening guests.
13:00
Serve champagne after the service, help Lulu finish setting out the picnic and transform the Ceremony Room into Regent’s Park (it’s pouring down outside, so the picnic in the park has to come indoors) – a few blankets, some bay trees, a little imagination – and voila – a park!
13:30
Guests sit down for their picnic, some old favourites, including scotch eggs, pork pies and lemon drizzle cake.
13:45
Well, that’s making us extremely hungry – so time to pop out to Pret and grab a spot of lunch.
14:00
Return to venue, top up the drinks’ table, greet catering team and then head into the East Gallery to help the catering team lay the table for 120 guests.
14:30
Guests disappear to local pub.
Help Guinness man in and up the stairs with a 31 gallon keg!
14:45
More scene changing as we move chairs and bay trees from Ceremony Room into East Gallery for evening meal, clear away picnic blankets and leftovers (finishing up the leftover lemon drizzle as we go).
15:10
Transform the Ceremony Room into the bar and chill-out area by setting out a semi-circular bar table and putting out sofas and throws (all hidden behind the screen put up by Cover it Up earlier in the day).
15:30
I check on the progress of table setting, set out guest place cards and decorate tables with chilli and basil plants and citrus fruit.
16:30
Mild panic as the band has no parking money, so I run down to the street with some money from the petty cash, help them get their kit in and then oversee sound-check.
17:00
Greet Pablo, the Spanish guitarist and help him to get set-up in the bar/chill-out area whilst Hayley sets the cloakroom up for the evening guests, finishing with minutes to spare as…
17:20
The evening guests start to arrive. I welcome them and Hayley takes their coats to the cloakroom. They’re entertained by Pablo whilst having pre-dinner drinks and nibbles in the bar.
18:20
Pablo finishes playing and I remember to hit the ‘Before Dinner’ playlist on the ipod.
18:25
Get online - order pizza for the band and book a taxi for the DJ.
19:00
Guests sit down for dinner – hand over to catering team and their waiting staff. A few spare minutes to eat and recharge our batteries before we both head home – a job well done!
