Image Via Sidey Clark Photo
Couples often overlook the wedding setup and takedown. Setting up is the most significant and complex task on your wedding day, usually underestimated. On the other hand, taking down is the least appealing and glamorous aspect. Let's face it, who enjoys cleaning up after a festive night? Nobody!
Ensuring that everything goes as planned involves considering the time needed for setup and takedown, as well as determining who will be responsible for these tasks. If you prefer not to handle everything on your own, it is essential to budget for this aspect at the beginning of your wedding planning.
Wedding venue setup
Typically, preparing a venue can span from morning until evening, and occasionally extend to two days, contingent upon the intricacy of your wedding and the type of venue (dry hire, ready-to-go wedding venue, or a tipi/marquee wedding). It's advisable to inquire with the venue about the feasibility of setting up the day prior, as this can alleviate time pressure and allow for rectifying any errors well in advance. Allocate a timeframe of 6 to 9 hours for setting up in a single day.
The wedding venue takedown
Make sure to allocate a few hours for dismantling, separating recyclables, and disposing of trash. Prepare containers for rented items and ensure you have transportation ready for convenient returns.
Having a planner and their team swoop in at the end of the night or the next day to take care of everything can easily prevent you from having to do it all yourselves.
IMPORTANT: It's important to understand that taking down is not the same as cleaning up or tidying! Taking down refers to suppliers dismantling and removing their part of the setup, such as the props company, florist, and furniture. If your venue expects you to restore it to its original condition, you should hire a separate cleaning crew.
Arranging and dismantling for outdoor weddings with tipis or marquees
When opting for an outdoor wedding in a tipi or marquee, it's important to allocate three days for both setup and takedown. This is because you essentially have to create a venue from the ground up. One day is needed for erecting the structure and setting up the necessary equipment, another day for receiving deliveries of furniture, decorations, florals, tableware, stationery, and other essentials, and a final day for cleaning up and dismantling everything. It requires thorough planning, including considerations for the weather and having a contingency plan for the ceremony, such as rearranging the tent layout or securing a stretch tent at the last minute.
Arranging and dismantling at self-service wedding venues
If you opt for a dry-hire venue, you will need to factor in everything that needs to be delivered and set up for you on the day.
When I say furniture, props, crockery, glassware, tableware, flowers, staging (dance floor, DJ booth, lighting), fridges, alcohol, signage, on-the-day stationery, cake, and more. Then, you will have to pack all these items for them to pick up the day after.
To ensure smooth operations, it will be necessary to inform and coordinate with all these suppliers, as well as oversee deliveries and collections. You must be prepared to handle logistics effectively throughout the process.
The majority of the large items will be delivered and left for you to organise and assemble, which can be extremely time-consuming and physically demanding if you lack a planner and a team to assist you with this task.
An all set wedding location
If your wedding venue provides tables and chairs, or if you have a catering company that takes care of setting up the tables, chairs, and bar for you, you can check these major tasks off your to-do list. However, this doesn't guarantee that your wedding table arrangement will be exactly as you envision it. Creating a stunning tablescape is a specialized skill that requires a stylist to plan and bring it to life. While caterers will handle the basic table setting with plates, glassware, cutlery, and napkins provided by them but guided by the stylist, the finer details will be overseen by the planner or stylist.
Hand on heart, I will tell you right now that a wedding set-up is no laughing matter and you should NOT do this yourself on the morning of your wedding. Nor should you leave this to family and friends to sort out for you because you want to save money. This could easily spell disaster.
Why, you may wonder? It's because there's a high probability that things may not go as planned on the day, such as delayed deliveries, incorrect items being delivered, breakages, or forgotten items. In such situations, you'll require a professional with troubleshooting experience and quick thinking skills. You and your family/friends may not be adept at improvising or have a backup supplier readily available. That's a fact!
And that's not even covering the decor!
Wedding design and styling
A simple example of a styling mood board for a two-venue setup
To make your wedding truly unique and personalized, in addition to the standard set-up requirements, you will need a dedicated team for decorating, overseen by your planner or stylist. If you haven't collaborated with a planner or stylist to establish your wedding aesthetic, you will need to rely on your own resources and creativity. If you are comfortable with this approach, it's perfectly fine. However, if you prefer a stress-free experience and want your venue to reflect your vision seamlessly, consider hiring a professional planner or stylist and their team.
Flowers
Many couples tend to overlook the importance of florals due to their cost. While it's true that flowers can be expensive, they play a significant role in enhancing the aesthetics of your wedding. If you aim for a stunning visual impact and beautiful photos, consider investing in a skilled florist to handle this aspect. Hearing 'my mum wants to do the table flowers' repeatedly can be a bit overwhelming! No disrespect to mothers, but arranging floral decorations for numerous tables at a 150-guest wedding is quite a task unless you have professional expertise. Otherwise, you might find yourself rushing to get ready in the morning with your child and risk missing the ceremony.
Floristry involves more than simply purchasing flowers from the market and placing them in vases. It entails extensive preparation such as conditioning, proper storage, precise cutting, and skillful arrangement, all done swiftly with a keen eye. When coordinating weddings, I collaborate closely with florists who dedicate as much effort and time as my team does to achieve the desired aesthetic. This demanding and time-consuming task underscores that the cost of floral services encompasses not just the flowers themselves, but also the expertise, experience, and time invested.
Multiple venue set-ups
Couples often fail to realise just how much time and teamwork is needed for this task.
If your ceremony and reception are held at separate venues, such as a chapel or registry office for the ceremony and a different venue for the reception, consider the time and resources needed to coordinate the setups at both locations.
It is necessary to have a team to quickly set up for the ceremony, including tasks such as floristry, seating, decor, signage, post-ceremony drinks, transportation, and more.
Many ceremony venues typically allocate just one hour for your setup. As a result, a team of at least 4 or more individuals is necessary to efficiently complete the required tasks before the arrival of your guests. This task is quite challenging.
Following the ceremony, the team will have just one hour, sometimes even less if the ceremony runs longer, to dismantle everything and transfer it to the reception venue. This includes repurposing flowers, ceremony backdrops, props, and other items, which will then need to be set up again before you and your guests arrive. It's important to consider the time required for transportation as well.
For your wedding reception venue, a team of 4-10 members will be required to set up for approximately 6-9 hours to ensure everything is prepared before your arrival and that of your guests.
Supervision of the set-up is required, along with the ability to manage the team, troubleshoot, and prioritize tasks. Since you will be busy preparing for and getting married, you won't be available to handle these responsibilities.
While the venue coordinator is responsible for ensuring the standard setup is in compliance with venue guidelines, they may not be familiar with your specific aesthetic preferences. They may not notice if the wrong items are delivered or if the decorations are not arranged according to your original vision. To achieve the desired look for your wedding, it is advisable to have a planner or stylist oversee the setup. These professionals will have their own skilled team for setup and will also coordinate with other vendors. Through the wedding planning process, they will become familiar with your preferences, priorities, likes, and dislikes.
The main idea I want to convey is that hiring a skilled planner/stylist is a worthwhile investment. For couples who desire a unique wedding and wish to enjoy their special day without stress, this can be the most valuable decision they make.
To learn more about my working process and how I can assist you in optimising your interactions with suppliers, prioritising tasks, and reducing the stress associated with wedding planning, please complete the 'Let's Talk' form and schedule a no-obligation Zoom call with me.
Whole Lotta Love,
Zuza xx
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