Why You Need a Wedding Coordinator: Love Wedding Repeat Edition

Today marks Day 24 of "Safer At Home" for Angelenos like us. As of the writing of this blog, it has been announced that we will be under this order until May 15th, and there is a possibility that ​it could extend longer. There are many emotions that come with this new reality. The start of a marriage, which is supposed to be one of the happiest days of our bride and grooms' lives, have become a source of anxiety and grief.​ 

As vendors in the wedding industry, we feel for our couples who have had to reschedule their Spring events to some time later in the year, or even 2021. Our hearts also break for caterers, photographers, videographers, DJs, officiants, musicians, bartenders, rental companies, venue owners, chauffeurs, florists, stylists, hair and make-up artists, and boutiques, whose sources of income have become threatened by the pandemic. It really takes a team to make a wedding beautiful, and we miss making miracles happen with our squad.

Nonetheless, those of us who are fortunate enough to have access to food, shelter, and clothing during this uncertain time have found other ways to pass time. Animal crossing provided a means to escape to a new normal, Zoom became a platform to connect with friends and family, and steaming services like Netflix continued to be great sources of movies and shows, as always.

April 10th was the premiere of Love Wedding Repeat, a British romantic comedy that aired on...you guessed it, Netflix. It is an easy-to-watch movie where Jack, the bride's brother, tries his hardest to give his sister Hayley the best wedding he could while "juggling an angry ex-girlfriend, an uninvited guest with a secret, a misplaced sleep sedative, and the girl that got away" (n.p., IMDb). The movie provides alternate versions of the same day where a seemingly trivial change in seating dominoes into drastically different outcomes for each guest present. In a way, it is a crash course in permutation and combination where we indirectly answer the question: How many different ways can 8 people sit at a round table?​ 

That may be an interesting discussion to have later; for now, we concern ourselves with: 
​How can a day-of coordinator prevent horrific things from happening at your wedding?

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

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Below, you will find a list of all the terrible things that happened in this FICTIONAL movie, but are, in-fact, VERY REAL.

​Disclaimer: Hayley's wedding was set in Rome, and we have no knowledge on the wedding culture in Italy. Is it typical that they don't have coordinators? We don't know for sure! We just thought that this movie's release was a good and timely opportunity to show couples, who may be currently panicking, why hiring a planner or coordinator might be right for them.

1. The Maid Of Honor was late.

Members of the entourage can be helpful, but not always. Pictured on the right is Bryan, Hayley's maid-of-honor, who insisted that moments before the ceremony would be the right time to get a haircut, so he could impress a wedding guest who can help his career. While this hyper-specific scenario will probably not happen on your big day, it is not unusual for bridesmaids and groomsmen to suddenly disappear when you need them most. They might be entertaining their plus ones, battling traffic, or using the bathroom!

What we do:
Besides the vendors, we normally give a detailed timeline to your wedding party. If they know exactly what to do and where to be, it is less likely that they will wander away during crucial moments. We try to share the day-of schedule with them as early as possible, so they can plan around it, if they really need to be elsewhere. Google Drive is our friend!

2. The wrong seating arrangement ended up in a disaster.

Remember when we talked about a misplaced sleeping sedative earlier? This is the moment when Jack realizes that the place cards at his table were moved around, and he almost gave it to an unintended target (at this point, he doesn't know yet that Bryan actually already drank it, yikes!).

Seating is critical in making your reception a success. When guests are seated with people they don't know or like, they won't have fun. And if they aren't having fun, your reception becomes dull and boring. Nobody wants that! You want to do everything in your power to give everyone a great time.

What we do:
We find that there is a nice, sweet spot between having anarchy (no seating assignments) and totalitarianism (place cards). We suggest assigning tables, but not seats. Of course, you can do whatever you want, but planning your reception this way does more good than harm. It provides control and organization while still giving guests the feeling that they have some choice as to who to sit beside. Doing this will make them feel more relaxed, and ready to have a great night!

As your coordinators, we also double-check each area before letting guests in. We cross-reference our lists and layouts with what we see on the floor to ensure that everything is in proper order.

3. An inebriated guest caused a scene.

We all know someone who could imbibe too much. In this case, Marc, the uninvited guest, did a little more than that...but that's not the point. There's little that's more annoying and humiliating than taking care of someone else on a day that's supposed to be about you. Bringing in security does not really contribute to a joyful atmosphere, don't you agree?

At best, an embarrassing moment like this will be the highlight of the night, and the main subject of any future talks about your wedding. At worst, it could really kill the vibe, or escalate to other unwanted scenarios.

What we do:
Overseeing your wedding doesn't just mean that we're focused on the details. It also implies that we are aware of your guests' overall experience. We take care of them. Our planners are happy to offer anyone anything from our emergency bag (sewing kit, stain remover, or safety pins, anyone?), and even arrange safe transportation options for your guest who may have enjoyed the open bar a little too much. See photo above.

4. The reception program fell apart.

In the US, it is typical that the Maid of Honor, the Best Man, and the parents of the newlyweds give speeches. During most receptions, there is also a first dance, cake cutting, bouquet and garter toss, and some games. Nowadays, many couples opt for something non-traditional; sky's the limit!

The only thing you really need to make a reception flow smoothly is a dependable timekeeper (us) who will make sure that everything is ready, so that no one is unprepared and nothing is forgotten. It is always awkward to have a lull in the program because it was badly managed.

What we do:
It is our responsibility to carry out your vision from start to finish, including the different components of your ceremony and reception. Is it time for the speeches? We give everyone speaking a 5 minute warning and have champagne handed out to guests. Is it time for the bouquet toss? We check that the song is lined up and the flowers are with you. Is it time for the grand exit? We prepare all the sparklers and lighters. We anticipate YOUR every need.

5. Ultimately, the saddest part of the wedding was that it fell on a family member's shoulders to keep the event going.

Poor Jack had the worst time in all versions of this wedding (except, of course, for the one where he finally kissed the girl he liked!). He ran around all day, carried the burden of knowing a scandalous secret, dragged and shoved Marc in a closet, gave relationship advice for someone else to get his girl, got a bloody nose, played therapist, and drank the sleeping sedative himself.

Imagine being at your sister's wedding and not being able to enjoy any of it. It was not a fair trade, especially given that he flew all the way from Britain to Italy to celebrate with people who were also HIS family. 

What we do:
On your wedding day, we are your primary problem solvers. You and your VIPs should all know that if anything is not going to plan, we are the first people to tell and consult. We've had to resolve missing wedding rings, mismatched groomsmen suits, wet bridal gowns, lost grandparents, and more. We put out fires with a calm resolve and a smile on our faces. You wouldn't even know a thing.

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We hope you learned something from this blog. If at the end of all this, you still decide against hiring a planner or coordinator, that is a completely valid decision. Please feel free to take any tips, and apply it to your own big day. Congratulations on your engagement, and happy planning!