Let’s talk a little business about your wedding. It is a huge investment after all.
Say you paid 20,000 total (which is the average in the chicago suburbs, btdubs), and your average wedding length is 8 hours. That is $2,500 an hour.
Uhh, you better make good use of your time.
Nothing is more satisfying from an event coordinator’s perspective than completing a crucial task EXACTLY on the dot. We like to repeat this experience as much as we can, not only for our own sick gains (seriously, it’s a little addicting), but so you have the smoothest, most efficient big day possible for you and your guests memories.
No, no… this just isn’t right… must wait… 1 minute...
SATISFACTION HAS ARRIVED!
All is now well and balanced in the world.
Fortunately, we are coordinating events practically every weekend of our lives, hear the same things (more on this at a later date), get asked the same questions (ooooh, like what?), and know the ways that you can get the most out of your wedding (look out below!).
#1 Carefully Choose Receiving Line/Guest Book Location
The ceremony is over, the emotions are high, and joy is all around. Now everyone wants to congratulate the happy couple. What way makes more sense than to form a line, and wait your turn to say hello?
Indeed, this makes sense, and you should definitely do this. Also keep in mind that, very likely, you have just paid a decent price on an open bar, appetizers, and maybe even a photo booth. These both include being open during cocktail hour.
So what am I getting at? Maximize your guests time at both of these costly add-ons, by carefully planning out where your line should start.
If you set up shop right at the entrance, you will have 100-200 guests floundering in the hallway, waiting in line to talk to you, and most terrifying of all, not using that bar or photo booth.
Choosing a location central to the event, like the dance floor, opens up the gates for your guests to peruse the reception hall at their will, and utilize the entertainment you have provided.
Time to get your drink on!
#2 Reconsider your Open Bar Hours
Your guests have said their hellos at the receiving line, or when you wander the room during cocktail hour, and now they beeline to the bar. Hooray! Mission accomplished. Of course, the bar will attract attention all night, exactly as planned. Depending what venue you decide to celebrate at, you make get to choose when you’d like the bar to be open for business. So when is best, so your guests get the most liquor, and you get the most bang for your buck?
Avoid having the bar open during dinner time. While it can be frustrating for some guests, it can be even more frustrating for wait staff to get their dinner served while people are walking around and not at their seats. After you just paid $50-$100 per plate, you definitely want your dinner to get served in a timely fashion, and to be eaten.
This expensive bebe deserves to get devoured.
After all, the quicker the food is served, the quicker you can get to dancing! Speaking of which…
#3 Select Your DJ Wisely
The differences between an iPod on shuffle, a groupon discounted DJ, and an experienced quality DJ are vast. While they all pump out sweet tunes, only one knows the ins and outs of how to make your day run effortlessly (or so they make it seem).
Consider this… more often than not, your photographers are on a time package. There is nothing worse than your photographer’s 12 hour day ending before you get the special events of your evening completed. In order to get them to stay, you have to dish out more cash, raising that $2,500 hourly rate we talked about earlier.
Is it important to you that your bouquet and garter toss are captured on film? How about that time you had a special dance with Grandpa to Butterfly Kisses later in the evening?
Of course it is, but how does that relate to your DJ?
A good DJ has the skill to keep photographers, videographers, and venue coordinators aligned and working together to make your event run on time, all while playing music to highlight the evening’s events. Not only does this avoid running out of time for the photographers at the evening, but this keeps your other vendors informed on when the events are actually happening. No one needs the photographer in a different room when the introductions are going on.
Some good DJs even send out a second person to cross the t’s and dot the i’s of the evening. This is how I have gotten my fill of odd wedding experiences and job titles (more on that here). While the main DJ is mixing and spinning, the second is making sure your parents are primed to hit the dance floor for first dances so we don’t waste 10 minutes running frantically through the parking lot to find dad finding a moment of peace in his car. Has that happened? Why yes, yes it has.
We keep gym shoes around to run in our...spare time (hah!)... and prepare for such feats of glory.
Overall, how you run the evening doesn’t matter as long as you are having fun, and you get what you want out of it. I come from a family line bred with frugality and coupons, and that trait stands unwavering in my blood. If getting all that you can out of the money you are spending on your wedding matters to you too, then use these tips in your planning and you will be that much more ahead on that goal.
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