As I go through the recaps, I thought it would be helpful to you guys if I shared some of the tricks that worked really well for me. You may or may not have realized, but I'm freakishly organized sometimes. Sometimes it's horrible, but when you're setting things up it's incredibly helpful.
The more lists and diagrams I was able to make ahead of time, the smoother things went the day before the wedding while we were setting up.
Want proof?? Here are a few of the diagrams I put together for the layout of the country club. I sent two of them to my coordinator so she could set up the right number of tables and chairs, and in the right order.
It kind of helped. I still had to pull extra chairs and have her move some tables around, but eventually it worked out the way I wanted.
This diagrams the way the tables needed to be laid out. It helped for the country club, but it also helped us setting up because we knew which table was which when it came to putting out the table numbers, placecards, etc.
I used this diagram to make sure there were the right number of chairs and place settings at each table. Since we had enough no's, I didn't have to cram 10 people at every table just so everyone fit. I was able to sit people with who they knew/in groups/etc. I didn't have to squeeze a single person at a table of 9 other strangers just because of space. It resulted in some funny numbers at some tables, so this was a big help.
And this one I got made fun of a little for, but it helped me! I could look at the layout from a birds-eye-view and see where the centerpieces needed to go. We were only doing half flowers, and the other half were candles, so I needed to lay them out the right now. Where you see an x, the flowers were placed. So we set up the tall vases there, and the short ones on the blank tables. It also gave me a tally at the bottom so I made sure I had enough of everything packed.
Little things like this only take a few minutes to put together, but definitely save you time and thinking in the long run. It's especially great if you're having someone else do the setting up for you. If you can't be there to execute it the way you want, you can at least include very detailed directions that are hard to mess up!
Next up: the actual setting up of the reception =]
I'm with you on that one. I'm so picky? I'm not sure if that's the right word but I want things the way I want them and it helps when I give very detailed directions or diagrams although it drives everyone nuts.
ReplyDeleteI am so like you with the organization! I totally had diagrams that were even more crazy than this showing the set up of tables/chairs, the color of linens on each table, etc. People laugh at you in the process of creating them but then realize how much time you just saved them when it comes time to implement the plan!
ReplyDeleteThis is really smart. I make diagrams like this for my students. It makes sense the way you used the same template but did one for the florist, one for the caterer, one for the person moving the tables.
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