“You are only as good as the people you surround yourself with…”

As a wedding planner, we wouldn’t be anywhere on the day of the event without our team. Our main job is to do whatever it takes to make the day run seamlessly, which can result in us having to be in multiple places at once. Having a solid team of assistants that we trust to take care of different aspects of the day can make or break an event. 

A while back, Katie of Rose Gold Events, Aimee of A. Griffin Events, and I talked over cocktails about creating a training program for wedding planning assistants that could give them a wide overview of the day. This February we decided it was time to take this idea and turn it into a reality! The sky’s the limit with three planners in the mix. Within a few weeks, we had planned a comprehensive program with various of our favorite vendors, to provide our old & new wedding assistants a complete look at what it takes to work with anyone of us on an event day. 

The day started off talking about client management and discussing the ins and outs of the getting ready process on the wedding day. Kelly Aratoon of Modern Trousseau joined us to go over the making of bridal gowns, type of gowns, how to walk with the bride + gown, and veils. We then split into groups for our first activity time consisting of three stations – anatomy of a wedding dress & how to fluff properly, tying a bow tie, and steaming & stain management. 

We continued on with a segment about vendor and set-up management. Discussing how to manage vendor arrivals and set up while simultaneously setting up the decor. Joanie Rylander Edelman from Well Dunn Catering then continued to give us an insiders look at venue considerations,  how a planner can best assist the catering team in set-up, and what a perfectly set table looks like. For this activity, we had pre-set three different guest tables with hidden mistakes on two of them. The students went around and were tasked with finding and fixing all mistakes! After this fun activity, it was time for a nice lunch break with a fabulous spread from Well Dunn Catering. 

After lunch, we regrouped to talk about timeline management, a huge part of the planner’s duty. We discussed the importance of not only keeping to the timeline but also looking ahead and being prepared for the next item coming up. Maggie Nolan of Living Radiant Photography went over partnering with your photographer and how to identify when a photographer is on their game. Activity time consisted of taking a stab at perfecting a details flat lay and going over a worksheet of four difficult wedding day scenarios. 

Lastly, we closed the day by talking about breakdown – guest’s farewell, the newlywed’s departure, and vendor breakdown. Erika Yochum of Darling & Daughters joined to discuss what planners can do to assist florists during set-up and breakdown. Our last activity time included three stations – centerpiece maintenance and TLC, pinning boutonnieres, and bouquet etiquette [how to hold it properly, TLC, etc]. 

We ended with a recap of just how much planners are chameleons and how our goal is to do whatever is needed. There is no “I” in “TEAM” though, so a strong vendor team and a solid group of assistants is the key to our success! 

And of course, no event planned by three planners wouldn’t include an end of the day cheers, mingling, and time playing in the photo booth provided by Boothorama!

The program was filled with a ton of information and fun hands-on activities sprinkled throughout the day! We can’t wait to host another training but until then you can enjoy the photos [captured by Living Radiant Photography] and video [by Cork & Banner Films] below!

A huge THANK YOU to VisArts for allowing us to host this special day at their venue. Also, thank you to Sincerely Addison for designing the nametags, Erica Basha Bridal for making us three planners camera ready, and all the other vendors mentioned above who added their expertise to the curriculum!