Contrary to popular belief, your wedding day doesn’t have to be stressful and exhausting.  Your wedding can be calm, chill and all the right kinds of exciting.  Here are the five secrets to having a laid-back wedding day.

#1 – Hire an experienced wedding planner or coordinator.

A wedding planner or coordinator direct your vendors, guests and wedding party throughout the day. They manage setup, cleanup, the schedule and troubleshoot problems so that you and your squad can enjoy the day uninterrupted. It is a planner/coordinator’s job to know wedding standards and your specific event details so that the event runs smoothly.

*Note* Not all wedding planners/coordinators offer the same level of service so please, please read all information and contracts completely so that there aren’t any surprises on the day of your event.

#2 – Share a detailed timeline with everyone involved in your event.

Set expectations and keep your people informed by giving everyone a detailed timeline of events and tasks. Your vendors, family & wedding party should all receive some form of a timeline.  Instead of constantly asking you when they need to be ready for what, they can just check their timeline. If you hire a wedding planner or coordinator, they typically handle this for you.

#3 – Outsource as many tasks as possible to the professionals.

Find trusted professionals to handle as many tasks as possible the day of the event. Wedding professionals have the experience and equipment to consistently deliver quality products and services. When you hire well-vetted vendors with great reviews, you can relax knowing their job will be handled. Know that you typically get what you pay for, meaning that the cheapest vendor is usually the cheapest for a reason.

DIY’ing is great, but it can easily become too much to handle and there isn’t time to resolve issues. The last thing you want is to be tired and stressed on your wedding day. Asking a friend or family member to do something for your wedding can also be unpredictable. They want to please you so badly that they often take on too much or take on projects outside their current skill level.

#4 – Take engagement pictures with your wedding photographer.

Believe me when I say that your photographer will play a HUGE part on your wedding day. You will spend a lot of time with them throughout your wedding day, sometimes even in intimate moments. An engagement photo session gives you a chance to get to know them so that on your wedding day you feel comfortable in front of their camera, you’re familiar with their posing/style and how well they do (or don’t) manage their time. This session also gives your photographer time to get to know you, discuss wedding day priorities and how best to capture photos of you.  After your engagement session, both you and your photographer can go into your wedding day relaxed and prepared to make magic!

#5 – Fuel everyone with plenty of food and water throughout the day.

Emotional, hangry, jittery people are zero fun.  Be sure to provide hardy food and plenty of water throughout the day so that you and your crew don’t crash before the end of the night. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive, just a little something for everyone available at all times. Food is especially important if alcohol is being served. Little to no food plus lots of alcohol never ends well.

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Contact us if you would like to learn more about hosting your wedding at Warrenwood Manor!

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Feature image by Madison Renee Photography.