Most brides tell me after engaging my Disco Entertainment Services, that they want everything relaxed and informal and they just want all their guests to have a good time. This is what it’s all about and this attitude tends to mean a brilliant day for all. However, it is very important to have a bit of structure for the day, including adhering to a timetable, albeit loose. A timetable needs to allow for things to ‘run over’, like photography, travel from church to the venue, (for example, the wedding may be in Manorbier Castle but the Wedding Breakfast and reception may be in Haverfordwest which is a good 30-45 minute journey, or the ceremony may be in Swansea, but the reception may be in Tenby, a distance of 55 miles), speeches, etc. but within this loose but necessary timetabled structure you need someone to be in charge. Someone to politely ‘drive’ the day without rushing things and to keep everything nice and easy and relaxed and informal. This can usually be the Hotel/Venue Manager/Owner who has the experience and knowledge to know how weddings work with regard to timings, etiquette, and simply overall control of the wedding day. 

If you are having a marquee wedding, say on your own private land as indeed is the case with most marquee weddings, then this is an important consideration because there will be nobody there with the knowledge and expertise to help the bride and groom perform this important service. If you have engaged professional caterers to provide the food for the Wedding Breakfast and evening buffet, then they may be able to provide the Wedding party with this service, but more often than not they will be very busy in attending to their job in serving the food and organising their own staff, that their eye may be taken off the ball. This, therefore is simply something to consider to ensure that your wedding day runs as smoothly as possible.

I have written in a previous blog http://www.stevebriers.co.uk/blog/planning-advice-and-other-considerations-22 about the importance of your timings, but this is all about having somebody to be engaged on the day to ensure that these plans are adhered to in order that your special day is maximised. Again, just a consideration, but a very important one that tends to be overlooked. I know this because a high proportion of marquee weddings that I am engaged to provide the Disco Entertainment at, tend to be ‘running late’ and despite me arriving at the pre-arranged time to set up my equipment, I can be sitting waiting for over an hour before I can even access the area that I need to set up in, because the timings are out and the day has run away with everyone. Consequently this pushes on the night party start time and evening guests are arriving when the speeches are still ongoing from the wedding breakfast. This is all because the wedding has been such a brilliant day, but nobody was there to give gentle reminders of when to do things, from photography at the venue, to arrival canapes, to sitting down for the Wedding Breakfast etc.

Speaking of marquee weddings, usually as mentioned previously, the marquee is on, say, the land of the bride’s parents and therefore, effectively her home and who is in charge if anything goes wrong? Yes, that’s it, the bride’s parents. Now, a wedding is massive for the bride and groom, but equally as big and important for the parents of the bride & groom. So what happens if the generator needs topping up with petrol, what happens if the generator fails? What happens if the portaloos get blocked or run out of toilet paper? I could go on and on. Who do the guests go to when the bride’s parents are enjoying a fantastic family day and partying with family and friends. Yes, the hosts, who are in this case, the parents of the bride. Good old dad, in his new suit, enjoying himself, half drunk, the power fails and it’s on his shoulders to sort out the problem. 

Does he need or want this? No, of course not. So, my advice to anyone hosting a marquee wedding or event on their land, is to employ someone, maybe a family friend or neighbour who will be happy to earn a few quid, to be there on the day to take responsibility for all the little things that still need doing and to enable good old dad to enjoy his day and if a problem arises, he can just say, ‘yes, go and see Tom over there. He will sort it’.

Have a fantastic time planning your wedding and please feel free to contact me anytime on 07774-111898 if you would like any free planning advice or help.