Where did January go?

Yikes! The month is gone and my blog has suffered. I'm happy to say that business hasn't though! I've been living in a whirlwind of meetings, bookings, and events. My first wedding of the year is tomorrow night and I am looking forward to it like a kid for Christmas! It's going to be fabulous.

I also have a wedding coming up at a gorgeous new hotel in West Hollywood this spring and I squealed with delight when I saw one of the forms that the Event Coordinator at the hotel gives to new clients--it spells out what the hotel coordinator does for you and what your professional wedding coordinator does for you. Hallelujah! Thankfully many venues are starting to spell out what exactly their coordinator does. So many brides are let to believe that the venue coordinator is their full wedding coordinator. I love seeing lists like this given out:


The Venue Event Director will

-Recommend Special event professionals that are familiar with and know the venue
-Act as menu consultant for all food and beverage selections
-Detail your banquet event order and wedding outlining all of your event specifics
-Create an "estimate of charges" outlining our financial commitments and deposit schedules
-Create a floor plan of your function space
-Arrange and attend your menu tasting
-Establish your guestroom block
-Oversee the ceremony and reception set ups
-Be the on-site liaison between your wedding coordinator and hotel operations staff
-Ensure a seamless transition to the hotel's banquet captain once the grand entrance has occurred

Your Hired Professional Wedding Coordinator Will:

-Assist with etiquette and protocol for invitations, family matters, ceremony and reception
-Create a "time line" for your wedding day, including the ceremony and reception
-Work with you to organize and coordinate your ceremony rehearsal.
-Remind Bridal party of all pertinent "call times" and "don't forgets" on the day of the wedding
-Confirm call times and details with all vendors several days prior to the wedding day
-Be the liaison with your family, bridal party, band/DJ, florist, photographer and other vendors to create a seamless operation
-Assist you with your gown and any additional needs of the bridal party
-Ensure the ladies have their corsages and bouquets, etc. and assist with the pinning of the mens' boutonnieres
-Set up programs, place cards, guest favors, guest book, champagne flutes, and all personal items
-line up and queue the bridal party and musicians at the time of the wedding ceremony
-Collect any personal items at the conclusion of the reception
-Assist you with "full service" or "day of" coordinating from your engagement to your honeymoon

This is going to be a good wedding, I can already tell.