Don't fall into the trap

It’s the last thing you really want to think about when planning your dream event, but considering what could potentially go wrong is a vital component, according to Julie Orrell.

The seasoned wedding planner said that – very often – it’s having a ‘Plan B’ that can make the difference between a perfect and a not-so-perfect event.

With 18 years’ project planning experience – the last five specifically organising weddings and other events – she’s seen, firsthand, what pitfalls can arise. She shared some of the most common ones she witnesses, and her advice for avoiding them.

#1 Not having a budget in mind

“I advise people I work with to decide what their budget is and allow a 10 per cent contingency fund on top,” said Julie.

“To arrive at their budget, they need to consider their financial situation, obviously, but also what other spending priorities they have for the future. If they’re a couple getting married, for example, do they need a deposit to buy a home, or are they planning a family and need to save for that?

“Do they want them or their families to get into debt to fund the event, or is it more important to them to cut a few luxuries out and have peace of mind about the cost before, during and after?”

There are some important practical benefits to having that starting point in mind, too.

“Once you’ve decided on your top line figure, it then pays to break that down into smaller components, like venue or marquee hire, and catering, and attach a maximum amount to each of those.

“This helps when it comes to negotiating with individual suppliers over the various elements, because you know what your limit is. And if you do decide to splash out a bit more on something you really want, you can see in black and white that you need to claw the excess back from elsewhere.”

She added: “The most vital components of any wedding are the venue, the catering and the photography, as they make it possible, create its ambience and record it for posterity. For these reasons, my advice is always to prioritise those. Everything else is a nice to have and once you’ve got the essentials sorted, you can start to think about the other ingredients you want to include, for example your entertainment, your flowers, your furniture and decorations, and whether you hire a stylist or DIY it.

#2 Trying to please everyone

“There are lots of people involved in a wedding and too often I see couples trying to please everyone,” continued Julie.

“This is usually things like inviting children to the event when they really want it to be adults-only, so as not to offend their friends. However, in my view, if someone is a true friend, they will respect your wishes. It’s so important for you to do what you want, as it’s your memories you are creating… whether your vision involves a wedding abroad, a registry office or a big church ceremony.

“When couples come to me and they are getting stressed about managing their event preparations, with all the conflicting demands that brings, I always urge them to sit down, take a breath and remember why they are getting married. Ultimately, they are doing this because they love each other and want to spend the rest of their lives together, and that’s what matters at the end of the day, not meeting other people’s expectations or creating an extravagant look that you maybe can’t really afford.”

#3 Getting carried away

“Some couples start with an idea about the kind of wedding they want and then quickly get out of their depth when they start to research the myriad of options they see on the internet and in magazines… or they succumb to peer pressure.

“Some rush in and start buying things like decorations straightaway and, before they know it, they have a dining room full of stuff. Which is great, but taking a little time to eliminate certain elements and consider things a little more carefully can help keep things real.

“For example, if they concentrate their budget on the most important elements, they might find that their venue or stylist will provide some things free of charge. They might even be able to create some aspects themselves, to save a bit of cash. For example, collecting attractive glass jars to display their outdoor candles in, and recycling instead of shelling out to buy new things.”

#4 Not having a Plan B

“For every wedding or other event I run, I always have a contingency plan, and I can’t recommend this highly enough. It’s so important to think about everything that could potentially go wrong, and have a plan for what you’re going to do about it if it does.

“It’s not about being negative, but it could avoid unplanned, negative occurrences from spoiling your day.”

Here are Julie’s top contingency considerations for every event:

1. The great British weather: let’s face it, there is always a chance of rain, so having a gazebo or a set of umbrellas to hand could save the day if that chance turns into a reality
2. Suppliers not turning up: The best mitigation for this is to choose the right suppliers in the first place, through recommendation and testimonial. A truly professional company will be as committed to making your big day a success as you are, and will not let you down. So choose the right people to help, and then either call them yourself a week or two before your event, to make sure everything is as it should be – or make sure your wedding planner does that for you. It’s important also to make your requirements of everyone from your caterer to your band or DJ, really clear beforehand, documenting your expectations in a list if that makes you feel more comfortable about it. The best suppliers will give you absolute confidence that you can leave them to handle all the key arrangements on the day
3. A breakdown of key services like power, water or toilets. Make sure that if your generator fails, or you suddenly have no water for some reason, you have the means to source an alternative power supply from somewhere else, or somewhere to send your guests to, to answer the call of nature
4. Cars breaking down: Make sure you’ve got alternative modes of transport lined up to ensure your key wedding party members make it to the church on time, no matter what.

#5 People getting carried away at your post-wedding party

…and drunken shenanigans ensuing: To avoid this, I recommend assigning roles to trusted friends and relatives, to keep an eye on what your guests are up to and help restore order if needs be. You could also ask your bar provider to stop serving anyone they believe is the worse for wear, and start giving them water instead.

#6 Starting your day too early

Remember that weddings are long, tiring occasions. If you don’t want your guests to run out of steam and head off home by 10pm, it’s important to start at an optimum time and then make sure that you avoid dead time and give them things to do at each key point of the day, for example offering them canapes and a bit of musical entertainment while you’re having your photos done. Personally, I believe the optimum time to get married is between 1pm and 2.30pm, so that there’s not too much waiting around between the key milestones of your day and your guests have the energy they need to keep going until the early hours if needs be.

#7 Not videoing your ceremony

Nothing captures an event better than moving footage but a lot of couples forget to capture their big day on film, so that they can actually see their ceremony for themselves afterwards. After all, they’re in it and therefore don’t get the same view of events as their guests! A lot of couples are put off by the potential cost of having a professional videographer, but even having a guest video their ceremony on their mobile phone can be just as effective – just something they can look back on and also show to their children down the line, as the day when Mummy and Daddy got married

#8 Not taking time out during your wedding day to simply enjoy it

You need to watch your friends and family enjoying what you’ve created. It’s so easy for couples to get so embroiled in ‘delivering’ the day, that they forget to make the most of it. However, it’s such a shame if that happens and I would always urge them to make that time to just soak it up and lodge those important memories in their minds forever

#9 Worrying for no reason

Worrying really is pointless. Instead of doing that, put your energy into anticipating what could go wrong and taking steps to avoid it.

#10 Not prioritising your caterers

Your food is such a central element of your event and can make or break its atmosphere, so choosing the right kind – whether that's a hog roast, a formal sit-down meal, or a great big sharing paella – is vital. It’s really important to choose both the content of your main and evening meals, and the caterer that will serve it in the right way. Also, don’t forget to check the practical points, such as whether or not they have a high enough hygiene rating

#11 Not preparing a seating plan

I’ve overseen a couple of weddings where couples have decided to keep things informal and let their guests sit where they want to, but in reality this doesn’t really work. If you have a couple of guests sit down at a table for 10 and no-one else is prepared to join them, this can create no end of issues for your caterers and the general flow of the event. You might not think people would decide to be difficult on an important day like your wedding but, believe me, it does happen. The best way to avoid it, is to consider beforehand who will get on best with who, and then place them where you would like them to sit.

Julie Orrell has run her own event planning business, Weddings by Julie (soon to be renamed WBJ Events) for the past five years. Prior to that, she was a management consultant, overseeing major projects for some of the biggest names in financial services. She decided to set up her own event planning company in order to balance working life with bringing up her young family. Her heavyweight corporate experience helps ensure that every event she touches runs like clockwork, though.

At Village Farm Marquees, we can organise as much or as little of your day as you want us to, involving trusted suppliers like Julie to make sure all aspects are covered.

If you’d like to discuss your vision and how we can help, why not get in touch at info@villagefarmmarquees.co.uk , or by calling (01262) 468160.