How to Plan For the Unexpected on Your Wedding Day

Everyone wants their wedding day to be perfect, and oftentimes it is, but that doesn’t mean that everything always goes exactly the way you imagined it in your head. When you’re working to coordinate guests, catering, decorations and entertainment, things can oftentimes go a little different than you had planned. So how can you work to expect the unexpected and prepare for little hiccups so they don’t end up ruining your big day? In today’s blog, we share some tips for preparing for the unexpected on your wedding day.

Planning For Potential Problems On Your Wedding Day

None of the following issues are a big deal as long as you are aware of their potential and you take a few steps to help mitigate their likelihood or prepare to audible in the event they occur. Here’s how to prepare for and expect the unexpected on your wedding day.

• Bad Weather – We experience all four seasons here in Minnesota, and the weather can also change in a hurry, so don’t assume you’ll have perfect weather just because we’re had a run of nice days in a row. It’s always a good idea to have a backup plan if wind, ice or snow make it impossible to put on a nice ceremony outside. Many of our venues like The Grand 1858 and The View have indoor/outdoor ceremony options, so we can plan for an outdoor wedding and quickly adjust to an indoor ceremony on the day of the wedding if the weather just won’t comply. Have a backup plan in case of bad weather.
• Caterer Problems – A number of different issues can occur with your caterer, so it’s important to touch base with them regularly and ensure everything is on track for your wedding. Don’t just book a package and then assume everything is happening as expected six months later. Stay in contact with your caterer and have them let you know of any issues as soon as they come up. Oftentimes it’s much easier to choose a venue that has an in-house caterer so that food doesn’t need to be brought from off-site. At Entourage Events Group, we have in-house catering options created by some of the best chefs in the business. This helps ensure everything comes out on time, and communication with our on-site team is always a breeze.
• Getting Ready Gaffs – A number of small problems can develop on the day of the wedding when the wedding party is getting ready for the ceremony. As we talked about in a previous blog about bride and groom suites, it’s helpful to choose a venue with on-site bride and groom suites where everyone can get ready in the same place. This ensures everyone is on time in one location instead of battling traffic to get downtown while in a suit or dress. Also, it’s helpful to have an amenities basket in the suites to help with any small issues. A phone charger, deodorant, hairspray, wet wipes, breath mints, band-aids and bobby pins are all great things to have in your bride and groom suites in case someone needs something in a pinch. Again, our venues offer on-site bride and groom suites to help with the preparation process.
• Communicate Expectations – People want to help on your wedding day, but they need to know how they can be helpful, even if that just requires them being in a certain place at a certain time. While you can’t account for flat tires or car trouble, you can help to prevent timing issues by ensuring that everyone knows where they are supposed to be and at what time. Send out addresses with directions and expected arrival times. Keep everyone on the same page and even consider starting a group chat with important parties so that all important information is in one easy-to-access place.
• Drinking And Driving – You don’t want your wedding day to be remembered as the day your uncle or the best man got a DUI, so make it easy for people to get home safely on the day of your wedding. Although the choice is ultimately up to them, give them some options to help them make the right choice. Many of our venues are within walking distance of spectacular hotels, we can provide the names of some wonderful shuttle services we’ve worked with in the past, or you can encourage guests to use one of a number of different ridesharing apps like Uber or Lyft to get home safe. You can’t totally control this factor, but you can make it easier for your guests to get home safe after a night of fun.

If you want to help reduce the risk of the unexpected happening at your wedding, work with an event planning group like Entourage Events Group that can help to organize a number of different aspects of your wedding. We’ll help streamline the process, and we’ve seen and helped avoid a number of potential pitfalls on wedding days, so we know how to help you get through any minor issue that arises. For more information, or to set up an appointment to learn more about our venues, click here or give our team a call today at (612) 564-3777.