Planner's First Wedding

Get it? Like Baby's First Christmas? Anyway.

Hi! I'm sitting by the pool in Hawaii - don't hate me too much. This is my last hurrah... the end of 2009 and the busiest, most life-altering year of my life. In a few days I'll be back to normal and able to actually contribute to what Carolyn has been building the past few months - the budding AELO business.

Anywho, I'm sure you're all dying to hear about my experience interning with a wedding coordinator a few weeks ago. It was December 12th, actually - quite cold for a wedding, but it was lovely. The bride was gorgeous, the reception site (Salvatore's) was decorated really well, and all the guests were friendly and appreciative. It was a great experience. Here are some things I learned!

If you're getting married in the winter, don't ask your bridesmaids to wear strapless cocktail dresses. Or, if you must - get them a cardigan or something. My friend Lexy got married in November, and she asked her bridesmaids to get any black and white dress. But for part of their gift, she gave them cardigans in the accent color of the wedding, which looked nice and also kept them warm, and therefore not cranky. I had some cranky bridesmaids at this wedding. The bride had a mink shawl, so she was fine, of course.

When you're not the lead coordinator on a wedding, you don't know any more than you "need" to. This is somewhat frustrating. Because I was the intern and, as far as they were concerned, didn't really know what I was doing (understandable assumption, as you don't have to audition for this internship or anything), I didn't have a whole lot to do. They basically said, "Stand by the card table and don't let anyone take a place card." Oh, ok. So I dutifully stood by the card table for an hour. Guests were asking me ALL KINDS of questions that I didn't know the answer to, because I was not well informed. It was frustrating because I knew I could have been more helpful if I had been trusted with more information. Of course, when Carolyn and I do weddings, we'll clearly know every single detail and be able to pass them along when necessary.

Wedding guests are awesome. This couple had some really great friends and family members, and I enjoyed meeting all of them. They were so friendly and happy to be there - I had a great time with them.

Carolyn is correct - walkie talkies are a must. I didn't like the one I had to wear at the internship because I had to stick a little bud in my ear, which is somewhat unpleasant. I also felt like I was talking way too loud, because one ear was plugged! I wanted a Britney Spears style one. You know, with the headset and the microphone that curves around your face? That's hardcore.

Somewhere out there, there is a perfect Wedding Coordinator outfit. Something classy and professional, but comfortable, with pockets. And the shoes...I wore flats and I was totally fine, but there's something about wearing heels, you know? They make you feel more confident and more...important, I guess. I felt a bit out of place in my little ballet flats. Carolyn and I will be shopping up a storm in a few weeks!

You will get hit on. At every wedding there is some guy who came without a guest in order to hit on girls at the reception. I had a pushy one, and I had to professionally and pleasantly get him to go away without being rude. That's hard work for me, man.

You can't eat the food. Whether your day starts at 7am or noon, you're going to be busy and occupied allll day. There's no time to grab lunch - you probably won't even think about eating until the reception. The bride may or may not arrange for a vendor meal for you, and that's her choice. But if she doesn't, you can't eat the food. This lovely little man with a tray of meatballs just KEPT walking by me and offering them to me, and I had to keep declining. You're blending in with the background, helping the flow of things but not drawing attention to yourself. So you can't grab a meatball with a toothpick and stealthily chew it up. It's not happening.

Even as the intern, I found myself desperately wanting to help the bride in any way I could. I was flitting around fixing dresses and hair, digging hairspray and clear nail polish out of bags, finding bridesmaid's boyfriends in the lobby, organizing the bride's stuff in the limo so she could find it easily - anything to make things go more smoothly. And I wasn't thinking "I have to do this I have to do this," it was just automatic. As soon as I walked into the hotel in the morning, I wanted to HELP. I think that's a good sign.

I promise not to neglect you all anymore! I'm working on my next blog - Honeymoon Tips! :) Happy New Year!

Amy