Ever wonder what is going behind the scenes on wedding days? We have some insight that may interest you! There is a lot of work that goes into setting up for a wedding, and it takes all a team full of vendors working together to pull it off. Here are a few of the things that vendors do while setting up for a wedding:

Venue Manager

The venue manager is someone you may not even notice throughout the night. However, they are always there and have been for the entire day! In fact, the venue manager is the first to arrive and the last to leave. They arrive around 8:00-8:30am and do not leave the venue until 12:30am. Their job is to arrive at the venue to open the doors, assist the vendors throughout the day, enforce venue rules, and make sure the day runs smoothly. They are such an important part of the day, and the wedding would not be able to happen without them.

Coordinator

When you walk into a reception area, the first thing you notice is all of the beautiful decor and tables for things like a sign-in book, gifts, and cake. More than likely, this was work was done by the wedding coordinator. There are typically one or two coordinators on the day of the wedding, and like the venue manager, they have been on site the entire day. They are involved in every part of the wedding day from setting up ceremony, reception and cocktail hour, to coordinating all of the reception events like first dances, cake, toasts, and exit. The coordinators are also responsible for making sure all of the vendors are doing their jobs and that the bridal party stays on top of things throughout the day and make it down the aisle smoothly. They pin boutonnieres, line up the wedding party in order, send them down the aisle, and make sure they are ready for grand entrance. You may see them running around throughout the night, and remember that they are extremely crucial to the success of the wedding!

Florist

The florist is also one of the people who arrive early on wedding day to get a jump start on their work. They have to be done early so the photographer can begin taking detailed photos before guests arrive, and also make sure the ceremony site is ready in time if they are also placing floral arrangements there. Occasionally the florist will make their arrangements on site, but we like to have the bouquets and arrangements ready a couple of days in advance to save time and stress on wedding day! Florists order their flowers in advance and receive them about one week before wedding day. They begin processing them (cutting and cleaning stems, placing in water, etc.) a few days before the wedding, and work hard to make sure every detail is perfect, since their work is one of the main attractions.

Photographer

The photographer arrives fairly early in the day, depending on if they are taking getting ready photos or not, but they are there early enough to take detailed photos before guests arrive for ceremony. Their job is vital to the memories the couple will have of their special day. They are constantly working from the time they arrive at the venue, to the time they leave after exit. They begin with detailed or getting ready photos, then go into pre-ceremony photos. Ceremony photos are next, followed by family/wedding party photos, and usually the couple takes sunset photos during the reception. Reception photos and exit photos are the last to be taken, and then the photographer’s work is done. Now you see why they are one of the vendors that works non-stop all day. Check out our blog about how long to hire a photographer for more education on wedding photographers!

Next time you attend a wedding, don’t forget to look around and appreciate everything you see, because there was a team of people who worked hard all day to make the wedding so beautiful and such a success!