wedding tips: pre-ceremony

• Have a designated person to be the personal attendant of the day. This friend - usually not part of the wedding party - will be responsible for assisting the bride in matters such as making sure the vendors are doing what they are paid to do, the right photo is (photos are) taken, the bridal party is announced, wedding participants are in place ready to go, etc. It may even be helpful to have a separate bride’s attendant and groom’s attendant.
  
• Be extremely specific about when each person involved in the wedding should arrive. Don’t automatically assume that everyone will know when to show up…you might be surprised as to how many people think they are exceptions! Be clear on when musicians vs. vendors vs. the bridal party vs. family members and other helpers such as ushers and greeters should arrive.


• Have 2-3 greeters and a separate gift table attendant, and be clear on who is transporting what to and from the ceremony. The 2-3 greeters can focus on making sure people know where to go and ensuring guests sign the guestbook properly, while the gift table attendant should focus on receiving and tracking the gifts.
  
• Regarding the gift table, a great way to track gifts is to have a gift log with some stickers that you can write numbers on. When each guest drops off a guest, stick a number on the gift and note it in the gift log (i.e. sticker #1 refers to Mr. and Mrs. Smith). This will go a long way in making the thank-you-care-writing process much easier! Another reason it is important to have a person focused specifically on the gifts is for their watchful eye, as there have been occasions when gifts have disappeared. Weddings are prime targets for theft, as passersby know that guests are bringing lots of bright and shiny things for the newlywed couple!