Lists, lists and more lists
If there is one thing any epic South Island Wedding requires, it’s a whole lot of lists. Fortunately for you, we’re going to take a little deep-dive into what documents you’re going to need to plan your wedding day, explain why and let you know when you should be sending the final pieces to your vendors - all in aid of pulling off the best day of your lives.
Let’s start from the top.
Guest List
Your guest list will be one of the very first documents you begin when planning your wedding. Just how many guests you have attending may determine your location, food & beverage - essentially all of the big variables. This list will come in handy time and time again as you reach different stages of planning, from signage & stationery creation to seating, to post-wedding formalities like thank you cards.
A well-formatted guest list will save you a heap of time as you progress with your planning, here are some of the must-have tabs we can’t live without:
Full Name
First Name
Last Name
Address
Email
Phone
Dietaries
Contacts List
A contacts list is an absolute no-brainer when it comes to any event. This is a document that you will distribute in conjunction with your timeline so that everybody knows who is who. Along with your vendors, I love to add in any important person related to your day and what their role is.
Timeline or Run Sheet
Whatever you wish to call it, this baby is the main character of your on-the-day wedding documents. I like to draft a wedding timeline for my couples as soon as they book me so that they have an idea of what to expect. If you’re unsure, HERE is a great post. If you are working with a reputable photographer, they will also have templates available to work with. About three months out is when I like to start firming this document up and the aim is that only minor tweaks would be made in the month prior to your day, if necessary.
Personally, I like to create two wedding timelines. One is a comprehensive behind the scenes list and one that serves as more of an overview or order of the day that I can share with family where required.
You’ll want to include details like:
Date
Time
Location
Event happening
Assigned to
A notes section
With that said, your timeline is not the be-all and end-all - it simply provides structure to your day and absolutely does not need to be followed to the minute. Handing it over to your MC and vendor team will mean that they know what to expect & when, and they can have discussions in the background over any changes that may need to be made.
Seating Chart and Plan
These two I like to make two documents for. One in list form, and one laid out to the structure of your tables, highlighting any dietaries on both for your caterers.
Family & Friends Photos
Please make this list, always! We all love candids and whilst that may be the aim of the game, time & time again I hear couples express that they got caught in the moments of their day and missed the opportunity with loved ones through not having this list.
Give the job to a family member or close friend on each side of you as a couple, as well as your MC. Together, they will know all of the faces and can pull everyone together efficiently.
Generally, I suggest that my couples aim for 10-12 groupings, plus a group photo if they wish. You may have more, you may have less but as a rule of thumb, each snap will take about 2-3 minutes to complete.
Speeches
A speech list is a handy tool for your MC. They will be able to communicate with each speaker around factors like length and seamlessly weave them into reception formalities.
Most of the time, you would have:
A friend or sibling speaking on behalf of each newlywed, namely in the wedding party but not always!
A parent or parent figure speaking on behalf of each newlywed
The newlyweds, together or separately
Telegrams or speeches from those unable to attend may also be sent through. These can often be read by guests on behalf of the writer, or I often work with videos from those afar.
It’s ok to have more, or less!
Songs
A song list will seem minor, but it is important - especially if something goes wrong with the technology you are using.
Here are the songs I’ll ask you to note down:
Ceremony Processional (entrance) - Choose up to two if you both want one
The signing of the marriage certificate - Allow two to three
Ceremony Recessional (exit)
Wedding Party Entrance
Cake Cutting - I don’t see this often, but you might want it
First Dance
Parent/Child Dances
Always, I repeat always ensure that your songs are downloaded to a phone that can be put on Aeroplane mode and if using apps like Spotify, download the songs so that they are available offline.
Check out THIS BLOG for more on the music front.
Food and Beverage List
A full food and beverage list is nice to have on hand as a part of an on-the-day wedding planning folder. Every now and then questions are asked or I’ll be offering to grab a drink for older guests, those with mobility challenges or parents with newborns, so it’s great to know what’s on the menu.
A To-Bring List
This is one I encourage my couples to have on hand in the lead-up to their day. It’s a space to note down anything that needs to be brought onsite for your day, and who is accountable for it. Hand in hand with this, I suggest that my couples set a space aside in their home for these items and place them in this area as they acquire them, to avoid last-minute scavenger hunts and keep the stress at bay.
You may also like to use this document to note down a list of anything that needs to be taken away from your venue and when.
If you have chosen to plan your day without the assistance of a planner, you’ll likely be in communication with your vendors to finalize many of these documents. In an ideal world, these lists will all be in their complete form a month out from your wedding day and I like to distribute them to vendors two weeks in advance. This ensures time to read through and ask any questions, and also means that they are in a time frame where there is full focus on your day. Some vendors may ask for these documents sooner, or have some of their own to fill out - It’s all about communication and handing over the reins.
Pull these documents together along with anything else unique to your day and pop these life savers into a folder for your event organiser to have on hand and you will be set for success and fully soak up the magic that is your best day ever.
Until Next,
Lucy xxx