Believe it when it’s said things don’t always go to plan because they don’t! If they do, you are either one of the lucky ones, or you have a fabulous supplier team who have managed to fix the issue before you’ve realised. It’s nothing to do with your suppliers ability, but all to do with events completely outside of the suppliers control. As a wedding planner we see a lot and our experience is what shapes us into great wedding planners.
I thought it would be a great idea to share with couples the worst things I’ve managed as a Wedding Planner so you know when you put your trust into a great wedding planner, they really are on your side.
Guest fainting during the Ceremony
I’ve had this happen to me twice now! The weather, temperature, hangovers, lack of fluids or food, medical conditions or just sheer apprehension are all reasons why people faint during your ceremony. I assure you it’s very embarrassing for the person who faints and it’s important to try and not draw too much attention to the incident. I had to move them out of the ceremony space so they can have the space to feel better while also allowing the couple to continue with their celebrations without further disturbance.
Nanny Falling Over and Breaking a Hip
Yes- ouch! We often invite young and old relatives to weddings and their vulnerability can open them up to hurting themselves in a setting where there is alcohol and unfamiliar spaces for them to move around in. Most wedding venues are out of the sticks and this brings challenges when the emergency services are required.
It was winter and the poor lady fell on her way out of the venue, breaking her hip and being unable to move. We tried to keep her warm and safe until the emergency services arrive and with the help of one guest. The couple didn’t know until after it had been dealt with which is the best way to manage incidents like this to avoid them feeling guilty for enjoying themselves.
Blocked Toilet Causing Sewage to Flood the Bathroom
Absolutely disgusting! In a world where we know you shouldn’t flush anything but toilet roll down a toilet, it surprises me when this happens, but it does. Definitely not on my job description but I had to try and unblock the toilet with my bear hands whilst also trying to coordinate a wedding. Don’t worry, I thoroughly washed my hands and self. The couple was none the wiser.
Supplier No-Show
I hate this but it can happen. A lot of suppliers work solo so if you are ill or injure yourself, finding a replacement can be very hard on the wedding day. A wedding planners contacts equips us with the best means of trying to find a replacement. As soon as I knew they weren’t coming, I was on the phone ringing everyone I could to try and find a replacement within a couple of hours. Sheer relentlessness, luck and efficiency is probably what helped me in this situation!
Rude Guests
You would think people would be on their best behaviour at a wedding but guests can often be rude. Sometimes because that is who they are as a person, but other times it’s alcohol fuelled. I always try to remember I am not there for them, but for the couple and providing it doesn’t effect my service, I don’t tend to entertain it.
Rude Suppliers
This always surprises me. Like why are you working in the service industry if you are rude?! One reason why people end up booking a planner is when tensions have risen and they want a third party to manage it for them. It can really take the magic out of the day when suppliers are rude and make your life difficult so it’s a wise move to get us involved. We also know what is, and isn’t acceptable from both sides to try and set realistic expectations and smooth out the relationship to make the best out of a bad situation. We can also recommend when to call it a day with that supplier.
Believe you me, we will remember rude suppliers, and suppliers talk, so it will only damage their reputation in the long run.
Drunk Supplier
I’ve had a supplier who accepted a few too many drinks from the wedding couple and then wasn’t able to deliver their service. Thankfully I had an assistant with me on that occasion who could step in and help direct their staff to achieve what they were supposed to have achieved.
Poor Supplier Teamwork
Disorganised suppliers creates tensions within their own teams. I’ve seen bickering, arguing and stressed suppliers who are unprepared for their role leaving to poor behind the scenes teamwork. It’s an art to know when to step in, and there have been occasions where I have had to take charge of their service to ensure the couple receive the service they were expecting.
Unprepared Suppliers
I had a wedding where we stressed to the bar company that guests would drink a lot of a specific drink and they ran out of that drink halfway through the drinks reception. People weren’t happy and the Mother of the Bride was going to leave to get more of that specific drink. To cut a long story short, the staff had to go out and stock up the bar. Even though I contacted their Director to explain the situation, their Director blamed me so I proceeded to explain how their staff were on the verge of leaving and that I was stepping in to help. No thanks was given…
I’ve also had it where the Caterer hadn’t checked the venue staff responsibilities prior to the wedding day. I was informed by the couple of what the caterers duties were on the day and I also checked with the Catering Manager on the day. Everything went smoothly, however the Director, who wasn’t present on the day, invoiced me for the staff’s extra time which had nothing to do with me. I did not receive that well.
Melting Cake
Cakes are very perishable and need the perfect conditions to remain intact. During the summer months, cakes melt a lot quicker and so we had to move the cake cutting earlier in the day so they got the best photos with the cake. It meant we could disassemble the cake before it fell!
Lost Wedding Rings
It’s such a panic moment when you realise you have lost the most important item for your wedding day. Fortunately, after tracing back the couples steps we were able to locate them in a bag in a corner of a reception room.
Dog Poo on the Brides Dress
I almost fainted myself when this happened. Wet grass meant dog poo residue still remained on the grass and it got smudged on the Brides dress. The Bride took it like an absolute champ, and with a bit of vanish, it came off. I discreetly followed her around for a bit, spraying her with her perfume to remove any smell and it didn’t ruin the day at all. If anything, I think it added a funny memory that will be a talking point for years to come.
Music Malfunction
I hate tech! When you need it to work, it doesn’t and what is only a couple of secs, feels like forever. I was in charge of playing the music at the end of the ceremony but the speaker decided to switch off and not reconnect. It would have taken too long to fix and the silence was killing me so thankfully the pianist there caught my panic wave and freestyled their ceremony recessional song. Luckily they were there and no one knew except me, the pianist and the couple.
Awkward Requests
Honestly, the audacity of some guests. I had to politely ask parents to remove kids during the speeches as they were distracting the wedding couple. That was met with outrage but nevertheless, I was asked to do it and they should know better. I’ve also had a guest ask to move tables because ‘they weren’t here for the couple, they were here to spend time with their kids’. This really annoyed me for the couple. They just couldn’t understand that it affects the table set up and the kitchen service. It’s also bloody rude!
The Drummer was Late
I was left a bit in the dark from the band about how late the drummer was actually going to be so it was hard to manage the situation. The couple really wanted to perform their first dance as soon as possible and there was a bit of awkwardness of them waiting around. We were able to postpone the first dance time back a bit and I was able to assist setting them up quickly once they arrived. Luckily there was a DJ there to play music while guests waited.
DJ forgot their power lead
Quite an important thing to forget but luckily it is the same as a kettle lead so we were able to use a kettle lead from the venue and all was fine.
Late Bridal party to the Ceremony
I know it’s said to be ‘fashionably late’ but in weddings it’s really not ideal to be running late. The bridal party had clear instructions as to when to leave, but their lateness meant the taxi driver was potentially going to leave without them, and also the Registras were about to leave as they had another wedding to get to. There wasn’t much I could do but hope they got there just in time. We jumped straight into the ceremony as soon as they arrived. No time to properly prepare but as I knew what I was doing she was able to grace the aisle at the right moment in the song regardless.
Guests had a Car Crash when they should have been at the Surprise Ceremony
Not that they knew there was going to be a surprise ceremony, but with the increase in celebrant led ceremonies and multiday celebrations, the couple had planned a surprise informal ceremony the day before their wedding which they wanted people to attend. The guests had ventured out to the shops and unfortunately had a crash on the way back from the shops which meant they missed the surprise ceremony. They were foreign and using a hire car so they were ringing the couple for help but in the end, I took over the conversation on behalf of the couple so they could get married without the stress.
Interfering Bridal Party
This happens quite a lot and most of the time it’s no issue, but it has become an issue when a member of the bridal party starts to coordinate the day without checking in with me. The most awkward thing was guests waiting for a surprise to happen when the suppliers were not ready. While I wanted to ask everyone to hold fire, it was too late. Further interference with my coordination can create guest confusion and makes the day look disjointed. I had to quickly whip all the suppliers into action. We were all hot off our feet. I definitely needed a lie down after that.
The art of being a good wedding planner is to be calm and collected when things don’t go well. It’s taken years for me to get to this position and it’s now one of my strongest traits. Not a lot surprises me, and my instinct to want to resolve the problem always kicks in. While a lot of preparation in the planning helps to avoid major problems on the day, there can be instances where the solutions don’t have a favourable outcome. It’s all down to the couple how they make the best out of a bad situation
