It’s not over until it’s over, right? These days it’s common for couples to host after parties, ride away to honeymoon suites, or even go out with friends and family once the event has ended. No matter what time your event ends, and what you plan to do after, there is one final task you will have to accomplish and account for.
So unfortunately, no; this week we aren’t talking about after parties, luxury car rentals, party buses, or honeymoon suites with champagne and rose petals. We’re talking about the breakdown.
And what do I mean by this? If you have never worked in an events / hospitality / food service capacity you may not think to consider what happens to all of the table decor, flowers, candles, signs, gifts, etc, once you head off to that suite, or while you and your guests enjoy cocktails in a speakeasy.
There are a couple of ways this might happen, so for those of you who may not know, those of you who do and are just curious and especially those of you getting married that do not yet have a concrete breakdown plan, this is for you!
Option 1, which is of course ideal but not always realistic, is the venue staff provides the breakdown assistance and you can store your items overnight. This is a scenario that, I must warn, is not common. Typically these spaces are hosting multiple events each weekend which means they must flip (rearrange & reset) the space the night before so the next coordinator can come in and begin decorating in a timely manner.
Generally the venue does not provide staff unless they are also providing the bar / food service; in the case that you are utilizing a space that does not include those services; you will most likely not have a staff of people to help break down all of your decor at the end of the night. They MIGHT allow you to store your items overnight, or possibly keep vehicles until early the next morning. This does alleviate some pressure.
Diving a bit deeper, let’s say, like the wedding I just worked on Friday, 5/3, the venue allows you to store your items in one area and collect them at 10am the next day. They had pre-requested a list (see here) of items that would be packed so that nothing got lost in translation. Most ideal scenario.
The next best option is storing your items in vehicles that can be left on property. This is slightly more involved as you now need to ensure everything is not only packed up, but also actually get them out to your car. This requires someone to either leave their keys behind for staff, or someone to remain on-site with the team to ensure everything and the vehicle are taken care of.
Which brings me right to my next point. Someone has to be there to make sure everything is taken care of. Let me tell you one thing for certain, you are absolutely not leaving your card box or any tangible gifts behind - so there’s immediately one item you have to account for. Now let’s go down the list.
Again, if your venue also provided food and beverage, or even any decor - you have help but that usually doesn’t include items that aren’t theirs. I’ll use my own wedding as an example. The venue staff broke down the tables, napkins, chairs, etc. But the flowers, table decor, accessories (photo albums, sunglasses, disposable cameras) all had to be gathered and taken out of the space that night. Including 125 blue water goblets that I had to have (sorry mom). All that’s to say I didn’t plan for it enough - and it was one of the biggest lessons i’ve learned to this day, and what has helped me execute end of night plans successfully with The Calm Bride clients. My mom, some friends, mother in law and more got stuck breaking down the event for about an hour - and it had not been discussed beforehand.
Now what about the venues where you outsource everything? Or the venues that let you stock your own bar? Let’s get into how we devise a plan that is efficient and effective so everyone involved can wrap up their night.
I will again here shamelessly plug the importance of a day of coordinator. For these types of venues and situations, it is common that parents, grandparents, friends or in rare situations even the bride and groom are left to collect all the pieces of the day and package them up. Having a Day Of Coordinator ensures someone is there to take care of that task, collect items, and ensure you leave the venue in good shape are utilizing it all day.
There are so many items that get kept from weddings, even those they dispose of a majority of their decor; you will have cards, guest book, signs, and if you stocked your own bar, most likely you’ll have some leftovers. No matter what items you need to take at the end of the night have a concise list of keep vs. toss and utilize the support of a Day Of Coordinator to oversee even those final minutes of the evening.
If you are allowed to store items at the venue, make sure boxes do not get thrown away in the afternoon during set up and set a place where you will keep your items to pick up the next morning.
If you are putting the items in cars because cars can stay over night but no items can, you have to make sure the person who’s car you’re using has or gives their keys to the coordinator or assigned person! This guest may be a parent or friend who doesn’t think to hand off their keys before they head off for whatever after wedding activities there may be. If the car needs to be pulled close to the building, ensure your coordinator is a trusted driver or someone not intoxicated can bring the car around. And think about how much space you will need, you may need more than 1!
These are only things we learn from mistakes and from seeing it done wrong, with a clear plan, and ensuring that those involved are aware of their role and need to stay after to assist, the end of the night will be seamless and your event will wrap up just as smoothly as the rest of the day went!
Be sure to stay tuned for more informative and fun blogs from The Calm Bride as the year goes on. And reach out if you or someone you know is looking for a Day Of Coordinator to help with setup, timeline, vendor management, and of course the breakdown.
Xoxo,
Alyssa
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