70 Things Your Wedding Planner Can Do

by Jennifer Borgh, WPICC, of Jennifer Borgh Events in Toronto

Potential clients love to know each and every thing I will do on their wedding day and it’s extremely hard to remember off the top of my head the huge list of tasks I will be performing. 

Below I have compiled a list of things that I have done at weddings.  I ask you to put “Who will” before every item and avoid putting too much burden on family and friends and especially yourself to do these thing on the day.  Hiring a professional wedding planner can take the stress and worry out of this list of things you plan for and things you don’t plan for.

1. Help you to create the type of wedding you want. Help you create a vision and bring it to life.
2. Making the couple/family happy by relieving her of all the stressful details on the day.
3. Assist photographers with family photo lists so they can spend time taking photos
4. Carry bridal kit full of items that might be needed on the day (sewing kit, cough candies, breath mints, pins)
5. Serve as crowd control making sure no passer-bys are in your wedding photos or in the way of your ceremony
6. Help guests get home safely (call taxi)
7. Organize couple’s paperwork, contracts and keep copies on hand to make sure all vendors follow through
8. Come up with a colour scheme and theme
9. Clean stains/dirt in wedding gown
10. Steam wedding gown
11. Recommend a venue that fits your budget and ideas
12. Recommend DJ/band/entertainment
13. Oversee everything to make sure it runs on time
14. Recommend floral designer
15. Recommend dà©cor designers
16. Set up details (place cards, menus, table numbers, seating chart)
17. Oversee and run the rehearsal
18. Help men attach boutonnià¨res
19. Fix broken boutonnià¨res
20. Fix fallen hems
21. Fix broken straps
22. Last minute prep and fluff of the bride before walking down the aisle
23. Oversee vendor set up
24. Bring all vendors together to make sure we all make the same vision come to reality
25. Assist vendors (did they forget something, need directions, need water, need someone to hold their equipment)
26. Lead horse:)
27. Design floor plan for reception/ceremony
28. Set up “reserved” signs/aisle markers for ceremony
29. Supervise card box and lock it up securely in safe
30. Pack wedding gifts and any wedding supplies that need to go home at the end of the night in bridal suite
31. Help with re-application of make-up/carry extra make up if needed
32. Deal with small medical issues such as: cuts, scrapes, allergies
33. Pick up forgotten items
34. Store items
35. Transport items from ceremony to reception
36. Check washrooms to make sure they are clean
37. Sew missing buttons, split dresses, broken bustles
38. Source vendors/items for last minute issues
39. Make sure your guests are well taken care of
40. Help with execution of food service/timing
41. Provide emotional support
42. Deal with small family issues and help mediate (I am not a trained therapist, there are limits to this)
43. Review vendor contracts
44. Distribute final payments/gratuities
45. Find last minute seating for guests that forgot to RSVP
46. Guide bridal party (how to hold bouquet for best photos, where to be, what to do)
47. Polish shoes
48. Clean dirt off of shoes
49. Roll lint off of men’s suits
50. Fix cake mishaps
51. Help determine/allocate budget/track budget
52. Meet with vendors for 2^nd opinion
53. Order/source tents, outdoor toilets
54. Source/arrange transportation-horse & carriages, limos, luxury cars, buses
55. Create day of timeline for vendors
56. Create day of detailed timeline to follow
57. Help plan and schedule events so they flow well and have enough allocated time
58. Suggest bridal gown stores and come for appointment (if desired)
59. Source and make appointments for hair and make-up artists.
60. Help you choose your music (although I do suggest doing this with your DJ/Band)
61. Touch base with vendors and address any concerns or issues.
62. Inform all vendors of addresses and key phone numbers/reconfirm times
63. Help with assigning seating (although it’s best to be done by the couple who know the guests individually and who should be sitting with whom)
64. Bustle wedding gown
65. Book spa treatments
66. Book hotel blocks
67. Recommend and book honeymoon
68. Book guest travel
69. Assist and let you know proper etiquette
70. See potential issues before they happen, suggest ways to avoid or make the plans better.

The items that are done for the wedding are not necessarily all on this list.  These items don’t necessarily apply to each and every wedding.