Have you ever wondered what it takes to orchestrate unforgettable events? Step into the bustling world of event planning, where meticulous organization meets creative vision. In this behind-the-scenes glimpse, we unravel the intricacies of a day in the life of an event planner. Day in and day out, these professionals navigate a whirlwind of tasks, transforming concepts into reality with precision and flair. Join us on this immersive journey as we uncover the artistry, challenges, and exhilaration of shaping moments that leave lasting impressions.
Let the Wedding Planning Begin. . .
with an introduction to your planning team!
Congratulations! You’ve just secured your wedding date and venue, but what comes next? The journey of planning your dream wedding has only just begun, but for your event planner, the momentum picks up swiftly.
Once she’s booked your venue and date, your event planner sends an email alert to all of Stroudsmoor’s teams and departments, announcing the happy news. From there, she’ll begin planning with diverse members of our “I-do Crew,” like our Floral & Décor Designers, Group Lodging Coordinator, and Bridal Studio & Spa Atelier to name a few, with the goal of introducing her newest couple to all of these influential individuals and departments that they’ll meet throughout the planning journey. The planner also begins right away coordinating with wedding professionals not limited to DJs and photographers—with whom Stroudsmoor has built enduring relationships.
Meanwhile, as you and your partner leave her office, giddy as you debate how to best share the exciting news with loved ones (which we are more than happy to help with—consider hosting a celebratory dinner with us at the Inn!) your planner’s focus shifts into high gear, beginning work on two very important planning tools: the ITN and WED.
Getting to Know Your Event Planner's Planning Tools:
Don’t worry, we won’t quiz you on the Inn’s standard acronyms; all you need to know is that your ITN and WED are two of the most influential documents that our Event Planners use consistently throughout the length of your planning journey. One serves as a compass for the execution of your wedding event, detailing items like your bridal party’s processional order and reception song selections while the other lays out your entire meal, from the first hors d’oeuvre served during cocktail hour to the last bite of wedding cake.
The first that your planner officially begins work on is your wedding itinerary—your ITN. The wedding itinerary is crucial in making sure your wedding, start to finish, follows the order of events that you predetermined with your planner throughout the months leading up to that very special day. Stroudsmoor’s itineraries allow a set schedule for every aspect of the wedding celebration, not just for highlights like ceremony, mealtimes, and cake cutting, but also for things that really matter to our clients and their loved ones, like private photos with their partner and allotted time for family portraiture.
The next planning tool that your Event Planner immediately begins work on is your WED. To better give you an idea about this extremely influential document, the WED is a “how-to” for your wedding specifically. This document follows you throughout the entirety of your wedding journey, as does your ITN—whether it be two months’ or two years’ worth of planning—and is intended to help curate your dream celebration.
This tool goes to our Chef teams to give them an exact idea about your guest count, any guest allergies or dietary restrictions, and entrée selections to name a few.
It goes to our Floral & Décor Team as it details your wedding’s color palette and theme, linen choices, and whether or not your cake will be adorned with our standard “Flowers of the Day,” or if our designers need to order specific varieties of florals—or perhaps none at all if that doesn’t fit your vision.
This all-important document also goes to our Bakers and Confectioners as well as a number of other wedding professionals on and around Stroudsmoor’s campus. It encapsulates every facet of your vision, your day-of-the-wedding needs, etc.
From contact details and guest counts to dietary preferences and allergies, vendor arrangements, and signature drinks, the WED leaves no detail unaddressed.
By the time that your wedding day arrives, this meticulously crafted plan has been circulated to all of Stroudsmoor’s teams, guiding each department toward the flawless realization of your celebration.
From the moment you book your wedding with your event planner, a seasoned team captain, she assumes a pivotal role in your wedding journey. While coaching you and your partner through the planning process, she orchestrates a symphony of talent within our ranks, collaborating with all of the Inn’s teams and departments to make sure that every element of the WED and the ITN are realized.
The Big Day: Ready to Say 'I Do'
It’s wedding day and for your planner, her checklist—unlike yours—is far from done; she still has a fairytale wedding to see to completion!
As you wake up and begin your day, perhaps with a quick bagel and coffee from Stroudsmoor Inn Towne Bakery Café or a hearty breakfast down at the Inn, your event planner has already clocked in, hit up the coffee pot, and made her way out to your venue.
In the hours leading up to your guests’ arrival, she ensures that our cleaning and landscaping crews have polished the location to perfection, that our bakery team has safely delivered your wedding cake and any other desserts, that your favors and any DIY décor elements you might have brought have made their way to their dedicated locations in-house, so on and so forth.
And the day is just beginning!
Soon enough, the time for guest arrival has come and, as you and the rest of the bridal party gather away from your guests at your venue lounge, your planner is probably in the reception hall, ensuring our wait staff and supervisors have laid out every guest place setting perfectly, that her couple’s attendant has everything he or she needs, that guest arrival stations are set up and ready to go, and that our house greeters are directing your loved ones promptly to their seats before ceremony.
Finally, it’s time to make your grand walk and, as promised, your planner is there, cuing first your bridal party and then you down the aisle at just the right moments. Following your “I-do’s,” she ensures the recessional takes place without a hitch before leaving you and your partner in the hands of your photographer. From there, she heads to the “back of the house” (i.e. the kitchen).
Stepping “behind the scenes” and donning black latex gloves alongside her kitchen and wait staff, she helps first for cocktail hour, plating hors d’oeuvres before sliding into dinner service. aiding her supervisor(s) in making sure entrée counts are right, and that dietary restrictions and allergies are carefully tended to—all the while updating her staff on the timeline of the evening and whether the order of events is running on time, early, or late.
The Planner's Finale: Smooth Transitions into Evening Delights
With cocktail hour over and dinner soon to conclude, your planner’s day has just about come to an end.
Once her couple takes to the dance floor following their meal, she’ll typically make her way through the crowd, bid them a good night, and place them under the care of the floor supervisor(s) and the couple’s attendant, whose party expertise extends even beyond her knowledge, ensuring the rest of the night is full of good-natured fun!
At this point, the supervisor handles items like cake cutting and distribution, any secondary desserts or late-night bites, so on and so forth.
Seven Days, Seven Fairytales - All Dreams Come True
Where one wedding ends, planning for the next is only just beginning. This revolving door of wedding prep and celebrations allows not only our planners, but many of Stroudsmoor’s staff members, to live the magic of true love on a day-to-day basis.
With six venues on property and peak wedding seasons in both the spring and fall, Stroudsmoor planners can have anywhere between 2-3 and 6-7 events in a single weekend, including other milestone events like baby showers, bridal showers, and anniversary parties to name a few, enabling our couples to continue their wedding journey for years to come!
Do you have a wedding or other milestone you’re looking to plan? Our esteemed Event Planners would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have, or even take you on a tour! Just give us a call at 570-421-6431 | Ext. 420. Our Event Planners look forward to making your vision reality!
