As much as it’s crucial to avoid putting wedding tasks off to the last minute, it’s still inevitable. It’s important to have a day-of checklist so that you won’t miss anything.
The wedding coordinator is tasked to go over the day-of coordinator checklist, which includes:
- Checking in with vendors
- Preparing tip envelopes
- Packing and dropping off luggage
- Packing the day-of bag
- Packing an emergency kit
- Preparing a contact list and wedding playlist
- Briefing the documentation team
- Transportation services
- Rain plan
Day of Coordinator Duties Checklist
Check-In With Vendors
Make a quick phone call with the wedding vendors to confirm arrangements. This ensures that their services are still available and are on the way to the wedding venue. This quick call will alert you of any issues so that you can remedy them immediately. It’s also important to finalize the payment days before the wedding so that everything will go smoothly and there’s no reason for them to not follow through with their commitment to serve.
As the payments are completed, create an insurance policy by having them sign a contract or note that confirms payment receipt.
Tip Envelopes
Ready tip envelopes to hand out to service workers after the reception. It’s challenging to tend to numerous guests and it’s common for weddings to go a little bit over time which means that all of the employees will work extra hours. Tipping them is a nice way to show your appreciation for their service. Placing the tips in individual envelopes is more organized than rifling through a wad of bills. You can even label the envelopes to ensure that you don’t miss anyone.
Bring Extra Cash
Tipping is a universal way of showing gratitude for excellent service. You might need some extra cash to tip more. This extra money is also handy for inevitable emergencies, like purchasing essentials.
Drop Off Your Luggage In Advance
Whether the couple is staying in the hotel after the reception or they’ll proceed directly with their honeymoon, it helps to pack in advance and drop off their luggage ahead of time. Make sure that the contents are complete and that there are enough clothes for the duration of their stay. Packing in advance guarantees one less thing to worry about.
If the honeymoon is abroad, make sure to pack the passports, visas, and weather-appropriate clothing.
Pack The Day-Of Bag
This bag contains all the essentials on the actual wedding day. This includes:
- Rings
- Written vows
- Extra shoes
- Marriage license
- Day-of timeline
Pack The Emergency Kit
An emergency kit is for any last-minute surprises. The kit must include:
- Pain reliever (Advil, Ibuprofen, etc.)
- Nail polish to match the color the bride is wearing
- Stain remover
- Safety pins
- Needle, thread, or a small sewing kit
- Adhesive bandages
- Tissues
- Lint roller
- Deodorant
- Fashion tape or skin tape
- Makeup kit
- Bobby pins and hair ties
- Floss and breath mints
- Portable snacks like granola bars
- Tampons or pads
- Bottles of water
- Hairspray
- The backup copy of the wedding playlist
- Traction pads for heels
- Shawl
- Umbrella
Wedding Day Contact List
This contact list makes it easy to get in touch with different people involved in the wedding, from vendors to guests. In this way, any emergency can be remedied by contacting the person concerned. The contact list must include:
- Vendors
- Maid of honor
- Best man
- Wedding planner
- Create a bridal party group chat to easily get answers to questions
- Avoid making the bride and groom the main person of contact. All questions should be redirected to the maid of honor, best man, or other close relatives.
- If there’s a wedding website, put up as much information about the wedding as possible to avoid confusion.
Wedding Playlist
There are numerous moments in between the phases of the wedding that should be filled with music. It’s best to prepare a wedding playlist which is a list of songs that are meaningful to the couple. The songs must be ready to go, and you can ask the couple for their list and download all of the songs they want. For a more convenient wedding playlist, you can craft one on a streaming platform like Spotify or Apple Music.
Brief The Photographer And Videographer
Compile a shot list and forward it to the documentation team. The shot list often includes the first look, first touch, bride walking down the aisle, golden hour photo op, family photos, etc. These professionals often follow a template that covers the basics of wedding documentation. However, if the couple wants specific shots, then they should forward their requests to the photographer and videographers.
Aside from the shot list, the photography schedule must be discussed. Everyone involved in the photos must arrive at the site 15 minutes before the scheduled photo shoot.
Arrange The Transportation Services
The bride and her parents are usually ferried from the hotel to the wedding ceremony venue through a limousine. Make sure to contact the driver and ask him to be on time. Additionally, arrange transportation for the other members of the wedding party. Inform the guests of their assigned transportation so that they know who to look for to and from the wedding venue. It’s also important to advise the guests to always be on time to prevent delays.
Finalize The Rain Plan
A rain plan is a plan in case it rains. Most weddings have outdoor receptions so it’ll get affected in case it rains. The rain plan may include an alternative venue or simply putting up tents, depending on the severity of the weather.
