It Takes a Village

There are no truer words when it comes to planning a wedding. No matter how seasoned you might be at pulling off a big event, there is nothing like planning your wedding and coordinating the vast number of partners involved in doing so.

We have shared our musings on wedding planners before, but today we want to talk about wedding boards of advisors! Yes, you read that correctly.

Think of this board of advisors as a group of trusted friends and family charged with helping you wade through the all your planning choices, breaking a deadlock on topics you and your groom-to-be can’t agree on and, on the big day, handling those pesky eventualities that neither of you should have to (or will want to) be bothered with. And, for those overly enthusiastic family members, the board of advisors is a great way of including (and buffering) them.

How is the board of advisors different from your wedding party? Well, it doesn’t have to be. But, let’s face it: we all know that our BFFs are not always our BOFs (best organized friends), not to mention, your attendants will have other big duties to take care of. So, pick advisors who love planning, have great ideas (and taste) and will appreciate being part of your wedding in an unexpected way.

We all know that our BFFs are not always our BOFs (best organized friends)!

Now, keep it simple for everyone involved:

1- Make sure you and your board know how much time you’ll be asking of them. Schedule a small number of meetings at which you will review all of the decisions you’ve made or need to make. Sure, some things will come up on the fly, so call on one of your board members, being mindful of the number of times you reach out to them.

2- Make sure your wedding planner knows who is on your board and that they have permission to make decisions on your behalf. If it makes sense, based on your advisor's interests, assign each to a particular area: flowers, food and beverage, music, etc. 

3- Make sure to stick to the decisions you all make as a group. You don’t want your board to feel like their time has been for naught.

4- Above all, make sure you thank your board by fully enjoying your time with them before, during and after the wedding. And, as you know, we believe a lovely hand-written thank you note will go a long way, too.

If a wedding is about the bringing together of two communities of friends and families, why not get that party started as you start planning your party!