Plan Your Meetings

Timing is everything: July 2009 morsel

One thing that is so important to event planners, but that we tend to glaze over, is the timing of an event. When doing an event timeline, we need to take into consideration our guests and how this timeline will affect them and their experience.

Let me give an extreme example of what can go wrong. Recently, I went to a little country wedding and the couple got married at 1 p.m. The ceremony was over at 2 p.m. (They were Catholic, so they had to do mass.) The reception was intended to follow immediately — but it didn’t. By the time pictures were taken, the bridal party completed the 30-minute drive to the reception, the happy couple was introduced, and the bridal party did champagne toasts, it was 5 p.m. before any food was served. So what about the guests? Good question! What about them?

When doing a wedding, corporate event or customer party, etc., understand that if you want it to be successful, it can’t be all about you or your clients. Yes, even at a wedding. Your guests and their well-being has to be taken into consideration every step of the way.

I recommend that when planning an event look at it from the guests’ point of view. If you look at the timing from their eyes instead of your own, you will end up with a more successful and cohesive event — with much happier guests.

You may now kiss the bride.

That is my story for now, and I am sticking to it.