Be Our Guest…

There’s a reason why we’re called Knot Your Average Events…we want you to be a guest at your event.  After seeing events from several different perspectives over the past 15 years, I’ve seen a lot.  I want to share a few stories why we’ve started this year to add as many assistants as we do because it goes way beyond planning and coordinating when you hire us.   We want to create an experience your guests will speak about for years to come. 

I started out in my career as a site manager for a venue and the things I saw during those years still amazes me to today.  I am all for saving money but when your family and friends can’t enjoy the day; that kind of defeats the purpose.  I can't count the number of times I would over hear the mother of the bride calling to cancel her hair and make-up because there was too much left to do at the ceremony or reception area. Then as guests start arriving they would slip away to the restroom trailer to change and freshen up.  Between the stresses of not getting everything completed, lack of food or exhausted from running nonstop that week and day of that the family and friends are never 100% present during the event.  If they are not tired for setting up, they are already thinking of the tear down and what needs to be done next. 

Our staff loves helping couples and families enjoy their day by arriving early, and if you bring in a few more of us; we’ll even set up all of the tables and chairs then place out linens and place settings along with folding napkins.  Not to mention setting out menu cards, place cards and party favors. You never estimate the amount of time it takes to add each level of detail to each table.  Are you thinking about having chair covers?  Add another 1-2 hours depending on the team you assemble to place each cover on them and then tie the sashes.  It’s those details that get overwhelming to families and create a shortness of time and if you attempted to save money by renting a venue for 8 hours that means you have about an hour and half do everything.  We bring in a small army with those venues because you want everything set up before your first guest arrives.

Once we have everything set up, our team kind of plays superman…we go from “Superman back to Clark Kent” to blend in with the wedding guests.  Our team will traditionally dress in the event colors and “radio up.”  (All of our staff wears radios with headsets so that we can communicate with one another from across the, between parking and greeters and to let vendors know guests are onsite and prepare for their arrival.)  If our clients hires our full team for an event we will do everything from greet guests in the parking lot, welcome them and open doors upon their arrival, informed the of location of restrooms, watch over gift tables and let guests know where the ceremony areas are for a wedding.  We know you may have family and friends as greeters but sometimes they will run late or get lost in a conversation with a family member they haven’t seen in a while.   We still recommend to have ushers seat guests and hostesses to hand out programs and bottled water if the setting allows.  But by us being there, we can insure the ceremony starts on time with guests in their seats waiting on your arrival.

If there is a ceremony involved at the event, we are busy behind the scene lighting candles, making sure the catering company has appetizers displayed or ready to be passed.  We check in with the bar staff to make sure they are ready for a wave of guests at the beginning of the cocktail hour.  We also try and prepare to meet the wedding party and family with cocktails and bottled water following the ceremony.  And if there is a separate DJ or Band for Cocktail Hour we try and make sure they are all ready for once the ceremony is completed.  We try to create a flow without any dead air.

Still questioning why you should bring in a full service guest experience to your event…let’s talk about the reception.  That’s where we really shine and sparkle!  From assisting guests to find their seats, pumping up the wedding party before introductions, to opening

doors for the grand entrance, we even take the wedding party’s flowers to place them back into water.  Since usually no one remembers how to bustle the dress, we also help with the bustling of the wedding dress.  We personally like to serve our couple once they return from a restroom break.   We think it’s really important for them to eat their first meal together as a married couple.  Then we make sure any elderly or disabled guests are served at their seats by our staff while our lead coordinator handles tables to go through food lines or food stations to prevent long snake lines and running out of food while in line.  This allows the professional catering companies to focus on presenting great hot food, full buffets and/or food stations, and walk around with beverage services for tea and water.  Remember you are creating a guest experience and you want your guests to feel like they are guests.  Be thoughtful of what they also sacrificed to attend your event.  An average wedding guest spends over $500 to attend your special day and an average budget in our area of Alamance County is $154 per person.  If they are taking off from work, got a babysitter, traveling, booking a hotel, purchase a new outfit and bring a gift; that all adds up quickly.  You should return the favor and treat them to a great meal and night of fun and entertainment. 

Other little things we’ve been known to do during receptions are set up candy buffets, set out cupcake and dessert displays, and prepare for cake cutting...What? Someone has to cut and serve the wedding cake?  Yes there is correct way to cut the cake to get the most slices out of it...have no fear... we do that to so you don't have to add the cake cutting fee to your catering bill. 

We really love the next part of what we do. Want a full dance floor but don’t know how to get that? Hire us!  We’ve got all kinds of tricks to fill the dance floor.  Don’t know the

fun participation dances that your guests are waiting to jump on the dance floor to do?  WE DO! And we love teaching couples, family and friends…Grandmas are our favorite still to this day. Some just want to learn so they can be a part of the party.  Once they are all a part of the party, which is all they will talk about around the water cooler on Monday at work.  Trust us, there are so many weddings we wish there was a video camera present to catch how much fun the guests had. 

We encourage more fun with photo booths and props. With the right group of guests, parties could go on all night although most around here last between 3-5 hours max (depending on time of day, music and alcohol).  However, not every guest stays from start to finish and most of the time they may not get to tell the couple goodbye, have no fear our staff are strategically placed to be spread out in order to tell guests goodbye, thank you for coming and safe travels home.  Our goal is to welcome each guests as if they were our own family coming, make sure each one has a great experience and that someone thanks them from coming before they leave.

While the party is whining down, we’re usually blowing out candles (so that the wax doesn’t spill on the tablecloths when we are breaking down), and prepping for your exit. 

You usually don’t want to set out your exit items until it’s time to go.  However, we encourage signs letting guests know what’s going on and where everything is located.   So you have to think about who is going to unwrap sparklers, set out sand buckets,  who’s going to hand out those exit items (bubbles, sparklers, ribbon wands, glow sticks, etc.), and the biggest part….who’s going to explain the exit to your guests to insure your receive your security deposit afterwards. 

As the smoke from the sparklers settle and your parents hug the final guests as they

depart, my team of “magic elves” (as they’ve been called) break down and pack up centerpieces, check out vendors as they leave, and help pack family and friends’ cars of gifts and décor items.  We typically treat each venue as if it was our own by going room to room checking for anything left, pick up trash, sweep floors and make sure our clients get all of their security deposit if possible. 

I bet you thought that is where we ended our relationship…we hope not!  We hope it’s just the beginning.  We’ve been specializing in Caribbean Honeymoons with Sandals Resorts and Beaches Family vacations.  We hope you allow up to plan the celebration of your “I DO’s” too!  Allow us to help plan you Caribbean honeymoon, anniversary trip and when the kids come…allow us to plan your first of many amazing Sesame Street characters meet and greet family vacations too~