I’ve always said I was an open book and that I
want others to learn from my “life lessons.”
First if I didn’t believe in the magic of marriage I wouldn’t send
couples down the aisle week after week and year after year. Yes, I’ve been married before and from my
experience EVERYONE NEEDS a coordinator… here’s my story:
I was very young and right of out college marrying
my college sweetheart. I had just
graduated with a degree in Recreation, Parks and Tourism and since I had taken
ONE class on event planning I thought I didn’t need a planner or coordinator
personally... BOY was I WRONG! We barely
had two cents to rub together and were very creative. We did our wedding for 100 guests for less
than $4,000 ($40pp and it looked like it).
We did everything ourselves, when I say my mother was my everything…SHE
WAS! Her and her friends cooked our
food, baked our cake, and decorated the venue we got at a discount since my dad
knew the owners. My mom even made my
table linens to save money. In the
hustle and bustle of setting up, my mom spilled bennie-wennies down her dress
and had to go with a backup plan along with getting ready in the restroom
because she couldn’t go to the salon and get her hair and make-up done due to
running out of time. 
Since we didn't have anyone to tell us who went when...we just "winged it." We got dressed in the prep tent because it had more room than the restroom trailer. Due to the rain right before the ceremony, family
and friends were busy drying chairs since our venue didn’t have a site manager
on duty. With all the craziness, we
forgot to put out the arch so my mother’s neighbors were literally running it
down to the ceremony as our wedding party took their places. Just as we were pronounced (by no last name,
by Mr. & Mrs. His first and middle name by a neighboring pastor not a
public speaker or anyone that really knew us personally) we quickly took a few
photos prior to the rain falling again.
Food was great, we had one of my sorority sisters
then boyfriend who owned a DJ company give us a discounted deal, and guests
were mingling… This is setting up to be a great night right? Wrong again…since I didn’t have a coordinator
one of my aunts (who had never planned a wedding) comes to me as we are
finishing photos to tell me “no one is eating until you cut the cake.” BIG MISTAKE!
We were introduced, we did all our first dances back to back (notice by the end of my father/daughter dance the tent was already starting to empty out), followed by our toasts and went
right into cake cutting because that’s what they said to do…and as soon as
everyone ate, they left. No
kidding! Our wedding started at 4pm and
by 630pm we were back at our hotel room changing to head to Wendy’s to eat (since we never got to eat)….
How many couples have had that happen to them… NONE of ours since this then! We believe it is very important for our couples to have their first meal together as a married coupled. We even try to package food that is safe to send with our couple so they have a snack later too. Allow our team make sure you and your family gets to eat during your reception. 
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