It's time to pin the boutonnieres! Which side do you pin them on?

• Their left.

A bride wants 100 guests to do sparklers at the end of the night. (Eek, that's a lot!) Your response should be…

• Explain logistics and share a strong recommendation to only include bridal party and parents if they really want a sparkler exit. It’s also important to note that this will likely be before it gets dark if they want the photographer to still be there for this.

You're running the rehearsal and the mom asks, which side am I on?

• Ladies on the left

At the rehearsal, the couple keeps changing their minds about who walks first. You…

• Stay patient, guide them toward a final decision, and document it clearly for the wedding day in your binder.

A parent is being overly critical in front of guests. You should…

• Say "Let's step aside for a moment to discuss” Empathize with her emotions and assure that we have it covered. Let her know to enjoy her family and the day.

A vendor calls during the ceremony with a last-minute issue. Your first action is…

• Stay composed, remove yourself from the ceremony space and call the vendor back. Call for backup as needed, use your judgement if it's necessary to share information with the couple or parents. Don’t let parents or important people see you stressing or talking on the phone.

It starts to rain during the dance with an outdoor dance floor. What do you do?

• Prioritize safety, guide guests calmly to the backup plan, have the DJ make announcements if needed, and coordinate with the venue as necessary. A small 10x10 tent or pre-discussed backup plan would prevent equipment damage and ensure the event continues smoothly

Identify two phrases/strategies to de-escalate a tense situation and provide examples of what you might say.

• “I’m sure you can understand”

• “Let’s see what we can do to turn this around”

• “I can totally see why you’d ask that”

• “It adds a lot of chaos to your day and I don’t want that for you”

• “Thank you for understanding” or “thank you for being so cool about that”

How long does it typically take for one hair stylist to complete each service for a single person?

• 45 minutes per service

The document that outlines the final headcount, menu, timing, and logistics for catering, typically finalized 7–14 days before the event. Specifically used at hotel weddings.

• Banquet Event Order, BEO

The most common thing couples underestimate when building a timeline.

• Having enough buffer time

How long does a buffet line take?

30 minutes for 100 people to get through 1 buffet line You're encouraged to ask the caterer to add a buffet table if they have a large guest count, to speed this up!

• 1 line Buffet for 200 people, give 1.5 hours

• 2 line Buffet for 400 people, give 1.5 hours

• 2 line Buffet for 100 people, give 1 hour

• 4 line Buffet for 400 people, give 1.25 hours, just to be safe

• 4 line Buffet for 200 people, give 1 hour

If hair and makeup finishes late, this part of the day is impacted first.

• Pre-ceremony photos. You'll likely need to be extra fast during family photos, make sure you utilize "On Deck" lingo to get people ready.

Name 2 fixed items and 2 flexible items in the timeline

• Fixed: ceremony, sunset, vendor arrivals 

• Flexible: cocktail hour, toasts, first dance

The best communication channel for formal decisions and confirmations.

• Email

What do you do if a couple wants us to set up chairs and tables/linens on tables or do a room flip?

• Make sure they filled out the Final Service Sign-off doc (Sent 50 days prior), and that I send an updated invoice, and/or we get additional staff on the wedding day

The biggest mistake that causes repetitive client communication.

• Not documenting all answers in the planning portal

This needs to done before décor setup begins.

• Rentals/tables/chairs/linens placed

What 3 systems do we use for clients and internal communications/tasks?

• Honeybook: Client questionnaires/invoicing/communications

• Google Drive: Client portal, spreadsheet, questions

• Canva: Final wedding docs, sent to client 2 weeks prior

• Wedding Coordinator Overview spreadsheet: Sign up for weddings, track hours outside of wedding coordination tasks, track progress

You’re now SO READY to be a wedding coordinator. Let’s do this!