We sat down with Jennifer Steinberg of Avidity Wedding and Event Services LLC to talk with her about her wedding planning tips.Jennifer is a Full-Service Wedding and Events Specialist located out of Cape Girardeau, MO, who has been in the wedding and hospitality industry for over 15 years! With all of her experience and professionalism, we decided to sit down with her and see what advice she would give to new brides who are planning a wedding and considering hiring an events specialist. If you missed part 1, be sure to go back and check it out to learn all about Jennifer’s 6-Hour Coordination Package.
Jennifer’s mission, goal and passion for the Bride and Groom is to make their day absolutely perfect. She will be an advocate for the desires of the Bride and Groom on their big day and all of the planning leading up to it. We can imagine that wonderful human beings who make their careers out of taking the stress off of potentially the biggest day of the couple's lives, are truly incredible people you want around on your wedding day. After talking with Jennifer, our takeaway was that regardless of the style and personality of the Bride, everyone benefits when a wedding coordinator is hired. What is subjective is the specific kind of coordination package that would be the best for each unique bride. Today we will break down Jennifer’s 12 hour coordination package to get examples of this type of package for Brides that may be considering hiring a wedding planner should be on the lookout for.
First up, we have the 6-Hour Coordination package perks that are all included in the 12-Hour Coordination package.. Jennifer describes this package as, “A perfect package for the bride who has the vision of her wedding day but needs a sounding board for ideas, vendor suggestions, and wants to have someone to handle the setup and break down of her venue.”
— Rehearsal Management
For this package, the Coordinator will show up during the wedding rehearsal and provide leadership and management, helping everyone move along and understand where they need to be when. This is great because the Bride should be having fun, laughing and enjoying her time with the Bridal Party instead of trying to get everyone under control.
— Vendor Management
Vendor Management is this type of a package is strictly the day of help. This would look like as the Bride is getting ready, she doesn’t have to call the caterer if the cake has not showed up yet, or sometimes even the food! The coordinator gets the vendor information ahead of time and contacts them the day of to make sure everything is running smoothly while the Bride enjoys her day with her Bridesmaids and family.
— Ceremony and Reception Management
Your day of or 6 hour coordinator will make sure everything is set for your ceremony: the DJ, the flowers, the candles lit, etc. In Jennifer’s case, she creates a day of timeline based on a conversation with the Bride and Groom, and communicates it to the vendors ahead of time, following up the day of. They will make sure your Bridal Party goes at the correct time and work to help solve any problems that may arise. This is a huge task especially when it comes to the reception. The coordinator will coordinate with each vendor during the reception to make sure everything is appropriately lined out exactly as the Bride and Groom had imagined it. This also comes with aiding dynamic social and family situations, helping everyone remain calm and collected.
— Venue Flip
At times, the ceremony and reception can be in the same area. Or maybe you just need to move chairs from the ceremony hall into the reception area. These are all services included with the 6-Hour Coordination package in regard to the venue flip.
— Decor Set Up
Decor set up for a 6-Hour Coordination package looks like having any decor set up for the reception except florals! This could be seating charts, cake tables, guest books, anything the Bride and Groom would like displayed at the reception
Now, in addition to all of the above, the 12-Hour Coordination package additionally includes the following:
–Formal Exit Coordinated:
For the formal exit, the sky's the limit! Sparkles are very popular and fun for all guests included if the couple is exiting during the evening. Bubbles are fun during the day! Whatever you’re thinking, Jennifer will take care of purchasing the supplies, and getting it ready for your guests to enjoy. She will also make sure this is coordinated with the DJ and the photographer!
–Venue Clean Up:
Cleaning up the venue after all the fun can be exhausting after such a long day! Jennifer will take care of the clean up with the 12-Hour Coordination Package. Save your parents, family and friends from having clean up hanging over their heads all evening by picking this package to include clean up!
–Return of Rental Items (Excluding Tables and Chairs):
Returning rental items is another stressor not only following the wedding, but the day of! When parents, family and friends have to be responsible (sometimes even the couple themselves!) it can be something on your mind that does not have to be there. Take the stress of worrying about the glass rentals away the evening of your wedding by putting Jennifer in charge of making sure they get back in one piece to the rental provider with this great package.
Hiring a wedding coordinator with a package similar to Jennifer’s 12-Hour Coordination Package is something that Bride’s can even wait and consider during their wedding planning process. Jennifer said that Brides can book her for this type of wedding even 30 days out of their wedding. This gives Bride’s who want to plan and book things themselves the opportunity to do so without having to carry too much weight on their wedding day and additionally keeps them from having to worry about the clean up. On top of that, the couple and the bridal party can focus on enjoying their evening instead of checking the clock to make sure they don’t miss the exit! Who wouldn’t want a cheerleader there to help and cheer them on the day of their wedding?! If you’re interested in booking Jennifer for a coordination package, feel free to reach out to her at (314) 724-4058!
