Ask the Experts

By Michael Evans Putting together a great wedding doesn’t happen by accident. It takes careful planning and the enlistment of talented event professionals. Use the following tips to help plan your perfect day. Take some time and visualize your event: close your eyes and walk through it in as much detail as you can, from start to finish. This takes a little time, but you’ll find that it enhances creativity and helps you anticipate and avoid problems. Your site sets the tone for the experience: make sure your site fits the guest list — don’t try to squeeze too many people into the venue. And don’t pick a huge site that will make a small gathering feel uncomfortable. And remember, you’re not just choosing a site for an event — you’re also choosing a backdrop for your wedding photos. Be clear about your reception’s purpose: This helps you create the right setting, mood and format. For example, if …

  From the first wedding they coordinated, Sedika Franklin and Angela Williams of Double Platinum Events established their professional reputation as meticulous planners who never overlook a detail. They’d received a call in early November for the December nuptials of a wedding coordinator who was getting married herself. They set up the initial consultation and used their comprehensive checklist to make sure the bride had covered every aspect up to that point. “We quickly discovered there were many elements that needed attention,” Franklin said. The bride was relying on family and friends for many key aspects of the event, including having a friend as DJ for the reception. So when that friend refused to serve as master of ceremonies at the reception, Franklin and Williams swung into action and moderated for the rest of the night. Four years later, the lessons …