Emily Stanaland Burton, an internationally-known celebrity wedding planner, event designer, producer, and prop stylist, shares hidden Wedding 101 hacks. Below are her tips on often-forgotten points for wedding success.
Pre-planning:
-Make sure to have your marriage license complete before the wedding
-Have bathroom baskets around—there is always a need for them
Note:
Things to include in your bathroom baskets are essentials like feminine products, a sewing kit, hydration, medicine, hair ties, bobby pins, mints, floss, and nail polish. You should have them located in the restrooms where the wedding party is getting ready before the ceremony and in all restrooms of your reception venue for guests to use throughout the event.
-Pre-plan where you’re sleeping afterward and how you’re getting there
-Have your outfit steamed and cleaned—it’s often left to the day of
-Make sure your passport is not expired if going out of the country
-Stock emergency kits—things like feminine products, a sewing kit, hydration, medicine, hair ties, bobby pins, and nail polish are a must-have for the wedding party! (Emily has a complimentary kit for clients)
-Assign a point of contact the week of the wedding (can be a planner, MOH, or a parent)
-Make sure vendors are only reaching out to the planner the week of the wedding
-Scrap the middle man when it comes to vendors (using third parties to book can lead to additional fees)
-Find ways to repurpose things like tables so you’re not spending extra money on items you already have
-Transform serving tables into a fun dessert station
-Move chairs from the ceremony to the reception
-Reuse flowers/bouquets to decorate
-Create a welcome bag that acts as a wedding favor for guests
Guest etiquette:
-Don’t wear white unless instructed
-Don’t bring a plus one or extra guests if they weren’t invited
-Don’t try to be the star or upstage the bride or the event
-Know the formality of the event
-Don’t hound the bride (and groom) the week of the wedding with questions, instead reach out to a planner or an appointed person
Emily says, “We live in such a fast-paced society; although traditional options are still used, clients must understand the guest demographic and should create a website to accommodate. Post-COVID and living in an area with varying weather, I recommend clients to RSVP on a website or have a platform to plug in email addresses so planners can communicate to the masses in case of emergencies.”
For more information, please visit https://emilyburtondesigns.com/.
More about:
Emily Stanaland Burton, an internationally known wedding planner, event designer, producer, and prop stylist, mixes interior design with event design to create one-of-a-kind spaces that visually tell a story. Winning a design competition of 50 designers across the United States, Burton was featured in a reality TV show for Celebrity Event Designer and Planner, David Tutera, which led to a TV show appearance on @WEtv. Designing luxury weddings from the ground up, Burton is a regular guest speaker on TV with The Chat Ladies of Jacksonville and has worked with New York Fashion Week, LA Fashion Week, and Miami Swim Week for three consecutive years.
