Lessons in Event Planning #2

So here's yet another blog about event planning. This is a skill that I'm working on honing here in my last year in college. Being involved in multiple organizations across campus helps because most of these organizations host events. But these lessons I learned in event planning came from my very own sister's wedding this past weekend.

1. Expect the worst. Ohio weather can be quite awful at times. It rained Thursday for the rehearsal dinner and Friday for the actual rehearsal. The reports also called for rain Saturday. Because of this, I drove around to four different stores to find five purple umbrellas. Purple was important because that was one of the colors in the wedding and we wanted them to match if we had to take a few pictures outside. An umbrella picture could have been cute anyway! Thankfully the ceremony and reception was indoors so we didn't need a plan B for that. This just taught me to have a backup plan when hosting events, especially when being outside is involved.

2. Hope for the best. We kept saying if we bought the umbrellas it wouldn't rain, and it didn't! It was cloudy and a little chilly, but we stuck it out and the pictures were gorgeous. It's important to have multiple plans if something goes wrong, but it's also important to be optimistic. If you're the one running the event, your workers or volunteers are relying on you to guide them through their tasks. You need to have answers if questions arise, but you also need to have a positive attitude.

3. Just go with it. Things will go wrong. The ceremony required multiple songs for the entrance and exit of the wedding party. The night before we cut the tracks together into one song to play. We timed each entrance at the rehearsal the day before and we were fairly confident that it would run smoothly. Of course, two groomsmen had trouble rolling out the isle runner, and the music had to be paused. The bridal party walked down too fast for their section, but the song was beautiful and the suspense was built up for the entrance of the bride. Then at the exit, the wrong song was played. It wasn't a bad song, and was actually fit well, but the party just went with it. And does anyone remember these hiccups? Probably not. It's best to just go with the flow and everything will work itself out.

This just goes to show that you can learn from any experience in life!