We’re nearing the home stretch of wedding planning, so it only seems appropriate to introduce you to a super-star vendor who came to the party a bit late in the game. Katharine thought she didn’t need a day-of coordinator… that is, until she started working with Ashley.
From Emily: We’ve worked with Miss Ashley Baber of Ashley Baber Weddings several times before, and both Katharine and I (and Lara, of course) love her. She was a champ at our last issue’s Serenbe shoot, and sends us tons of beautiful weddings to feature on the blog (as evidence, see here, here, here, here, and here). We were all thrilled when it was confirmed she’d be joining us in Boston for Katharine’s wedding (there was lots of squealing on that phone call)!
Ashley is such a pro, and we know she’ll make sure Katharine’s big day is one that everyone can enjoy, from her family to her office mates. Plus, who wouldn’t want this smiling face at her wedding?
From Katharine: I want this smiling face at my wedding! And, lucky for me, she apparently wants to be at my wedding. Victory! After months of planning, I’ll confess I didn’t know what exactly a day-off (or weekend, as the case may be) coordinator could add. Emily, ever anxious to talk about weddings, was quick to list off the many tasks I likely wouldn’t want to do, but would have to do, without a coordinator.
Create a detailed timeline of the events. Run the church rehearsal. Check in with vendors and confirm their arrival details. Handle last minute phone calls, and deflect potential crises. Oversee reception set-up. Wrangle my massive bridal party, and make sure little sis doesn’t take too long getting ready. (Sorry, Bis, had to out you there.) Make sure Grandma Busam and all the other ceremony readers know their cues. Usher guests onto the buses that will take them to the reception. Coordinate and oversee the reception timeline. Run interference whenever and wherever possible.
Needless to say, my head was starting to hurt even before Emily had finished listing off the behind-the-scene duties that go into pulling off a wedding. Before Type-A Emily could come up with any more tasks, I promptly agreed Ashley was a necessity.
Ashley and I already have had an hour and a half planning session over the phone. I’m proud to report we have a working timeline, and Ashley has a better idea of the in’s and out’s of the weekend. (Truthfully, I’m a little surprised she hasn’t backed out yet. I was sure our phone call would send her running quickly in the opposite direction.)
In other news… Two weeks ago, we gave you a sneak peek at the custom veil Annette Thurmon of Chaviano Couture was designing for my wedding. This week, Annette emailed me announcing the veil was finally ready! (I’m embarrassed to admit that this veil has been one of my very favorite parts about the entire planning process, so needless to say, I was psyched.) I don’t have the veil in hand yet, as its making its way up to North Carolina from Annette’s home in Atlanta, Georgia, but the gorgeous designer was kind enough to model her work for me. I can’t promise I’ll look like that in the veil, but I know I sure do love it!
If you’re thinking the veil looks a little different than the inspiration pics we shared with you a few weeks ago, you’re exactly right! Last week, Annette sent me an inspired email detailing a brand new design for our veil. Rather than having an all-over lace border that might compete with the clean, simple lines of my dress, Annette suggested we scrap our original design and go with a scalloped lace border and free-floating blooms along the bottom half. That way, the top and sides would be just as simple as my dress, without any fear of the veil detracting from the main event. It wasn’t what we had been planning for the past 8+ months, but I am so glad she modified our vision to help create the perfect veil. These pictures are just making me itch to try it on!
I’m still debating what to do with the veil after the ceremony. Do I take it off immediately after the “I do’s”, throw it over my arm for awhile, or some combination of the two? Any pointers from fellow cathedral veil wearers would be greatly appreciated.
Weigh-in: Are you hiring a wedding planner? Are you hiring a day-of coordinator? If you’re already married, were you happy with your decision?
All images except Ashley’s head shot c/o Our Labor of Love. OLOL is an SW sponsor.
Previously:
Intros + Inspiration Boards // The Bridesmaid Dress // The Photographer // The Wedding Website // SW Goes to Kleinfeld // The Paper // The Flowers // The Cake // The Groom’s Look // The Bride’s Look // The Ceremony
Chaviano Couture is not an SW advertiser and no free services are being received. Ashley Baber is not an SW advertiser, however, Ashley approached Katharine about providing her services as a personal gift. Her travel and expenses are being paid for and Ashley is looking forward to building her destination wedding portfolio. Katharine’s planning posts are written to share her experiences and personal recommendations, not as advertisement for vendors. We don’t even tell the vendor that the post is being written. We just love em : ) Katharine’s only free vendor is… Lara. Lara is working for Luna Bars.
Katharine,I hired a day-of coordinator too. I didn't have a full on event planner, but I hired my day-of coordinator about 3 weeks before the wedding out of shear panic! There were some final details and loose ends that my Mom and I did not know how to tie up ourselves. She helped us with the schedule for the day, she contacted all the wedding party with detailed plans, she even put together our baskets for the programs, she helped at the rehearsal, annnddd put together an amazing wedding day emergecy kit. There are probbaly more things she did that I jsut do not remember or was not aware of. I really do not know what we would have done with out her. We did have the wedding coordinators at the Church, but they just handled ceremony details.As far as the veil, I wore a cathedral length veil as well. LOVED IT. It feels so bridal and oh so southern :)Buuut it was pretty annoying having to scoop it up all the time. It was not fun when people stepped on it or I sat on it! I just kept it on for pictures right after the ceremony and then took it off once I got to the reception. But I wore a blusher down the aisle, so I flipped that over backwards and wore it for the first dance. I was planning on keeping it on for the whole reception, but it started bothering me, soooo I stuffed it in my pocket of my gown. No joke. Who does that? Oh well!!Sorry for all the details! Hope this helps a little!
I had a day of and am SO thankful. She was clutch. She made sure everything went smoothly and if something didn't, I never knew. Also, I wore a a cathedral length veil and I agree with the above comment, it can get annoying to have to scoop it up and have someone else pick up your train. It's just too much to fuss over. So I wore it for the ceremony and all the pictures and then took it off for the reception. SO glad I did that. I had a custom made hair piece made by RachelLarraine.com and wore that in my hair for the reception to add a little something extra to my hair. It wasn't worth it to me to wear my veil to the reception and have someone step on it, etc and it rip out of my hair and thus mess my hair up :)
I'm bustling my chapel length veil so I can wear it a bit longer. They are adding two little loops to the edge about halfway down and those loops hook onto the comb. I plan on wearing it for the first dance and then taking it off for dinner and dancing.
Hi Emily, Jenny + Sarah!So glad to hear your day-of coordinators were a success! I know we made the right choice in bringing on Ashley. (Of course, it's always nice to hear success stories from fellow brides, thought.)It seems the general consensus is that I should wear the veil for pictures, the ceremony and maybe the cocktail hour, but ditch it for the actual reception. Sounds reasonable to me – and probably smart, if I have any hope at all in preserving my veil :)Thanks so much for your input! This is really helpful.xo,Katharine @ Southern Weddings
I worked with Ashley and one of her associates for day-of-coordinating my wedding. You have gotten yourself the best! You and your parents and your groom will look back on your wedding day and know that this is one of the very best investments you made. You really can't put a price on all the stress she'll save you!
i took some pictures with my cathedral length veil and then removed it for some informal shots at the end of post-ceremony picture taking. i replaced the veil with a flower that i wore to the reception. i really don't like the look of veils at a reception, even short ones. (birdcage is ok in my book to wear all day ;) )
Great decision to hire a Day-of Coordinator!!!! Many brides who are willing to put forth the effort can go without a full wedding planner, but NO bride should be without a coordinator on her wedding day – for the excellent reasons you listed in your post and many more!As for the veil, it is entirely too gorgeous to take off after the ceremony and never wear again. You need to figure out some way to wear it for at least a little bit of your reception!
i wore a long veil but only for the ceremony and a few pictures @ the church after. EVERYONE was stepping on it and it was just easier to have it off. however, i wasnt much a a veil girl…but you might be. so i would advise just to keep it on until you feel iuncomfortable. then hand if off to someone that you trust so it will return to you the next day:)