We are back with Part 2 of our advice guest posts from The Plannery (check out Part 1 here, in case you missed it). I hope everyone is enjoying this guest post, I certainly am. Even though my theater background consisted mostly of playing inanimate objects (a balloon girl in Gypsy & a jello box dancer in Annie … just to name a few), I grew up with theatre in my life thanks to my two sisters and my parents bringing us to NYC often to see Broadway shows.
Not sure everyone will be surprised to know this about me or not, but I am actually a theater geek at heart and think it’s a fantastic place to find inspiration for a wedding! So without further ado, Part 2 starts now.
Why Planning a Wedding is Like Producing Theatre – Part 2
by The Plannery
Production schedules are important. Before the first rehearsal we’d always start from opening night and work backwards to create a production schedule detailing all necessary moments such as casting, rehearsals, production meetings, costume fittings, set building, and tech rehearsal. Whether you or your planner create one, make a planning timeline for yourself to use as a guide throughout the months of planning. This will not only keep you organized, but it will make sure you don’t forget important items!
Communication is key. As a producer, communicating what you expect from your team, the actors, and even the audience is so important. When people know what to expect and what is expected of them, issues don’t usually arise. As a producer I always gave welcome speeches (along with helpful handouts) to give my team, as well as the actors, a clear sense of my expectations and the schedule. Be sure to do that not only with you vendors, but with family-members and your bridal party. Just like the marketing or advertising for a play should reflect the piece of theatre, be sure your invitations and wedding website reflect and clearly communicate what kind of an event this is going to be. That way your guests will know what to expect and have a blast. Clear communication and managing expectations is a great way to head off potential problems before they ever happen.
Click inside for the rest of Part 2 of our wedding advice guest post from The Plannery!
Not everyone is going to like you. Ok, this is a hard one for brides and grooms to take in. But as a producer, I knew that sometimes I’d make decisions I knew were right for the project but that not everyone would agree on. This will happen with your wedding, too. Everyone’s a critic and everyone has opinions. Try to stay true to yourself and the project and remember that it’s ok if someone disagrees with your choices – you can’t please everyone. It’s always helpful to clearly communicate why you’ve made the decisions you’ve made (see #2 above) and then leave it at that.
and most importantly…
On opening night, sit back and enjoy the show. On opening night my job as a producer is done. I have to trust that my team has done (and is doing) their job and I actually morph into an audience member. Sure, some glitches may occur, but they are almost always completely out of my hands. I once had a door frame completely separate from the set and collapse on stage. Was I terrified? Yes. Was it my job to deal with it? No. The stage manager, crew, and actors handled it perfectly and kept on going.
So on your wedding day, try as hard as you can to sit back and enjoy it. Trust in your vendors and all the work that you put into it and enjoy the magic. Because like theatre, weddings really are magical. They are both moments in which members of a community come together for an experience so unique it can never be replicated.
1 comment
“sit back and enjoy the show” <–YES!
Weddings are too much fun to spend them all stressed out :)