Good Ideas for Wedding Day Volunteers!
Since the moment you announced your engagement, you were probably besieged with offers to "do whatever needs doing." This is wonderful. By all means, you'should allow people to lend a hand. After all, you can't do everything yourself. But be sure that the person making the offer is reliable! Many a friend or family member will talk a good game, but will they actually go to bat for you?
The following are ideas of what can be done by volunteers outside of your bridal party. I have already covered some, but will repeat them here for good measure:
* Obtain a house sitter for your parents' home and your home, for the hours of your wedding and reception. This unfortunately means someone who cannot attend your wedding. The groom's parents may also wish to consider doing the same, as a safeguard against burglary.
* Will you need babysitting service for the children of out-of-town family or friends? If your parents are willing, the children can be watched at their home, alleviating the need for a separate house sitter.
* Finalize all volunteers to take pictures and videotapes of your wedding day. Find out what film you need for each person and buy adequate quantities. Assign one person to collect all film. Whether or not you have that person drop it off for development is up to you. If your honeymoon plans keep you away longer than three weeks or so, that person should notify the shop of your estimated pick-up date. Otherwise, the shop may consider your photos abandoned material.
* Select "guardians" for your open bar and hors d'oeuvres. These volunteers should not be a part of the bridal party. Give your hors d'oeuvres guardian a list of what you have ordered. Your beverage guardian should place himself or herself at the bar. While maintaining an easy flow of conversation with their fellow guests, your bar guardian should keep one eye on the bartenders. Too much'over pouring? If an adding machine or cash register is being used to calculate prices, is one price entry being made per drink? Are top-of-the-line brands being used only when requested? Now, should a problem with either service occur, the guardian should approach a waiter or waitress and ask for the reception coordinator or manager, in order to solve the problem quietly and efficiently.
Are delivery people needed on your wedding day? For example, are you providing a cake top that you didn't wish to leave with the banquet office three days before your wedding? Were your ceremony programs inadvertently left at home on rehearsal night? A volunteer driver comes in handy in situations such as these.
And, speaking of drivers, do you have to go to your final hair appointment alone? Ask someone to bring you. You're going to be nervous and excited, which affects your driving skills. Also you're going to have a huge veil on your head which only makes your peripheral vision even worse. So, take along a calm friend who knows everything you are supposed to bring with you (such as pins, barrettes, combs, flowers, your veil, etc.) I Pack a large cosmetic bag (preferably one with a strap or a handle)
Include any other items of personal preference, such as your favorite perfume, and ask that a female friend not in the bridal party pick up this bag at your home or your parents' home on her way to the church. This volunteer should be invited to the picture room, in case you should need anything.
If you have provided your own wedding cake, chances are the support columns and dividers need to be returned to the bakery. Any volunteers?
Did you supply your own bar service? All the unopened bottles will either have to go back to the store for refund, or brought to your parents' house, or wherever you dictate. Is someone willing to do this for you?
Any specialty items that you rented (such as a champagne fountains, chairs, etc.) will also need to be cleaned and returned. If you are dealing with several rented items, it is best, not to mention thoughtful, to ask a "team" to help. After all, many hands make light work!
The tuxedos must be returned. Of course, between the ushers and the best man, someone in the wedding party should be in charge of this function. But, if for any reason, no one is, seek out someone who can do this for you. Just keep in mind that if the rental store is not open on Sunday (or more important, if your wedding is on a Sunday), that volunteer must be able to return them by the time limit indicated on Monday!
The same request applies if you rented your gown. Airport transportation may be necessary for you and the groom. Of course, you can always rent a limo and go in style. (Just make sure, however, that someone is on hand to pick you up when you get home!)
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