The World According to Weddlady

Math For Wedding Planners

It's way late, and I'm up finishing touches for Kerri & Chico's big fall extravaganza tomorrow (pictures that will be worth checking in for...the room already looks amazing!).  I grant that I'm a little slap-happy after 7 hours on site today, but I think it's inspired me.

You see, I was pondering one of my biggest questions for tomorrow - how will I set up the place card table - when I realized that a life defined by creative avoidance of all things "Math" is bringing me right back to the heart of my nemesis.

- I am always miscalculating the amount of ribbon I need for any event.  For example, I have 10 rolls of useless copper orange ribbon sitting on my computer desk at the moment, while I'm meticulously rationing my chocolate grosgrain.  I will someday write a book about the joys and mishaps of full-service planning titled "Another Weekend Searching for Ribbon" or something equally pithy.

- Yesterday I actually looked up the formula for calculating the circumference of a circle (then I looked up "Pi" because I am that lame) in order to determine how many placecards to put in each "ring" around the table tomorrow and what margin I should leave between cards.

- Don't even get me started on budget projections, totals "plus plus", gratuities, taxes, wages, time allotments, ad space, alcohol quantities, table specs, tent specs, wattage and amperage, room dimensions, capacity, and more.  An advanced degree in physics, accounting and calculus would make this job a breeze!

And you thought wedding coordinators just played with flowers and ate cake!

I started high school wanting to be a marine biologist (after some inspirational trip to Sea World, no doubt).  I planned to attend the University of the South Pacific in Fiji (no, I've never been to Fiji...), and then do advanced studies at UC San Diego.  I even went to Sea Camp TWO summers in a row.

I also skipped fifth grade which is evidently when my generation learned fractions.  That's a setback I didn't feel I could overcome, and when I found out that MATH would be required to become a marine biologist, I reset my sights, ultimately chose a scenic college (don't worry, W&M ultimately put me in my place) and an "easy" major (my senior thesis professor in the History Department showed me the error of my "easy" choice) and the rest is a bad pun.

A degree in Marine Biology would probably have saved me loads in ribbon excess and some time determining how to cloth a serpentine table without using skirting.  I might also have pet a few more dolphins - but I wouldn't be where I am today.

Let it be a lesson to aspiring wedding coordinators of all ages - either pay attention in math class, or find a spouse/loyal friend/partner or genius pet who will back you up with math skills.  You'll quite certainly need them.

Happy Planning

Shayna Walker

Williamsburg Wedding Design

The Life of a Real Wedding Planner

Lest you ever think my life is TOO easy, it's 6:30 am on a Saturday, and I am on my way to a venue to meet a rental delivery (everything from catering rentals to tents) for my wedding this evening.  I'll come home for a couple of hours between tasks (and if I'm really weak, I'll stop at Panera for a cinnamon crunch bagel - it's calling to me!), stop at my office to finish some paperwork, then head back out for a late-evening ceremony followed by a reception scheduled to end at 12:00 AM.  My crew and I will stay to clear the personal belongings, gifts, etc. and are hoping to be off-site by around 1:00 AM.

And you thought I just go to weddings every weekend and eat cake!  LOL.

Happy planning.

Shayna Walker

Williamsburg Wedding Design

Diary of a Real Wedding Planner

Newsflash: My life isn’t perfect.  I don’t know if there’s anyone out there who really thought it was, but in case there is, just know now that it’s not.  I had a hugely imperfect year on the personal side, and a successful, but challenging professional year.   

But I love my life, imperfections and all.

I love my kids (the source of much daily aggravation but way more affection, support and hands-down humor). 

I love my home – new (to me) and small, and in desperate need of vacuuming, it is a safe haven for those I love most in this world, and I am grateful for it.  I even love my dog, though I can be heard almost any time of the day uttering epithets at her that would belie that affection.

I love my mother, my job and my present and even my past (painful times and all).  I love my future and have great hopes for it. If tomorrow my whole world should shatter, I love that today I was grateful for what I had.

I appreciate you, reader, and love that you made it this far into a kind of narcissistic post about why it’s so good to be me.  I have hope for you as well – hope that something here will inspire you to remember what you love.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year

We're Hiring

That's right.  It's official.  Williamsburg Wedding Design is officially hiring a new coordinator to back up and assist our senior coordinator!  The position will be part salaried and part commission.  It requires a strong education, great people skills, a good driving record and a host of other skills and experiences that all come together to make a great wedding pro!

We are extremely picky - if you think you have what it takes and are interested in applying for the position, please e-mail us and either include your resume information in the body of your e-mail (not as an attachment // email to shayna@weddingsbyshayna.com) or ask for our fax number, and we will acknowledge your inquiry asap.  USE PROPER GRAMMAR & SPELLING or your inquiry will be discarded.

Top 10 Things I Love About My Job

      1.     I love that I HAVE to read Martha Stewart Weddings as an important function of what I do.

      2.     I love going to 25 weddings a year without having to shop for the perfect gift.

3.     I love crab cakes (and who else, besides a wedding planner and maybe a caterer gets to eat them roughly every other weekend?).

4.     I love Sweet Home Alabama, especially the first few notes.

5.     I love bridal shows, trade shows, expos and pretty much any event that involves 6-foot banquet tables, personalized pens, brochures and coupons and a mass of humanity.  My next job will probably be giving out food samples at Costco on Saturdays. lol

6.     I love giving a hug instead of saying I told you so when I’m thanked by a hard-to-convince groom or father-of-the bride at the end of a successful wedding.

7.     I love baby pictures – the first mark of success to come out of many of our weddings.

8.     I love wedding cake – but I don’t love fondant (looks pretty enough to eat, but lets all face it – it’s awful stuff).

9.     I love how accomplished I feel when I first try to get out of bed the morning after a wedding,   I love the cramped feet, the hunch in my back and the red eyes – clearly it means a job well done.

10.  I love that my job is real, and hard, and that a lot of people neither respect it nor understand it…especially those who covet it.  I don’t mind a challenge, and I love proving negative people wrong. 

ALTAR This!

This is an altar:

In fact, the above photo is of the embattled Wren Chapel altar.

The bamboo-leaf-type-thing seen here is an altar:

There are altars in most churches, altar boys, altar calls, altar rails, altar servers, altar railings and altar stones.  Lots of altars, lots of different kinds, lots of different uses.

None, and I mean it, NONE of these is an "alter".

Okay, not everyone is as sensitive to spelling as I am, and I once again reiterate that I almost never proof my blogs, so I'm sure I have slaughtered all sorts of messages.  BUT, as a wedding professional, a servant to my industry, and a person who cares about accuracy (even if I don't always achieve it), I DO know how to spell some of the key features of nearly all weddings.

I always type "Veil" and never "Vail" unless I'm in Colorado.

I always type boutonniere - yep, I worked on that one for a really long time, but I've got it.

I know exatly where the hyphen comes in when spelling hors d'oeuvres, and even where (and why) the "s"s are placed.

I am decently versed in the difference between honor and honour, and at the very least know where to go to look it up if I forget.

I know that it is almost never correct to spell out Reverend and that Rev. and Mr. follow a lot of the same rules.

And I don't ever agree to move "alter" arrangements, get you to the "alter" on time (sounds like you're on your way to be neutered) or light "alter" candles.

If I get one more floral estimate, timeline, or program with the word "alter" standing in for the real deal, I will be sending it back with the largest Webster's Dictionary I can find, and if you are a particularly bad violator, it's gonna get dropped (watch your toes).

Wedding professionals...this one's easy.  Alter is a term used to describe the process of changing something.  Altar is a place where almost all of our clients get married.  You see at least one nearly every weekend.  Have some respect and learn how to spell it.

Jumping off my soapbox.  =)

Shayna