The timing on your wedding day can play a crucial role in your wedding day success and happiness.
Because my company has 44 DJs, and because we do as many as 25 weddings per weekend, we sometimes have the ability to notice trends and behaviors that might otherwise go unnoticed.
This short story describes a syndrome that happens fairly often – The Timing Snafu.
This past Saturday, Anna and I were the DJs for Richie and Melanie at Castleton in Windham, NH. On Friday evening, Anna spoke with Melanie at length. They went over all the details, including the timing and flow. Anna confirmed that we would have music on at 10:00 am, and Melanie would approach for her vows at 10:30 am – outdoors, at the gazebo on the right.
We arrived at Castleton at 8:30 am to ensure time to set up the ceremony system at the Gazebo – outdoors, and the reception system in the ballroom – indoors.
Our policy is to inquire with staff to be sure we are all on the same page.
The owner’s son instructed us to set up at the ceremony area over to the left. We were just finishing the set up, when he jogged over to us and apologized. He told us we had to move to the other Gazebo – over on the left. It is frustrating…but these things happen. We told him it was not a problem at all, and began to quickly move everything to the other location. We still had enough “squish” in our timing to be on time and dressed appropriately before guests arrived.
Just then, the coordinator, Heather, who is a perfect 10 as wedding coordinators go, walked up and wanted to confirm that music was to be on at 9:30 am, with ceremony vows at 10:00 am. Remember, we were planning to have music on at 10:00 am and vows at 10:30 am. Anna and I, wearing our polo style “CURTIS KNIGHT ENTERTAINMENT” wedding set-up shirts and black slacks, both drenched in sweat, looked at each other as instant panic set in. Now, we could not possibly be ready…
Anna and I agreed that she would run for the van and change into her gown while I finished setting up both systems and started the music. She would, then, replace me, and I would go change into my tux.
As she returned a few minutes later, the bridal party was lined up and ready to go. Anna had no choice but to begin the ceremony – without me there to spot for her (e.g. give her signals as to when each member of the wedding party would launch). There was no direct line of sight. I was franticly trying to change into my tux as fast as I could, in our van.
By the time I jogged back, the ceremony was well underway. All parties were in place with clergy performing the ceremony.
There had been a snafu, though: Anna did not have a direct line of sight to the wedding party, and because I was not there to spot for her, she had delayed the bride’s entrance by about a minute while she tried to understand the hand signals of Heather, our wonderful coordinator. Because Anna and Heather do not know each other well, and because there was a considerable distance between them, Anna mistook Heather’s signal to mean that she wanted the music for the bride’s entrance delayed. After a minute, Anna figured it out and played the processional.
Melanie made her approach, and all was well. She did not seem to notice, or care about, the slight delay. To Anna and me, it was monumentally devastating and we were crushed. We always want things to go perfectly: No exceptions. I don’t think Melanie ever knew that we were crazy lunatics trying to overcome the loss of a half hour and misdirection.
The point of this story is this: Check and double check your timing and details. They are of excruciating importance and can be the difference between success and failure.
Curtis Knight
Curtis Knight Entertainment
http://www.curtisknight.com
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