Feeling the stress of wedding planning? We feel you! But what can you do about it? Who can possibly help?! There’s a superhero sidekick you can call on – a wedding planner! And they’re not just for before the day, oh no, you can have your new BFF with you on the day too to make sure everything is smooth sailing and you are as stress-free as can be! Read on to find out why you might need a wedding planner in your life!
A real life superhero who makes the magic happen…
Well, we can’t think of a better way to describe creative wedding planner Cat Duthie from Fin Flükra.
When a couple hires Cat, they’re bringing on board a second pair of hands, someone with a little black book of tips and tricks, a creative eye and organisational genius. A wedding planning wizard who will take their vision and bring it to life.
Uno and Dade’s wedding day was nothing short of incredible. A celebration complete with music, entertainment, love and laughter. It was colourful, joyful and full of life. With guests coming from all over the world as well as multiple entertainment acts playing, they knew that they needed Cat to bring everything together, not just ahead of the wedding but to be in charge on the day, making sure it ran as smoothly as possible.
We wanted to explore what goes on behind the scenes of a wedding, especially one as jam packed as Uno and Dade’s. We spoke to the talented suppliers involved to find out their thoughts and their reasons why wedding planners – and Cat in particular – are worth their weight in gold!
They bring the team together. . .
In the weeks leading up to Uno and Dade’s wedding day Cat was working hard – putting together schedules and timelines as well as getting creative with the design elements of the day and liaising closely with Uno and Dade about their thoughts and ideas.
Having been brought on for the final few weeks and to coordinate the day itself, Cat made sure to introduce herself to each supplier, chatting to them all about what they needed ahead of the day as well as letting them know running orders, timelines and set up info. This is something Cat has found invaluable for everyone involved with a wedding however big or small “When a couple brings me on for that hectic final few weeks and to support on the day of their wedding, potentially I may not know or have worked with some or any of their suppliers. So it’s crucial to get off on the right track by saying hello and reassuring the other suppliers I’m there to make things easier for them on the day and help keep the day running as smoothly as possible. I find this a much better approach than simply working with the couple on all the details and then showing up on the day without any previous contact with the rest of the suppliers involved.”
The musicians involved all agreed, Fauna String Quartet were used to working with an on the day planner but not so used to having someone contact them before the day and they found it a huge help as it meant they were fully prepared in terms of access and set up.
They’ve got logistics and details covered
Fauna String Quartet were just one of the many bands involved in the wedding. Both Uno and Dade are hugely talented musicians. Music, as Cat said, “is the not so silent third partner in their relationship”. It was no surprise then that it would play such a huge part on their day with multiple bands and musicians taking to the stage – including Uno and Dade themselves. Realising that she was running a wedding day that was similar in many ways to a mini festival, Cat ensured that everyone involved – from band members to photographers and caterers – knew when they would be able to set up, where to be at certain times and introduced them to others on site. Fauna String Quartet summed it up perfectly, “Cat thinks of details couples going it alone might not have considered. Things like logistics on the day for suppliers, considerations only someone in the industry would know of. Uno and Dade’s wedding was a wonderfully large scale event and being prepped ahead of time made things so much easier! Having that single point of contact allowed the couple and their families to enjoy their day without answering a million and one questions!”
Liaison on the day
The key to a smooth wedding day is having someone unflappable to take the reins. Someone who isn’t there as a guest or involved with other aspects of the day. Caterers and photographers are both naturally looked to by couples and their guests to deal with any problems that arise. They tend to be more visible on the day and so are easy to approach. Bespoke Catering (who recommended Cat to Uno and Dade) are used to falling into this unofficial coordination role and were quick to point out how great it was having Cat on site “When you know Cat is there working her magic we can focus on the part of the day we love the most – food and bevy! We didn’t need to worry about the 101 other things that were going on as we knew they were in safe hands and could focus on doing our job.”
Keeping things on track. . .
With a large guest list as well as various entertainment and musical acts it was, to say the least, a juggling act for all suppliers involved. Cat was on hand to ensure that nothing was forgotten about and timelines were kept to as closely as possible. Whilst at most weddings she can often be found rejigging meal timings when a speech is over running she had her work cut out on Uno and Dade’s epic day, especially with a compressed timeline. Cat rose to the challenge and, as David from Nick Bruce and His Blinding Lights was keen to point out, kept it all on the rails. “Working with Cat generally is a dream – she understands exactly what everyone needs, both couples and suppliers, and she keeps things ticking along with a smile on her face no matter the stresses. If we could have her at all our weddings, we would!” Cat was liaising closely with suppliers on the day itself, changing arrival times so musicians weren’t sitting waiting for longer than they needed and all without Uno and Dade having to do anything other than enjoy themselves!
Adapting plans . . .
Euan Robertson Photography is used to wedding days, he knows that things will inevitably overrun or plans will change and he’ll commonly be asked to deal with any problems or answer any questions. However, that takes him away from what he has been booked to do. He is adamant that he couldn’t have produced the amazing photographs of Uno and Dade’s day without Cat’s support. “Timelines quickly disappeared. Plans that had been in place had to be adapted (or completely overhauled) on the fly and it all happened without troubling Uno and Dade.” he told us. “Cat didn’t miss a beat and always seemed to have already anticipated any issues by the time I mentioned them to her. I can’t really explain well how much it helps to have someone on hand to make the day run smoothly so I can get on with documenting the day.”
All the suppliers from Uno and Dade’s wedding agreed – Cat is a safe pair of hands, calmly running the show and sorting out any problems before they’ve even arisen.
The bride herself says it best, “Cat did such a great job on our wedding day!! She was especially great at keeping the bride (me) calm when things were not going 100% exactly to plan, willing me to embrace the chaos. Such wonderful memories. Thanks Cat for all your help! God bless you loads :)”
So whether you’re planning on a wedding as spectacular as Uno and Dade’s or prefer a more intimate celebration, or indeed something in between it’s well worth getting in touch with Cat to find out how she can help take the stresses and strains of planning off you. Leaving you to enjoy the run up to one of the best parties ever!
So much to love. Christina x
