Oh the things we learn...

Yesterday was my first on site all day event. Up until now I have been involved with all the details that lead up to the day of but that was a first, a near 12 hour day and let me tell you as exhausted as I was I loved it. The interaction with the bride and groom as well as the guests, the trust that they place in you when they request tasks and the joy you see in them at the alter. All in all it was a beautiful day.



The event started on Friday evening when we ran through rehearsal and a last site inspection for the couple. This particular wedding was held on an Island in Chandler...that's right I said an island in Chandler. A friend of the bride's boyfriend is a very successful guy that allows him to have his very own island in the desert. We guestimated the total size to be 3 to 4 acres. Beautiful property huge pool and endless rooms and amenities. Rehearsal on Friday ran pretty smooth and helped everyone get a visual of what the next day would entail.



Saturday Alisha picked me up around noon, the first few hours were pretty simple, making sure both bride and groom are comfortable and not anywhere near each other. There were the tasks of putting up all the self purchased decorations. As soon as the caterers arrived game time came, they brought the table cloths and we braught the over lay as well as the centerpieces. We had to set up the entire reception area along with the assistance of their family and friends. From setting out place cards to adding the lighting there were endless little details to attend to. I really had to make an effort to remember things because there are three levels, one the stuff you knew before that has to get done, two tasks that are assigned to you by the bride and groom for things to do now and later in the evening as well as the tasks that just occur to you while you are running around getting things done. I got so hot from running around. It was so much fun. All in all all the set up went very smoothly. The one thing I learned yesterday that never even crossed my mind before is steering clear of being in their photo's. Working in such close proximity with the bride and groom you are very close to the camera people all the time so you have to have a constant eye out that you are not a key character in their wedding photo's.

This wedding was a little different from most weddings as in we ate the same food as the guests as opposed to a different meal prepared for staff as well as when we had some down time we partied with the guests, which I found really cool, because it is a really nice way to interact and personalize your relationship with the bridal party and guest. I don't know exactly how to describe it but it makes you more personable as opposed to just being staff.


I really liked this wedding because it was a personal event that was unique to the bride and groom for example, my favorite part of the wedding as when the bride did a wardrobe change and as an experienced and talented belly dancers performed a dance for her new husband and it was awesome and beautiful. It is so great when they do special things like that for one another to show their love in a unique way.



After the bouquet toss cake cutting and first dances work began again, we had to make sure the bride and grooms luggage made it to their car that was picking them up as well as cleaning up areas of this kind man's house. We used a lot of the rooms and wanted to leave the house in the condition that we found it. After the bride and groom set off the big clean up started of breaking down the ceremony site as well as the reception site, folding tables and stacking chairs, I was exhausted.

All in all a beautiful and educating day.

The whole day ended in an unexpected surprise and a wonderful nights rest due to exhaustion.