the wedding
planner
Professional Association of Innkeepers International
16 South Haddon Avenue
Haddonfield, NJ 08033
856-354-0030
www.paii.org
reprinted in part from innkeeping
weddings...love, patience & planning
February is the official month of romance and with romance in the air, an innkeeper‟s fancy turns
to…weddings! Weddings can be a lucrative source of revenue, but they also entail hard work and
wear and tear on the inn—and the innkeeper. If you have a lovely setting and photogenic property,
brides and their families probably already have sought you out as the “perfect romantic location.”
Perhaps you are hopeful that weddings will attract future inn guests, with weddings as promotional
opportunities for showcasing the inn. Or maybe you yourself love weddings and hope to bring your
innkeeper‟s touch to these celebrations. This month‟s innkeeping takes a look at the details involved
with hosting weddings, including contracts, marketing and tips from experienced innkeepers.
Effective attitude
Innkeepers generally share Judy Hotchkiss‟ (Prospect Hill B&B, Mountain City, TN) goal to create
events that are “lovely, loving and hassle-free.” However, achieving that elusive goal takes skill.
Innkeepers with long-term success in hosting weddings exhibit certain characteristics: they know
their limits, they remain very much in charge and they have the “patience of saints” according to Judy
Hotchkiss and “a permanent smile,” states Ike Sisane of the Williamsburg Sampler B&B,
Williamsburg, VA.
Setting limits, especially with emotionally hyper-charged guests, is necessary. “If your inn can
accommodate 120 guests for outdoor weddings, then your limit is 120, not 130 or 150, but 120,” as
Donna Andersen of the Breakfast on the Connecticut, Lyme, NY says. If only certain caterers
meet your standards, then the bridal party must choose a caterer from your list.
Remaining in charge is a business necessity. Only you know all the details of your inn—not the
wedding planner, not Aunty Sally and not the mother of the bride. You have a professional
responsibility to call the shots so that all regulations are complied with, the neighbors are not
adversely impacted and the inn sustains as little damage as possible. Judy says, “Innkeepers must
gently guide all concerned to where you want them to be with a silent, invisible, velvet glove.”
Patience, whether of the saintly or innkeeper variety, is a boon. Mike Pinkston, PAII‟s Membership
and Member Services Manager and a former innkeeper who hosted large weddings for 16 years,
notes that it is critical to take time in the planning period. Listening carefully to the hopes and
Professional Association of Innkeepers International
The World's Largest Association for Keepers of the Inn
weddings
2
expectations of all key players and then reflecting those dreams in a concrete proposal demonstrates
competence and competence breeds guest confidence.
Marketing Marriage
Begin a marketing outreach through existing channels: your own website,
web directories and advertising spots that work for you. Note your
wedding readiness on every promotional piece you distribute including
your email signature block. After you‟ve hosted some weddings, place an
album of happy wedding pictures in your parlor. Form relationships with
other businesses who serve bridal parties in your area: wedding planners,
gown shops, caterers, florists, bakers, etc. to knit your inn into the wordof-mouth network. Weddings beget weddings: guests or attendants in one
wedding may decide to choose your inn for their own. Other
promotional outlets include the annual “bridal magazine” published by the local paper or a booth at a
bridal show.
There are several websites dedicated to wedding planning, including
www.countryweddings.com, www.theknot.com and www.weddingchannel.com. Though
most wedding planning websites have a national focus, there are regional searches available for listing
your B&B as a reception venue.
Clear contracts
A written agreement reviewed by your lawyer, if not a formal contract, is necessary for clarity on
both sides. Whether you simply rent “space and time” like Chuck and Tom Hale (Pillars of
Plainfield, Plainfield, NJ) or you cater and orchestrate the whole event, clearly stated expectations for
both parties spell success.
The agreement needs to be complete, very detailed and signed by the responsible party. As far as
possible, state each condition in positive terms; for instance, “Smoking is permitted on the terrace
only” rather than “No smoking indoors.” Each inn will have specific issues that need to be covered,
but the following are suggestions:
• Costs of facility rental, whole house rental or per person charge.
• Food costs, if catered by the inn.
• Payment schedule. Final complete payment should be one to two weeks before the wedding.
• Deposit for damage, refundable within seven days if no damage. Sometimes wedding guests,
having no relationship with the inn, are less respectful of inn property. One innkeeper sets the
tone by hiring two men to open car doors and welcome arriving guests.
• The inn‟s smoking policy. (A large penalty for smoking will enlist the help of the bridal party in
enforcing this rule.)
• Deposit for room rentals, refundable if all agreed upon room-related charges are paid.
• Limit on number of guests.
• One contact person who will make decisions, (e.g., a wedding planner).
• Person responsible for payment.
©2005 Professional Association of Innkeepers International.
weddings
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Person, such as bride‟s father,
responsible
to
deal
with
uncooperative guests (especially if
alcohol is served).
Arrival and departure hours for
guests.
Hours when music may be played.
House rules; for instance, about red
wine, hot tub use, throwing rice
(suggest bubbles or rose petals
instead), etc.
Parking for guests and vendors
(caterers,
florists,
bakers,
photographers, etc.).
Access for hairdressers, manicurists,
etc.
List of acceptable caterers with
proviso
for
a
pre-wedding
consultation with caterer. (Most
health departments prohibit potluck
contributions or home-baked cakes.)
Proof of insurance from bartender
and/or caterer.
3
Tips
• Be clear about health department and other
regulatory issues. Will you need to rent Porta-Potties
for large groups?
• Before offering weddings discuss the idea with
experienced innkeepers in your local association or
attend a B&B wedding workshop.
• Always have a camera; someone‟s gear might fail.
Take candid shots of the wedding couple and offer
them a gift CD of the photos.
• Keep a supply of wedding cards on hand for
forgetful guests.
• Put away your good knives if caterers will be using
your kitchen.
• If parking or neighborhood relations are
problematic, make visits or drop notes to neighbors
alerting them about upcoming weddings.
• For large groups hire a well-dressed, compassionate
reception coordinator who can shepherd guests and
keep events unfolding in a timely manner.
• Stock an elegant box with items brides forget: nail
polish remover, pearl-headed pins, safety pins, etc.
• If you are hosting all the weddings you want, raise
your rates.
Judy Hotchkiss argues persuasively that
specific packages with limited choices
diminish tension for both the innkeeper and the wedding party. For instance, you might offer two
packages: either a cake and champagne reception or a dinner reception with two choices of entrée.
One issue on which innkeepers disagree is the advisability of hosting non-wedding-related inn guests
when a wedding is scheduled. Mike Pinkston opposes having “outside” guests: “They always show
up in golf togs, clattering at the front door, just as the bride is saying „I do‟.” Other innkeepers report
hosting “outside” guests with equanimity on both sides. Kristie Rosset (Lookout Point, Hot Springs,
AR) says when they have a garden wedding, “People enjoy watching from their balconies. You can
hear clapping from all directions when the couple exchanges a kiss.” The key is the size of the
wedding and the layout of your inn. If you can contain a moderate size reception behind closed
doors with limits on late-night noise, it might work at your inn. If not, consider a clause in the
contract that the wedding party must reserve all rooms. Frequently, innkeepers require two nights‟
rental: the preceding rehearsal night and the wedding night.
Success story
Lori Freeman (Hide-Away Inn, New London, NH) says she “loves weddings,” but has a small inn
with six guest rooms and a 40-seat dining room. She found that “most weddings want a reception for
©2005 Professional Association of Innkeepers International.
weddings
4
at least 50 guests… but I‟m a sucker for the romance and I thought there had to be a way to work
this out.”
In her research, Lori discovered an unmet need for elopements, intimate weddings and vow renewal
celebrations. She became a justice of the peace, bought herself a good black “marrying suit,” and
began to offer packages for the wedding couple and a limited number of guests.
She collaborates with a local baker, who creates a six-inch wedding cake top layer and with a florist
who delivers a boutonnière and bouquet of her choosing. The inn offers suite accommodations, a
festive dinner and keepsake wine glasses. Lori plans to acquire a digital camera and press her husband
into service as photographer.
Marketing is through all her usual venues with a simple additional bottom line: “Stress-free
elopements and vow renewals.” She hung a Justice of the Peace sign in her window and called all the
town halls in the area to alert them that she is a justice of the peace. When inquiries come she
casually asks, “How big is the wedding? Have you chosen a site?”
Lori enthuses, “I love being a justice of the peace! I tell everybody! Even if I weren‟t an innkeeper,
I‟d be a justice of the peace.” And instead of two or three weddings a year, she is now doing two or
three a month.
Conclusion
Examine your own preferences around weddings, develop clarity about your mission and offer only
what you can do well. Your inn‟s spaces and your personal inclinations will match some couples‟
needs. If you decide against weddings, you still can tap the wedding market by hosting out-of-town
guests, honeymoon couples, rehearsal dinners, attendants‟ teas or day-after brunches.
©2005 Professional Association of Innkeepers International.
All Weddings Great and Small
Stage I - The Process
What more perfect place to say your wedding vows and share the day with loved ones than a
beautiful B&B or country inn — the fantasy of many brides and grooms. If offering
weddings at your inn is your fantasy, read on…
Why do weddings?
Many inns start to offer weddings and then stop in despair, while others successfully tap this
lucrative market. Why do they do it?
An inn is a perfect setting for a wedding because you can offer flexibility, and your setting
creates memories that no hotel or even church hall can.
One innkeeper says she makes “fabulous money”, while others see that weddings
supplement the renting of rooms.
Innkeepers who enjoy helping to create a wonderful event are ideal candidates for hosting
weddings. “You have a chance to make a difference at a significant time in people’s lives,”
smiles Anne Marie DeFreest of the Inn at Round Barn Farm, Waitsfield, VT. Being a
romantic fool yourself does help.
Innkeepers who plan well find that weddings definitely increase income from facility rental
and service charges. (Accounting for all expenses is crucial to assure this and will be covered
later.)
Increased occupancy is often the reason innkeepers seek to host weddings. Wedding guests
may become regular inn guests. Out-of-state guests often arrive several days early and stay
on after the wedding. Sometimes, the bride and her mother will come in the day before.
And, of course, if you are not filled on weekends already, this is a way to change that.
Limiting weddings to shoulder and off-seasons works for some inns. Additionally, increased
exposure of the inn is a marketing advantage for which you get paid.
Things to consider first
A whole litany of things must be examined before you take on creating this special event in
the lives of an entire group of people.
Do you really need the occupancy? If not, is there a way you can offer this labor-intensive
service without affecting your other guests? Lee Raynor, Rancho San Gregorio, San
Gregorio, CA, allows wedding guests to use the farm acreage, with very limited access to the
house.
Or will you need to have indoor weddings because the weather in your area is so
unpredictable? Can you tent your lawn? Do you want to put tent stakes in your lawn?
How many guests can you accommodate? Standing, sitting, inside, outside? How many do
you want to have in your house? Because their space is so limited, the Seacrest Inn on
Catalina Island, CA, specializes in weddings for just the couple and up to 14 people who
stand up for them arranging for the minister, flowers, transportation, champagne, wedding
certificate and, of course, a romantic room—the whole package.
Do you have adequate parking? Or can you be creative in handling parking? Can people park
in your field or on the lawn?
The most common reason an inn is called on the carpet after opening is that neighbors
complain about cars taking up valuable parking space.
Do you have adequate bathrooms? Will you need to give up a guest room booking to use
that bathroom?
Will you affect the neighbors? Anne Marie asked her neighbors if a 10 p.m. music curfew
was okay. Explaining first gives neighbors a voice in a decision that then becomes their
decision, making it difficult to complain.
Do you know your legal limitations for special events? From alcoholic beverages to health
department and fire marshal, check out what your jurisdiction requires.
This is a highly labor-intensive experience, especially for larger weddings. Expect to be on
site and moving from the moment the caterer or florist arrives until you have swept up the
last confetti pieces and locked the door — even if subcontractors do all of the work. You
need to be present to ensure that the caterer follows your guidelines and children (big and
little) are under control, as well as the liquor.
No matter how hard you try and how well organized you are, this is a time when the inn is
not completely yours. Strangers will place glasses on your piano, children will pick flowers in
your front yard and someone will smoke.
Lee decided that before she offered weddings, she would become a certified wedding
consultant, which she did through the Association of Bridal Consultants (860/355-0464).
Before you plunge into marketing weddings at your inn, try one or two to determine whether
this is something you truly want to do.
What will you offer?
Now that you have decided that your building, staff and land can accommodate weddings —
and you have the delight and stamina necessary — what services will you offer?
Some innkeepers prefer to personally arrange services for the entire wedding. Most,
however, find that providing information on local florists, photographers, etc. is the best
utilization of their time.
Anne Marie screens and selects local vendors for inclusion in a portfolio, which she gives to
the couple when they sign the contract. This gives the couple all of the information they
need to make decisions, so they do not keep asking questions of Anne Marie or her staff.
Plus there is an absolutely necessary benefit — Anne Marie controls the quality of those who
service the wedding, which will ultimately represent the Inn at Round Barn Farm.
Services for which the couple will most likely ask are:
●
Flowers
●
Cake
●
Photographer
●
Videographer
●
Caterer
●
Musicians
●
Party supplies/equipment (tent, china, chairs, linens)
●
Liquor supply and bartenders
●
Ordained officiants (minister, justice of peace)
●
Carriages or other transportation for the couple
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Valet service
Other lodging, if a large wedding
Travel agents
Childcare for those children who accompany adults to the wedding
Information on marriage licenses and requirements for your state
Jeweler
Liability insurance
Wedding consultants
Bridal stores
You will, no doubt, provide some of these services by taking the time not only to locate
these resources, but also to interview and screen them before adding to your referral list.
Very often, innkeepers negotiate a 10% commission for referrals to these vendors. Others
feel that this is part of the referral network and do not ask for any percentage.
Beyond these services, you still have decisions to make. Contracts are a must when dealing
with a complex situation comprised of fathers, mothers, bride, groom, plus relatives and
families. PAII has a collection of contracts that inns use and welcomes any others to add to
this file. Members can receive this list free.
The process
Anne Marie, in her presentation at the Reston PAII III conference, outlined three stages of
the wedding relationship that make a lot of sense.
Stage one: The sales visit
When a future bride calls, be prepared to send the information she requests. In preparing for
her Reston presentation, Anne Marie made 20 “cold calls” to inns requesting information on
having her wedding at their inns. While all were prompt at sending information, only one
actually sent information about getting married at the inn. The rest sent information only
about the inn — and this was from properties who market that they accommodate
weddings.
Be sure that the wedding is suited to your property. A 500-guest wedding should be referred
to an appropriate-sized location. To eliminate “tire kickers” be specific about what you offer.
And listen to what they want.
Create a detailed folder of what you offer. The Mill Rose Inn in Half Moon Bay, CA, has
printed a full-color mini-magazine that includes ads of their recommended vendors. Anne
Marie sends a folder printed in gold on the front (The Inn that lives in your Memory). It arrives
with a gold lamé bow tied around it and two small wedding rings strung on the ribbon. This
folder is constructed like a press package with articles about weddings and the inn; a
postcard of a wedding; details of costs on the facility, food, staff, music and flowers; and a
checklist of what needs to be done by what time. She believes that the more information you
give, the less time the bride and groom will take asking you questions and the more satisfied
they will be that you are giving them your best service. Included is a cover letter containing
reasons for holding their wedding in the Mad River Valley, where the inn is located. Ninety
percent of the brides are from out of town, hence the need to know why they should choose
this place. This whole package is less than $2.
All of this is to encourage the right couple to come for a consultation and tour of the inn.
When the couple arrives for their “sales visit,” either by appointment or spontaneously,
remember that this is an important event in their lives that has great potential to generate
income for the inn. “Let the $2 worth of muffins burn or come out of the oven early,” says
Anne Marie. The time spent with this couple is crucial, because it sets the stage for the entire
relationship.
Sit down in the parlor with them and briefly discuss an overall view of their fantasy wedding.
Explain your policies and services and let them look at your collection of wedding and
catering photos. If you don’t have any, advises Anne Marie, ask a wedding photographer to
put together such an album. Give them about 15 minutes alone together, then be available
for specific questions.
This is the time during which you earn the confidence of a couple who are making one of
the biggest decisions of their lives and spending a whole bunch of money. Many emotional
issues will arise during the ensuing months. Now is the time to instill in them the confidence
that you know what you are doing and are their rock when all else seems to be a swirling
tide. Anne Marie says that many of these initial consultations, for her, happen around
Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Upon leaving, Anne Marie offers the couple a map and marks other places in the area that
they may consider for their wedding. In this way, she discovers if they are already examining
other locations and where. She also provides them with questions to ask the other places;
e.g., is parking adequate and well-lit? Plus the couple is likely to think, “Wow, she is really
confident and knows her business!” That confidence in you, for the rest of the wedding
preparations, is sealed.
The more you can tell the prospective customer upfront, the better the party.
Stage II: The contract
Every inn offering weddings for more than two or four people should have a contract.
When everything is clearly understood upfront, later disappointment (that they can’t throw
rice, but they can throw birdseed) will not occur to spoil the day. “Make your contracts stern,
but friendly. Tell the bride and groom exactly what they can do, not so much what they can’t
do,” Anne Marie DeFreest, Inn at Round Barn Farm, VT, advises. “This industry is known
for too many rules telling guests what they cannot do. Let’s try to break this image, as well as
guide brides and grooms through the wedding process.”
Contracts need to include:
o Fees agreed upon
o Fee payment plan
o Responsible party for payment
o Hours and days agreed upon for arrival and departure
o Policies
When the couple or the bride and her parents are ready to make a commitment to the Inn at
Round Barn Farm, Anne Marie sends them an indexed notebook with the contract and
sources in the area for food, liquor, photography, etc. She does not provide this information
until the couple signs on the dotted line. However, giving them as much information as
possible makes her job easier, because she does not have to handle their every question on
the best caterer or florist…they have her hand-picked resources organized right in front of
them.
To reduce the long unnecessary conversations during their decision-making process about
flowers, colors, who sits next to whom and so forth, one inn includes three hours of
consulting time in the contract, but charges $100 per hour after that time.
To prevent any last-minute disasters that reflect on the inn, Anne Marie asks that, before the
couple signs any contracts with vendors, they send a copy to her for review. The band that
required the same dinner the wedding guests were served—before they would play—could
have really fouled up a well-planned day, since they were supposed to play prior to dinner.
All subcontracts are kept in the couple’s file, as well as notes every time a contact is made
with the wedding party. This way, such as when Anne Marie delivered her last baby, her staff
could step in and be up to speed on all of the politics and details of the upcoming wedding.
“It is the details that throw families over the edge,” rues Anne Marie. “You can do
everything right, and one small thing turns it into a disaster.”
Stage III: The final meeting
The flowers are chosen, the menu is selected, the guests have responded and the emotional
upheavals have pretty much subsided. In a week or so, the couple will be married. Now is
the time for a meeting of all parties involved in its success: parents, bride and groom, caterer,
florist, musicians, everyone. Walk through the entire wedding, from the time the first person
steps on the grounds until you lock the doors. Cover the details, such as where the gift cake
knives go after they are used to cut the cake, so that the couple can take them home (answer:
on the gift table, as does the cake top) or will grace be said at the meal? Here is where those
devilish details are caught.
Schedule this meeting early, so that everyone who needs to be there knows in advance and
has it calendared. Anne Marie’s checklist is available by request for PAII members.
Another stage that former innkeeper Diana Cox recommends is analyzing the event after
everyone goes home. For her lucrative wedding business, she wrote down her feelings about
what happened that was special (weather, problems, things that worked) and how guests felt.
She also involved staff in working the wedding affair as a good debriefing and learning
process for all. It is also a chance to affirm good work and modify behavior that doesn’t
work.
Telling the world:
If you are going to offer weddings, you need to spread the word that you are doing so.
Contact anyone in your town or in a major city near you who is in some way involved in
weddings and invite them to your premises. Here are some marketing methods suggested by
innkeepers.
o Yellow pages of the telephone book.
o Engagement announcements in newspapers of towns within an hour’s drive,
as well as the nearest major city. Get addresses from information or the
newspaper and send your wedding packet.
o Wedding fairs outside the inn.
o Host your own wedding fair. Bonnie Morehardt, Seven Sisters, Ocala, FL,
solicits vendors who pay for her exhibit during the wedding fair she markets
and hosts at her inn.
o Chamber of Commerce.
o Media releases to local newspapers and bride and groom’s community paper.
o Local wedding guide in newspaper.
o Regional wedding guides (Bridal Path in New England and Here Comes the
Guide; Hopscotch Press, 1563 Solano Avenue #135, Berkeley, CA 94707,
510/525-3379).
o Send bridal magazines information about what makes your place different
from the others. Maybe create a list of five other inns and cooperatively
market to bridal publications. Try simple differences, such as front-porch
weddings or incredible arbors to walk through, spectacular lawns or romantic
staircases.
o Inform your guests in your newsletter or in their rooms. Be sure to mention
in your brochure that you do weddings.
Many innkeepers find that they do not need to promote their availability very much, because
the need is great—inns cannot handle too many and still offer rooms to regular guests. The
word-of-mouth business is most effective, if you do a good job.
Setting fees
If this is such a lucrative profit-maker, what do people charge? And how do you make the
decision? Remember, advises Anne Marie, that the paid advertising in bl magazines is ten
times the amount of paid advertising in other magazines, so others see this as a lucrative
market, too.
Fees are based on a number of factors. Innkeepers generally charge a facility fee that is based
on supply and demand, the number of room nights included, the square footage of the
facility, the number of other wedding events to be held there (such as rehearsal dinner and
reception), additional cleaning services required and hours used.
Additional fees often include a set ratio of staff per number of guests (e.g., 1:20 guests) over
and above the facility fee. If you provide china, chairs, linens or other equipment, you can
charge for those, as well.
Innkeepers find that a 10% charge (commission, finder’s fee, whatever you call it) to
caterers, photographers, florists also adds to their revenue.
Because wedding guests require so much more attention than getaway guests, innkeepers
also add a 10 to 15% surcharge to their rooms. New innkeepers often think that they should
discount their rooms, since the group books the entire house. After doing one or two
weddings, however, you will realize that the emotional toll on you and the physical toll on
the building require this extra charge.
But what do others actually charge? Anywhere from $125 per hour for less than 50 people to
$3,200 for an entire afternoon with 40 to 80 people. Call others in your area who offer
weddings and find out what they charge. Invite a wedding consultant from the area to drop
by and give you an idea of what to charge. Diana Cox would double her fee for children in
order to pay for the sitter she had to hire.
Be sure to verify the name of the party who is responsible for paying the bill.
Innkeeper opinions vary regarding whether the entire inn should be rented by the wedding
guests. This variation clearly depends upon the effect the wedding will have on the “regular”
guests at your particular establishment. At a larger property (12 to 20 rooms), innkeepers will
limit the number of guests who can make reservations at the inn, due to the mob
atmosphere that a large group can create at an inn. This limiting of guests helps to eliminate
the idea that this is a 24-hour party.
A deposit of 50% upon signing the contract is not unusual. Some inns also charge a security
deposit. Remember that you can’t go back and collect after the wedding for some breakage
that occurs. Collecting the final payment prior to anyone entering the premises is not
unusual either.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and, although mom and dad do not always foot the
bill and the couple appreciates good value, this is something they are willing to pay for…and,
generally, it is not inexpensive.
Insurance
In most cases, the innkeeper asks the wedding party to provide proof of insurance coverage
under their homeowners’ policy. Be sure to inform your insurance agent that you are
sponsoring weddings on your property.
The actual event: Innkeepers’ hints
Here are some ideas from successful wedding sites:
o Check in every inn guest individually, even if they arrive in groups.
o Develop a special welcome letter to leave in the room of wedding guests to
reiterate policies and clarify any changes, such as a later breakfast time that
you may have arranged for wedding attendees.
o Control the liquor by having the bride and groom put a cap on it before the
wedding begins. Usually, they will want to pay for less than the group wants
to drink.
o Handle problems by asking the bridal party for the name of an individual,
not directly related to the wedding (an uncle or cousin), who will not drink.
Be sure that you personally meet this individual, so that if a problem occurs,
you can get him/her to handle the situation. One innkeeper asks the bride to
assign a host and hostess for the day.
o Clearly define the areas open to the wedding party, as well as areas that are
off-limits.
o Point out the rules as a benefit to the success of the party.
o Be careful of the mix of wedding guests and inn guests. Warn inn guests
prior to arrival so they can change their reservations if they wish to. Usually,
weddings are scheduled far in advance, so guests will have no difficulty
finding another place. Offer to help them find one, of course.
o If more than five children are expected, require that a child-care person be
hired. Set up a children’s dinner table with a paper tablecloth and crayons.
o The attention span of most wedding guests is about six hours. When working
with the family to plan timespans, use this timeframe to explain why a
wedding that starts at 3 p.m. should end by 9 p.m.
o If music is planned, locate older guests in sleeping rooms that are farthest
from the band. The same is true for dinner seating; place younger people
nearest to the band.
Remember the advice that every innkeeper is adamant
about: the wedding reflects on your image, so control all of the details or at
least establish relationships with those who will. You want to create a party
that causes the guests to return to the inn.
sample contracts
CEREMONY AND RECEPTION ARRANGEMENTS CHECKLIST
Use this internal checklist to keep track of all your arrangements when hosting a wedding or special
event.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Bride’s Name:
Groom”s Name:
Date of Wedding:
Main Contact:
Main Contact’s Address:
Phone:
Alternate Phone:
Tentative Guest Count:
Final Count:
Will children be attending? YES
Count:
Number of Guest Rooms Required:
NO
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Facility Fee:
$
Per Person Charge:
$
Subtotal:
Estimated Liquor Charge:
Miscellaneous Charge:
Estimated Liquor Charge:
x
Event Total:
Initial Deposit:
Payment Schedule:
ppl =
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
/
/
/
/
/
/
$
VENDORS
Caterer:
Florist:
Cake/Pastry Chef:
Musicians:
Ceremony:
Reception:
Photographer/Video:
Photo’s Scheduled for Specific Time?
Any Photo’s Beforehand at Inn?
Organized photos during Reception?
Additional Outside Vendors or Rentals?
Obtain Copies of Contracts for all Vendors?
Vendor Specifics:
Types of Meals for Vendors?
Placement of Vendor Table for Dinner?
Vendor Set-up and Arrival Time:
Electrical Needs:
Musicians:
Photographer:
Other:
YES
NO
CEREMONY
CEREMONY LOGISTICS
Time and Location:
Length of Ceremony:
Officiator:
Location:
Off Site
On-site
Arrival time at Inn if it is a church ceremony:
CEREMONY SPECIFICS
Order of Events for Ceremony:
Is there a Specific Amount of Chairs in the 1st Row? Left:
Pew Markers
Total # of Chairs to be Set Out
Is the Mother of the Bride the Last Person Seated? YES
Special needs/props for the Ceremony?
Receiving Line at end of ceremony?
On-site Rehearsal?
YES
NO
Ceremony Music (In order from beginning of ceremony)
Groomsmen
Bridesmaids
Right:
NO
RECEPTION
RECEPTION LOGISTICS
Cocktail Hour Start Time:
Dinner Service Start Time:
Estimated time to move outside:
SET-UP
What is the meal type? Sit Down
Buffet
Stations
What is set at the tables:
Linens:
Glassware:
Dishware:
Flowers:
Silverware:
Favors:
Is there a special head table that is different in size or shape?
Other
YES
NO
Request two lists from Bride/Planner:
o One in alphabetical order with table assignments
o One is table order #1 - # of guests and says where table is in relation to the music
Provide a Diagram of layout based on # of tables and area of inn where reception will be
held
ORDER OF EVENTS
Cocktail Hour Specifics:
Will there be a cocktail hour after ceremony or on arrival?
Tables outside?
YES
NO
Passed champagne or drinks?
YES
NO
Location of bar outside:
Location of any stationary food tables:
Locations of musicians playing for cocktails:
Special cocktail hour requests:
YES
Are there announcements of bride and groom, wedding party?
- Request a list to give band or DJ
Is there a toast or blessing?
YES
NO
Are we pouring champagne for toast?
YES
NO
First Dance? YES
NO
Song:
Family Dances:
Bride/Father:
Groom/Mother
Other:
Dinner Specifics:
NO
YES
NO
How does the food service start?
Announcement?
Invitation by wait staff?
Are tables called?
YES
YES
YES
NO
NO
NO
Is there wine service at the tables with dinner?
YES
NO
Who is cutting the cake?
What to do with reception flowers:
Baby-sitter or special kid’s table needed? :
Special arrangements for kids, such as room with VCR/DVD? :
Who is taking home wedding gifts?
Who is taking home Cake top?
Any returnable/rental items? YES
NO
Special requests:
FOOD DETAILS:
Hors D’Oeuvres selections:
Dessert selections:
Dinner selections:
LIQUOR DETAILS:
Beer selection
Wine selection
Is it OK to switch to house wine if special ordered wine runs out?
Champagne selection
Hard liquors
Soft drinks and juices
What is the payment procedure for cocktails?
Who will audit liquor bill?
Responsible party for payment?
YES
NO