Actually, I was the Lead Wedding Coordinator at our church for over 2 years and it was a fascinating, fun, frustrating gig. Our church performs over 40 weddings a year and I did most of those. It was a huge time commitment.
People always said, "That must be such a fun job! I LOVE weddings!!" Yes, it was fun sometimes. When you had the right bride and groom. But it could be downright painful if you got a cranky Mother-of-the-Bride. Believe me.
But the best part is that I now have some classic stories. Oh so many stories...
Have you ever seen the Mother-of-the-Groom step on her skirt while walking up the aisle and have it fall COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR? I have. :-)
The most interesting situation came about when I got a call from one of my grooms about 3 hours prior to their Friday evening wedding rehearsal:
"Anne, we have a problem."
The problem? The bride was in the hospital. But not just in the hospital...she was in surgery for an emergency appendectomy. Yup.
The kicker is that we went ahead with the rehearsal without her. And then the next day they went ahead with the wedding!
The morning of their wedding, after she was released from the hospital, we got her dressed, put her make-up on and propped her up for pictures. She was able to stand there for a couple of pictures, then run to the bathroom to throw up. Then she would come back and do more pictures. Repeat. It was awful.
She was such a trooper the entire time. Trying to smile. Trying.
And her husband-to-be? So sweet, so concerned. But helpless.
She made it through without passing out during the ceremony. But we had them sit the entire time. Poor girl.
I heard she actually danced quite a bit at their reception. Unbelievable. But true. They will have quite the story to tell their children and grandchildren about their wedding day...
I have so.many.stories. However, the only thing that would coax me back into being The Wedding Planner again would be the promise of slow dancing with Matthew McConaughey. Mmmmmmm.....
That would be a neat job. Not my kind of thing... but definitely neat. And the stories you now have I'm sure are awesome!
ReplyDeletefunny, but I was just talking about this gig of yours with a church member yesterday on the bus. small world!
ReplyDeleteA tell all book perhaps? Uhm, names changed of course ;)
ReplyDeleteWow! Not sure I could do a job like that. At least you got some stories out of it :)
ReplyDeleteJEALOUS!!!
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to be a wedding planner. probably the reason I have my whole wedding planned down to the chairs at the reception and yet have no boyfriend in sight, but oh well.
Matthew McConaughey-- if I could have a personal recorded message from him to listen to 24/7, I would need not anything else in life.
I went to a wedding a couple years ago and the bride passed out. Twice. It was kind of funny.
Wow. I'm sure you have many stories, but I can't see one topping this. Wedding Planner is like a first grade teacher in that there is never a dull moment, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteWow. I could not do that job. Too many egos in one room... and conflicting family members? Forget about it!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, though, I would have done what the appendectomy bride did - after all that money and planning, the show must go on!
Oh my, I bet you do have a lot of stories! Please post some more!
ReplyDeleteOh wow! The thought of that job gives me the heeby-jeebies... Not my thing at all... But way fun to read about!
ReplyDeleteI would love to be a planner. Planning is something I love to do. I plan parties and then beg someone else to host them. I'm not a very good hostess....definitely ..no mostess
ReplyDeleteLove that movie!!!
ReplyDeleteFor a brief time when I worked at Hazeltine Golf Club, I planned golf tournaments and weddings. OMG weddings for the ultra rich and snotty. Can you imagine?!
I was way more patient then.