According to Merriam, Webster that is, Timeliness is defined as the quality or habit of arriving or being ready on time.
I believe it was Vince Lombardi who once said, “If you’re early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re late.”
Timeliness and punctuality are always important, however, this is especially true on your wedding day.
Most people have no understanding of what takes place behind the scenes to ensure a successful event.
One of the greatest investments a couple can make to make sure their wedding unfolds as beautifully as they have imagined is in hiring a wedding planner.
A professional planner serves as a project manager, timekeeper and coordinator. A good planner is detailed oriented, they plan every aspect of the evening and are prepared to handle and solve any problem that may arise.
I have married about 700 couples in the past 11 years. I understand that some budgets do not make allowances for a planner and some couples simply feel that a planner is not necessary.
And with all due respect, your best friend, the one who just got married and can’t stay away from the Knot is not a planner.
It is no secret that a wedding with a planner has an advantage over a wedding that is not being managed by a qualified planner.
For a whole variety of reasons weddings that do not begin on time are not being overseen by a planner.
A planner is dedicated to making sure that everything happens at the time that it is supposed to happen.
And why is timeliness so important? Well for starters, your guests have been sitting there patiently waiting for the festivities to begin.
There are whole groups of people behind the scenes that are preparing food to be served at an appointed time.
When you are late it is never their fault if the warm food has cooled and the cold food has gotten colder.
If you happen to be very late then the times that have been allotted for certain events must be cut.
And finally, the most important reason for being on time and committing to punctuality is respect.
Respect for others and their time.
I have heard brides say, “its my day, people have to wait”.
No they don’t and in fact I’ve seen them leave.
If you have such a nonchalant attitude about time it seems unreasonable to expect others to behave differently.
If you expect your guests and your vendors to respect and adhere to your time requirements you must set the example.
A planner is available for full planning, for “day of” planning and some you can hire hourly.
On such a special day you should be relaxed and at ease. You should be as stress-free as possible. Allow someone else to answer questions, to handle situations and to ensure that everything goes off without a hitch.
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
P.S. Wedding guests, arrive on time. I believe you’ve received an invitation that has a start time. I get tired of guests trying to beat the bride down the aisle, casually arriving while the processional is taking place.