After years of wedding planning, I have seen it all. We’ve had a wedding guest pass out from heat stroke and dehydration, a pregnant maid of honor go into labor during a reception, and a flower girl suffer an allergy attack from a bee sting (thank you, EpiPen!!). From broken bones to broken down vehicles, emergencies can happen, even on your wedding day. So when you are preparing all your Pinterest details, planning your layout, and meeting with your vendors, you need to ask yourself… if an emergency happens at our wedding are we prepared? If you don’t know where to start, we can help! Here is a short list to get you prepared:
Security
Stop the emergency before it happens by having some security and standards in place. Many wedding venues require security, such as an off-duty police officer, to make sure the event runs smoothly and there are no issues with unruly guests or damage to the property. Is security common? Yes! Are these issues common? No (thankfully!). The presence of security alone is usually enough to deter wedding crashers, drunk drivers, and family drama that has gotten out of hand.
Limit Alcohol
Repeat after me: No one will take shots on my wedding day. Now say it louder for the people in the back (especially the groomsmen!). Over indulging in alcohol can make your wedding turn into a party that you were not intending to have. Hiring a licensed and insured bartender is key. They will not only limit alcohol for guests that have over done it, but they will also institute rules like no shots or keg stands (hey, this isn’t a frat party) so your guests don’t get too far gone in the first place. Oh, and that million dollar liquor liability insurance policy they bring should definitely help ease your mind as well.
Take Care of Your Guests
Food allergies, heat stroke, bee stings… all of these can happen, but they are more likely to happen if you don’t take good care of your guests in the first place. When choosing your catering menu, ask around for any food allergies or diet restrictions you need to be aware of (sometimes I see this on the RSVPs!). If you are having an outdoor summer wedding have fans, cooling stations, and plenty of water. Talk to your venue about their policy on pesticides and spraying for bugs (most commercial venues have a routine for this) and see if you need to offer your guests bug spray or have citronella candles lit outside.