5 Things I learned as a Wedding Planner Intern [ by Cheyenne Catli ]

Hi! My name is Cheyenne Catli and I am a 2016 Chapman University college graduate. I received my degree in psychology and after graduation I felt the psych game wasn’t for me. I decided to dive into event planning and landed an internship with LVL Weddings & Events. I am wrapping up my time with the LVL team and I want to look back and appreciate the vital information I have learned during my stay here. So many minute details go into every aspect of an event and each day has been a wonderful learning experience. 

1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. The first wedding I assisted was at Casa Romantica in San Clemente. I had no idea what to expect . No one had arrived yet and I didn’t know what direction to take. I saw LVL’s Principal Planner, Amy, and I asked for her advice on what my next steps should be. We walked around the venue and she guided me though set up until the Lead Planner arrived. If a familiar face hadn’t been there I would’ve been a sitting duck!

2. Try, try again. My next wedding was located in Fallbrook at a private estate. I took the opportunity to work the entire day to shadow Heather, rather than just a short shift so I could be a mental sponge for the day. I believe this was my biggest day of learning with LVL. As we were setting up, Heather asked me to put name tags on the reserved seats for the ceremony. I put them on the opposite sides as if I was facing the guests, not facing the ceremony. Heather allowed me to mess up so that I could fully learn from my mistake. Ask questions and look at all possible options before execution.

3. Weather is an unexpected guest. Watch out for frizz because the wind will getcha! Each outdoor wedding I have assisted, there has been a mild climate dilemma. The wind is most hectic during setup with loose papers; menu cards, place & escort cards, table numbers, etc. The trick is to transform flatware into a multifunctional paperweight and with a quick adjustment before the guests take their seat, voilá, ready to go!

4. Pay attention to detail. At The Modern in Long Beach, I learned about details of design. At setup, we needed to chevron the chairs before the ceremony. I started putting them in place. Principal planners, Arielle and Britt, showed me how to properly mirror the chairs and how each leg of each chair should be at a specific position so all chair were perfectly aligned. Sometimes you need to look into another person's perspective to understand the intricacies of design. 

5. Teamwork makes the dream work. I believe one of the most important parts of executing a successful wedding is the planner-vendor relationship and feeling comfortable relying on one another. Wedding vendors are the legs wedding planners stand on. Working as a whole takes stress off of everyone and creates a cohesive team effort. They deserve many "thank yous" and extra help during planner downtime. Feeling appreciated is what its all about!

xoxo,
Cheyenne Catli