The burlap aisle runner flanked with fragrant white rose petals, the flowery arches, romantic backdrops and all the ceremonial decorations don’t just pop-up all at once like magic in your ordinary wedding setup. They don’t just disappear right after either. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that. Usually, it takes a ton of (paid) hands to braid all the intricate details together and another team to take them all apart while following a very narrow timetable.

So, how do they do it? 

1. Consult the venue

First things first, talk to the venue about your plans – the setup, food, number of guests and everything else. This is very important because there are limits to every venues, Some can accommodate a hundred guests, but some only eighty. Some venues also provide their own food which makes it very important for you, the client to discuss with them the number of guests so they can prepare accordingly. In some instances, you won’t be allowed to bring your own caterer as per some venues’ policies. 

Consulting your venue before making any plans can also give them the opportunity to introduce you to freebies or amenities that can help you setup. These include a kitchen you can use, tables and chairs, kitchenware, audio-visual equipment and most importantly, a clean-up crew. If you’re lucky to have a venue that have all these, you’re potentially saving a lot of money.

2. Floor plan

Floor plans are not only made by architects and engineers when designing a home, they’re also drawn by event organizers or planners to put a large event in perspective. 

A floor plan of an event shows every detail necessary for a successful execution. Such details include, number of seating, spacing between seats and tables, how far the guests are from the main stage (if any), where the food will be, where giveaways will be and the like.

Without a floor plan, a lot of things can be overlooked and the wedding may not go as planned.

One common mistake when planning an event is not taking into consideration the number of guests, walking space and free space as a whole. This happens because other details such as AV equipment, buffet tables, seating, and decorations are detached from the plan. Consequently, adjustments are made on the day for the missed details, compromising space intended for the comfort of guests. 

3. Make time for cleanup

Like checking in a resort, renting out an event venue includes a start and end time. This means that all that you have to do concerning your event from setting up to clearing out, you have to do within the given time, because that’s what you paid for. It’s possible that there are people in line that will be using the same venue after your event which means extensions are most likely unworkable. You may also have the venue for the whole day, but leaving your 

4. Find a cleanup crew

Some venues will have their own cleanup crew available to pack things up for you at the end of your event as part of the whole package, but what if your venue has none? 

You have a lot of options when it comes to cleaning up, namely: doing it yourself, letting the venue do it for you and hiring professional and trusted cleaners. Of course, these options are all viable depending on the situation.

When do you do it yourself?

It may not be a practical solution to do it yourself because you’ll be entertaining guests, enjoying your event and basically just exhausted to do anything else. However, in some instances, it can be done with less hassle and time constraints. For example, if you own the venue or if you’re doing the event in your own property. In this case, the cleanup may wait for a day or two.

Let the venue do it for you

Cleanup is the least enjoyable thing to do in a party, gathering or even a wedding — but it’s a must — an ethical obligation. This is why some venues attract customers by including cleanup as an additional service to their package deal. Finding a venue that suits your taste, needs and has this additional service is a matchless arrangement.

Hiring professional and trusted cleaners

Now, if the venue you’re going to rent does not have its own cleanup crew and you can’t do the cleanup yourself, the best way to approach this problem is hiring your own team. Yes, there are businesses out there that offer this type of service, particularly businesses that also do home cleaning services. These businesses comprise of professionals that are trained and experienced to handle any job involving cleaning and handling of cleaning equipment and tools.