It seems all fun and glamorous but wedding planning is not all that easy. Dipannita Mohanty, Wedding Specialist and Sales Catering Manager at Four Points by Sheraton Pune tells us what goes on in the mind of a wedding planner!`

GUEST COLUMN

116 | WEDDING VOWS APRIL 2016

“Teamwork makes the dream work”Calmness matters a lot in the job. However, there is a thin line of difference in being a perfectionist and a control freak. If you believe that you need to take charge of all the work that needs to be completed, with high standards, then you may have crossed the line! One important truth that we have to keep in our mind always is that events are successful only when there is immaculate team work involved, and seamless coordination among the respective departments.

Sometimes, it is difficult to control the activities, especially when 2 or 3 events are happening simultaneously. So when things go wrong, we need to be innovative and quick thinkers to provide the best possible alternatives to our clients. One has to act quickly and prudently to prove your mettle as an event manager. It takes nerves of steel not to crumble and to take control of the situation authoritatively and carefully direct a new plan of action. You really must “Keep calm and carry on.”

“It’s Not All Play and No Work!”People are envious of the role of an event planner thinking what an easy job it is! All they have to do is roam around with guests, assign tasks to others and have a gala time during the wedding. It is true that the job has many incentives, but it certainly isn’t always as glamorous as many people imagine it to be!

In reality it is hard labour. It involves long hours and

tonnes of work to ensure everything goes as per plan. Elasticity is the key and you need to be prepared to work continuously and for as long as necessary to ensure that everything is ready on time for your event.

Moreover, when the event is in full swing during the day/night there is often no time to relax. At the end of the day you are putting on the event for your client’s pleasure and purposes, you are there to do a job and not to enjoy yourself, so, basically, an event manager is always on the move…

“It wasn’t a pleasure working with you!”Another misunderstanding about our job is people’s perception that we are a lucky bunch of people who work with the rich & popular people and this is true mostly, or at least sometimes. It is really great to be a part of the big weddings where celebrities or Page 3 guests are involved in some or the other way.However, I think every event planner has horror stories of big-headed, downright rude and dislikeable characters we have had the “pleasure” to work with.

“We aren’t the show stoppers.”The greatest service of an event planner is actually acting as a shadow to the main host! We are not the show stoppers, We are there to work silently and efficiently behind the scenes so that the event happens as if by sheer magic. Of course, people should know whom to catch hold in case of doubts and additional

requirement. So, it’s necessary to bear in mind that we are an inevitable lot in the makings of an event, yet, not of much significance to the event in itself as a whole.

“Our phone is our laptop!”For many event managers, their role today is closely interwoven with technology and social media and seems to be demanding all the time. To others we appear like a teenagers, or even sometimes be perceived as being rude, constantly checking our smart phones. However, we are “working” – honestly! In social media, quick responses are essential so replying promptly across multiple social media channels is important, even setting up video screening of destination weddings for friends and loved ones to be a part of the family affair. And many a times it is important to reply to that email which guests demand at last minute, update your to-do list and start planning that next event, typing away frantically on your phone.

Peace and Quiet An event really is a deadline and thus stress levels and patience can sometimes run a little thin at pressurized times.

And to be frank after a long, hard event day of non-stop talking and endless smiles looking after guests it is nice to simply be quiet!

“What’s the time?”Long working days and finally leaving for home at midnight after running a sangeet dinner or wedding ceremony or rising early morning to run a set-up or breakfast is part of the job specification. And of course being an event planner, we have multiple alarms to ensure we reach on time and make sure all the arrangements are done for the guest.

Once an event planner always an event planner…This happened with me during my own wedding, wherein I was focusing more on the planning than enjoying the whole affair. I started planning and focusing on the arrangements done by the planner starting from menu designing, set-up, room arrangement, return gifts and sequences/flow of event.

Emotional ConnectAfter discussing so many things with the guest we feel like being a part of their family and every ceremony we feel like as if it is a wedding of our dear one. We enjoy each and every moment starting from welcoming the guest on the host’s behalf, knowing their preference like logistic management of their rooms allocation and segregation, detailing with his and her family members, planning the event etc... for us, it’s always a wedding of our near one for which we get excited and geared up.

Cut to the ChaseI know lots of amazing event managers who are fantastic at what they do and great people whom you get to know. However, there is definitely a flip side and the traits that make us dynamite event managers i.e. collecting the correct charges from the guest for the service provided and also face frustration with friends, family members, colleagues. I hope that cost is worth it!

WEDDING PLANNER!

Inside the mind of a