One of the most important aspects of event planning also happens to be one of the most difficult. Obviously, you want your client’s big day to run as smoothly as possible. And in order for that to happen, your vendors HAVE to be on time. But with a vortex of wedding info swirling over your head, keeping everyone up-to-date and on schedule can get tricky. Trust us, we know.

Juggling the busy schedules of vendors and keeping everyone on track is without a doubt one of the most demanding jobs in this industry. It’s also what makes your services as an event planner invaluable. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a moment. Breathe. We’re here to help you out. With bookoos of experience behind us, we’ve designed an amazing new app to help planners like yourself build the perfect master timeline (yay!) and keep your vendors on time … without all the hassle. 

Tips for Keeping Vendors on Time

Ever heard the saying, “the devil’s in the details?” Well, it’s true. And so is the opposite. Salvation is in the details for the organized event planner. That starts with knowing your numbers. That’s right, we’re talking contacts. Having readily available contact information for each of your vendors can help you avoid major disasters down the road. On top of that, make sure you know everyone’s timelines. This way, you’ll know exactly where “Vendor X” is supposed to be at 5:30. And if they’re not there, you’ll know exactly how to reach them. 

But let’s dig deeper. Knowing the details within the details can also help you keep everything running on time. For example, you might know when the bridal party’s makeup session is scheduled. But knowing how long each session should take and when each person should be finished puts you even much more on top of things. 

Don’t forget to ask your clients for their contact info, too. And we mean all your clients. Mother of the bride? Check. Father of the groom? Check. Basically, you need to have a backup point of contact. And a backup for your backup. You can never be too prepared, right?

Create A Master Timeline to help keep your vendors on time

Ah, yes. The master timeline. One of the more daunting tasks in this profession. Well, don’t worry. We’ve got your back! In fact, this is totally what we do. Timeline Pro will help you compile the perfect master timeline to share with clients, vendors, and venues. And when we say perfect, we mean it. Using our system, you can duplicate your event to create a timeline for vendors only, then get feedback before committing to the master timeline. To top it off, you’ll get an easy-to-share link to send to everyone. Viola, master timeline completed!

Get Feedback

Communication is key in every relationship. This includes client/planner and vendor/planner relationships. We can’t stress this enough: Get feedback on your timeline before finalizing it. Check-in with your clients, your venue, and your vendors to make sure everyone is on the same page. Abundant communication is one of the main things that can help you keep your vendors on time.

And while you’re at it, please try your very best to keep your client’s sanity in mind. As you know, planning an event can be a nightmare for your inbox. This is especially true for people who aren’t used to planning events—like a young bride and groom or a young teen celebrating her Quinceanera. It’s easy to start feeling overwhelmed when messages start blowing up, so make sure you only send information that you know works for your venue and vendors. 

Letting vendors send feedback to you directly speeds up the planning process and makes for a sparklingly cohesive master timeline. This is where we come in. Check out Timeline Pro’s list of features here. It’s designed to streamline the communication process and make everyone’s life (including yours) that much easier. Pro tip: Make sure you label the email to vendors “Draft Timeline” to avoid confusion. 

Sending it Once just isn’t Enough

The whirlwind of days directly preceding a big event, especially a wedding, tends to fly by at a shockingly fast rate. Weeks pass like days, days like hours. It’s incredibly important for you to send the master timeline out more than once. Set a date, say six months out, and send the timeline. Send it again a couple of weeks or days (your choice, we’re not sticklers here) before the event. And send it again day of. When exactly you send the timeline is totally up to you—but you for sure want to send it more than once. Consistency is key. 

Touch Base with Vendors

To make sure your vendors are on the same page, touch base with them 24-48 hours before the big event. Email works, but a phone call is even better. Be overly communicative here. There is no such thing as being too clear, right? Make sure your vendors know exactly where to be and when to be there. Be direct. Concise. Make sure they have a timeline and are ready to rumble.

Speaking of details and communication, this is also the time to double-check that everyone has your contact info. Every time you send out copies of your master timeline, just go ahead and send your contact info with it. There should be absolutely no confusion about how to reach you on the day of the big event. 

Communicate with Key Players

Let’s circle back to communication for a moment, shall we? Make sure you’re in constant contact with your vendors throughout the day of the big event. Everyone should know what’s going on— and you’re in the business of making sure they do. If something happens and the schedule changes, you need to get that info out to every vendor ASAP. Good communication and immediate adjustment can help you avoid the dreaded domino effect (DUN DUN DUN). 

Vendors who go above and beyond can make an ordinary event extraordinary. A memorable moment unforgettable. Don’t underestimate the significance of the role they play. You should strive to build a lasting relationship with your vendors. And after all the hard work they put in—don’t forget to tell them thank you! 

After sending thank-you notes and follow-ups, keep in touch with your vendors and remind them that you’re available if they need anything. Help when you can. In a nutshell, get on their good side. It’ll make a big difference down the line.

Delay-Free Events and Weddings Take Extraordinary Planning

There’s a reason wedding planners are in such high demand. Your job is no walk in the park, friend. It takes passion to plan a delay-free wedding or event. Passion … and incredible organizational skills. 

No matter how organized you may be, managing dozens of clients and hundreds of vendors on a day-to-day basis can get hectic fast. Timeline Pro makes your job faster and easier, giving you more time. And as all of us in this industry know, time is a precious thing. Use the extra hours to grow your business … or catch up on Love Island, that’s up to you. 

With features like a sunset tracker and photo checklist, Timeline Pro takes those little details spinning around in your head and tucks them away in a virtual file cabinet. If you’re curious about what that would look like and how it could grow your business, just give it a try.