Event Assistant
Review client information - folder in upstairs office labeled by date
Turn on lights (2 bathroom lights, barn lights, pavilion string lights, yard string lights, & outside bathroom)
Wipe down event tables/cocktail/bar - green wipes in the bottom of the basement
Blow/sweep/mop barn
Mop pavilion spots if needed
Put on table clothes (3 sizes: bar = xlarge, buffet tabes/gift/appetizer = medium, dj tables = small)
Wipe down event trash cans/fill with bags if needed
Set out extension cord/small table for DJ at ceremony if needed
Welcome guests and walk through the set-up with them
Prepare wood for fire
Weed if needed (supplies located in bottom off the inn)
Put way any ladders, extra chairs, or set-up supplies guests may have used
During the event:
Support parking
Support vendors set-up according to diagram and make sure they are all set (continue to check in periodically to make sure they are good)
Ensure that the kitchen is in a clean state right before the caterer arrives
Help clean flower petals from the aisle/rearrange chairs for mowing with parking assistant
Bring the DJ table to the bottom of the house and wrap the extension cord after the ceremony (unless you know of an event later that weekend)
Breakdown appetizer table during dinner
Ensure that the bathrooms are stocked and clean
Replace trash bags (bags are in the kitchen and dumpsters are in the bottom of the barn)
Break down buffet tables after dinner if caters did not already take care of (leave outside the barn)
Start fire if noted in client’s packet (towards the end of dinner)
At the event close:
Re stock bathroom supplies (soap + towels) and wipe down surfaces
Turn off lights (2 bathroom lights, barn lights, pavilion string lights, yard string lights, & outside bathroom)
Trash cans to the curb
View event layouts here!
Special Instructions by Date:
2023 Season
May 14:
Guest access at 10 a.m. - was given special permission to be able to set-up on Saturday
Has an coordinator with an assistant - Abby and Hannah - (616)558-6536
Will have an outdoor bathroom (hopefully guests end up using that instead of ours then)
They do not technically have rental of the upstairs
Caterers will be clearing the plates - hopefully bringing to the house so that you can scrape at the hose and then put into coolers. I will then be bringing the coolers to my own house to clean. KORTNEY DONT KILL YOUR SELF AND CLEAN THEM ALL!
Optional to fold napkins for the next week wedding - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwtFe-wQiEc
Benjamin will be onsite to be training in the evening assistant shift. Please make sure to help him learn the following:
-introducing self/checking in with vendors (no need for photographer)
-clearing trash/cleaning our bathrooms (not as much training on the porta potty…)/turning off lights
-lighting the fire
-Helping with clearing plates
-Observing drinking - particularly the last call at 10:00 and making sure the alcohol is removed
-Guests wandering the house
May 20:
Guess access at 1 p.m. and will be staying overnight for 2 nights
An intimate wedding (around 45 people?). I think this couple is really great! With our intimate package, that means they get table runners, plates, ect. and we do the placement of those. You and I will do that on Friday morning.
Before they come/use the house:
-Tidy the house
-Put out table runners/dishes
-Hang lights on the front deck railings
While they are setting up:
Iron/fold 45 napkins to be placed on the plates the next day
They will be using the house deck for their rehearsal dinner (or if it rains probs the inside of the home)
Noah will come for an early parking shift until the ceremony starts. Benjamin will come for a later parking shift and then will help with after ceremony activities.
After the ceremony event day Benjamin will need to move the barrels at the ceremony to the placement in the diagram at the reception.
Benjamin will also be rearranging the ceremony chairs layout to get ready for the next day’s event.
Feel free to rely on Benjamin to do trash clearing from the cans and various things to lighten your load!
At night on event day:
Benjamin will be coming to support the clearing of plates. Since it is such a small wedding, I dont think caterers are collecting plates so once guests are done with their plate bring dishware outside the barn (probs leave drinking glasses for a while? maybe need forks still for dessert? idk) and then similar to last time for scraping and putting into coolers. I will then be bringing the coolers to my own house to clean. KORTNEY DONT KILL YOUR SELF AND CLEAN THEM ALL!
If you are able to tidy a bit on the main floor of the home while they are partying (so not disturbing their stuff or doing any cleaning while they are around) since they it would be great to have the main floor bathrooms ready and the best you can for the bridal room to be clean for the wedding the next morning. And if the tablecloths on the appetizer/caterer tables still seem clean then just leave them for the next day, otherwise we can put clean one on at night to be ready.
You can put the dirty napkins after dinner into a trash bag to put in the basement of the house. Same for the table runners (but probs done mix with napkins) I dont want to run the laundry while guests are there or have them looking dirty in there for the weddings this weekend.
Then later in the night, Noah will be joining to help with set-up for the next day wedding. Please be mindful that they do not disturb the party before they are done, but my guess is that a small wedding wont go much past 10:30 p.m. so Noah will come at that time to start putting away rentals and then eventually redoing the tables in the barn. Please make sure they clear the trash cans for you so you dont have to and bring any trash to the basement of the barn so it is hidden for the next day. Also that the cart is returned to the fireplace area… I figure they know this but just to be sure they do it haha The cake table will need to go to the basement of the barn and the extra barrels to the fireplace area or basement of the barn. I dont care where these things go but just so they are out of there for the next day haha I told the guys these instructions but just for good measure hah
May 21:
Guest access at 9 a.m. (the last guests leave at 9 a.m. so we will be doing the flip the night before and hope to quick tidy the inside of the home main floor from 9:00-9:15 the best we can. Chiara (I think you met her last year?) is also coming in the morning to help with any cleaning that there is in the home.
130 person wedding
They do not technically have rental of the upstairs - groomsmen will likely be using that bedroom though
They have no rentals! Should be much less reliant on you I think then?
Benjamin will not be coming at night but will be there from 2:45-4:30 (ceremony at 3:30). That means if you can keep an eye on parking/vendors throughout the afternoon until he comes.
June 3:
Guest access on Friday at 1:00 and have the full house for 2 nights. We will need to still be flipping in the inn since some airbnb guests leave on Friday at 11 a.m…
100 person wedding
Highchair will need to be brought to the head table in the barn
Tucker will be there for parking
June 9:
Guests plan to come at noon to start setting up. The most relaxed wedding I have ever seen.
There will be no alcohol and they plan to end the party at 10:00.
50 person wedding
Highchair will need to be brought to the barn
Cleaning of bathrooms, kitchen, and getting ready room at night
Food is from Vitales so I assume there are no servers for the buffet. Will need the buffet tables moved out after dinner is done to make space for dancing (no caterers to do this).
Almost all the weeding is done but there is a still a little bit at the front porch of the house.
Help put the chairs for the ceremony for the next wedding.
Full trash barrels can go to the basement of the barn
Fire is to be lit at dinner time
We will need to get the other fowling board and pins to complete the set-up
If you have time, feel free to set some mouse traps in the basement (traps are in the corner of the basement near the door, nuts are in packets in the upstairs linen closet)
June 10:
Bride will come around 10:00 a.m.
Another very chill wedding couple
120 person wedding
July 29:
Wedding party is onsite the whole weekend
The chairs leaning against the bar are to be brought to the barn. Please refer to this diagram. If we are short chairs, please be ready to bring them from the ceremony to the reception once the ceremony ends (we have no more chairs…). I just confirmed with the bride that the head table has the correct amount of chairs right now.
The ladder by the arbor and behind the head table can be both be put away.
Please make sure that the dj is aware that we do not have a table set-up for them in the pavilion. I do have one more white table in the basement of the barn but no more table clothes so if it is needed, we can just use that table without a table clothe…
Please support the photobooth people in knowing where to set-up. If the lights, dj, fan, and photo booth seems like a lot of power for one circut in the pavilion, you could always run an extension cord from the barn. I dont think it will be a problem but just want to be sure we are ready to find a solution if needed.
Please help Noah with parking.
After happy hour, the appetizer table can be pushed to the side and have 8 chairs taken from the ceremony space put around it to be nice seating for elderly folk during dancing.
There will be one guest who will be driving out to the ceremony for drop off and pick-up.
If extra time:
There is a wire brush in the basement that can be used to get cob webs out of barn crevises. Also could sweep any additional things you see in the barn if it seems like it could help.
Please try to cut the big weed by the kitchen stairs… and wrap up the hose. Clip any bushes in the front of the house that could use some tlc
August 4:
At 3:00:
Can you bring the 8 chairs from inside the barn and place them at the ceremony (add another chair at the end of each row on the left). Then take the chairs back to the barn after the ceremony.
Can you sweep the edge of the barn during ceremony?
extra table for DJ (barrels with board?)
Corn hole boards in the grass
Ceremony starts at 5 and dinner is at 7. Dancing is in the barn, happy hour in the party.
Groomsmen are allowed to shower upstairs earlier in the day so they may have some things up there… but no one is staying overnight so I would prefer that the rooms upstairs stay as clean/empty as possible. Feel free to use them yourself.
The caterer had asked for 4 tables, we only have 3 we can give them… According to the bride, the DJ did not ned a table at the ceremony. I will likely be handling that set-up earlier in the day, but good to know that he will go home with his own table then (it is not ours)
Trash barrels can be brought to the driveway at the end of the night.
The fire can be lit. Probs a little later into the night since eating is outdoor and I dont want to distract from that.
If extra time:
Would be awesome if the cornhole boards in the basement of the house could be stained with a weather proof stain that is down there. There are also rags to help with that. Only if you feel comfortable doing it though.
The upstairs hallway can be painted. Supplies are there and the ladder is in the basement of the barn. Anything green goes white.
2022 Season
August 12:
Early access at 9 am
Rugs for ceremony aisle and dance floor
Bought the speakers (no formal dj)
Outdoor reception - barn is not planned to be used
Will have donkeys during happy hour delivering beers - the trailer is to park in caterer driveway (further down the driveway since donkeys will be first to leave)
Get appetizer table out of the pavilion after happy hour and move buffet tables to center (then later move buffet tables out)
New parking attendants
No use of the upstairs except for possible groomsmen getting ready
No need to put game rentals away at the end of the night
Please have the inside of the inn semi-clean (like wipe surfaces down) at the night end since the next guests come early the next morning.
August 13:
Super chill couple and really nice family
Groomsmen will get ready upstairs - no additional use of the upstairs
Guests come at 8:00 a.m. - There will be set-up people coming at 7:30 a.m. to make sure the space is ready. I will be there for good part of the day.
With possible rain, the ceremony may take place under the pavilion and have cocktail tables brought in after the ceremony. Parking guys would take care of that and we will have confirmation of their plan by midnight on Friday.
Will need event bathrooms wiped down
Someone will social distance in the pavilion for dinner at a cocktail table - Just give him space.
If the ceremony ends up being used for the ceremony, the dj is positioned at the back of the pavilion for the ceremony. Depending on his set-up he may rather shift to the other side of the pavilion for dancing once the chairs are cleared since there will be more space for him there.
August 19:
I was not sure where they wanted the barrels so they are out for now but will need confirmation from the couple
2 boards from the basement near the chairs will need to be grabbed if they expect to use the barrels as a table (for dj?) otherwise a folding table needs to be grabbed for the dj
consider fixing the drapes on the barn if not scared of heights…
Guests come at 1:00 - access to the inn at 4:00
upstairs could use another vacuuming
Katie needs to treat the hot tub tomorrow and turn on air conditioning
August 26:
Guests come at 1:00 - access to the inn at 4:00
Help with set-up outside
Support parking of guests
clear any trash, bring a full barrel to the basement and grab an empty one
get wax off candle sticks
bring dj table to field
put on table clothes
set out rentals
blow/sweep the event spaces (mop if needed)
August 27:
Put away rehearsal tables (dessert, 2 buffet, 2 appetizer, one dj)
move 20 chairs after ceremony to reception
September 2 & 3:
Put more fabric on couch cushions to avoid feathers
wipe chairs at the ceremony
September 4:
There will be a neon sign the clients will hang in the pavilion. The pavilion diagram shows the proposed spot and we have hooks to twist into the wood to secure it to the pavilion. They will provide hanging. We will need to run electric cord to it, help with the hooks, and provide a ladder.
Mobile bar will be between barn and pavilion (same place they parked before). They do not need electric and honestly shouldnt need anything. They are super easy to work with.
DJ will use the bar
Shuttle with come to drop guests off. It is a smaller bus so it should be able to handle everything navigating the driveway just fine.
September 10:
Has a coordinator who also works for the same company as the dj, photobooth, and photographer - wont need to interact much with those vendors since they will take direction from the coordinator (I also met with the coordinator and had her onsite so everything should be on the same page there in terms of setting vendors up)
Here is the timeline - I already let them know that last call is 10 p.m. rather than the listed 11 p.m.
They plan to add lights to the yard (I think with posts they are bringing) and their own light strands. I will be there Friday to make sure all goes well with that since we havent talked electrical cords or hooks for that stuff.
There are chairs in the pavilion for their rehearsal (they are bringing tables) and then they will bring them to the ceremony at the end of the night
Chairs will need to be brought by parking guys after ceremony to the barn + 24 chairs to the pavilion around the clients provided folding tables they are putting in there for hainging out at night
They are professional corn hole people so they will have a tournament in the yard haha
Please count the number of chairs at the ceremony right now
The first 2 rows are too close to the arbor and likely will need to be switched to the back of the chair set-up to give the alter some space
The set-up guys did not blow or do trash bags or the electrical cords (to the bar & photobooth)
There is some inside cleaning that I am trying to finish. Guests contract is the inn at 4 which I’m not positive they know, but I need to finish that before they are allowed in
September 17:
This is a single day event (no one is upstairs!) the groomsmen are allowed to use one room upstairs (I try not to have them use more so that it doesnt get more messy and it gives you more space to relax instead of being stuck in the office).
No ceremony! They got married during covid and are now having their large celebration.
With no ceremony, the parking guys can worry less about the spot to park people so just keep it all in the one yard and not park cars in front of the house then.
They will have a mobile bar placed on the driveway where the restrooms were last weekend. I dont think they have been onsite before. The truck may need to pull into the “exit” driveway so that bar faces the right way? I dont actually care care if they find a different place on the property to put it. And I dont know if they need electric.
We are not able to remove our bar, so I am having set-up people put it the pavilion as a “hightop”. I hope the bride and groom dont mind but there is no where else to put it…
There is not a DJ since they are bringing their own speakers.
They were also eyeing the dishes in the kitchen to use for their desert display (going to be in the pavilion). I dont mind, but good to know that it will likely happen and I want to make sure they wash and return them since those dishes dont leave the house much.
They are using glassware for the dinner, provided by the cater (no cleaning on our end!) so might only need like 1 trash can in the barn.
I did say that they can leave car overnight and retrieved in the morning as long as it is before 9 a.m. when the next wedding comes
The first dance in the barn after dinner then dancing in the pavilion with guests
There will be a coffee station in the barn (it is in the diagram near an outlet already) and the caterer will bring the table for that
The card box is to be on the small hightop outside barn and they will put their seating chart on an easel next to it (except they didnt rent our card box so maybe that isnt relevant instructions anymore?)
I will be bringing the wooden rounds (since I need to chop a few more with a chainsaw tonight lol)
It would be super helpful if you cleaned the bathrooms (wipe down. swiffer, ect.) during guests dancing to give us a head start for the next day.
September 18:
This is the wedding that I was talking about who seemed to somehow make planning harder than it needs to be and asked many questions that I had already answered, didnt turn things in on time, ect. (a little frustrating to work with in the planning process…) That being said, it is a small wedding and doesnt have complicated plans and the people are nice so all will go well!
I allowed them to get access to the bridal room earlier than normal (9 a.m.) but we will still be cleaning the barn and arranging tables so it is just the bridal room they can use for the first hour.
September 24:
October 1:
There are a couple packages that will be helpful with the wedding (I dont remember what all I ordered haha but I think paper towels, a black table cloth for their ceremony table they are bringing, and anything else on the front steps is likely to help with the wedding)
Grab 1 metal easel and put near the barn
Grab box of glass vases from the basement of the house (they only rented 10 but we can give them a variety choice
Good to know that the handicap support chairs are hiding in the long grass. Not sure if they will end up wanting them but at least good to know where they are!
Whats the chance you can fix the connect four? The wedding the next week wants it but it needs some wood glue repair…
October 8:
Small wedding! Here are the details that are normally onsite for you to review.
The bride just decided that dancing will be moved to inside the barn, rather than the pavilion. They are not having a happy hour so there are games and party favors in the pavilion, but it wont really be used. We could consider moving the barrels with the boards on top in the pavilion to the barn so that the guests are able to easily find the cider favors near the reception. That would be for the parking guys to do day of if the guests decide they do in fact want to change the diagram to have the cidar in the barn.
A mobile bar will park where the bathrooms/mobile bar has parked in the past. They are my very close friends and been onsite so they should know what to do but feel free to support that interaction with whatever they need. They will handle both the bar service and the food.
Good to know that the bride has been very sweet to work with! Her poor little girl broke her arm this week and there are other logistics she is juggling but she has a fantastic attitude. She will come at 1:00 with a trailer to unload items, and from my understanding, she will park the trailer not onsite. I let her know they can do mimosas in the morning and people staying overnight can drink as a property rental time late at night. She is onboard with alcohol from the bartender for the event and there should be no issues there.
Rentals:
The donut display will go on the dessert table in the barn
photography backdrop will be used for their seating chart right outside the barn
The giant jenga, corn hole, connect 4, dice, and ping pong will be in the pavilion. (I dont know why since they have no happy hour… but thats the diagram they wanted).
2 large easels will be set by the barn for them
October 14:
It is a 32 person wedding! (they have our intimate package) They have been one of my favorite families to work with (the parents/sister is very kind!) and they are not afraid to speak up about any of their needs so they should be amazing to work with!
They will stay overnight on Thursday night (day before the wedding) but then head out on Friday night (day of the wedding). That means they will be there on Thursday for set-up (idk what they really need to set up though since we provide almost everything they need for their wedding…)
They shifted their plans this week to have the ceremony, happy hour, and reception all inside the barn. After the ceremony, there are 3 tables to move and 15 chairs to pack up to have it ready for the reception. Guests should be out of the way by the appetizers and bar at that time and it should go real quickly. The parking person will be there to help move them and the table will already be set-up with the dinnerware items on them so only need to shift them into place and put some of the ceremony chairs around them.
Post ceremony layout (shifting of 3 tables + chairs)
There will not be any tables that need a table cloth (all tables will be wooden)
32 napkins do need to be ironed and folded (The ask is that you can do that on Thursday and then set them out on Friday morning).
All trash cans will be in the barn so you shouldnt need to empty the trash at all during the night.
In their package, the dinnerware is included (napkins, glasses, silverware, ect.). We set it up for them (they will be in the barn in coolers when you come and I will have a place setting out as an example). I dont know if the set up is something we should do on Thursday or if you think you would rather wait till Friday to do that? I am looking for your direction on that. After the dinner, the dishes are then removed (put in the coolers) and I can brig them home and handle the cleaning from there.
There are a number of spots in the diagram that say “electric needed” since I guess they have hot caramel for the dessert, cider for drinks, and the food warming station. All of them are positioned quite close to an outlet already and shouldn’t need anything. It is possible that the food warming table will need an extention cord though. I do know for sure that the DJ table (their sounds system) will need an extention cord.
Once you are there Thursday, you will get a feel of what still needs to be done, but my guess is that on Friday you could come more like noon or maybe even 1:00. The only vendors coming is the bartender (cant be a hard job or much logistics from him since its only 30 people…) and a photographer (shouldnt need anything from you). They cant really mess up parking with that few of people (might even be able to all park on the pavement and not even need the grass? idk…) so all that to say, theres not much for you to do on Friday morning and might be able to come a bit later to set up the last of the dinnerware details.
If all is going well, I dont mind if you head out around 8 or 9 p.m. since they are not having dancing (they will have board games instead) and honestly 30 people just cant wreck anything. If you have things you feel like you can do, then you are more than welcome to stay for as long as you want!
I would still turn on the pavilion lights just so that people can see their way to the bathroom and to the parking lot.
Just good to know:
My guess is that the barn doors will be closed most the night since she is concerned about the temperature. I have no thoughts on that, it’s just good to know.
They are picking up food and then having their own serving dishes, warming stations, and other food logistics that we are not directly supporting but good to know that they are handling logistics with that.
They plan to livestream their wedding for those who are not attending. They will handle all of that with a tripod and phone but if they ask, the wifi is Alden Orchards with the password as “password”
I think they plan to do some cute cultural (I think it was Mexican?) dance as a group which sounded super cute! Nothing to note about that but it sounds like they will have a good time even with no other dancing that night.
They also have the drink bucket + stand, some wooden round decor, the easel, and the donut wall which are in the diagram as “soft drinks”, “seating chart”, and “dessert table” and will all be in place before you come.
October 15:
New spot for the ceremony! (in the yard near the pavilion)
October 22: