Meet Megan, the wedding planner extraordinaire!
Planning a wedding can be a daunting task, with so many details to consider and decisions to make. That's where a wedding coordinator comes in - someone who can help you navigate the process and ensure that your special day is everything you've dreamed of and more. At the Draycote Hotel, one of the most sought-after wedding venues in Warwickshire, Megan is the wedding coordinator who has helped countless couples bring their wedding visions to life. With her expertise, attention to detail, and passion for creating unforgettable experiences, Megan has become a trusted partner for couples who want to make their wedding day truly magical. In this blog, we'll take a closer look at Megan and the invaluable role she plays in making weddings at the Draycote Hotel a success.
What inspired you to become a wedding coordinator?
I have worked in hospitality within hotels since 1 was 16 with me starting off as a food and beverage assistant at a hotel. This role involved me setting up weddings and assisting my manager in running the weddings and events. I loved the aspect of seeing the day come to life and I wanted to be apart of the planning process, gaining rapport with prospective couples to build that up for them to have the best day and not feel like I’m working for them.
What are some of the most important aspects of a wedding that you focus on to make it special?
The feeling of coming out of the civil ceremony as newlyweds is unmatched, I am not married myself however I always feel that this is such a feel good happy moment of the day that is very underrated! I say to couples to pick a song to walk out too as newlyweds as a happy upbeat song that you want to remember and hear that song again and think of that high you were on after you say your I do’s! I love seeing my couples walk back down the aisle; smiling, dancing and being in the moment with eachother.
How do you work with couples to understand their vision for their wedding day? My first question to all couples at the first meeting and showround of the venue is; tell me about your day and plans so far. This gives me an understanding of each couple and their goals and what they desire for their day with us and how I can help them!
Can you walk me through the process of planning a wedding from start to finish? Firstly, I would always say to find your venue for your big day first. This will then clarify the date that you desire or will be getting married as set in stone and then you can start booking in suppliers such as DJ/ musicians , photographers, venue dressers, videographers, photobooths, singing waiters etc. Then meet with myself and suppliers throughout the planning process to keep updated with what is going on, what you want to book in terms of packages etc and menu tasters will also take place within this time around 3 months prior to your day. After this I will then have final meetings with my couples to discuss final plans, guest numbers and balances. This then leaves the last few crucial weeks for the couple to contact suppliers, have final fittings, hair and makeup trials etc. the day before the wedding, the couple will drop off all belongings like decoration and centrepieces
How do you handle unexpected issues or challenges that arise during a wedding? You have to stay calm in any situation that isn’t known to you as the minute you panic as a member of staff, other guests will panic. There is always a solution to everything and if the customer isn’t satisfied with this then we can come to a conclusion to make sure that the guest is happy with the outcome.
What are some unique ideas or touches that you have added to weddings to make them stand out? The best weddings are when they are personal to the couple with table names as places that the couple have been and are entirely themed around one thing like location or ‘around the world’ with a globe being the seating plan, favours being polystyrene planes. Everything just matched!
How do you ensure that the wedding day runs smoothly and on schedule? We have a final details document at the hotel which we go through in the planning process which has everything to do with the day on it from start to finish! Myself, F&B, Kitchen and bar staff have this on the day of the wedding to ensure we are all running to the same timeline.
How do you work with vendors to ensure that everything is coordinated and in sync on the wedding day? On the final details document, we have details of all of the suppliers for the day from florists, bakers, venue dressers, photographers, DJ’s etc to ensure that all items for the wedding are here and we can contact the suppliers prior to letting the couple know that something hasn’t arrived or is late arriving.
What is your approach to managing the budget for a wedding? I always ask for the couples budget upon first meeting to ensure that we as a venue meet this but also if we are over there budget, we can always tweak packages to make them more bespoke and within their price range.
How do you incorporate cultural or religious traditions into weddings? We have done a few in the past however we are limited on guest numbers due to capacities within our function spaces. We do however regularly host pre wedding events which are usually smaller capacities.
What are some of the most memorable weddings you have coordinated, and why? The most memorable one would be when they wanted their horse with them for the ceremony which was outside. It was just stood at the back watching the bride walk down the aisle.
How do you handle difficult or demanding clients? The answer is always yes or it can be done, of course with some asks the answer is “unfortunately not however we can do this…”
How do you keep up with current wedding trends and styles? Keeping in regular contact with suppliers and contact within the industry is the best way to know what is popular.
How do you ensure that the wedding venue is decorated to the couple's liking? We ask the couple to speak with our venue dressers and choose out the colours that they would like and on the day itself, we ask the couple to come and view the room once it is all decorated with
How do you handle last-minute changes or requests from the couple or their guests? We have to handle situations calmly but quickly, we’ve had a bride tell us 30 mins before the ceremony that 12 guests are not coming anymore and wants us to make a new table plan from scratch for her as well as co ordinating her wedding. Teamwork massively comes into it to be able to multi task.
How do you ensure that the couple's wishes are fulfilled while also managing the expectations of their families and guests? It is their day so every answer should be yes, to make it all about them and to make them feel like they are the only people which matter. Of course alongside their family and friends which are still guests and customers. You have to ensure that all guests are happy because if something is wrong with 1 guest, the couple will be onto you to ensure it is resolved.
How do you ensure that the wedding day is stress-free for the couple and their families? We have a large document that we go through with the couple in various meetings leading up to the day. This has every detail on it from suppliers details, timings, dietary requirements etc. This allows us to know everything about the couples day and gives them the confidence in us that we know what we are doing!
How do you handle emergencies or medical situations that may arise during a wedding? You have to act quick and fast if you see or hear of anything happening during any event. It is important to have first aid/ defibrillators nearby and a mobile phone in case of needing to call emergency services.
What advice would you give to couples who are planning their wedding? Be organised! With being organised, you know that everything is in place to run smoothly and your day will be seamless and there will be nothing to worry about.
As you can see, Megan is a true gem at the Draycote Hotel, and her dedication to making each wedding a unique and unforgettable experience is truly remarkable. If you're planning a wedding at the Draycote Hotel, be sure to reach out to Megan and experience her exceptional service for yourself. To learn more about the Draycote Hotel and their wedding services, visit their website at https://www.draycotehotel.co.uk/weddings/