Once upon a time, a young intern started work at the historic and picturesque Ceresville Mansion, an exquisite wedding venue located in Frederick, Maryland. Okay, so “once upon a time” was really only three months ago, and the “young intern” was me.
When I began my internship, I was completely new to the wedding industry. Sure, I had been to weddings over the years. I was even in a wedding once…but I was three years old and my role was being the flower girl. I had never seen the inside workings of a wedding…unless you count multiple viewings of “The Wedding Planner” over the years.
Wedding planners hard at work!
After working at Ceresville Mansion for the summer, I would certainly not consider myself a wedding expert. However, I have gotten an insider’s look on the events that lead up to a bride gliding flawlessly down the aisle. And let me tell you, planning a beautiful, memorable wedding is no piece of three-tiered wedding cake.
When clients consider using Ceresville Mansion as their wedding venue, the first step is to book a tour. Exploring the mansion and grounds in person often gives couples a better idea of whether or not the mansion fits their unique wedding vision. If the couple decides to book a day for their wedding, the weeks and months of planning begins.
It is time to nail down the specifics of what the couple wants for their day. Brides and grooms must determine the approximate size of the wedding and begin booking wedding vendors. They study and compare the packages of different florists, DJs, cake bakeries, and photographers to find professionals that fit their vision and budget.
The wedding menu is a vital part of the reception that takes a lot of time and brainpower to perfect, if guests have more than one option for an entrée. Of course, many couples will choose to have a buffet style meal, which is yet another decision to make. And considerate couples will also think about guests who are vegetarians, or have allergies and dietary restrictions. If this sounds like a lot to think about, then I must be getting my point across. It is.
But never fear. At Ceresville Mansion, the event planners spend countless hours in communication with clients via phone, e-mail, and in person to organize all these minute details into a perfect day. The goal is to guide clients through the planning, and carry out their wedding day vision without the complication of stress.
On the day of the wedding, Ceresville takes care of everything, which is what makes the venue stand out from others. It is the job of the banquet manager to take care of every day-of issue, from cuing the music, to telling the bridesmaids when it is time to float gracefully down the aisle. Without fail, couples receive their dream weddings at Ceresville Mansion.
And after three months of setting out placecards, making copies of paperwork, typing menus, setting out customer items, organizing vendor information, sitting in on meetings, and hundreds of other tasks, I am not running away from the wedding industry. Instead, I am sprinting toward it because I now know for certain that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.
The reason that I’m drawn to the wedging industry is simple. My job as a wedding planner is to create one of the most memorable days of a couple’s life. It is a joyous occasion to be celebrated, and I will be able to plan the celebration…a celebration that marks the beginning of a lifelong journey together. It will be a daily blessing and honor to make a couple’s dreams of a perfect wedding into reality.
And the young intern lived happily ever after. The end.