Let’s Get Ready for Your Final Walk Through!
Hooray, hooray, it’s almost time for your big day! With your wedding day just a few months (or weeks!!) out it’s time to gear up for the Final Walk Through at Hawthorne House. This meeting is the big kahuna of meetings with our team. So, what can you expect from this meeting and how can you best prepare?
Let’s chat!
First of all- who should you invite to the meeting? Your planning partners! Most couples at Hawthorne House opt to have a wedding planner/coordinator and you will absolutely want to make sure they are present. Their ears should be hearing all the conversations we are having from what your access time breakdown is to your final beverage selections. If your planner/coordinator is not local, then let’s have them hop on virtually- our team is happy to send out a video chat link! Parents are more than welcome to attend the meeting, in-person or virtually, as well! As you get towards the end of planning, they may start to have questions to ensure they feel in the loop and what better way to ensure they are filled in!
Psst- this may be a good time to get these individuals added to your Hawthorne House client portal if they aren’t already!
Okay. PHEW. Now you have invited everyone to be at the meeting, coordinated schedules and used our internal scheduling system to get your Final Walk Through scheduled.
Now what?
You will receive a questionnaire, if you haven’t already, that will collect most of the details you’ve been working on throughout the planning process. You may not have all of the answers solidified, but the more information you share in this questionnaire the better. These answers will help us best prepare prior to the meeting so we can be sure to touch on any gaps we notice or ask for clarification on details you’ve diligently been working on. We’re going to ask about:
Your final guest count! While we’ve been sending reminders throughout the planning process, this is yet another friendly reminder to split that guest count into three groups: guests under 5, ages 5-20 and ages 21+. Your final final guest count isn’t due until two weeks prior to your wedding day so you still have time to make last minute calls and button these numbers up! By completing the form with your best guestimate we will be able to build the most accurate layout for you.
Speaking of that- we’ll ask layout details! This blog post will help if you aren’t sure where to start with your layout. We’ll want to determine where your head table is, how many guest tables you’ll want, how many chairs should be placed at each table and what additional tables you’ll need. These additional tables could be a cake table, dessert display table, cocktail tables, photo booth table, guest book/gift table, in-memory table and more! Do a quick mental review of the décor you’re bringing and let us know what could need a table.
Final beverage information will be discussed at this meeting so you will want to think about who will be in the getting ready suites in the morning with you and what those individuals would like to drink! Outside alcohol is not allowed onsite but we are more than happy to provide a mimosa package, beer package or seltzer options! These are pre-purchased, chilled and available upon arrival on your wedding day. We’ll want to know exactly what it is you’d like and how many bottles! You’re welcome to use our signature cocktail menu to determine if you want to personalize your wedding day with a fun bar addition- these are a big hit for cocktail hour especially if you’re planning on hosting an outdoor bar! Champagne toasts and dinner wine service are a few other fun beverage selections you can add to your big day. We’ll go through the bar menu, guest count and bar open/close times at this time!
And, finally, for the last time you’ll submit your vendor team information! You curated the perfect team to bring your vision to life and we cannot wait to hear who you selected.
Okay, friends, we feel you are ready. No- scratch that. We KNOW you are ready! Let’s wrap up your final details, button up your timeline and CELEBRATE the start to forever that is just days away!
Happy planning from Hawthorne House!
Thank you to the incredible vendor team featured in the photos throughout this blog post: