TGT Meets... Daisy Hall, Wedding Coordinator at Kings Head Hotel, Cirencester

We recently caught up with Daisy Hall, the Wedding Coordinator at the Kings Head Hotel in Cirencester to find out all about her job role, the best wedding she's ever organised and also what can go wrong sometimes!

Tell us a little bit about yourself…

When I’m not thinking about Weddings, I’ll be found at the gym early in the morning or at a bottomless brunch! I have a fabulous dog called Max, he’s a Patterdale Terrier and absolutely bonkers – after all, dogs are like their owners! My friends would describe me as being the ‘nutty but sensible’ one in the group. I’m originally from Windsor and moved to Swindon in my teens which is now home! I learned to ballroom dance from the age of 4 and took part in national competitions – which now comes in great use with my couples’ first dance moves!

What inspired you to fulfil a career in this industry?

I love working with people and I always knew that I’d work in the hospitality sector, however, I never thought I’d be planning weddings! I started off as an apprentice in a high street travel agents and I then moved to an events agency planning corporate events. After gaining experience with events, I wanted to hop over to the venue side which is where my love for weddings really kicked in. I’ve now been planning events for 8 years so I think it’s safe to say, I know a bit about planning weddings!

I care so much about my events which really helps when planning a wedding because you want to be the couple’s best friend! I don’t think there is another job I’d rather do; it’s more of a hobby than a job – not many people get to say that, so I do feel very lucky!

What does a wedding coordinator do?

Being a Wedding Coordinator is so much more than just helping plan the timelines for the day and making sure place cards are on the Wedding Breakfast table. People seem to think it’s a glamorous job – it’s far from it, you work long and unsociable hours and by the end of the Wedding day, you have a lovely glow to your face but it’s all part of the fun!

You build up such an amazing relationship with each couple, who are all totally different which makes each step in organising a wedding so much fun as you get so meet so many different personalities.

The process from enquiry stage to the wedding day itself is an exciting time but for couples it can be stressful -  at some point during the planning stages they all have a moment of ‘I wish we weren’t doing this’ which is completely normal as there is so much to think about! I’ll assure them of how amazing their day will be and remind them how far they’ve come with planning! I’m here for them when they need a moan about guests (a therapist)and to keep them calm. We will discuss decorations, what’s on trend and what’s not so much, along with thinking of bits and bobs to suit them and their personalities!

I’ve created an amazing Wedding Planner document to which all of my couples have access: this is their Wedding bible as everything to do with their wedding is in this, so the couple knows and I know exactly what it’s happening and when. It includes all the choices/decisions that have to be made regarding such matters as the table plan, the supplier and decoration information, breakfast options, accommodation and so much more!

When I first give couples the wedding planner, they tend to close it as soon as they receive it as they then realise how much there is to plan but I’m there every step of the way to help them! I’ll arrange timings with the couples’ suppliers on access to the building, the timings they’ll be arriving and departing and just reconfirming with them to help keep the couple’s mind at ease.

On a Wedding Day, I’m the couple’s ‘side chick’. I’ll be there on the morning helping with any set ups, final changes (there always seems to be changes at the last minute), making sure suppliers have turned up on time and know where to go. I’ll get involved with the bridesmaids and groomsmen giving them jobs (that’s what they’re here for!), making sure the couples are ok and calm their nerves! I’ll be there to help fluff up the bride’s dress before she struts her stuff down the aisle, arrange the confetti and line guests up, turn the room around for the Wedding Breakfast, ensuring the place cards are in place along with introducing the couple into the room – and then the actual service of the Wedding Breakfast! I’ll help the bride with getting the confetti out of her dress, help the groom with his tie. After the day time, the evening party starts – we get to the first dance, cutting of the cake and lots of dancing!

What 3 things do you love the most about working as a wedding coordinator?

I love the variety, no wedding is the same, neither is any day of the week!

The buzz, you are surrounded by so many different emotions at different stages of wedding planning and on the day – you’re definitely kept on your toes!

Also knowing that your couple’s trust you – I’m here to help, guide and support my couples, seeing the end results and getting a hug at the end of their special day makes all of the work so worth it!

What has been your most unique/fun wedding that you’ve had the pleasure of planning?

One bride was obsessed with Star Wars, she walked down the aisle to the theme tune, favours were themed, tables were names after the different ships, even the dessert was themed! The highlight that made the wedding was during the first dance, the Groom arranged for Darth Vader and Storm Troopers to invade the couple’s dance, the groom then had to defeat Darth Vader with a lightsaber battle to save his wife – I’ll never forget it!

You’ve got inspiration from all the weddings you’ve planned, but what does your dream wedding look like?

I’m very lucky to have seen so many different colours, themes and decorations along with working in a venue where I’m working closely with Venue Stylists! We arrange photoshoots, open days and wedding fairs so this is the perfect opportunity for me to decorate and get creative however, my style changes all of the time! At the moment, my obsession is with disco balls! Oh yes, and I also need to find someone first!

Have you ever had a wedding gone wrong? E.g someone jilted, or forgotten the name etc?

My one piece of advice, no matter how much you make sure everything is organised, there will always be something that doesn’t go quite to plan!

I’ve had a bride forget her wedding shoes, realising an hour before the ceremony and living 45 minutes away. Dresses are too long and a bridesmaid has tripped walking down the aisle. The Bride and Groom accidentally seeing each other before getting hitched!

Once the lift in a venue decided stopped working on a wedding day, which would not normally matter but, on this occasion, the majority of the guests were amputees – we had to call an emergency engineer along with helping guests down ramps. They were all very nice about it, thank goodness!

What was your most challenging wedding and how did you handle it?

All weddings are challenging in their own way as each couple has their own different needs, wants and expectations! There are so many different emotions the day before and the day of the wedding, nerves, excitement, butterflies – when you build up the relationship with the couples, you learn how to be with them! Always be calm and listen.

Being a Wedding Coordinator is so much fun (challenging at times), you get to see everything you’ve helped create come to life is the most rewarding thing in the world, and often I will take a minute in the day and think ‘I’ve been part of this amazing day!’ which just fills me with so much joy!

Find out more about Weddings at The Kings Head Hotel, Cirencester here!