Photo: Kate Alexandra
Delegate, Delegate, Delegate
Fab Wedding Advice – Part 8 of a 10-part series
You’ve heard the old saying : “it takes a village”. It was never more true than with organising a wedding. So you don’t get consumed by all the work, learn early how to delegate, and don’t be shy about it. Your nearest and dearest will want to help.
Looking up websites of florists, putting out place names, picking up the cake – the tasks never seem to end when you organise your own wedding. At times it feels like you’re being overwhelmed.
Delegating a lot of the tasks is the obvious way to reduce the workload. To make that a reality, there are some problems to overcome.
Firstly, couples need to get over their reticence about asking others for help. The good news is that your wedding party members, parents, siblings and close friends are almost certainly wanting to give you a hand. And they’re probably expecting to be given a job or two. Ironically, some may be a bit miffed if you don’t ask them.
Secondly, you need to work out what tasks need to be delegated, and to whom. It’s not recommended that you give the really important tasks, such as writing your personal vows or selecting the photographer, to anyone else. But there are plenty of less consequential tasks to be completed.
Make a list of everything that needs doing, based on your list of fake deadlines discussed in Part 8 of this series, and then decide who should do what. In handing out the jobs, be mindful of the person’s capabilities and time availabilities in relation to each. Send them the information they need in writing. And don’t forget to make them aware of when the job has to be done by.
Lastly, set aside a little time each week (or day if you’re close to the big day) to check how people are getting on. If jobs aren’t progressing satisfactorily, be prepared to politely re-delegate. Despite good intentions, sometimes people can’t give you as much time as they thought they could. They could well feel relieved when you remove their burden.
Throughout this process, be aware that everyone is a volunteer, not an employee, and balance that with the need to get things done. A kind word and gratitude will go a long way.
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