Wedding planning means being prepared.

I had a chuckle this weekend as we helped coordinate our third wedding at Freedom Run Winery.  I had a sudden flashback to an Alumni Director’s Conference , one I attended in Nashville when I held that position at Medaille College. Near the beginning of the conference one of the speakers asked how many of us had wine bottle openers in our vehicles at all times, three quarters of us raised our hands and everyone laughed. We were all event planners and knew that was an often forgotten, yet vital item.  In my more recent history, while attending another event as a guest, I happily provided a crisp sharpie from my pocket to the registration table where there were lots of names tags but nothing to write names with.

This weekend however, the need was more complex. The newlyweds had paid a soundman, to provide speakers and sound for the post wedding reception and they had also made a specific play list that would simply plug in and play. The whole evening was timed to music. As the guests arrived the sound was ready but the laptop had not appeared. We noticed the silence and the frustration of the bride’s maid --who was coordinating. I offered my ipod as an alternative to the silence and she smiled skeptically, and asked if I had any Frank Sinatra…. “of course I do,” I replied and within a few moments had produced at least something close to what was wanted, until the laptop finally appeared. I realized at that moment that along with a little bit of luck here, I had unwillingly, possibly subconsciously libraried a playlist on my little device for almost any occasion. I guess depending on our purposes and our experiences in life our minds work in different ways and have different contingencies for what “being prepared” means.

All in all the wedding and reception at Freedom Run was wonderful: the beautiful weather, the beautiful couple, a fun group of guests against a background of vineyards and blue sky that then transformed to a night of candles and starlight. For me, as the observer, this one was just about perfect.