Many couples forget that there are events and things that need to happen after the wedding reception. Of course, after every successful event, a clean up needs to occur. Recently, we had a couple who’s venue closed at 11PM. They thought, well the last song can be at 10:30PM and then we can clean up and go. I’m pretty positive my eyes got large and it was followed by an absolute no. Cleaning up, as mundane as it seems, actually takes some time. And, trust us, it takes a lot longer than expected. Many venues have different rules regarding clean up, removal of items, and most require a final walk through with the venue or site coordinator to ensure that all their directions were followed. And trust us, they make sure it’s done to a tee. I’ve even been pregnant once, scraping candle wax off the ceremony floors, as the site coordinator watched. At Elegant Affairs, we do all that we can to make sure that your security deposit will be returned and no other charges will be added to your final bill. So, let’s fight risking losing your deposit and let’s talk about how to successfully execute your wedding clean-up.
01: Learn the Rules
You should have several walk throughs with your vendor. We highly recommended taking a trusted friend, family member, and your wedding planner to all of your venue walkthroughs. Whoever you bring, bring a thought buddy and someone that can take notes as you ask important questions. No matter what venue you use, read your venue contract more than once. Read it carefully, and ask questions from the on site staff. You will need to double check what is allowed in the venue and what is expected at the end of the night. Some venues don’t allow lit candles or wax, some venues will require that all the trash is removed from the venue site. Ask questions, read your contract, and learn all of the rules of your venue. You want to plan for all of the details, down to clean-up.
02: Leave Ample Time
Cleaning up is not as simple as tossing a few things in the trash and calling it a day. Everything you bring in, must come out. That includes all of your floral wall installations, ceremony decor, table decor, linens (if you’ve rented them), extra food, gifts, and all rental times. We always sit with our clients and discuss all of the items that are being brought in and what exactly needs to be removed and by whom. So label all of your boxes to make clean-up easier, detail it out on your timeline, and understand that cleaning up is a reversal of setting up. Setting up takes hours sometimes, so give yourself ample time to clean up.
03: Delegate Task and Coordinate
We cannot stress this enough. Sit down with you coordinator or your wedding party and coordinate who is taking items and delegate tasks. Maybe Aunt Becky will be in charge of taking all of your gifts and your dad will be responsible for returning all of your rental items. Plan how everything will be taken down and transported off site. If you want to go the extra mile, delegate who will return you rentals the next day. Sometimes, your coordinator will be able to return your rentals, so check with them first before delegating this task to a family member or friend. Once all of the clean up assignments have been delegated, record this on your timeline. Everyone has a part in the clean-up and be clear who will be doing what, especially if you and your partner will not be there for clean-up.
04: Confirm with EVERYONE
The timeline is the best place to confirm all of the moving parts throughout the day. Meet with your wedding party, family, and your coordinator to confirm all of the clean-up expectations. Go over each person’s individual assignments and review with your clean-up team the venue expectations. Have your wedding planner remind those individuals during the reception and know who they are. Because, trust us – when the drinks get flowing, sometimes people forget or end up bailing before the wedding is over. Last, leave someone responsible (other than you) in charge of the clean up responsibility. Typically this is your MOH or your coordinator. Check in with your site coordinator before you leave and have that final walk through. Take pictures of anything you notice during the clean-up and discuss this with your coordinators. You definitely don’t want your bill having any additional charges when it is all said and done.
If you think you need some help with clean-up and coordination, we definitely suggest hiring a wedding coordinator, even if it’s for the day of. Clean-up can be dreadful, and coordinators work behind the scenes throughout the reception to ensure that clean-up is stress free and work diligently to ensure no damages or dings will occur during the clean-up portion. But, if you’re going to DIY clean-up, be sure to find a trustworthy team, confirm with that team, and delegate all of the tasks. Clean-up requires organization and you need to ensure that you know your venue's expectations and rules inside out. Don’t forget to give yourself more than enough time, because let’s get real a half and hour will not cut it. And if you need more support with not only planning your day, but the clean-up portion, reach out to a member of the Elegant Affairs Team!
Lori Losee is the owner of Elegant Affairs, a Seattle Wedding Planner with over 17 years of experience. We create awe-inspiring experiences—Events filled with meaning and refined elegance. Behind the scenes, our experienced team collaborates on each stage of the process, executing your vision and a wedding, celebration, or corporate event that is unique to you.
