i’m coming off of a busy weekend where i had a doubleheader in wedding shows, which makes it a perfect time to finally talk about my experience participating in the big fake wedding nyc. for those of you who are saying the big fake what? the big fake wedding (tbfw) is a wedding show alternative, in the form of, you guessed it, a fake wedding. the ‘wedding’ is actually a vow renewal, each of the hand-selected vendors is really able to showcase their product/talent in a real wedding setting rather than simply setting up a table and standing in front of it. each year the ladies behind tbfw put on around 20 different shows. this past year i was lucky enough to be selected to participate as the day-of-coordinator for the december 11, 2018, new york city show.
being the day-of-coordinator for tbfw was a little different than what i’m used to. there was a lot less work that fell on me, i’ll be honest and say in the weeks leading up and the day i felt like i was forgetting something. it wasn’t because i was, but rather because the nyc tbfw gals take care of all the pre-planning. i usually start my day-of-coordination 3 to 4 months in advance, it’s during this time when we finalize details, create a ros (run of show), and really iron out the nitty-gritty. so you can imagine how weird it was to have all this done for me, and for me to only come up with a few concepts and just show up to do my thing. with that being said a huge shout out to jamie (planner/owner of cape cod celebrations) and katie, both women work for tbfw. they were the ones who did a lot of the pre-planning i’m used to doing. it was so lovely to work with you both!
let’s talk about my role in tbfw, in addition to hosting my own table in the tunnel of love, which was more of a typical show feel, but with a cuter name, i got to really show what i do.
I CREATED THE CONCEPT BEHIND THE COUPLES BIG EXIT
KEPT THE COUPLE AS WELL AS VENDORS ON SCHEDULE AND TIME
LEAD THE WEDDING PARTY IN A REHEARSAL
COORDINATED AND CUED THE CEREMONY
SPOKE A LITTLE WITH THE GUESTS AFTER THE CEREMONY TO INVITE THEM TO JOIN US IN THE ‘RECEPTION’
HELPED JAMIE AND KATIE WITH SET UP AND BREAKDOWN OF ANYTHING NOT BROUGHT IN BY THE VENDORS.
AND OTHER DETAILS WHICH ARE DEFINITELY ESCAPING ME RIGHT NOW
i can’t express enough how amazing this experience was. as a coordinator at a typical wedding show it’s hard to show couples what i do and the benefit of working with a coordinator. i don’t necessarily have a physical product that shows or promotes what exactly a coordinator does, so having the experience to show attendees myself in action was something great. i had the opportunity to really show potential clients, what i do, how i do it and the personality and passion i do it with. it was a great way to show the role of coordinator as well as a chance to see if i’m the right fit for them, which is something important since we will spend a lot of time together.
While getting to show my passion and work to potential clients was a huge part of my participation in TBFW, I think the biggest thing I took away from the experience was the relationships I was able to build with the other vendors, who I now call my Frendors. Networking with other vendors is a huge part of what I do. When I work with couples I’m usually helping to find and connect them with vendors that are right for them. When I recommend a vendor it’s always because I know and trust them to do what’s best for my couple. Each and every vendor I worked with that day was amazing, from florists, photographers, and calligraphers, to furniture rental, lighting, and catering. I can say with 100% confidence that they are some of the best. The day would not have functioned without them. Speaking with them was effortless, we’re all in the same boat as small business owners, we pride ourselves in what we do and have a strong passion for it. What most people don’t know is that while we’re different businesses, once we’re contracted for the same wedding or event we instantly become a team. Our jobs all overlap and we work together to create such a special day. See below for a full list of The Big Fake Wedding NYC’s vendors.
Band: Lion + Tiger
Bridal Accessories: Julie Mollo!
Bridal Flats: Rescue Flats
Bridal Coaching: Mindfully Ever After
Bride + Bridesmaid Shoes: Alterre Shoes
Bridesmaid Attire: Bella Bridesmaids
Catering: Halo + Horns Catering
Chalk Board Rentals: JN Chalk & Co.
Cookie Bar: Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop
Gift Boxes + Wedding Welcome Bags: Panache Gifts
Hair + Makeup: Textbook Beauty
Hair Accessories: Genevieve Rose Atelier
Hotel: The William Vale
Ice Cream Bar: Coolhaus
Invitations: Vintage On Handmade Paper: Luna Lynn Creative
Invitations: Autumnal Foliage: Oxford Comma Co.
Invitations: Watercolour Floral: Red Letter Day Invitations + Design
Jewelry: Vanessa Lianne Jewlery
Men’s Accessories: SprezzaBox
Mini Dessert Bar: Bites BK, LLC
Mobile Bar: Hudson Trailer Company
Photobooth: Unique Event Productions
Photography: Amina Ford Photography
Photography: Never There Yet Photography
Ride Share: Skedaddle
Signage: Alex Greco Lettering
Sparkling Probiotic Drinks: KeVita
Sparkling Wine: SOCIAL Sparkling Wine
Table Accents: ink + honey
Travel: Honeymoons and Get-A-Ways
Venue: The Brooklyn Historical Society
Wedding Cake: Petal Dust Cakery
Wedding Dress: Penny Princess Bridal
Floral Design: Bouquets, Boutonnieres + Tables 1, 6: Slate Floral
Floral Design: Cake Backdrop + Tables 2, 5: Liv Florally LLC
Floral Design: Ceremony Backdrop + Tables 3, 8: Three Notch Florals
Floral Design: Sweetheart Table + Tables 4, 7: about-designs
Day of Coordinator: Simply Loved Weddings + Events
the big fake wedding nyc was the last of the season, and let me tell you we closed out 2018 with a bang. using whiskey and wine as inspiration and a color pallet, each and every participating vendor brought their best and really showed brooklyn how a wedding is done.
