Thinking of hosting your wedding or event at Retreat East? Find out more about the planning process and why our Events Manager Caitlin loves meeting all our couples!
What do you love most about your job as an events manager at Retreat East?
I love the range of events that Retreat East can cater for. From large events like weddings and full-site corporate events to more intimate celebrations and gatherings like baby showers and birthday dinners.
The team at Retreat East always comes together to deliver the event to the highest standard possible. Everybody is always happy to help out to ensure the customer is happy!
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to become an events manager?
My advice would be to gain as much experience in all aspects of events. There are so many different things to consider when running an event and it is good to have experience in all areas when leading a team on an event day from start to finish.
I started my career as a Front of House team member – pot-washing, waitressing, setting up, packing down & cleaning. This gave me an insight into every department, which made it clear to direct people operationally on the day of an event.
Can you walk us through the initial planning stages of a wedding?
Sure! Firstly, I try to gather as much information as possible regarding how they envision their wedding day. This is the exciting part where the couple get to explain how they envision their special day. I can then tailor their venue viewing and first meeting ensuring that I have all relevant information along with creating a bespoke tour for them.
Throughout the viewing, I encourage the couple to ask as many questions as possible. I am trying to create an image in their mind of how the venue will look on their special day and likewise, they are trying to paint their perfect picture to me!
Once the couple has secured Retreat East, I send over a planning document with important dates and deadlines, which gives an easy guideline for them to follow. Throughout the planning process, I am available to meet with the couple or arrange a video call to answer any questions.
Approximately 3 months ahead, I organise their wedding tasting menu where the couple get to try 2 x starters, 2 x mains and 2 x desserts ahead of their wedding day along with a selection of wine pairings.
Shortly after their menu tasting, we have a final meeting to run through and confirm the finer details of their wedding with us.
How do you coordinate with the couple to ensure their vision is created?
I maintain consistent contact with the couple throughout the planning process. Often the couple will have their own visions and share these with me. My main task is to ensure that we can deliver on their visions from an operational point of view.
What do couples love most about Retreat East?
Couples love the Suffolk countryside setting and the beautiful properties and venues that we have on offer, it’s such a unique venue for Suffolk most couples are truly blown away.
I also think that couples enjoy the fact that they can really make the venue their own. No two weddings are the same as we offer such a bespoke and individualised planning process. Our event spaces are truly unique and can be set up and decorated in a way to match the couples’ vision.
Can you describe a typical timeline for the day of the wedding from a setup perspective?
The majority of ceremonies take place after midday, so the morning usually involves as much set-up as possible to ensure we are ready for guest arrival along with a morning staff briefing.
A team of staff will be allocated to setting the ceremony space, ensuring we have the correct number of chairs, and any small details are added to the space e.g. reserved seating, confetti & flowers.
Another team will be looking after the wedding breakfast set-up as per the couple’s table plan. Moving tables and chairs into place, putting crockery and glasses onto the table, and adding those final touches – wedding favours, place cards, menus, to the tables.
How do you ensure the couple feel supported and stress-free on their big day?
The morning of the wedding, before the ceremony, I check in on the couple to ensure they know exactly where to be and how the ceremony will proceed. I reassure them that they do not need to worry about any logistics throughout the day as our team is on hand to ensure everything is perfect for them!
I also like to have a main point of contact within the wedding party (either bridesmaid, groomsman or parent of bride or groom), to liaise with. The majority of couples will allocate a Master of Ceremony or Toastmaster who helps our team with chaperoning guests to the correct places throughout the day which alleviates a lot of stress for the couple on the day.
Can you share a memorable moment from a wedding where the couple’s reaction made all the hard work worthwhile?
In general, my favourite moment of a wedding is waiting at the end of the aisle with 2 x glasses of celebratory fizz to give to the couple after their ceremony.
Usually, the most memorable moment is the couples’ first look at their wedding breakfast set up. They spend months imagining how it is going to look, but only on the day do they see it all come together and that truly makes my job so rewarding
To find out more about hosting your special day at Retreat East please email: events@retreateast.co.uk.