Unveiled - Behind the scenes with Jill Gordon
Unveiled {a wedding magician reveals her tricks}
BEHIND THE SCENES WITH JILL GORDON
A wedding is a day to remember—not just for the bride and groom but for the guests as well. Hamptons' wedding planner Jill Gordon always keeps this in mind when planning an event. Her goal is to create a wedding that guests will talk about for years to come.
Brides planning a wedding know better than most that you just can’t please everyone. However, says the Hamptons’ premier wedding planner, Jill Gordon, with a few simple steps you can not only acknowledge the wishes of those helping you plan your wedding, but actually please the majority of those well-meaning people, too. Operating under the ambitious motto “Make one thing special for everyone,” Gordon recently put her words to the test for the August wedding of Christina Lari and Cary Potter. From incorporating elements that nodded to the bride’s Persian heritage to striking the right balance between classic and contemporary wedding style, this master mediator exhibited an uncommon knack for making all parties happy. And best of all, we were allowed to come along and see how she did it! We hope that sharing this insider’s perspective will help you overcome any obstacles that stand in the way of creating a unified vision for your wedding, one that makes everyone feel respected—and special.
{ Jill’s Tips }
Keep them moving. What guests remember about a wedding is the fun they had—and that means dancing!
So get them up and moving early in the evening and in between courses, too. The more courses they sit for, the
less time there is on the dance floor. Keep the energy building through the event and end on a high note to
leave your guests wanting more.
Get the right perspective. Always think about the day from your guests’ point of view—their comfort, their
enjoyment. Treat guests royally. Your enthusiasm and emotion will be contagious and will express your gratitude
to them for being there.
Be welcoming. Is there a special candy, local winery, or a favorite bakery nearby? Welcome out-of-town guests with a gift bag of local treats. For one Hamptons wedding, Gordon stuffed welcome bags with Mary’s Marvelous Cookies, North Fork Potato Chips, Hamptons Popcorn, and a half-bottle of Wolffer Estate chardonnay.
Think like a marketer. Create a wedding “tagline,” and “brand” special cocktails with a personal signature that speaks to the wedding location, as well. Gordon designed one couple’s save-the-date invitation with the tagline “September in Sagaponack.” At the bar on wedding day, minty “Southside” cocktails were offered up as “South of the Highways” (the Montauk Highway, of course).
