Safety and Security on Your Wedding Day
by Emee Pumarega - EJP Events

It's your wedding day-a day to be carefree and think of nothing but romance. So it's OK to kick those shoes off and throw your purse under the gift table, right? Wrong; unfortunately, the hectic events of your wedding can leave you even more vulnerable to petty theft, con artists, and fraud. And it hurts more if unfortunate events surround your otherwise happy day. Follow these tips to make sure you cover all the bases.

Privacy and Information Security

• Go ahead and announce your engagement, but don't announce the date of your wedding in the newspaper until after it has happened. Doing so basically advertises the dates when you're away from home, and invites break-ins or con jobs.



• If you like to chat online, don't post detailed accounts of your upcoming wedding festivities and planning for the public at "blog" sites or message boards like "WeddingChannel" and "TheKnot.com". Again, this is like telling strangers where you live, how much money you have, and when you'll be away from home. Share if you like, but use a fictitious name and leave out personal identifying information.



• Don't invite vendors or suppliers into your home for meetings unless you have booked them and feel comfortable with them. If you decide not to book them, there's no reason for them to have any information about you or where you live.

Avoiding Loss and Petty Theft

• The place where you and your wedding party get ready should be able to be locked and secured. Don't leave open purses and wallets lying around or stuffed under a gift table.



• Don't leave gifts or items locked inside cars where they are visible, especially in hotel parking lots or garages. The interior of your car should appear empty and unappealing to the average ruffian.



• Make sure an usher or trusted wedding party member is in charge of money envelopes and cards. Have them keep an eye on the envelope basket, and after the ceremony starts, have them carry these items on their person for the rest of the night. They should drop them in a safe place as soon as possible.



• Don't carry valuables, excessive cash, or jewelry around with you on the wedding day. Let your coordinator hand out tips in the form of checks, or let your vendors know you'll be tipping after the wedding when you send thank-you notes.



• If you receive a gift of jewelry as you are getting ready on the day of the wedding, you should wear it, or put it in a safe place. Use the hotel safe. Leave easily-lost items like expensive sunglasses or antique pens at home. Your wedding day will be hectic enough as it is without your having to keep track of tiny valuables.

Avoiding Fraud

• Use a credit card as much as possible to take advantage of consumer purchase protections. (Don't, however use credit card debt to finance your wedding.)



• Investigate vendors prior to booking them. Ask for three references from other weddings (and their corporate clients if possible), and check them out with local and national industry organizations. If you have a wedding consultant, he or she can do this research for you.



• Personal Safety and Liability



• Use trained, licensed bartenders to serve alcohol at your wedding, and maintain whatever liability insurance is required by the facility. Do not allow self-service or uncontrolled alcohol consumption. Offer a shuttle or have a designated driver program.



• Make sure that you use professional vendors for any items requiring electrical setup. Extension cords and speaker cables need to be taped down, and electrical circuit loads must be distributed evenly to prevent fires or blown fuses.



• Candles and sparklers look great, but can cause fires. Have your wedding coordinator or site manager be in charge of their use, and even so, do a walk-through of the event with the key people beforehand, so everyone knows where the emergency exits are.

A lot of these tips will seem like common sense. However, in the excitement of the day, it's easy to let common sense get away from you. Preparing yourself for security and safety in advance of your wedding day will ensure that there are no tangles when you tie the knot.

Emee Pumarega - EJP Events