Make your job easier by taking full advantage of the seamless and all encompassing Layout Tools! Aisle Planner pros rave about them and now you can too. To conclude our Layout, Guest List, & Seating Tool series, Samantha Joder shares her top tips, how she uses these tools with venues, customization, and more!
1. What are your top tips and tricks for using the Layout, Guest List, and Seating Tools? Are there any special and innovative ways you use them?
- I never upload the floor plan/start the layout until the couple has gone through their guest list and I always ask the venue if they have a floor plan, so I can make it to scale so when the time comes, our couples have the best representation of the space, including their design elements.
- I create a floor plan for each of the events, so the vendors involved in each event know where they're going/where they're setting up.
- Have your couples go through and assign roles to important guests. It assures numbers are accurate for logistics such as flowers for the wedding party, etc.
2. What are your favorite things about these three tools and why?
There are so many details that I love! The first ones that come to mind are that I love how easily you can move guests from table to table without a seating view! I also love that you can add a guest to multiple events if the couple decides to host multiple.
3. How have these tools helped improve your business? What problems have they solved for your business?
It's streamlined a process that used to take many hours when it comes to working with the guest list and seating chart. For so many people it's always such a daunting task and not one that couples/pros enjoy about the planning process. With how seamless it is, when it comes time to confirm meals and dietary restrictions with the cater it makes our lives so much easier! They are able to clearly see the dietary restrictions and so much more from the PDF, including VIP guests!
4. How do your clients feel about/ respond to these tools? What's their experience like with them?
Overall our clients really enjoy them once they get the hang of using them. Sometimes there is some resistance if I'm being hired for a month of coordination and they've already been using another software.
5. How do you use the Layout Tool in conjunction with venues? What do you wish more pros/ venues knew about the benefits of this tool?
We work with the venue coordinator to get a floor plan of each space and then we make them to scale. Once we have that and the couple's guest list we start adding their tables, chairs, power sources, etc. My only wish is that venues knew how accurate it was because not only could they use AP for this, but also billing and so much more!
6. How do you customize the Layout Tool by using the Style Menu, Color Picker, Drawing Tool etc.?
If the venue doesn't have a floor plan of the space, we will custom create one that is to scale, while incorporating the colors of each element that the venue has.
7. How do you use the Guest Manager to maximize the organization of your guest list, guest seating, and overall planning?
We make sure that when couples are uploading their guests' information that they fill out all of the details as it transfers for each event, so it saves them time from having to repeat/share the same information with different pros. We also use the messaging tool a lot to keep couple's guests up to date on COVID mandates, transportation information, and as a reminder to RSVP if they haven't yet.
Need help getting started? Check out An Intro to Aisle Planner Layouts & Seating.
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