As a wedding planner you are well-prepared with a kit full of the things a wedding party might need in case they forget something. You also probably know how to handle last minute guest and vendor problems. But are you also well prepared to take action if the safety of the wedding party and guests is a concern?

Here are 7 things you should know whenever you plan a wedding:

1) Who at the venue should you contact in case of an emergency?

2) What can this person do when you do contact them? (Call 911, perform CPR, etc.)

3) Where are the emergency exits and fire extinguishers?

4) Does the venue have a first aid kit? If so, where is it? (You should also pack a small kit of your own.)

5) In the event you need to call 911, can you get a cell phone signal at the venue?

6) Do you have vendors who practice safety on the job? In other words, do they use any equipment that can be tripped over or could fall and hurt someone? If so, what do they do to prevent accidents?

7) If the bride or groom has reason to believe an unhappy ex could crash their wedding and cause problems, have you suggested hiring a security guard?

Check that the area outside the venue is also safe, even if the guests will only be walking from their cars to the ceremony or reception. The sprinklers should be off, parking lots should be well lit and walkways should be free from any safety hazards.

Also, since you will often be managing large groups of guests, it never hurts for you and your staff to take a first aid class so you know some basics in case of a medical emergency.

I just finished watching an episode of Masters of Reception, a new show on the TLC television network that you will inspire you and help you learn more about what it takes to plan weddings.

The show features the Frungillo family who own four upscale venues in New Jersey at which they make dream weddings come true.  With their staff they plan the food, flowers, cake, and anything their couples request.  You’ll see how they handle special requests and emergencies and pick up tips for your own business.  For example:

• One couple wanted to include their cats in their wedding day.  Cats would not be able to be present at the reception so the Frungillos had a photographer take pictures of the cats dressed as a bride and groom.  The pictures were beautifully framed and given prominent places at the venue during the party.

• They had an artist paint a mural of the wedding reception while it was taking place.  It was done by the end of the event and given to the bride and groom.

• The bride forgot to tell the DJ the name of an important song she wanted played during her father-daughter dance.  Turns out the DJ did not have it with him.  The Frungillos quickly went online and downloaded a copy from the Internet onto a CD and gave it to the DJ.  (Of course it is best that you confirm with the bride, in advance, that she has given the information to the DJ but emergencies do happen.)

The series premiered last night  (I had “TIVO”ed it to watch tonight) but it will be replayed throughout the week.  Check your television listings or the TLC website.

Whether you are planning a wedding in an outdoor or indoor venue, you must be aware of what may be happening with the grounds surrounding the facility.  The other night I was watching an episode of The Learning Channel program, Wild Weddings.  One of the video segments featured a wedding party walking across a lawn when the sprinklers suddenly went off, drenching the maid-of-honor.  Luckily, the bride and groom remained dry.

Here are some things to find out when booking any site with a lawn and landscaping:

• When is the lawn watered?  Even if the sprinklers aren’t set to go off during your event, you want to make sure the grass ise dry so the wedding party and guests are not walking through mud to get to the venue.

• When is the lawn mowed and when are the grounds maintained?  You don’t want any of this work done during a ceremony or reception.  If there is a lawn, it should looked well-manicured.

• Are you planning any landscape changes before the wedding date?  You want to be sure the grounds look like the bride expects them to, or better, on the day of the wedding.  Also, if the bride books the venue in the Spring and her wedding is in the Winter, ask to see photos so she knows what she is getting.

Thursday’s episode of the ABC show Ugly Betty had a wedding theme.  Mode, the fashion magazine where Betty works, was preparing for a wedding issue and Daniel, her boss was getting married.  Daniel hired a wedding planner who told him her job was to give him and his bride the perfect wedding, which means, “whatever she (the bride) wants”.  Of course, the planner didn’t realize what the bride wanted was not possible to do within a month’s time.  (Be careful about telling prospects you can give them the “perfect wedding” before you find out what they want!) Betty saved the day, of course, with a space-age wedding at the planetarium with Grammy Award winner Adele providing the entertainment.

Can a bride really have her wedding at planetarium?   Yes, many planetariums are prepared to host weddings and other events and have the tables, chairs, linens, bars and audio systems in place to make it easy for you and your bride to plan her event.  A couple to things you need to be extra careful about:

• Lighting – make sure the professionals the bride hires know how to get high quality photography and video in the venue.  Ask to see photos and videos they have done at the planetarium in the past.

• Acoustics – check what the sound would be like with the DJ and/or musicians the bride plans to use.  Ask if they have performed at the venue in the past or find out if there are any events with music that you or the bride can attend so you can check the acoustics yourselves.

If your bride is looking for a place where she can have a ceremony or reception under the stars, check out local planetariums and see what they have to offer.

To see Thursday’s episode of Ugly Betty, go to the ABC website.

Planning  a wedding reception at a hotel or resort?  Many of them are very open to negotiating great deals during this recession.  If your bride has the budget available, she might be able to book a very nice venue that she once thought was out of her price range.

However, be sure the bride gets a commitment from the venue as to the type of service she expects.  Many hotels are cutting back on their staff in an effort to stay afloat which could mean a reduction in wait staff and a lower level of service overall.   This will not only affect the couple and their guests, but could make your job more difficult as you try to assure that everyone has a good time at the reception.

If you are involved with the bride in negotiating a contact with a venue, make sure lower costs do not mean lower quality.  Be very specific about what you and the bride expect and put everything in writing, especially the number of wait staff per guest the venue commits to having for the bride’s special day.

Many wedding planners seem to have better than average memories, I know I do.  Maybe it’s because we tend to be a bit obsessive compulsive; obsessed with perfection, rules, and organization, enjoy being in control and feel uncomfortable when we think that things don’t seem right.   I was listening to Dr. Mehmet Oz on Oprah radio this morning, his guest, an expert on memory and emotions, said people who are obsessive often have better than average memories.

However, no matter how great your memory is, you need to write down and keep track of all the details of a wedding.  And, you cannot rely on your brides and vendors to have the same great memory you do.  When I first became a planner, I met with a hotel catering and sales manager to install some phone lines for demos.  The morning before the event, I noticed it hadn’t been done.  She claimed we had never had a meeting and she didn’t know anything about it.  Long story short, it got done, but I vowed never to let that happen to me again.

Don’t let this happen to you!  Write down every change, upgrade, or downgrade anyone makes to products and services expected and send a copy of your notes to all the parties involved.  It’s extra work but it will save you lots of time and frustration in the end.

Receptions and civil ceremonies don’t just have to be in traditional places like hotels and community centers. Here are some unique sites:

• Aquarium

• Baseball Stadium

• College or University Hall

• Cruise Ship

• Historical Mansion

• Library

• Museum

• Private or Public Garden

• Ski Resort

• Theme Park

• Winery

• Zoo

Think about the personality, style and hobbies of your clients and you can come up with many creative ideas for venues for their weddings.