Not going to lie, this wedding was SUCH a vibe from beginning to end. If you’re looking for a wedding coordinator in Alexandria LA, this event was the perfect example of how everything can come together beautifully.
When Abigayle first described what she wanted, fun was a priority. She wanted a wedding that felt high energy, memorable, and like a real celebration. Not one where everyone sat at their tables all night waiting for the next thing to happen.
And that is exactly what she got.
From their ceremony in the lobby of the historic Hotel Bentley in downtown Alexandria to a reception with disco balls, a packed 360 photo booth, an iconic first-dance lift, and some of the best wedding food I’ve had in a WHILE, this was just a really, really fun day.
As a wedding coordinator in Alexandria, LA, I obviously notice all the behind-the-scenes pieces of a wedding. Timelines, vendor arrivals, transitions, where everyone needs to be and when they need to be there… my brain is always watching those things.
But what I remember most about this one?
Everyone was having a good time.
And that’s kind of the whole point.
THEIR CEREMONY IN THE LOBBY OF THE HISTORIC HOTEL BENTLEY
If you’ve ever been inside the historic Hotel Bentley in Alexandria, Louisiana, you already know about that staircase.
It’s one of those features you just can’t ignore.
Abigayle and her husband held their wedding ceremony right there in the Hotel Bentley lobby, with the bridal party making their entrance down the grand staircase.
And OH MY GOSH.
It felt like something out of a movie.
There was something so dramatic and fun about watching everyone come down those stairs into the ceremony, and it was the perfect way to start this particular wedding.
That’s something I think couples sometimes miss when they’re planning. Your ceremony doesn’t have to feel completely separate from the personality of your reception. The whole day can feel connected.
For these two, that staircase entrance basically said, “Okay y’all, we’re here to have a good time.”
And they did.
AND THEN THE PARTY REALLY STARTED
The reception kicked off with their first dance, and even that couldn’t just end normally.
Of course not.
They finished it with the most fun lift, and everyone LOST IT.
Then you had the disco balls over the dance floor, which gave the entire reception space such a fun energy. Neo Photo’s 360 photo booth stayed busy throughout the night with guests dancing, laughing, and doing their thing.
I loved watching it because this wasn’t a wedding where the guest experience was an afterthought.
Abigayle and her husband really wanted their people to celebrate with them.
And there’s a difference.
You can spend months choosing beautiful details, and those details absolutely matter, but how a wedding feels usually comes down to what happens between all those pretty moments.
Is there an awkward 45-minute gap nobody planned for?
Are guests standing around wondering where to go?
Does dinner happen on time?
Does the DJ know what’s coming next?
Is the photographer ready before the big moment happens?
Or does everything just… flow?
That’s the part I’m always paying attention to.
ALSO, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE FOOD
Hotel Bentley absolutely DELIVERED.
Fried crawfish tails. Smoked brisket. Roasted garlic mashed potatoes.
Divine.
I’m seriously still craving this meal. It was that good.
And honestly, food is part of guest experience too! People remember a good wedding meal.
ONE TINY WEDDING DETAIL I LOVED
Okay, this is such a small thing, but it’s also exactly the kind of wedding detail I love because it solved an actual problem.
They had a neon sign for the reception, but instead of letting the location of an electrical outlet decide where the sign had to go, they used a Ryobi battery power station.
That meant the sign could go where it actually looked best.
That’s it.
That’s the tip.
But seriously, don’t let outlet locations determine where your neon sign goes.
Obviously you’ll want to make sure whatever you’re using is appropriate for your equipment and allowed by your venue, but a portable power source can give you so much more flexibility with reception setup.
These are the little things nobody thinks about when they’re pinning wedding inspiration.
Then wedding week arrives and suddenly we’re talking about extension cords.
Welcome to weddings. 🤍
WHAT YOU DIDN’T SEE HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES
This is probably my favorite part to talk about because it’s the part most people aren’t supposed to notice.
If I’m doing my job well, the bride shouldn’t know every question a vendor asked me.
She shouldn’t know that we’re checking the timeline, adjusting something behind the scenes, finding someone who wandered off right before they were needed, or making sure the next vendor is ready to go.
She should be at her wedding.
Abigayle’s wedding was also two hours away from home, and afterward she said something that meant so much to me: I made it feel like it was “just right up the road.”
THAT is what I want coordination to feel like.
Not like you’ve hired another person you need to manage.
Like you’ve handed the logistics to someone who gets it.
THIS IS WHY MY “DAY OF” COORDINATION DOESN’T START ON THE WEDDING DAY
A lot of couples search for a day of wedding coordinator, and I totally understand why. That’s the phrase everyone knows.
But here’s the thing.
I don’t show up on your wedding morning, introduce myself to twelve vendors, look at a timeline I’ve never seen before, and hope for the best.
My coordination services begin 60 days before your wedding.
That’s when I start getting into the details with you. We work through your plans, your vendors, your wedding timeline, the logistics, and all those little questions that start popping up as the wedding gets closer.
By the time I walk into your venue on the wedding day, I already know what’s supposed to happen.
More importantly, you know me.
And that matters when something comes up and you’re standing across a ballroom trying to communicate with your eyes.
Which brings me to Abigayle’s review.
WHAT ABIGAYLE SAID AFTER HER WEDDING
I could tell you what it was like coordinating this wedding, but I think she says it better than I ever could:
“Hanna Broom is one person that has a genuine passion for what she does. And she is good at it! I had a wedding 2 hours away from home and Hanna made it seem as though it was just right up the road. Hanna kept me on track leading up to the wedding and advocated for me with any vendors. She is a great resource and always has been able to answer a question! I tell everyone my day was perfect because of Hanna! She is detail-oriented but makes sure that everything blends into the big picture. Hanna and her team were there when I needed it during the day of my wedding. All it took was a glance and my question was answered, my issue resolved, all of the things!!!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!”
Mrs. Abigayle Hall
“ALL IT TOOK WAS A GLANCE.”
Okay but THIS.
Out of that whole incredibly kind review, that’s the line that gets me.
Because that’s what I want.
By your wedding day, I want to know your plans well enough that when I see the look, you don’t have to leave your conversation, track me down, explain the entire situation, and then figure out how we’re going to fix it.
You look.
I get it.
We handle it.
You go back to your wedding.
That’s why those 60 days before the wedding matter so much.
THEN HER MOM MESSAGED ME THE NEXT MORNING
The morning after the wedding, Abigayle’s mom sent me this:
“Thank you for all your help! We could not have done it without you! You and your staff were heaven sent!! 💕”
I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to messages like that.
People ask me sometimes how I handle the long wedding days, the pressure, and everything that comes with being a wedding coordinator.
This.
This is how.
Knowing that a bride got to enjoy her wedding instead of spending the entire day managing it makes the long hours worth it.
And when she looks back and remembers the disco balls, that staircase, the lift during her first dance, dancing with her people, and how much FUN she had instead of remembering all the little problems that had to be solved?
That’s a win for me.
THE VENDOR TEAM BEHIND THIS HOTEL BENTLEY WEDDING
It takes a whole team to make a wedding like this happen, and these people showed up for Mr. and Mrs. Hall:
Coordinator: Gatherings by HB, Hanna Broom
Photographer: Nikki Bardwell Photography
Hair: SaraManuel PureBeauty
Makeup: Makeup By Kasey Coco & KB Hair + Makeup Artistry
Officiant: Dr. Ron Aguillard
Venue: Hotel Bentley
Decorator: Tony Trevino
DJ: DJ Tony Groove
Florist: Keith Hall, Father of the Groom
Cakes: Sweet On You Specialty Cakes
Catering: The Bentley Room
Alcohol: Southbound Spirits
Bartenders: Ursula Lowe & Team
360 Photo Booth: Neo Photo
Still smiling thinking about this one. 🤍
PLANNING YOUR OWN WEDDING IN ALEXANDRIA OR CENTRAL LOUISIANA?
If you’re planning a wedding at Hotel Bentley in Alexandria, LA, or anywhere around Alexandria, Pineville, or Central Louisiana, and you’re getting to the point where you’re thinking, “Okay… but who’s actually going to make all of this happen?” that’s where I come in.
You can make the decisions. Pick the things you love. Plan the celebration that feels like you.
Then, beginning 60 days before the wedding, I’ll start helping you pull all those pieces together so you don’t have to be the coordinator at your own wedding.
Because when your wedding day gets here, I don’t want you checking the timeline.
I want you on the dance floor.
And if something comes up?
Just give me the look. I’ve got you. 🤍
