Setup/cleanup

If you are having alcohol and your bridesmaids drink they might not be able to help. Do you have an aunts/uncles or cousins that could possibly help?

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I have one aunt and she is elderly. I may ask my venue if there is a way to pay more for some assistance or pay my planner an extra hour for each!

Could you ask what they mean by “help”? Every DOC we looked into did setup and breakdown. Some required paying additional staff for them or an assistant but we were able to include full setup/breakdown (outside of what the caterer was responsible for).

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If it works with your budget then go for it!

I don't think it's terrible to ask aha. I don't feel like family and friends would mind helping out. But I do think if you can afford a doc it would be better just to ease your mind

For the right price, your DOC will do whatever you ask her/him to. Our DOC and her staff did all of our break down/clean up. No one from our families or friends group was expected to help.

The reception is a party you host to thank your guests for bearing witness to the ceremony, and even beyond that, it's usually a party with drinking and dancing and merriment. Asking bridesmaids, family, etc. to help isn't the best option. I agree with PPs to clarify what the DOC meant by "help," and to figure out a paid service that was able to do breakdown for you after the fact.

Do not ask your honored guests to work at your wedding.

I've asked everyone in my bridal party to help with set up and tear down and they're all more than willing. There's nothing wrong with asking for help.

I think it also depends on how much set-up you need to be done. My planner set up our guest book, table numbers, card box and other small things but wouldn't set up tables for example.

At the end of the night she cleaned up all of the stuff that either her or I provided but wasn't going to breakdown the tables or sweep.