There is no doubt about it: wedding planning requires a great deal of time, organization, and dedication on the part of the bride and groom-to-be. Depending on the scope an scale of a wedding, some couples may even enlist the help of friends or family members to help them make sure that they make adequate preparations for what is undoubtedly one of the biggest days in an individual’s life.
But, with so many details to consider, some couples will find that even the most dedicated family members and friends still do not suffice when it comes down to planning a wedding. As a result, some couples decide to make room in their budgets to hire a professional wedding coordinator. But, do you need a wedding planner?
Consider your dream wedding
If you’ve always pictured yourself having a small, intimate, backyard wedding with only a handful of guests to witness this momentous occasion, then it is unlikely that you will need to hire a wedding planner. Especially if you aren’t too picky when it comes to details like wedding attire or decorations.
However, if you’ve always imagined your wedding to include 250 guests donned in black-tie attire drinking the finest wine and eating an exquisite meal, then you definitely should consider investing in a professional coordinator to help make sure that your wedding is as close to your dream as possible.
Ask yourself some important questions
When deliberating over whether or not you need a wedding planner, it is crucial that you take some time to ask yourself some important questions. How organized are you? How much time do you have on your hands? Do you really know what you are getting yourself into? When it comes to wedding planning, organization is essential.
If you are a scatter-brained bride who has a tendency of leaving things until the last minute, or if you can never find your keys when you are getting ready for work in the morning, you may want to consider handing over the planning reigns to a professional whose job it is to remain as organized and efficient as possible.
Moreover, planning takes a great deal of time. Keep in mind that you will likely be scheduling meetings with a whole slew of vendors from the moment you start planning until the actual wedding date. If you already have a hectic workload, it is unlikely that you will find the time to engage in sufficient planning, unless you want virtually every hour of spare time to be devoted to your big day details. If you are simply too busy to plan, it may be wise to hire a wedding planner who can do the legwork for you and make sure that every last detail is accounted for.
It is also important to consider whether or not you really know what you are getting yourself into when it comes to planning a wedding. In theory, planning an event should be a no-brainer: choose a location, make sure there is great food, and provide some entertainment. Unfortunately, wedding planning is not quite so simple. In addition to a barrage of meetings with vendors, you will also have to deal with vendor contracts, calculating gratuities, scheduling deliveries, and choosing the right color scheme.
If you have no experience in event planning or are simply not up to the challenge, it is important that you consider hiring a wedding planner who is experienced and skilled in making weddings go off without a hitch. Further, experience in planning weddings allows professionals to be more prepared to deal with unforeseen (or uncontrollable) situations from first hand experience.
Think about how much you know
No matter how many bridal magazines you flip through in preparation for your wedding, it is highly unlikely that you will be up-to-date with the latest industry trends in the same way that wedding planners usually are. Issues about etiquette concerning invitation wording or whether it is appropriate to nix some of your guests (like friends’ significant others) may present a challenge to brides with no help. Yet, a professional wedding planner is likely to tackle these issues with ease, grace, and swiftness.
Additionally, while an unsuspecting and unknowledgeable bride may be vulnerable to paying more for the overcall cost of their weddings due to hidden costs, a consultant’s knowledge about the industry can make them equipped to propose a more reasonable and realistic budget.
Think about your personality
Are you the type of bride who knows exactly what she wants and won’t stop until she gets it? Are you a skilled and hard-nosed, aggressive negotiator? If you are, you may find it a breeze to deal with vendors. But, if you are the type of bride that just can’t say “no” and easily pushed around, you may want to consider hiring a professional who has enough industry knowledge to be aware of typical pricing parameters for various wedding goods and services, a skill that undeniably helps them negotiate better deals with vendors.
Think about who you know
There is a reason that people often say, “it’s all about who you know.” When it comes to wedding planning, truer words have never been spoken. If you are deliberating whether or not you really need a wedding planner, consider how many vendors you actually know of? Even if you can name a few off the top of your head, it is unlikely that you’ve developed a long-term relationship with them.
Wedding planners, on the other hand, frequently deal with the same vendors on a regular basis. So, not only can a professional planner give you advice about which vendors are better (or less expensive) than others, they can also use their industry connections to YOUR advantage! If a planner has worked with a particular vendor before, he or she may be able to get better deals or packages. Because consultants bring clients to vendors they have established prior relationships with, they also typically receive discounts and loads of free extras.
In conclusion, it is clear that there are a number of benefits to hiring a professional to coordinate the details of your wedding. However, in order to determine whether you really need a wedding planner, you should be sure to consider the aforementioned issues. Not everyone needs a planner, but if you don’t have the time, the skills, or the desire required to plan a wedding, your big day will go much smoother if you leave the details to the pros.
