I often work hard to dispel the myth that a wedding planner is a luxury meant for only a few brides, so allow me to finally put to rest this long-standing debate...
You're about to get married, and you're spending a considerable amount of money doing so, as well as investing a considerable amount of energy, time, thought, creativity, and personal touches into all of your decisions and details. Your wedding day is a BIG DEAL! So why are you setting sail without your survival pack and compass?
Have you ever planned a wedding before? If your answer is yes, because you've been married before or have helped a friend plan her wedding, that may give you just slightly more experience than the rest of the brides out there, but it certainly does not make you an expert. A wedding planner is an expert! They know all of the ins and outs of the industry and planning process, and they can help guide you towards the right products and services for your overall vision and budget (not to mention steering clear of the wrong choices, which is equally important). This is a service that every bride can benefit from, regardless of their wedding budget.
Have you ever been to a wedding where it was clear that the couple became 'venue poor'; selecting a lovely location for their wedding that clearly cost more than they expected, and in turn their table decor looked like a sad dollar store shopping trip with a single candle on a square mirror? You know what I'm talking about! If that bride had a wedding planner, she probably would have been referred to several other equally lovely venues that may not have cost as much, affording her beautiful floral centerpieces and table decor instead. This is just one example of how a planner sees all of the pieces of the puzzle simultaneously, and makes sure each piece is beautiful and fits with the other pieces.
And even if a bride were to put together all of the beautiful pieces to the puzzle that is her wedding day, who would be there that day to ensure that everything ran smoothly and each detail was tended to as planned? Because I have news for you brides, despite you really wanting to be two places at once, you simply cannot have your hair and makeup done while setting up the venue, and you cannot pose for family photos while lighting all of the table candles. And I'll just say it, no, this isn't the perfect job for your Mom/sister/friend/other relative, because they deserve to be a guest at your wedding and enjoy this special day too (and let's face it, unless they're a professional wedding planner by trade, then they will not be nearly as effective as having a hired professional).
A wedding day has so many moving parts (after all, it can include a dozen different vendors working together on the same event) and being able to seamlessly work as a team is crucial for an event to be a success. A wedding planner makes sure that everyone is prepared for the event day with all necessary information regarding the timeline and logistics, and is the point of contact for all questions or concerns as events unfold. While a planner is handling all of the little details that arise during the event, the other vendors can focus on their true craft (meaning the photographer can spend more time capturing pictures instead of lining everyone up to go down the aisle, and the DJ can spend more time keeping everyone moving on the dance floor instead of finding the couple in preparation for the cake cutting). These are some of the many reasons planners are so popular among other wedding professionals, and are often referred to couples. More and more wedding vendors are asking brides and grooms "Who is your wedding planner?" because having a planner present really allows them to service their clients so much better on their wedding day.
When I'm planning a wedding for a bride and groom, my priorities are as follows: (1) I want to help design an event that is a personal reflection of the couple and their relationship and personalities, and that truly captures their vision for the day. (2) I want to help them secure top quality products and services that are a good fit not only stylistically and aesthetically, but also financially! And (3) I want to execute the complete wedding day, from set up, to event time, to break down, in a way that allows the couple to truly enjoy their day with loved ones. You'll notice that every goal is inherently focused on the couple. Not every planner is like this, but I believe the best ones are.
Ask any bride who hired a good wedding planner about her experience, and she'll tell you how they are worth their weight in gold, and you absolutely should hire one! Ask any bride who didn't have a wedding planner and suffered because of it, and she'll probably tell you that she regrets that decision if she could do it all again. Unfortunately, the only way most brides learn this lesson is through experience, and it is not worth risking a bad experience just because you don't feel like taking the time to research a wedding planner that would be a good fit for you. We're here - let us help you!! My hope is that more and more brides and grooms will give serious consideration to the benefits of having a wedding planner on their side through the planning process and on the wedding day, because it's clearly worth the investment in your overall wedding day experience.