We often meet people who ask about the benefits vs. the cost of hiring a wedding planner. Despite popular belief, a wedding planner can often be hired to help with the plans and to alleviate a ton of stress, but without adding any additional cost to your wedding. Wedding planners have many roles that they fill, and they do so all the while keeping your wedding vision in mind. In addition to helping turn your wedding dreams into reality, a wedding planner will save
you money and time. With today’s hectic
lifestyle, many couples do not have time for the planning and the work that a
beautiful wedding requires. Here are
some of our most Frequently Asked Questions to help you in your decision.
What is a wedding
planner?
A
wedding planner is a professional whose training, expertise, and contacts will
help make your wedding as close to perfect as it possibly can be. A professional wedding planner will take on
many roles:
Advisor: As an expert, the planner knows weddings,
from the socially correct invitation formats through the proper planning and
organization of the reception.
Coordinator: Through extensive contacts in the wedding
business, the planner can match you with the right professionals to turn your
wedding dreams into reality.
Supervisor: Your planner will work with the other
professionals you have chosen to help ensure everything happens just as you
wish.
Financial
planner: Your planner can help you
organize your dream wedding within budget, by suggesting ways to make your
dollar go the farthest.
Mediator: A bridal professional, as an independent
third party, can often smooth ruffled feathers and mediate disagreements
between family members. Sometimes your planner
may be nothing more than a “shoulder to cry on” to support you during the
hectic days before your wedding.
Why can’t I do the
planning myself?
You certainly can do the planning
yourself, and that can be part of the fun.
But some parts of the planning can also be a hassle:
researching many sources for each vendor category, making sure all of the
details are in place and worrying about whether you’re getting the best deal
and whether everything will turn out all right.
A professional wedding planner has the training and experience to make
it all come together while you relax.
Won’t a wedding planner
want to run the whole show?
A professional wedding planner will work
with you to handle as much or as little of your wedding as you wish. After all, it is your wedding. The planner is there to help you and your
family and make the day as perfect as possible.
What will a wedding planner
charge?
Most professional wedding planners charge
an hourly rate, a fixed fee, or a combination of both. All of these methods are acceptable, but you
should clarify in writing how and when you will compensate your wedding planner
for his or her services. A wedding planner
is part of your budget, not an extra expense.
In fact, you often save money because a planner suggests affordable
alternatives that still enhance your wedding.
The professional wedding planner will work with you to produce your
dream wedding, including the planner’s fee, all within your budget.
Do I need a wedding planner?
A planner will be a distinct asset as you
plan your wedding. Wouldn’t it be nice
to spend time with your fiancé and your families, rather than worrying about
all of the details of your special day?
A planner will take care of all of those details, leaving you to have
the fun. And on your wedding day, you
shine as the star, while your planner works behind the scenes to make your
dreams come true!
Before you make any decisions, before you decide that you just can't afford a wedding planner, meet with a few planners to see what they offer. You may be surprised to find that you can not only afford to hire wedding planner, but you can't afford not to hire one.
