Thinking of Hiring A Wedding Planner? So… you’ve just gotten engaged and you begin the planning process. So far, so good! All the ideas are coming together and you’ve just started the conversations with family members about budget and maybe even venues! So much fun, right?! I totally agree. I loved planning Adam and my wedding. We had an advantage with my background in events, but there were still some things that, at the time, I didn’t know.
A Planner Can SAVE You
Thousands of Dollars!
A wedding planner is more than just someone that keeps all the details organized. We have seen it ALL. (Just ask me about my “wedding stories”… LOL!) Planners can ask questions that you may not know or think to ask your vendors when you meet with them. For instance, does your venue offer a military discount? If so, that could potentially save you around 10% off the total cost of the venue! That’s a HUGE chunk of change when you consider that a typical all-inclusive venue for around 150 guests is around $14K… $1,400 ADDED to your overall wedding budget just by asking a simple question!
Many wedding planners have relationships with local vendors that offer discounts if they know that you are working with “Sally Sue Wedding Planning”… 10-15% discounts on all your vendors really adds up and 100% pays for your planner in the end.
You may wonder, well, is “Sally Sue” getting a kickback? Sometimes, yes. But if they care about the longevity of their business you can trust that if they are referring a vendor, it’s because they KNOW that the vendor is professional, quality and will perform for you!
Hiring a planner BEFORE your other vendors can really made a huge impact on your overall budget.
Organizing The Details
We all know that a wedding planner will help you organize the wedding plans and implement the details with grace. One of my own planners, Liz Hart, put it best when she explained that a wedding is like a puzzle- there are all these different pieces and finally the day comes and you can see the full picture.
A good planner will know to allow 15 minutes between cocktail hour and the reception to allow guests to move from one space to the next. She will make sure that your caterer knows when to pour the champagne for an upcoming toast. The team will ensure that your rain plan is implemented with enough time so that you don’t lose 45 minutes of your wedding timeline. All of these tiny details can make a huge impact on your overall guest experience.
While mom, bridesmaid, or family friend COULD coordinate for you, what happens when your officiant gets stuck in traffic? Will they know how to handle a situation like that? This ACTUALLY happened to one of my couples.
My Two Cents
This might be an odd comparison, but I think it’ll makes sense… I like to compare a wedding planner to a home contractor. A contractor knows how to build a proper foundation for your home, the project will come together with organization, ease, and it will be a stress free process with the timeline on track. In the end you will have a beautiful home just like you imagined. A planner is the same!
So, now, are you thinking of hiring a wedding planner? If you would like to chat about your wedding, please don’t hesitate to reach out! We LOVE helping our couples and getting to know their love story! Happy Planning!
