Newly engaged? Hire a wedding planner from the start…90% of brides regret not doing so
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Remember the splurge items I talked about in yesterday's post, Research, Prioritize and Trust your Gut? A critical splurge item is a wedding planner. The question of whether you will hire one will come up when you're discussing your budget and going through the list of necessities.
I've met a lot of brides, some who have hired planners and I've spoken to brides who did it all themselves with the help of friends and family. When asked why they decided to brave the planning process and the wedding day itself, the three biggest reasons they gave me were:
- Money - a planner was just not in the budget. The brides felt that the amount they would have to pay was better spent on other aspects.
- They just didn't think a planner was worth the investment - some girls felt that what a planner could do, her friends or family members could also do for free.
- How hard could a wedding be? It's a party isn't it? - After all the planning was squared away with every detail confirmed, brides felt they had it all under control and there just wasn't anything left to worry about. What could possibly go wrong?
It came as no surprise that 90% of the brides I spoke to who didn't hire planners said that they should have done so in the first place. The learned that a planner's help would have taken a load off them, and that a wedding isn't "just a party" and that so much goes into it on teh day itself. Which brings us to Why You Should Hire a Wedding Planner/Coordinator. We consulted with three of the industry's professionals, Amy Thomas of Swizzle Events, Kristin Kaplan of Simply Stunning Nashville and Sharon Campbell, wife and right hand person to photographer Jonathon Campbell.
After their years of experience, they told us why they think brides should never underestimate the importance of a wedding planner:
Knowledge and experience - planners know exactly what questions to ask vendors and how to get you the most bang for your buck. Even if your budget is limitless, it's best to get quality vs. paying too much for shabby work and loopholes in contracts. Planners negotiate for you, they will source for options for you and cut down on your work. You can plan and plan but what if something goes wrong?
Kristin Kaplan of Simply Stunning Events worked with a bride who, shortly before her wedding realized she'd lost her venue - "Everything was ready to go... the venue had also arranged for the catering and the wedding cake and suddenly the bride received a phone call stating that the venue had lots its license to host events and we'd have to make other arrangements. Within two days, we had another venue lined up, new caterers, a whole new menu and a beautiful wedding cake."
Planners know who to call and what to say. They have contacts and the knowledge to get things done. Sure, something like this doesn't always happen, but wouldn't you prefer to have someone on hand just in case it does?
- Get things done. We got a non-planner vendor’s perspective on the topic.
Sharon Campbell offered this advice. “On the day of, which is imperative, a planner can handle the orchestration of the event. A timeline is critical and a day of planner can help make sure that everyone knows where they are supposed to be and when. This includes vendors, your bridal party and even family members who may be coming in early for pictures. You have invested a great deal in your wedding day, why not allot part of that budget so someone that know how to make your day run smoother and get the most out of everything you paid for?”
I couldn’t agree more! Why should you (or any guest) be running around to cue the band when it’s time for your first dance? And no bride wants to deal with the bill while trying to mingle. The planner is there to make sure you are fed, happy, and ready to go cut your cake when it’s time. If there’s a problem with the beef tips? Never you mind, your planner should be the one to deal with it.
Lastly:
- No more stress! Your wedding planner is your problem solver, someone who could resolve conflict, handle emergencies before and during the wedding, all so you can enjoy your own wedding.
Amy Thomas has pulled MacGyver style rescues at weddings with her always-handy emergency kit which came in handy with a bridesmaid dress fiasco. Once, in the middle of a crazy wedding season, a bride neglected to hire a DJ and called Amy at the 11th hour. Working her planner know-how, she managed to book a great DJ for the girl. “The list of real-life examples on why to hire a planner could go on and on. I’ve helped brides work out awkward family situations, find a venue that allowed DIY catering, plan for disabled members of the wedding party, wrangled bored and cranky flower girls and ring-bearers and, occasionally, saved the wedding cake from the ‘best dog.’”
A lot of newlyweds say they hardly remembered what happened at their wedding. A bride once told me, “I was too busy worrying about the schedule that I didn’t get to say hi to people.” Your photographs shouldn’t be the only memories you have after the wedding, you should be able to remember who you got to see and talk to, how much fun you had, what songs you danced to and even how the food tasted!
Hiring a planner for your big day is a worthwhile investment. Like Amy said to us, the question really isn’t “why should you hire a planner” but really “When will you hire your planner?”
About the Author:
Ashley
Hey - I'm Ashley! I started AshleysBrideGuide.com to give Nashville brides, or folks planning a Nashville wedding, a local resource for inspiration and resources. Hope to see you at a bridal show soon! Happy Planning.
send
Posted on December 30, 2009 |
Filed under: Advice & Planning, Wedding Planners & Coordinators
