Advice for the Newly Engaged: 90% of Brides Regret That They Didn’t Hire a Wedding Planner
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
90% of the Nashville brides that I have interviewed who didn't hire planners (hired one late in planning or hired one for limited services) said they regretted that decision. They gave me three reasons for not hiring a planner and I'm sure you've entertained these same thoughts...
3 Reasons Why Brides Don't Hire a Wedding Planner:
1) 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.
2) 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.
3) 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?
In hindsight, they realized that a planner's help would have helped them significantly, and that a wedding isn't "just a party".
I'd like to encourage you to take their advice and hire a reputable Nashville wedding planner ASAP! You deserve to enjoy your entire engagement. You deserve to not "work" on your wedding day and to allow your family not to work on your day so everyone can savor every minute, dance, morsel.
I consulted with three wedding industry experts to give you various perspectives on the topic - Rita Rowland who runs the catering company Down South Delights, Mary Alice Sublett of StudioWed Nashville and A Delightful Day Event Planning and Sharon Campbell, one half of the dynamic photography duo Jonathon Campbell Photography.
3 Reasons Why a Bride Should Hire a Full-Service Wedding Planner:
1) They offer professional help finding quality resources + making sound decisions.
Planning can get really overwhelming with contracts and negotiation, not to mention arrangements you have to make for your guests and yourself. It can start to be too much. Wedding planners and professionals exist so you don't have to give yourself a headache trying to figure it all out on your own.
Mary Alice Sublett of StudioWed Nashville has had years of experience as a planner and working with vendors and had this piece of advice.
"Hiring a planner, whether to help you through the whole process, or for month of assistance, is the best investment you can make at the start of your planning journey! Planners can assist you through the to-do tasks, guide you into making the right vendor decisions, keep the planning process as stress free as possible, and provide you the advice you need to have a wonderful wedding experience.
Be thorough in choosing your planner by interviewing several to find the right personality and service fit for you and your fiance and once you find the right one, trust them to walk you through this process "hand in hand". Don't see hiring a planner as a luxury item, but as a must have item in your budget, as it will make the difference between a wonderful planning experience and a stressful one."
2) They have years of experience orchestrating wedding days
You have enough to worry about that day, why add on the stress of having to worry where all your vendors are at any given moment? Rita of Down South Delights explains this from a caterer's (and wedding vendor's) point of view:
"Having a planner involved with the process is definitely a big help from a caterers perspective. On the day of the reception we have a defined "go to" person that can answer questions and assist with details. If the bride chooses not to have a planner then vendors usually end up having to seek out a family member or the bride herself. The planner typically will email us a very detailed timeline so that we know the exact moment that we should be cutting cake, opening stations, opening the bar, preparing toasts, etc."
"If a bride chooses a full planning package then the planner and I can go through all of the details without having to constantly contact the bride with information that she may not have knowledge of. Opting for a day-of planner is still a great help for us. That means that someone will be on site to light candles, arrange cake toppers, organize seating charts, etc. The planner or their assistant keeps the entire reception rolling smoothly, prompting the couple when it's time to move on to the next aspect of the day.
Unless you're an uber organized couple, then a planner can make your life a lot smoother for the duration of the planning process. For most couples this is this the first time they've had to deal with linen sizes, seating arrangements, processional info, etc - a planner can handle all of this for you and keep all of us vendors on point with timing! Basically, a planner takes care of all the stuff that a bride doesn't want to have to worry about during her reception." (Rita Rowland)
I can't agree more: A bride shouldn't be the conductor of this fine-tuned orchestra. You were part of the planning process, you're very aware of every single thing that's involved, but you shouldn't have to be the ones wrangling them on your wedding day. Save your breath and adrenalin for yourself and your family. And if things go wrong, that shouldn't be something you have to fix! Which brings us to our next point
3) They create plans and back-up plans to handle unexpected challenges (from family discord to floods)!
Things can go wrong. This isn't to say they WILL go wrong but that if there's a bit of a mix up, do you really want to know and do you really want to be the person on the phone that day trying to deal with it? On that note, do you want your mom or aunt or best friend to be that person? Not ideally. This is where your planner comes in. Sharon Campbell brings home the point:
"We do shoot several weddings with no planner or coordinator at all (there is a difference) and without fail something always goes wrong, even if its something little and doesn't really matter in the end. I do notice that when that happens, the bride is always the go-to person for the family or venue, caterer, etc and it always creates the risk of being unnecessarily stressed on the day of your wedding.
No matter what your budget, I suggest it is a wise investment to have someone who is experienced and is not a family member or friend be the go-to person that can handle some of the mishaps and also help keep your day on track. As a photographer, we have a schedule, but we are there to capture your day and while we help in any way we can, we would not be able to answer questions or make decisions that could in any way alter your day. Do not expect your other vendors (not even the venue manager) to coordinate the day for you.
Make sure you have people that are excited about your wedding, trust them to do the job you hired them to do and then relax on the day your start your family!"
This is key - that you, your groom, your parents, siblings, and friends have fun. You invested in all these professionals, make it worth your while. And like Rita said, "It's the couples time to shine and a great planner can make that a lot easier."
About the Author:
Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide
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.
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Posted on December 28, 2011 |
Filed under: Advice & Planning, Engagements & Proposals
2 Responses to This Post
Posted on December 28, 2011 @ 2:21pm
Posted on January 4, 2012 @ 1:46pm