10 Reasons to Hire a Planner
As a wedding planner, I've seen and read SO many different blog and Pinterest posts about hiring a planner and what you NEED to do at your wedding. In reality, it is YOUR big day. If you want pizza instead of a sit down meal or a first look before the ceremony instead of a traditional first look down the aisle, then do it! After all it is your big day... And this is why I love my job! Decisions and ideas about "spicing" up your wedding and making it truly represent you as a couple are my favorite!
Of course as a planner myself, I would never tell a bride that they have to hire a planner if they want their wedding to run smoothly because it may not be for every couple and that is totally fine! However, I truly believe in the value of hiring a professional wedding planner for every couple!
Keep an open mind as I tell you some reasons why...
1. Its YOUR wedding day, you should be 100% present!
Your wedding day happens one day out of your whole life. Invest in a professional who can make sure you are freed from every responsibility except being fully present and taking in every moment of your big day. You will invest so much time and energy prepping for your wedding, so why not enjoy it?!
2. Your friends and family are (likely) not an event professional
This topic should be the most valuable because as a bride you should want your friends and family fully engaged in the day and not "working." Your friends and family play a HUGE role during the wedding planning process, you should want them to enjoy themselves..
Personally, I think the most important role of the friends and family is to be an active witness of the marriage. Hiring a day-of wedding planner will let them be free of stress so they enjoy the day, too.
Your moms, aunts and friends should not have to run around all morning decorating and setting up, they should be by your side drinking coffee and getting pampered after all the help they have given you throughout the months prior.
A professional wedding planner knows how to manage an event and be the point of contact for all vendors. You want someone who is a professional to decorate and take on all the large AND small tasks that occur during your wedding day.
3. You want to hire the best vendors for your style and budget
Not only will your planner help with your decision processes, they will also make sure the person you choose to DJ, caterer, etc. fits your style, personality AND budget! After you book all of your vendors, your planner will take the stress away by asking the little questions and working with your vendors to make sure everything is in sync and ready to go without a hiccup!
4. The event manager at your venue is not your professional wedding planner
Many wedding venues say that they include a "wedding planner" or "event manager" in their contract. Typically, this is just the bride and groom's main point of contact for all venue related questions and the person on staff day of. This person does not set up your decor, work with all your vendors, meet with your other professionals or making sure your wants fit into your budget.
This person will make sure the venue staff is doing what they are listed to do and make sure their is no damage done to the facility day of.
So, even though you may have an event manager at your venue, they do not substitute for a professional and experienced wedding planner.
5. Your budget is critical, make sure you have the right person in charge of it
There is so much that goes into your wedding wants and needs that all cost money. Every couple's budget is different. Make sure you get a professional wedding planner that can help you prioritize what is most important to you. Likely you have never thrown a big celebration like a wedding, so how you do exactly to know how to budget for a wedding? A professional planner will make sure your budget is just right for the two of you.
6. You already don't have enough time for yourself, so you don't have time to plan a wedding
Planning your big day is a lot of work. There are studies that show planning a wedding equals out to be a part time job! You want to make sure you are relaxed and enjoying your engagement and have time for work, hobbies and your social life, too! A planner takes a huge chunk of the planning off of your mind.
A planner's job is more than just 8-5pm Monday through Friday. We will work with your schedule and make sure the daytime AND nighttime tasks get done to make sure the wedding is a fairytale to you.
7. You want your vision to come to life
Pinterest is a great tool to help you gather your visions and ideas and put them onto a board. Now, how do you make those come to life? A planner has some of the best resources and knowledge when it comes to DIY activities or rental options in your area! Brining your vision to life should be very important to you, make sure you have a professional on your team!
8. You are only one person
Unfortunately, we are human which means we can only be in one place at a time. This is why I HIGHLY recommend at least a day-of planner for EVERY couple.
Many couples have their ceremony and reception in two separate locations which means decor, guest book, gifts, etc. have to be transported and set up before any of the guests arrive at the cocktail hour. This means very strict time limits and limited access to both locations. A professional wedding planner has many events under their belt with juggling multiple locations and time crunches. You will be doing yourself a favor by hiring a day-of planner!
9. A planner will be your best friend throughout the planning process
Bride's should have one professional they can call or text at anytime to share their new ideas or excitement with. You want most, if not all, of your hard work and details to be a surprise element to your friends and family. A professional wedding planner is a judge-free, unbiased best friend to share your wedding planning fun with. They will guide you in the right direction but never pressure you into anything.
One of the best feelings to me as a planner is knowing that my clients are excited for their big day and stress-free because they have invested in a professional wedding planner to help and guide them.
10. your friends and family will thank you!
The most rewarding feeling is going to be at 10p.m. on your wedding day when you can look around and see all of your friends and family that have been celebrating ALL day long because they didn't have to worry about set up or managing vendors. I promise, it will be worth the money! :)
All of these reasons are based on my experiences working with friends and clients that are trying to justify a wedding planner. The best feeling to me is after a wedding when a bride's mom starts to cry because her daughter was so calm throughout the planning process and day of. Together they got to celebrate together all day long and the mom didn't have to miss a thing. I want to touch as many brides as I possibly can so whether your budget is $10,000 or $75,000- call me and let's chat!