Over the course of my 25-year photographic journey, I have learned a few things about wedding planning. One of the most critical lessons I have picked up is that wedding planning decisions are never easy. For example, should you hire a professional wedding planner or do all of it on your own?
Getting engaged with the love of your life is exciting. But, after receiving congratulatory messages and gifts from friends and family, it’s time to get down to business. First, you must start thinking about what planning style works for you, how much you and your spouse-to-be are willing to spend, the location, and other related factors.
Then comes the hard part—coordinating all the vendors, stylists, and guests. Simply contemplating all these issues can quickly elevate your stress levels, which is why I want to share what I have learned about when to hire a wedding planner with you.
Let’s get started.
What Are Wedding Planners, and What Do They Do?
Wedding planners are generally tasked with organizing, negotiating, and coordinating wedding affairs on behalf of engaged couples. In addition, these professionals offer services like developing wedding timelines, managing budgets, booking ceremony and reception venues, coordinating wedding day décor, and managing guest lists.
However, every wedding planner has their areas of specialization, so it is vital that you know what you want from the onset.
We can group wedding planners into the following categories:
- Full-service planners: These professionals will work with you from start to finish. You can hire full-service planners to find vendors and venues, manage wedding invitations, and basically handle everything and everyone during the wedding day.
- Partial-service planners: These planners have fewer responsibilities compared to full-service wedding planners. For example, rather than looking for vendors on your behalf, a partial service planner becomes the point person with vendors you and your spouse have already selected. Other responsibilities include logistics, managing sitting arrangements, and handling any last-minute issues.Â
- Day-of wedding planners: According to the 2020 WeddingWire Newlywed Report, more engaged couples choose this option than any other type of wedding planner. Essentially, day-of planners coordinate and direct activities during the wedding rehearsal and on the big day itself. Think of them as expert “fixers” who come in on D-day to help with everything, including scheduling, people management, and troubleshooting problems.
- Specialty planners: The specialty planner focuses on specific functions, such as destination weddings, décor, color scheme, style, floor plans, and lighting. All wedding designers are specialty planners.
Why Hire a Wedding Planner?
Before you can think about whether working with a planner is worth the extra expense, or the type of professional to go for, you must first consider your situation and why you would want to follow this direction in the first place.
In this regard, let me share a few reasons why this would be a viable option.
- Time Is Not on Your Side
Planning a wedding is tricky as you must think about many issues simultaneously. For example, when hiring vendors for the big day, you might send and make hundreds of emails and telephone calls in the back-and-forth that ensues. You also have to handle numerous visits and meetings, so getting help might not be a bad idea.
Seeing that wedding planners are paid to make these arrangements on your behalf, they will devote all their time and effort to ensure that the wedding day is successful.
- Your Spouse-To-Be Has Different Ideas
Let’s face it—not all to-be-weds will share similar visions regarding their wedding day. For example, perhaps you want to go with a casual meet-up between friends, but your spouse-to-be intends to make the reception a formal engagement. Unfortunately, these types of issues are common, but there is no reason to feel like you are alone in it.
A wedding planner will help you find common ground by understanding your individual styles. Wedding planners can also prioritize everybody’s goals and preferences to create a wedding day that works for all.
- You Want Someone To Manage the Wedding Budget for You
A wedding planner will also help keep your finances in check.
When it comes to wedding planning, you can easily spend on things that were not budgeted for in the first place. So, rather than finding yourself thousands of dollars above the intended financial plan, why not let a professional make the tough decisions for you?
Making realistic budgetary decisions will help protect your financial well-being long after your honeymoon.