March 7, 2017
Have you been going back and forth on whether you need to have a wedding planner for your wedding? Today, I’m sharing a few reasons why having a wedding planner will save your sanity and SAVE you so much time and money!
A few weeks ago, I sat down with my friend Christina Leigh of Christina Leigh Events and The Helpful Host. Christina is an amazing luxury planner located in Houston, TX. I love Christina because she is such a sweetheart, and her ability to flawlessly design and plan weddings amazes me!
I was honored to have her talk with me about the planning process and what planners actually do during your time together.
What does a wedding planner do?
Wedding planners help take the stress off of planning your wedding day. With so many options, it can get very overwhelming trying to prepare for it all! Planners will help you remember all the little details on your wedding, and a wedding planner will help you save money by working with their preferred vendors.
The details!
Did you know a wedding planner will take care of all the small details for you? For instance, having the reception tables set with linens before the florist arrives, so that the florist has a prepared space set the centerpieces. I know this doesn’t seem like a huge deal, but if you’ve hired your florist for any amount of time to stage your floral design, not having the linens on the tables or not knowing where the linens are located can cause a delay. It might even cause a florist to leave the arrangements somewhere for you to do on your wedding day.
A wedding planner will help you remember to bring everything you need to have on your wedding day. From your dress, shoes, veil, suits etc. I know these things seem obvious, but just this year alone I’ve had at least four weddings where something was forgotten. Someone even forgot a suit jacket for the groom right before the first look was supposed to be taken. Having a wedding planner to remind you of the small details will save you time on your wedding day, and give you peace of mind that you’re not going to forget a anything!
Did you know an established wedding planner has spent time building a professional relationship with other vendors? By doing this your planner knows the character of the business they are referring, ensuring that you’re getting a professional that is skilled and equipped to handle anything on your wedding day. A planner that works closely with these preferred vendors may also receive a discount on their services, which in turn gives you a price break on the service the vendor is offering, saving you money.
Your wedding planner will prepare a timeline for your wedding day. A seasoned planner will know exactly what time you need to start getting ready for the day of your wedding. Your planner will also work closely with your photographer to make sure there is enough time allowed throughout the day to ensure you get the pictures you’ve always dreamed about!
For your reception, your planner will make sure to let the DJ know when your special events need to take
place like, speeches, first dance, and cake cutting. Your planner may also suggest place cards at your head table to ensure that everyone close to you has a good place to sit, rather than sitting in a location that isn’t ideal. A planner will make sure someone is there to cut and serve your wedding cake. Not having someone that knows how to properly cut a wedding cake may result in not having enough to serve your guests.
Types of wedding planners
Full design wedding planners- A full design wedding planner will custom design your whole wedding experience. They will sketch out every detail from your floral, cake, and reception decor. A full design planner will help you throughout the entire wedding planning process, finding you the preferred vendors to bring the design sketches to life! Your experience with a full design planner includes everything listed above in “the details”.
Event management wedding planners- An event management wedding planner will help guide you throughout your planning process. This type of planner will assist you with finding vendors, and will be there for you on your wedding day with all “the details” I listed above.
Day of wedding planners- Day of wedding planners are typically just with you on your wedding day. A few weeks before your wedding, a day of planner will make a timeline for your wedding day. A day of planner will ensure everything on your wedding day runs smoothly and on time.
Five reasons why having a wedding planner is a good decision
Stress! Having a wedding planner will save you so much stress! I can’t say this enough! I have seen firsthand what stress can do on a wedding day without a planner. This day is one of the happiest days that you will have. Having a planner will give you the freedom to relax and enjoy your wedding day!
One of the BEST reasons to hire a planner is that your planner isn’t emotionally tied to you. Having someone there that isn’t emotionally tied will help your day run smoother if a problem arises. A planner will know how to handle the situation without the emotion of a family member or friend telling you about the situation, which can result in added stress on your wedding day. In most cases you or your family won’t know there was even a situation that needed to be handled, because your planner took care of it before it became a problem.
Having a planner will relieve stress off of your vendors. A wedding planner is like a ringleader. They help ensure everyone is where they need to be at the right time. Having a planner will allow your florist, caterer, videographer, photographer etc. have the freedom to do their job to the fullest. Your vendors will be able to focus on their job instead of having to do other jobs as well, which in turn will help them do their job to the best of their ability.
Having a well-seasoned planner that has built relationship with their preferred vendors will help save you time and money. Having a planner that knows your needs and your style can refer you to a vendor that will work with your aesthetic and your budget. By doing this you are saving so much time looking for the perfect vendor. In some cases your wedding planner’s preferred vendors can give you a better rate because of their professional relationship! This will also save you money.
Having a planner or stylist decorate for your wedding will give you and your families the freedom to fully enjoy your wedding day. I can’t tell you how many weddings that I have photographed that I’ve seen moms so tired from decorating. I’ve even photographed some that I’ve had to put my camera down and help decorate because there wasn’t anything for me to photograph when I arrived because decorating fell behind schedule. Having a planner or stylist decorate for you will help ease the stress so that you can focus on enjoying one of the best days of your life.
I hope you find this helpful as you continue to plan and prepare for your wedding day! For more tips on planning your wedding day click here. For more information about your wedding contact me by clicking here!
With love,
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