Should I Hire a Wedding Planner
Getting married? If so, chances are you’re considering whether or not to hire a wedding planner. While hiring a wedding planner can be pricey, it may be worth the investment if you want your wedding to go off without a hitch. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of hiring a wedding planner and decide for yourself if it’s the right decision for you.
What does a wedding planner actually do?
A wedding planner is responsible for helping couples to plan and organize their perfect day. This includes everything from booking venues and suppliers, to coordinating the entire wedding timeline. wedding planner will also be on hand on the day itself to make sure that everything runs smoothly. In order to be successful in this role, a wedding planner needs to be highly organized and have excellent attention to detail. They also need to be able to think on their feet, as no two weddings are ever the same. By taking care of all the stressful elements of wedding planning, the couple can relax and enjoy the time before, during and after the big day.
Types of wedding planners
When referring to wedding planners or wedding coordinators, there are generally three types of services to choose from.
- Full-service wedding planner
- Month-of wedding planner
- Day-of wedding coordinator
Full Service Wedding Planner vs Month of Wedding Planner
A full-service wedding planner is someone who will be with you every step of the way from start to finish. They will help you with everything from picking out your venue and vendor to organizing your budget and schedule. A month-of wedding planner, on the other hand, is someone who comes in about a month before your wedding to help you tie up loose ends and make sure everything is on track. While a Full-service planner can be a great asset, a month-of planner can save you time and money. If you’re looking for someone to help you with the big picture, a Full-service planner is the way to go. But if you’re feeling confident about handling most of the details yourself, a month-of planner can be a more economical option.
Month of Wedding Planner vs Day of Wedding Coordinator
A month-of wedding planner will typically start working with you about one month before the big day. They will help you to finalize all the details and make sure that everything is on track. On the day of the wedding, they will be there to make sure that everything runs smoothly. Another option is to hire a day-of wedding planner. This type of planner will typically only start working with you one or two weeks before the big day, with their main responsibilities happening on the actual wedding day.
The Pros and Cons of Hiring a Wedding Planner
Let’s review a few of the pros and cons of hiring a wedding planner to help you make your decision.
Pros of hiring a wedding planner:
- Reduce Stress – Hiring a wedding planner can be a great way to take some of the stress out of planning your big day.
- Rely on Experience – A wedding planner will have a wealth of experience and knowledge to draw for everything related to your wedding.
- Make Decisions – help you to make key decisions about your venue, suppliers, and budget.
- Handle Logistics – Perhaps most importantly, a wedding planner can take care of all the logistics on the day itself, leaving you free to enjoy your celebrations.
- Avoid Mistakes – Avoid common wedding planning mistakes or etiquette faux pas.
- Negotiate Pricing with Vendors – To keep your relationship strong with all of your wedding vendors, you can as your planner to help you negotiate or find better options for your budgets.
- Vendor Teams – Get recommended vendors stylists, photographers, florists, make up artists, officiants, and wedding entertainers they have worked with.
Cons of hiring a wedding planner
While there are many benefits to hiring a wedding planner, there are also some potential drawbacks to consider.
- Cost – One of the biggest disadvantages is cost. Wedding planners fees can add up quickly add up. Hiring a wedding planner can be a big expense and affording one could require cutting other parts of your wedding budget. “According to The Knot 2021 Real Weddings Study, the average cost of a wedding planner was $1,700. But before you adhere to this particular number, keep in mind that this was the national average in 2021.”
- Vision – wedding planners may have different ideas about the perfect wedding than the bride and groom. For example, a planner may want to choose a more traditional venue while the couple is interested in something more unique. It’s important to be on the same page with your wedding planner to avoid disagreements down the line.
- Control – Hring a wedding planner can take away some of the control that the bride and groom have over their own wedding. While this may not be a problem for some couples, others may prefer to be more hands-on with the planning process.
- Potential Personality Clash – While not common, hiring the wrong wedding planner for you could lead to disagreements, conflict and stress.
- Potential Regrets – If you simply rely on all of the advice and vendor hires, you may regret some of the decisions made and blame the planner. This is why it’s important to be involved in the major decisions that you anticipate caring about on or after your wedding day.
When You Should Hire a Wedding Planner
Let’s review by recapping when you SHOULD hire a wedding planner.
- If reducing stress is important to you.
- If you’re really busy.
- If you are having a destination wedding and you are unfamiliar with all of your options, rules, and potential issues.
- If You Want to relax during the day and enjoy the wedding.
When You Shouldn’t Hire a Wedding Planner
On the other hand, here are some situations when you may consider planning your own wedding.
- If you aren’t afraid of some research, organizing, negotiations and stress
- If you have time and energy for planning
- If you’re having a small elopement wedding
- If you’re having a small courthouse weddings
- If you’re having a wedding with a very small guest count
- If budget is a very high priority
Conclusion
For most weddings, we highly recommend hiring a wedding planner for your wedding day if it’s within your budget. You can find wedding planners and coordinators at all budget ranges who offer a wide variety of services to match your needs. And sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know, and we are unable to predict all of the potential issues that could arise during the wedding day. And if they do, you’ll be glad to have someone experienced in your corner to handle them.
