A wedding planner can be a great addition to your wedding day. They can address the unexpected situations that pop up, and relieve you and your parents of the responsibility of managing the schedule and flow of the day.
I’m seeing more couples investing in either a wedding planner or at least a day of coordinator. You may have demanding jobs that prevent you from handling the wide array of wedding details. Or you may know that you’re not a Type A person who enjoys making all the decisions and tracking all the tasks to successful completion. Or you may be holding your wedding far distant from your home, and need someone who can be your arms, legs and eyes closer to the wedding venue. Or you may have a very specific vision for your day, and want to do everything you can to try to bring that to life. In any of these situations, or others unique to you, the cost of a wedding planner may be money well spent.
I’ve seen planners handle the following situations:
– an unexpected thunderstorm that popped up minutes before the ceremony time causing the ceremony to be relocated to an indoor space.
– coordinating and managing the extended families as they arrived for family photos, keeping the process moving smoothly and quickly for the photographer.
– directing guests to restrooms, the gift table, and the ceremony space so they were comfortable and felt welcomed.
– working to find/make space for unexpected guests, and engaging with the caterer to accommodate them for the dinner.
– finding a band-aid for the mother of the bride who needed one only moments before the processional began.
– working with all the vendors and the bridal party to keep the day on schedule.
– and being a buffer for the bride – answering questions from vendors and guests, confidently making last minute decisions, allowing the bride to enjoy her day.
It is certainly possible to hold a wedding without hiring a planner or coordinator, in fact, most of the couples I work with take on the planning role themselves. But if you can swing the planner’s fee in your budget, they are a great way to relieve stress for you and increase the chances that your wedding flows as you want it to.