It’s engagement season! This is a time of pure excitement, which also comes along with the “Now we have to plan this thing…” statement. Followed by “Where do we begin?” and so many more unanswered questions. For some, the answer is so clear that they need a planner before anything. For others,the idea of a planner to couples can sometimes be a really scary idea for multiple reasons. You may have a specific vision and you are nervous to put it into someone else hands, there is a price tag associated with the word planner, your parents didn’t have a planner at their wedding, your sister got married and was fine without a planner. I have heard them all, seen them all, lived them all…but friends, you are not alone! Planning a wedding is extremely expensive and can be stressful. Sometimes the idea of adding an outside party (with a price attached) can be a little intimidating. There are so many ways I could write this post, but I am going to focus on a “planner” in the general sense. I like to relate this to building a house. Think of your planner as the foundation and the house as your wedding day. You know that there needs to be walls, a roof, doors, paint, etc. But, how do you build the house with no foundation? If you are the couple now saying “I agree. I definitely need this.” Then you are the best candidate for a full or partial package. If you are still a little weary or have heard mixed things, than this is for you.

Let me guess. Your venue and caterer have most likely been in the process with you for the majority of the time, and they have been there to answer every question you have up until a planner comes to mind. Sometimes even your photographer gets a lot of these questions! If you have left it to the last couple of months for a planner (which is more common than you think) than it may be hard not to say “What is the point? I already have all of these people to help me.” There are so many ways I could write this post, but how I am going to put it simply. Just having a venue coordinator or relying on your caterer to carry out your wedding is simply not enough to make your dream wedding come to life. Not convinced? Let me tell you why!

ONE 

The wedding industry is a yes industry.

As creatives and hospitality peeps, all of us industry pros have a little bit of a hard time saying no. So most of the time if you ask your professionals to do something they will say “Yes, of course we can handle that.” But, what you should keep in mind is just this…What exactly did you hire this professional for? Your caterer should be focusing on food and services, not alphabetizing your escort cards and putting pillows out on benches. Your venue coordinator or manager should be making sure the air conditioning is working and toilets are flushing, not placing center pieces or taste testing the sauce for your chicken. You know that Taco Bell commercial that says “Why get a breakfast burrito from a burger place?” think of it that way! If your professionals are spread too thin, they will not have the ability to produce the level of service for THEIR job you hired them for.

TWO 

Your planner will make sure that ALL of your vendors are on the same page.

A good planner, even day of coordinator will have a very detailed timeline sent to your vendors at least a couple days in advance so everyone knows what is going on at all times. Your venue may have a timeline letting vendors know when they are allowed on the property, but not let your other vendors know when you will be getting in the limo from your hotel. They won’t schedule your hair and make up schedule, go to dress fittings, select your florals or detailed place settings. Your DJ may send out when he is going to announce the bridal party, but he will not know when to tell the kitchen to plate up the main entree. See where I am getting at?

 

THREE

 Your venue and vendors will LOVE having a middle man for all the nitty gritty.

A typical venue has 30-60 or so weddings on their plate, maybe even two to three a day! Having someone who can take sincere care of you every step of the way will be a huge relief for them. How do I know this? Well, I was that venue coordinator once upon a time that thought “Oh my goodness, did I miss something? Are they feeling neglected?” Your planner will work with your venue coordinator, and help them to feel comfortable with every detail of your day. The vendor team will also be extremely thankful that they can dedicate themselves to their proper jobs, be fully focused and relax knowing that the details are taken care of. AND that someone will be keeping them on track, giving them guidance, and protecting their work throughout the day.

 

FOUR 

Your planner is an overall expert.

You have probably pinned your whole wedding for year and years, and now it is time to put it together. You have all of these ideas and all of these amazing photos, but now what? Here is the good news, a planner has done this before! They will point you in the direction of vendors that will fit your budget, keep you on track, help style your dream wedding, save you money, knows what to look for in contracts, and will guide you through every little detail. Unlike the specific game day players, your planner will be there coaching you through the whole shabang. What is the best part of having a planner? It is a completely emotionally unattached person to lean on allowing your parents, bridesmaids, fiancé, friends, co-workers and everyone else to actually enjoy your wedding day and celebrate with you!

 

FIVE 

You can actually focus on your marriage, not just the wedding. 

Sometimes it is put on the back burner through the planning process that you are planning for a lifetime of marriage, not just your wedding day. We may not want to admit it, but sometimes the pretty takes over am I right? You want to not only hire a planner that recognizes that, but one that will help you get your mind off every detail and focus on your marriage. Your planner will be the point of contact for your wedding dream team, especially the last couple months before your wedding. A happy couple is a happy planner is a happy venue, and so on. Take it all in and let a planner handle the details.

Planning a wedding is super stressful and takes your heart and soul to put together. I always say, this is the most important day of your life you want to be sure to invest in the things that matter and will help  you remember your day as the best start to your marriage together! Invest in stress relief, I promise it pays off.