THE. WEDDING. BUDGET.
It’s safe to say that one of the first to-do items on your wedding planning checklist should be and will be your wedding budget. The venue, catering & bar, and florals are usually a big big portion of that budget, but there is one more vendor that should be considered on the top of your wedding budget and that is a wedding planner. Most brides-to-be realize that they need a planner after they’ve planned their own engagement party. Between deciding all the details, answering all of the questions and managing all the specifics, you may quickly realize that you weren’t able to enjoy your party as much as you would have if you put all of the planning into someone else’s hands.
...It’s not too late to make the switch - the years, months, weeks leading up to your wedding can be as hectic, or as easy going as you like, and investing into a planner could be the best decision you’ll make in this process. Before we jump into justifying the cost of a wedding planner and answering the dreaded “why are wedding planners so expensive” question, we should help explain some of the wedding planner duties that can help make your nuptials a walk in the park and justify the cost.
PACKAGE OPTIONS There are a few different tiers of planning packages, ranging from full-service to partial service, to month-of service and day-of. You may or may not need a full-service planner and you may opt for a month-of coordination package. Let’s face it, most of us work full time, so we don’t have time to plan a wedding - the package has to make sense for you and your partner, but hey, that’s what wedding planners are there for. Their goal, passion and time is dedicated to you - they are there to take the stress out of your wedding planning process, regardless of the level of service you select. Your wedding planner is the main point of contact for all vendors, family members and friends (she easily can become your BFF during this process!).
BENEFITS OF A PLANNER There are a few reasons why hiring a wedding planner can be beneficial to your budget and overall planning process. If you select a planner who’s well-respected in the industry and who’s been in the business for a while, they can actually help save you money because they have strong relationships and partnerships with other trusted vendors. They will advocate for you, your vision, your budget, and they’ll know exactly what venues & vendors to reach out to first, and also which ones to avoid completely. Planners also have all of the technology and templates to easily execute your custom floor plan, timeline, vendor lists, etc. They also provide innovative ideas you may not have otherwise thought of and even better, they provide honest feedback. But, their main duties are all about understanding the couple’s needs & desires, and bring their wedding dreams to life. They communicate for you, research for you, fight for you and your budget, they manage your timeline and coordinate on the day to ensure it’s seamless and stress-free
CHAOS COORDINATORS
They can fix the stain on the wedding gown, give orders to 3 assistants, calm down the overly stressed Mother of the Bride, line up 5 intoxicated groomsmen, and cue the ceremony music . . . all at the same time. Sounds like a chaotic mess, but it’s what planners are hired for! A wedding planner works for you . ., yes, YOU, the bride and their clients needs, desires, goals and vision are the top priority. A wedding planner is responsible for managing all details of your wedding, and is looking out for your best interests. Wedding planners wear many hats - they coordinate all the details, your floorplan, your timeline, your vendors, and all of the small things in between. They initiate family mediation (which is a hard task to take on!), they manage wedding finances and make sure your payments are on time, they offer decor, design & fashion advice, they schedule and coordinate vendor meetings & tastings, they can help setup wedding websites, send invites & track RSVP’s. They will personally be responsible for making sure your dream & vision is brought to life, from making sure you eat lunch because you’re nervous getting ready for the big day, to lining up everyone for the ceremony, to handing you your favorite drink after your vows, to the centerpieces & table settings and putting out your grandparents wedding pictures, to bustling your dress for your first dance, to cueing the DJ, to walking you through the cake cutting procedure, to packing up your wedding gifts, and then coordinating all of your guests for your grand exit. What don’t they do?!
BUT, WHY?!
Passion is what wedding planners live for and if you see us crying when you walk down the aisle, it’s not because we are stressed, but it’s because we’ve spent your entire engagement & wedding planning process with you, designing and organizing your perfect day. You’ll become more than a bride to us - you’ll become a friend, a best friend. That’s a wedding planner’s dream. It’s said that a talented wedding planner is a gift you give yourself and then wonder how you ever thought you could manage without one.
Photography: The Teagues | Moodyography | Britni Dean Photography | Feather & Twine | Honey Gem Creative | Dani Quiroz Photography
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