Do i need a wedding planner ?

Wedding planners or Wedding coordinator are simply your helping hand before and at your wedding. Most are not wedding designers , which we will cover in another blog. There is a big difference and if most are honest they are not designers. 

Some people look to close family to assist, some even take the job on themselves, while some hire in a wedding planner.  You can ask 1000 people if you need a planner and you may be surprised by what you hear.

If your getting married in your local area and are computer savvy then you may find everything you need by asking people and looking on line.What if your dream is in another country ? can you really be confident in even starting this without a wedding planner.

Some poeple say it depends how many people are coming but then again do you really want to have to deal with the backend work that is very often not mentioned on the " i did it my self" websites. 

What is funny that some Wedding Planners tell you on their websites they " did it themselves" for their wedding and because of that they became a wedding planner. 

Hang-on then !!!! so they can do it, then why do you need one. Simple answer is you do not... anyone can organise a wedding -

• book a venue
• book a florist
• book a cater
• find a photographer. 

Correct ?

If your planner is a " i organised my own wedding" then ask to see the video / photos and then look at what they now can do with all the years of experience they have. If it is not 1000 % better then i would be looking at another planner. What is nice is to hear what they would have done better. 

Hang on, so the weddings they are doing now are better than their own wedding ???

So can you do this ?

Of course you can its simple.

Ok lets first look at what you need to do as your very own wedding planner and join the many people who can say "i did it my self ".

See below  which covers a lot of areas ( but not all )

Simple still ?

Also you need to be a peace maker during the whole process - and be able to listen to your family and not make enemies before the day, in less your paying and no one else wants to be involved.

SO then lets say everything has gone to plan - Whooooooo its the wedding day.

At this point you will need to hand over to someone else - hang on  so how come people say " I did it my self".... well now the truth is out the bag.

Day-of-Wedding  - I can do this also !!!

On your wedding day, you're going to be pulled in a million directions. Old friends will want to say hello, you'll want to relax and get ready, and people will be asking you far too many questions. And that's just before the ceremony starts. 

So a family or friend will have to step in. By the way - they will of course now had to of been part of the process  or they will not have a chance in dealing with the wedding.

So your helper or helpers will need to do the following-

• meeting vendors and deliveries, and handling any no-shows
• solving other last-minute emergencies
• running the rehearsal
• setting up the ceremony and reception spaces
• making sure that the wedding party is on time and in the right places
• coordinating the reception timeline
• dealing with wedding crashers and unruly guests
• ensuring that the space is left clean and that you'll get your deposits back
• collecting personal items wedding gifts and making sure they get back to you safely.
• returning rentals and borrowed items as your going on a honey moon.

Well done you did it.... you can now be a wedding planner.

But if this seems all to much , it does not mean you have failed , call in a wedding planner so  you can enjoy the planning and the wedding day and use the advice from people that do this for a living.

Word of caution when choosing a wedding planner -

• First and foremost, you need wedding planners who are easy to contact and responsive to your needs. If they don't return your calls promptly or don't seem organized, look elsewhere. The first test is how long did it take to hear back after your first contact.
• Beware of wedding planners who are getting kickbacks for recommending certain vendors – make sure you are hearing about vendors who are right for you, and not just those who have a hand in the wedding planners' pockets.  Ask for 3 suppliers to see. Kickbacks happens and that is the business but i would be more concerned if a planners says they don't get kickbacks - they must feel that telling a lie is the best way to start the relationship. 
• Make sure that you like their taste and style – you want your big day to look like you, not like your wedding planners and not like the wedding they have just done. If the photos of their weddings look the same when they show off their work, then so will yours.
• Like any vendor, you'll want to have a clear contract with your wedding planners that spells out their duties, costs and expenses, and deposits and payment schedules. Make sure there are clauses that spell out how increased duties and costs will be negotiated, and what happens if they fail to meet obligations or you want to cancel the contract.

So now ask your self  - Do i need a wedding planner ?