You may have helped a friend plan their wedding day or spent hours on Pinterest creating your dream board, but that doesn’t mean you have to tackle it solo. There are so many different reasons why hiring a wedding planner can make your planning experience better. Booking vendors, organizing your RSVPs, managing your budget and planning every other aspect of your big day can be a lot of work. Add in your normal day-to-day responsibilities, and it’s enough to make even the most organized to-be-weds stressed. Luckily, working with a pro can take a huge weight off your and your partner’s shoulders, leaving you time to enjoy the process.

1. Gives Top-Notch Expertise

The number one reason a wedding planner is worth it is the wealth of knowledge they have. “A wedding planner is like having an accountant do your taxes, things you might struggle with for hours on your own, they know how to handle in minutes and with certainty. A good wedding planner has valuable years of experience that will ultimately save you time and possibly money,” Lee says. A planner essentially juggles the roles of designer, legal counsel, budget manager, coordinator and so much more—all while helping you pull together your wedding. They can be tapped to take care of everything on your to-do list, from choosing aesthetic details to going over vendor contracts and dealing with day-of emergencies. This makes planners a huge asset for busy couples hoping to approach the checklist with minimal stress.

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2. Informs You of the Etiquette You Need to Know

No matter how unconventional your wedding will be, there are some standard wedding etiquette rules you just shouldn’t break. From where you should put certain details on your wedding invitations to who should be on your rehearsal dinner guest list, wedding planners know exactly how to tackle situations you might not have ever thought about. “Yes, you can ask the internet wedding planning questions, but a wedding planner can give you time- and anxiety-saving answers and guidance on the best and correct way to host the wedding,” Lee adds.

3. Takes Care of Your Specific Needs

There are essentially five types of wedding planners: full-time, part-time, destination, month-of or day-of coordinators and event designers. A full-service planner and destination planner will handle it all, start to finish—from crafting the vision for your event to hiring and meeting with your vendors and coordinating a weekend of activities for guests. This option is best for a pair looking to host a multi-day affair or destination wedding or for couples who want a professional to guide them through every step of the wedding planning process.

Prefer a pro you can contact on an as-needed basis? A part-time planner can help you iron out specific details, like tabletop rentals, or give suggestions for the perfect caterer to execute your French bistro menu. Ideal for couples who need someone to help refine their wedding day blueprint and want a more price-conscious choice.

For assistance during your wedding day (but not throughout the entire process), opt for a month-of coordinator. They’ll be solely focused on your priorities and responsible for ensuring your wedding day runs smoothly. Typically, a month-of coordinator will begin working with you two weeks to a month before your wedding to ensure everything is in order. They’ll coordinate your ceremony and reception setup, keep you and your wedding party on schedule and handle any necessary post-wedding duties, like tipping.

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4. Finds the Best Vendors for You

Another reason why hiring a wedding planner is a good idea is that they can help find you the best wedding vendors for your celebration. “Finding vendors can be like [using] a dating app. You can see their profile online and think they look like a match, but we’ve all gone on a bad date, so you know. Sometimes you have to know the vendor and have worked with them to know who is solid and who is a nightmare. Having a wedding planner will save you time finding the vendor that matches your style and budget but also ones that are pleasant to work with,” Lee says.

5. Helps You Stick to Your Budget

A wedding planning expert behind all your decisions, purchases and negotiations, you’ll save money in the long run. They may be able to score insider deals and will always look out for your budget so you don’t have to.

“Unless you planned a wedding very recently, it’s hard to know what things in the wedding market cost and what you actually get for that price. Sprinkle in local pricing variables and some inflation, and it’s hard to know how much the wedding of your dreams is actually going to cost you. Planners will give you an accurate reality check on budget and what to expect in your area in current pricing,” Lee explains.

6. Executes Your Wedding Vision

It’s worth getting a wedding planner because they can help you make the wedding of your dreams a reality. Think of your initial meeting with a planner like a first date—you want to ensure the two of you get along and have the same vision, as you’ll be spending a lot of time together over the next year or so. Arrive armed with a few questions, and listen to their responses carefully. Whether you’re envisioning a formal ballroom affair or a rustic outdoor ceremony, the right planner will know all of the best venues and vendors to pull it off.

Another bonus is planners aid in crafting your wedding look. “Even if you know what design you want, a local wedding planner will know where to find the best resources like rentals, linens, lighting and florist who can execute the style of flowers you want. Remember, your event design is only as good as your rental pulls,” Lee says.

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7. Mediates for You and Your Partner

Wedding planning always comes with lots of (solicited or unsolicited) opinions from loved ones, so Lee believes it’s important to have a third-party voice, the wedding planner, to help break through the chatter. “These days there are many players involved in the planning: the couple, mother(s), father(s), best friends, cousins, coworkers, and much more. So sometimes a third party in the room helps––advice sounds better when it comes from a professional. Wedding planners often help couples and their families navigate the prickly decisions involved in the planning process.”

8. Helps You Enjoy Your Special Day

Think of your planner as a safety net on your wedding day. If anything goes wrong, they’re there to troubleshoot so you won’t have to fret. They’ll be able to make the rain call to move your affair indoors when you can’t bear to or hunt down your set of heirloom champagne flutes before the first toast of the evening. On your wedding day, your only order of business is to soak up every memorable second, which is why so many couples hire a wedding planner. Trust the pro you’ve hired to do their job and let go of control. Working with a pro also means you’ll get to spend precious extra time with loved ones instead of worrying about the cake or a missing flower arrangement. Trust us, you deserve a helping hand on your wedding day.

 

Source: TheKnot