Hiring a Wedding Planner vs. DIY, written by
Bay Area wedding planner Becca Tuttle of Becca & Co. Events

 

I will always, always recommend hiring a wedding planner vs. DIY. There is just SO much that goes into planning your wedding that, well… how would you know about if you haven’t done it before? Even further, how would you know how to do it right without having done it over and over again, perfecting your approach with each and every experience? You wouldn’t. 

Wanna know an insider’s secret that honestly breaks my heart? The number 1 reason couples come to me and explain why they want to hire a professional planner is because they have been part of weddings before where there was NOT one. And all hell broke loose. OR the entire “job” landed on their shoulders not allowing them to enjoy their sister’s, or best friend’s or cousin’s wedding. I HATE that people have to go through that sometimes to realize the value behind our career. Because that’s what it is… a career. A full blown JOB. 

I always find myself making the same comments or joke: “there’s a reason I have a full time career and business in wedding planning… because it’s a full time job. It’s a LOT of work.” Don’t have time for a 2nd career? Don’t plan your own wedding. 

Lemme break it down…

TOP 7 REASONS TO HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER:

1. Don’t leave the unknown to Google. Leave it to an expert who has DONE THIS before and can help you navigate the steps you aren’t even aware you need to take.
2. Actually enjoy your engagement… seriously. It doesn’t need to be stressful, it really doesn’t. 
3. Have someone to lean on when the unforeseeable pops up and you need advice on what to do. Even better? Have someone HANDLE the unforeseeable on the day-of so that you never knew there was an issue to begin with.
4. Save money by not wasting it on things you don’t need. You NEED quality service, organization, a plan, that plan to be properly communicated and executed. You do not need favors that no one uses and programs no one reads. (There’s a LOT more you don’t need that we can help you prioritize)
5. Be confident going into your wedding that you’re not forgetting anything. And that you and your guests will have the best day ever! 
6. Don’t put your family and friends to work. They deserve to ENJOY with you and celebrate your love! 
7. Don’t put YOURSELF to work on your wedding day. Sit back, drink champagne, be present, say “I do”, dance your face off, and replay the night over and over again in your head for the rest of your lives. 

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Okay, okay so I know what you’re thinking…what about all the reasons “I can’t” hire a wedding planner? To me, there are 3 that are valid: 

1. You’re on a budget (wedding budget under $15k)
2. You have a friend of a friend with some event experience offering to do the day of for you for free
3. Your venue includes a “day of venue coordinator”

These are all valid reasons to consider skipping on a planner. But what you may be catching on to by now is most of a planner’s work is done well in advance of wedding day. So how do you navigate all of THAT without a pro? 

Enter the DIY Wedding Planning Blueprint: ONLINE COURSE!

I have been an expert in wedding planning for years but have repeatedly found myself unable to help some of the most incredible and deserving couples due to budget constraints. Not everyone has the means to spend $35k+ (the national average) on a wedding, no matter how hard they try to find it, it just doesn’t exist. OR they have day-of help from a friend or the venue so it’s hard to justify the expense when that’s being offered to you already. 

Our industry is not set up to equip these couples with the tools they need to approach planning, and executing those plans, on their own. It’s sort of been a “well they can’t afford it so I can’t work with them because I can’t afford to lower my pricing either” dilemma.

Which I HATE. I want to help and I truly, with every bone in my body, believe every single couple, regardless of budget, deserve a happy, stress free wedding day. And I know EXACTLY what couples need to do in order to achieve that dream. Even without hiring a professional wedding planner for the entire journey.

So I worked backwards and founded a path that solves this dilemma. Guiding any couple in their planning/execution of their wedding day from a DIY approach (aka no professional planner) without breaking the bank! 

Wanna know the best news? We’re right in the middle of the 2nd round of the DIY Wedding Planning Blueprint… the online course is OPEN!! But it won’t be for long. Head over to Becca & Co.’s online shop now to snag yours before it’s too late!

Either way, you don’t want to plan your wedding entirely alone. Set yourself up to actually ENJOY all of your hard work and money spent. The best way? With a planner or investing in learning how to successfully do it yourself. I got you regardless, friend!

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Still not sure about hiring a wedding planner vs. DIY? Check out my blog posts about 5 ways to start out wedding planning right + 10 reasons you should hire a wedding planner!

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Becca Tuttle is the founder and CEO of  The Becca and Co where we’re a buncha wedding planners helping couples plan their dream weddings. On her coaching page, @beccakristinetuttle, I help wedding planners launch and scale their businesses and book out their calendars with my step-by-step strategy!

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Paige Vaughn Photo is an Austin and San Francisco Wedding Photographer specializing in fun, romantic and vibrant wedding, engagement, couple and boudoir photography. Within the Bay Area, we serve San Francisco, the South Bay, Peninsula, and East Bay: San Jose, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Redwood City, San Carlos, Burlingame, Los Altos, Milpitas, Union City, Fremont, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Carmel, Monterey, Santa Cruz and surrounding areas. Within the Central Texas area, we serve: downtown Austin, Dripping Springs, Georgetown, East Austin, Wimberley, New Braunfels, San Antonio, and Houston. She is available for destination weddings and engagement sessions! Contact her for more detailed pricing.