As a wedding photographer, I know firsthand how important planners are to the success of a wedding. Even simple weddings and elopements often need a little support to ensure the day goes smoothly, and that’s where planners come in. I could probably list a hundred reasons why you should hire a wedding planner, but for your sake and mine, I’m going to stop at 10!
Instead of recreating what’s on your Pinterest board, a true planner and designer will get to know you as a couple, what your vision for your day is, and what you’re passionate about and transform that into a visual design that is unique and personalized to you. Not only will they conceptualize something specialized to you, they will share how to make it cohesive throughout the entire wedding weekend.
Planners are great because their entire job is working with brides, grooms, and wedding vendors on a daily basis. This means that they have precise knowledge of how much things should cost and ways to maximize your investment – like where you can reuse florals and decor. They will know whether you’re getting a good deal on wedding items, and they be able to negotiate to get you a better deal with their vendor relationships!
This is likely a “no duh!” item, but it’s worth mentioning since this is their job. If something goes wrong in the weeks leading up to your wedding, or during the planning process, they’ll know how to fix it. You never know when a vendor is going to cancel or an item is going to get lost in transit! Lucky for you, if you hire a planner, they’ll deal with the issue for you and have your big day back on track in no time!
Wedding planning can be extra stressful, especially if you have a short timeline or a tight budget. A planner will keep you from feeling overwhelmed by dealing with all the little things for you! Doesn’t get much better than that!
Wedding planners are pros. They will work with you and your vendors to create a bomb wedding day timeline. Chances are, they’ve done this a million and one times, and will have a way better idea of how long things take than you will – they can also incorporate feedback from other vendors like your wedding photographer, caterer, hair and make up artist and band so everyone has what they need to serve you well! The last thing you want on your day is to feel rushed, and a planner won’t let that happen!
You don’t feel like doing endless research to find great local florists, bands, venues, caterers, etc. for your wedding? I don’t blame you! Lucky for you, a planner will do all that for you, and chances are, they already have! Local planners already know the ins and out of all the best vendors in the area, saving you the hassle of research!
As mentioned above, depending on your area, there’s a good chance your planner knows and has a relationship with most, if not all your vendors. It’ll be so easy, not to mention beneficial for you to let them be the middle man between you and your vendors. This saves you the hassle and helps keep your stress levels low.
You only get engaged once! You should be enjoying it, not agonizing over every tiny detail of your upcoming nuptials. Do yourself a favor and hire your planner right away, and save yourself the headache.
Absolutely everything on your wedding day will be handled by your planner. They will make sure all the vendors are set up in the correct place at the correct time; this includes liaising with them prior to the wedding to make sure everyone has a copy of the timeline and is on the same page.
Planners work behind the scenes setting up centerpieces, floral arrangements, ceremony layouts, and any other additional décor. They know where things are and where they should be, including you, your wedding party and your guests! If anything goes wrong the day of, your planner will have it smoothed out in no time!
I mentioned this in my 5 ways to start wedding planning off right blog, but I’m going to repeat it here. Often when a couple doesn’t hire a planner, your photographer naturally falls into that role on your wedding day. Why is this bad? Anything that distracts your photographer from doing their job means less photos for you. Do yourself, and your photographer a favor and hire someone designated to making sure your day goes off without a hitch!
Planners exist to ensure every detail of your day is perfect and in control. They will lay out your day from start to finish while keeping you on budget and on time. They will coordinate with your vendors and keep your best interests in mind.
If you’re getting married in San Francisco, here’s a list of the best wedding planners in the area according to Brides.com!
If you’re getting married in Austin, here’s a list of wedding planners we trust.
Need more planning and wedding advice? Check out more HERE!
[…] 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! […]