Friday, January 11, 2008

Do you need a Wedding Planner?

It's engagement season! Congratulations to all of those newly engaged couples. One of the very first steps in the wedding planning process is to decide if you need a wedding planner.

This is a question that often comes up. There tends to be a misconception that a bride thinks she can handle everything on her own or with the help of family. And, maybe she can. Tons of weddings take place everyday without a planner.

Ask yourself some questions.
Do you have a lot of wedding details that need full attention?

Do you want to enjoy your day and truly feel like the guest-of-honor at your own party?
Will you be able to enjoy yourself while managing vendors, wondering if the cake has arrived, does the photographer have the correct timeline, does your DJ have your first dance song ready to go, and does your caterer have a special plate prepared for you and the Groom?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then maybe you need to consider hiring a wedding planner.

I want to be able to enjoy planning the wedding of my dreams.
Many brides are afraid that they won’t get to finally plan the wedding of their dreams if they let a planner take control. There are a lot of details leading up to your wedding day that need attention, so maybe wedding consultation and a "day of" package are what you need?

The biggest reason why you need a wedding planner – whether it is “day of coordinating” or “full planning” – is to be able to just let go of the worries of getting things done and trust that a professional has "your back" and is your advocate. You simply cannot be worrying about the reception layout while you are getting ready for the biggest day of your future.

My girlfriend is going to handle the planning on my wedding day.
In theory, this may be a great idea and you may even think that this is going to save you a lot of money. But, there is one thing to consider: your girlfriend may have never planned a wedding before in her life. Plus, she also wants to have fun at your wedding too.

Hiring a wedding planning is going to cost too much.
This is a very common myth that needs to be addressed. In fact, it’s not expensive, it's priceless. This is a day in your life that only happens once! You want it to be perfect, trust the professionals that specialize in perfect. Furthermore, the professionals should be able to help you with your budget and give you insider tips on where to save.

The most important thing for you to remember: allow yourself to fully enjoy your wedding. Consider giving up some responsibility on your wedding weekend to the professionals that you trust will allow you to fully enjoy yourself, your Groom and your wedding!


The author of this blog is Kristie Pichler, Event Planner at Gala Events, inc.