Do You Need a Wedding Planner?

Ten years ago, almost to the day, I began my journey into the wonderful world of weddings. At the time I thought of fairy tales, roses, happily ever afters and love. It did not take long before I found out how much work actually was involved. There really isn't a "wedding fairy godmother" that makes the event magically perfect. There are wedding planners who take the place of fairy godmothers, and that is the direction I chose. You might be thinking that wedding planners are too expensive and only "luxury items" for the rich, but a good wedding planner will save you time and money and an unbelievable amount of stress. Here are a few wedding facts to consider when you begin planning your wedding.

The average wedding take approximately 250 hours of planning. That translates into 6.25 full-time work weeks. Most engaged couples are full time students or employees who already spend over 40 hours a week with their nose at the grindstone. Do you have the time and patience to spend hours researching, checking references, going to site visits? If not, a wedding planner would be a wise investment. Wedding planners are your search party, librarian, research assistant, contract translator, vendor coordinator, and mediator when you and yours (Fiance, mom, sister, grandmother, etc.) are not on the same page. Also, now there are more and more weddings that are destination weddings for either the bride, groom, or the entire wedding ensemble. I would recommend a wedding planner for any destination event. The time involved in planning a weekend of wedding bliss in a fabulous, but distant, locale almost doubles and sometimes triples the amount of time spent planning and coordinating. A wedding planner will also think of things you might accidentally overlook, too. Babysitters, food allergies, checking the florals as soon as they arrive to ensure they are right, making arrangements for any handicapped guests, etc.

Maybe you are a super organized person who has everything under control. That is great, but you probably still need a DOC, commonly called a Day Of Coordinator. This person will guide you through your rehearsal, your pre-ceremony and ceremony, and at the least, your reception entrance. They will also aide in avoiding any uncomfortable seating issues like divorced family members or rowdy college friends sitting with your minister uncle. They assist with any emergencies that might arise like stains on gowns or missing buttons on suits. They are really a way to ensure that everyone is able to realx and have a great time at your special day.

A good wedding planner is the first thing you should consider as being a necessity. A wedding planner has resources and contacts throughout their business repetoire that can save you time and money, not to mention they will see that you get the best value for your budget. But there are a few things to consider before signing a contract with any wedding vendor.

*How long have they been in business?

*Can you call references of recent brides?

*How many weddings do they do per weekend?

*Do they give or accept referral fees? A word to the cautionary, most really good wedding vendors do not need referral fees so definitely check references for the companies who will admit to giving or receiving them.

* Read the entire contract, including the fine print, and go over it with your fiance before signing anything. You will have plenty of chances to argue over the next 50 years, try not to let your vendor contracts be the reason you have a disagreement.

* Have an in person meeting with each vendor to make sure your personalities are comfortable with each other. You do not want to spend the next 8 months having to deal with someone you are not totally comfortable with, especially in regard to a planner. Your planner will become your friend, your knight in shining armor, and your pseudo-therapist during the months and weeks leading up to your special day. Make sure it is someone you want to spend time with doing wedding things.

Ask questions that are specific to your event, and remember that you do not have to be an "impulse buyer" with your wedding. Take time to consider the possibilities and details. Enjoy the process and all the fun that goes with it.

Happy Planning!