Your wedding planning journey should be an exciting and happy time for both you and your fiancé. If you are finding the planning experience daunting, or you know the time needed to spend on planning a wedding is just too much for your busy life style, then the assistance of a wedding planner could be just what you need.
A wedding planner can take so much pressure off “the busy working couple” or those that have “no idea where to start” and need a little guidance. Great wedding planners live and breathe weddings, and they are experts in their field. To be in such a high energy, time consuming and stressful career, you know they must be passionate and love what they do!
In this column you will find useful tips and advice that will prove the value of using the services of a wedding planner. There are also some tips to ensure you select the planner that will best suit you and look after your needs.
Why use the services of a wedding planner?
Your planner will listen to your dreams and expectations and help turn these into reality.
She/he will know all the in’s and out’s of the service providers that are best fit for you, your vision and most of all, your overall budget. When you are faced with so many different service provider options such as photographers, videographers, make up artists, musicians and even your marriage officiant, how do you know which service provider is best for you? Your wedding planner can advise you on the reliability and reputation of vendors, and recommend who they think will be perfect for your big day.
Keeping service providers on track with your wedding time line is a must. Your service providers can make or break your wedding day. Imagine if your photographer was late, or the setup of your décor was not as you wished. Your wedding planner should be in continuous contact with all vendors during the planning process and on the day of your wedding to ensure everything runs smoothly, on time and have back up options to fall back on.
Your planner can work with you to design all aspects of your décor and floral. You may have a million ideas in your head or your scrap book but not sure how to pull it together. Your planner will work with you to determine which look is best for you, depending on your venue and your unique personality.
The choice of your wedding venue is one of the most important decisions for your wedding day. Your guest list, budget and vision will determine which venue is ideal for you, but are you familiar with every option that is available? A good wedding planner will be able to provide you will all of the options that are available for your ceremony and reception. You will be surprised at some of the options that are out there that you may not know about!
Having a wedding planner present on the day of your wedding is a service you will never regret. While you are having champagne with you girlfriends and being beautified for your big day, your wedding planner is looking after all the ‘behind the scene’ details. You want to relax and be stress free for your wedding and so will your friends and family, so don’t put them to work. Let them relax and enjoy this special time while your planner (the professional) handles all the little details to bring it all together.
Choosing a wedding planner:
Choosing your wedding planner is vital to having a stress free and fun journey during this exciting time of your life. You will be working very closely with your planner and you could be spending almost as much time with them as with your best friends, so a personality match is a must. Here are some tips when choosing your planner:
You should be completely comfortable with your planner and feel assured that he/she understands your needs completely. You could be working with him/her for the next year or even longer, so after the first meeting you should feel at ease with the potential relationship you will have together.
View some of their prior weddings and ask for testimonials to ensure they are reputable and reliable.
Is this their full time job? Some planners only work part time or as a second job. Ensure this is your planner’s career and they are serious and passionate about it.
Most wedding planners will offer an initial free consultation. In this meeting ask as many questions as you can possibly think of in order to feel comfortable in hiring this person to assist with one of the most important days of your life.
Your wedding planner should be prompt, precise and on their game. You should be able to judge them on this from your initial contact. Are they prompt on their response? Do they email you back within the day? Are they returning your phone calls and being enthusiastic about your wedding? A good planner will be prompt and leave no room for waiting and wondering. They have to be organised and always in contact when needed.
Are they attached to a company or independent? A free lance wedding planner has the ability to go shopping around for what’s best for you. While a certain florist may be perfect for one bride, it may not be best for you. They have the option to work in your best interests by negotiating and working with a variety of vendors, while not being biased to what only their company can offer internally.
Expectations of your wedding planner:
So you have decided on your perfect wedding planner and you now see all the benefits that come along with having someone on your side and holding you hand every step of the way. You are both working together to make your wedding everything you have ever dreamed of, while building a great working and personal relationship. Different brides have different expectations and requirements from their planners. Below are some things that you should expect from a planner:
Your wedding planner should be useful to you in the sense of their ideas, vendor knowledge and relationships
You should still feel in control of your wedding
You are sticking to your budget as closely as possible
Items are getting ticked off the ‘to do’ list in a timely manner
Your planner is easy to get a hold of and should respond in a timely manner. A great tip is to set up scheduled calls with your planner
All vendors are secure for your wedding date, deposits are paid and payment plans are in place
Meetings with selected vendors are taking place and your wedding planner should be with you at every one of your meetings so they are ‘in the loop’ for all aspects of your big day
Legal paper work for your marriage is squared away to save any last minute mad rushes.
Site visits are taking place and rehearsals are being coordinated for the big day
All time lines are set and your planner ensures all involved parties know their requirements
Little details like seating charts, name cards and favours are all taken care of and your planner knows exactly how to implement these on the day of your wedding
Your big day has arrived and because you have chosen the perfect planner you should be totally relaxed and happy knowing that a professional is taking care of every aspect of your wedding. This day really is all about you and your fiancé. So leave the planning and stressing to your planner whilst you enjoy your special day by celebrating your love for each other with your family and friends;isn’t that what it’s all about?
Rebecca Bateman Green is a Wedding & Event Planner with Parfait Weddings and Events.
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