Why you should hire a wedding planner

We love our jobs! But a wedding photographer is not be-all end-all of the wedding planning process. So we asked a few of our wedding planner friends five common questions about what it means to hire a wedding planner, and what they do for you!

Question 1: Why should I hire a planner?

Ashley Sargent with A Beautiful Theme: Hiring a wedding planner ensures you have someone on your team who works solely to bring your vision and concept to life. We develop a close relationship during the entire wedding planning process. Then on wedding day we are your behind-the-scenes manager working with ALL vendors to ensure your day is perfect. To put it simply, we are there for you and making sure your day goes smoothly. You have a team there to make things happen and eliminate stress so you can relax, have fun, and enjoy the entire day!

Shelby Wolfe with La Luz Weddings & Events: When you look back at your wedding photos, you won’t just see the beautiful images; you will relive the emotions and experience of your wedding day. Hiring a planner/coordinator will have a great impact on how you remember your day.

Lauren Waller with Just Lovely Weddings: Having a planner (or Month-of Coordinator!) is an investment in the experience of your wedding day, both for you and your guests – similar to having beautiful décor and an incredible band or DJ! If you think of all of the different elements of your wedding (venue, hair and makeup, the wedding schedule, photography, food and beverage, etc.) a planner is the glue that holds those pieces together so that you can enjoy the experience more, both in advance and on the wedding day itself.

Taylor Fail with Lace & Bow Bridal: As your wedding planner, I’m here from beginning to end of the planning journey. I assist my clients with researching and finding the right venue and vendors, creating and managing your budget with you, sourcing and creating all those little details, and so much more. We help you create those amazing guest experiences that you are looking for to make your wedding unique and memorable.

Questions 2: My budget is really tight, and I love planning things! I can just do it myself right?

(Shelby): Although it is possible to plan your wedding yourself, it’s definitely not the ideal experience. You’re likely getting married for the first time and don’t know all the logistics that go into planning the wedding. After all, you don’t know what you don’t know. If your budget is tight, I’d suggest hiring a wedding planning professional for hourly consultations so that you learn about what’s involved and get their recommendations. Then, make sure to hire them for month-of coordination so you (or your Maid of Honor/Mom) aren’t boggled down with everything on wedding day.

(Taylor): When you have a planner by your side during the planning process, we help you manage that budget that you’re concerned about. Yes, couples do plan their wedding without wedding planners, but those couples look back on the planning experience wishing they had someone with the inside knowledge of where to save and where to invest the money, based on the guest experience they were looking for.

(Ashley): There are different packages with different price points! Full-Service Wedding Planning is the highest price point, but most planners offer month-of coordination which fits with tighter budgets but allows for full assistance on wedding day as well. Having a wedding planner or coordinator will ensure a stress-free environment for yourself and family. That is really where its value shines!

(Lauren): No matter your budget, it’s a great idea to consider a planner or month-of coordinator! Even if you love planning things and the process, as you get closer to the day, you’re most likely going to get busier, while the to-do list only increases. It’s important to have someone on your team who knows all of the wedding details, can communicate them to others, and execute them day of. Your wedding day will go by in a flash. You want those moments to be spent with your loved ones, not running around trying to set up and communicate details to vendors.

Question 3: We are only having 50 guests, can’t the photographer and the planner that comes with the venue handle it?

(Shelby): Your photographer is there to capture the delicate moments of your wedding for a lifetime of memories. By asking them to also play the role of your planner, you are robbing yourself of the photos they could have captured with the time and energy they expended trying to do both.

In addition to this, the person that comes with the venue is not actually a planner. Instead, you should think of them more like an advocate for the venue. Their main job is to have their team set up the tables, chairs, and linens as well as help keep the bathrooms and trash taken care of. A planner, on the other hand, is an advocate for you and your wedding. They’ll coordinate vendors, que music, keep your timeline running smoothly, as well as keep a thoughtful eye out for you and your fiancé. Essentially, both your photographer and venue coordinator have jobs of their own on wedding day. They may not know all the details that go into planning and coordination. You run the risk of stretching their abilities too thin.

(Ashley): The number of guests does not really change the fact that you need someone on site advocating for you and your wedding! If you have 50 or 200 guests you still need your vision executed, details to look beautiful, and guests to have fun! Your personal wedding planner is there to make sure your vision is coming to life. They are also the on-site leader for all vendors to come too for any questions.

A hotel coordinator is there to ensure the hotels needs go well. This includes the hotel rooms, food, and beverage portion. Those are important and we love working alongside hotel coordinators, but they are two very separate jobs! One of the biggest differences is planners know all the details from beginning to end in all aspects. We also stay till the end of the night and package all of your stuff to ensure a smooth night all the way through. Most hotel coordinators, however, leave right after dinner!

(Lauren): I have planned weddings for less than 50 guests that were as much work as weddings with 150+ guests! A smaller guest count doesn’t necessarily mean planning or coordinating is easier. Every wedding vendor that is involved in your wedding day has a specific and important role to play. So asking someone who isn’t a planner or coordinator to take on that role means that you’re taking them away from the job that they were hired to do. A great photographer, venue coordinator, or catering manager isn’t a replacement for a planner. We’re all part of a team, working together with the goal of giving you the best wedding day we can.

(Taylor): The “planner” at the venue is not the same as a wedding planner. We call those Venue Coordinators. Their job is only focused around the venue. There are many tasks leading up to the day that the venue coordinator and photographer will not do for you. For example, finalizing your timeline with all of your vendors. This task will fall on you. With so many details to review leading up to the wedding, you will have a lot of things to focus on finalizing by yourself. Whereas with a wedding planner, we do those things for you.

Questions 4: What do you think causes the most stress at a wedding? What should I avoid doing?

(Ashley): I think couples are the most stressed when they do not feel confident in their vendors or their timeline. Having a trusted vendor team and a solid (realistic) timeline is top priority! Expert wedding planners have years of experience and have been at hundreds of weddings so we are vendor and timeline experts! A poor timeline can really make a negative impact on wedding day. Also, something I would avoid is NOT having a team welcoming and guiding guests to where they need to be. First impressions are everything and a friendly and knowledgeable member of our team is always front and center welcoming guests, so they feel at ease!

(Shelby): Another thing that causes a lot of stress is large bridal parties. We have had several couples in the past who want to include their 10 BFFs in their wedding party (we get it – you it’s hard to play favorites!) and going into it you think it will just add to the life of the party. Unfortunately, this is just not how it works out. Instead, it actually becomes more overwhelming to the point that friendships are negatively affected, and the couple is much more stressed out throughout the entire planning process (wedding party selection, bachelorette party planning, bridal shower planning, wedding rehearsal, and most importantly – the BIG day). The most successful wedding party size is 3-4 attendants on each side.  Aim for that!

(Lauren): I see clients get the most stressed when they give themselves too much to do in the days leading up to the wedding. Those days are already so busy with family/friends arriving, and the excitement (and nerves!) for the upcoming wedding, so don’t give yourself any more to do than you absolutely have to.

(Taylor): Lack of communication and lack of setting proper expectations can be a major issue. Be sure to discuss anything and everything with your vendors so that you have communicated and set expectations. The vendors in turn will also communicate and set expectations with you. Generally, when things go wrong on a wedding day, and it was something that could have been avoided, there was a lack of communication and expectations set. As vendors, we want to know what you need and how to best make your day as smooth as possible.

Question 5: Is there a difference between a designer, planner, and month of coordinator?

(Shelby): Yes! A designer is a creative soul that helps take your inspiration, mood, and color scheme and make it a reality through florals, rentals, and set up. A planner is someone who takes care of all the logistics and details of a wedding through checklists, timelines, and planning. Some wedding planners offer both services, but not all. Make sure to ask your planner what type of services they offer and whether or not that includes logistical planning, designing services, or both. A month of coordinator is someone who helps finalize all the details of your wedding, checks your plans for any holes, and coordinates with all the vendors in the weeks leading up to the big day. Then on the day, they are there to be the point of contact, keep your day running smoothly, and to be your advocate.

(Ashley): Yes! A month of coordinator is not involved in the planning or design process but are coordinators who will execute your plan on wedding day!  They will come into the planning process 1 month before wedding day to get a quick rundown and then execute your plans. A wedding planner is someone who is heavily involved during the entire process. They are there to recommend vendors, look through contracts, be familiar with every single aspect of the day, know family dynamics, and be there to fully support bride/groom for the entire process. A designer is someone who specializes in the overall look and vision of your wedding. They have a design eye and can help coordinate colors, flowers, and specialty rental items to bring a cohesive look to your wedding day!

(Lauren): Yes! A month-of coordinator is usually someone that hasn’t been involved in the entire planning process and is pulling together details and coordinating logistics leading up to and on the wedding day. A planner is someone that is helping you through all or a good portion of the planning process, helping to craft the vision, identify needs, and secure vendors and services to bring the wedding to life! A designer is someone who curates the look and feel of the wedding and helps to bring those elements to life! Some planners bundle design services with their planning packages.

(Taylor): Absolutely, there is a big difference in these roles and responsibilities. A designer is only hired to make sure your wedding aesthetic and design is cohesive. A designer sources items needed for your wedding, like décor, florals, etc. A wedding planner helps source your vendors, manage your budget, keep you on a planning schedule, and so much more. Most wedding planners also are designers and include that in the process to make sure your wedding style and aesthetic is cohesive. A month-of Coordinator is only responsible for executing your wedding. It is a 6-week process where you are simply relaying the details to the coordinator of who you hired, your wedding day timeline, décor, details, etc. A month-of coordinator helps you confirm and finalize all your vendors and details within the last month of your wedding but does not plan it for you.

Thank you ladies! As photographers we can not stress enough the importance of hiring a planner, or at least a month of coordinator. We want your wedding day to be the best day of your lives and an amazing experience! It should be as stress free as possible so you can focus on yourself, your partner and your loved ones. Do yourself a favor and reach out to one of these awesome gals!

Ashley Sargent with A Beautiful Theme

Shelby Wolfe with La Luz Weddings & Events

Lauren Waller with Just Lovely Weddings

Taylor Fail with Lace & Bow Bridal