Starting to plan your big day can be overwhelming, whether you’re thinking about the simplest to-do item or your ever-growing wedding budget. If you are already feeling stressed and overwhelmed, hiring a wedding planner/coordinator might be a sanity-saver for you and your partner. A professional planner not only takes over the major aspects of the wedding planning process that you’re losing sleep over, but they also provide peace of mind when it comes to all the little details, like hiring the perfect florist or connecting you with the perfect DJ or band.
You might be thinking, “Is a wedding planner really worth the extra expense?” In our opinion, you can’t put a price on your mental health. If hiring a full-service wedding planner is way out of your budget, look for planners with a variety of services. Many offer full-time planning as well as support in the month leading up to your big day. The investment is invaluable no matter what level of help you and your partner need. Not completely convinced yet? Here are three questions to ask yourself if you want a stress-free wedding day.
Do you need a wedding planner, a wedding designer or a wedding coordinator?
I’m sure you have heard of these terms, but did you know that each has a very different job? Let’s break them down.
- Wedding Planner: This professional helps build your wedding vision and organize everything from beginning to end, whether it’s creating a detailed timeline for family and vendors or sourcing vendors. This is the highest level of support you can hire to achieve your dream wedding.
- Wedding Designer: A designer helps bring your vision to life by styling everything from color palettes and floor plans to bouquets and centerpieces.
- Wedding Coordinator: This is the point person who takes over execution the month before your big day and tackles any last-minute details. They come in after you’ve secured wedding vendors, a wedding venue and planned your design. They will work closely with your vendors to ensure a seamless experience.
Now that you know what these professionals do, it’s time to figure out if you need one (or all) of them to help with the planning process!
What type of wedding planning services do I need?
Weddings are not one size fits all and the same rings true for wedding planners. Here are the three most common wedding planning services and what they entail.
- Full-Service Wedding Planning: You can expect a full-service wedding planner to work with you anywhere from 12 to 18 months leading up to your wedding. They will help to plan every conceivable detail, from setting the tone for the day to how the napkins will be folded at the reception.
- Month-Of Coordination: With this service you have already secured all or most of your dream vendors, locked down the venue and planned your color scheme, a month-of planner will take the reins in the weeks leading up to your wedding. You can expect your coordinator to take over as the point of contact for vendor questions, create a timeline, and make sure everything runs smoothly on your big day.
Think about which part of this process is causing most of your stress and anxiety and worrying you the most. Are your guest list and budget out of control? Are you having trouble finding the right vendors? Is your day-of timeline a mess? Once you identify what’s keeping you up at night, hire the professional with a service package that will best help alleviate that stressor. The weight of that burden being lifted off your shoulders is well worth the cost of hiring a wedding planner.
