Some wedding planners offer different types of services at different prices. You can hire a full time luxury wedding planner to take on every aspect of the wedding, from mailing the invitations, to going with you to find a wedding dress, to clean up after the wedding. However if a full time planner is not within your budget, you can hire one just to do certain parts of the planning. A wedding planner's package may include just the negotiations with potential vendors and coordinating the actual ceremony and reception with said vendors. They will make sure that the vendors arrive on time and everything runs smoothly. This is one area you might need the most help in, and since they might already have several vendors they work with; you might be able to also get a better deal from them.
Don't disregard hiring a wedding planner completely without first talking to a few of them to see if they can help you within your budget. Once you've decided you want to, or need to hire a one, start by asking friends and family. If you cannot get a good recommendation, start looking in wedding websites under local vendors. Make sure that you interview a few planners before making your final decision. Check to see if they belong to any of the bridal associations, this might mean they are serious about their profession. Also, always ask for references of people they have worked with and give them a call. Getting someone's opinion that has already worked with them is always the best way to find the right person for the job.
Like I said, hiring a wedding planner can help you tremendously and help you avoid a lot of the stress, but hiring the wrong wedding planner might bring more stress than what you already had, so do your homework.
WHO NEEDS A WEDDING PLANNER?
Think wedding planners are only for opulent weddings with six figure budgets? Well, think again, because couples with all different budgets and tastes hire wedding planners these days. In fact, more people can benefit from some professional help than may realize it. This is a look at who needs a wedding planner and why.
BUDGET CONSCIOUS BRIDES AND GROOMS.
Surprised? Yes, you have to pay a wedding planner for his or her services, but they can also be really helpful in making sure that you stick to your budget. There are even planners who specialize in fabulous weddings on tight budgets, which is ideal if you are looking for tricks to stretch your wedding dollars. Besides knowing the tricks of the trade, a planner will also know vendors with whom they can negotiate to get you the best rate or freebies thrown in. (The vendor may give them a discount if the planner uses them frequently.) The right planner can also talk you out of buying that "must have" wedding item that will push your budget over the top.
BUSY BRIDES.
Let's face it, most of the wedding planning is still handled by the bride, maybe with help from her mother. If you are a bride with a demanding career, finding time to interview caterers, shop around for the perfect bridesmaid jewelry gifts, and pore through dozens of wedding stationery books can be flat out impossible. A wedding coordinator can be a lifesaver for any bride without the time to plan her wedding. The planner will do all the legwork for you, and present you with the top few options which suit your needs. From listening to bands to searching for custom gifts of bridesmaid jewelry for your girls to seeking out a caterer who specializes in Portuguese cuisine, a wedding planner can do it all so that you don't have to.
CONFUSED BRIDES.
Maybe you are not one of those women who has imagined her wedding day since childhood. Don't know what color to pick for flowers? Does the difference between taffeta and satin escape you? Planning a wedding can be completely overwhelming, and having a coordinator to assist you can take a lot of the stress off of your shoulders. This is especially true for brides who simply are not that interested in fretting over ecru vs. ivory. If you want a beautiful wedding, but don't enjoy fussing over all the "girly" stuff, let a wedding planner do that for you.
DESTINATION WEDDING BRIDES.
This is a big one. Planning a long distance wedding on your own can be next to impossible. How are you going to visit with florists, check out venues, and go hear local bands play when your home is hundreds of miles from your wedding location? If you are planning a destination wedding to a resort, the hotel will generally have an events coordinator to help you along the way. Brides who will be getting married in a non-resort setting (like your hometown across the country) can greatly benefit from having someone on the ground to do all of the legwork. A common scenario is that the planner does all the research and the bride and groom make just one or two trips to the wedding location to see the options that the coordinator has rounded up and to make their final decisions.
It is amazing how many different types of brides may find the services of a wedding planner useful, especially in this day and age where many brides do not have their mothers on hand to help them. It is always a good idea to know when you could use some help along the way, whether it is just a wedding day coordinator to make sure that everything goes smoothly, or a full service planner who will arrange everything from soup to nuts. One thing is for sure, if you need one, you sure will be glad to have a professional wedding planner on your side!
WEDDING PLANNING TIPS TO STAY IN BUDGET
Your budget is possibly the most important part of your wedding planning. Your budget will determine everything you do when it comes to planning your dream wedding, from your choice of venue to type of entertainment you hire. But many couples struggle to stay within their wedding budget and often end up spending more than they originally anticipated.
When you begin your wedding planning follow these tips to help you prepare your budget and control your costs so you stay within it.
1. Use a budget planning sheet to help you itemize your costs for each element of your wedding. You can download these for free from wedding directory websites or you might find a blank planner in a wedding magazine. These budget planners are usually generic to the average wedding and you may need to edit them to suit the wedding you are planning.
2. Prioritize the elements of your wedding day in order of importance to ensure your budget is apportioned and allocated to the most vital bits first such as the ceremony & reception venue. This will help ensure your budget is allocated properly and that you don't end up with fabulous wedding favors but no ceremony!
3. Open a separate bank account for your wedding budget to ensure it doesn't get swallowed up with everyday living expenses. Look out for an account with a high rate of interest applied so your budget will work for you during your wedding planning period, the extra money could come in handy!
4. If you do overspend on something make sure you reallocate money from other areas to make up the difference. This may mean compromising on other elements of you day but it will ensure you stay within budget.
5. Consider various ideas for saving money such as making your own table centers, favors and stationary. You should also consider negotiating with vendors and suppliers over prices and packages, often you can make big savings with very little effort.
6. A shortfall in your wedding budget will mean you will have to compromise on certain elements to ensure you keep within you budget. This could mean having fewer bridesmaids, choosing a wedding dress that is not designer and choosing a cheaper menu for your wedding breakfast. Never consider borrowing extra money in the form of a bank loan to fund your wedding day, loans are an expensive way to borrow and you don't want to begin married life knee deep in debt.
Share This Article
